Thank you to Erin La Rosa, Canary Street Press, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for this review.

Sophie is a romance writes struggling with writers block, which comes at the worst time. She has a deadline of six weeks to turn in a finished draft or she loses her publishing deal.

Dash is a former teen heartthrob turned landlord. He struggles with fitting into the mold of the Hollywood superstar his family wants him to be.

Overall the book was just okay. I didn’t hate it but it didn’t wow me either. I wish we got more into Dash and his family, I feel like we moved on from that topic I little too quickly.

Hmm, I liked the concept of this a lot, but unfortunately this just didn't work for me.

TikTok was a huge element driving the plot of this story, and while I could see how some would enjoy that, the way it was used as a plot device ended up making some of the stakes and interactions seem somewhat shallow and trivial.

I don't mind social media as a plot device, but I didn't enjoy how it was used here combined with the writing style.

Again, I did really like the overall concept and the focus on introspection throughout the story, but the way it was executed just didn't work for me.

Thank you to Erin La Rosa, Canary Street Press, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for this review.

The cover is so cute. After reading the blurb, I had such high hopes for this one, but unfortunately, it wasn't for me. I did not like the TikTok references. Don't get me wrong, I have no issue with the clock app, but there were just too many references.

There are few things that I really enjoyed about Plot Twist, but overall I feel lukewarm about the book as a whole.

What I liked -
1 - I really appreciated the "imposter syndrome' that Sophie was feeling. Where she enjoyed her career as a writer but wondering if she was really successful at it - especially with what she was struggling with actually writing. I always appreciate characters I can relate to.
2 - The addiction representation with Dash was written really well. I always worry about this being presented in a book, but I liked that it was handled as a long-term goal and not necessarily an easy resolution.
3 - Sophie and Dash's relationship - it felt real, especially with seeing it written as not being all sunshine & rainbows.

What I didn't like -
1 - Sophie and Dash's relationship - it was insta-lovey and that didn't feel real.
2 - The easy resolution with the family - family issues never resolve that quickly or easily.
3 - The spice - it was lukewarm at best.

Overall, 3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

ARC Review: Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa

Pub Date: November 14th, 2023

I struggled to get into this book but ultimately ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would! The relationship between Dash and Sophie does feel a bit insta-lust-y but I wonder if there's a bit more context that I missed by not reading the first book. I did end up liking both Dash and Sophie together and thought their relationship actually felt realistic since so few relationships are cut and dry and easy. I really liked the addiction representation we got from Dash - I have to admit, I spent much of the book being really worried that the rep was going to disappoint me. But, even though Dash relapses within this book, I actually think it was a really powerful moment to show us readers.

I think this book just had one or two too many plot lines going on - there didn't feel like one big plot line running through the whole book. There's just a lot going on and I don't know that everything feels resolved at the end.

Read this for:
- Best Friend's Brother
- Romance Novelist FMC
- Dual POV
- Addiction representation
- Only one bed


Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

She typed furiously, her fingers slamming against her keyboard, the laptop begging for a break as its battery light flashed. She’d been at this for hours, but nothing fruitful had come from this session. Writers block had her firmly in its grasp and she wasn’t sure if she’d ever get back into her groove.

Plot Twist is a best friend’s brother, celebrity romance with dual POV. Dash is a former actor who is now trying to figure out what to do with his life. Sophie is an author who is working on her second book, but struggling with writers block.

This book has such a cute premise and there were moments that had me smiling, but it was too insta-love-y for me. Some scenes were cheesy and odd to read and I didn’t really like how the ending unfolded. I also wasn’t a fan of the love triangle that appeared in the middle of the book. This story just wasn’t for me.

If you’re looking for a best friend’s brother, celebrity romance, like books about authors/writers, and want a quick read, then you may enjoy this story!

