After a spectacular career implosion leaves her writing dreams in ashes, Margo is banished to the Alaskan wilderness for a six-week 'reinvention' retreat. Little does she know, her path to self-discovery will be paved with… romance tropes? Literally. On day one, she collides (quite spectacularly) into Forrest, a man who seems to embody every swoon-worthy cliché she’s ever read. Skeptical after a string of disastrous relationships and a called off engagement, Margo is convinced love is a fictional construct. But between the forced proximity of the Alaskan wilds, the undeniable chemistry with Forrest, and her sister Savannah’s relentless nudging, Margot begins to question everything she thought she knew about happily ever after. Can she overcome her cynicism and finally believe that maybe, just maybe, she deserves her own real-life romance trope?"

What really made this book shine, for me, was the banter. Forrest and Margo's back-and-forth was sharp, seemless, and kept the pages turning at a rapid pace. Lavine's writing has this light, humorous tone that grabs you from the first page.

Umm… omg?! This book was so fun! It had so much heart and soul. I loved all of the characters. I cannot believe this was a debut novel!

I really liked the twist on how Margot was a romance author that doesn’t believe in happily ever afters. This added a layer to the plot that was different and I loved what it added to the story! I will also read anything set in Alaska, and once you include adventures and a hot forest (ha) man I am THERE.

The writing was great and kept me interested while reading the story. It was easy to read and complimented the romance and the plot well!

Speaking of which, let’s not forget the romance. This was soooo well done. I loved Forrest and Margot’s chemistry. It was so easy for me to fall in love with their love. They were definitely mirrors for each other and I felt that added depth to their relationship we otherwise wouldn’t have seen. Sometimes books with too many tropes are a turnoff for me but I loved this one. Give me ALL the tropes!

I think this would make a great winter read, but it releases April 1 so add this one to the TBR folks! If this author decides to write more books, I will definitely read them!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

An entertaining multi-trope steamy romance. As is normal for me, I skipped all the intimate scenes. Not fond of the "f" word either, but neither stopped me from continuing the story until I reached their HEA. Interesting situations for the main characters. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

I really enjoyed this! The writing was very engaging. The story was great with plenty of humor, heart, and a fun cast of characters. Everything I want in a romance novel. I would definitely recommend!

I'm a sucker for a good romance trope! And a book with MANY tropes? Perfect, chefs kiss.

I felt like the pacing of this book was great, and I really appreciate when the conflict between the main characters are real and not just a miscommunication trope. Felt like I escaped to Alaska and went on an adventure with the whole crew.

P.S. Forrest was absolutely perfect.

Any Trope but You is just CUTE. I love how Forrest ends up in all the tropes for Margot. He really builds her up; we love a supportive king. I love how both of our MCs are caregivers for loved ones, it’s really hits home. Sometimes you just find your person and it all works out.
4/5
Thank you to Net Galley & Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After being outed as a romance writer who doesn’t believe in romance or happily ever afters, Margot is forced to flee to Alaska…where she can’t deny that she just might be wrong. 🫎

3.5 ⭐️ The first half of this book seemed like it was going for all the obvious rom-com scenarios and fell a little flat for me. I thought our FMC, Margot, was rude and our MCs together were petulant and frustrating. As I read, I kept thinking the book couldn’t decide if it wanted to be a rom-com or a deeper contemporary romance. At the halfway point, the book started to feel more contemporary and that’s when I really started to enjoy it. I loved the small epistolary element between Margot and her sister Savannah and the broader plot points around caregiving and chronic pain. Savannah was comic relief when the book was more serious and I enjoyed her character a lot. (So much so, that I’d love a book with her as the FMC!) The “trope” tie-in felt silly for me at first, but by the end I absolutely adored that the book was a love letter to romance novels and an appreciative nod to romance readers. ☺️ I’ll definitely be on the lookout for the author’s next book!

My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a complimentary advance copy of this eBook, out 4/1/2025.

I absolutely loved everything about this hilarious and heartwarming rom com! Victoria Lavine's writing is so good, I loved the characters and could picture the settings so vividly. Parts of it made me laugh and smile, while parts are so tender and sweet. There is a fair amount of open door romance as well, so steer clear if that's not for you.

This book also touches on many heavier topics and I thought it did them in a delicate and sensitive way.

There was no way not to root for Margot and Forrest -- Forrest is one of the best male main characters I've read, he's so swoony and perfect! I couldn't put it down by the end as I raced to find out what would happen to them.

I am so excited to see what Victoria Lavine writes next and will be eagerly awaiting it!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

This is such a fun debut! Romance lovers: I think you will really enjoy this one as our main characters reluctantly tackle all the tropes. Margot is a romance author whose recently been canceled for not believing in happily ever afters. She goes to Alaska to write a new manuscript in a different genre and finds herself face to face with the attractive son of the lodge’s owner. And she is determined not to give into her attraction BUT OF COURSE these two find themselves thrown into every romance trope known to man. I thought Victoria did this so well—sometimes when a romance novel actively acknowledges tropes it can come off as cheesy but this was one was fun and I found myself rolling your eyes right along with Margot.

