Review
Readers in search for a sweet and swoony love story that goes beyond the slow burn need look no further. Character growth. Anxiety rep. Elderly dogs. Loveable secondary characters. Connection to community and family. The Plus One List by Amy Ewing has all of that and more.
It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book where two characters are so obviously perfect for each other before they even meet. Eloise is a small business owner with generalized anxiety disorder and a pack of elderly dogs in NYC. Augustin is an ambitious and outgoing journalist and immigrant. And he’s trying to make his dream of getting published in a nationally-known newspaper come true.
Their worlds collide when Eloise’s best friend Rachel’s wedding approaches and she needs a date. Cue the Plus One List. And luckily for Augustin, he lands a coveted spot and meets the requirements to become Eloise’s date. Even then, the road to the wedding is not an easy one.
Eloise’s anxiety literally debilitates her. Her “Worry Wheel” never fails to spin at the slightest hint of a possible trigger. But Augustin has the patience of a saint. And a secret motive to find the final piece of the puzzle to getting published. Through his gentle support and guidance, Augustin helps Eloise find the strength within herself to overcome her obstacles, one baby step at a time.
More Love for The Plus One List
I can’t let the love story between these two amazingly developed characters distract from the other noteworthy elements in The Plus One List. First off, the “Pack” – or the group of elderly special-needs dogs under Eloise’s care – nearly stole the show. Not to mention the eclectic mix of neighbors who become part of her family. And they absolutely add to the humor and sense of community to The Plus One List.
I also felt a strong connection to Augustin’s cultural background and family history. I can relate to some of his discoveries about a relative, and grappling with the truth of it all. Not to mention the Mexican food, drinks, and vibes that jumped off the page.
The Plus One List is entertaining, heartfelt, and filled with the vibrant culture we know and love from both NYC and CDMX settings. The fun characters, beautiful growth, and the slow burn love story will have you glued to the page until the very end.
Amy Ewing joins the Cantina Book Club Podcast and shares how her own experiences helped her bring this story to life. Keep an ear out for the episode and pick up a copy of The Plus One List, available now.
Book
Eloise, who struggles with anxiety, strongly prefers the company of her senior rescue dogs to people. But when her best friend announces she’s getting married in Mexico City and every guest must have a date, the pressure is on. Using an exclusive “plus-one list,” Eloise winds up with Agustín, a charming journalist and immigrant who recently moved to New York City from Mexico.
Agustín is on a mission to write the article of his career, but to do that, he’ll need to snag an interview with a man who’s proven impossible to track down. His only chance is to catch the source unaware at the upcoming “wedding of the century.” At first, being Eloise’s plus-one seems like the perfect solution, a purely transactional arrangement. Eloise is not looking for romance, and Agustín sees no need to tell her about his true motives for coming to the wedding.
As they play tourists in Agustín’s hometown, sampling smoky cocktails and delicious street food and meeting his family, Eloise slowly comes out of her shell. Suddenly, her blossoming trust in Agustín starts to grow into something deeper. But if Agustín wants to keep that trust, he’ll need to come clean—before their fragile connection is broken forever.
