First off, I need to give a bit of background because I know if it was me and I was reading someones review of a book three books into a series, I would be wondering why said “crazy” person was diving into a series at this point.

So here it is. During Lockdown back in May of this year (seriously, will 2020 ever end?), I was browsing the internet when I came across an article on new romance authors. Now at this point, I can’t remember if it was Buzzfeed or Entertainment Weekly. Regardless, The Bromance Book Club jumped out of the page and needing some light hearted goodness, I jumped online and bought the first book. Needless to say I devoured this book and loved it so much, I bought Book 2, Undercover Bromance. You could say that I had suddenly become a fan of this author and series. The downside was that I had to wait for book 3. I had instantly pre-ordered the book after finishing Undercover Bromance, but I noticed that the publisher had put up eARCs on Netgalley. As is the case in these strange times, the EARC sat languishing on my kindle as time marched on. Until, the lovely publishers asked me to be part of the blog tour, which I jumped at the chance to do.

So we have a cliff note version on my history with the series and now I can get on with reviewing this most excellent addition to one of my newest favourite Contemporary Romance Series.

Crazy Stupid Bromance is a straight up Friends turned Lovers romance book, with the book centred round Alexis and Noah, who were supporting characters in the previous book, undercover romance.

The book takes place about a year after the previous one, with Alexis’s café ToBeans Cat Café becoming the local support centre for women who have experienced sexual harassment or abuse, since Alexis had become well known for the part she played in holding her previous boss to account for sexual harassment.

Through this, Alexis and Noah had become friends since Noah helped by using his tech know how to help in justice being serviced. It is clear, at the start of the book that they are best friends, but underneath there is an attraction between them that neither really wants to pursue at the risk of jeopardising their friendship.

So, when a young woman drops into Alexis’s life with a bombshell about her past and a very big request to ask of her, the catalyst is set for these two to move to the more than friends level.

As is always the case with Romance novels, and some of the other members of the Bromance Book Club have commented, its not the ending but the journey to get there that is centre to this genre. However, you need characters that you can invest in to fully engage you as a reader. With Crazy Stupid Bromance, Adams once again creates characters that you can’t help but root for. Yes, at times you want to smack them over the head for reacting or doing something so stupid, but you want them to work it out.

At the start of the book, you can see the thin barrier that is in place with regards to Noah and Alexis’s relationship. They know each other so well from Alexis knowing Noahs favourite foods and buying him a Lego set for his birthday, to Noah knowing from Alexis body language or the way her voice will change pitch if something is affecting her. It rounds off these characters and shows how they know each other so well.

When a sister that Alexis never knew drops into her life with a request on Alexis to undergo testing to see if she could be a kidney donor for her estranged father, you see the protective side of Noah rear its head. It’s at this point their relationship morphs into more than friends and with it the complications that threaten the bond they share.

Noah and Alexis, as a leading couple, are two of my favourites in the series. Both have suffered loss and both don’t want to hurt the other by over stepping the boundaries, but in this very difficult and complex situation both make mistakes in the handling of the obstacles placed in their path.

What I really found interesting in the handling of this long lost family, huge request plot was how, from the books, shows and films I have seen, Adams steers away from not only completely vilifying Alexis’s father, but showing that the need to protect a loved one can have a lasting impact. No one is blameless but it shows how humans are flawed creatures.

As for Noahs own backstory, here we have a man who has had to live up to this impossible ideal of being the man he, and those around him, think his own father would have wanted. Coupled with anger at losing his father at such a young age, we have someone who feels that no matter what he does it won’t meet them and thus he will fail his father.

It is difficult to really convey what a joy this book really was to read. For me, this is an ideal and almost fairy tale type version of how I would love to see the world be. They are the best form of escapism in these uncertain times and I closed the book with a warm fuzzy feeling inside and huge grin on my face.

