Modern day "How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days" - I really enjoyed this one! It's one of my favorite movies and being able to read a similar book was welcomed. Loved the banter, the feminist approach that Cassidy brings to Jack, and how it all backfires after she falls for him.

This was a really great contemporary read. I love how the heroine weaves in some old school beliefs about dating and relationships. The grandma in this book is dishing out the great advice and I was here for it. “Let men be men” is a big deal to me and I loved that narrative in this book. LOVED IT! Let’s work with men not punish them.

There’s a fake dating aspect of this book and brings a lot of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days energy. I honestly didn’t love that, I felt so bad and cringe for what Cassidy was trying to do but she very quickly realized her diabolical plan was a bad one but of course Jack got hurt along the way anyway. The resolution in this book gets 10/10 stars from me because I love mature adults acting like mature adults and sometimes the epic grovel and apology is overrated and unnecessary. Yes, apologize, but no need to throw yourself over the coals. The ending needs to solidify the life long HEA for me and this one really sold it to me.

And also there are hugs in this book that are just 🥹✨ They meant more to me than the love scenes and now I need a good hug.

When online writer Cassidy Sutton stumbles upon her beloved grandma’s seemingly arcahic 1950’s dating handbook on tips to “hook a husband” she decides to spin it into a series on “what not to do” a la the film “How to Lose a Guy in 10 days”. When she finally meets rival publication owner Jack Bradford, she picks him as her mark…with hilarious repercussions.

Loved it. It’s a must read. That’s it, end of review.

In all seriousness, I have struggled a bit lately finding really standout romances, and when friends told me to try this one, I jumped at the chance. Not only was it exactly the witty, whip smart rom-com I needed in my life right now, it also sent those much needed endorphins through the roof - I mean, I must have had a silly smile on my face the entire time I was reading this one.

What I loved most, aside from the absolutely fabulous pop culture references from the 1950s on that are sprinkled throughout, is that this book has a little in it for just about everyone. Do you love found family and strong grandmother/granddaughter relationships? It’s in here. Looking for a little bit of family drama? It’s here. Are you a fan of swoony, emotional romances? Look no further. Is it the steam you are after? Oh it’s here too.

And then there is Devon Daniels’ impeccable writing. Each character shines so brilliantly on their own, but it is the relatiosnships that are so standout. It was very easy to connect with them and feel the emotions assaociated with each, whether familial, friendly or romantic in nature. The pacing was perfection, with the right ration of plot to character development, and never felt slow or repetititive. And the banter - that was chef’s kiss from start to finish.

I listened to this primarily on audio and Brittany Pressley nailed it as usual. While some rom-coms can feel cheesy and over the top, Daniels’ writing combined with Pressley’s narration felt anything but. I highly recommend listening to this one on audio and/or doing an immersive read with the audiobook and print, in order to experience the way she brings these already fantastic characters to life.

ʀ ᴇ ᴀ ᴅ ɪ ғ ʏ ᴏ ᴜ ʟ ɪ ᴋ ᴇ :
•a battle of the sexes
•alpha cinnamon roll hero
•rivals to lovers
•NYC setting
•grandmother sidekick
•fun pop culture references
•How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

Thank you Berkley Romance and PRH Audio for th gifted copies.

Short synopsis: Cassidy works as a journalist for a women’s site, and comes up with an idea to use tips from the 1950’s to catch a man. Her target, Jack Bradford from the notoriously anti feminist men’s site.

My thoughts: If you like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, and 27 Dresses this one is for you! Such a cute mashup of both!

I really liked Cassidy’s independent hard work mindset, and liked how her perspective adjusted throughout the book as she started to fall for Jack. And Jack, while there were parts of him that annoyed me (temper) he was such a sweet endearing male lead.

But Gran stole the show. She was fun and lovely and made me miss my own grandma oh so much.

The third act breakup was a little extreme, and the miscommunication/lack of communication was rough but I really liked how they resolved their problems and found a solution together.

Read if you love:
- 1950’s glamour
- How to lose a guy in 10 days and 27 dresses
- Amazing family and sweet grandmas
- Workplace enemies to lovers
- Slow burn romance
- Fake dating

One of the best Rom-Coms of the year. Yep I said it!

I read a lot of Rom-Coms, A LOT, and this one tops my list this year.

Cassidy, a journalist at a femininst news outlet, decides to take some old fashioned dating advice from the 1950s and put it into practice to see how it backfires.

I absolutely loved the nod to old fashion values. And I'd be lying if I didn't learn a thing or two. It was a good reminder to me to not take my hubby for granted and to treat him with love and respect at every possible moment. But I still let him help me in the kitchen 🤣

this book was pretty cute i thought it was fun. it wasn't really my kind of book but i see the appeal it was ok

ALL THE STARS!

