First of all this was my favourite romcom written - ever! Samantha Young is hands down one of my favourite authors and this book is every reason why. Grumpy Sunshine? Check. Fake Dating? Check. Hilarious witty heroine? Check. A couple you’ll fall in love with while they fall in love? Double check.

Star and Rafe meet at his niece’s birthday party. Their first encounter is anything but friendly. And their second Rafe makes Star an offer she can’t refuse- pretend to be fake dating for 6 months to stop his mothers one way track to marrying him off to any suitor willing and he’ll help her see the world. What happens when you put two people together who are fighting the chemistry between them?

The passion, the romance, the hilariousness that is this book. I promise you don’t be disappointed that you chose to read it. I loved these characters so much but I loved falling in love with them while they fell for each other. This was beautifully written.

Thank you Samantha & Netgalley for the ARC!

First of all how friggin cool is the heroines name Star Shine Meadow! I loved it, reading her name just made me feel happy.
Rafferty or Rafe well I adore his type of grumpy. The kind of grumpy that chases away company and reminds new visitors to keep going.
Most of all though I really enjoyed how these two truly intelligent characters challenged each other.

LOOOOOOVE omg this was adorable. I didn't like her last book, Cosmic Love but this one was FANTASTIC. This had amazing chemistry from the start and I adored both characters. Such a smart rom-com. I highly recommend.

The banter between Star and Raff had me practically dying of laughter throughout the entire book. Star is very optimistic and such a bubbly character. Whereas Raff is Mr Grumpy...most of the time.

Raff is tired of his family trying to set him up so he ropes Star in as being his "girlfriend" to get them off his back. Little does he know that Star is just what he needed. Their connection and how they care and understood each other so well was very heartwarming.

I wanted to love this book so much since it has all of my loves: grumpy sunshine, fake dating, HE LOVES ANIMALS?! But it wasn't my favorite.

Star lives her life in a freeflowing sense. She's never had a problem with her life, until she meets grumpy veterinarian, Rafe. Soon, he convinces Star to be his fake girlfriend to help get his family off of his back and stop setting him up on dates. While the two continue their ruse, they also begin to catch real feelings.


Like I said; this book had all of the makings of something amazing. However, Rare is easily one of the most misogynistic male main characters I've ever read about. He belittles the women in his life because of their choices and suddenly changes his mind whenever Star tells him it's not okay. Seriously? Then we see Star slowly start to shift who she is strictly for his family. Someone who has been such a free spirit her entire life changes everything for a guy, which includes ditching her friends constantly (oh and we need to be reminded that they're in a polyamorous relationship anytime they're mentioned). I guess love makes you do stupid things?

On a positive note, I enjoyed Star's character and how she typically stands up for herself to other people who may question her life choices. She was such a bubbly, charismatic person that I hated seeing her be brought down because of a man. I love how this book also proves that your chosen family is way better than your blood family sometimes! Oh and the spice was so good!

Thank you to #netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an eARC of this story! All opinions are my own!

If you're in the mood for a grumpy/sunshine fake dating romcom, look no further! This was so much fun to read, I devoured it in two sittings and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Star and Rafe are the perfect opposites attract pairing: Rafe is broody and serious while Star always sees the best in everyone and everything and is ridiculously cheerful. I really enjoyed her optimism and passion for life; we could all be a little more like Star! The banter and tension between them was delicious and I loved how the novel was structured in terms of their relationship.

I highly recommend this one and can't wait for more from Samantha Young!

Thank you so much Berkley for the review copy!

This book was perfectly cute, funny, steamy, heartbreaking, and healing. I don't know what Samantha put in this book but I want another hit of it.

An absolute must-read for fans of the fake dating or grumpy/sunshine trope. Samantha knows what she's doing!!

I was giggling from page one. Star was absolutely hilarious and unique. Rafe was perfectly grumpy and sweet. I think this book has everything a rom-com lover could want. A New York setting, banter, and the perfect mix of sweet and steamy romance.

Rafe is the MOST grumpy, and Star is the MOST sunshine characters I’ve read in a long time, so how could I not fall in love with this book!! The banter between them was amazing, and I loved how their relationship developed privately and publicly throughout the story.

The book was perfectly balanced in the fake dating silly moments and the deeper more meaningful experiences the characters shared. I felt like those life moments were very well handled and Rafe was the perfect partner and support Star needed through those hard moments, which allowed her to continue being her glass half full sunshiney self while realizing at times she wasn’t ok and things had to change!

Thank vou so much to Samantha Young, Valentine PR, and NetGalley for this ARC!

Oh how I love fake to real romances! And Samantha Young nailed it with this one! Rafe and Star couldn't have been more opposite of each other. But once they start on their fake dating path, they realize that they have more in common than they thought and that they really like each other. Rafe was a bit rough to like at first, but thankfully he was aware of his gruffness and apologized and wanted to make it right. Overall, a good read!

