✨Book Review✨
Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
PUB DATE: Nov 14 2023

First, thank you to @netgalley and @harlequinbooks for my eARC copy of this book for my honest review.

I really adored this read! I loved Dash and Sophie. Their story was so sweet! A best friends brother troupe with good character development.

My only 🤷🏽‍♀️ moment while reading was the age the characters were supposed to be didn’t really match them per se but I still found it enjoyable. 💕

I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future!

Here’s a synopsis:

She’s written off more than she can chew…

Romance author Sophie Lyon’s ironic secret just went viral: she’s never been in love. Though her debut novel made readers swoon, Sophie’s having trouble getting her new characters to happily-ever-after, and she blames it on her own uninspired love life. With a manuscript deadline looming, Sophie makes an ambitious plan to overcome her writer’s block: reunite with her exes to learn why she's never fallen in love—and document it all for her millions of new online followers. Which also means facing her ex-girlfriend Carla, the one person Sophie could have loved.

Luckily, Sophie’s reclusive landlord, Dash Montrose—a former teen heartthrob—has social media all figured out and offers to help. But he doesn't mention that he’s an anonymous online crafter, a hobby that helps him maintain his sobriety. No one knows about his complicated relationship with alcohol and he intends to keep it that way. His family is Hollywood royalty, so Dash has to steer clear of scandal.

As Sophie and Dash grow closer, they discover a heat between them that rivals Dash's pottery kiln. But Sophie needs to figure out who she is outside her relationships, and Dash isn’t sure he’s stable enough for the commitment she deserves. So Sophie suggests what any good romance author would: a friends-with-benefits arrangement. Surely a casual relationship won’t cause any trouble…

Check it out! And as always, happy reading! 💕

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to receive an ARC of this book. Sophie Lyon is a romance writer who has one hit novel but has never been in love, but not only that (gasp!) believes that love isn’t real and shouts it to the world on a video that of course goes viral. She has six weeks to deliver her second novel and is nowhere close to being done. Enter Dash Montrose, her “dash”-ing landlord / brother to her best friend / former teen heartthrob / current closet crafter encourages her to respond to her video on TikTok. She challenges herself to contact her exes to determine what went wrong, what held her from being able to say those 3 little words, and report back to her followers on TikTok. I love the premise and the synopsis sounded like something I would fly through. The book started out a bit slow for me and I t lost me with the number of subplots that existed under the main characters. Overall there were very cute (and definitely steamy) moments and I really wanted to love it but I just didn’t get there.

Loved this book so much! Didn’t realize it was part two so I bought the first one to read next!! I will definitely be following this author closely to read other books they release.

i’m so sad i did not even up liking this book. it started of great and the characters have chemistry but i’m a girl who loves character driven books. and while this book tried to be, it failed. the issues and realization these characters have did not make sense and no matter how much i jump to rationalize their actions it just… did make sense. i was just left confused

This is review is for the READERS, not the author!!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion.

First off, I did enjoy this book- don't let the 3 stars confuse you. I did like the book, but I do not think it was the best thing I have ever read.

The Characters

Sophie Lyon is a rising romance author who.... has never been in love. I loved the irony of this. That being said, I did think she as a character was irritable at times. She was not a bad character, necessarily, but she was annoying sometimes.

I did love Dash and I thought his character was written well. His struggle with alcoholism was written pretty well but did feel flat in some parts.

The Plot

I did like the idea of him helping with her social media but that aspect was hardly in the book. Her going back to her exes was interesting but I found it to be pretty boring. I did like the setting of Las Angelos and the celebrities and fame.

I LOVED the inclusivity in this book (Sophie is pansexual and one of her exes used they/them pronouns). I believe that inclusivity is an important thing to include.

Writing

I did not think this book is wonderfully written, just mediocre. I thought some of the plotlines were underdeveloped and random. All of sudden there is an earthquake and she even says "I've never felt that strong of one" but then it is not even mentioned again. I do realize that earthquakes are common in California but I assume that big ones are at least talked about or at the very least, not brushed off like it was.

I feel like Sophie WAYYYYYY overreacted about one of the plotlines that was really not that big of a deal.

The Romance

At first, I thought they went from 0-100 quickly but by the end, I do not think it was insta-lovely. I think they fit nicely together. I loved that he called her "Soph" and told her things he didn't tell anyone else. I felt that Sophia did seem a little uninterested in comparison but she was fine by the end.

Overall, it was not my favorite book- it was just fine.

You know how some make authors tend to write women characters, and it kind of drives you crazy. Like you can tell, I’m reading a book written by a male author.

Well this book is like that but the opposite. You have a male character who you can tell can tell was written by a female author and it kind of drove me nuts.

This is a modern, tik tok influenced, love story. The book wasn’t for me but I can see how it’s for someone else.