Sophie is a romance writer but has a hard time in the romance department in her own life. She has never been able to say those three words and has decided to go on a journey on TikTok to promote her upcoming book that she hasn't finished yet. This book is not only going to be motivation for her to finish her book, but also to build a following and to post about conversations she has with previous partners about what might be blocking her from fully falling in love. She gets help from her landlord, who also happens to be her best friend's brother. Has she been paying rent to her soulmate all this time?

This definitely was not the book for me as I did not feel like I could relate to any of the characters and it felt like the book was dangerously toeing the line of whether it was going to respectfully depict a character struggling to maintain sobriety or fall into ignorance. I would not recommend this book for any reader in recovery.

While I do appreciate the author's attempt at inclusivity at bringing in BIPOC as well as LGBTQIA+, characters, it also seemed like the author could not decide which trope to use so the author used as many as possible. Best Friend's Brother, One Bed, Road Trip, Forced Proximity, fame, etc. I also got the impression that the author resents the shift in literary marketing having to use social media in order to promote books. For example, there is a diatribe within a chapter of Sophie, as an author, being forced to use TikTok to gain a following and be relevant instead of her work being able to speak for itself. At times, it seemed like the author was making this book as out of control with the tropes and as basic in writing on character relationship development in retaliation to the publishers for forcing social media marketing.

This book is the second book in a series but I was able to easily read it as a standalone. At the time of this review, the book is set to be published on November 14, 2023. My thanks to NetGalley for early access to this book.

Sophie is a romance author that has never been in love or said “I love you” to a romantic partner and she’s experiencing writer’s block as a result. Dash is a former child actor and a recovering alcoholic who crafts as a way to stay sober. As Sophie and Dash start interacting, she thinks she needs to interact with all of her previous relationships to see if she can figure out what went wrong. As Dash starts to fall in love with her, he believes that he will never be good enough for her as he is constantly concerned about a relapse.

For me, this book was just ok. It felt very similar to Exes & Os by Amy Lea and I found it difficult to really connect with the characters. I just felt like both Dash and Sophie were just not very self aware and there was just a lot of miscommunication or complete lack of communication between a lot of the characters. However the book does tackle important topics like alcoholism, Overall, 2.5 stars.

Tropes: best friend’s brother, friends with benefits

Thank you to Netgalley for a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Romance author Sophie Lyon has never been in love—it’s ruining her reputation and her ability to write her next book. She decides to document on tiktok her journey to finding out why she’s never been in love by reuniting with her exes, with encouragement from Dash who is a secret tiktok crafter. Dash Montrose is her landlord, her best friend’s brother, and a former actor. He has major family issues and is keeping a secret that he’s a recovering alcoholic.

This was a really fun read! It was funny, had an interesting plot, and the characters were likable! I enjoyed the idea of Sophie reuniting with her exes because it helped her learn a lot about herself and identify her own problems. I adored Dash. I was rooting for him the entire time, with both his recovery and working up the nerve to stand up to his mother and do what he wanted with his life. I think this couple complimented each other really well!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC!

This was a quick, easy and quirky read. I loved the characters, and the premise was fun. However, I felt the writing was a little, juvenile. And there were a lot of cringey moments, where I almost put the book down completely. But I pushed through. I am a bit disappointed that I did not like this one more.

Sophie, a romance write, just spilled a big secret in a very public way; she's never been in love. She decides to meet with her past exes to see what went wrong in their relationships and she'll make the entire journey public over social media. Her neighbor and landlord, Dash, is a social media guru, decides to help her with this project. But he has his own secrets to keep and the closer he gets the harder it is to keep his demons in the closet. At it's core this is a story trust, honesty, and self discovery.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book and not give a full review.

A few points that pushed me towards a DNF.
- 3rd POV. I can't ever get into a book with 3rd POV. It's very hard to connect with the character this way. The only time I was able to tolerate 3rd POV is through an audiobook. Otherwise it's excruciating.
- The sapphic aspect. It's not really a trope I'm into reading, and would never voluntarily pick it up.
- The final straw was when we were introduced to one of her exes and the person goes by "they/them". While I don't mind inclusivity, it isn't my cup of tea.