Oh, and Netflix, if you are looking for your next commission into Romance then I think you should look at these. I’m sure that Adams has plans for Colton and the Russian (two characters I really want to get their own books)

Friends to lovers can be such a tricky needle to thread in terms of romance tropes, but I feel like LKA really pulled it off here in the first installment of her Bromance Book Club series that I’ve loved since the initial book. Whereas the BBC seemed to take a little too much focus off the heroine’s story in the book prior, here they were just enough of a support system to offer much-needed humor and comic relief. Friendships in romance are an element I’m glad we’re seeing more of lately, but in most cases it tends to be the heroine who has a group of friends around her — so one thing I’ve always appreciated about this series is how the hero has a bunch of bros who will be there to listen and give him advice and perspective. Alexis and Noah were a delightful pair to follow with fun chemistry, and Beefcake the cat stole the show.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was really excited for this book (even after telling myself I wasn't going to bother with any more of the series because Lyssa Kay Adams' writing style just doesn't seem to be for me) because I was really intrigued by Noah in the previous books. Lyssa Kay Adams writes really quirky, interesting characters, but they just aren't at all REAL, despite having various flaws. The guys are too perfect, and it's kind of... gross... how they verbalize all these things that are true - like men being uncomfortable with talking about and showing their emotions because they've been raised to think that's unmanly but none of that toxic masculinity BS for us, thanks. It's just weird and kind of awkward, and repeatedly pulls me right out of the story. Other than that, it's a good book. Liv and Noah have a great, textbook friends to lovers story where both characters have some abandonment issues. Liv and Noah are basically TOO perfect, and that's my major beef with the book, haha. Seems silly when I write it out..

I *was* like "okay, maybe I can actually be done with this series now" until the end, where it seems like the next book will be about The Russian... so I'll probably end up picking that one too.

This is the third book in the Bromance Book Club series. While I could be read as a stand alone, a fair bit of Liv's backstory takes place in the second book, Undercover Bromance.

I think the series as a whole is a great premise, however, by this point it feels like a side element, and almost a crutch. In the previous books the book club was more of a focal point and added a lot to the book. At this point, instead of having men who are aware and fighting toxic masculinity it has to be because of the club, but they don't meet as the club, they're just friends?

3.5 stars

This friends to lovers romance between alexis and noah was absolutely adorable I genuinely loved them together so much and I think the author did a really brillant job of convincing me of the depth of their friendship and their romantic chemistry (even though the friendship portions don't get much page time). This book also improved upon some of the elements that I felt were sorely missed in the second installment, the tone of this one felt very consistent and balanced the funny moments with the emotional depth really well, in addition to providing the book club elements and the hilarious book club brunches that I loved so much in book one. There's really alot to like about this one as I feel that Adams creates a really fun friend group and alexis and noah's connection is a delight!

However I do have a few complaints, first I think that the subplot about Alexis' family was interesting but I definitely felt like it took up way more space in the novel that could have gone to the romance and giving us more sweet scenes between the couple. Also I wanted more from the wedding planning subplot with Mack because the group dynamics in the wedding planning scenes were so so fun and the organ donation subplot was not fun...for obvious reasons😂. Also I wish the feminism in this book was a bit more nuanced, it's wonderful to imagine men having these feminist convos with one another but I wanted to feel like their feminism is fueled by more than their seemingly very surface level understanding off what feminism is based of a few romance novels, also it lacks intersectionality.

despite those gripes it was a fun time in general, lots of fun, a tiny bit angsty and just overall a fun friends-to-lovers romp

arc received via netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I was underwhelmed by this title. I didn't hate reading this book, but it didn't stand out to me in any way. It was written like the author had a typical romance novel formula sheet in front of them and decided not to deviate from that formula in any way. The ending also felt very rushed. I would not read this again.

The Bromance Book Club takes on friends-to-lovers! I love that each book in this series tackles a different classic romance novel trope. Overall, I enjoyed reading this one, and I appreciate the series for generally being quick and easy reads.

This third installment picks up from the second book and follows the budding romance between Noah and Alexis, two characters that were introduced earlier. I would have liked to have had more time with them as just friends, but it seems like we started at a point where both of them pretty much already knew their feelings for the other. I liked the added plot line involving Alexis and her newfound father and thought it added a lot of dimension to the story.

