Title: When Javi Dumped Mari
Author: Mia Sosa
Year Published: 2025
Genre: Romance
Setting: California, United States
My Rating: 
(3.5)
When Javi Dumped Mari: An Overview
When Javi shows up with the intent to share exciting news and his feelings for his best friend, Mari, the last thing he expects is for her to arrive with another man–a man who she announces that she’s marrying in a matter of months. As best man, he’s thrust into helping her plan the wedding and supporting her leading up to the big day, all while he’s wishing he was in the groom’s place.
These feelings aren’t new; Javi and Mari have had a will-they/won’t-they relationship for over a decade. They’ve stood together through misunderstandings, other relationships, distance, and difficulties. However, now they have to decide: will they finally act on their feelings, or will they let the possibility go?
My Thoughts
I’ve read quite a few of Mia Sosa’s other books. I generally enjoy her romance books because of her humor and strong heroines. When Javi Dumped Mari was no different. I read it during a travel day and enjoyed it. However, it definitely wasn’t my favorite of her books. That honor still goes to The Wedding Crasher.
The story was pitched as a kind of When Harry Met Sally, and it definitely followed the friends-to-lovers trope. Told between the present and flashbacks into the past, Sosa chose a dual-perspective, dual-timeline structure.
The Structure
I know some people have mentioned it getting a bit confusing. There were a few times where I had to double check and recalibrate myself, but overall, the structure was alright. We got to see how the characters evolved over more than a decade and how their timing was constantly wrong. My only comment here is that sometimes the flashbacks felt excessive, as they occasionally strayed away from the plot. It was fun, but it may have worked better being a bit more streamlined.
A Few Highlights
As always, Sosa’s dialogue was entertaining and the world she created was very believable. Her inclusion of Brazilian/Brazilian American culture was also as interesting as before, mainly because it’s something we don’t see often. And the drama and humor were unbeatable, which kept me moving through the book quickly.
Through the flashbacks, we see some of both Javi and Mari’s failed relationships. While humorous, it was also clear that Sosa has her finger on the pulse of some of the (often ridiculous) problems of dating today. Anyone who’s ever been frustrated with dating (see my post here on why dating apps may exacerbate that) will definitely enjoy and/or sympathize with the characters’ experiences.
The Characters
I honestly enjoyed the side characters a lot. The main characters, however, got a bit frustrating. My main problem was Javi. He just annoyed me. I know that yearning is “in” right now, but it was over the top. Ostensibly, he has his own life and ambitions. His life goal is to create a musical, which he inconsistently works on throughout the story. However, the main part of his mental energy seems to be going toward pining for Mari. This happens at the expense of making him feel like a real, fleshed-out character.
It was clear that he was a man written by a woman. This isn’t inherently bad, of course. Yet in romance novels, it often means sacrificing a realistic man with a believable life of his own in order to create a character who will worship the female main character. This definitely isn’t unique to When Javi Dumped Mari, and I feel like it’s been happening more and more.
And the Wedding
I had my qualms with Mari as well. Her decision to accept Alex’s marriage proposal after a few months of dating didn’t ring true to the independent, intelligent character we’re presented with. It felt like she just said yes to the first guy who asked.
Flaws, growth, and insecurities are all naturally part of the appeal in When Javi Dumped Mari. However, rapidly marrying a guy who you clearly know doesn’t know you and pining over your best friend for 10+ years…that seems a bit far-fetched. Of course, I’m thankful for all of the marriage/wedding planning hijinks, because they were hilarious to read about. The romance and marriage themselves just needed a little more believability for me.
A Final Word
While When Javi Dumped Mari was undeniably a quick and entertaining read, it didn’t completely scratch that itch for me due to the lack of real depth in the romance. If you’re looking for an enjoyable book that will make you laugh out loud and forget the world for minute, however, this is definitely it.
Have you read When Javi Dumped Mari? Let me know what you thought!
