I thought this book was super cute!! Did it stand out as a favorite romance of the year, no. But did I thoroughly enjoy it and would I recommend it to my friends? Yes!

I really enjoyed the setting of this book - it almost felt like a movie in my head because the imagery was so vivid! I also really enjoyed the tension and will they/won't they of our main characters. And this had a super fun concept with all of the various romance tropes playing out!

A solid 3.5 star read

I loved this book. What a wonderful, unexpected ride. I enjoyed this book very much - it’s a must read! Check it out!

I really did want to like this book. The premise is cute, and I'm a sucker for a self-aware romance book. But this book wasn't self-aware about quite enough, like the fact that we collectively need to be over third act break-ups.

Margot Bradley, a romance writer, flees to Alaska to avoid the fallout from her Happily Never After document -- where she wrote the real endings to her romance books -- leaking. Her sister buys her a six week stay at a resort where she will have no internet so she can escape and recover and write her next book, a murder mystery, and also have a break from taking care of her sister and herself. She of course meets a walking, talking, perfect romance hero, Forrest, and she assumes that he can't be as perfect as he seems. What ensues is a whole bunch of romance tropes -- enemies to lovers, only one tent, snowed in. And a horrible, horrible third act break-up. It's one of the tropiest ones I've read in a long time. And then it takes two months for them to get back together with a bonkers grand gesture. I appreciate what this book was doing. But it just wasn't the right tropes for me.

Any Trope But You read more like a beautiful healing experience than any other romance I’ve had the pleasure to read. I felt like I was on a journey with Margot as she sought to pick up the pieces of her career and her life. I don’t know that I’ve ever read characters that needed each other quite the way that Margot and Forrest did. The way that they understood and respected each other was truly beautiful and an embodiment of what a healthy relationship should be. This story had every single one of my emotions up in arms at some point and I feel truly touched now that I’ve reached the end. I can easily see this being a new favorite comfort read that I will revisit time and time again. I loved every word.

This story was adorable and hilarious! I loved Margot and Forrest’s meet cute and their subsequent journey of falling for each other. I thought that Margot’s sister forcing her to go to this remote resort and write her letters was amazing. Overall definitely recommend this one!!

I absolutely adored this book! It was so cute yet packed a heartfelt punch at the same time. You can tell that this is written as a love letter not only to the romance community but to those who are caretakers for the people in they lives.

I laughed, I cried, I almost threw my kindle across the room…it was an amazing read!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC of this wonderful book!

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is a very sweet, spicy rom com set in the frozen tundra of Alaska. Margot is a successful romance author that does not believe in Happily Ever Afters. She has a secret Happily Never After document where she rants about what probably would really happen to her characters in real life. It's a place where she can express all of her disappointments and thoughts about love and how devastating it can be for those that are hurt by it. When that document is leaked during a live interview in front of her diehard fans, Margot is immediately canceled by the romance world and her publisher makes it clear her future with them is on very shaky ground. Her sister, who suffers from chronic pain and whom Margo has been taking care of for years, sends her on an adventure trip to a remote resort in Alaska to recharge and write her next book. Margot reluctantly goes, but what she didn't expect was to find Dr. Forrest Wakefield - the hot grumpy man working at the resort and taking care of his father while he recovers from a devastating stroke. He's the epitome of every romance trope she's ever written, and has every characteristic and physical trait of each of her book's hot heroes. It doesn't take Margot long to realize she's in big, big trouble.

Margot's duck out of water experience in Alaska was funny to read and as an unashamed couch-potato, was very relatable to me. The descriptions of their outdoor adventures, however, sounded beautiful. It even made me want to get off the couch and explore the wilderness for a hot minute. Thankfully, that urge quickly passed.

After being dumped a week before her wedding years ago, and left by every man that was important to her, Margot has no intention of letting a man get close to her or open her heart again. But, that doesn't mean she can't take advantage of the hot doctor's body while she's in Alaska. Forrest is instantly attracted to Margot, but he also has no intention of letting anyone through the walls he's built around his heart. Good thing the couple agree that friends with benefits is the perfect solution to their desires and once Margot's six weeks in Alaska is over, they will part with no hurt feelings. Yeah right. It was cute to see grumpy Forrest's sparks of jealousy over another guest's attempts to woo Margot, and his father's transparent attempts to push the couple together was cute.

It was inspiring how dedicated and selfless Margot and Forrest was to their ailing family members. They are willing to sacrifice their happiness, wants, desires and futures for their families. Even if the family members never asked them to, or even wants them to. It was great to see their growth and healing throughout the book, even when things go terrible wrong once they decide to be happy. I don't like third act break-ups or miscommunication, but the author did it well here and it made sense for the story. I mean, you see it coming a mile away, you just don't know what, exactly, is going to cause it. Never fear, however, because this is a rom com and we always get HEA in rom coms, right?