The second book felt like a bit of an overreach for me, but I think this book did a better job being more rooted. What I appreciated most about this book was how it depicted survivors of sexual assault/harassment in their recovery. So often, fiction books center on the actual incident(s) and don't include much on the "after." I love that Alexis' cafe became a safe space for women with similar experiences to heal and move forward in their lives.

I also really liked the return of the Bromance Book Club! While I do think the book club reading choice was a bit lost in this book, I was glad to see more of the book club members. Gavin and Thea are still my fave couple from the series, so I was especially pleased about their appearances.

Thank you Net Galley and Berkley Publishing for the advanced reader's copy of this book!

Thanks Netgalley and Berkley for access to this arc. 

Full disclosure - I haven't read the first two books in this series because I wasn't sure the gimmick would work for me. It was the cat on the cover that lured me into trying this one. Beefcake (the cat) was my favorite character. I didn't buy into flipping the roles for the wedding being planned. I didn't like the heroine's unknown family tracking her down (after knowing about her for three years) in order to guilt her into giving dear old (never contacted her before this point) dad a kidney. It's not like we're talking bone marrow donation but an actual solid organ transplant and the heroine goes from shock about the initial contact from her unknown sister to "well of course I'm going to do it!" in less than a day. No testing, no checking, no verification at all except "here's my organ." 

The hero from the opening chapter does not seem like the hero from then on. The Noah from then on was way too perfect an image of what women want men to be rather than seeming like an actual flesh and blood person.

I also felt I was being preached at over many things plus there's an actual "Karen" (named Karen) in the book. Sigh ... And a character called the "Russian?" How about the "Pakistani?" Or the "Honduran?" Are those okay to call people instead of their names? Thought not. For a book spouting touchy-feely and global activism about everything else this struck me as unacceptable. DNF

An exciting book. It is book 3 of the Bromance Book Club series. What can go wrong? Nothing, I know it is the perfect book to have a great moment. This time, Lyssa Kay Adams tells the story of Alexis Carlisle, who runs a café called ToeBeans, where customers can relax in the company of friendly cats. One day, a new customer walks into the cafe, a pretty woman who tells Alexis that they are sisters. Of course, Alexis is still confused. She needs help from her good friend Noah Logan. Noah is a computer expert but has left his past as a hacker to become a master of cybersecurity. Now, Noah only uses his abilities when he deems it to be for a good cause. He is madly in love with Alexis and will do everything he can to help her. I loved this story. Lyssa made magic again with her words. One of the characters that I like the most is the Russian. If you read the book, you will find out why. This book made me feel compassion for Noah's feelings. The adventures in the story are great, kept me entertained the whole time. Bravo, Lyssa! I read this book with the BookishLadiesClub, it was great to discuss it with friends. I thank the BookishLadiesClub for inviting me to join September's book discussion. I also want to thank NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the third in the Bromance Book Club Series but each one works pretty well as a stand-alone book, and you can read my review of The Bromance Book Club here and Undercover Bromance here.

I honestly think that each book in the series is getting better and better. There are definitely some laugh-out-loud moments in this book (especially whenever Beefcake the cat is around) but ultimately I’d put it squarely in the tug-at-your-heartstrings category. There is some pretty intense family drama, parental death, second families, themes of sexual abuse, and emotional recovery—wrapped up in a super sweet friends-to-lovers story.

I loved both of the main characters in this book, and as always I adore the other hilarious (but sweet and vulnerable) members of the Bromance Book Club. I think it was Mack that said (about romances) that “It’s the journey. It’s how they get to that happily ever after that matters and makes these books so special and instructive.”

I’m just going to put it out there that I really, really hope the next book is about The Russian. I am just dying to know more about the lactose-intolerant, crude but mushy, bear of a man. Who else is with me?

You’re definitely going to want to grab your own copy of the book.

A friends-to-lovers rom-com with some big doses of family drama and the support of our favorite all-male, romance-reading, anti-toxic-masculinity book club!

