Mia Sosa writes funny, flirty, and moderately steamy contemporary romance that celebrate our multicultural world. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Yale Law School, Mia practiced First Amendment and media law in the nation's capital for ten years before trading her suits for loungewear (read: sweatpants). Born and raised in East Harlem, New York, she now lives in Maryland with her college sweetheart, their two bookaholic daughters, and the one dog that rules them all. For more, visit her at her website miasosa.com. You can find more of my reviews of Sosa's works here.
A wedding planner left at the altar. Yeah, the irony isn't lost on Carolina Santos, either. But despite that embarrassing blip from her past, Lina's managed to make other people's dreams come true as a top-tier wedding coordinator in DC. After impressing an influential guest, she's offered an opportunity that could change her life. There's just one hitch... she has to collaborate with the best (make that worst) man from her own failed nuptials. Tired of living in his older brother's shadow, marketing expert Max Hartley is determined to make his mark with a coveted hotel client looking to expand its brand. Then he learns he'll be working with his brother's whip-smart, stunning—absolutely off-limits—ex-fiancée. And she loathes him. If they can survive the next few weeks and nail their presentation without killing each other, they'll both come out ahead. Except Max has been public enemy number one ever since he encouraged his brother to jilt the bride, and Lina's ready to dish out a little payback of her own. But even the best laid plans go awry, and soon Lina and Max discover animosity may not be the only emotion creating sparks between them. Still, this star-crossed couple can never be more than temporary playmates because Lina isn't interested in falling in love and Max refused to play runner-up to his brother ever again...
This novel's concept is ultimate romantic comedy fodder: a wedding planner ditched at the altar finding love with her ex-fiancé's best man/brother? The perfect combination of The Wedding Planner with some original twists, including having to work together on a marketing pitch to get Lina her dream job? I absolutely ate this up! I loved how I felt some 2001 Wedding Planner vibes—the female character's career choice, the visits to venues, the need to impress another woman not tuned into the behind-the-scenes drama—and yet how Lina's and Max's story was entirely their own.
Most of that is due to how goofy and unique their characters are. They are able to laugh with one another after intense moments, and to read one another well. In fact, that goofiness in a male lead is not often seen in books, in favor of the more toxic masculinity of the man having to be stronger and quieter. Max was the absolutely opposite, being completely vulnerable not just with the reader, but with Lina from the get-go. This was incredibly refreshing, and made it all the more rewarding when the two of them finally overcame their fears together to reach that happily-ever-after.
In her bio, Sosa writes that she celebrates our multicultural world with her contemporary romances, and this is absolutely true of The Worst Best Man. Lina is Brazilian-American, and I love how Sosa exposes readers and Max to her world, from the very beginning in the first chapter all the way until the closing moments. Sosa doesn't shy away from writing moments between Max and Lina where Max has to check his privilege, while also writing Lina's background and culture deep into the page with Lina's relationships with her cousins and tias.
It was so much fun learning about Lina's world, and reading a romance written by Mia Sosa. I knew I wouldn't be able to resist the cover of The Worst Best Man for long! Thankfully, Sosa has another book out, The Wedding Crasher, following one of Lina's cousins in her own catastrophic romantic endeavors. Stay tuned for my review of The Wedding Crasher!
*This review can also be found on my Goodreads page*
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