A lovely romantic comedy that is not afraid to hit on hard topics.

Sophie is a new author who successfully published her first novel, but has hit writer’s block hard on finishing book 2. Her writing career hangs in the balance when a video clip of her having a meltdown at a karaoke bar goes viral. Now she has a new platform to promote herself and hopefully a fun new challenge that will help her find love and an ending for her book before her deadline. What she didn’t expect was to find answers just across her lawn in the form of Dash Montrose- Teen actor crush, land lord, and her best friend’s brother.

Dash is more than Hollywood royalty. He wants to change his life and career. His complex family dynamics and personal trials lead to an emotionally complex tale and the birth of a beautiful friendship with Sophie that blossoms to more as they both try to help one another navigate some uncharted territory for themselves z They work on moving on and forward from their past, but not without a few bumps along the way.

This is an open door romance with some good spice🌶️ and some good humor and 🌈 +. 💕

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

Plot Twist is definitely one of those books that appeals to the booktok community. If you're looking for a fun little rom com with some heart behind it, this is it. It has some just generally sunshiny moments but I appreciated that it tackles some serious topics as well.

Sophie is a sunshine FMC writer with a major block in writing her next book. She also happens to live across the yard to broody Dash, part of the famous Montrose family, actor, and brother to her best friend Poppy. Dash was THE guy when Sophie was younger but now she barely registered him, especially since he was forbidden (you know, best friends brothers are a no no). When she has a viral moment that exposes that she's never been in love (as a romance writer- what?!), he suggests she leans in to the issue and start exploring why she's never been in love. Enter the parade of exes (via TikTok confessional type videos) who she revisits in an effort to learn why she's struggling so much not just with her personal life but with the ending to her new HEA. In the midst of all this, we learn that Dash is a recovering alcoholic who is working hard at his sobriety while pursuing other creative endeavors under an anonymous TikTok handle. When Sophie and Dash realize they have undeniable chemistry, things get very interesting.

This has some classic tropes in it: best friends brother, a little grumpy sunshine, one bed so its sure to have something for every romance fan. Will Sophie and Dash go the distance? You're going to have to read it to find out!

This books was not for me. The characters just never captured me, and I found myself not really caring about the plot. I wonder if it's because I'm not on TikTok, nor do I frequent the app. I was definitely not the books target audience.

"Plot Twist" is an absolutely wonderful and sweet romance novel that captivates readers from the first page. The characters are so well-developed that I found myself genuinely invested in their lives, and their stories lingered in my thoughts long after I put the book down. The title, "Plot Twist," couldn't be more fitting as the narrative takes unexpected and delightful turns, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. The novel skillfully balances heartwarming moments with a touch of unpredictability, making it a truly engaging and enjoyable read. It's a love story that lives up to its name, offering a perfect blend of charm, emotion, and surprises that will leave readers eager for more.

I loved that the FMC is pansexual in this book. There aren’t enough pan characters in books. I thought the MC could have more chemistry. I thought that the “forbidden” trope of best friend’s brother didn’t work as well as the author wanted it to.

I was not a fan of all the TikTok references. Ok, we get that they do social media but why is it talked about all the time? Unfortunately, this book seemed to be written around tropes and not necessarily a plot. This one just wants for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for this eARC. Plot Twist is out now.

♥︎ Cinnamon roll MMC
♥︎ Best friends brother
♥︎ Close proximity
♥︎ Friends with benefits
♥︎Social media elements

Oh man Dash. That cute man. He had such a rough past. I loved the way he confronted his family and moved past it all. He is such a sweet soul and always there for Sophie.

Sophie. No dang way could I have confronted all my exes from the past. But good for her.. she was trying to work out what's always gone wrong with her relationships.

Loved their banter and chemistry. A fee heavier topics were mixed in. Made for a great read.

Thank you @netgalley Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press, @erinlarosalit for allowing me to read and review.

Super fun read! I was hesitant with the current media references, but they're done in a way that isn't what I would consider cringey. The story itself was actually really cute, and the self-discovery Sophie has along the way is great. Her relationship progresses with Dash in just the right way for the story. Definitely enjoyed this read!

An rom com with tropes and lots a trigger warnings. Please check prior to picking this up. Overall, we follow a struggling writer and a recovering addict and how their relationship grows from there.