Thank you to the publisher for letting me read the book on NetGalley for an unbiased and honest review.

This was absolutely adorable, and such an enjoyable read, even with some of the more serious undertones. Sophie and Dash both have their own faults they need to work on independently, but seeing them encourage and be there for each other, while both being their authentic self, helped make their friendship turned relationship seem more real, and have more depth. At one point I was worried the pining and “will they won’t they” was going to drag on, but I was happy to see it didn’t, and thought an appropriate amount of time had passed. There was a lot of conflict with side characters and while they made sense, I felt as some additional resolution went unaddressed. I was, however, glad to see a seemingly accurate portrayal of addiction, recovery, relapse, and the struggles that come with maintaining sobriety and how truly important a good support system is.
Overall I enjoyed this and definitely recommend a read once it’s released!

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Erin La Rosa for providing me with the opportunity to receive this ARC in exchange for an honest review!*

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. I can’t stand when there’s a romance book with seemingly no basis for the romance. These people have known each other for years because the sister of the guy is her best friend. And yet…it takes some writer’s block and her living in a rental he owns for her to all of a sudden find him incredibly attractive? Weird. I know a lot of adult romance books have sexual content more often than not, but I’m not into this kind where the descriptions are over the top. I just couldn’t care about them enough because I didn’t like them enough together, separately they seemed fine (not sure I believed the artsy tattooed guy secretly doing professional crafts but ok, seemed likable; the kindhearted author just trying to make her mom proud and live her dream-I can dig it). Overall, I think my favorite part was the idea of him struggling to stay sober and it being a true struggle with great supports but still having moments of weakness. So, not the romance, which is weird. I’m sure there’s people out there that will love it and call it swoon worthy and everything else, but those people aren’t me.

Normally with my reviews I start with a summary, but not this one.

I felt like this book had a lot of potential, but it didn't sit right with me for the most part. Besides Dash being a recovering alcoholic and the seriousness of that situation, everything felt like a first world problem. I never connected with Sophie. She was slightly annoying. I like tropey books, but I felt this was all the story was (hang in there with me) the tropes weren't entirely fleshed out enough. The MCs and their friends are all in their early to mid-thirties but some of the miscommunication issues felt more in the teenage realm.

Another thing that was too much for me was all the social media influences, which granted is a HUGE part of the plot and I don't have an issue with that, BUT, it felt too mansplaining to me. Audiences nowadays know at least the basics of the big social media platforms and the explanations in the story are spoon feeding to an infant.

This rom com also took a sharp turn in the last half of the book, which I didn't mind but it didn't feel like it matched the first part of it. I honestly wish the first half matched more of the back half because I did love the ending resolution.

Overall, 2.5 stars.

My thanks to Netgalley and Canary Street Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

WELL, IM FINALLY GETTING MY ROM COM OPEN DOOR BABIES IVE BEEN WANTING. Between this from Net Galley and the other book I recently read, I'm topped up on the spice (nothing lethal, but perfectly hot if I do say so myself).

This book had a lot going for it. Insecure MC with alcohol problems, FMC with trust/romance issues.. both artists in their own ways. I truly enjoyed this book. The only thing I didn't particularly like was that there seemed to be a fast turn to love even though it was building at a lovely pace prior to the onset of feelings and then the ending. It felt kind of quick, and I was invested enough that I wanted to get more of the soul-searching from Dash and contemplation about love from Sophie. I plowed through this thing like I didn't have a regular job, though, so 4 cute romcom

I felt the story was cliche and the intimacy between Dash and Sophie was rushed. I wish the chemistry had been more developed.

The story is cute and fairly easy to read. The characters work well together as they are pretty opposite in personalities. Although, some of the topics of the novel - sobriety, anxiety, parental death - to name just a few - pull the novel away from the rom-com genre. Yet again, it is easy to read and get through the novel quickly.

My Rating: 3/5 Stars

My Thoughts: Sophie is a romance novelist with a big secret — she’s never been in love. She teams up with her best friend’s brother Dash, who is battling some demons of his own, to confront her past and find out why love has eluded her. This was a cute story with likable characters, and I loved seeing the relationship between Sophie and Dash develop.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and the author for an advanced copy of this book!

Love love love love LOVE!! This book was such a great rom-com and I loved all the parts about it. Sweet romance, steamy scenes, and the right amount of drama to keep you reading for the plot and not just the smut. Such a great read for the summer on a beach or a bookstore.

