I’ve heard so many good things about this book. When I was approved for the arc yesterday, I was absolutely thrilled and I cuddled up on the lounge—ready to dive in. Unfortunately, while I enjoyed the prose in this book, I struggled connecting to the MC. DNF’d at 25%

Any Trope but You has been on my radar for a long while now, and I'm glad I got to review it!
I absolutely loved it, it was refreshing and had a little bit of everything - funny instants, deadpan humor, heartfelt moments, and characters that you'll root for. This story has so many layers to it, with such strong relationships between the characters that it tugs on the heartstrings and feels poignant and wholesome.
I loved both Margot and Forrest (and all the secondary characters who play crucial roles), and the fun play on tropes in their story. I feel like there was kind of a full-circle moment to their HEA, and it seemed like a significant moment for Margot especially.
The story flew beautifully, and the writing was top-notch - beyond my expectations for a debut!
This book deserves no less than a 5 star from me, and I look forward to reading more from Victoria Lavine.

Thank you to Atria Books for the ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to @atriabooks and @netgalley for providing me with this #gifted digital copy!

This book has such a fun premise! A jaded romance author, Margot, keeps a secret file of her “Happily Never Afters” where she gives all of the HEAs in her books non-happy endings. But when this is revealed to the world and the romance community turns against her, Margot’s sister books her a trip to remote Alaska to write and reinvent herself.

What a great debut! 🙌🏻 Victoria Lavine has hilariously sarcastic writing, and the way she intentionally mocks yet appreciates romance tropes throughout is so well woven. The entire time she’s falling in love, our FMC can’t believe she’s experiencing so many obvious tropes she writes and doesn’t really believe in. I found this such an endearing storyline and laughed out loud several times!

This is a cute, charming, and honestly pretty spicy romcom that people are going to love. I’m a sucker for a good Alaskan setting in books, and I thought the MMC Forrest was pretty dreamy. The connection between the two main characters was well-formed due to their shared circumstances of being caretakers for their loved ones. I did not love the third act breakup, but saw it coming and do understand why it was added in there.

This is definitely one to pick up!

this will contain spoilers.

This book was a lot of fun. I like when characters go through hard things that are very relatable, showing that they can grow and change. That gives me hope that I can get through the hard things within my own life. I had to laugh every time Margot was exasperated by a new trope showing up, like one tent, or abs of steel, or doctor with a worthy cause. by the end, it got to a point of trying to make impossible decisions and whether or not they could put themselves into a position to be as happy as could be. We all have to make those choices sometimes.

But this was definitely a fun book and I laughed multiple times.

I plan to share this title on my instagram on Monday, March 31st at www.instagram.com/robinashleyreads

Any Trope But You
By Victoria Lavine

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Rom-Com
Format: 📖
Steam: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Mood: Fun, quirky, spicy, escape
Yes, No, Maybe: Maybe
Publication Date: 4/1/25

A romance author is outed for not believing in “Happily Ever After”. She escapes to a remote, rustic lodge in Alaska to recalibrate her writing career and possibly re-examine her thoughts on love.

I went into this book with no expectations. I was looking for a fun, palette cleansing escape after reading some darker books recently and this certainly delivered. Victoria Lavine is clearly a lover of the romance genre and I think did a good job being playful with the tropes, but not having it come across cheesy or cringe. It had some humor, spice, wit, and complicated characters that displayed some growth throughout the story.

It took me a little time to get used to the writing style. I found it a bit heavy handed with the similes and metaphors, particularly the first 20% of the book. To me it made it more distracting, confusing, and took away from getting to know the characters and the setting. As the story progressed I either got used to them or the frequency decreased making it flow more smoothly for me.

Overall, I enjoyed this debut novel from Victoria Lavine. I got some sad personal news when I first started reading this book and it served as the perfect distraction and escape, I needed. I loved the Alaska backdrop, the outdoor adventures, the fun supporting cast of characters, the humor, and the swoon-worthy, cinnamon roll male main character.

