Awww, I loved this one so much!! I honestly was NOT expecting this to be the Russian's story, he was always so mysterious! I'm happy he got his tummy issues under control, I don't think I could have taken a book full of that gag. I didn't super love the whole 'secret/shady Russians' thing, it felt a little done/stereotypical but maybe it was just me? Overall, I DID enjoy the book. I kinda want one on Colton. But it's been a fun ride.

This series continues to be excellent. Vlad and Elena are so so sweet! I do wish there had been a few more POV chapters from Vlad's manuscript, and I also would have loved some more about their relationship as teenagers, but this book is incredibly endearing. I'm really happy to see The Russian as more than just the butt of the joke and Adams has fleshed him out into a very interesting and wonderful character.

YEEESSSSS! The Russian's story is the one I've been waiting for. I don't know what it is about this series but I am almost never disappointed by these dang books.

Isn't It Bromantic may be my favourite in the series? It's so rare to find a marriage of convenience in contemporary romance and this one did it perfectly. The short version of the story goes: childhood friends (who have been mutually pining for a while) marry for convenience, doesn't go well and they live apart for several years, and then following an injury they reconnect and feeling happen.

It got a little weird and extreme at the end but overall this was a really enjoyable read! In a lot of ways it felt like a historical romance set in modern day? The plot and story is something you could easily find in a historical but I loved the twist of having that story in a contemporary setting.

My only complaint about this book is that it took me a while (about halfway) to care about the heroine, but once I got there I was fully there. Also Claud? Claud wasn't even one of those funny and snarky side characters - she was just rude and mean.

Also #virginhero

Cheese man is life.

I love The Bromance Book Club series. They are refreshing and consistently provide rollicking banter, feminist men, fierce friendships and sensational love stories.

The latest installment had my highest expectations because it centers around fan favorite- the Russian. ISN'T IT BROMANTIC is a second-chance romance between childhood friends who are in a marriage of convenience. It totally worked. 

Vlad and Elena's story unfurls through alternate perspectives by taking a look at how their past formed their present. It's a slow-burn with realistic tension that played perfectly to their personalities. Vlad is tender, sensitive and sweet. He's just a hockey playing, cheese loving teddy bear and I love him. Elena is complex- both strong and insecure.  It took me a bit to warm up to her, but in the end I couldn't think of a better partner for Vlad. 

What I really loved about this book in particular is that Vlad is writing his own romance book that not-so-surprisingly follows what's happening in his real-life. I loved seeing how the other members of the Bromance Book Club supported him by helping edit/curating that story.

I refuse to pick a favorite of the series, but if you ask me today I'd pick this one.

I'm a fan of the Bromance Book Club series since it started and was excited to see this one coming out, as it features a marriage of convenience, which is a solid trope and featured Vlad, whose backstory I was interested in. I wouldn't say that this is the best book of the series, but it's sweet and features a lot of second chances for the main characters. As always, I enjoyed the bromance and the love between all of the friends. The only things that felt off to me were the "Loners" (I felt they should've played a bigger part in the story or not at all) and the "Cheese Man" (that was a little too weird).

The fourth instalment in the bromance bookclub did not disappoint. I was excited for the Russians book, he’s been a favorite character from the beginning. These books make you laugh and not want to put them down. The romance of as adorable. Lyssa Kay Adams has done another great read.

This entire series has been a good time and if you liked the previous books, you are going to LOVE this one. Getting a story featuring the fan favorite was a treat and the modern take on “marriage of convenience” was done so well. Having read a few romances lately where the subplot (a touch of mystery and intrigue) was jammed in and rushed, this narrative flows well through all the plot elements and feels organic and not overdrawn. Managing tragic pasts in a non-trite way is a challenge and Lyssa Kay Adams nails it. This may be my favorite in the series so far, though I am already hoping for more from this author. 100% a 5-star read!

Vlad is a very successful hockey player who moved to America to play hockey with his wife Elena. However he is keeping a secret from all his friends about his marriage. His marriage is one of convenience and not one of love. But after six years of being okay with this Vlad has decided he want's a real marriage with Elena. However Elena doesn't agree with this and wants to go back to Russia to be a journalist like her father.

When Vlad is injured on the ice they call his emergency contact who happens to be Elena. She agrees to help take care of him since he has to stay off his feet. Vlad and the Bromance Book Club all agree they should use this time to convince Elena to stay. But Elena is hiding a secret that could ruin her relationship with Vlad.

Everything Adams writes I love almost instantly. I loved the Russian in all the previous Bromance Book Club books. He was such a sweet laughable character and I loved finally having a book about him and his life. It's well written and witty with a twist towards the end I personally didn't see coming. I loved seeing these characters brought to life and will continue to play for a book about Colton!

