Shameez Patel does it again! I can't speak for everyone, but the overarching romance plot of this story is the things dreams are made of. It's like the more accessible and authentic version of Love Is Blind but make it so, so nerdy. The inclusion of the snippets of chat between @theanswerisno and @pancakesareelite is such a fun juxtaposition to see next to the in person conversations of Lincoln and Elizabeth. It also has the added bonus of relating directly to the present day plot in a way that feels incredibly organic.
Be prepared because this is the absolute slowest of slow burns—and for good reason! I love a fictional workplace romance as much as the next, but I am always thinking about what that would look like in the real world and some stories fall flat in that aspect. Shameez allowed us to watch their love story unfold offline in a way that was incredibly authentic to what would happen in our real world which lends itself an added layer of believability. Lincoln is Elizabeth's superior and that obstacle is tackled head on and not just pushed to the side for the sake of the story.
One of my absolute favorite things in romance novels is a series of standalones where you follow a different couple in each book, but you also still get to visit with the couples from previous books. The Game Night Gang was back in this one and it was such a joy to see Rose and William still going strong (and thriving!) in the glimpses we were able to get with them when Lincoln joins Game Night. I also appreciated the way that Shameez integrated the entire group into Lincoln's regular life as well considering the way that he felt about himself and friendships.
As a person who is also high anxiety and needs constant validation from my friends that they are, in fact, actually my friends, it was incredibly relatable to see Lincoln struggling with the idea that these people actually cared about him and weren't just "forced" to be there. Claire is an absolute standout character in the way that she loves and cares for Lincoln and we should all be so lucky to have someone like her in our corner. Elizabeth's struggles with work and people's perception of her were just as relatable! Seeing a woman in a male-dominated field blossom into her own confidence, especially in the workplace, was incredibly satisfying especially after suffering through some toxic male behavior (not from Lincoln, never from Lincoln!)
NEXT LEVEL LOVE by Shameez Patel hits shelves on January 20, 2026 and it's available for preorder! It's a standalone, but I personally think it pairs wonderfully with Shameez's debut (and it's companion novel) PLAYING FLIRTY so make sure you order both to enjoy back to back!