Margot and Forrest were so fun and I loved that their relationship wasn’t just physical attraction. Both of them made assumptions on first impressions and quickly realized there was more to each other than they thought. They also had similar hearts and some shared experiences that I felt gave their relationship a deeper connection. I also adored Forrest’s dad and Margot’s sister. I loved how these two pushed our main characters and gave them tough love, but also kindness and support.

And of course-the Happily Ever After was sweet and precious and exactly what you want in a romance novel. I loved it. This book honestly feels like such a fun romcom movie (can someone make it happen please?).

Thank you to the author, @atriabooks, and @netgalley for the ARC! This one releases March 31st!

👍🏻Read If You Like:
•enemies to lovers
•forced proximity
•romance tropes
•author FMCs

🛑Content Warnings:
•loss of parent to cancer (in past)
•parent abandonment (in past)
•primary caregiver for sick family members
•moderate language

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️Open Door Romance
Closed Door Mods: last half of Ch. 17, end of Ch. 20-Ch. 21, Ch. 26

This novel is told in two POVs - Margot and Forrest. Margot is a best selling romance author who secretly has been writing happily never after endings for her books and the file gets hacked and leaked and she’s cancelled during a podcast interview when the papers are leaked. Forrest is a doctor leading the industry in research but moves home to help his father after he suffers an injury and is wheelchair bound. Every romance trope is thrown in but it’s so delightfully tongue-in-cheek that you can’t help but smile and laugh along with the book.

If you enjoy sharp witty romances that will still make you swoon (this reminded me of Abby Jimenez in the best ways) then add this to your TBR pronto!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

🫎 Any Trope But You - Victoria Levine 🫎
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️
e-ARC

You guys, I’m calling it now, this will be one of my top romance reads of the YEAR, that’s how much I loved this book!

First of all, I feel like this book was written for all the romance book girlies out there! I mean it’s about an author who writes Happily Ever Afters! And the way the author hit on every single romance trope we love was perfection! Right off the bat I loved Margot, she was witty and kind while also being a little jaded and slightly pessimistic. The fact that she had to go through a public humiliation was so heart breaking, but I felt like she handled it so well considering. And Forrest 😍, well hello to my new favorite book boyfriend. Seriously though, he may be a bit of a grump but he had such a tender heart who genuinely loved taking care of people, especially his Dad. Now while some may think that the overuse of tropes was a bit much, I personally ate it up. It added such a comedic element to the plot and made this story so bingeworthy! And while the romance was everything in this book, I especially loved how the story also focused on Margot’s relationship with her sister and Forrest’s relationship with his Dad.

I won’t say anymore, other than please add this one to your TBR you will not be disappointed!

Any Trope But You comes out 4/1 so mark your calendars!

Victoria Lavine's debut, "Any Trope But You," delivers a delightful mix of humor and heart. The dialogue is undeniably funny, and the clever play on romance tropes is a highlight. The moose meet-cute? Absolutely hysterical!

While the initial drama felt a tad cringy, the characters quickly developed a tangible depth that drew me in. Forrest, "from the forest," is a trope filled dream, and Lavine crafts him with a special charm. It's easy to see why Margot falls for him.

However, the book had a slow start for me. It wasn't until around the 40% mark that I truly became invested in the story. The transition from enemies to lovers felt a bit rushed, a common issue I find with this trope.

That being said, when the romance hits, it hits. The sauna scene? Let's just say it turned up the heat! 🥵 And while the book isn't overly smutty, the intimate scenes are beautifully written, capturing the tender moments of Margot and Forrest falling in love. It's a testament to Lavine's skill that the romance feels so genuine.

A special shoutout must go to the fantastic sisterly bond between Savannah and Margot. Their dynamic reminded me of the hilarious sisters from "Nobody Wants This" on Netflix.

Despite the slow start, "Any Trope But You" is a promising debut from Victoria Lavine. If you're looking for a funny, heartwarming romance with a unique twist, this book is worth the read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for the ARC opportunity. This book was hands down one of my favourite reads of 2025.

Funny, like actually funny, clever, heartfelt, tender and perfectly paced. This story, as much a romance as a journey of self discovery for both Margot and Forrest. I loved their tropes, I loved how the author weaved in every romance reader's favourite trope and sub tropes, and loved how deep this was. This was as much a love story between two characters, but also a love story to the romance genre.

I can't wait for more people to discover this wonderful book, and I can't wait to read more from this incredibly talented romance author.

