3.6
Perfectly readable, but I would have liked more of the build up phase and less of the back and forth kind of floundering phase. I also could have used a bit more insight into Sophie's writing.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for allowing me to review an ARC of Plot Twist!

Sophia, our main girl and romance author who surprisingly has never been in love, goes on a self-journey to figure out why she has never been able to fall in love with any of her past exes, thinking this will drag her out of her writing slump. With only a few weeks to go till her deadline, she turns to TikTok to document her journey as she meets up with each of her exes. Along the way her landlord and best friend's brother Dash gets thrown into the mix, who knows maybe he will be the one that will help her out of her slump. ;)

I read this novel in one sitting I could not put it down! I would give this book a solid 3.5 / 5 stars, the main reason I had to put the star rating down a bit was because of how HUGE a part TikTok played in this story. It is a personal ick of mine when I see super modern pop culture references in a novel, I feel as though it takes me out of the book itself and reminds me I'm just reading on my couch. After a while, it became a fun part of the plot to see the author use comments and her filming of these videos to further the plot. I also was not a super big fan of her best friend Poppy. I feel as though she was that best friend who was there but also was not there, in the end, she did turn and become supportive.

I really did like the way the book dealt with the process an alcoholic goes through as they are trying to stay sober. Our main male character Dash is a previous alcoholic so please take that as a trigger warning just in case this subject bothers you. On that note, I think the author presented it in a really good way in which to be respectful to the community adding in aspects such as eating sweets to curb the craving or going to AA meetings and having your supporters.
The family issues each character dealt with were also refreshing and realistic in a way, yes these characters are actors and famous in LA but realistic in a way that Dash and Sophie are not perfect in any sense.

P.S LOVED the Bi character representation in Sohpie

Thank you again to the author and Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC I would absolutely suggest this to anyone who is interested in modern romance novels that include some aspects of everyday struggles, family acceptance , personal/mental struggles and some smut thrown in of course ;)

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Wow, really enjoyed this story and how vulnerable the characters were in this romance.
I really enjoyed how Dash and Sophie were both on their own journey of self discovery.
Dash such a gentle, sweet lead male. Love that he was always so considerate to people and how they were feeling. I identify with his character keeping things to himself not to burden others as I am definitely that type so I was really rooting for him and his sobriety throughout the story but hoped he would eventually share his struggles with the people he loves. Chris bring his loyal best friend was a great addition with Luna.
Sophie had a lot of growing through this story and was so unaware of how she treated others. She wasn’t a cruel person but was young and didn’t know how to deal with hard situations. I really enjoyed her character arc and how she was willing to put in the work to figure out what she needed to do to change.
Loved this quote: “…I fell in love with you slowly, but I plan to keep loving you fiercely.” So romantic and I actually really liked that Sophie didn’t just jump into saying it back to him. It was a realistic version of what can happen in relationships and that she just needed more time. But like Chris said she shares her love through action. The end grand gesture was just the icing on the cake! Just absolutely loved again how realistic a lot of the scenarios in the book are to how we all feel and react in real life. Sometimes romance books can get too unrealistic and people completely throw away their moral compass once they fall in love but the author does a great job in this story to keeping it authentic to real life. Also can’t forget this swoony quote: “I couldn’t help but run. I’ll always run toward you from now on.”
I will be posting this review to my Goodreads page on February 27,2023 (link included) and will repost my review on Amazon.ca when the book becomes available on November 14, 2023. I will update my review with the link to Amazon when posted.

Erin La Rosa’s debut, For Butter or Worse, was one of my favorite books of 2022, so I was excited to get an ARC of her next release. Plot Twist features Sophie, the romance writer sister of Nina, the heroine of For Butter or Worse.

Sophie and Dash had a cute and very steamy romance I enjoyed. This book is chock-full of romance tropes — forced proximity! Grumpy/sunshine! Best friend’s brother! Only one bed! — that I found delightful. I also liked that Sophie’s story showed what a struggle writing can be sometimes.

This book seems light based on the blurb and cover, but it deals with some heavy themes. Dash has a lot of issues with his Hollywood-royalty family, and he’s in recovery for alcoholism. His sobriety is a major part of the story, especially in the last 20% or so of the book. I’d suggest taking care while reading if these are difficult topics for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I loved this book. Just delightful characters with real issues that are handled with grace and sensitivity and very hot sex:) Totally enjoyable and heartwarming.

3.5/4 stars. A very cute romance with wonderful little banter. I appreciated the way the author approached alcoholism and the route Sophie took to better understand herself (and capturing it on TikTok) was fun.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really struggled with giving this book a rating because it’s not a bad book, it just wasn’t for me, which was disappointing because I was so looking forward to this one based on the description.

A romance writer who’s never been in love starts a thing with her best friend’s brother (love the trope) with secret struggles of his own.

What I loved most about this book was Dash’s character. I found myself truly invested in his story and really wanting the best for him. I even appreciated the supporting cast of characters and what they brought to the story.

I had a harder time caring for Sophie. Compared to what Dash was going through, her issues seemed so small (and to be honest, a little silly). The first few chapters were a little too trope-y and obvious, and I wanted more tension & history between Dash and Sophie leading up to their current situation and attraction. It felt rushed and very sudden, so I feel there was a missed opportunity to built it up so that when they did get together, it would have been a bit more satisfying.