In the year since they worked together to bring down a serial sexual assaulter, Alexis and Noah have become best friends. Alexis sees the steady, caring man that former angry hacktivist Noah has become. Noah sees the courage, strength, and empathy that cat cafe owner Alexis serves up every day. They're both starting to see that they may want more than friendship, but they can't risk screwing up the most important and healthy relationship either of them has ever had. Can they? The Bromance Book Club is happy to swear Noah in as a member and guide him to the wisdom of a good romance novel — and try to steer him clear of the bad tropey nonsense that ruins relationships and novels alike.

That's one of the obvious strengths of this series — it gets to lean in and play off of romance novel tropes in a really fun, smart way. I was happy to see that book 3 includes excerpts from the book club novel again (after book 2 abandoned that format). I'd like to see it used even more, as it was in book 1. The Bromance boys are back in good form as well, insisting on emotional honesty and respect and giving a couple of rousing feminist speeches that are as much of a turn on as the steamy sex scenes later in the book. And I'm happy to see the Russian starting to break out of the caricatured space he was relegated to — although I'll be happier when he gets a name and is treated like a fully human person (coming in book 4 I think!). As "woke" as some of the gender-relationship stuff is, there's a bit of a haze of privilege and othering here. I'm also not a fan of the use of "crazy stupid" in the title (but it does comes directly from dialogue in the book).

Overall, this series continues to be a brilliant idea that delivers fun, heartfelt stories with smart, interesting characters who treat each other (and sex) like adults — owning their issues, having difficult conversations, being mature and vulnerable, and reaping the rewards.

Content notes: main character is a survivor of sexual assault, main character committed a computer security crime in his past, loss of parent, DNA test reveals unknown family, hospital scene for surgery, organ donation, minor injuries caused by major feline, a character gets punched in the face, a character expresses toxic masculinity, strong language, frank discussions about and realistic descriptions of sex (including use of condoms — yay!)

I’m pretty sure this series gets better with each new release. You would think by looking at the cover and discovering that the main premise is a group of guys getting together for a romance book club in order to help them with their love lives that this would be cheesy rom-com goodness… AND IT IS. But, every story has also had that emotional punch that’s kind of taken me by surprise.

Crazy, Stupid Bromance features the friends to lovers trope and it’s done so well. If you’ve read the previous installment in the series, Undercover Bromance, then you have met Liv’s best friend Alexis. She is a sexual assault survivor and when she’s not running her cat-friendly coffee shop, she’s a welcoming safe place for other survivors. Her other BFF is Noah, a former hacker who runs a security company. Their relationship is natural and easy and open and I loved it. They met right in the middle of Alexis’s trauma with her ex-boss and what she needed at the time was a friend and so that’s who Noah is content to be for her. FOR NOW ANYWAY.

Y’all they are both dealing with so many issues. SO MANY. I’m not even going to get into them all. You would think this book would be weighted down by the serious themes, but the sweet and funny and romantic parts balance everything out nicely. Also, the first sex scene is uh… Wowza.

I will say that the entire concept of the Bromance Book Club is amusing and I really do enjoy all these guys and watching them find love. They are like a big, supportive found family and that’s one of my favorite things in a romance.

This was an excellent addition to the series and I predict will be a huge success. I can’t wait to see what’s next, hopefully, we’ll get to the Russian and find out what’s going on with him and his wife.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.
I’ve read all 3 books in the series and I enjoyed them so much.
I absolutely adored Crazy Stupid Bromance. It was fun, lighthearted romantic book, with a little bit of drama, great friendships and perfect amount of sexy times.
I loved the characters. The writing was excellent. I can’t wait for the Russian’s book.

After 3 books in the Bromance Book Club series, I am still utterly charmed. I adored Crazy Stupid Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams (out today) which features 2 best friends who find so much than friendship together.

Series readers will remember Alexis who was deeply involved in the plot of an earlier book featuring a sexually abusive celebrity chef. Here, she is dealing with the aftermath of having come forward.