This is the first book I've read by this author, but it won't be the last. If you're looking for a fun rom com that throws in almost every romance trope in existence into the book with a wink to the reader, this is the book for you and I recommend you read it.

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from NetGalley and Atria Books. All opinions are my own.

Margot’s life is blowing up because she’s a romance author that no longer believes in Happily Ever After. Her sister sends her to Alaska to write a new manuscript. Turns out there’s no internet and it’s in the middle of nowhere but luckily there’s a handsome, lonely man at the inn.

I really enjoyed seeing all the different tropes in this book. I loved the isolated location and the side characters had a lot of life and added to the story. I’m looking forward to more books from this author

“I think he knows. I think he sees every hidden part of me, and for the first time ever, being known doesn’t feel like a threat. It feels like coming home.”


ARC PROVIDED BY NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW


Please don't take into consideration the time it took me to finish the book, I had something personal that didn't let me read for days. But I could've easily finished it in two days and that's because of work.

I knew before I hit the 50% mark that it was going to be a 5 stars read. That is how much I loved it.

It's so human and heartfelt and full of love in different forms and honest. Not only we have forrestmargot and their love but also familiar love with savannah and trapper, and the self love our leads have to experience in their journey.

Our side characters were amazing as well and I'm hoping with all of my heart someone gets the next book so I can have more of forrestmargot because I'm not ready to let them go.

I'm super grateful to Atria to have sent me this book because now it definitely has a special place in my heart and I truly can't wait what else this author writes after such a beautiful debut novel. Congratulations!!


Some of my favorite not so spoilery quotes but, just in case be careful:

“Margot Bradley shouldn’t be a mystery to me, but every time I try to file her into one of the neat little gray boxes of my mind, she bursts out in vivid color, making me question her all over again.”


“Forrest, who trips all my alarm systems with one dark glance. Forrest, who, simply by existing, challenges the beliefs over which I lost my career and beloved readers. Forrest, who has his own probably excellent reasons for regretting our kiss, which I’m not at all curious about. Forrest, who terrifies me.”


“Margot. Her strength in the face of a complete career collapse. Her loving devotion to her sister. The way she felt beneath me and how badly I want her there again. It’s a giant red flag snapping in the wind, but I’m no match for the powerful chemical cocktail of testosterone and dopamine that my brain pumps out whenever I think of her. Instead of measured expectations, I see us waking up together on the weekend in California, warm and slow and hungry for each other in the soft morning light. I see myself taking her to my favorite coffee shop and the Pasadena farmers market to hunt for perfect avocados. I imagine the way she looks in her natural element, free of parkas and snow boots, with the Santa Ana wind in her hair and the sun kissing her golden skin. Christ Almighty. One kiss with this woman and I’m already planning our future together.”

Was not a fan of the FMC… She immediately treated the MMC like a servant and beneath her.. which just did not sit right with me at all. For me personally she didn’t recover from that, the relationship also just fell flat for me, the chemistry was not there.
Just wasn’t a book for me :)

What a fun, steamy, trope-filled ride this was!! I really enjoyed Victoria’s writing and can’t wait to see what else she has in store.

This went okay for me. I think if you liked the book Unromance by Erin Connor you would LOVE this book. I know it has been such a hit for many so far and I would give this author a try again.

Something happened early on that just gave me such an ick I couldn't recover. When the FMC arrives at the resort she treats the MMC like he's a servant taking a shower with the door open (they had just met briefly so honestly that feels like harrassment) and calling out for him to get her water and fold her clothes. This is confusing to me for several reasons. I get she's a very successful author like upper echelon Emily Henry kind of notoriety, but especially with how she is a caretaker for her sister and how her financial situation is one bad book deal away from losing their nice house she just does not seem like the type to demand that kind of thing from people?? It's not like an actual celebrity trope. And also she has read the room that this is a remote location in Alaska so they wouldn't have that kind of amenity/expectation anyway. It was just all so odd. I felt like many things would happen out of character or logic throughout the rest of this to force the plot.

I also never felt like either of them gained any chemistry with each other. But the thing is the bones of the writing quality are great. There is more to come from this author and I hope I love it. Thank you to Atria for the eARC and I am genuinely so happy for everyone this was a hit for.

