I'm going to start this review by saying this was very clever.

A jaded romance writer who, after publishing her happily ever after's, privately rewrites her endings to give her stories a happy never after. When her HNA files are leaked, her career implodes. She sets off to a remote cabin in Alaska for a career and personal reset.

Enter the ultimate meet-cute, who quickly becomes an enemy who gives her a cutesy nickname and has to rescue her, which is easy because he's a doctor.

If you think this is ridiculous because this sounds like every romance out there, you aren't alone. Margot completely agrees! This can't be happening. She can't fall in love precisely as all the characters in her books do. 

I don't know why calling out all the tropes being unbelievable suddenly makes them completely endearing, but it does. This book was so cute! Every character is likable, and Forrest and Margot's common ground makes their conflict understandable. 

For my friends who prefer low-spice or closed-door, this isn't it. There aren't many scenes, but when there is one, it isn't just an open door. There is no door. 

That being said, given that we have ALL the tropes for a reason in this book, I was able to laugh at one of his worries in the bedroom, which under normal circumstances irritates me to no end. (I sure hope this was one of the purposeful tropes 😂)

Overall, it is a lighthearted, fun, don't take too seriously romcom that also feels like a yes, take it serious discovery of finding your own HEA.

Also, fun fact: Alaska is on my bucket list. I want to fly into a small village and experience it all up close and personal. I'm planning to take my own bearded lumberjack-ish MMC with me, though 😂 

Review will be shared 3/25/25

any trope but you is the embodiment of everything there is to love about the romance genre. it is truly a love letter to romance readers, and full of the absolute best the genre has to offer without ever once feeling contrived. this story is for emily henry fans, but especially those whose favorite em hen novel is book lovers.

any trope but you follows margot, a cynical romance author who has found herself growing more and more doubtful that men like the ones she crafts in her stories truly exist in real life. as a way to cope with the sharp contrast between the happy endings in her stories and the harsh realities of her own lonely life, margot writes a “happily never after” epilogue for every one of the romance novels she’s published. what was meant to be a secret means of catharsis turns into the potential end of margot’s career when someone hacks into her files, and posts the “happily ever after” document for the entire world to read.

after losing the trust of her readers, and nearly being dropped from her publishing house, margot’s sister savannah books her a 6-week “go find yourself” getaway to the alaskan wilderness where the temperatures are in the single digits, there is no connection to the outside world, and there just so happens to be a man that embodies the best qualities of every single one of the MMCs margot has written into existence. the only problem? she’s supposed to be finding herself and writing a new manuscript, not finding the happily ever after she thought she’d never have.

i absolutely adored margot and forrest, both as individuals and as a couple. they are perfect mirrors of one another, understanding each other on a fundamental level. they see each other fully, caring for one another with such tenderness. any trope but you has easily become a comfort read than i anticipate myself going back to again and again.

review live on goodreads as of 3/24 (linked below) and will be posted to my bookstagram account on release day, 4/1 (profile linked below).

This book is so beautiful! There’s heartbreak, jadedness, romance, humor, and so many lovable characters. I really enjoyed how this book played out and found myself laughing and crying and feeling all of the feelings with the characters.

“But the thing I’ve learned about hollowness—the kind that’s carved from pain—is that the deeper it goes, the more room it leaves for love. And when love finally rushes in, it fills every dark and twisty crevice with a light almost too brilliant to bear.” ✨

↳ ♡₊˚. The premise of this book had me hooked from the beginning: a romance author getting cancelled for not believing in her books’ happily ever afters ends up retreating to a remote lodge in Alaska and meeting a grumpy proprietor/cancer researcher whose one rule is to avoid dating guests at his family’s lodge. Both MCs, Margot Bradley and Dr. Forrest Wakefield, are so similar in how selfless and caring they are for their loved ones: Margot for her sister, Savannah and her struggles with an autoimmune disorder; Forrest for her father, Trapper, and his obstacles with overcoming a spinal injury. It’s very admiring to see how dedicated and devoted they were to dropping everything in their lives just to be at their side 24/7 as so many people often do in real life ♥️

↳ ♡₊˚. However, I wasn’t very interested in the romance when it did happen between them about halfway just because I felt like it was solely based on looks and attraction. I did love the quippy and snarky banter between the two of them, which I thought was hilarious. They did also have conversations about being caretakers, how Forrest found out how Margot didn’t believe in true romance, and how Margot found out how Forrest sacrificed his life back in California to stay in Alaska. But I felt like the instant attraction from when they first meet and build-up towards them finally embracing their growing attraction to each other fell flat for me, and I wasn’t very heavily invested in them because of it.

