This was a really fun romance with strong feminist themes—I loved the character arcs of both leads, and following the male LI as he learns the value in things women like (e.g. ROMANCE NOVELS, PSLs, etc.) was deliciously meta.

LOVED this! I love the idea of guys helping out other guys through books and shattering toxic masculinity. Loved watching Thea and Gavin grow together because they love each other, not just staying together because of the kids. Questions I still have: if they're loaded why didn't they just but their house outright? DID THEY EVER FINISH TAKING DOWN THE WALL?

Overall, I'm a sucker for romances with athletes and this one really knocked my socks off. Can't wait for the next in the series!

Y’all this book is definitely in my top of the year and is my favorite contemporary of the year so far. So many things about this book just clicked for me and I’m still in gush mode having finished it the day before writing this review (a few days ago by the time you read this).

“You guys read romance novels?”
“We call them manuals.”

—>characters<—

Gavin – Our protagonist, new to the world of romance novels. Super insecure and self-conscious despite being a major league baseball player. Has a stutter and is adorable.

Thea – Gavin’s wife, the lovely lady he’s trying to win back. She saw her parent’s marriage crumble and doesn’t really believe in love. Thinks Gavin’s stutter is adorable.

Liv – Thea’s sister. Has no use for love, men, or broken promises. Also isn’t too keen on second chances.

“Don’t be ashamed for liking them. The backlash against the PSL is a perfect example of how toxic masculinity permeates even the most mundane things in life. If masses of women like something, our society automatically begins to mock them. Just like romance novels. If women like them, they must be a joke, right?”

–>plot<–

This book jumps straight into its premise. Gavin is in a hotel room, drinking away his woes due to his wife throwing him out after he lost his cool when he found out she’d been faking it. Gavin’s friends help him save his relationship by using romance novels as loose manuals for what women want out of relationships. Also, the book boners are a nice perk. Skeptical at first, Gavin uses the book club to try to save his marriage.

Y’all, I was not expecting this book to be as good as it actually was. I thought this might be a cute tub read, something to kill an evening. I wasn’t expecting the utter delight I experienced when reading this one. Several parts made me literally laugh out loud and some parts even had me yell at my book with the other book club members.

I loved that we followed a couple trying to stay together, rather than get together. Having that level of predetermined attraction helped make things that would come off as insta love in other novels feel organic and even cute in this book.

I was put off with how quite some things happened. The time frame of this book wasn’t particularly long and there were some plot details that appeared to go by quite quickly. That being said, it didn’t affect my enjoyment of this book. I found myself rooting for Gavin and Thea and was so invested in the story, I was okay with it flying by.

I did also enjoy how the book club as a whole helped challenge some harmful stereotypes and toxic masculinity. I included the quote above, but there was a great point made about how when women like something, it’s usually worthy of being mocked and is seen as inherently less than. Seeing a group of jocks be the ones to challenge this was pretty great. The group’s reaction to Gavin’s f-ups was also hilarious.

“If a man wants to leave you, wave goodbye and lock the doors. You’ve got better things to do than chase a lost cause.”

Final Thoughts:
This was such a fun, quick read. I was not expecting to love this story as much as I did, but holy hell did I love this story. I was rooting for Gavin and Thea so much and didn’t hate the snippets of the romance book that we got. I also really watching Gavin break down his insecurities and really begin to evaluate what was going wrong in his marriage. Romance fans, you’re in for a treat.

This is a fun and charming book. I enjoyed how the Bromance Club worked together and the camaraderie they had together. This is the first Lyssa Kay Adams book I have read, but it won't be the last.

This book is so fun! I wasn't real sure about this book but once I started reading, I just had to devour it. It was a different romance story than I've read before but I enjoyed it. The characters are a little frustrating at times but there are definitely laugh out loud parts. I really loved the concept of men reading romance books. When I finished the story, I was hoping that there would be another to the series and it looks like there is. I can't wait!

This one gave me all the feels, but honestly.. the real reason I loved it? It was so amazingly unique, and a concept that I have never read before. I love me some romance, but even I can get bored sometimes. Sometimes it seems like the same old, same old, but not this time! I am anxiously awaiting more books in the series.