I enjoyed the beginning of the story but then everything started to feel repetitive once you done with visiting the second ex. I wasn't invested in the love interested Dash and Sophie, I felt as though they would work as friends w/o the benefits. I was interested in the idea of Sophie going to see her exes to figure out why she hasn't fallen in love, but started to lose interest fast, probably due to the whole TikTok piece. Dash seems like a nice guy, I felt as though he was written younger that what his characters actual age is. I am a person who enjoys characters interaction but each character that was presented felt kind of flat. I didn't really care about anyone which also includes the love interest.
.
What I liked:
- The concept of the Plot Twist
- Sophie is pansexual
- How supportive both Dash & Sophie are of each other
- Relatable struggles from Dash & Sophie

DNF at 57%, I might give it a reread later this year.

After reading La Rosa’s first book, I had high hopes for this one…and it didn’t disappoint! From the first chapter, I was falling-out-of-my-chair laughing! I love that there are Easter eggs from Nina’s story (the reminder of a certain peacock scene made me chuckle). I love La Rosa’s humor, but also that she tackles some heavier themes like sobriety. 5/5

this is what i get for judging a book by it's cover. i thought i was going to enjoy this a whole lot more than i did. i found the beginning enjoyable but the more that it went on the more i lost interest but at the point i had already read enough to finish the book. it felt repetitive and i dont see why it's called plot twist??

thank you to netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review

As soon as I saw this cover I knew I wanted to get my hands on it. This cutesy rom-com book was just what I needed to bring me back to my romance obsession.
I really enjoyed all the characters and the writing flows beautifully-not robotic at all. It definitely had me laughing and smiling.
Sophie- pansexual, romance author, never been in love- revisits her past relationships to figure out what went wrong.
Dash-ex actor/heartthrob- struggles with keeping his recovery and identity a secret.
Together, they learn to navigate their struggles and learn to lean on each other as they confess their fears. The steam factor is mild but sweet and genuine.

A few things I didn’t care for. I dislike the word guffawed and it appears multiple times in the book. Again personal preference. The book is also heavy on the tropes, and trope talk which is understandable since the FMC is a romance author.
I thought the mention of TikTok would get old but it’s not really the centerpiece, which I’m thankful for.
I give this book 3.7
Thank you to NetGalley, Erin La Rosa, and Harlequin Trxade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sophie and Dash were so loveable !!! I like that it was relatable, and I think the plot and characters were executed beautifully!

Ahhh this book was just perfect!! I absolutely loved Sophie and dash!! Their relationship was the cutest!! In the beginning I loved the rom com vibes of it but as I went on it lost my attention a bit!! Great book though!! I can’t wait to read more of her books in the future!! Can’t wait for the release!! Thanks netgalley!

dnf at 30%.
there’s not a lot that irks me more than when a book references tiktok. don’t get me wrong, in some instances pop culture references CAN be done right, or less badly, but having them take up a big part of a book will make me instantly want to dnf.
ALSO it was already clear in the first few chapters how “tropey” this was. it was very obviously built around the tropes rather than either the plot or the characters. and in my opinion there’s absolutely no point in throwing in a handful of popular and well liked tropes; it won’t automatically make a book good.

I really liked this book! I like stories with characters who are sober because I think that's an important area of life that needs representation in books. My heart really went out to Dash, struggling with his self worth, love, and acceptance while acknowledging his sobriety is what will keep him healthy and alive. I also loved his friend Chris as his friend and sponsor in this story, considering Dash's family needs to work on being loving and accepting. I really liked Dash and Sophie's story too! I don't really love the trope of going back through exes to learn what went wrong, but I liked that wasn't the main focus here, and more background to Dash and Sophie's story. Overall, cute story with some serious topics. I laughed and cried a lot reading this.
Thank you for the ARC!!! :)

Goodreads review in link. Thank you for the book!

I enjoyed this book, it was kind of ironic how an author who writes romance novels had never been in love herself. The plot was really good were the characters.

Plot Twist pulled me in from the first chapter. Sophie and Dash’s characters are so beautifully flawed that you truly can’t help but love them. They make mistakes, don’t realize when they’re doing something wrong but they also communicate really well. Sophie’s fear of trusting enough to fall in love was written in a way that was so easy to relate to, as was Dash’s fear of simply not being good enough to be loved. I will say I wished we got a little bit more in their epilogue but overall was a great read

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley for review. My opinions are my own.

5/5 stars

I’m fan-girling over this book. I read it all in one afternoon, in bed sick with a cold. I could not stop. It was that good. I believe this is La Rosa’s second romance trope and I’ll be checking out her debut soon.

If you’re a fan of the grumpy meets sunshine and one bed tropes, this one is for you. TW: this does deal with some family dynamics and alcoholism so if you struggle with these topics, it may be best to skip.

Sophie is a romance novelist who has (gasp!) never been in love. She embarks on a journey to figure out why, by contacting her ex’s. Dash, her landlord and best friend’s brother, helps her along the way.

Again, loved this book!

I was just so into this book the moment I opened it. It was just so cute and easy to fall into with so many of the romance tropes I just love and look for in romance novels.

I absolutely adored the immediate sparks between Dash and Sophie and while I wish they had been able to sit in their feelings a bit longer especially knowing that they shouldn't get involved because of Dash being her best friend's brother, they both definitely deserve each other in the end. They bring out the best of each other and that's always the best.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC of this amazing book.

I love Sophie and Dash!! I haven't been able to stop thinking of them. This is a must read Romance! Put this on your TBR.
I just reviewed Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa. #PlotTwist #NetGalley
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