In a Not So Perfect World

“Tubati Alexander is a writer to watch!” —Emily Giffin The author of Love Buzz follows her acclaimed first novel with a delightful romp involving an ambitious video-game designer with a strategy for (almost) everything who discovers what happens when her best-laid plans go off course . . . Sloane Cooper is up for her dream job, as a designer for a top video game company. During the meeting, though, she somehow promises the all-male panel that she’ll remain single and fully dedicated to the work. It’s actually fine—after her last boyfriend cheated on her, she vowed to focus on her career anyway. Enter Charlie, aka Hot Neighbor Guy, a near-stranger who shocks her with the offer of an all-inclusive trip to a Turks and Caicos resort. The catch? Charlie originally planned the trip with his ex, and asks Sloane to pose as his new girlfriend to make his old flame come running back. Against her better judgment (honed by watching true-crime shows), Sloane says yes; she can use the time away to develop a game design that will dazzle the Catapult team and get her a job offer. But though they’re in paradise and sparks are flying, this trip can’t lead to more. As their connection deepens, Sloane reminds herself that she can’t fall for Charlie and get knocked off her professional path. Besides, he’s trying to win back his true love. Can Sloane figure out a way to move past heartbreak, land the job of her dreams, and avoid catching feelings?