The Bromance Book Club is definitely one of my favorite contemporary romance reads of the year. After reacting very badly to finding out his wife had been faking her orgasms for most of their marriage, professional baseball player Gavin begins to spiral and leans on his teammates to help convince his wife to get back together. The team invites him to their romance book club, where they read different historical romances to learn how to both please and treat their partners. Thea, Gavin’s wife, is confronting her own feelings about their relationship’s stagnation, her role as a wife to a baseball player, the fact that she dropped out of school when she got pregnant, and her relationship with her parent’s divorce. The Bromance Book Club is unique in that it features excerpts of the fake romance novel the men are reading and uses it as a way to discuss romance tropes. And this isn’t just a book about Gavin trying to win back his wife. It deals with both characters’ personal development and self-esteem struggles. For Thea that is education and feeling accepted in Gavin’s world and for Gavin that is his stuttering. I can’t recommend this enough!

This book is SO much fun. If you are looking for something that's simply a hilarious ride with a couple you can't help but root for, this is definitely something I would recommend picking up.

This book did nothing for me. I thought the premise was interesting, but Gavin’s way of trying to win back his wife felt manipulative and similar to what a pick up artist might do. I did not care for the love scenes and it was tiresome how they fought after every one.

Gavin Scott is a sexy baseball stud who is happily married to Thea - at least he's happy until he finds out that she's been faking it in bed and in life and she kicks him out of their house. Thea loves Gavin but she can't go on pretending to be the empty-headed trophy wife that Gavin wants. In comes the sexy cavalry of "Bros" to help the clueless Gavin save his marriage. Their solution is to coach him and have him read the "manuals" on how to romance a woman - aka romance novels.

I liked Gavin and the the cast of sexy guys who were friends to him in his time of need. It was a cute idea to have Gavin learn from romance novels how to communicate with his wife so that they could renew the love that had been lost in the everyday drudgery of taking care of kids and tasks. At times the story was too slow and I found myself getting frustrated with Thea who seemed determined to put no effort into salvaging her marriage and her family. But, maybe that's the way some people truly behave when they have baggage and hurt that cloud their judgment. After all, if everyone was great at relationships, divorce would be rare. Overall, I appreciated that the author made staying married sexy and I would recommend this book.

4.5 stars

I absolutely loved the premise of this book. I’ve read a lot of contemporary romances this year (haven’t we all?) but this is one of the few about a married couple. We’ve all read romance after romance about enemies to lovers or friends to lovers but how many almost divorced to lovers have you read? It’s the trope I didn’t know I needed. I really enjoyed watching a couple fall in love all over again after nearly falling out of love. It gave us so much more history to unpack and I felt myself rooting for them more than other couples. Thea and Gavin had to find themselves before they could find their way back to each other. And can we just talk about Gavin for a minute? He’s a professional baseball player, he’s very attractive, and he’s using Regency romances to win his wife back. Swoon.

Aside from watching a married couple fall in love, how many times have you read about grown men reading? I loved it! A lot of these men verged on “I can’t stop rolling my eyes because you’re so bro-ey” but beneath it all they just cared about helping Gavin be happy again. I think all men need to be in book clubs like this.

I loved this romance novel! The idea of a bunch of men reading romance novels to improve their relationships is fantastic. This novel focuses on Gavin and Thea's relationship, Gavin had recently found out that Thea had been faking it in bed. Gavin didn't take this well which ends up leading them towards separation. Gavin wants to save the marriage so his friends get him to join their book club.

This book is a humorous and fun read! I really liked the characters and the development they go through!
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc!

4.5 Stars
This book was such a fun read. After reading the blurb I knew I needed to get my hands on it. I love how the roles were reversed when it came to the book club. The Bromance Book Club will keep you entertained.

Gavin is a baseball player for the Nashville Legends and trying to figure out how to make things right with his wife. All Gavin wants is to make things right with his wife Thea but he needs help. After finding out Thea had been faking it when they were together has crushed him. He doesn’t know how to fix things and his friends decide to help him.

The lengths Gavin goes to in order to win his wife back was so sweet. Thea was stubborn most of the time instead of giving in to her feelings she has for her husband. She has realized she wants to achieve things she gave up when she married Gavin. She doesn’t expect Gavin to be supportive of her dreams.

If you’re looking or a fun fast paced read grab this book. It was such a fun read and I can’t wait for more in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley / Berkley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

*I was late with this review, so any quote(s) used in my review are from the finished copy.

"I'm the kind of baseball wife who still isn't sure the difference between a no-hitter and a perfect game, and you know what? It doesn't matter. Because I didn't marry baseball. I married Gavin, a man with more integrity than you could ever dream of having."

Witty, adorable, funny, and steamy.