And then a woman walks into the cafe claiming to be Alexis’ half sister - mostly because the sister’s father needs a kidney. Not sure what to do, Alexis turns to her best friend Noah. There is significant family drama here.

Noah works with computer security and is friends with the men in the Bromance Book Club. He has serious feelings for Alexis but doesn’t want to ruin his friendship with her. Noah turns to his friends and a romance novel for help.

The men of the Bromance Book Club are hilarious - and we get lots of them together in this book. Yes, the farting Russian is back as well, and he provides a great deal of comic relief. They are really the heart of the series.

Alexis and Noah have a tough road to their HEA. Alexis’ family situation is tough. I got seriously pissed several times while reading. Fortunately, there are many lighthearted and funny moments as well.

Crazy Stupid Bromance is a great story that has highs and lows with amazing friendships and a lovely romance. I am a huge fan of this one and the rest of the series, although they can be read as standalones.

I received an ARC from Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to leave a positive review

This is the 3rd book in a series. I have read the first one, but didn't read book #2. I missed a bit of the back story of these characters, so I'd recommend reading this series in order.

Noah and Alexa are best friends. Noah owns a private security company, and Alexa owns a cat cafe that is a safe haven for women who have survived assault. Noah and Alexa talk every day, and text each other all day.

When Noah admits to his friends in the Bromance Book Club that he wants an intimate relationship with Alexa, he is soon becomes a member. A rather reluctant member of the book club. The banter in this group was my favourite part of this book. I'm certain that a few other of those dudes will be getting their own book soon.

Alexa's mom passed a few years prior, and Alexa never learned who her father was. When she's contacted by a sister who is looking for her, Alexa is surprised to learn that her father has known about her for 3 years without contacting her. Now her father is sick,[ and unless he gets a kidney transplant in the next few months, he will die. (hide spoiler)]

This situation is the focus of a lot of the angst and drama in this book. Noah feels like the family is using Alexa... and I certainly can't blame him for those feelings.

In this book we get to meet the other members of the book club: Thea & Gavin from book one, and Mack (Noah's best friend) and Liv (Alexis friend) from the second book, also making an appearance is the Russian, and Colton, a country music superstar. It looks like the next book is about the Russian (his name is Vlad apparently), and he has been quite an interesting character so far.

Adams continues her Bromance Book Club series with this emotional friends to lovers story.

This story brings together the hulking, secretive computer genius Noah and Alexa, the owner of coffee shop in Nashville. Now, this book can technically be read as a standalone, but this is more enjoyable if you’ve read the last book in the series. Since a lot of the events in this story are fueled and stem from plot events from Undercover Bromance.

It’s been a year since Alexa came forward against a celebrity chef in the wake of sexual allegations. It’s been a year since Noah befriended Alexa and they started a journey involving almost everything except intimacy. They spend all their free time together, enjoy meals with Noah’s family, and essentially know everything about each other. So, when Alexa is approached by a woman claiming to be her sister and Noah is faced with trying to be supportive amid attempting to take their relationship to the next level things get a little nuts.

This is a perfect storm type of story, with everything going a little wrong and right at the same time. As April is trying to navigate all this new stuff, it pushes her closer to Noah. Noah has the Bromance Book Club on his side attempting to get him to be more open about what he wants with Alexa without ruining what they already have.

For me, the story is good, but I wasn’t feeling how Alexa handled the interactions with her newfound family or how she’s treated. Some of the conversations were also difficult to swallow and Alexa’s demeanor made me frustrated. I really loved Noah and found it easy to relate to him and his conflicts. There’s a lot of internal turmoil these two experience and the only way they can be together is to come to terms with it. I do encourage tissues nearby if highly charged drama gets your tear ducts revved.

While the story didn’t hit all the notes for me, it’s not a horrible addition. Fans of the series will love all the appearances by other members of the Bromance Book Club and their spouses. There’s plenty of hilarity and awkward moments too. Adams still pulls off navigating complicated situations, but I still struggle with falling for these characters as well as did with Gavin and Thea from the first book.

