I thought this meet cute was super fun! I found both characters to be extremely likable and their banter was great. I love the hopeless romantic man with the jaded romance writer dynamic of this storyline, I felt that it was a nice switch and also brought a lot of humor. Mason and Sawyer both of course have their own baggage from previous relationships, but i felt it brought a nice background to their individual stories that tied in well with them coming together.

This was so well written. The conversations, the chrecters, the story, and the smut. We had background, and development, and things made sense, and the reactions were appropriate to the situations. It also had heartfelt moments I really loved.

Thank you to Forever for providing me with an ARC for my honest feedback

This book took me by surprise - it was cute and sweet and a little but holiday. Main characters Mason (heartthrob actor) and Sawyer (romance author) happens on an elevator, which is so cliche and the perfect for the set-up of the book. It echoed How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days in that Sawyer going to “ruin romance” for him while getting inspiration for her next book and he needs to take a break from dating publicly. Of course it turns out that as they date (the cutest, most fun dates of course) Mason and Sawyer were able to be themselves. There was a comfort they enjoyed in each others presence, and I loved that they could be real with one another. Until things get too real and we get a third act break up. Maybe this would have been better if the book was dual POV? Overall I just was not into it and I was just unenthusiastic by this point. So I am rounding my rating up to a 4, but truly this landed at a 3.5-star read for me.

Unromance is such a fun, clever twist on the typical rom-com. It follows Sawyer, a romance author who’s totally over love, and Mason, a charming (and slightly chaotic) TV star who agrees to help her act out cliché romantic tropes—for “research,” of course. What starts as a playful, no-strings plan quickly turns into something real, even though both of them are totally in denial about it.

The banter between the characters is sharp and hilarious, and each chapter kicks off with a classic romance trope that sets up the chaos to follow. It’s like a love letter to rom-coms, but also pokes fun at them in the best way. Sawyer’s bisexuality is woven in naturally, and the story feels inclusive and modern without trying too hard.

There are a couple slow moments, but overall it’s heartfelt, funny, and full of chemistry. If you love romance with a bit of sarcasm and self-awareness, this one’s a total win.

While I love the cover, that's about all I like about this book. I just couldn't get into it. It was too cheesy and trope-y for me. I'm sorry!

(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC exchange for my honest review.)

✨ Review ✨ Unromance by Erin Connor, Narrated by Mia Hutchinson Shaw; Lee Osorio

Thanks to Forever, Hachette Audio, and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

A romance writer who’s jaded with love and an actor who can’t stop falling in love, try to cure each other’s problems by proving tropes right/wrong. This makes a noble attempt to integrate AS MANY TROPES as possible, which sounds annoying but really made this loads of fun. All of the references to the best romcoms make this truly joyful to read.

The book is set in Chicago at Christmas-time and the setting surrounding them is delightful -- ice-skating, Christmas tree cutting (and in a tiny car lol), Christmas and New Years parties, and more!

The banter and energy between these characters was amazing, and I binged this so quickly. I was hooked on seeing what tropes and adventures they'd get into next!

🎧 Great audio narration, Lee Osorio is always great. They nailed the banter and levity as well as the more emotional topics within.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Genre: f/m contemporary romance with queer rep
Setting: Chicago
Length: 11 hours 6 minutes
Pub Date: January 2025

Read this if you like:
⭕️ Christmas settings for romances (though not necessarily a holiday romance)
⭕️ Romance tropes galore
⭕️ bi character bringing in queer rep
⭕️ romance writers falling in love

Charming in moments but a bit too on the nose, this story hits familiar beats with a wink. The banter lands, even if the plot doesn’t surprise.

I loved this book so much! The humor, and the romance were top tier to me! Their banter was 10/10 amazing! The plot was so interesting, a woman who hates romance and a man who loves romance too much is such a fun concept to me! Highly recommend this one!

thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Sawyer and Mason meet when they get stuck in an elevator together (legitimately my worst nightmare 😬). She is a romance author who has a serious case of writers block and he is a tv star. She has become cynical about love and he keeps hopelessly falling for everyone he dates, only to be dumped. They strike up a deal to help each other out and you guessed it, end up falling for each other. This was so witty and fun, I absolutely loved it.

