what happens when a hopeless romantic actor and a romance writer who doesn’t believe in love have a one night stand and then make a list to ruin romance tropes? they fall in love, of course.

mason is a cinnamon roll and I loved him with my WHOLE HEART. even though he agreed to the rule of no feelings, he can’t help himself from falling in love with the chaotic bi disaster that is sawyer. and she wasn’t far behind him but she really had to open up and let him in. I love prickly and imperfect fmcs, and if you do too you’ll love her.

the tension, banter, and romance in this was steamy and perfect! even though sawyer was “I’m not going to fall for him” she found herself impossibly head over heels for mason. and honestly how could you not? he was perfect.

I loved the writing and acting portrayals in this book! it added a lot for me and felt super realistic.

thank you so much forever publishing for the arc!

what to expect
⟢ one night stand to strangers to lovers to idiots to lovers
⟢ hopeless romantic actor x a writer who doesn’t believe in love
⟢ “just to get it out of our system”
⟢ stuck in an elevator meet cute
⟢ bi rep

Quick Summary: An "unromance" romance made for loving

My Review: Unromance by Erin Conner is a 2025 contemporary romance.

About the Book: "When a recently-dumped TV heartthrob gets stuck in an elevator with a jaded romance novelist, he enlists her to ruin romance for him—one rom-com trope at a time—so he never gets swept off his feet and into the tabloids ever again."

In My Own Words: A reverse grumpy-sunshine duo set up an arrangement of sorts, only to advance toward love.

My Final Say: This novel is the one you didn't know you needed in your life! It's funny-sexy-cool and then some. Highly entertaining, it's charm will blow you away or quite possibly make you swoon. Readers who enjoy rom-coms, cinnamon rolls, and meet cutes to more scenarios will love this story.

Other: I would love to be first in line for the audiobook. Please and thank you kindly. ☺

Rating: 4.75/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Status/Level: 💖

Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever), and to NetGalley. Thank you for granting access to a digital ARC. I am grateful for the opportunity. I very much look forward to reading more from this writer.

Happy pub day! I was desperately trying to read this book the last couple of days because I loved it so much.

This book was so fun and sexy! Dual POV (un)romance between a romance writer who has been burned and jaded by love (her) and a tv actor who is a hopeless romantic ray of sunshine (him).

Mason and Sawyer have their own meet-cute when an elevator gets stuck. After a one night stand and running into each other again, they strike a deal and make a list. 1. To help Sawyer get back into her writing groove so she can finish her book and 2. To help Mason stay out of the tabloids and maybe ruin romance and grand gestures for him so he stops running at them headlong.

What blossoms is a beautiful love story rooted in friendship, understanding, laugher, and championing one another. This has great banter/humor, it’s sharp and witty, it has every trope you’ve ever imagined and some you haven’t (but in the best way), so much longing, Bi Rep, and Chicago during the winter vibes 🤍

This book shows that romance doesn’t have to be perfect to be good. It’s actually best when it’s a bit messy and silly and fun and even a little bit weird.

That third act break up had me rage texting a friend and in my FEELINGS. I’d give this one a 4.5/4.75! Truly such a great book.

Sawyer is a romance writer who doesnt believe in romance. Mason is a procedural drama actor known for his huge romantic gestures, as well as a long list of previous lovers. A meet cute between the two leads to a one night stand which leads to another meet cute at a Christmas market. Determined to overcome her writer's block, Sawyer offers to show Mason how to unromance. This means making a list of quintessential romantic tropes and showing Mason that they aren't as hyped up as they are meant to be. Sawyer and Mason make a list of tropes and only have two main rules. No. 1 - No feelings. And No. 2 - No s3x. But rules are made to be broken. And Sawyer and Mason are made to break them.

Rating: 4/5
Spice: 3/5

Tropes:
Cinnamon Roll MC
Opposites Attract
Lovers to Friends to Lovers

Triggers:
Homophobia
Family Estrangement

My Thoughts:
Unromance has a hard time not being romantic, and I am here for it! Sawyer and Mason are adorable together and I laughed out loud at their hijinks more than once while reading this book. I love how their friendship proves that cliche things can be the most fun when you are enduring them with someone you love. This author writes some great spice and you will happily never look at ripped tights the same way again.

Unromance by Erin Connor is a fun Grumpy/Sunshine story with the absolute best banter!
I fell so in love with these characters. Sawyer and Mason had the best chemistry.
This charming opposites attract story was a funny, sweet, and irresistible debut!

This book beautifully blends opposites: a romance writer who despises romance and a cinnamon roll of a man who adores it. Their meet-cute and spontaneous night together pave the way for a partnership in pursuit of personal goals.

Mason and Sawyer couldn't be more different when it comes to love, yet they make a pact to guide each other through various romance tropes, all while managing life's unpredictable challenges.