~ Landra

{Thank you @berkleyromance and @netgalley for my gifted copy}

Review: I can't be the only one that's a sucker for a nerdy friends to lovers romcom. This book was such an enjoyable read filled with swoon worthy moments and hysterical laugh out loud moments. If you've loved the series so far, this is another must read!

What I loved:

1. Adams tackles the difficult topics of sexual assault and parental loss with sensitivity and grace.

2. Alexis is a heroine that you'll instantly like and root for and Noah was the perfect combination of sexy and nerdy. Noah and Alexis were such an adorable couple, but they definitely had their fair share of angst and steam.

3. As with the other books in the series, this book will have you laughing out loud one minute and then grabbing a tissue the next. It's an enjoyable rollercoaster ride of emotions you won't want to miss!

4. The Bromance Book Club is a good enough reason for picking up this book. The group of guys are hilarious and they always leave me smiling.

Well Lyssa did it again with this book (I absolutely can't wait for the Russian's book). It was the perfect pick me up in a year filled with disappointment and if you haven't grabbed a copy yet, you definitely need to!

Cat cafe. I mean, need I say more? This was adorable and fluffy and a perfect distraction. I think this one is definitely my favorite in the series. I'm so glad I gave it a shot. Definitely recommend!

CRAZY STUPID BROMANCE is the third book in the BROMANCE BOOK CLUB series, and it was nice to be back with characters I met in the second book in the series, UNDERCOVER BROMANCE (though this book can stand alone.) Once again, the author mixes things up from the norm. An entertaining read that kept my interest from the first page to the last.

Mack and his Bromance Book Club members are planning his and Liv’s wedding, since he’s more romantic than she is. But this is really Noah and Alexis’ story. They’re firm friends who seem to be edging toward something more, but both are too afraid to say what they really want, not wanting to wreck their friendship. They fit well together and are always putting the other one first.

The story is playful, emotional, and funny. The romance builds and is buffeted by the characters’ strong friendships. There are some serious issues addressed as well. Both the protagonists’ families have some sort of dysfunction, but they manage to work through it. There was nice closure and a happily ever after. I liked the cover and how it really reflects the book.

I look forward to reading more of Ms. Adams’ books since I do enjoy her writing style!

I have become more of a Romance reader lately, but I'm not drawn to books featuring pectorally-blessed Fabio-esque men saving a damsel in distress on their covers. That's a big 'ol nope. This is why The Bromance Book Club caught my eye because it focuses on a group of dudes (professional baseball players, a country singer, a hacktivist, night club owner) who use romance novels to enlighten themselves and better their relationships with the women in their lives.

In this third installment of the series, Lyssa Kay Adams balances romance with characters you'll root for and important issues set within a story that has humour and heart. It also has some saucy romance scenes. Oooo la la, y'all! I particularly loved the friends to lovahs story line featuring Alexis and Noah whom we met in the previous book.

One of the reasons I enjoy this series is because each book focuses on different people within a large friend group. You get to know each character a little better, revisit former main characters and look forward to digging into the lives of others in future books (I'm looking at you Russian). [Note: word on the street is The Russian is featured in the 4th book! Eeeee!]. Ok, so I'm just putting this out there but I'm predicting an LGBTQ+ storyline if one of the future books focuses on a particular character.

In this third installment, there was better balance between the light-hearted banter, the romance and the more serious topics that are addressed (this was an issue I had with the second book in the series, Undercover Bromance). And while I had to suspend disbelief a bit for how easily Alexis jumped into a serious decision to help a stranger, it allowed an interesting topic and story line to develop.

This series is a nice blend of romance, humour, relevant issues, and a refreshing look at the more sensitive and enlightened side to men. If you're looking for a light, fun series, allow me to introduce you to The Bromance Book Club.


Note: I'd recommend reading this series in order to get the backstory on the other characters who have been the focus of earlier books

Book 1: The Bromance Book Club
Book 2: Undercover Bromance


Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Berkley Publishing for my advanced digital copy of this title given in exchange for my honest review.