↳ ♡₊˚. Because they got together earlier than I would have expected, I did feel like I had to force myself to continue reading just because they were bound to have a roadblock or two in their way. And I’m so glad I kept going. Margot and Forrest’s relationship is plagued with so much uncertainty between their optimism for their relationship working out and their shared fears of thinking about themselves over the loved ones they’ve spent their lives taking care of. I feel like they have a unique, shared experience that not everyone will be able to understand unless you’ve been in their shoes and that’s what brought them closer to each other despite their constant fear of not letting anyone in too close ❣️

↳ ♡₊˚. I thought it was so interesting to see the themes of falling in love with someone but also falling out of love with them for factors that they can’t control as well as the fear of trusting and letting someone into your life knowing that they could walk out anytime. It was something I felt tugged at my heartstrings and it was so satisfying to see both Margot and Forrest navigate their fears for this on their own terms and with their support from their loved ones. I think the overall theme of learning that it’s okay to care about others but to also swallow the hard pill that sometimes you hurt them by not learning to live your life for yourself too was very important to include and was executed very well 💭

↳ ♡₊˚. I think my favourite parts of this book was seeing Margot’s relationship with Savannah and Forrest’s relationship with his father. I think I would’ve liked to see more of Forrest and Trapper’s relationship because despite him doing a whole 180 and leaving his life behind for his father, you didn’t really get to see many scenes of them bonding or what their relationship was like outside of Forrest serving as his father’s main caretaker. Margot and Savannah, on the other hand, made my heart swell and it was so heartwarming to see how much love they had for each other. Savannah deciding to carve her own path out of life and encouraging Margot to live her life for herself and not out of fear for her sister’s flare-ups was so bittersweet but full of love that I wouldn’t have complained if there were more scenes with them together. Their relationship was symbiotic and you could feel the love they had for one another in Savannah’s letters and in the stories Savannah recalled of Margot putting her little sister first all the time 💌

↳ ♡₊˚. I would give this a read to anyone who’s been burned by the flames of heartbreak, in need of a reminder that it’s okay to put yourself first once in a while, and still hoping for their chance of a happily ever after. You’ll find that you’re not the only one when you meet Margot and Forrest in “Any Trope But You” 🌄

“There are some people who come into your life—even for just a moment—who have the power to fundamentally change you forever.” 💘

Tropes:
- Romance author FMC x cancer researcher MMC 📝🔬
- Dual POV
- Enemies-to-lovers
- Caretaker rep ❣️
- Forced proximity + one tent, snowed in

Thank you to Victoria Lavine, NetGalley, and Atria Books for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ✨ (3.5/5)
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️
Tropes: forced proximity

It is always a bit meta to read a book when a main character has such a personal connection to the romance genre. This is especially true in “Any Trope but You” as the main character, Margot, is a romance author who is trying to shift her genre to murder. However, she keeps getting dragged back in to romance through every trope imaginable. I agree with other reviews that some tropes were necessary (only one sleeping bag OBVIOUSLY), but others didn’t seem like tropes to me until Margot specifically called them out. It took me out of the story a smidge, and made me question when storyline is just plot or a trope.

Regardless, I did really enjoy the journey Margot and Forrest took personally and professionally. The setting is also absolutely gorgeous, and loved their adventures. While it was dual POV, it was very internal monologue heavy, so their relationship wasn’t driven by dialogue. Overall, it was a great debut book and look forward to reading more by this author!

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

Thanks to Atria Books for an advanced copy of Any Trope But You by Victoria Lavine which comes out April 1st.

