I absolutely adored this book! first it was about theatre, my favorite thing, so i was instantly drawn in from the beginning. the dynamic between juliette and winnie was very well done, definitely gave me a little of devil wears prada vibes with a much better ending. i felt like by the end of the book, i understood winnie and juliette so much better than i had anticipated, their characters were very well written. i do love a romantic reconciliation, but i have to say, that sometimes those non-romantic relationships that reconnect hit way harder. this is definitely in my top reads for this year, i really enjoyed it.

"Here for the Drama" follows our main girl Winnie as she supports the staging of her employer, Juliette's, pop-up play in London. While there, she agrees with Juliette's wild idea of going on dates with strangers in an attempt to get Juliette's creative juices flowing enough to write a new hit play. In return, Juliette will finally (after much begging) read the play that Winnie's been working on, the one that she's hoping will make up for a big mistake she made in the past. But when Juliette expressly forbids Winnie from any kind of relationship with her intriguing and goofy nephew, Liam, Winnie feels like maybe it's time to blow caution to the wind and live a little.

There were many things that I loved about this book: the enthusiasm and beautiful descriptions surrounding the theatre, the relationship between Winnie and her co-assistant Roshni, and the witty/ridiculous dialogue. Truly the dialogue had me grinning like a weirdo out in public.

However, this book was largely a miss for me (much to my dismay, because I loved Talk Bookish to Me and am a big fan of drama) due to the following reasons: for one, the sub-plots were a lot to keep up with. It felt like I was constantly switching my attention and not feeling fully in the moment with everything going on. Second, even though I LOVE dogs, I felt like Winnie had an over-the-top obsession with the dog that she rescued while in London. Third, the longer the novel went on, the more I felt like Winnie was unreasonably self-centered. I'm all for taking care of oneself and watching out for your own needs, but she literally strung others along the same way that Juliette was stringing her along. Everything had to be her way or the highway - she didn't bend for anyone except for Juliette.

Overall, this book just wasn't for me. I didn't vibe with a lot of the lessons it was trying to impart, but that's okay! I still think it was cute and I got a great fix of theatre-nerdiness and London romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I loved Kate Bromley’s first book and Here for the Drama was a great follow up book. While it did take me a little while to get into this one, it was cute and had all the adorable moments you want in a rom com. The banter between Winnie and Liam was great and I can’t wait to read Kate’s next book!

This was a book I’ve been waiting for ever since I fell for Kate Bromley’s writing in TALK BOOKISH TO ME. And wow, this book did NOT disappoint.

I fell in love with Winnie, a strong female protagonist with wit I wish I possessed. She is inherently a people-pleaser, which only makes her more relatable, and she sees the good in everyone around her, even when they don’t deserve her kindness.

I fell in love with Liam who starts off as a side character and I 100% thought was a child at first, but uh, he’s most definitely not. In fact, he’s the book boyfriend of dreams and I don’t think I could have dreamed up a more caring and supportive man who also manages to drum up dry humor and awkwardness like it bleeds out of him.

I fell in love with this romance because it wasn’t the typical misunderstanding that drives everyone apart at 80% of the way through the plot, but rather life.

These characters chase their own dreams rather than each other. They chase after their deepest desires and put themselves first, and this is a book this world needs right now. It shows how important it is to do what’s right for YOU whether it makes others uncomfortable in the process. It shows how it’s possible for people to make it work if they’ve taken the time to find themselves and their own happiness first.

Between the spontaneous trip to London, the adventures and hoops Winnie jumps through for her job, the love of the theater, the humor, the adorable cocker spaniel, incredible friendships, and well developed backstory … there is nothing I would change about this book. It was once I didn’t want to see end but that ended perfectly at the same time. And above all else, it was a beautiful love letter to theater and the performing arts.

Definitely grab this one as soon as you can.

I really enjoyed Kate Bromley’s sophomore novel Here for the Drama! Assistant to a famous playwright, Winnie dreams of writing her own play and when her boss makes her come along on a business trip to London, Winnie finds not only inspiration but love and so much more. First, this made me want to go to London asap. Winnie meets her boss Juliette’s nephew Liam and their sightseeing dates are not only filled with chemistry but adventure and life. And I just adored Liam and his awkwardness and the banter he has with Winnie is spot on! The romance is done so well and I loved how all of it played out but this is Winnie’s story more than anything else. Winnie is wonderful. The complex relationship she has with her boss is written so well and I loved how her boss is and I loved her coworker Roshni. It’s a fun read but it also is about finding your voice and passion and I thought the characters and story were so genuine and so well developed. Here for the Drama had me dying to travel, to write and to go to the theater and had me smiling so much.

