“You deserve to be loved, deeply, by someone worthy. Please remember that.”

Sophie is a romance write who is having trouble coming up with the happily ever after for here newest book. Dash is a former actor with a secret craft TikTok who needs to steer clear of scandal to protect his famous family. When they agree to help each other out, they decided to handle their attraction with a friends-with-benefits situationship, but it’s clear that can only last so long.

The relationship that develops between Sophie and Dash is really lovely, and the unwavering support they have for each other throughout makes them easy to root for. It’s clear that Sophie has never really been able to be honest in relationships and speak up for herself, so through this journey of meeting up with her exes to figure herself out she finds what she wants. She claims to have never been in love and takes this journey of self-discovery as sh reconnects with her exes to analyze why she never fell in love. It’s a really great arc and Sophie is really likable as a character, even if she makes some questionable choices on her journey.

Dash is a complex character. He comes from a famous Hollywood family and his mother expects him to continue acting, but it’s the last thing he wants to do. He’s a recovering alcoholic, but has kept it a secret from his family. With Sophie, he’s so worried about disappointing her and it’s hard not to feel for him. His family, minus his sister, seem to keep pressuring him back into the profession that started his addiction, and they prove to be great villains. Dash is such a sweet character and as a reader you just want him to have a happy ending.

“I will try anything with you.”

I think there were a few smaller plot points that could have been removed to focus a little more on Dash’s family trauma and that resolution. It was interesting and compelling, and I would have liked to see how it played out a bit more. Overall, this is a super cute romance and worth checking out.

Plot Twist
by Erin La Rosa
Pub DAte: Nov/ 14, 2023
Thanks to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I enjoyed this sweet and sexy romance which included sensitive topics.
I love the cover!
4 stars

Flawed but not destructively so. There were times that the book didn't feel like it flowed, or existed to bracket sex scenes, but for the most part, the writing was solid, the characters likable, and if the reveal isn't surprising, it has big "I'm not shocked, I'm just disappointed in you" energy.

There are a lot of tropes smashed in here, but most of them feel natural.

I am enjoying every moment spent immersed in the pages of this book! Its captivating narrative has already drawn me in, and I find myself eagerly anticipating the journey that lies ahead. The prospect of the approaching winter, with its chilly temperatures, makes me appreciate the comfort and warmth that a delightful and easy read brings. This review is a testament to the anticipation and joy this book has already brought me, and I can't wait to come back to this review and update my thoughts when I finish this read.

4.5 stars, rounded up.

Overall I really enjoyed this one. I saw mixed reviews so I went in a little cautious but I had a great time reading this, personally. We have a best friend’s brother, forced proximity (neighbors) situation. Sophie and Dash both help each other in their own individual endeavors throughout this and I thought particularly with Sophie’s storyline the pacing was well done. She’s exploring each ex and their fallout.

My biggest hang up with this and reason for the half star are the other people. I felt like Sophie’s attempt at rekindling with one particular ex went on way too long and maybe some of those moments from the past with all of them took up too much space which left not enough time for the actual romantic couple. Sophie and Dash definitely had their cute (and spicy!) moments together but they deserved more time on page. I almost wish Dash could have somehow been an ex too (but I digress, that would be like re-writing part of the plot) but he definitely could have been more involved in her journey as a “friend”. This book also has a few villains that end up being kind of one dimensional. It’s fine, but kind of makes it feel like Sophie is the only one allowed to mess up and then get to correct her mistakes, it’s like they aren’t even human too because their actions are so severe.

Major CW for alcoholism with a relapse, toxic parents.

I really liked these characters together, loved the open door, and the premise. I’d recommend it. Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the ARC!

Okay so I liked this but I just know I could have liked it more if there weren’t so many tiktok references, do you know what I mean? This is completely subjective but when a book has like real life references, the book just loses some of its appeal. The reason I read is to escape reality, not be reminded of it? I can see the potential in this book and I do think it is an okay read, it’s just my personal preferences that got in the way here. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!!!

This was fine? I had a decent time reading it, but I felt like it wasn't well thought out/written that well. This was my first book by Erin La Rosa and honestly I wasn't that impressed. I will say I finished it which is a good thing since I've been putting books down as soon as I lose interest.

Sophie is a romance writer and while I love the trope of a writer struggling with writer's block I really don't feel like she fixed it with enough time to write the book. I can kind of cut slack for this, but this all felt unresolved. ALSO not a fan that she fixes it writing about her and Dash's love story?? like girl you're going to have to learn how to write without just writing about your life!!