This was a such a fun romance! When a best-selling romance author makes a major snafu and flees to Alaska to reinvent herself as a murder mystery writer, she finds herself in a rom-com plot with the resort proprietor and wondering will this be her happily ever after?

I loved that while Margot writes happily ever afters, she doesn't believe in them and has her secret Happily Never After file -- honestly, I'd love to read the alternates of some of my favorite books.

I'm a sucker for an Alaska setting. I also liked seeing Margot step outside her comfort zone while in Alaska and Forrest was the best. I liked seeing them both come together over their shared experiences of being a caregiver for a family member. Margot's sister Savannah was great -- and I'd love to see more of her!

This had great banter, I liked the romance writer almost making fun of romance tropes and the challenges faced by both Margot and Forrest.

If you're looking for a great romance and a debut -- check out Any Trope But You!

This book was so fun! The wittiness was off the charts and as a debut book for Victoria Lavine, She checked all the boxes for me. From start to finish this book offered non-stop entertainment and made it really hard to put down.

The title is book is flooded with the standard romance tropes (just like the title calls for), and Margot as a romance author definitely thinks Forrest is too good to be true. The way the two of them meet in a moose encounter with a fun spin...it couldn't have more meet-cute than that!

I love how caring and dedicated Forrest is to his father and keeping him on track to recovery after his accident. I love his back story with his mother’s illness and the way he changed his research and studies to fall inline with his mother's struggles. How he’s also so smart in every way you can think of. He is dedicated to the idea of doing the right thing and is humble all the way through.

Margot and her journey through self discovery and moving on from past relationship traumas was a fun experience. The letters her sister wrote to her little by little helped her develop into a confident women through pushing her to do things outside her comfort zone. It was so sweet to see the growth through her journey in this novel.

I was sucked in right away with the mesmerizing writing style and really happy to discover this one. Can't wait for her to write more books because I'm an instant fan.

Thank you so much to NetGallery, Atria and also Victoria for my ARC...so glad to have read this fun and witty rom - com!

Any Trope but You was extremely charming. I had a big goofy grin on my face probably 50% of the time I was reading this.

We get a dual perspective featuring Margot, a romance writer who gives all her books an alternate Happily Never After as she no longer believes in HEAs and travels to remote Alaska after being canceled by the romance community, and Forrest, an MD/PhD who left his research (specializing in the type of breast cancer that his mom died from) to take care of his dad and family's Alaskan resort after his dad suffers an accident. Despite Margot and Forrest constantly find themselves smack dab in the middle of a romance trope, they each have their own reasons for resisting.

I really enjoyed this book. It was smart, funny, and contemplative. When either Margot or Forrest was making a bad decision, I understood where they were coming from. The setting in remote Alaska and the excursions they went on were particularly fun to read.

Sweetest little rom com I’ve read in a hot minute!
I adored this and truly cannot wait for more from Victoria Levine!

I needed something fluffy and a series of darker stories and decided to give this debut author a try. First of all, I love that she's from Maine (fellow Mainer here). Second of all, she also shouted out a few bookstores that I'll need to check out when I go back for a visit. Thirdly, this ode to romance stories was just perfect to me in every way. Every trope under the sun was highlighted and ruminated about. Margot has had a string of bad luck romantically and has lost her HEA vibe. A catastrophic event during a live stream has her being "cancelled" (and my romance author friends can attest to the fear of this happening on any given day for any given reason). Enter, a trip to a remote area of Alaska to luck her wounds. And well, you'll need to read the story to get all the details. Suffice it to say, it was not ALL fluffy feel good. I laughed out loud and giggled like a school girl through much of the story. I didn't stop reading until I finished. AND, I will admit to shedding a few tears. An amazing debut story and will happily look forward to reading more.

Any Trope But You is an absolute delight!! This heartwarming romcom belongs on every TBR.

Margot is a best-selling romance author, but when she’s canceled by her readers for not believing in happily ever afters, she flees to an Alaskan resort to write her first murder mystery. The last thing she expected was to find herself in a romance plot herself!

Margot and Forrest are the sweetest. I adored their playfulness and warmth. This cozy read had me giggling and swooning, and I couldn’t put it down!

