The sequel to Bromance Book Club, this book was entertaining and enjoyable. This follows Liv, Thea's sister, as she attempts to bring the owner of a restaurant to justice for the harassment (both emotional and sexual) of his female employees with the help of Braden Mack. Trigger warning for discussions of sexual harassment and rape.

This book had the same humor that propelled Bromance Book Club forward and I loved the continuation of the Bromance book club in this story. Watching the tables turn on Mack after all the grief he gave Gavin was very entertaining. Lyssa Kay Adams sure knows how to surround her main characters with some gems of secondary characters. My only issue was, with all the charm this book has, it lost me a bit about three quarters of the way through due to some of Liv's choices and reactions to information revealed. She comes around and it all ends well but I wished for more compassion and understanding from her given her stance on issues in general.

All that said, readers are in for an entertaining follow up to Bromance Book Club. I'm excited to watch this author develop.

This book was so much fun. I love the slow burn romance and the intensity of it when it finally came to fruition. I loved the characters. They were so individualistic and fun.

The only issue that I had with this book was that some of the modern aspects that were discussed were a bit preachy. I totally agreed with the points they were making, but it just wasn’t done in a way that wasn’t completely subtle or maybe they didn’t mesh well with the writing. I’m not exactly sure, but I liked the vibe and the goal of the story and the conflict. However the execution wasn’t done as well as I would have hoped.

The boys are back! The was a cute sequel to The Bromance Bookclub. Liv is a pastry chef and sister to Thea, the heroine of the first book. She is prickly and not looking for love. Mack is the founder of the Bookclub and knows how to romance the ladies but has trouble going deeper.
Their worlds collide when they take on a sexually abusive celebrity chef. There is a lot of good examination of the #metoo movement and the responsibilities of both male and female bystanders.
There are fun side characters and a randy rooster and goats!

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!

This book made me happy. It was even better then the first one, first because of the themes explored and the whole intrigue. I loved the characters betters and the writing seemed improved in every way : more natural conversations, less repetitive self-monologues, etc.

For the book in the book element : I liked that it was less present in this one. The part we got was more meaningful. It helped me get into the main story to not be interrupted all the time by another storyline.

The only thing I must say though is that I keep not liking how one of the characters is just constantly being referred to has "the Russian". I get it, it's a group of guys, they have very basic surnames... But in fact not really. Every other (American) character are called by their names and it just makes me uncomfortable that the comic relief is the "ahah-farts-russian".

I liked it and recommend it to romance fans. You don't have to have read the first one to read it imo.

So cute! I loved the playful banter of the main characters. It was like watching a rom com but it was actually so funny! I loved our main characters and can’t wait to see what’s next

3 stars
I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED The Bromance Book Club. It is one of my favorite books of all time. Maybe, because of this, I had such high hopes for this book, but unfortunately, I didn't love it quite as much.

The first rule of book club:
You don't talk about book club.
Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott's marriage is in major league trouble. He’s recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always faked the Big O. When he loses his cool at the revelation, it’s the final straw on their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he’s let his pride and fear get the better of him. 
Welcome to the Bromance Book Club.
Distraught and desperate, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville's top alpha men. With the help of their current read, a steamy Regency titled Courting the Countess, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it'll take a lot more than flowery words and grand gestures for this hapless Romeo to find his inner hero and win back the trust of his wife.

Kindle Edition, 352 pages
Published November 5th 2019 by Berkley
Source: Publisher

Four stars: A second chance romance featuring a broken marriage and a husband who wants to fix things with a little help from his teammates and romance novels.