From the first blurb, I was hooked. The engaging banter, simmering tension, and heartfelt romance kept me captivated throughout. And the ending? An unforgettable grand romantic gesture that left me swooning. 😍

Thank you Forever for offering me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Unromance
Erin Connor
4 stars

This debut by Erin Connor is perfect for all you romance trope lovers, filled with swoon worthy grand gesture and all the typical tropes you'd expect from a romcom... with a healthy sprinkle of spice.

Sawyer is a romance writer - and reader - who had stopped believing in happily ever after. Since her break up with long time girlfriend, she hasnt been able to finish anything, and with the deadline for her next book around the corner, she knows she has to do SOMETHING, anything, to spark her muse again.

Mason is almost the opposite. Even as all his relationship seem to fail, he's still a hopeless romantic who falls for all the tropes. When a meet-cute in an elevator turns into a one-night stand followed by the inevitable crossing of paths, they decide to help each other out. Mason will help her find inspirations if she helps him ruin all the tropes.

I absolutely adored the header of each chapter: the name and description of the trope its exploring, and overall, i enjoyed the dynamic between the two MCs. Their banter was especially on point. However, i was not a fan of the third break up. But then again, who is a fan of third act break ups. To me, there was an overreaction on one part and a too easy to let go response on the other.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for the ARC!
#bookreview #romancereader #tropeappreciation #unromance #outtoday #recentreads #arc

💭𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒:
+ Literally pages in and I was already getting that good vibes feeling; smiling and laughing out loud
+ Loved the dual POV
+ The characters were incredibly relatable; I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened to them
+ I enjoyed the premise of ‘ruining romance’ in a romance book
+ The growth of Sawyer and Mason’s relationship was really fun to read and the tension was *chef’s kiss*
- I was iffy on the third act break up, but overall enjoyed the dramatic grand gesture at the end. This book wouldn’t have made sense otherwise and was so on brand with the motifs throughout

𝐖𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐈 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐃? Absolutely! This book had so much going for it and I really enjoyed almost everything about it.

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐓-𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄:
* Spice right off the bat that leads to a slow burn
* One-night stand turned friends to lovers
* Laugh out loud banter
* He falls first (and HARD)
* Bi-rep
* Opposites attract

Thank you so much to Forever Publishing, NetGalley and Erin Connor for the ARC of the book in exchange for my review!

I thought this was a cute idea for book. The romance writer with writer's block and the hopeless romantic team up to cure each other of their problems. As a romance writer, Sawyer obviously knows all the meet cute scenarios to experience with Mason, essentially giving them both exposure therapy, which of course makes them both face the root causes of their "issues". We learn a lot about both Mason and Sawyer and I enjoyed both of these characters. The book was a little slow for me in spots, but the storyline itself was enjoyable. I'd rate this book a 3.5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central) Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

When a meet-cute in an elevator leads to a one-night stand, romance author Sawyer and actor (and hardcore romantic) Will make a pact to try to "ruin" romance tropes in the hope that she'll be inspired to finish her book he'll realize romance is a sham and stop falling so easily. Conditions include no sex or catching feelings, but then...

With its amazing premise and dual delicious grand gestures, hard-core romance fans will love this sparkling debut.

The best (un)romance book I've ever read. The only (un)romance book I've ever read? Either way, it was romcom perfection! No notes. This was seriously so cute! I'm absolutely obsessed with Mason. He's the perfect Hallmark-movie-in-a-book boyfriend ever. I would loveee to see this book get made into a movie! I would watch it. I mean, who doesn't love a good meet-cute? ;)

I will get right to it - this book was good!! It blew me away! I loved Sawyer and Mason from the very first chapter. I was laughing out loud and smiling throughout the entire story.

At its core, this a romantic comedy…about romantic comedies. From their meet-cute to a one night stand to the oh so important gray sweatpants, this book is so much fun to read.

Every chapter is named after a different romance trope/micro trope (with some very funny yet true commentary) and it was such a clever way to set up each chapter! I found myself trying to guess how each trope would be incorporated into the story (don’t worry, we are reminded that everyone hates the miscommunication trope.)

I really loved Sawyer and Mason. They had this great chemistry and banter. Sawyer is sassy and funny and jaded and I loved her with Mason who super sweet and a hopeless romantic. I loved the side characters too!