The fourth installment in the Bromance Book Club series has been my most anticipated. In talks with Lyssa Kay Adams, the Russian was never intended to have his own book, but his personality won fans over.

I don't think I ever knew his name until this book, but Vlad has always been a shining star in the series. His comedic timing, his soft heart, and his broodish figure... He's the guy women hope to find! If only his wife Elena, elusive for the entire series, would see what the readers all see.

To be fair, this didn't end up being my favorite of the books simply because the plot just wasn't there for me. I wanted to grab Vlad by the collar and Elena by the arm, force them into a room, and torture them until they finally had a real conversation. Their assumptions of each other made each of them asses. Granted, the book wouldn't have been full length if the two of them had just admitted their feelings for each other from the get-go...

However, the trademark humor was on pointe. This group of guys crack me up each and every time. It never fails. I was disappointed to learn that Vlad had solved his bathroom issues because they always made me laugh, but good for him for being healthy! I loved the introduction of Vlad's other group of friends - the widow's club! They were the male version of the book club - hilarious.

I hope that the series continues because there is so much more to explore for these characters. Maybe a group vacation or something? I had suggested to my bookish co-worker this series as she doesn't usually read series or romance books - but she arrived at work 2 days later to report that I had been right - these books are hilarious and she'd already finished the first and started on the second. So while Isn't it Bromantic is a stand-alone, you'll really want to read the others just because they are all fabulous!

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Romance for allowing me to read this and offer my honest opinion.

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the early review copy via Netgalley!

I absolutely adore the bromance book club characters and I was super excited to read the Russian's story. However, I'm not a huge fan of second chance romance so I was a bit worried. I did end up loving this book though.

I feel like this book had the least comedy to it in comparison to the rest which I was actually okay with. I feel like more comedy wouldn't fit with the storyline. And since Vlad is such a gentle, sensitive man it wouldn't make sense. (I am very glad that the author had him get his poop problem figured out.)

Now, hopefully we get Colton's story next!

This is my new favorite bromance romance! Over the course of three books, Lyssa Kay Adams made us all fall in love with a hockey-playing side character originally known only as "the Russian" and now we finally get to read his story. Vlad is the ultimate cinnamon roll -- he loves animals, he cries when talking about love, and he's there for his friends through thick and thin. When the boys learn that Vlad and his wife Elena (whom they've barely ever met) are in a marriage of convenience, they want to return the favor. Who better to help Vlad turn his marriage into a love match than the Bromance Book Club? This book is a sparkling blend of laugh-out-loud hilarity and scenes that will make you tear up alongside Vlad. Lyssa Kay Adams knocked this one out of the park (or the rink, in this case)!

We were a little nervous when we heard that the Russian would be the hero of this book, since he has been mostly comic relief for the rest of the series. This book definitely proved us wrong! Give us a pining hero who feels every emotion as deeply as possible in a marriage of convenience with the woman he's loved forever and we will eat it straight up. Elena and Vlad are childhood friends. When her father, an investigative journalist, is "disappeared," Vlad offers to marry her so she can get out of Russia. Of course, they both have been harboring feelings for each other, but neither one comes clean (for SIX YEARS!) until Vlad is injured and Elena shows up to help with his recovery.

Vlad is a professional athlete who was raised by a literature professor, so he can throw down Pushkin quotes like a master. In a contrast to the first two books, his digestive ... conditions were treated with empathy here, allowing us to both enjoy the fart jokes but also recognizing that they probably weren't very funny for him. The rest of the Bromance Book Club shows up for him in the best possible ways, and the twist on the book they read had us cheering!

The only thing we would have wanted a little more of was some steam (we're like Colton, we read for the book boners, what can we say?). This entry in the series recaptured the fun of the first book while handling serious issues in a compassionate way like the second. (As an aside, we were pretty happy with the way immigration issues were handled here - it can be one of our pet peeves when poorly researched.)

TLDR: Read this one for sure!!

The BEST in the Bromance Book club series so far! I was so excited for "The Russian," Vlad's story and Lyssa Kay Adams did NOT disappoint!!! So many laugh out loud moments - with a "Cheese-easy" (a members-only underground cheese shop) and a tender, slow-burn, friends to lovers/marriage of convenience romance that I adored! Vlad and Elena are two stubborn friends that don't want to admit their true feelings, but with the help of the Bromance Book club gang, and Vlad's own book (YES! he writes his own historical romance novel) they eventually find their happily ever after. It's going to be hard to top this book but I eagerly await the next in this series. HIGHLY recommend if you haven't yet gotten to experience the strong, sensitive men of the Bromance Book club.

Thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Romance and the author for my advance e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book comes out later in the summer and is definitely already on my pre-order list!