By this point, there were too many things that I didn't like and I was forcing myself to read this book. I knew even if I finished the book it would have gotten a bad review anyways because I was already getting bored. I got about 16% in and nothing about the plot so far pulled me in. It wasn't intriguing in any way, and the 3 points above just made it an exhausting experience.

Thanks for the opportunity for the arc, I wish I could have enjoyed it.

DNF at 22%

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc but unfortunately this one wasn’t for me.

This book is so modernized that it feels like it’s going to be outgrown in a few years. It has very little lasting value either way the way it focuses so heavily on TikTok. I don’t have a TikTok so I am not super interested in that part of it.

Besides that, most of the characters are rich and powerful - even the friend characters are rich and powerful and the families are rich and powerful. And the MMC doesn’t even work but he’s fine because he did a few indie movies as a teenager? It is all very hard to relate to - these rich and famous people who have problems that don’t really correlate to the problems I have.

Then there’s the romance plot which honestly doesn’t feel unique at all? I don’t see much unique from this book in general. It feels like this would probably be around a 2.5/3 at the end of the day and I don’t feel like I need to read more to know that. If it’s going to be a fine book? I’d rather focus my time on a book that will be outstanding and this book just falls flat.

Also I am not a fan of alcohol being a huge part of the plot - both with the FMC being drunk on page one and the MMC being in AA. I bet his plot will be nice later but right now, I’m just sad he thinks he can’t have a family because he had an addiction to alcohol - like he has no faith in himself to even try. It’s just disappointing.

So I think I’m done with this one. I hope that for others, it gives them joy but I was mainly just bored.

This was super cute! Loved the whole friends to lovers trope and he’s the best friends brother… even better. Dash and Sophie were both complex characters who complemented each other well. The way they worked through their insecurities together was beautiful. Their banter was perfect and it was just spicy enough to really complement their characters. I actually thought the relapse was handled well. My favorite moment between Sophie and Dash had to be when they were making pottery together. Super intimate and hot.

I really liked Poppy and Chris’ characters but the same can’t be said for Nina… not her biggest fan. And obviously don’t like any one else in Dash’s family, but that’s how it’s supposed to be.

I love that this is a dual pov! And the inclusion of social media posts and texts is even better. I kind of wish it was a little longer to be honest. I will definitely be recommending this!

Thank you, @netgalley, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

**TW at the end**

This is the first book by this author I have read, and now I fully intend on backtracking to read her previous novel. This was a great read!

The MMC was more sensitive than I have seen with other main male characters, and I loved him. Dash was not a traditional lead, but I think that was one reason I enjoyed the story so much. The communication was chef's kiss. There were so many opportunities for miscommunication or to not talk and communicate with one another, and the author said F--- that, we are talking this out!

I.AM.HERE.FOR.IT.

If there is something I dislike more than a third act breakup, it's unnecessary miscommunication. I am so glad this author has the characters speak their mind, blurt out their thoughts, and confront and communicate instead of jumping to conclusions and overreacting.

The spice you ask? Top notch! I lovvvvved the spice scenes. So much so that I was sending my best friend screenshots and telling her, "Look at this scene!!!"

Tropes:

🐿 Best Friends Brother
🐿 Romance writer & actor
🐿 He's my landlord
🐿 Opposites Attract
🐿 One Bed
🐿 Found Family
🐿 LQBTQ+

I LOVED this book! At times, it was lighthearted. Other times, it was a little heavy or serious, and other times, hilarious and spicy.

TRIGGER WARNING
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Substance abuse (recovery and relapse)
Toxic family
Death of parent

Sophie had never been in love?

Writer Sophie Lyon is behind on her next book with a serious case of writers block when she drunkenly announced to the world that she had never been in love in a video that went viral. Sophie plans to solve her writer’s block by figuring out the problems with all of her long term exes and document it to her social media with the help of her best friend’s brother and landlord Dash Montrose.