Gavin, a baseball star, is devastated when learns that his wife has been faking her orgasms. His ego and pride are bruised so he moves to the guest bedroom. Things quickly go from bad to worse as Thea demands a divorce. Gavin isn’t ready to give up on his marriage. He wants to make things work, but Thea doesn’t. In a night of drunk confessions, he lets his teammates know his marriage is failing. To his surprise, they come to the rescues in an unexpected way. Gavin soon finds himself reading historical romances and dissecting them with the guys in order to gain insight on how to fix his marital problems. Will the Bromance Book Club work a miracle?
What I Liked:
The Bromance Book Club is a book that I was eager to read as there is so much hype surrounding this one. For the most part, this one pans out and it is a funny and heartfelt read.
I liked that this was a second chance romance featuring a married couple. Anyone who has been in a long term relationship or marriage, knows there are plenty of ups and downs, and that a relationship takes constant work. This is a story about a marriage that is in the working phase. I liked that both parties were at fault, and that they both made mistakes. I enjoyed watching the two work through their differences and try to figure out how to make it work again.
I adored Gavin. I felt like he was trying so much harder than Thea. He was the one who refused to give up, and he put the effort into the relationship. I liked that he was kind, caring and that he remembered the small things. I especially appreciated the lengths he was willing to go to save his marriage from joining the Bromance Book Club, reading historical romances, to art supply store dates. He isn’t perfect, and he makes some mistakes, which makes him all the more adorable.
Thea is prickly, and I admittedly struggled with her character. However, it was easier to understand her actions once her back story was revealed. Once I knew why she behaved the way she did, my heart went out to her. One of the best scenes in the book for me was when she went to see her dad. It was poignant and heartfelt. I liked that the author kept it real too.
The Bromance Book Club was hilarious. It was funny to see big star baseball players reading steamy historical romance novels on the sly and then discussing and dissecting them to gain insight into their own marriages. If only this happened in real life. The scenes where the Bromance Club met were some of my favorite in the book.
Another thing that I loved about the book was that the author took wealthy, successful baseball stars and made them relatable. I liked seeing the guys struggle with their own insecurities especially when it came to their wives and girlfriends. The author doesn’t glamorize the baseball players or make them seem larger than life.
After lots of reflection, the book ends in a happy moment like it should. I thought it was the right ending, and I was completely satisfied with the end.
And The Not So Much:
Even though I understood Thea once her backstory was revealed, I felt like she was overreacting and being a little too nasty. Yes, Gavin made mistakes, but she did too, but she was never willing to step up and take responsibility for her actions. Meanwhile, Gavin was analyzing his behavior, apologizing and doing everything in his power to make it right. I felt like she wasn’t even willing to try for most of the book, and her reasons were shallow. I wished I liked her more. She redeems herself, but it was almost too late for me.
I adored the Bromance Book Club, but I was disappointed that the author didn’t bother to flesh out more of the guys in the club. Maybe it’s just me, but I was bothered by the fact that she didn’t even properly give one of the characters a name. He is referred to as the Russian throughout.
The Bromance Book Club isn’t your run of the mill romance. I liked that this was a second chance romance all about repairing a broken marriage. This was a story about reflection, change and righting some wrongs with a little help from the Bromance Book Club. I enjoyed the heartfelt moments as well as the hilarious parts too. This is a fun, flirty read perfect for anyone who wants something different in the romance genre.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and IW as not compensated for this review.

I'm sorry to report that I found this book to be one of the worst books I have ever read. Perhaps the genre is not just for me. I had thought it was chick lit, which I read widely because it can be relaxing and smart and funny at the same time. This one went off the rails very quickly. The characters are cartoonish exaggerations of types, without the nuance that makes people interesting, and their reactions are cartoonish. Imagine flipping out because your sister lost a job a few hours earlier and you found out before she had a chance to tell you? Would steam really come out of your ears for this? The core relationship is simultaneously dull and full of tedious overworked stereotypes. He's too handsome and successful to find a girlfriend; she's too feisty and independent to accept his help when she loses her job as a pastry chef; a cupcake can cost $1000 (okay this one might be plausible). Anyway, I was deeply disappointed in this book. Editor - heal thyself!
I don't post negative reviews on GoodReads or on social media, so no link will be provided this time.