This was one of my most anticipated reads this year and Devon definitely did not disappoint! It gives all the How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days/rom com vibes and the vibes are immaculate. It made me laugh, it made me tear up, it made me glad I am not in the dating world lol. Im already planning a reread so I can listen to the audio version!

Many thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for the eARC!

My initial reaction when I started this romcom was good. I was very interested in the plot. Cassidy Sutton, editor at the women's magazine Siren, has a fantastic idea (according to her) to take down rival bigwig, Jack Bradford, of the men's website/magazine, Brawler. With outdated dating tips written in the 1950s woman, Cassidy attempts to outwit Jack and his misogynistic thinking. (according to her.)

That part wasn't the best for me, but when they really started to open up and have feelings is when I really got invested in the story. I felt bad for both of them-for Cassidy for continuing with the charade and for Jack who was being duped. I was so glad when Cassidy quit the story. But, of course, it was too late. Jack still finds out.

The whole third act breakup was a good one for me. Very believable and true. Jack's anguish at the party would have been even better if we could have had his point of view. In fact, his point of view throughout the whole book would have probably made this a five-star read for me.

I loved all the pop culture references and internal thinking/quips. It made this book so enjoyable. Also, the star of the whole book - GRAN!

Thank you to Berkley Romance, NetGalley and the author for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“Like an alien called home to its mothership, I’m immediately drawn to the built-in bookshelves”

I’m absolutely obsessed. This was one of the cutest, funniest romance books I’ve read in a while. It was full of pop culture references that I thought were hilarious. The banter and tension was 10/10. And the overall plot was very entertaining. I got full on butterflies a few times! Which is the mark of a truly good romance book. This is a must read if you loved the movie How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

I fully intend on purchasing this book once it releases and will be recommending to all my friends!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a copy to review!

📑📑📑
Book Review
5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
📚87/100
📖The Rom Con
🩵Genre:Romance
✍️ Devon Daniela
✨✨✨✨✨
📝Synopsis 📝
Cassidy is done with dating, but grandma thinks otherwise and has her follow 1950’s dating advise. Then she meets someone who sparks her, but it turns up to be her work nemesis.

💭My Thoughts 💭
If How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days had a baby, this is it 😂 Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a repeat, but it gives the same vibes. Taylor Swift and so many other great other references. I absolutely loved the characters, the plot, and the execution was amazing! I laughed so much, and Jack won me over immediately!!! This is probably the best Rom-Com I’ve read in 2023. I’m rooting for this to be on Netflix or Cinemas.

✨Thank you @netgalley and @berkleypub @berkleyromance
for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cassidy writes for an online women's publication in NYC. She pitches an idea about pursuing a man using tips from a 1950s article and advice from her grandmother. Jack is the co-founder for a rival men's website. When Cassidy attempts to fake date Jack for her article, things don't exactly go as planned.

I adored this author's writing and how well it captured why I love reading rom-coms. Cassidy and Jack completely won me over with their banter, tension and some truly sweet moments between them. The second they met I instantly knew I would love them together.

Jack was flirty and charming. Although he had this swoony and confident side to him, he shared some vulnerable moments with Cassidy which made me fall for him even more. Since he fell first, I enjoyed Cassidy's POV as she started developing feelings while trying to stick to her original plan. The pacing was perfect and I couldn't wait for that first kiss.

The references to classic Hollywood and the 1950's dating aspect really made this book so entertaining. The conflicts kept me invested right to the end. There were some great side characters including Cassidy's grandmother, sister and brother-in-law.

I really loved this book and highly recommend!

This book was soooo good and so adorable.
It reminded me a lot of How to Lose a Guy in 10 days (movie) and even added a few things about the movie which was cute. I loved how it also added a bunch of other references from movies, tv shows, actors/actresses and the eras that the topics were about.
It was an enemies-to-lovers type with a swap, and in order to know what I mean about that you gotta read the book. I promise it is def worth it.

Cassidy and Jack were opposites attracted but kinda looking for the same things and didn't even realize it. The dates we fun, and entertaining. There was soooo much emotions and feelings in this book but also so much humour. It was a fast and easy read. One that you didn't want to put down.

Now on to Cassidy's family, they were a great addition to this story esp her sister and brother-in-law but the best add-on character who took the show quite a bit was her Grandma. That lady was sooo spunky, funny and I loved her. So sooo much reminded me of my grandma who I miss sooo much we were close like Cassidy and her.

If you like Romance books and esp RomComs this is the book for you, It's def at the top of my list of favourite books I have read, and I have read a ton of books. :)
I can say how much I loved it so many things that were great.

I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read this book, thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. The above is my opinion/review, it is honest and voluntary.