Plot Twist flips the story with Sophie having writer’s block and Dash working on his sobriety and being a potter and keeping everything a secret from his family while Sophie wants to see what happens with being more than just friends without telling anybody.

You don’t need to read For Butter or Worse (The Hollywood Series Book 1) first because Plot Twist is a stand-alone book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a really lovely romance with a sweet happily ever after. I really enjoyed how the characters and relationships developed throughout this story. The tiktok references were fun but I did feel like they were a bit much at some times. Sophie and Dash had amazing chemistry and their banter was so good. I really enjoyed this story!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Teetering between 3.5 & 4. Well written and fully thought out but I didn’t feel the spark between myself and the characters. Sophie and Dash were cute but I didn’t find myself fawning over them, but I’m sure others will! Definitely give a read if you’re looking for a sweet cozy romance with some good spice!!

A cutesy romance that will leave you cheering for a happily ever after!

Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa delivers the necessary amount of sweet, drama, comedy, angst, family issues, and naughty love scenes to make this book have it all! Sophie is a romance novelist with writer’s block – mainly because she is having a hard time writing a happy ending when she has never been in love herself. Dash, her live-on-property landlord, who also is her best friend’s brother and former teen-movie heartthrob, has his own dilemmas fitting into his famous family, and alcoholism. Through crafts, writing, social media, and spa dates, these two think that they can help each other while only being friends with benefits. However, once they get through their own personal issues, maybe they will realize that what they have been missing is each other.

I loved the plot, premise, characters, and scenery! Having a Hollywood set is always fun and lets readers delve into a world usually not accessible. Sophie is extremely relatable: a people pleaser that finds it easier to escape when things get hard. Dash is also relatable, dealing with family drama and addiction.

La Rosa weaves in hard, real-life issues with ease, while also not taking the subject matter lightly.

However, I did feel like something was missing – a string connecting everything together with some plot lines needing to be fully flushed through. Too many tropes were used, I didn’t really like the TikTok tie-ins, and I felt like too much was going on (a couple storylines could be removed to streamline this novel and make me more succinct and enjoyable).

I honestly didn’t know that this book was the second in a series, but this can be read as a standalone novel easily. Overall, I am not upset I read this novel – but I started to lose interest and it took me way too long to read. Not a page turner for me, sadly, even though it is an easy read. While I won’t be jumping from the rooftop to recommend this book, I think a lot of people will enjoy it and the ending was worth the read. 3.5 stars rounded down.

Thank you to NetGalley for this charming read! All opinions are my own.

“God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you” – Rascal Flatts

After Sophie goes viral on TikTok for crying drunkenly at a karaoke bar about never being in love, even though she’s a romance author, she starts seeking out her exes to find out where things went wrong. Dash, her teenage crush and current landlord, struggles with his toxic family while hiding the fact he’s been sober for over a year. When Dash is forced into giving a speech for his father’s receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Sophie offers to write it in the hopes it’ll help end her writer’s block. Dash and Sophie end up spending much more time with each other than usual and begin to feel sparks that can’t be ignored. Will Sophie finish her book before the deadline and will Dash be able to forgive himself for his past drunken mistakes and feel worthy of love?

This was honestly such a cute, fun read that gave me so many warm, fuzzy feelings! I really enjoyed the sobriety rep, as I haven’t seen that in a book yet, especially a rom com. I genuinely did laugh at loud several times while reading and loved seeing the character growth. I wanted a bit more of Sophie and Dash being a couple, unfortunately we don’t really get to see that much in Plot Twist and I think it would’ve brought the book to the next level for me. Overall, I had a great time and think almost anyone would enjoy this!

Thank you to NetGalley, Canary Street Press, and Erin La Rose for proving an ARC, I’m leaving this review voluntarily.