This is the first book I’ve read by Samantha Young (hides face). What took me so long!?! She writes delightful, fun, and wonderful characters with amazing stories. Star is such an amazing, unique, quirky and happy characters. She spreads sunshine wherever she goes - even though she has some nan at ether could bring her down. She holds several interesting jobs that being her joy. Rafe comes across as such an a$$ early in the book. He is an uptight, grumpy veterinarian looks down his note at Star and is not very kind to her. He gets it honestly because his family is filled with jerks. As these two continue to run into one another, Rafe’s kinder side comes to light. I love their banter and dialogue and how they help one another with their insecurities and baggage. A fun, feel good story that will make you smile.

Never fall so hard that you risk losing yourself...

I always appreciate a good grumpy/sunshine fake dating romance and this one did not disappoint. What started out as a free spirit, meets straight laced man of means, turned into quite the heartwarming story.

This book had PLENTY of spice throughout, but it was well balanced with self-discovery and overcoming adversity and abandonment in life. I have read many recent romances with dual points of view, but this book changed things up by just sticking with Star’s perspective and I liked that. Both hesitant to do and say the wrong things, they put their relationship at risk, while Star starts to question her life choices.

Cute and heartwarming, I really enjoyed this one. Thank you to Netgalley and Valentine PR for this early copy in exchange for my honest review

First impressions: This book was an absolute delight! One of the best (as in, most fun, sexy, bantery and filled with sizzling sexual tension) fake-dating Romance book I have read in a while. I devoured it in two sittings and I'm pretty sure I just got new smile lines from grinning so big. Delicious!! 4.5⭐️
_____

I have to say that weeks later, this book is still very much on my mind. Actually, it kinda gave me a book hangover, it was such a full package for me! I missed this kind of dynamic, it has a similar vibe to Lauren Asher, Meghan Quinn or Lynn Painter, if you will. It's hilarious (their inner thoughts and banter! LOL) but also thoughtful and heartfelt. It has important themes and messages that make you think about your life and how you want to live it. The opposites attracts vibe put a spotlight on Rafe and Star's personalities and on the whole accept who you are, love life and cherish someone even (or especially when) they have a bohemian, colorful, bigger than life personality and a different view on life expectancy and ambitions. I loved all that.

Let me recap the tropes:
Fake dating
Opposites attract
Billionaire alpha hero (vet!)
Sunshine heroine who prefers random jobs and just being happy and no commitments
He falls first
One bed
Shenanigans, jealousy scenes and people meddling
Possessive hero

In short, if you put grumpy x sunshine, fake dating and Samantha's warmth, banter and sexy alpha heroes in a romcom setting, you know from the getgo that you will get yourself a gem. And that is exactly what this was, a charming, fun, sexy and delicious gem of a book. Somehow it feels like it's her best RomCom yet? It's my favorite anyway (even though I related more to the heroine in A Cosmic Kind of Love).

Quotes:
He glowered harder at my bubbliness. “Are you acting right now? No one is this happy.”
“Then you must surround yourself with a lot of miserable people.”

“I doubt anyone could truly boss you around.”
I beamed at the compliment. “Thank you.”

He closed the distance between us, cupping my face gently in his hands. “I don’t want to fake this anymore when for me . . . this is very real, Star.”

“Don’t psychoanalyze me, Rafe Whitman!” His lips twitched. “I think you need a little psychoanalyzing, Star Shine Meadows.” “You’re infuriating!” “You’re perfect,” he answered seriously. Warmth pushed through my earlier hurt at the tenderness in his eyes.

“I tried to show you how I felt without saying it. But I should have just said it. I love you, Star. You. The you you want to be. Never doubt it. Because, baby, my love for you is fucking immeasurable. If I’m honest, I’m not sure I will ever be fully comfortable with how much I love you.”

*ARC provided by the author, thank you so much

I was incredibly delighted to receive an early review copy of The Love Plot. Many thanks to the author, Berkley, Let’s Talk Books, PRH Audio, and Valentine pr for the finished copies for review.
In this opposites attract romcom, there is not a more unlikely but highly lovable pair! Star Shine Meadows is a bright happy gig worker and lives life carefree. She loves everyone, likes to think the best of others, and is confident in herself.
While dressed as a Disney princess at a children’s birthday party, Star eyes an attractive man, Rafe Whitman scowling at her from across the room. Star is perplexed by his disagreeable nature, and in turn, Rafe is perplexed by Star’s carefree nature. The grumpy but attractive, billionaire veterinarian Rafe offers Star $10K a month for up to six months to fake date him and help him get his intrusive family to stop bothering him about his dating life.
I thoroughly enjoyed this opposites attract story! Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and I inhaled this book! Star is easy to love in this romcom. She’s bubbly, confident, and optimistic. Nothing at all like her grumpy counterpart Rafe.
This is my second book by Samantha Young. My first was A Cosmic Kind of Love which I loved, so I knew I would enjoy this book!

