ARC Review: Not the Plan
Not the Plan
by Gia de Cadenet
★★★★
Love and politics make strange bedfellows
I was fortunate enough to get an advanced reviewer’s copy of the book Not the Plan by Gia de Cadenet who also wrote Getting His Game Back.
Not the Plan is a steamy workplace romance book about a woman, Isadora Maris, an accomplished and ambitious chief of staff for a senate majority leader, who falls for the equally ambitious, and brilliant attorney Karim Sarda who works for her political rival. Karim is getting his life back following a tumultuous failed marriage that left him emotionally scarred. Isadora has been dealing with a lifetime of angst from her emotionally abusive mom. Despite years of personal trauma, and at risk of political scandal, these two navigate healing, and self-discovery as they learn to love themselves and each other.
The story does a great job of emotionally putting us in the head of both characters. Although I must say, the main character Isadora cried a lot throughout this book irrespective of the situation. As a reader, I felt the psychological issues could have been brought forward more pointedly. Having read Gia de Cadenet’s first book where she was raw and unflinching in her portrayal of mental health issues, I felt Not the Plan was tapered on the topic. It isn’t until we read the author’s acknowledgment that we understand the scope of Isadora’s issue and behavior.
Gia de Cadenet does however paint a vivid picture through her words of how physical and emotional abuse impact one’s belief of self and how others perceive them. Not the Plan is hard-hitting on heavy and even scandalous topics, however, there are plenty of steamy and touching moments between Isadora and Karim. As a reader, I could feel the love brewing between Isadora and Karim from the beginning and I rooted for them throughout the book.
Gia de Cadenet does a great job mapping Karim’s journey in Not the Plan, without the reader having pre-read de Candent’s previous book Getting His Game Back where we met Karim two years prior as Khalil’s twin brother in the book.
I wanted to give this book five stars but I felt Gia de Cadenet held back on the hard-core emotional roller coaster story she’s known for. However, Not the Plan is a good fresh read. Gia de Cadenet is the one to watch for a new and interesting take on romance books.
Not the Plan is a four-star steamy workplace romance book and a good read.
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