Romance author Sophie Lyon wakes up terribly hungover and faced with the fact that while drunk the night before, she has gone viral on TikTok with a very embarrassing and cringey video of her drunken karaoke shenanigans confessing that she’s a fraud of a romance author, having never been in love. With the encouragement of her landlord Dash Montrose (who just so happens to be an extremely hot and famous former child-star ), she examines her past relationships that have failed to determine what has been the roadblock to her never falling in love. As she meets with all of her exes and documents her results for all of her new TikTok followers, Sophie hopes this public examination of love and the lack of it will help her to finally finish the novel that has a deadline rapidly approaching. Newly sober Dash finds himself fighting his attraction to Sophie while he helps her figure out why she has never been in love. As they grow closer Dash finds himself wanting to be the one she finally falls in love with, while at the same time knowing his own personal issues make him the last person she should find her happily ever after with.

—-------------------------------------------------------

A little deeper and heavier than most romance novels, I liked the depth and sincerity of the plot and the main characters Sophie and Dash. It was a well-balanced book with a great mix of humor, spicy scenes, and emotional drama. Sophie’s sexuality was never a focal point and her bi-sexuality wasn’t glossed over, and both characters expressed their wants, desires, and their limits, and were confident in it. That being said, it fell just a touch flat for me with a lot of extra bits contributing to the story that I felt didn’t necessarily add to the overall plot. Parts felt rushed. I wasn’t particularly invested in the whole “will they/or won’t they” aspect of Sophie and Dash getting together. While I enjoyed the book, it’s not one that will stick with me for long after reading, and if asked to recommend it wouldn’t be overly enthusiastic about it.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Content Warnings: Sexual content, alcoholism, addiction, anxiety, panic attacks, toxic relationships [both familial and romantic], Verbal and mental abuse, and constant feelings of inadequacy.
Mention of: cheating, ableism, death of a parent, and parental abandonment.

***I received an ARC, ahead of release, through Netgalley. I also submitted my TT handle to be one of the handles Erin used in the book. ***

The POV characters:
Sophie has never been in love...a romance author that's never experienced love. When she's struggling to write her second novel she decides that maybe the past can give her the knowledge to inspire her to finish her book ...and maybe find love in the future?
Dash is part of Hollywood royalty...his family is known far and wide for their acting. Dash leaned more into indie films but the stress of living up to his families image and constantly being compared to his older brother led him down a dark path of alcohol addiction. Now 18 months sober, which he still hasn't told his family about, he's found a love of crafting and has an anonymous Tiktok where he's able to share his love without judgement.

The story: Two people who've always felt not quite good enough team up to help each other. Though they struggle to share their real feelings and thoughts with their family and friends...there's just something about the ease of their friendship that allows them to share things free of judgement. Unable to deny their chemistry but feeling like a relationship is unwise they decide... FWB is okay right? [his main focus is his sobriety and he doesn't feel like he's ready for a relationship and she's looking for love...oh and he just happens to be her BFF's brother which would add another level of complications]

The relationship: I LOVE the relationship that Sophie and Dash form. It's so natural and judge free...something they both desperately need in their lives. Also the way that they care about each other and are constantly trying to encourage and support each other was so beautiful.

The spice: OMG THE SPICE! *fans face* Literally every sexual scene was AMAZING. I cannot wait until my friends get their hands on this book so I'll have someone to talk to about these scenes. *daydreams back to each scene*

My thoughts: I adore both Sophie and Dash and could relate to their feelings of inadequacy. There were so many moments that I just wanted to reach through the book and hug them and tell them they're amazing and wonderful just as they are. This will definitely be a book that I'll want to reread...between the emotions, self discovery, romance, and friendship...this will be a book I tell everyone about. 🥰

Plot Twist is a delightful Rom Com about romance author, Sophie, with writers block and a secret. She’s never been in love. Dash, her best friends brother helps her to discover why while battling his own inner demons. A journey of self discovery for both of the main characters as they find out where they both belong.

I recommend this book if you’re a big social media fan, love TikTok, or spend a lot of time following various influencers. The social media presence is heavy, with a huge part of their relationship focused on him basically explaining TikTok to her (and I guess us?). There’s also a lot of random astrology focus for everything. I was unable to finish but it would be more interesting for those who like these things.

When I read the blurb, I was excited to read this one, but I spoke to fast.
The plot reminded me of a recent reading about a girl with writer's block, but this book doesn't work for me. The plot twist instead of going up, goes down.

I really wished I liked this book more. I LOVED Sophie's story of being a romance writer who has never been in love and wants to figure out why and Dash's ongoing struggle with addiction. This book is centered around Sophie becoming an internet sensation after declaring to the world that she, a romance writer, has never been in love. This leads to her going on a quest to reconnect with her past partners to see why that connection never became strong enough. Meanwhile, washed up actor Dash is independently struggling with addiction while his Hollywood family is pushing him to start acting again.
The ideas shown in this book along with the characters that appear throughout have so much potential to be lovable and iconic, but something was just off for me. The pacing seemed a little funky and unnatural and I cannot see any of these characters existing outside of the strict guidelines of the story.