Winnie is the assistant to a famous playwright as she works on her own novel. She travels with her boss, Juliette, to London to oversee the staging of an old play. And she meets Liam, her boss's nephew while there.

The novel is told in the first person from Winnie's perspective. As such, she is the most well rounded character in the book. Liam's feelings and motivations are not as clear. Winnie is rather horrible at lying. Thus, the communication between the two was rather open, something I prefer to see.

In so many ways and through so many characters, this is a book about fear of failure. Within the book, two plays are described: Juliette's that they are restaging and the one that Winnie is writing. I highlighted the descriptions and found myself continually returning to them and comparing their themes to that of the book.

For me, my enjoyment of the book increased the further I read. I am surprised to say it not only made me laugh, but also cry. And I especially enjoyed seeing the character growth and Winnie's relationships with Roshni and Juliette.

Thank you to Graydon House and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

I got typical romcom vibes from it but it was a cute story. I enjoyed reading thank you for the opportunity to read.

Winnie should have been finishing her play, but instead she was accompanying her boss to London. Though things did not go as planned, this trip changed Winnie’s life in very big ways.

I was promised a rom-com, and this book delivered on that promise. It was chock full of humorous moments, as well as a multitude of heartwarming ones. The banter between Winnie and Liam was witty and wonderful, and never failed to make me grin. But there was also quite a bit of depth to this story, and Bromley did a fantastic job crafting meaningful backstories for all the major players in this story.

I was very invested in the outcome for all the characters involved, and I was delighted with the way everything was tied up. The romance was top notch, I adored seeing it evolve, and I was rooting for a big ending for these two. I wasn’t sure how it would all play out, and the wait was a bit painful, but I was happy and satisfied in the end.

Overall: A fun and amusing story filled with vibrant character who I was rooting for and a final few chapters that had me drying tears from my smiling face.

This is a great romance novel written by the very talented Kate Bromley. I am a huge fan of her writing and this book is no exception. Under the romance story lives multiple branches of emotional topics that I am so glad she explored.

Would recommend to anyone looking for a book to snuggle up with on the couch and read in one weekend!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC copy!

I love love loved this one so much!! I knew nothing about the theatre world or London going into this book and I really enjoyed getting a glimpse into that life. I now want to get theatre tickets and visit London. I loved all the characters and the relationships between them all but my favorite was the witty banter and sarcasm. That is my jam and Kate is the best at it! Is she like that in real life? Because if she is then we need to be besties! 😂 But really, I loved everything about this book and it is a definite contender for my favorite book of the year!!

She really stole the premise of this book from a self published title.....
The original was better.
This just didn't vibe and the characters were painful.

A fun romance that centers around the theater world and is set in London, both of which really add to the appeal of this story. Winnie is a people-pleaser, especially when it comes to her boss, the world-famous playwright, Juliette. When Winnie accompanies Juliette to help with a new staging of her play in London, she meets Juliette's nephew, Liam, and falls in love. Unfortunately, Juliette has already told her that Liam is off limits. As readers, we know that Winnie has to find the confidence she needs to stand up to her boss, be recognized for her own talents, and fall in love with whoever she chooses -- but will she? This is a great rom-com that I look forward to recommending.

I am so here for all of the drama✨

*Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, Kate Bromley knows how to write the BEST witty banters between characters!!! I loved the dynamic of Winnie & Liam from the moment they had their meet-cute, all the way until the end of the book. Their relationship progressed so smoothly and I loved all of their interactions 🥰

What stood out to me was that this book did not just focus on the romance between the two MCs. It also focused on professional relationships and careers struggles. I thought the side characters played a very important role in the plot and weren’t just in the background. AND OLLIE?!!! I need an Ollie in my life right now 🥹 🐶

This book gave me all the “Emily in Paris” vibes, so if you like that show I think you’ll definitely like this book! Be prepared to be grinning like a fool and laughing out loud while reading this fun story!

Here for the Drama is sweet and witty romance. Winnie wants to be a playwright but she's currently a play-writer's assistant. She gets dragged to London with her boss and everything changes for her. She's stuck helping her boss with her play which is a bit of disaster. Winnie also meets Liam, her bosses nephew. They hit it off but have to keep their romance a secret which is complicated. Here for the Drama is full of witty and funny parts. Liam is adorable and totally lovable. I loved the London setting! This one is super charming read!

3.5 stars

Winnie, an aspiring playwright, is a dedicated assistant to playwright extraordinaire Juliette Brassard. Juliette was very successful in her younger days, but has had a dry spell over the last few years. When one of her most successful plays is being re-staged in London, she brings Winnie along for the ride. In London, Juliette hatches a plan to breathe life into her writing: Winnie will go on dates with three men and bring back her dating stories for Juliette's inspiration. But the only man Winnie has eyes for is Juliette's very off limits nephew, Liam. But first and foremost, Winnie must finish her own play in time to submit it for a contest, and finally establish herself in the theater world.