Read this if you like:
🌦️ Grumpy-Sunshine
👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨 Fake Dating
🥊 Opposites Attract
🛏️ Only One Bed

The Love Plot by Samantha Young is a fake dating, grumpy-meets-sunshine, and opposites attract romantic comedy; one of desperation and determination, friendships and family, acceptance and love. Star, the child of hippie parents, is a free-spirited, fun, happy person who was unapologetically bohemian and unconventional. Rafe, an up-tight Veterinarian from an Upper East family, is the opposite; from the start he seems to be quite moody and pensive. In order to support herself, Star takes any strange job that comes her way. Rafe is troubled by Star’s methods of employment but desperate to deflect his family’s matchmaking attempts forces Rafe to offer Star another unconventional contract; a contract to play the loving girlfriend of a man who is struggling in his personal life. Spending time together as they fulfill the contract, Star and Rafe fall hard and fast for each other. Full of sizzling chemistry, found family goodness and spice. I highly recommend The Love Plot to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

4.5 stars overall

The Love Plot was my first book by Samantha Young and I LOVED it! This will be one of my favorite reads for 2023. I read the book under 24 hours and that's unlike me. I loved the banter and chemistry between Star and Rafe. I loved both their occupations and the family trauma they both had to endure, especially Star. I've been recommending this book to all my friends. After reading this one I definitely am looking forward to reading more by Samantha. Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

How do you feel about fake dating as a trope?

I know it can be so formulaic and you always know how it is going to end but I always find it entertaining. The Love Plot is the story of Star Shine Meadows, a woman who dresses as characters for birthday parties and waits in line for people for a living, who gets hired to be a fake girlfriend for Rafe, a wealthy vet who needs a break from his family trying to set him up on dates. There is tension with Rafe’s family not understanding or appreciating Star’s hippie upbringing or lack of typical career goals. There is tension because Star’s parents are terrible. And there is tension because, well, it is fake dating. This book was really cute. Some of the characters went over the top, in an exaggerated way, but it all tied together, the bantering and texts were so entertaining and I loved all of Star’s supporting friends (a throuple!). It was a lesson in being yourself and not conforming and do not change who you are or what you stand for to be with someone. All the warm fuzzies.

REVIEW FOR THE LOVE PLOT

4 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, Berkeley Publishing, Berkeley Romance, and Valentine PR for the gifted copy!

This was such a cute story! It was a unique take on grumpy sunshine and fake dating that I enjoyed immensely. Star Shine Meadows was so unique, and I felt like I could learn a thing or two about her positive outlook on life. Rafe, the cinnamon roll hero we didn't know we needed, was so sweet and charming and descriptively sexy it's unfair. I loved the relationship Star had with her polyamorous friends Roger, Kendall and Jude- it was a great representation but I feel like more could have been done with it. The spicy scenes were spicy but not overdone, which I enjoyed!

I think that, while this book had some lighthearted moments, I also think it was a good introspection on how the lives of our parents and their opinions and habits stay with us, and ultimately influence our behaviors and opinions subconsciously, even if it's not what we want. Star's relationship with her life-givers (I refuse to call them parents) was sad and really made me feel for her.

Towards the end there was a little miscommunication, but I think most of the time Star and Rafe were very open and welcoming to each other. I'd definitely recommend this book if you like traditional romance with out of the box characters, a cinnamon roll hero vet, and a lot of laughter.

Do I love this story? Absolutely!! First, Star is perfectly perfect. I love her care free life, living life to actually LIVE LIFE and not follow the norms set on us by others. She's certainly guarded, but loves her made family. Now Rafe is the grumpy to her sunshine. He has a big heart, loves animals, and usually his family. I love them both, the banter is great, I love the way she can push buttons, and how that adds to the flow of their story. This was a read that I fell into and didn't want to get out of. Now, I'll be digging through this author's other reads hoping I find one on her friends that I fell in love with! A must read on any shelf!

Just freaking loved this! I loved Rafe and Star! I loved how accepting she was. I gobbles up their chemistry! Read this!

I really enjoyed this book! Honestly, I have never gone wrong with a Samantha Young book, and The Love Plot is no exception. This is a fabulous opposites attract, grumpy sunshine love story.

Star is an incredibly likable character. With a very unconventional upbringing, she has a lot of trust issues and doesn't really believe in settling down. She wants nothing more than to be happy and one day, travel.

Rafe is a grumpy, sexy veterinarian with a meddlesome family who is constantly trying to hook him up with the hottest Manhattan singles. When Rafe meets Star as a character actor at his niece's birthday party, he decides to make her a deal... fake date and get his family off his back.

Star's positive outlook shines all over Rafe, and he really starts to change his hoity-toity attitude and loses the grumpy facade with Star... slowly he falls for her, but he will only be with her if she will commit to a monogamous relationship.

Overall, the book has a light, airy, happy feel. But honestly, it does dive deeper than that. We meet two characters who both have to decide what is most important to them despite what anyone else has to say about it, and they make it work.