What to know:
Cozy Alaska setting
Enemies to lovers
Forced proximity
Caretaking
“Mine”
One sleeping bag
Romance author x doctor
Dual POV

This book follows Margot, a romance author exiled to Alaska by her sister to write her murder mystery manuscript. Who knew that a secluded cabin in the Alaskan wilderness would have such a romantic atmosphere. From the very start, Margot encounters multiple swoon worthy tropes straight out of a romance novel, which was not part of her plan. Bullwinkle is honestly my favorite side character in this book. I would 100 percent give him a carrot. There is witty banter and chemistry coming out the wazoo, which is to be expected when they are stuck together with no connection outside of Alaska. This will have you cackling and kicking your feet. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the gifted ARC. All opinions are my own.

Instagram post will be live 25Mar25.

📚 Any Trope but You" by Victoria Levine 📚

Any Trope but You" is a delightful rom-com that takes readers on an adventurous journey through the Alaskan wilderness. The story follows Margot, a jaded romance author whose personal heartbreak leads her to pen "Happily Never Afters." When these cynical tales are accidentally leaked, Margot's career and reputation take a nosedive, prompting her to escape to Alaska. There, she meets Forrest, a rugged wilderness guide who seems to embody every romantic trope she once cherished. Their chemistry is palpable, and their interactions are filled with witty banter and heartfelt moments. ​

Note to the Author: Victoria, your debut novel is a breath of fresh air in the romance genre! The blend of self-awareness, humor, and heartfelt emotion made this book an absolute joy to read. Looking forward to more of your work! 💖​

Disclaimer: This review is based on an Advanced Reader's Copy provided by NetGalley.

Victoria Lavine's "Any Trope but You" is an absolute gem! Her writing style is both witty and heartfelt, making it impossible to put the book down (seriously, I finished it so quickly!). I love a dual narrative and the use of every romantic trope out there. The only downside is the ending felt rushed - I wish we could have a few more chapters with these two. I highly recommend this delightful read to anyone looking for an emotional blend of romance and humor.

this was sweet & very wholesome! i love when love skeptics are proven wrong through their own experience getting swept off their feet :’)

the chronic illness/caretaker representation in this book was so impactful and i loved the relationship dynamics between the FMC and her sister (those letters 🥹💌) as well as the MMC with his dad. the leads’ emotional & mental compatibility was primarily based in the relatability to their individual situations which made their chemistry undeniable & such an easy couple to root for!

i think this story could have benefitted with a bit more development in the early stages of the two leads’ relationship. things progressed at a breakneck speed which made it difficult to savor and explore more of their emotional connection. their relationship is also described on page by the FMC later in the book as “enemies to lovers” but their faulty first impressions were so quickly brushed past, that this description doesn’t seem entirely based in my opinion.

would definitely recommend if you ride hard for romance and you’re looking for something lighthearted with meaningful representation and found family aspects.

thank you so much to atria books for the opportunity to read an early digital copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!

Adorable, funny, challenging.... this book was a very enjoyable read. Margot is a writer that is stuck in life, her sister pushes her to go to Alaska and step outside her comfort zone. Enter our grumpy MMC, Forrest.

I enjoyed the growth of the characters in this story. The book also enjoys playing with romance tropes and poking fun at itself as well. Overall, thoroughly enjoyable read.

This was a cute and enjoyable winter time read! I really enjoyed Margot and her character development towards being more open minded and adventurous. The pacing was well done and I feel like we really got to see their relationship develop in an authentic way. Forrest was the perfect grumpy and sweet MMC, and he softens so much throughout the book.

Thank you so much to Atria Books for the advance copy of this!

This book comes out on April 1st.

I first heard about this debut from Bad on Paper and host Becca Freeman spoke so highly of it so I immediately went to NetGalley to request. This was such a delightful romance!

"Just like the heroes in my books, he's too perfect. I've never been with someone so gratuitously attractive. It's why romance heroes need to stay safely within their pages, where they can't take innocent, horny women unawares in Alaskan saunas."