One word: Tights

You’ll know when you get to the scene 🔥🔥

✨What to Expect:
💖Romantic Comedy
🌤️Grumpy/Sunshine
💋Opposites Attract
❤️‍🔥Idiots To Lovers
💙He Falls First
🍭Cinnamon Roll MMC
🐈‍⬛Black Cat FMC
🥔Potato Brackets

I really enjoyed this book. Both characters were easy to root for and the story flowed well. Although it was predictable I still had fun reading it and seeing how both characters became close. It’s a nice, cozy read that I really appreciated. I loved how reading how the MC gets into her flow once she finds inspiration. I also liked how the connection allowed them to take closer looks at themselves and their lives. I’m definitely glad I got a chance to read this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Unromance follows Sawyer, an author in desperate need of inspiration for her upcoming deadline, and Mason, an actor who after his most recent breakup, is determined to stay single as the tabloids inspect his relationship history. When the two meet and the chemistry flows, both are happy with a no-strings-attached night together. However, when they run into each other again, they come up with a plan to get Sawyer out of her rut and draw Mason away from all the romance he craves.

This was a surprisingly fun and quirky romance! I loved all the rom-com references and the trope checklist that Mason and Sawyer were enacting. The two were so sweet together and I loved that the base of their relationship was a true friendship before anything else. Not to mention their banter and chemistry was so vibrant and lively. While I was a little shocked this was set around the holiday times, the balance of festivity and normal activities, made this the perfect post-holiday season read. I think Erin Connor absolutely killed it with this debut romance and I cannot wait to see what she does next!

I enjoyed reading Unromance by Erin Connor. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

Erin Connor's Unromance is the perfect mix of realistic relatable characters, hilarious rom-com moments, gut-punching realizations about relationships, and sizzling romance. Seriously, this book was exactly what I needed and I didn't even know it!

I loved the character development that Erin infused into her characters. I truly related to Sawyer as a character -- her actions and thoughts were just so on point at times that you couldn't help identify with her. I also loved her finding her footing with Mason -- the golden retriever with big gesture energy. Erin did a wonderful job of highlighting how these two complemented each other, but also kept them grounded in the best ways. I was cheering Sawyer on when she finally went to got that damned book back from Sadie. It was a stellar moment where you realize what exactly went wrong in a relationship -- one that always plagued you.

I had such a fun time with Sawyer and Mason's journey to not fall in love -- nope, that definitely did not happen in this book at all. Haha. It was fun to watch both of them realize what was happening between them. The scenes between their friends, Mason's family, and their careers all with the backdrop of the holidays in Chicago was fantastic. I also loved watching them take charge of what they wanted both for themselves and with each other.

Also a side note, the chapter headers -- hilarious. A truly a plus edition to this book.

This book is contemporary romance champagne -- it'll give you those bubbly feelings, lure you in, and pack a punch to your system. Truly prime contemporary romance that you do not want to miss!

But in all seriousness, can I get Kara's book? I need to know if she gets that HEA.

had such a tun time with Unromance by Erin Connor, and I'm shocked it's a debut! It definitely gave me @jen.comfort.author vibes, and then I saw Jen blurbed the book so, look at me, intuiting well. Also, this is very high praise. I still think about Midnight Duet (JC’s book) almost daily.

Unromance is a fun, trope filled, romp but not in the typical manner! Sawyer and Mason make a pact to ruin Mason's stars in his eyes, over the top, fall too fast, romantic side, and to inspire Sawyer's romance is dead, but l'm a romance author so l have to be romantic, writer side. If that makes any sense... it does in the book, trust me. But of course, this is a romance, friends!
Trying to ruin classic tropes like going to a Christmas tree farm and having a New Year's Eve kiss just isn't gonna work. Especially when it's two hopeless idiots who really wanna 💥each other and kinda also think the other is a super great person?! I loved it.

Slight spoiler, there is a third act break up, but it made sense for the characters, and I was surprisingly okay with it. Well, as okay with it as I’ll ever be. I think it could have been done a bit better (hence the 4 stars v 5) but it was still done in a way that I could appreciate and see the logic of, so maybe this should be 4.5 stars…idk. I loved the start of the book, but around the midpoint when the characters started fighting their feelings for each other, I got a bit tired and had to force myself to keep reading. After a few chapters I was back in it, but that one middle slog really hit and I think that’s what’s holding me back from 5 stars.

Also, Sawyer is so horny. It genuinely made me
laugh. I have multiple highlights and notes about said horniness that I'll maybe share later.

Thanks to @readforeverpub for the
complimentary e-arc. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever for this read. This was a debut!! This was well written and well thought through. I am nodding my head as I was glad to have got a early read for this book. I can’ say it was good...I don’t even know what to say against it.

this one felt like a huge love letter to all the rom-com lovers out there and I ate up every bit of it.

sawyer and mason had the perfect combination of tension, banter, steam and heartwarming moments.

𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
✨ cinnamon roll mmc
✨ celebrity romance
✨ bi rep
✨ banter

Please god this was stunning. Will be posting more reviews online when I’m not swamped but oh my god for a debut novel this was done so well! She will for sure be an auto buy author from now on! Congrats on the debut Erin!! 🩷🩷🩷