I BLASTED through this book within the course of an evening! UNDERCOVER BROMANCE brings back the wit and chaotic good energy of the Bromance Book Club. This time, we’re focusing on its suave and popular founder Mack, and our heroine is Thea’s cutting sister, Liv. Both characters have major differences, but they come together in a plot to overthrow the famous, celebrity chef Royce, who not only sacked Liv from her job but also has been caught sexually harassing female employees. Their plan? Work together to expose his nefarious deeds to the media. What they didn’t expect? Falling in love.

I really can’t get over this dialogue. Liv has a sharp tongue that she uses to build barriers to her soft heart, while Mack is this rakish fellow who is used to being popular with the ladies. Together, they were a riot, and I loved seeing their interactions. Bring in a liberal boomer named Rosie, an ex-cop farmhand named Hop, as well as the rest of the dynamic characters from THE BROMANCE BOOK CLUB, and you get a cast of colorful characters that you can’t help but laugh with and love.

“Liv sat up straight. “I don’t want a man. I don’t have time for a man. They’re needy, clingy, and never keep their promises.”
Mack whistled. “Damn, girl. Who hurt you?”
“The patriarchy,” she deadpanned.”

Adams, as always, does a wonderful job in fleshing out the characters. Liv has thick walls to protect herself, especially given her father problems, and she hides behind sarcasm. Mack is honestly a romantic and is looking for his own happily ever after. He knows how to ROMANCE a girl, but not LOVE her. His strength lies in his very feminist outlook and defense for the very capable women in his life. I enjoyed the way Liv was called out for not empathizing with Royce’s victims (initially), and handling the guilt that the women experienced in the wake of their situations. It was a good reminder that while these events are happening, it’s a really sensitive topic that you have to approach with EMPATHY, not ACCUSATION.

“”I used to think I knew what I was doing with women, Liv,” he whispered. “But then I met a certain pastry chef, and my whole fucking world turned on its head.””

One thing I wanted to see more of was Liv’s devotion as a pastry chef. It wasn’t super important in the story and was used as a plot device more than anything, but I think it could have been used to further justify her reasons on not wanting to be a burden and how far she’s gotten due to those feelings. I would say the same with Mack and his relationship with his mother, that was left with a tense feeling and never resolved (this goes hand in hand with his secret, which was brought up as a plot point. But again, never explored as a way to further character growth). Another questionable aspect was this metaphor to the Star Spangled Banner during sex that I never want to read again (LMAOO). Other than that, UNDERCOVER BROMANCE was a tension-filled romance that readers will definitely enjoy! From Liv’s sarcasm to Mack’s hopelessly romantic ways, this sequel will live up to expectations brought from the first book.

I enjoyed the sequel as much as the original, maybe more!
Braden and Liv were both such fun in the first book and I loved watching them bicker and fall in love.

I finished this book in only a couple of days, mainly because I had the time around the holidays to burn. While I thoroughly enjoyed The Bromance Book Club, the first book in the series, earlier in 2019, this one fell a bit flat for me. The side plots and characters of this book were well-written and quite enjoyable but the main romance plot was lack-luster and felt rather repetitive and childish.

I would recommend this book to anyone who read and enjoyed The Bromance Book Club if only because the humor and fun characters are still there. However, it wasn't my favorite romance novel.

When it comes to romance series, my reactions are pretty polarized. Either I hate number one and will not even attempt any of the rest or the author can’t write them fast enough for me. This one????? Man, I just love it. The entire concept of a bunch of successful hotties learning how to become relationship experts via way of romance novels is already a novel – nope too corny even for me - fresh idea in a genre full of the same ol’ tired tropes and these guys not only bring the hotness, but also the hardy hars.

This second installment features Liv, the sassy sister from the first book, and Mack, the “playboy” of the bromance club sect. The two pair up in order to take on the task to bring down Liv’s former boss who is a real Harvey Weinstein of a human. Of course, they eventually also make with the smexytimes.

This one wasn’t as sexy as the first (c’mon – nightclub/restaurant owner < major league baseball player every single time), but I loved the humor (a good diarrhea joke never fails to make me laugh) and I would probably read 72 more books in this series.

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

"Fear is a powerful motivator, but so is love."