But my main critique is how heavy some of the topics are, but they are not explored well. Dash struggles with alcoholism and that is handled okay, but he has a stalker, Sophie's mom died years ago, Dash's mom outs his alcoholism to THE PRESS, One of Sophie's Ex's talks to the press. And I felt that these all made the book feel very heavy at times, but them we breezed past most of them. I'm so tired of "Rom Coms" with cute covers sprinkling a bunch of trauma/darker topics.

Dash and Sophie were cute and I loved the LA vibes. The most unrealistic thing about this book is that there is a big earthquake and it is basically mentioned and everyone moves on. A BIG EARTHQUAKE HITS SOCAL AND THAT IS ALL WE TALK ABOUT FOR WEEKS. Literally every person would be talking about it and here they are like oh tee hee and move on. So why was it included?

Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa was a surprisingly cute but deep story of imperfect people dealing with life and falling in love. The author's writing style was clean and descriptive without being over the top. The story's pacing was quick with an engaging plot. I think a little less focus on the social media side of things would've helped the story feel fuller though. The characters were all very unique and well developed. I didn't really like the insta love vibe between the main characters in the beginning but they definitely had great chemistry. The author did a great job at handling sensitive topics like alcoholism and rehabilitation. So while this didn't quite hit the mark for me I think a lot of romance lovers will really enjoy it.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Author + ex-movie star turned crafter = romance? Not your usual combination, but still a good one!

Sophie is struggling with a big case of potentially career-ending writer’s block when her neighbor/landlord/former movie star Dash offers her some social media advice to try and get her wheels spinning again. From there, these two are locked together in an unpredictable journey, trying to figure out how they might fit together while fighting their own personal battles. Secrets are revealed and our struggling main characters try their best, but is it enough?

The story is a cute one, and I love some of the small details that are given such loving attention, like the pottery pieces, Dash the Doll and Richard the Squirrel. That being said, despite the title, nothing felt very plot twisty to me. There are ups-and-downs and some unexpected curves, but the story still progresses on a typical path. I also think that while Dash’s struggle and journey to redemption seems well-portrayed, there was missed potential as Sophie seems to have one lightning bolt moment and then requires no more self-work or exploration.

A bit off the beaten path, this book is a little angsty, a little trope-y, a little sexy and maybe a little rushed but still definitely a cute romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Erin La Rosa for letting me get ARC of this book.

PUB Date will be on November 14 and even though I've had this book for some time I gave it its proper timing in my opinion. It could've been read at any time but I just thought to be best to read it in my November hopefuls which I did and I couldn't put it down. it was rather one of those books that I need to get to bottom of it. Best Friends brother trope is one of my favorites and I this book gave all those vibes. There's other topics of course but Dash and Sophie were such a cute couple. Sophie was a struggling author trying to finish her novel and Dash was dealing with staying sober while dealing with family problems and a stalker. Neither of them were in the position of finding love but they had that attraction between them that just couldn't keep the from each other. The level of spice I will say was 2 out 5 but the scenes were rather good in my opinion. Not only was their relationship spicy between each other but being there for one another was the best outcome in my opinion. Sophie didn't let Dash go through things alone and Dash was always cheering Sophie on and encouraging her not to loose faith in her own dreams. I was blown away how their relationship came out to be so easy going even though they had bumps going along themselves.

Erin La Rosa brought this book together and it was something that enjoyed very much and would love to read more by her.

Overall I give this book a 4.5 stars and will recommend this to my fellow book besties.

I enjoyed Plot Twist as a fun, quirky, romantic read, complete with fun tropes but also a read with depth to it as far as characterization and the plot goes (especially the end). The ending almost had a different tone than the beginning- it was more serious, deeper, than the fluffy beginning of the novel. But it is the ending that really engaged me and made me believe this couple could last. Also, this novel is very open door so keep that in mind if you pick it up.
Thank you to #Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press & #NetGalley for ARC.

2.5 stars- This book was okay, but the pacing just felt off. It seems like the main characters barely spend any real time together before they’re serious. It’s interesting that the mmc is shorter, because that definitely goes against the norm, but he wasn’t given quite enough personality. I appreciate that the fmc is curvy, has a pacemaker, even that she’s never been in love, but I didn’t love the “going back through her exes to find out what went wrong” trope. Sometimes it can work, but I really didn’t enjoy the way it was done in this story or the social media aspect of it either. The pacing of their relationship was just strange- they weren’t even really together, hadn’t even seemed to spend that much time together, but she was hurt he didn’t tell her every single secret he had?
The side characters were mostly just frustrating. Poppy acted terribly when she found out about the main characters and Nina acted pretty terribly when Sophie, very innocently, told an old friend something personal about her. The only likeable side character in the book is Chris.
There were a few smaller confusing or frustrating things that just left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. Firstly, I don’t know much about the recovery process, but there are several times the mmc talks about how he’s “very” newly sober, but then you find out he’s been sober for eighteen months. He seemed constantly concerned about his sobriety but wasn’t going to meetings and didn’t seem to be going to therapy? Just a little confusing. And then there were the small things like the author referring to a car seat as a “chair”. Saying her friend was “mad with her” instead of mad at her. There are a few instances like this that make me wonder about the editor. Hopefully some of those things are fixed by publication day.
Overall, this book was just a strange mix of trying to be a rom-com, but really being too serious for that. It was just not for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for providing me access to this eARC for my honest opinion!