This book meh at best for me.

I really cannot with the woe is me celeb kids my life is so hard etc.

It was hard to get into and even harder to stick with. I had high hopes but it just didn’t pan out for me.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

From the premise to the characters to the challenges they faced, this story was authentic and genuine. There’s so much to love about these two people trying to figure out their love lives and personal challenges.

If you’re looking for Hollywood drama, realistic portrayals of recovery, romance authors and tongue in cheek mentions of tropes, this is your book!

I’m hoping we get Poppy’s story next!!

This book was such a fun read while also dealing with certain issues! Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes and Erin did it so well!

Despite being super excited about this book, I unfortunately don't think its for me. That being said, I don't think it was a bad book and I can understand how people would like it, I just found the pacing quite slow, and the "everybody is rich and famous" to be uncompelling. Perhaps it is a book I could come back to later and try again.
I do like that it touched on real life issues though instead of just meaningless drama.

3.75 stars, maybe?

I liked this book and enjoyed, among other things, the representation of some different identities through the various characters. That being said, I did find my attention wandering at a couple points, so I know I wasn’t totally captivated by the story at all times. Either way, I’d still like to see what the writer comes out with next.

This was really wholesome, cute, and spicy. Aka a marvelous combo. Sophie is a writer but she’s got major writer’s block. It’s tough to be a romance writer when you’ve never been in love. She’s a tenant of former teen heartthrob, Dash Montrose, who inspires a TikTok journey she goes on, talking to old flames about why they ended things in hopes that it will help her break through her writer’s block. Along the way, her and Dash grow closer but Dash has some demons of his own. Not believing he is good enough for her because of his need for sobriety (and therefore it requiring all of his focus), he keeps her at arms length. I loved how they both brought something to the table for each other, and helped each other be the best version of themselves. They needed to better themselves first, but each other is an added bonus.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the early copy!

Erin La Rosa writes really fun and quick reads that just fully hooked me yet. I always enjoy my reading eperience, I love a celebrity romance - and I've read a few former childstar/hearthrob ones recently and they are perfect nostalgia stories. But the social media references are a big pet peeve of mine and they kept me from really hooking into the story.

Thank you to net galley for this opportunity. I thought the cover and blurb at first was just amazing. Not sure what to expect since i never read from this author before. I didnt know what to expect. I did enjoy the story i thought it was really cute.

To be honest I DNF this book from the start. There was something about it that just did not capture my attention.

This book was fun and different! It was a solid 3 stars for me. It was not necessarily outstanding but not a boring book by any means! I loved the mental health and substance abuse representation. I did feel the ending was a bit rushed but overall the characters were fun and I did feel a little sad when it was over- I liked the way they supported each other!

The enemy-to-lover trope is always a foundation for an entertaining read. There is something soothing about tracking the transformation of a relationship. Plot Twist does, in fact, provide a plot twist worth following. Too spicy for classroom use, I like the way sobriety is handled in this one & wish kids could see that. I like the characters & found this one to be enjoyable.

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: yes
spice: several open-door spicy scenes
TWs: substance abuse, addiction, alcoholism, emotionally abusive parents, stalking, relapse
standalone: book 2 in The Hollywood Series but can be read as a standalone with no plot holes
final thoughts: the author did a great job or going through some serious topics and scenarios without the story feeling too heavy. The story does follow alcoholism heavily throughout the book and I felt as though it was done well (and true) while also focusing more on the recovery and importance of support rather than having it be a spiraling detriment.
I love the best friend’s brother, childhood crush, landlord aspect of this book and watching the MCs get closer throughout the novel. They did a great job of respecting boundaries and opening up to each other in a sort of instalovey way that read more like friends to lovers rather than mild acquaintances to lovers but I didn’t mind since it didn’t deter from the story.
I loved the creativity of the spicy scenes when the MCs weren’t ready for the “full experience”

read this book if you love

😬 angst
😳 forbidden lovers (best friend’s brother)
👮 blue collar FMC (writer)
👮 blue collar MMC (retired actor)
🏝️ forced proximity (one bed, road trip, neighbors)
🧠 “it’s always been you”
💓 slowburn
🤫 hidden secrets
💏 secret dating
🌈 LGBT+ representation
💞 childhood crush