I will admit to being a bit reluctant to read this one as I have read so many books about romance authors struggling to write in the genre after experiencing a breakup. However, the overwhelming positive reviews from friends convinced me and they were totally correct! This was in no way the same story.

It was so fun to see Sawyer and Mason connect. Their banter was next level and all their dates were fun to read about. I also really enjoyed the bi representation and how big a part of Sawyers identity it was even though she ended up in an MF relationship. I thought the story did a great job showing why being part of the lgbtq community can have an impact on your life even if you end up in a straight passing relationship.

If you like fake dating, one night stands, authors as characters or books with bi rep this is for you! I was shocked this was a debut. I can't wait to read more from Erin Connor!

This was such a fun surprise! It plays with romance tropes in a clever, tongue-in-cheek way while still delivering a story that felt genuine and emotionally grounded. The banter was sharp, the chemistry worked, and I appreciated how it didn’t take itself too seriously — yet still managed to hit some deeper notes. A bit unconventional, but that’s part of the charm.

That book was something else, I'm telling you. Seriously, I couldn't stand the main female character. Her decisions were baffling, and she annoyed me every time she opened her mouth. The plot itself wasn't bad, but she totally ruined it. I'm still trying to figure out what the author was thinking with that character.

This was such a fun twist on traditional romance! I loved how it turned the genre on its head while still giving us two characters with great chemistry and sharp, witty banter. A refreshing and engaging read.

Everyone was raving about this book so I had high expectation. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this book as much. It wasn't terrible. I was just bored while I read it. It was a okay romance, just wasn't my thing.

Unromance by Erin Connor is a delight! Rom com lovers will enjoy the holiday and modern spin in this novel. Sawyer's character is relatble and funny. I found myself looking for time to read this book and laughing out loud. An amazing read!

Off you want a fun book this could be it. I love the premise of fake dating to avoid romance and than falling for one another. It’s delightful.

This book might be called Unromance, but what you actually a perfect romance novel. I typically struggle with a book that is too self-away of romance and it's tropes, but the way Sawyer uses her knowledge as a novelist to keep the plot moving. I also appreciated that it showcases how messy and uneven creative pursuits can be and what it really means to commit to a relationship with a person AND their creativity. I was frustrated by the way the third-act breakup was handled, but I appreciated that both characters had to own their part in in. This is a really impressive debut where I laughed and grimmaced and gasped the whole time. Drink this book: I usually pair this with a wine, but this book HAD to call for a red wine old fashioned instead.

I can absolutely understand the pain Sawyer feels. Being heartbroken is horrible. It can definitely cause depression, which means not wanting to do the activities you love - including writing bestselling romance novels.

I love a good meet cute, but mix it with a fake romance and I'm all-in. It does help with writers block - anytime you're happy, words just seem to come naturally. But it's hard not to fall in love when you're having a lot of fun.

This was OK for a debut - 3.5 stars, generously rounded up.

It wasn’t my favourite read, for sure, but certainly not the worst debut I’ve read. I definitely had high hopes for it from the blurb, but was left wanting a lot more at the end.

The premise of a romance author and actor being trapped together in an elevator, having a one night stand after this meet-cute, but then constantly bumping into each other around town - it had so much promise, but the writing and how the storyline wound up working out… it just all fell flat, and wasn’t the best for me. The chemistry between characters Sawyer and Mason didn’t feel genuine and the writing wasn’t the type that draws you in and holds onto you (such that you can’t put the book down).

But, it looks like a lot of other readers loved it, so it’s found its intended audience! It’s just not me. With the hundreds of books I arc review annually, some are not winners. This is middle of the road, so it’s not at the bottom, either. Would I read it again or recommend it to others? No.

I received an early review copy from NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and this is my honest opinion.

Erin's writing definitely has potential, and I look forward to trying another of her books. Unfortunately, Unromance didn't work for me. The one night stand trope is one of my least favorites, and I never fully bought into their love story. I think this book could have benefitted from dual POV. and I wasn't a huge fan of Sawyer for most of the book.

I think this one will be a hit for fans of the one night stand trope and romance books heavily featuring romance tropes. Erin has a great sense of humor, and I think a book with different tropes would work better for me.

Thank you to Forever for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.