[ARC Review] Thank You, Next by Andie J. Christopher
Up-and-coming chef Will Harkness mixes with Alex like oil and vinegar, but forced proximity growing up means their lives are forever entwined. When Will learns Alex and her friends are going on a wild romp through Los Angeles to reconnect with her ex-boyfriends, he decides to tag along. If he can discover what her exes did wrong, he can make sure he doesn’t make the same mistake with Alex.
On this nonstop journey through the streets of LA, Alex realizes the answer to her question might be the man riding shotgun…
My thoughts: I thought Father Patrick was going to forever reign supreme as my favorite Andie J. Christopher leading man, but Will Harkness has officially taken the title. Thoroughly steamy while still addressing a lot of issues that both Alex and Will needed to face, Thank You, Next was an entertaining ride through Alex's past romances in order to get her to where she needed to be: at peace with herself and ready to trust to heart to another.
I knew immediately that I needed Alex and Will to get together. Christopher writes amazing tension and chemistry between characters, and I could just feel that gravitational pull between them - even when they were at each other's throats. While obviously Alex's past relationships play a major role in the whole plot, I loved that Will's past ended up also contributing to his relationship with Alex. Both main characters had past issues that were hurting their chance at happiness, and I absolutely loved that they could work through those issues at the same time. For once, I felt like I read a book where both main love interests were on equal footing rather than one character working through their problems while the other waited for them.
There were so many fantastic characters in this book. Alex was great in so many ways: she was strong-willed and educated, she was confident in her career, she owned her biracialness, and she was wise enough to know her own patterns of behavior and could see when she was about to let history repeat itself. Alex could be frustrating in her habit of running from love, but it was so rewarding to see her stop the pattern and actually open her heart to another person.
Will officially tops my list of favorite Andie J. Christopher leading men. It sounds weird to say, but I loved how flawed Will was as a love interest. He actually had some similar relationship issues to Alex, and it was refreshing to see the man (especially a strong, silent type like Will) be willing to see his own faults and acknowledge them to both himself and others. I also loved how patient he was with Alex. He didn't expect perfection from her, and that made him willing to wait for her to finish her own journey before attempting to build a future together. Both Will and Alex were lost souls, and I loved how they were able to understand and complement each other in ways that no one else ever could.
The award for best supporting character has to go to Lexi, Alex's grandmother and Will's former step-mother (yes, Will was at one point Alex's step-uncle - it's complicated, don't ask). Lexi is such a meddling character, pushing for Alex and Will to get together since they were teenagers. She was spunky and definitely did not act her age. A serial dater (and no stranger to multiple marriages), Lexi was all about living life to the fullest and ended up being just the example that both Alex and Will needed to finally find their happiness.
Overall, Thank You, Next was such a fun and steamy read. Alex and Will were perfectly flawed main characters who immediately caught my eye and continued to hold my attention through all their trials. I was rooting for them before they were rooting for themselves, and their journey was so satisfying to watch unfold. With Christopher's trademark spice, wonderful characters, and an entertaining plot, Thank You, Next is a must read romance.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of Thank You, Next provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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Release date: 6/14/22
Format: eARC
eARC provided via: NetGalley
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