Thea and Gavin Scott are getting divorced. Thea has been faking the Big O for three years. Gavin gets upset that he just stops sleeping in the same room as her, but Thea sees it as much more than that. She is fed up. It has gone too far, and she is ready to pursue her ambitions she put on hold. When she brings up the “D” word, Gavin realizes that his baseball career has gotten in the way of his family.
Gavin’s baseball friends help him by initiating him into their Regency “Bromance” Book Club.

"First rule of book club?"
"You don't talk about book club."

Drama, romance, more drama, and more romance ensues.

It's told in the perspective of Thea, Gavin, and there are also snippets of the romance novel Gavin is reading throughout the book called, Courting the Countess.

Story | I would consider this a slow-burn romance. Nothing steamy happens until closer to the end, but I’m into the rom-com novels. This could totally be a movie! I would watch it.

The story focuses on Gavin and his desire to keep his marriage together after he supposedly tore it apart. The issue is that they both play a pretty big role in what path their marriage is going down. The reader learns a lot about Thea’s past and her relationship with her parents. I won’t spoil that for you since it’s a significant piece of information in the novel. I’m sure it won’t be a surprise to anyone who reads/watches rom-coms.

I loved this so much. This is romantic, but it also has a lot of familial dynamics. Thea and Gavin have two twin daughters, Ava and Amelia, who make it even harder to make a decision regarding their marriage. Oh yeah, did I also mention Thea’s sister, Liv? She plays a role in the whole ordeal too. She also has a lot of turmoil with their parents. Thea and Liv stick together. Let’s just say that Liv isn’t a fan of Gavin and vice versa.

My issues with the story: There was a point that I just wanted it to come to an end. This isn’t a very long book, but it does get redundant, I guess. It is still very fast-paced, regardless. It was a five-star read up until around page 260. I found myself not wanting to continue on, or just skipping to the end to see what happens.

I also found myself not wanting to read the excerpts of the novel. Obviously, the two stories are similar to one another, except one is from the 1800s and one is present day. The situations are different. I just didn’t care about those characters. Thank God that doesn’t show up too often.

Characters | The characters were all pretty interesting. I thought that the members of the book club were funny. They all had their flaws though, and some bothered me more than others.

I started out hating Gavin, then Thea started showing her true colors. Her mothering skills were fantastic. She treats her daughters like they matter, which I don't see very often in novels. She has a semi-strong bond with her sister, which is great. I just don't like how she treats Gavin. If you don't want to give him the light of day, then just end it right then and there. Instead, she eggs it on. That kills me! The reader understands why, like, right at the end of the book. I get that she has a depressing past, but that doesn't mean you need to take it out on other people. I just didn't end up liking her that much, unfortunately.

Writing | I found the sex scenes to be very well done! They are scarce and short-lived, but they were 10/10. Good description of everything!
This is a romance novel, so don't go into this expecting it to blow your mind. I found it to be a bit more sophisticated. The book club members have a very diverse vocabulary, which surprised me.

Overall | I would totally buy this for my shelves! I enjoyed it a lot, and I recommend it if you're interested or if you need a funny, steamy, fast-paced read. This is the type of book that will lift you out of your reading slump, for sure! Go pick it up and show it some love.

"Love is enough."
"It's always enough."

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Guys reading romance novels in an attempt to save their relationships. Sounds like it would be a great read full of hilarious attempts which result in falling in love all over again. I've read several of these second chance books lately and this is where I had to put down and walk away from.

I found that I disliked the wife in the story from the first scene she was introduced with her sister obviously upset that the husband moved out after she told him to leave because...reasons. We find out how their relationship begins and I couldn't help but feel like maybe you guys should have seen a counselor about this sooner? The Bros were hilarious and they got me through it. But I have to agree that the book itself seems to take this process way to seriously for the premise they outlined. I ended up stopping and reading the end just to find out how they were going to wrap it up and left it at that.

A group of Major League Baseball players unite to help their friend through his marriage problems. (Let’s just say there haven’t been a lot of home runs in the bedroom, if you know what I’m saying…) Their education tool of choice? Just some good ol’ fashioned bodice rippers.

Yeeeeeeessssss.

If that doesn’t intrigue you, I don’t know what will. This book is one of the best modern romances I’ve read in a long time. The premise is unique and so entertaining. I loved seeing this group of dudebros discussing the feminist messages in old school, over-the-top romance novels. And it actually made me think! Would Pumpkin Spice Lattes get made fun of so much if they weren’t considered such a “chick” drink? It does seem like, at times, we feel more comfortable criticizing the preferences of women, even though, at the end of the day, why should it matter?

