This was such a cute and quick romance to read. It was like wearing a warm blanket on a fall day. I laughed and awwed out loud while reading. Looking into reading more books by Eric La Rosa now.

Thanks to Netgalley for sending me an eARC of this book. This review is my honest opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley & Canary Street Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

There was a lot happening with this one, so I am going to jump right in. This was such a fast-paced, quick read- I was able to read the entire book in a day, which is not something I can say very often. Besides that...well I have been struggling to figure out how to start, because I honestly have a lot of thoughts.

Starting off, this is the second book I've read that has the "let me talk to my exes about what went wrong" plot line and it it the second time I've been disappointed by it. The FMC, Sophie, talks to two of them for approximately two lines and throws a drink at one (I mean it was kind of deserved but a bit aggressive after not talking for years?). One was really petty and stuck in high school, and the other she gets back together with for 1 date, but it was serious enough for a fight when Sophie eventually ended it? Not a single one of the scenarios was believable to me, and honestly she got nothing out of it (which might be realistic, but not why I want to read a book).

Secondly, I found there was way, way too much going on in this book. The love interest, Dash, is her landlord and neighbor (forced proximity, despite them never talking until the beginning of this book?), best friend's brother, childhood crush, and former actor (celebrity romance) turned ceramicist. Think that's a lot? I'm not done. There is insta-lust, and after car trouble, Sophie & Dash stay overnight with the aforementioned petty, stuck-in-high-school ex, which leads to a one-bed situation, which turns into friends with benefits, but maybe more than just friends? Add in familial drama/fights (for both characters), a tit-for-tat agreement between the two characters (which, Dash never ONCE holds up his end? He helps her exactly 0 times with what he was supposed to), and too many TikTok and pop culture reference that took me out of the story and there was just too much going on to follow what the main story was.

Despite all of that, my biggest struggle with this book was the lack of emotional depth and insane immaturity of quite literally every character. I thought Sophie's character started out really strong, but she quickly turned into a "pick me" and "I'm not like other girls" girl. She was waiting for everyone else to figure her life out for her. I thought Dash's story was really sweet, actually, and appreciated the inclusion of a character who had gone through rehab and was continually fighting for his sobriety. Unfortunately, I felt he too, in his mid 30s, needed to realize he couldn't blame the fallout of his actions on anyone but himself. The drama and hubbub of "we can't be together because your sister is my best friend (and her ultimate reaction)" just solidified that I would not ever want to be friends with honestly any of these characters.

Overall, this one was just not for me. I could go in to more character related problems I had as well, but I don't think at this point that is necessary. I can't say I am interested in reading more by this author, either. Her writing style was to0 tell, not much show for me, and that is not my reading preference. I hope this one finds the right readers who will enjoy it!

I'm finding it so hard to finish this book. I've been reading it for several days and I'm only about 30% finished. I hate that it brings up TikTok and the use of different pronouns makes it very confusing to follow.

I just finished "Plot Twist" by Erin La Rosa.
Meet Sophie, a romance writer grappling with writer's block, and Dash, a former teen heartthrob navigating the tricky waters of sobriety. Their dynamic had some serious potential, and I was rooting for them from the get-go.

But here's the thing – I struggled to fully dive into the story. Sophie's quest to track down her exes and Dash's internal family struggles seemed to overshadow the delightful chemistry between them. Don't get me wrong, those are important struggles, but I found myself wishing the plot focused more on their journey together rather than these external elements.

Despite the hiccups, "Plot Twist" had its charm. The characters were endearing, and Erin La Rosa's writing style brought a touch of humor and heart to the narrative.

In the end, it's a cute read if you're into romantic tales with a side of personal struggles.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

How could I not read this one?! Sophie’s a romance author whose never been in love, and has just been launched into the public eye when she admits as much in a video that finds its way online. Her brooding landlord, and best friend’s brother, Dash suggests she lean into the online momentum, and now she’s meeting with her ex’s to figure out why she didn’t fall in love and documenting the process in hopes that it will help her overcome writer’s block, and maybe even fall in love in the process. 4/5

After going viral for a drunken rant at a karaoke bar, romance author Sophie Lyon's secret is out. She has never been in love. Despite her first novel being successful she is unable to bring the characters in her new project to their happily ever after. With her deadline fast approaching she thinks that maybe her writer's block can be attributed to her own uninspired love life, so, she devises a plan. She is going to meet up with her past ex and try to see where things went wrong and document it all on social media. Enter Sophie's landlord, Dash Montrose, a former child star who has become a bit of a recluse. He has social media all figured out and offers to help Sophie but what he doesn't tell her is he has a secret crafting social media account that he uses to help him maintain his sobriety. This book is Grumpy Sunshine, best friend's brother, and friends to lovers all in one.