I did read The Rom Con and it was really cute. So, here is the thing. I am a working mom and yet somehow I keep ending up on the trad wife side of TikTok and it makes me nuts. I won’t get into it here but the mom shaming for working moms is out of control.
Well, in The Rom Con, a journalist for a feminist magazine is determined to take down her adversary from a rival men’s magazine that publishes the most chauvinistic pieces. And the take down is to hide her true personality and act in accordance with a 1950s dating guide that sets women’s rights back 70+ years. Of course you can see where it will all end up but the road to get there was filled with witty banter, perfectly placed pop culture references, swoonworthy romantic gestures, and just overall fluffy, flirty fun. It had all the vibes of How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days but with this undertone of equality for women and the notion that women can be who they want, do what they want and are not here just to serve men.

“This article- one my grandmother’s saved for seventy years- is exactly the kind of story we salivate over at Siren. Just reprinting these half-baked dating tips in all their ridiculous retro glory would generate a million clicks and even more shares, but what if we actually tested them on some unsuspecting suitors? I can see the headline now: I tried these old-fashioned dating tips so you don’t have to! Subhead: June Cleaver meets the modern Manhattanite. We could even turn it into a recurring series. It’s a content gold mine.”

I was intrigued when I read this was based on How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, one of the most iconic rom-coms of all time, and was excited to read it. However, I think there is a reason this has never been written before. It’s hard to translate the humor and heart from the movie into a book, and I think it takes a special writer.

This had a unique twist on it, with Cassidy using her grandmother’s antiquated dating tips for a story, and I think that was effective in giving you some of the humor I was expecting. Sadly, this plot point stopped being important around the halfway point, and then it dropped completely. I wish that it had been carried on through the end.

I adored the first half. Jack seemed very mature and insightful, a true gentleman, and I liked watching him deal with Cassidy’s old-fashioned dating rules, but the second half saw his personality do a complete turnaround. He got vengeful, mean, and nasty, and I really struggled to put these two halves together. Jack didn’t handle the big moment like I thought he would, and that disappointed me. There was a lot of back and forth, push and pull between them, but the conclusion felt very anticlimactic.

Overall, this lost steam as it went on, and I was riding on an emotional rollercoaster. It went from me smiling and laughing in the beginning to me pulling my hair out by the end.

If you enjoy romantic comedy authors like Sophie Kinsella and Emily Henry, then this may work for you.

~ Michelle

I read the first 200 pages of this essentially in one sitting and had a lovely time! I love Jack, the MMC, in particular - he was so honest and open and I swooned multiple times! I really liked the banter between the two main characters and loved Cassidy's sassiness.

In general, this isn't my favorite set up for a book - usually I hate when one character is knowingly lying to the other. I do think this works much better in a single POV, so I'm glad we got that in this book! There were perhaps a few too many pop culture references which makes me think a little bit about the longevity of this book across time, but that's not a critique per say!

This book is also pretty funny! I laughed out loud a few times and enjoyed my time reading.

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

Absolutely loved the vibes of this book! Love the New Girl, How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days vibes that it was giving in the beginning. The story itself was a lot of fun, I just found I wasn't relating to it as much as I hoped and so I didn't feel overly interested in the characters?

That being said, this was a super cute rom-com style book and not something I typically gravitate towards so it was stepping out of my comfort zone a little and I really enjoyed it for what it was! The plot was adorable and super quick to read through. Definitely a fun, quick, and mindless kind of romance book!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is my new favorite Rom Com! The puns, the quirky grandma, the clueless brother in law, the pop culture references, but most of all... THE FEELS!

I loved Devon Daniels debut, Meet you in the Middle, but this one is even better. She knocked it out of the park. I couldn't put it down, I was laughing OUT LOUD, literally. This is a single POV book, with enemies to fake dating (without him knowing it) to lovers.

There is a lot of references and shout outs to How to Lose a Guy in 10 days, and while it is reminiscent of that movie, this book has a completely different plot. It was just similar enough and not an all a copy. And seeing as how I have watched that movie and uncountable number of times, I really loved this book!

So if romance and laughs are your thing go grab this book today!!!!

Cute premise, but certain behaviors and issues took me out of the story. I toed the line of enjoying it to being utterly ready to DNF. The amount of pop culture references was too much.

I'm sure this book has an audience as it was not me.

Thank you Berkley for the complimentary copy.

“It takes a strong person to apologize, and an even stronger person to forgive.”
~~~
Rating:🌕🌕🌕🌗
This was a cute book. Liked the idea of a “How to Loose a Guy in 10 Days” book version. It was humorous also and a quick read.
So if you like the movie mentioned above and really into quirky, funny romcoms, also with a funny grandma! This book is a fun quick read! Thank you NetGalley, Devon Daniel’s, and Berkley Romance the chance to read this via eARC!

I’m OBSESSED with this book! How come nobody told me Devon Daniels writes masterpieces? If I’m not mistaken this is her second book and now I have to run to the book store to buy her first. I’m absolutely obsessed with this book.. with the plot… the characters.. with everything!! Highly recommend it!