Most important, the story is fun. The problems of the main characters are no joke, but the way author Lyssa Kay Adams handles them is thoughtful, measured, realistic, and kind. The novel remains hopeful throughout, so it never feels overwhelming or burdensome. I fell in love with the two main characters and was rooting for both of them from the start. Marriage is tough, so it’s pretty amazing when two people can find a way to come together (sometimes literally…).

In short, what a fantastic book. It was everything I wanted it to be and more. And I can’t believe there is already a sequel ready to be published next year. #ohhappyday 😃

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
Narrated by Andrew Eiden and Maxwell Caulfield
1st Standalone in a Related Series. RomCom with Serious Undertones.

I absolutely adore the premise of The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams . I have always said that men should read romance if they really want to know how to treat a woman, and this was a perfect demonstration. I also love a book where a married couple finds their way back to each other. Due to my own personal situation, this book hit me in the feels as well as made me laugh.

[Bookstagram]

Gavin Scott is a famous baseball player. He is so busy with his career and his team, that he doesn’t realize he is neglecting his wife. When he discovers that his wife has been faking big Os since they got together, he is so butthurt that he he leaves when his wife tells him to after not speaking for weeks. Apparently she has been miserable for a while and never told him.
“Do you want to fight for your marriage?”
“Yes.” Jesus, yes. More than anything. And sh*t, now his throat was closing again.
“What are you willing to do?”
“Anything.”
“Do you mean that?”
“W-w-what the f*ck? Of course, I mean it.”

Gavin has a stutter that has affected his confidence his whole life. Thea was the one who loved him because of his stutter, not in spite of it. But due to an accidental pregnancy with twins, their relationship was fast-tracked. 3 years later, she hates the baseball life and she’s been faking it. When Gavin moved out, her sister moved in to help, and she was like the devil on Thea’s shoulder. Ugh, I hated her. But I LOVED all the professional sports guys who step in to lend Gavin a hand. They’ve all been through it.

“Everyone ready?” The guys nodded, mouths full. “Good. First rule of book club?” They finished in unison. “You don’t talk about book club.”
What. The. F*ck.
Gavin looked around for a hidden camera. This had to be a prank.
“A book club? That’s your grand plan for saving my marriage?”

Haven’t you ever wished your guy would read some of your books and get the f*cking hint? Damn, I wish all men were required to read romance. Sigh….

[quote graphic]

I loved Gavin. He wanted to make his wife happy so badly but he had no clue how. He was really clueless…but what really annoyed me was that IT WASN’T HIS FAULT. SHE is the one who has been lying for all this time. How would he know that she’s not happy if she was going to lie about it? And don’t even get me started on her sister.

"From the moment I first saw you, I have been half a man, because you’ve always held the other half of me."

Likes:
•Such a fun and unique premise!
•I loved the guys in the club.
•Gavin was a sweetheart who loved his wife so much.
•I loved the way the historical novel they were reading weaved through the book, including the narration. “Courting the Countess” was cheesy but added some lighthearted humor.
•I loved that he had a stutter and how she helped him through.
•The Russian made me laugh.
•I usually don’t love 3rd person books, but honestly I didn’t even notice it. Sometimes it makes you feel detached, but here, perhaps because it was a male narrator, I never felt that.
•The Nashville setting. (My son lives there, it was nice to recognize what they were talking about).
•It was over-the-top silly at times (the feminist men) interspersed with some pretty heavy moments. They balanced each other well.
•That cover!

Dislikes:
•Liv. Thea’s sister was so hateful to Gavin and so selfish. I couldn’t stand her.
•I thought Thea was way too rough on him. The marital problems seemed way more like her fault than his.

The Down & Dirty:
I really enjoyed this unique and fun book. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said men need to read romance! The Bromance Book Club was a good mix of emotion, laughs, silliness and fun, but it tackled some pretty serious issues. I loved the book club guys and I am so excited to grab the next in the series, Undercover Bromance.

Rating: 4.25 Stars, 3 Heat, 5 Narration

“First rule about book club, you don’t talk about book club.”

Y’all this booooook! Talk about a read to get you out of a reading slump! A huge shout out to @berkleyromance for a free copy of The Bromance Book Club in exchange for my review!

This book was PERFECT. I loved that the book started off with all of the guys talking about how important it is to ask permission. A big topic lately has been the importance of consent and this book hit that topic right from the start. I also love the way that the guys coach each other thru being a better partner. Each guy brings a different aspect into being in a good relationship and shares that with Gaven.