I really enjoyed this book! I enjoyed the characters "realness" and the plot honestly kept me reading. The idea of a romance author not knowing what love feels like was a really interesting plot to follow. I did not read For Butter or Worse, but I think I might have to now!

This is a solid setup, featuring a romance writer who has never been in love and her landlord/recovering alcoholic actor. It's a good premise and I do think a lot of readers will love it, but unfortunately this one didn't click for me.

Sophie, a romance author with writer's block, decides to revisit all of her exes to figure out why she's never been in love. She brings along her landlord 9and best friend's brother) who has secrets to keep. Things get hot, but Dash can't commit. Very cute and quick read.

I loved this book! I loved the first one so knew I would like the second one. It's a breath of fresh air with it's romance and tackling tough subjects. 🤍📚

I LOVED Plot Twist-- what a fantastic book! Contemporary romance isn't usually my first pick, but this book's description sounded interesting and I am so happy it did!
Plot Twist is my first Erin La Rosa book, and I have to find more of her books now. Her writing was absolutely fantastic-- it was so witty, so filled with humor, I kept laughing. The writing is so wonderful I kept stopping to re-read the paragraph again, I loved it so much. I'm not really a highlighter in a book, but I highlighted a lot of funny, poignant bits. I'm smiling just thinking about them now!
Plot Twist is about Sophie, a romance writer struggling to finish her latest book and her love interest, her best friend's brother and her landlord. Sophie has a drunken night out, and an inebriated epiphany that she can't finish her book because she can't hold on to a relationship. She goes viral on TikTok for her drunken confession about it. Dash, her landlord (and lifelong secret crush), suggests talking it out on social media. This leads to Sophie and Dash getting to know each other better, and it is sweet, emotional and hot!
It took me a couple of chapters to really warm up to Plot Twist, and then I was in. I cried a little, laughed a lot and just fell in love with Dash and Sophie's chemistry!! The dialogue is great, the situations the protagonists find themselves in are entertaining, funny and relatable-- and so, so good! The last couple of chapters are amazing, **chef's kiss**. I highly recommend Plot Twist, this is such a fantastic book!

There is a lot in Plot Twist that I really enjoyed. Set in Los Angeles, it's a "celebrity adjacent" romance: FMC Sophie is a bestselling romance author who's under deadline for her second book and facing down some major writer's block, while MMC Dash was a teen heartthrob and indie movie star. Dash might be famous, he's about the 3rd most famous person in his superstar family, and Sophie's sister is a celebrity chef married to another celebrity chef. It was fun to see these two characters navigate their relative fame (how much should they post on TikTok? Can they avoid the paparazzi who are really only their for their families?) while also being themselves. Also, the steam was very steamy, with two characters who were very, very attracted to each other. What was tougher for me to chew on was Dash's perspective as someone in recovery from alcoholism. I am personally not very familiar with being in a relationship with someone in recovery, so I cannot evaluate how accurate or sensitive the portrayal is. I can say that I felt uncomfortable with the final relationship stumbling block; while La Rosa clearly communicated that Dash's mental health and recovery did not rely solely on his relationship with Sophie, the grand gesture felt out of place in its setting, and I was honestly unsure about the longevity of the HEA.

SPOILER, possible CW: There was no 3rd act breakup; instead, there was a 3rd act relapse. The final grand gesture takes place at the rehab center where Dash is staying.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

What happens when a romance author who has never been in love and a reclusive former teen heartthrob turned anonymous internet crafter form an unlikely friendship (with benefits)? The sweetest romance story with a touch of chaos and spice!

“Plot Twist” was chock full of tropes, from best friend’s sibling to only one bed. But despite being trope-heavy, it never felt bogged down. It was a fun breath of fresh air, even with some of the heavier themes it dealt with, including alcoholism and sobriety. I’ve read both of Erin La Rosa’s romances now, and I think she’s a real asset to the genre. Her books are fun, fresh, and flirty. They always leave me with a smile on my face! I highly recommend you pick up a copy of “Plot Twist.”

*I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

*4.5

This was miles better than the first book. I loved the connection that the two of them had. Dash was so scared to let someone in because he thought it would mess up his sobriety. Sophie was able to show him that she could just be there for him and love him for who he his. She had so many trust issues but Dash was there to squash all of those. They are perfect for each other.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Meet Sophie, a romance author with a bestseller… but nothing to follow it up with. She’s hit with a tragic strain of writer’s block— right in the middle of a deadline. The problem? Sophie has never fallen in love. Cue her landlord/best friend’s brother/retired actor Dash. Dash is a recovering alcoholic focused on maintaining his sobriety and keeping to himself. But what happens when he doesn’t know how to tell his family he’s done with acting? Or that he’s struggling with an addiction? Will he be driven to drink or will his cute, sweet neighbor be his perfect distraction?