What a fun, romantic read.
This book was spicy, funny and emotional! So fun!

I loved the concept of a romance writer who has never been in love, such a fun twist for an avid romance reader to read ❤️

A quirky, sexy romp that had me turning pages into the night. An ex-actor struggling with sobriety and a frazzled writer struggling to meet her deadline decide to help each other out, with sizzling results. Will definitely look for more from Erin de la Rosa

A writer revisiting all of her exes to figure out where everything went wrong? Pretty solid plot. There were some plot elements that felt a little klunky, especially having to do with the best friend's brother trope and addiction, but I still enjoyed it. I liked the TikTok angle, especially with Dash commenting on them and bolstering her self esteem. Dash and Sophie together was precious, but we never really got to enjoy it. Everything falls apart too dang fast. But admittedly there was a lot going on, so it kind of made sense.

Honestly I'd be down to read the spa owner and masseuse story. Poppy next, eh??

*Thank you to Canary Street Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

"Surely a casual relationship won’t cause any trouble…" FAMOUS. LAST. WORDS. UGH!!!! This was executed amazingly, and I enjoyed every moment of this romance! I love quite a few romance tropes, and friends-with-benefits is definitely a good one!! Highly enjoyed, and will recommend!

Thank you for the ARC!

I wanted to like this so bad. I really like Dash! His story seems really interesting! It’s wild that he’s sober and never told anyone in his life. But he’s still able maintain it in a healthy way - other than the secret of course. I love the life he’s created for himself post acting! And Sophie while clearly a hot mess, seems like a good time! I think her and Dash’s relationship will be so good for both of them. But truthfully I’m just struggling to actually want to finish the book.

DNF @ 35%

DNF @ 11%

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC.

Even though I love contemporary romances, I just couldn't connect with the characters in this book. I also wasn't a fan of the characterization of both the female and male lead. This book just wasn't for me.

I think readers will really enjoy this book if they liked the first book of the series and love tropes and pop culture. Its a bubbly romance for when you're looking to escape!

4.5/5 stars

Thank you so much Netgalley and publishers for giving me a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Romance author Sophie Lyon has gone viral after getting drunk and posting a video on TikTok about how she has never been in love. With a manuscript deadline looming, she makes an ambitious plan to overcome her writers block- reunite with her exes to learn why she’s never fallen in love. Oh and document the journey on TT for all of her new followers. Luckily, her best friend’s brother and landlord, Dash Montrose, and former teen heartthrob, has social media all figured out and offers to assist!

My thoughts:
I absolutely adored Plot Twist. It has some of my favorite tropes (Best Friend’s Brother, Grumpy x Sunshine, and One Bed) and representation! Sophie has a pacemaker, and she is bisexual. Dash has his baggage and has a pretty toxic family unit, but I loved how Sophie had his back and stayed with him even when Dash was at his lowest! Also the friendship between Dash and Chris was amazing!

PS: While Sophie could have handled situations better, I was not a fan of how Poppy treated her supposed best friend. Additionally, I loathe Dash’s mother and she deserves what she got.

Sophie is a romance author in trouble. Her next book is due, but word's just got out: she's never been in love! Thankfully she has a social media savvy neighbor next door named Dash. He's a former actor focusing on his sobriety. The two help one another through their challenges while attempting to maintain a friendship that turns into a friends with benefits situation. Love isn't something either of them was planning on, but it certainly was a...PLOT TWIST!

I found this to be a very mature book (in places). I appreciated the thoughtful conversations between members of Dash's dysfunctional family. We see the ways in which family members THINK they are helping, but actually are harming, other members of their family. Sophie has a pace maker. She's also pansexual, and it was really interesting to see the variety of people with whom Sophie was attracted. Much of this book revolves around Dash's relationship with alcohol and sobriety, which was really interesting to observe. I loved watching these characters grow and support one another.

Much of this book, unfortunately, felt a bit silly to me. Sophie attempts to interview her past relationships to see what went wrong and why she didn't fall in love, but it was often clear from the beginning why each relationship was doomed. It begged the question, "Why are we even doing this?" Much of the same ground is covered over and over. The spicy scenes didn't quite land for me. I did enjoy the ending!

I'd like to thank Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press, and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.