I didn't think it would be possible to love a couple more than Thea and Gavin, but here we are. With Bromance Book Club, we saw a married couple rediscovering each other. Going into the sequel, I couldn't imagine Liv and Mack even liking each other, let alone ever being that married couple. I was proved very, very wrong. Mack is your typical playboy club owner, He's always wining and dining a different girl and, let's face it, he's pretty cocky. Liv is a no-nonsense pastry chef that doesn't let anyone in. What could possibly bring these two together? I loved seeing Mack try (and often failing) to use his romance novel skills in real life because is that really what women want?

I loved watching the characters develop and grow throughout their stories. They made me laugh, they made me tear up, and I found myself rooting for every single one of them (well ALMOST every one of them). We also had a very powerful Me Too storyline. Liv's sleazy former boss thinks he can get away with anything but he's about to be taught a lesson. Watching everyone work together and support these women was a great thing to see.

I was delighted to be brought back into the bromance world and is it too much to ask for one more? We need to hear Alexis's story now, right??

Undercover Bromance was a lot of fun, adorable, a bit cheesy and predictable, but overall a LOT of fun!! And I actually enjoyed it even more than Bromance Book Club. And that’s mainly thanks to Liv and Mack, and an entertaining story with some amazing LOL moments.

Again, I really enjoyed the author’s writing. And the idea of a male romance book club allowed for some interesting sub plots, for example the way the group rallied around each other, with advice that’s clearly taken from romance novels, and not in a step by step kind of way, more like drawing from the knowledge that comes with reading tons of romance novels. The group got it down to a science by now, especially Mack. Of course that makes the entire book also a bit unbelievable and cheesy - lol.

But besides that, this book made me laugh out loud so many times, I actually teared up while laughing so hard. Not every author can write dialogues as witty and funny as Liv and Mack had going between them. The one liners were GOLD!!! The back and forth between the couple was fantastic, Liv’s snarky demeanor and Mack’s charming personality, worked perfectly together. Actually the entire cast was immensely entertaining to watch in action. They guys were hilarious together, and putty in the hands of their women.

The book wasn’t just about the banter between Liv and Mack. The author tackled some more serious subplots as well. Both Liv and Mack had some baggage they had to deal with. Some judgmental tendencies from Liv, that had their origin in her past, and a secret Mack carried for a long time allowed for some tension. As well as an overall sexual harassment undercover plot that brought the entire group together.

All in all, I had a wonderful time with this book, and can’t wait to read the next one.

Thank you so much Berkley Romance for the advanced copy of Undercover Bromance! This book was epic! It was full of so many feelings, super fun, as well as heartbreaking. Full review to come!

Solid follow-up to The Bromance Book Club, both of which are a nice twist on the standard contemporary romance novel. The characters were well-developed and likeable, the dialog was snarky and fun, and the "romantic" scenes contained a decent amount of steam.

I enjoy the literary analysis of romance novels and their tropes that Adams manages to incorporate into the storylines of these books. With this one, I also appreciated the way she addressed the topic of sexual harassment/assault in this novel.

So, who's up next? The first novel included some fairly obvious foreshadowing of the brewing attraction between this title's main characters (Liv & Mack), but I didn't get a strong vibe from anyone in this novel. My best guess is Alexis & Noah (M/F), or possibly Vlad & Geoff (M/M), either of which would be awesome and definitely go on my TBR list.

After reading the first book in this series, I knew that I needed more of this series. Lyssa Kay Adams is fighting the patriarchy, creating men that women can get behind! I urge all men to join a romance book club - most would be the better for it.

Braden Mack is the founder of the Bromance Book Club yet he's the only one not in a relationship. Sure, he can get it and has flings constantly. But he hasn't found the one. He is wining and dining his latest lady love when the pastry chef drops a thousand dollar cupcake on the date's lap. Oops.

The pastry chef just happens to be Liv who you might remember from the first book in this series as the man-hating, usually angry sister of Thea. Liv is a little (ok, a lot) prickly. And this cupcake drop gets her fired which just makes her more prickly. On top of that, as she gets fired she finds out her boss who she already thought was a bit of a douche is a CERTIFIED douche who sexually harasses his female employees and threatens them to keep it all hushed up. I meant it when I said certified.