Any Trope but You was a witty, cozy, unexpectedly emotional gem that completely swept me off my feet. This author’s debut delivered everything I never knew I needed—fake flannel, forced proximity, emotional healing, and yes, an actual moose. Margot Bradley was the kind of heroine you root for from page one: snarky, wounded, self-aware, and navigating a truly spectacular fall from grace after her secret anti-HEA document leaks. Her voice crackled with humor, heart, and the kind of weary vulnerability that made every page feel like a confessional.
And then came Forrest Wakefield. Grumpy, brilliant, and heartbreakingly devoted to his ailing father, Forrest was the perfect slow-burn love interest. The chemistry between him and Margot simmered like a pot of cocoa on a woodstove—sweet, warm, and with just the right amount of tension. Their banter had me grinning, but it was their moments of quiet honesty that made me believe in their story.
The Alaskan resort setting was a character in itself—charming, quirky, and the perfect escape for two people pretending they don’t believe in love. The author cleverly layered romantic comedy tropes with sharp commentary about grief, burnout, and creative reinvention. Every scene managed to balance hilarity with heartache, and somehow, amidst the snowstorms and sabotaged manuscripts, the author convinced me that even the most jaded among us might find their way back to hope.
This wasn’t just a rom-com. It was a soft, funny, healing story about writing new endings and daring to believe in love again. Five glowing stars and a recommendation to anyone who has ever rolled their eyes at a love story… while secretly wishing they were the one in it.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

If you like romance, read this now. A canceled romance author escapes to Alaska and finds herself stuck in all the tropes. This was so enjoyable. I laughed, I cried, and felt all the feels. Some parts were steaming, like in a literally sauna, hot. Treat yourself to this guilty pleasure, but don’t feel guilty about it at all.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for the ARC

#NetgalleyARC

A romance writer who escapes to Alaska but experiences all the love tropes! I knew I wanted to read this book when I first saw this cover many months ago and the book did not disappoint!

"If you're not careful, sometimes life can trick you into believing you're living in the best parts of a romance novel."

🔥❄️⛺️📖🪵

This was fun. It had so many tropes and yet it didn’t feel like too many. Not sure how that worked. It did have a third act breakup. That was annoying. I hate third act breakups.
Thanks to the author and NetGalley for the arc.

This was a fun and cute rom-com that had enough story background and development that made it not only fun, but interesting and "real". I loved the Alaskan location with lots of adventure involved. The relationship was mature and not too fake. It definitely had all the tropes, which was kind of the point, and it was kind of fun!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the gifted e-arc.

A trope heavy romance book that makes fun of books that go heavy on the tropes? Color me intrigued. This book was everything I wanted and more. The story begins with a romance author at the height of her career, and it all comes tumbling down when her fans discover she doesn't actually believe in the happily ever afters she writes about. *Cue the main character fleeing the city to find herself in a remote location with the hot local hunk*

This author knew how to poke fun at the cheeky tropes we constantly see in romance books like enemies to lovers, and hot doctor who works with a worthy cause, and only one tent. What sets this book apart from other romance books though is the author's ability to pull real emotions out of her characters and bringing their personal lives to the table. Both Margot and Forrest go out of their comfort zones and start to care about themselves and each other instead of constantly taking care of their family members. We see them slowly fall in love and start to take down the guards they built up.

Any Trope but You is more than just a hot and steamy romance book, it is about finding yourself when you are feeling your lowest, learning to stay safe "but not too safe," and trusting that someone else will take care of your heart for you.

Looking for a sweet but steamy read with substance and heart, check this one out!


Thank you to Atria Books for an ARC and finished copy of the book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Any Trope but You by VIctoria Lavine is the story of bestselling romance author, Margot Bradley, who is cancelled after it is revealed that she doesn't believe in Happily Ever Afters when her Happily Never After doc is released to the public. Her chronically-ill sister, Savannah, books Margot a six-week getaway to remote Alaska to escape the uproar and to try her hand at a different genre - a murder mystery. But when Margot arrives, she finds the proprietor is a handsome bundle of every romance trope ever.

Dr. Forrest Wakefield has abandoned his dream job to care for his ailing father, and has resigned himself to never returning to his dreams in California. But when Margot arrives, smelling of gardenias and reminding him of everything he left behind, he finds her hard to resist. Will they find their own Happily Ever After? Or will Margot's checkout date be the end of their connection?

I enjoyed the premise of this book and the idea was cute. I appreciated the reality that was infused into the story, with both main characters connecting over their similarities of dreams being pushed aside to care for loved ones and being emotionally wounded and finding space to open up to one another. The synopsis of this book reads like a cliche but the book itself is well written.

There were a few reasons why I personally took stars away for this book. First, it seemed like certain parts of the story were rushed. The pacing felt a bit off and the resolution/ending was very short. I also felt like it was a bit more spicy than I was expecting and the 'romantic scenes' seemed a strange juxtaposition with the characters outside of those scenes. It was a bit much for my personal taste.

Thank you to NetGalley & Atria books for an eARC of this book!

Oh my goodness I loved this book! Such a fun and mature romance with ALL the tropes.

The premise of a romance author getting called out for no longer believing in HEA and needing to reinvented herself and hide out for a bit hooked me in quickly.

This book was so playful and had me laughing and giggling from the beginning. From the ambitiously flirty other men on the resort to Margot and Forrest both underestimating each others abilities and careers prematurely.

Both characters have great backstories and development making this feel like a real, mature relationship. There was just the right amount of trauma and emotional turmoil. Just the right amount of tearing up while reading.