My rating: 3.75

Tropes:
- dislike to lovers
- forced proximity
- only one tent
- Alaska setting
- dual POV
- romance author / doctor
- chronic illness / caretaker rep
- wilderness adventure

Margot doesn’t believe in "happily ever afters"—not for herself, her readers, or even her characters, for whom she secretly writes alternate endings. When her Happily Never After document leaks, readers cancel her, and her publisher drops her.

Forrest never expected to trade cancer research for running his family’s resort and caring for his stubborn, ailing father. His carefully controlled life is turned upside down when Margot arrives.

Snowy nights and unlikely tropes bring them closer, forcing Margot and Forrest to confront their fears—or risk writing their own "happily ever after."

It was ridiculous, funny, and heartfelt. I loved it ❤️

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love how we can all read the same book and make different connections and take different things away from it. I loved the main plot and thought it was done well with the many different romance tropes. I am always worried that a premise like this will be super cheesy but it definitely was not. I was honestly shocked to see that this is a debut novel. The author does an incredible job crafting a fun, creative, and adventurous plot with top notch witty banter and developing lovable, realistic, and relatable characters. I am very excited to get to participate in a zoom call with the author this weekend!

I was already excited about this book, but that dedication really hooked me. Then I became even more invested with the research of TNBC and the conversation about chronic illnesses…I felt so heard. It’s always nice to read something realistic and relatable and to know that you’re not the only one dealing with or going through certain things.

🫎Dual POV
⛺️Romance Tropes
🫎Self Discovery
⛺️Life of an Author
🫎Autoimmune/Chronic Illness Rep
⛺️Caregivers
🫎Sisters
⛺️Alaskan setting
🫎Wilderness Expeditions
⛺️Letters
🫎That Dedication 🥹

Victoria Lavine’s "Any Trope But You" is a delightful debut that cleverly subverts classic romance tropes, blending humor, emotional depth, and swoon-worthy romance.

Set in a remote Alaskan resort, the novel follows Margot Bradley, a bestselling romance author who no longer believes in Happily Ever Afters. After an embarrassing career scandal, she retreats to Alaska to write a murder mystery, only to have her plans disrupted by Dr. Forrest Wakefield, the grumpy yet charming resort owner. As the pair are drawn together by forced proximity and the classic grumpy-sunshine dynamic, they must confront their fears and find their own version of happiness.

Lavine excels in character development, particularly with Margot, whose wit and vulnerability make her both relatable and compelling. Forrest, with his quiet strength and hidden tenderness, balances Margot’s fiery personality perfectly. Their chemistry is palpable, and their evolving relationship is deeply satisfying. The secondary characters, including Margot’s sister Savannah and Forrest’s ailing father, add warmth and richness to the story.

Any Trope But You is not just a fun and lighthearted romance; it also explores deeper themes like family dynamics, chronic illness, and vulnerability. The humor is a standout feature, with Lavine mixing laugh-out-loud moments with emotional depth. The playful nods to romance tropes are both clever and endearing, making this novel a joy for fans of the genre. Overall, Lavine’s debut is a charming, fresh take on romance, and readers will eagerly anticipate more from this promising new voice in contemporary fiction.

Margot is a published author of multiple bestselling romance novels, each of which ends in a “happily ever after”. What her adoring readers don’t know, however, is that Margot has been cynical of love for years. Her disdain for romance is so strong that she keeps a secret file on her computer titled the “Happily Never After” file, where she documents what she deems to be the true endings of each of her published works: a happily never after ending where the main characters do not end up up together.

When a hacker leaks Margot’s “Happily Never After” file, her fans are horrified to discover that Margot’s public image and published works have been a facade. Her publisher drops her, and she is “canceled” online. Fearing her career as an author is beyond repair, Margot decides to try a new genre: Mystery. Margot's best friend, roommate, and sister (all tied into one), Savannah, recognizes that Margot is struggling and needs a change of scenery. When Savannah sends Margot on a 6-week trip to Alaska, promising that the solitary landscape will be perfect for crafting the "mystery" genre, Margot is hesitant to leave her sister due to Savannah's struggles with chronic illness. When Margot arrives in Alaska, she discovers that her sister has set Margot up on a pre-planned journey of self-discovery where Margot is forced to test and push herself to new limits, far outside her Los Angeles comfort zone, if she wants to receive a weekly pre-written letter from her sister. Desperate for interaction with her sister - even through these pre-written letters - Margot complies.

Who holds the key to her access to these pre-written letters; the only person with the power to grant each letter to Margot onces she has completed the agreed upon adventure of the week? None other than Forrest, a man who is the epitome of every romance novel trope Margot has ever dreamed of. Forrest has set aside his own career aspirations in order to live onsite to run his family's Alaskan lodge after his father's medical struggles. Forrest and Margot get off to a rocky start, but “Any Trope will Do” chronicles the journey that brings the two together.