Popular romance writer Margot Bradley has escaped to the remote wilderness of Alaska with the assistant of her sister as it came out that she doesn't in fact believe in love. Margot thinks that the 6 weeks with limited internet service is the reset she needs to start work on her first mystery and also give the public enough time to forget the headlines. What Margot didn't plan is to be in her very own romance with all the tropes being thrown at her.

Margot is very attracted to Dr. Forrest Wakefield whose family owns the lodge she is staying at. Forrest had his own issues with a prior female guest and tries hard to stay away from Margot and Margot just wants a simple hook up during her stay to take some edge off. Except it doesn't work out that way (as it never does). Forrest knows the Margot is different than anyone he has ever encountered. He was originally living in California before he moved to Alaska and took it as a sign that perhaps maybe he should reconsider going back to Cali. Him and Margot both go on this journey of self discovery in their own way. They each want to be in their respected career but the cloud of caregiving follows them around and the immense guilt they feel doing something for themselves isn't far behind. Also hello Forrest went and read all of her books - SWOOON! The quote above alludes to a sauna and boy were we in for a treat during that scene! This book is told from dual POVs though Forrest's chapters are nearly as long as Margot's but I was still happy to have his POV.

It's no secret that I'm not a huge fan of slow burns but sometimes slow burns are truly amazing and this one was done well. There was just enough tension to keep me wanting more. Forrest was such a hottie on page. He was truly a perfect book boyfriend that only a female writer could craft. He was a selfless man who gave up his chance to work on breast cancer research to be a full time caregiver to his father. He truly thought his life was going to consist of living in Alaska and being there for his father making sure his needs were handled. I love seeing their relationship on page. And the juxtaposition to Margot who did not have a relationship with her dad but is close to her mom and even closer to her sister Savannah.

"...there are some people who come into your life -- even for just a moment -- who have the power to fundamentally change you forever."

Savannah played a major part of the story without necessarily having much page time. Just like with Forrest, Margot has dedicated her life to being there for her sister who has an autoimmune disorder but Savannah had other plans. Even though I felt like Margot was a little overbearing it made me wish that I had an older sister who cared so deeply about my well being. I was proud of Savannah for orchestrating this trip for Margot and really planning all the moments out for her. The letters she left for Margot were so sweet and meant a lot to her. If there was one person who was going to motivate Margot, it was her sister. Without giving away any spoilers, the last letter that Savannah wrote for Margot really threw her in for a loop which after a series of other events prompted Margot to return back home.

My only critique and this is such a me issue is that the first half of the book, the chapters were long which made me feel like I wasn't getting anywhere in the book. But then as the chapters got shorter, I felt like I was zooming. So if long chapters are your jam then you shouldn't have any issues.

Final Thoughts: When I was not reading this book, I was thinking about Forrest and Margot. I love seeing how their relationship grew in 6 weeks. And not only their growth but also Margot's growth during that time away. Truly I feel like we all could use 6 weeks in the wilderness to reconnect with ourselves and turn the brain off for a bit.

I recommend this book if you enjoy caregiving storylines, sister relationship, Alaskan setting with burly intelligent man!

PS - The author's thank you to her her husband at the end made my eyes misty!! I also felt like that it explained a lot about the book and its themes.

4.5

As the title suggests, this book completely embraces the stereotypical rom-com tropes, and I loved every second of it. This book was written in a way that recognizes it and plays into it. Forrest is a whole green forest of green flags, and I enjoyed Margot's and Forrest's journey together.

Margot Bradley is HILARIOUS! I loved her inner monologue throughout the book. I found her self-deprecation relatable, and her viewpoint of events could have been my own. I'm not sure I have ever described something as "laugh out loud funny", but her antics were absolutely that.

I wasn't sure how the "trope" part of the title would come into play, but it did in EVERY way! I love how Victoria Lavine picked fun at the traditional tropes, while creating some of her own - but made you enjoy every single one of them in ATBY regardless of your usual inclination toward them. Throw in a hulking mountain man, some spice and a sprinkling of curses, and you get this delightful and fun rom-com.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster/Atria Books for an e-arc of this book!