📖Read this book if you like:
❤️ Classic romance tropes
😏 Playful banter
☀️ Grumpy sunshine MMC
📈 Personal growth in lead characters
🏕️ Outdoor adventure
🫎 Fun supporting characters
🔥 Slow burn and spice!

🙏 Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, & Victoria Lavine for this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. Any Trope But You publishes 4/1/25. 💖


⚠️ Trigger Warnings: parent divorce, absent father, breast cancer, loss of parent (past), climbing accident resulting in significant physical injury (past)

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC of Victoria Levine’s ‘Any Trope But You’. Hitting shelves April 1, 2025. It is everything I could have ever wanted in a romance novel. It’s hilarious, heartfelt, and utterly swoon-worthy. I would say that this book checked all of the fantastic romance boxes and then some!

The chemistry between the leads crackles from the first chapter where Margot literally jumps into Forrest’s arms. Their continuous banter throughout the book had me grinning like an absolute fool. As for the premise of the book, absolute gold. The way Levine masterfully weaves classic romance tropes while flipping them on their heads makes this story feel fresh, exciting, and completely addictive. I laughed, I sighed, I cried, and I may have even hugged the book when it was over because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye.

The writing is sharp and engaging, the pacing is just right, and the emotional depth sneaks up on you in the best way. It’s the kind of book that makes you believe in love all over again. Whether you’re a fan of fake dating, enemies-to-lovers, grumpy/sunshine, or forced proximity—Any Trope But You delivers it all with charm and flair. This is most definitely a ‘just one more chapter’ kind of book because Margot, Forrest, Trapper, and Savannah hook you from the start. I’ll be recommending this to everyone!

60/100 or 3.0 stars

This was a cute romance!
I had a fun time with this, despite the obvious plot holes/conveniences throughout the story. I am also not a fan of every avaialble person being attracted to the main character just for them to either seem more desirable or make tension between the person they actually like, but that happens all the time and isn't necessarily this book's fault. I just wish that trope would be over already. The constant mention of what was happening as being tropes was annoying after the first time it was mentioned...we get it!
Otherwise, the sexual content was decent. It was not memorable though, so that is why I gave it three stars. I would recommend for readers looking for a quick romance read!

Okay what a fun time!!! This was such a unique concept for a contemporary romance!
As a shameless rom-com reader this had ALL THE TROPES.

I absolutely devoured the self-aware humor in this book.
Found myself giggling the whole time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ !!!!

Victoria Lavine's Any Trope but You is a charming and clever take on contemporary romance with a refreshing twist. The story follows two characters who find themselves caught up in the world of romantic tropes—only to discover that love might be more complicated (and funny) than they expected. What sets this book apart is its meta exploration of the very tropes it embraces, poking fun at them while still delivering the feel-good moments we all crave.

The banter between the protagonists is witty, their chemistry palpable, and the romantic tension makes for a page-turning experience. Lavine balances humor and heartfelt moments beautifully, allowing the characters to evolve while still keeping the story light and fun. The narrative is engaging, and even when things get a little predictable (as they often do in romance), Lavine manages to keep it fresh with well-placed surprises and clever character development.

While the book sticks to many familiar romantic tropes, it’s done in such a way that it feels comforting, like slipping into your favorite sweater. That said, some might find the plot a bit formulaic, but it’s the way Lavine leans into the tropes that makes it special. Fans of lighthearted, feel-good reads will adore this one.

✨ Romantic Tropes
❤️ Slow Burn Romance
🤪 Humor & Banter
💔 Emotional Growth
⚠️ Miscommunication
💌 Love Confessions

Disgraced Rom-Com writer Margot Bradley finds herself in Alaska trying to redeem her career by taking a stab at a different genre. Surprisingly she find herself living in a Rom-Com scenario with all of the essential tropes required by “Romance Law”.

