Book ReviewThe Partner Plot by Kristina Forest (The Greene Sisters Series)By Mariah V.

Book Review

So I completely read this series backwards! If you have read my previous book review on this series, you will already know that I read The Love Lyric first, then The Neighbor Favor second, and I finally was able to read The Partner Plot. So yes, I was completely all over the place with this series, but it’s okay because I absolutely love this series about the Greene sisters.

I enjoy how each sister has a different personality and a different love story, yet in some way their lives and relationships are all intertwined. I also love that they are named after flowers and share the last name Greene, which fits perfectly since their parents own a plant nursery. These sisters were fun to read about, especially seeing how they found love while still overcoming the personal obstacles thrown at them in life.

That’s why I was excited to finally read Violet’s story, the middle child and, apparently, the black sheep of the Greene sisters.

Well, let me take that back about being the black sheep of the family. As someone who is also considered the black sheep among my sisters and family, I see it a little differently. The black sheep is usually just misunderstood and tends to think and do things differently than everyone else, which is why they are labeled the rebel of the family.

To me, Violet was an artistic butterfly amongst a garden of weeds.

She loves fashion, and people who have a strong sense of fashion often dare to be different and enjoy experimenting with styles. So of course, when it comes to Violet’s fashion choices, her small community in New Jersey is going to see her as the misguided one.

Then there’s the fact that she’s the middle child, and we all know how the middle child often gets labeled as the difficult one. But honestly, I liked Violet. She reminded me a little of myself.

I’m the youngest of my sisters, but I could definitely be labeled a lot like Violet. I loved fashion as a kid. I actually studied fashion merchandising and design in college and used to sew a lot. But my life choices felt more relatable to Xavier’s story.

After Xavier broke Violet’s heart during her freshman year in college, she took that heartbreak and dove into her love for fashion, and it eventually took her far in life. For Xavier, however, heartbreak left him stuck, especially after tearing his ACL while playing college basketball and not being able to fulfill his dream of making it to the NBA.

Violet and Xavier’s story as high school sweethearts is pretty much your typical high school relationship. You know the kind,being lovesick over each other, breaking up over little stupid things, then getting back together, breaking up again right before prom, and somehow ending up back together before the night is over. They even got tattoos together to express their commitment to one another.

Their relationship honestly reminded me of the movie The Notebook starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. It’s that kind of young love that grows into something deeper.

Violet and Xavier were inseparable, but going off to college in different parts of the country can change things, especially when you’re still young.

But I was very impressed with Violet and her ambition. She knew what she wanted, she knew what she loved, and she went after it. She worked hard in the fashion industry and became a successful celebrity stylist before the age of 30. She didn’t let the breakup distract her from her dreams, although it did lead her into a rushed engagement that ended in an epic failure.

However, I did like how she turned her failed wedding into an anti–all-black wedding celebration. Honestly, that sounds like something I would do too,especially if my fiancé cheated on me with a client I was styling.

It almost felt like destiny when, after a decade, Violet ran into her high school sweetheart in Las Vegas, the city where anything and everything can happen.

After a few drinks and a few moments of dancing, it didn’t take long for Violet and Xavier to rekindle what they once had in high school. Even though they don’t remember getting married at a Las Vegas chapel, that moment in the book was both hilarious and sweet to me.

It just proved that their love for each other never truly left. Out of all places, while intoxicated, they decided to get married, just like Xavier promised he would during their prom night years ago.

Except the marriage was technically a pretend wedding at a pretend chapel, which I honestly didn’t even know existed in Las Vegas. You can tell I’ve been living under a rock because when did they start having those? But I guess it makes sense. It is Vegas, and anything can happen there.

Their fake wedding was only the beginning of all the chaos.

When Violet was being interviewed for a fashion magazine about her success as one of the top celebrity stylists under 30, I don’t think she expected the conversation to shift toward her personal life — especially when one of her clients was now dating her ex-fiancé.

So in a way, I can’t completely blame Violet for telling a tall tale about being married to her high school sweetheart. In some ways, and after a few drinks, they kind of were.

She was simply trying to save face and protect her reputation. I mean, who wouldn’t try to do that when their career is on the line?

However, not telling Xavier about the article and the supposed marriage was something I didn’t agree with, especially when he had to hear about it from a know-it-all employee at the high school where he now teaches.

People in their small community are incredibly nosy. I can definitely see why Violet was ready to leave town after high school. If one person knows something about you, everyone knows. There are no secrets in that town, except for Violet and Xavier’s pretend marriage.

Despite being upset about the article and the fact that half the world now believed they were married, Xavier still chose to protect Violet instead of exposing her lie. Eventually, he realized that the situation could actually help him move forward in his own career as well.

He stood by Violet, even when her mother was overreacting about not knowing about Violet’s accomplishments or her sudden marriage.

And let me just say this, the Greene sisters’ mother got on my nerves.

I understand she’s a mother who wants the best for her family, but she came across as overbearing, dramatic, and overly concerned with what other people think. I get that she has a reputation to maintain as the owner of a well-known business, but she definitely took things too far for me.

That character honestly triggered some past memories for me.

So who could blame Violet for keeping her distance and focusing on her work? Xavier broke her heart, and her parents barely took her career seriously. Violet needed an escape, and fashion styling became that escape for her.

As for Xavier, I truly understood where he was coming from. Tearing his ACL and losing the opportunity to pursue the dream he had worked for his entire life would leave anyone feeling stuck and unfulfilled.

I really felt for him, especially when he had to move back home and figure out his next steps in life. Having big dreams that don’t come true can be incredibly depressing.

But I’m someone who believes everything happens for a reason, and the universe works in mysterious ways. In Xavier’s case, if he hadn’t torn his ACL, he might not have ended up inspiring his students and helping coach the high school basketball team.

One of my favorite parts of the story was the bond Xavier had with his students. I laughed at the moments when they teased him about his outfits, and when one of his students offered him crystals to hold because she thought he was stressed.

But Violet’s little lie ultimately brought them back together and reminded them that their love for each other had never truly disappeared. It just needed time, healing, and reassurance.

I absolutely adore Violet and Xavier’s relationship. Next to Isis and Angel’s relationship, these two are my second favorite in the series.

The Partner Plot had plenty of laugh-out-loud moments along with many sweet and heartfelt ones. There is so much more to the story that made it the perfect read for this month of love. It kept me entertained and left a smile on my face.

This story reminded me that if something is truly meant to be, it will be, and what’s meant for you will always find its way back to you.

Even though I read this series completely backwards, I’m really glad I was able to finish it. I enjoyed it so much that I might just reread all three books again.

And I’m also super excited to hear that the series is getting a movie adaptation! That means there is so much more to look forward to from this series.