And Liv is already prickly, but this takes her over the top. As someone who already doesn't trust most men, this just cements her feelings. Braden Mack's determination to help her solve this problem isn't making anything better. And to make it EVEN WORSE, he keeps sneaking through cracks in her walls and worming his way into her heart. Pesky little man.

This book was cute, but it didn't hit me in the feels the same way Gavin and Thea's story did. As with the first book, I love that the men are more prominent characters than the women (for the most part), but the downside to that is I didn't really connect with Liv. I get being a #nastywoman, but Liv was kind of a jerk sometimes. I liked that her judgemental-ness was worked into the story because it really wasn't a great personality trait. Mack was a much more sympathetic character, which I doubt was necessarily the intention.

I love this series and will continue to read any future books. Whose story will be next? The Russian? Hop and Rosie? I'm here for whatever. Enlightened men for the win!

Toxic masculinity? Who? What? We don't know her... 4.5 stars! (Maybe 5? IDK, we'll see how it sits with me)

If you have read CATCH AND KILL or SHE SAID in the last few months, or if you are just exhausted by the never ending cavalcade of bullshit unearthed by Me Too, this is the romance for you. I just loved how meta this book is, both with our current social moment and with the romantic suspense genre itself. This kind of meta quality won't work for everyone, but I am 100% in the tank for it. & thought it was really well executed I loved all the explicit discussion of what worn tropes in the genre are saying about men and women, relationships, gender dynamics, power, etc., and I thought these moments were handled well- either with comedic effect or just stated eloquently. After reading the first book in the series, I was really hoping that a book with a trope mixture that better aligned to my preferences would hit it out of the park for me, and... yep. This did.

Can we also just appreciate that this book manages to be so serious and so funny at the same time? I laughed out loud multiple times, especially with the book club scenes. The Russian and his cheese, man. It doesn't take much to make me laugh, what I can say. But yes, I love the comedic tones of this and the character work is really great. The whole cast makes me smile, and I'm excited to see more with this group of characters. I especially loved Mack in this book, and loved seeing him grow from being lovable but inauthentic to being vulnerable & ready to have a real relationship. I'm hoping Gretchen, Alexis, & Sonia will come back as heroines of their own books at some point... maybe with the Russian?

I already know that some people are going to struggle with this heroine (in a way that they likely wouldn't if she was the dude... le sigh)-- she is stubborn & judgmental, no getting around it. But I loved the journey that Adams takes her on, which mirrors the hero's: how to be a strong ally to other women. She has the fire & determination to do the right thing (I LOVED her in the opening scenes), but she doesn't always know how to direct that energy in a way that's supportive to the women she's trying to help. I was very moved by her growth as a character-- she learns not only to trust herself and to trust the hero in her relationship, but also to trust other women & listen to what they need.

Only demerits here: a) I wish we'd gotten more of the book they were reading like in the first one; b) I do think pacing is a little off in this -- too much build up and not long enough in the "execution" of their plans; c) I wasn't 100% sold on the transition from hate to love... again, less time in the build up would have helped this; and d) the final reveal about the hero's past was.... a lot.

CW: Described sexual assault

Please tell me there is another one coming?

I love all the guys in the Bromance Book Club and need more of them.

I loved Mack and Liv's story. Could maybe Vlad get his own story? or could Noah join the book club?

This is a wonderful follow-up to The Bromance Book Club, which was already a favourite of mine. Undercover Bromance follows Mack and Liv's story and with some fun to start, leads into sensitive topics that are very real in our world today. While the two work on figuring a difficult situation out, they also work on figuring each other out. Mack and Liv have demons they need to be honest about but until that happens, the two will continue to hold the other at an arm's length, whether or not they mean to. The Book Club is back in this one, with support and humour to make you laugh. Overall, a great read. Loved this one.

Trigger Warning: this book does discuss sexual assault.