This debut novel has all of the feels and so much to love: great characters, good backstory, public humiliation and scenery along with some laugh-out-loud moments.

Victoria Lavine does a great job of hooking the you with an OMG/LOL beginning and keeping your interest. The challenge of believing in and achieving Happily Ever After are what great reads dream of. Thank you for a fun read and I’m looking forward to more HEAs from you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Any Trope but You by Victoria Lavine is basically a love letter to every rom-com trope we’ve ever shamelessly devoured—only this time, the main characters are painfully aware of the clichés they’re falling into, and they are not having it.

Enemies to lovers? Forced proximity? One bed? They see it coming from a mile away and try to fight it with every ounce of their being. Spoiler: they fail spectacularly.

The banter is top-tier, the chemistry is chef’s kiss, and the self-aware humor makes this feel like a fever dream if a romance novel and a Tumblr fanfic had a baby. If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at a romance trope and then immediately proceeded to read an entire book about it anyway—congrats, this one was written for you.

The description of this book really got me as an avid romance reader. The tropes did get kind of tiring (I know that’s the point) but I will say the build up to the romance was really well paced. You kind of just want to yell at the characters at the end though - they’re both so stubborn which is frustrating to read through. Ultimately it was a fun read but I wouldn’t say the characters were my favorite as I didn’t relate to them very much.

3.5
In any trope but you, the FMC is a once-successful romance author who has lost her belief in love. When her thoughts on romance are made public, her life and writing career spiral out of control. To help her escape, her sister organizes a trip to Alaska, where she plans to write a mystery for the first time. While there, she unexpectedly runs into the MMC, the resort manager, after a moose causes her to stumble right into his arms.

They immediately clash because the FMC struggles to trust people and relationships, while the MMC is afraid of losing anyone else in his life. They each find reasons to dislike one another, but as they spend time together, their connection deepens, leading to a romantic relationship. Both characters were wonderful, especially in how much they cared for their families.

4.5 stars

I predict this will be one of the top romcoms of the year, it's that good!

Margot Bradley had given up on happy endings. She was happy to write them in her bestselling romance novels, but she didn't believe they could actually happen in real life. When the very secret alternate endings to her books that she writes just for herself are revealed to the world, Margot's readers turn on her and she finds herself in a career crisis. A reinvention retreat is just what she needs, but she soon finds herself confronted with Forrest, a ruggedly handsome doctor who embodies every one of her leading man stereotypes, and an adventure that ticks all of the romance trope boxes.

The banter in this book was so much fun! The storyline was unique while still touching on all of the classic (and some dreaded) romance tropes. The side characters were critical to the story and very well developed. I want Savannah to get her own book! The love story between Margot and Forrest was perfection, with plenty of tension and conflict and tenderness and spice. I was rooting for them the whole time!

An amazing debut from Victoria Lavine! I couldn't put this book down! Going to be looking for more books to come from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 stars

I'll start off by saying I loved the writing in this book. The emotions, the humor, the frustrations, all on point described beautifully.

I just couldn't fully get behind Margot, the FMC. I feel like her character was a little all over the place, her internal dialogue didn't really match what she said and how she acted, and she committed a fatal flaw for me personally when there was a conflict for the two characters to overcome.

Earlier in the story, Forrest, the MMC, learns something about her and when they next discuss it, he is on her side without hesitation and even tries to pump her up, and that's without her having to explain the whole thing.

A very similar situation comes later but the roles are reversed, and Margot immediately takes the other person's side, no questions asked, without hearing his side of the story. For me, the question I have to ask is how solid is the relationship, this love that's supposedly building, if it implodes that quickly with little effort? Those aren't the kind of stories I personally want to read about.