I really liked the London setting and I enjoyed reading/learning more about the theater. I liked how quick witted Winnie was and enjoyed her banter with Liam. However, the romance took a backseat to the relationship between Juliette and Winnie, which I was not expecting. I would categorize this as women's fiction instead of romance.

I am continuously impressed with Kate Bromleys writing. I liked Talk Bookish To Me, I LOVED here comes the drama.

Talk Bookish to Me was one of my favorite reads from last year, and I have to admit that my expectations were HIGH coming in. I am happy to report that Kate Bromley delivered. Her pacing and banter were PERFECT. Such a fun read, and it will be the perfect beach read this summer!

Kate Bromley’s second novel, Here for the Drama, made me immediately go buy her first (Talk Bookish to Me). Categorized as both romance and women’s fiction, this book majors in women’s fiction and minors in romance. While the romance between Winnie and Liam is a key focus, the more critical relationship here is the one between Winnie and Juliette.

Winnie would like to be a playwright, so she logically became the assistant to celebrated New York playwright Juliette Brassard. For five years, she has spent every day more concerned with Juliette’s life than her own. When we meet Winnie, she is looking forward to having three weeks off, while Juliette and Roshni are in London, to finalize the edits on her own play, which she plans to submit for a playwriting contest in 17 days.

She has been tweaking the script for the last four years, always asking Juliette to critique it for her to no avail. (We find out toward the end of the book why Juliette makes up excuses not to read it.) The time that Juliette will be in London supervising a pop-up performance of her most well-known play, The Lights of Trafalgar, is all the time Winnie has to finish. But Juliette and Roshni convince her to go to London because in Winnie’s life, what Juliette wants, Juliette gets.

Winnie can’t stand up to Juliette, who has been a mentor and pseudo-mother to her. Roshni loves the theater even though she’s destined to be a pharmacist. Juliette is manipulative but not so unlikeable that we hate her. She clearly loves Winnie, but she definitely uses guilt to get what she wants. We get the impression that something is wrong with her, but we don’t know really until later in the book whether it’s emotional or physical. Regardless, being back in London where she had some of her best times in her 20s takes a toll on her.

Then there’s Liam. We see the chemistry between him and Winnie just in a simple phone call, even before they’ve met in person. We know from the very beginning that there will be a romance and it will be complicated. I definitely enjoyed how it all played out.

What I loved most about this book was the banter between Winnie and Liam. All the dialog is good, and I like Winnie’s individual voice throughout. But Winnie and Liam have a chemistry and an ease that puts their interactions over the top.

Winnie: “I’m just kidding. Don’t hate me.”
Liam: “You are a wretched human being. I’m fairly confident you’ve just traumatized me for life.”
Winnie: “Does that mean you don’t want to hang out after all?”
Liam: “No, for whatever reason, I still do. I must be a glutton for punishment.”
Winnie: “In all seriousness, I am sorry. That was quite mean on my part. For future reference, I’m terrified of sharks. If we’re ever out deep-sea fishing and you see an opportunity for payback, I’ll understand.”
Liam: “I’m pretty sure you being savagely eaten alive by sharks isn’t a fair tradeoff in this scenario.”
Winnie: “You’re such a softie.”
Liam: “And you really are a strange woman.”
Winnie: “So I’ve been told.”

The reason I dropped this to 4.5 stars is that the realizations Winnie makes about her life at the end of the book feel a little preachy and sappy. The final chapter of the book before the Epilogue is “one year later,” and I loved that chapter. It brings everything together, but then I saw some other reviews expressing that the Epilogue feels forced. I can see that point and I kind of agree, but I also enjoyed seeing where everyone ends up five years later. I don’t know that there’s a good way to end the book without one year later and an Epilogue.

Order this one. I’ll definitely be reading Kate Bromley in the future.

First off thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House and to NetGalley for allowing me to read this digital ARC of Here for the drama.

The cover caught my eye when I was browsing NG. Sometimes you just need a book that is light hearted/no brainer and keeps a smile on your face. I loved the banter and the way it was written. I fun, easy to get through rom-com with a LIKEABLE couple in Winnie and Liam. Really great quick read

This was not it for me I tried to restart this book about 3 times and every time it didn't work. It did not hold my attention and I just did not feel the connection between the characters. There were a lot of grammatical errors that kept pulling me out of the book. The main character's boss also really got on my nerves, all she did was complain and force the main character to do things that were not in the scope of her job. I didn't finish this book and I don't think I will go back to it, it just wasn't for me.