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Can we all be honest here? I think almost all Bromance Book Club fans can admit that The Russian has been a favorite character from the get go. That being said, I really never expected to get a book about him. I thought he was happily married! Then, when I heard that my favorite character would be getting his own story, I was a bit worried – how do you make such a flatulent man a serious romantic interest? As it turns out, you diagnose him with a couple of medical conditions (FINALLY – poor guy needed it) and get him on some medicine, throw in a big heart, a Cinderella-esque love of animals, and a big muscled chest…and you have a man I want to bring to life and marry for myself.

I knew this book would be my favorite of the series thus far when I started crying LESS THAN 10% IN! My emotions were wrapped up in Vlad and Elena as soon as I started the book. The Bros are definitely the best part of this series and I just love their group dynamic more and more with each story Lyssa Kay Adams writes. The lack of toxic masculinity, the open emotions and real friendships are what make this series special.

This was a one sitting read for me and I can honestly say that I enjoyed every minute of it. It doesn’t even matter that its late and I have to work in the morning…I needed to know how Vlad got his happy ending. It. Was. Perfect.

We get Colton’s book next, right? RIGHT??

Finally we get the Russians story! Vlad has always mentioned his wife here and there in the past books, but even the bromance boo club doesn't think she is real. Many of them have never met her. When the book starts Vlad and Elena are separated and planning to get divorced. When Vlad get hurt during a game she comes back to help. This book is full of new drama and Vlad and Elena try to rekindle there love. I love how Vlad is writing his own book that the bromance book club helps with instead of them reading a new book to help Vlad. This was full of laughter and sadness. I am sad to see this series end but it ended on such a great note!

The one we have all been waiting for!!! Isn't it Bromantic? is not what I expected. The Russian, Vlad finally saw his wife at a Mack's wedding only to hear she wants a divorce. Six months later Vlad is seriously hurt in a game and needs surgery, who does the team call? His wife Elena. She decided to take a flight from Chicago where she has been living and trying to figure out what happened to her dad when he disappeared. Elena and Vlad decide she will stay for a couple of days until he gets settled at home then she will leave. Expect something is pulling at her to stay.

In waas so looking toward to this book since the first book in this series. I loved the Russian. He was one of the best characters Now we get his full story. It is a crazy one too. Full of surprises!

THE RUSSIAN.

Finally, I get to get inside the head of my favourite side character. The Russian, or Vlad, has spent three books being a big tooting teddy bear that was used more for humour and sentimental moments like "we run for grand gesture", but I knew Vlad was so much more. The best part? There was not a Vlad-based Tummy grumble to be seen. This story was sweet, and funny, and everything I hoped it would be. The Bros are back and better than ever, and I loved the addition of the Loners. It is so refreshing to see a group of both men and women who are not afraid to talk about their feelings and show emotion both with their partners and their friends. I hope we keep getting to see these characters for a long time.

I love this series and this installment was no different. I loved seeing Vlad get a story all for himself and getting to meet his wife Elena. The crew from the book club were their usual funny, sweet, goofy selves and we met a new bunch of Vlad's friends from his neighborhood.

Overall I really liked this book though the kidnapping at the end felt really weird in the story.

Gentle giant and professional hockey player Vlad gets his own romance! For six years, Vlad has been married to his childhood best friend Elena: he offered to marry her so that she could join him in the U.S. as the wife of an athlete who plays for an American team. However, they've spent those six years apart: Vlad in Nashville and Elena going to journalism school in Chicago. But Elena is about to graduate, and she wants to go back to Russia to finish the journalism story her father died while investigating. On the eve of her departure, Vlad takes a terrible spill on the ice and has to have orthopedic surgery, which means he needs someone to take care of him; his wife should fit the bill. Turns out these two former friends think their sham of a marriage doesn't include real feelings. Will they ever get to share those feelings with one another?

Isn't It Bromantic is funny (I especially love the illegal cheese addiction for its humor), and I loved how kind, compassionate, and gentle Vlad is. However, the combination of flashbacks and excerpts from the book Vlad is writing make for a disjointed overall story: the frame is all over the place. I get why both the excerpts and flashbacks are included, but it just feels like too much, like when there are too many cooks in the kitchen. Additionally, Vlad speaks in semi-broken English in the previous three books, but doesn't in this one. Again, I get why (reading that much poor grammar would drive most readers up a wall), but it doesn't make for good consistency. Thirdly, I wish there were some way to indicate when Elena and/or Vlad are speaking in Russian. The reader is usually cued into this after the exchange has happened, so we don't have the same confused (or humorous) reaction the English-speaking characters in the book have. And since the narration is third-person, it doesn't mesh well with the overall verisimilitude of narration.

I'm thinking we'll get Colton's story in #5, and I will still read it. I just hope Adams is able to fix some of these stylistic choices in her next installment.