This book was like two books in one, switching between this modern day romance and the one in the book Gaven was reading. And in both books the steam was HOT! I’d give it a solid steam level of 4/5 🔥🔥🔥🔥

I have never read a romance like this before and I just absolutely loved it. The grand gesture at the end was perfect, the way both characters were trying to work on both themselves and their relationship is so so so important, and all of the different dynamics of friendships throughout the book were spot on.

Highlyyyy recommend this as your next read! Out November 5th!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a super cute, very original read. The premise of a group of men getting together to form a book club in order to understand the women in their lives better was compelling. This is also a second chance romance, which is my catnip.

This couple is married, with twin girls, and are also dealing with frequent separations due to Gavin’s job as a MLB player. There is some bedroom issues, which leads to a big confrontation between them, which happens before the book begins.

There is palpable chemistry between this couple from the moment they step on page and I truly enjoyed watching them navigate their feelings and expectations, while trying to figure out their authentic selves. It worked for me. The anger, the exasperation, the attraction and connection, all of it felt real and authentic. This couple worked hard on their marriage and it I really enjoyed it.

I liked the added comedy that the secondary male characters brought to the story. Especially at the very end. I’m very much looking forward to reading their stories.

I rarely butt-in on reviews, but I really enjoyed The Bromance Book Club. Initially, I wasn’t interested in reading it but when I saw another reviewer going on about how much she enjoyed it, I decided to give it a try. And I’m glad I did. It wasn’t anything like I thought it was and I’m a total sucker for a marriage-in-jeopardy romance.

Personally, I would definitely have given it a Top Pick with 4.5 Stars. I think it’s a fantastic debut!

Bev

___________________________________________
3.5 Stars

A good debut, with a few flaws.

I wanted to love this story, it was good and second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes, but it missed the mark. Before I talk about the misses, let’s talk about the loves.

Baseball, check. Our hero, Gavin Scott is a major league baseball player. He’s not the playboy or the womanizer. No, Gavin is a married man who’s marriage has imploded in the worst of ways. With his wife asking for a divorce there’s only one way to get her back, at least that’s what his fellow teammate tells him. The way is through the Bromance Book Club, men who have used romance novels to learn the what not to do’s and the to-do’s with their wives.

Now, my feminist heart is thinking traitors, trying to use my favorite books to woo women. But no, reserve judgment I say. I learned quickly that these men who are helping Gavin have realized the magic of romance novels and how deep that magic can go, including the growth it produces.

On the opposite side of the spectrum we have Gavin’s wife, Thea, who had a set out of twins right out of college, never got to finish her degree and became a housewife. She’s been living for her kids and her husband for far too long. After the couple’s big blow-up about her orgasm faking, prior to book start, she realizes she needs to find herself again.

So many elements in this book fit the phase of life I went through not too long ago, trying to figure out who I was besides a mother and a wife. So I easily related to Thea and even her headstrong, protective sister. Thea has her own baggage from growing up in an unstable household, divorced parents… naturally she hoped for better, but refuses to cater to Gavin’s ego. There is plenty of internal and external conflict, of both Gavin and Thea having to re-evaluate their expectations around their marriage and start talking a bit more instead of taking for granted every aspect of their life together.



Set against a seasonal, timely back dropoff of Thanksgiving and the holiday season this is a good read to release in November. I liked that aspect, I enjoyed the growth of the characters, and could appreciate The Bromance Book Club for all it’s splendor.

What didn’t make it all fabulous, I didn’t like the hero. This goes against the grain I’m sure of other reviewers, but Gavin is an asshole, an ego-infused, stubborn butthead. I would have wanted to divorce him too. Even as the book progressed, I didn’t like him. By the end, I came around to the fact that not every book hero is for me, and he made his amends to Thea, though I would have made him suffer longer. Another element I didn’t enjoy is how Thea’s relationship and resolutions with her father played out. The absentee father is a big part of Thea’s internal conflict and it feeds her big fears, but in the end that conflict resolved with little effort and I wanted something more, still trying to put my exact finger on it.

Overall, this book was good. It’s got humor, heartache, relatable characters with plenty of current, modern life thrown in. I believe a Bromance Book Club is a real possibility, this is me wishing more dudes would read romance, and while this hero isn’t my favorite I’m interested to see what the author cooks up next. For readers who enjoy Alexa Martin.

~ Landra