Review: When Javi Dumped Mari by Mia Sosa
Mia Sosa returns with another heartfelt and humorous rom-com in When Javi Dumped Mari, a friends-to-lovers romance that explores long-held feelings, cultural identity, and the emotional risks of letting love in after years of missed chances.
At the heart of the story are Mari and Javi, college best friends who once made a pact to vet each other’s romantic partners. Fast forward fourteen years: Mari, now a successful entertainment lawyer, drops the news that she’s engaged. Javi—who’s finally getting his life together—is blindsided and suddenly realizes he may have been in love with her all along. With six weeks until the wedding, he races to figure out how to stop the ceremony, all while grappling with his unresolved feelings and deep-seated guilt.
Sosa’s writing delivers her signature blend of wit and warmth. The dynamic between Mari and Javi is filled with snappy banter, aching tension, and just enough sweetness to keep you invested. Mari is a compelling lead—ambitious, confident, and grounded. Her Brazilian American heritage was a welcome inclusion, and I appreciated the glimpses of cultural identity throughout the story, though I did wish those elements had been more deeply woven into the narrative—particularly as Javi’s Puerto Rican roots are only lightly touched on.
The supporting cast shines, with meddling friends and family members adding humor and heart. And while the flashbacks slow the pacing early on, once the wedding countdown begins, the book finds its stride.
That said, I had mixed feelings about the central relationship. Javi and Mari’s so-called “friendship” felt less like genuine companionship and more like years of unresolved longing clouded by avoidance and bad communication. Javi’s repeated emotional withdrawal—ghosting Mari for six years, faking a relationship, and only pursuing her when she’s engaged—made it difficult to root for him as a romantic lead. His behavior leading up to the wedding, including attempts to sabotage Mari’s engagement to Alex, often felt selfish and underhanded. Even with his emotional growth by the end, the reconciliation felt rushed and unearned.
Mari’s choice to get engaged while still clearly emotionally entangled with Javi also undercut her otherwise strong character. Her desire for stability made sense, but her inability to set firm boundaries with Javi or confront lingering feelings complicated her arc in frustrating ways.
The timeline jumps, and limited present-day interactions made the HEA feel more told than shown. For a romance centered on such a long and emotionally fraught relationship, I would have liked more time spent watching Javi and Mari reconnect—honestly and vulnerably—in the present.
Despite its charm and Sosa’s engaging voice, When Javi Dumped Mari didn’t quite meet my expectations. While it had its moments of heart and humor, the emotional payoff was ultimately diluted by underdeveloped character arcs and a central relationship that leaned too heavily on pining rather than true emotional intimacy. Even the title felt a bit misleading—Javi didn’t dump Mari so much as disappear from her life, and that distinction matters.
Recommended for readers who enjoy:
💍 Friends-to-lovers with long-held tension
💍 Latinx representation
💍 Rom-coms with meddling family and found family dynamics
💍 Wedding shenanigans and love triangle angst
💍 Emotional slow-burns (with very slow burn payoff)