But everything else here was so good. Forrest was a great MMC, the Alaskan setting was enjoyable, and the supporting characters were all great in their own way. And again, the writing was enjoyable. I'll be more than willing to read any follow ups Victoria Lavine comes out with 🩵

Any Trope But You is such a delightful debut. When novelist Margot Bradley's romance career implodes in scandal because her readers find out she does not believe in the sacred HEA, she heads out to an Alaskan off-grid resort to write a murder book. Instead, she gets trapped in one romance trope after another with a guide who is every romance hero archetype--Henleys and corded forearms included. This ode to romance delivers all the favorite tropes with a twist while hilariously breaking the fourth wall. The prose is witty and warm, and the chemistry is sizzling. Victoria Lavine has a fabulous voice, and I can’t wait to read what she writes next.

Congratulations to author Victoria Levine on this outstanding debut novel!! I was completely immersed in the characters and their stories from the very first page! Margot is a successful romance author whose professional life nosedives after a secret file becomes not so secret, sending her to a remote area of Alaska. There, she meets Forrest, the grumpy brooding but incredibly rugged and good-looking man who somehow always seems to come to her rescue. They are complex characters with painful pasts and uncertain futures, both professionally and personally; both devoted caregivers to family members who seemingly sacrifice their own hopes, dreams and chances of a happily ever after. The setting is gorgeous and dangerous, adding another layer to this fantastic book. I can’t wait to see what else the author has in store for all the readers who will love her debut!

received an ARC of this ebook from NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for my honest review. Any Trope But You is the first book by Victoria Lavine and it is set in Alaska! I rarely find books set in Alaska so I was excited for this one. I liked how the author used (and openly acknowledged the use of) as many classic romance tropes as possible. I could have done without the constant references to avocados (we get it, Margot REALLY loves avocados). I also felt like the only real thing the MCs had in common was that they are both caregivers for family members. Overall, it was an okay read but I found myself being more interested in the side characters than the main ones.

“I’ve got a hunch that you remind Forrest something awful of home.”

4.5 ⭐️!!!

I!! LOVED!! THIS!! Listen. I’m not a big romance girlie like it takes a DAMN good romance book to pull a 4 ⭐️ from me let alone a 4.5. This felt like coming inside to the warmth after having a snowball fight with your family & friends in the pouring snow. Like sitting down in front of the fireplace, warming your hands while sipping hot cocoa. 🤎

I was intrigued by this immediately- it didn’t take me a couple chapters to feel invested which I loved- because usually it takes me foreverrrrr with a romance. This was stuffed to the brim with tropes and I ate it up!!! They never felt like it was just added in there for the sake of the plot/title. Like every time one was mentioned it made sense with the setting at the moment. I adored Margot & Forrest so much & the way the conflict in this one wasn’t just something silly that they just needed to communicate to fix. It was a real issue that I could 100% see & that was refreshing.

“Suddenly, the made-for-Margot room inside my heart has throw blankets and fucking fairy lights.”

The banter between Forrest & Margot was THE BEST. I was cackling at them multiple times hehe. I usually don’t like insta love/like but the way he was DOWN BAD for her from his very first POV had me kicking my feet & giggling. & the way he’d would get nervous & BLUSH???????? YOUR HONOR I LOVE HIM!!!!

“But I can’t be in another trope with you,” she whines. “And we already did this one! Remember the fire?”

overall this was SO good that I had to stop myself from binging it in one sitting bc when I do that I end up not digesting it fully. Also why. WHY was this so emotional!!! I was soooobing through the last 15% of this y’all. I didn’t think anything like that was going to happen and I was UNPREPARED. I was going through it, under it, below it all the directions. I’m also on my period but that’s irrelevant !!!!

The only reason and I mean the ONLY reason I’m not rating this 5 stars is the ending. I wish the ending would have been a little more impactful, it felt kind of rushed to me. I didn’t love the way they reunited, but it still had me cheesing nonetheless. This was so so so good. Thankyou to netgalley for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review 🖤🫎

“Every day you’ve been here, I’ve thought that Mom must have sent you. She knew you’d be the only person who’d get me back to California.”