“Any Trope will Do” offers ample character development, seen in both Margot and Forrest. As the novel unfolds, it delves deeper into each character’s past, revealing what made Margot become so cynical to romance and what led Forrest to become a stand-offish operator of a lodge in Alaska. The novel also offers wit and humor as it openly points out the “tropes” used throughout - this makes it much more humorous than corny. Readers who approach this novel from a comedic< standpoint will appreciate the way that the author teases its frequent use of romance novel tropes, while also getting to enjoy the steamy romance that blooms between Margot and Forrest. Additionally, the book includes topics such as heartbreak, chronic illness, complicated grief, and the challenges that come with vulnerability and self-discovery. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can easily rate it 5 out of 5 stars. This title will be released on April 1, 2025 and I would highly recommend picking it up for a read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Victoria Lavine for providing an early digital Arc in exchange for my honest review!

Any Trope But You by Victoria Lavine

4/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m honestly floored that this is a debut novel from Victoria Lavine. There was so much to love about this book—the chemistry between Forrest and Margot, the quaintly cute lodge setting, the endearing family members, and of course every trope under the Alaskan sun.

I definitely had hesitation that a book specifically naming all the tropes would be extremely cliche and not enjoyable but I was starkly proven wrong. The author pulled each one off flawlessly and did it in a way that was charming and heartwarming.

Given that it’s still cold out near me I also really enjoyed reading this during this particular time of year (mood readers, wya?). While I adored the happy ending I also loved how the author took time to illustrate the ups and downs it takes to get a HEA instead of a HNA. Life’s always about the journey ❤️

Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher and the author—congratulations on your debut novel!! Any Trope But You will be out wherever books are sold starting 4/1 🫎❄️🛷🌲

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5. Thank you to Avon books for the ebook and #talkingtomybookstravelingarc hosted by @bookswithnopictures and @just_talking_to_my_shelf for the Traveling ARC.

This romance set in Alaska is funny, swoony, and emotional.
Romance writer Margo gets sent by her sister to Alaska for a six-week writing getaway after she is cancelled by her readers because someone leaked her Happily Never After document that revealed alternate stories to all her romance books. Forrest, a cancer researcher, has returned to Alaska to help take care of his sick father and run their resort. Full of romance tropes that Margot is fully aware of, this book really explores the ups and downs of getting to know someone while on vacation and feeling a connection while also knowing that at some point, everyone has to get back to real life, which isn't always conducive to a relationship.

The MMC, Forrest, was amazing. He's smart, strong, caring, and honest. Margot is a little rough, but she becomes more likeable as she begins to let down her walls she feels are protecting her heart. Savannah's letters were a wonderful bonus and she really is the best sister who absolutely loves Margot. There is a whole crew of side characters at the lodge who add to the humor. Of all the tropes in this book, I think my favorite is "just one tent." One of my favorite quotes, in reference to two people, "They vanish from the kitchen faster than a couple of freshly baked biscuits." 😆

This review has been posted to Goodreads and Storygraph on March 13th, 2025. Links provided.

Margo Bradely, a successful romance author, secretly rejects the notion of happy endings, journaling tragic twists for her characters instead that she calls her “Happily Never Afters.” When her unconventional and secret endings are exposed, her reputation shatters, and she’s left with little choice but to reinvent herself. At her sister’s request (i.e. forcing), Margot agrees to head off to a secluded Alaskan resort for a six week reset and retreat in an attempt to switch genres and write a murder mystery novel to save her career. There, she crosses paths with Forrest Wakefield, who is grappling with his own emotional barriers after leaving his career in cancer research to take care of his ailing father. As the beloved trope of forced proximity plagues their day to day, Margot and Forrest grow closer, realizing they must confront their fears and rethink their views on love, family, and loss, or risk becoming part of their own tragic story.

This book was an absolute delight, hitting every rom-com trope you could imagine and somehow making it all work perfectly by calling itself out for the ridiculousness of the situations. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic, forced proximity, and the tension between Margo’s and Forrest’s personalities were all executed so well. I loved the setting of the remote Alaskan resort, which only added to the enjoyment of all the beloved tropes. What really stood out to me, though, was how it tackled the idea of falling out love with the idea of love. Margot’s struggle with the modern dating world and her disillusionment with happily-ever-afters felt so real and refreshing. I appreciated the fact that this book doesn’t shy away from showing the complexities of love and relationships. Margot and Forrest both deal with the weight of responsibilities, especially when it comes to being caretakers for their loved ones. The emotional depth in this book, from the bond between Margot and her sister to Forrest’s relationship with his dad, was incredibly moving. Overall, this book is a heartfelt celebration of love, family, and personal growth that will leave you with a renewed sense of hope and a smile on your face.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read to an ARC of Any Trope but You in return for my honest review.