I’ll start my review by stating the good. This book has a lot of the building blocks to really pull in a great audience and gives a realistic approach to someone who is actually struggling with alcoholism. Just because you’ve stopped drinking doesn’t mean you’re cured. I felt the chemistry between Sophie and Dash and the steamy scenes were well written. It was easy to read and moved quickly. Overall, it was a not a bad time. Where I started to struggle with “Plot Twist” was that I was constantly being pulled out of the story to ask myself questions. Like why don’t we learn more about Sophie’s best friend (and Dash’s sister) Poppy if she’s such an integral part of each of their lives? Or if Sophie’s abandonment and subsequent trust issues stem from her childhood, then why don’t we get a more in depth look into what that was like in the moment? Personally, I couldn’t really tell you much about any of the side characters and, for that matter, Sophie, beyond that she seems like a nice enough person but it was almost like Dash was actually the main character of this story. I felt the whole thing on a surface level. Everything was nice and bubbly on the top but missing any depth, which is unfortunate because I would’ve loved to see more into Sophie’s history and motivations or even Dash’s previous dynamics with his mother and father. I hope to see Erin La Rosa develop a little more of the story and I’d be eager to try again in the future after she’s had a couple more stories under her belt.

A big thank you to Netgalley for providing me an early copy of Plot Twist!

This was a cute, fast read. Sophie (FMC) is a romance author who just can't figure out love for herself. Dash(MMC) is a retired actor who is a recovering alcoholic and dealing with that.
They are next door neighbors and Dash is her landlord AND her BFF brother. Spending time together helps them both work through some issues but not all. The twists and turns through this book are not your normal in this kind of book. But they sure do take you on an emotional journey as well.

literally the cover is what had me like omg i need this book. dash is such a grumpy hero but like has a heart of gold, and i love how often he thinks about sophie, it’s so sweet. the characters were beautiful, the writing flowed so well. the mention of tiktok threw me off lol.

This is my first read by this author and will be my last. I am struggling to find anything I like about it.

There is SO MUCH focus on TikTok. And I don't even think the social media aspect was handled well. The writing is very basic and detached - all telling and no showing. It's also repetitive - the sun shines brightly on her skin every time she walks outside in every chapter. I also found the characters very unrelatable, and Sophie is unlikeable and immature. The two leads are a former child star and a writer, neither of whom seem to work to support themselves. Sophie is only momentarily worried about her rent, but she has the benefit of cheap housing from a friend already. There's not much happening in this book, just insta-lust.

I wanted to appreciate the focus on the sobriety storyline. Still, there wasn't any information on what led to that point (either the addiction or the changing point) until the very end, which lessened the engagement of that storyline. Dash is critically concerned with maintaining sobriety, but we don't see any action other than talking to a sponsor. He isolated himself and did some crafts part-time. It was a massive focus of the book but was hardly explored.

Overall, this was just flat, and I did not enjoy the time I spent reading it.

This is the second in a series but can be read as a standalone.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Felt too boring to me. There was no connection between the MCs except for lust.

Sorry to say, but this book wasn't for me.

Thank you Netgalley & Publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Plot Twist centers on Sophie, a romance author with writer's block who's never been in love working on her second book, and Dash, her best friend's brother, landlord, and Hollywood royalty who is secretly doing everything he can to stay sober.

This book was absolutely delightful. It touches on very real and deep topics while maintaining a playful and adorable love story. Sophie is a hard-core people pleaser often to her detriment: she loses herself in her relationships and as part of that doesn't have a whole lot of confidence in who she is as a person or what she is capable of. Dash's family is Hollywood royalty. He grew up in the limelight and was taught from a very young age to play his part in order to avoid any semblance of scandal. The pressure to be someone he isn't led him into alcohol addiction. Because that pressure to conform came from his family, he is uncomfortable telling them about his struggles and efforts to stay sober.

Dash and Sophie become each other's safe space. Sophie allows Dash to see the real her and he encourages her to be and do everything she wants to do. In the same way, Dash opens up to Sophie in a way he doesn't with anyone else. She sees the struggles and the progress he has made with his addiction and doesn't judge Dash the way he judges himself. They both see how amazing the other is, what they are capable of, and make every effort they can to support the other.

This is just so, so good.

However, while there is a lot of good representation in here (disability, sexual orientation), just about all of the characters are white. This is my first book by la Rosa so I'm not sure if this is endemic to her work but I think it is something to be aware of.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ (4.25)
🌶 🌶 🌶

Tropes: best friend's brother, opposites attract (grumpy/sunshine), only one bed, forced proximity, secret identity, friends to lovers

Content Warnings: alcoholism and relapse, toxic family, stalking

#PlotTwist #NetGalley