This a first read for me of this author and I completely loved the writing style and can’t wait to read more! The narrator was fantastic and the storyline was a truly original, fun read. The energy between the two main characters was hilarious to see come alive and the struggles were so hard won and heartfelt. I’ve always loved a book about a writer and the issues they run into (as a lifelong dreamer of being a writer). The detail into the life of a writer was spot on and made the story that more believable. I also very much enjoyed the MMC being the hopeless romantic in the storyline unlike it usually is with the FMC being the hopeless romantic. So fun!!!

I’m going to go ahead and make a prediction that this is the best debut romance of 2025. Genius. Within sentences, I felt like I “got” Erin Connor’s voice, her sense of humor, and who her characters were. This is a book for lovers of all things romance; grand gestures, ‘80s and ‘90s romcoms, flirty banter, a one night stand, just friends…you name it and this story has successfully encapsulated it all. And that’s really not an easy thing to do!

Sawyer Greene writes romance books, writes being the operative word because she hasn’t written one in quite awhile due to her failure to believe in romance since a hurtful break-up. Heartthrob Mason Alvarez West stars in the Chicago-based show Diagnostics, and is an unflinching romantic at heart who falls hard for every woman he dates. Enter the stuck-in-an-elevator meet cute—the exact thing Sawyer would laugh about happening to her characters, but would roll her eyes at in reality. There’s something intriguing enough about Mason that when he hits on her, she takes him up on it, thinking, “why not”? And this begins the humorous tropey journey that is Unromance.

As fate, aka romance rules, aka great writing would require, Sawyer and Mason DON’T just have a one night stand, but attempt to make a pact and solve each other’s problems via “exposure therapy” (she’ll ruin romance for him and he’ll help get her novel off the ground). To do so, they’ll make a list of all the rom-commy things that happen in movies, but not in real life and explore them together with only two rules in place: 1) No falling in love or catching feelings, and 2) No sex. If I could make a face right here in this review I would, because we all know EXACTLY how that will go. But this is the glorious thing about romance: it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey. And Mason and Sawyer’s journey is so fun, so sexy, so emotional, and so real (or very meta because they’re characters trying not to be romcom characters). Erin Connor expertly navigates each and every trope with deftness, pushing the boundaries of my expectations and making me believe that these two “idiots” could become lovers. I. ATE. IT. UP! To which I will add that if this were a movie (Erin you know you want to give up those movie rights 😉) I would watch it again and again and again. Just do yourself a favor and go read this right now. You’ll be so glad you did. I received an early copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own. The narration was excellent at making Madonna and Sawyer come alive.

A sharp, emotionally resonant debut, Unromance flips the script on love stories with wit, grit, and vulnerability. Erin Connor delivers a refreshingly raw take on modern connection, where healing and heartbreak walk hand in hand. Perfect for readers who crave messy, honest stories that don’t follow the usual rules.

This is a cozy, heartwarming holiday romance with just the right amount of spice and emotional depth.
Sawyer Greene might write love stories for a living, but after a brutal breakup and a relentless case of writer’s block, she’s lost all faith in happily-ever-afters. Enter Mason, a stranger, and a broken elevator—what starts as a one-time fling quickly becomes more complicated when fate (and festive decorations) throw them back together at a Christmas market worthy of a Hallmark movie.
This story strikes a perfect balance between snarky banter and genuine connection. Sawyer is a relatable, sharp-witted protagonist whose emotional walls feel earned and real, while the love interest brings just enough warmth and charm to slowly melt them down.
I also listened to this as an audiobook, which added an extra layer of enjoyment, enhancing the whole experience. Whether you're curling up with the physical book or letting the audiobook carry you through cold evenings, this is a feel-good holiday romance with humor, heart, and a touch of heat. Perfect if you are a fan of second chances and unexpected holiday magic.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Hachette Audio and am voluntarily leaving my review.

I’m so thankful that Forever and Hachette Audio gave me gifted copy of Unromance.

I grabbed it for the cover. She might be eating a fry but it definitely looks like something else.

Unromance was such a fun romcom.
I loved the meet cute that Sawyer and Mason had. The concept of Unromance was also great. Sawyer and Mason go through a bunch of common tropes to help Sawyer write her next book and to help Mason not fall in love.

It is set during the holidays so if you’re looking for a holiday related book definitely check it out.

I loved the narrators. They added to the storytelling of the book.

Thank you to Netgalley for this audiobook. The narrators were great and really sold the characters. I have no complaints about the quality of the audiobook.

Now for the story itself, I wanted to love it and it came so close. So here's the stuff I liked. I loved the meta trope stuff. The main FMC being a romance writer was really fun. Having a little bit about each trope at the beginning of the chapter was a cute touch. The "ruining of romance" was making me really love the premise. I felt the chemistry between Mason and Sawyer and I liked the idea of them together. The one night stand leading to a little insta-love vibe was even ok for me. And I loved Sawyer being bisexual and talking about her ex girlfriend.

Things I didn't love. I didn't know it was set around the holidays. That wasn't a bad thing but personally I would have preferred to read it around then. Second, I can't stand unnecessary third act break-ups. As usual the female MC was oblivious and annoying. The grand gesture was cute but didn't make up for her drama. I felt like the ending had a lot of unnecessary stuff going on.
So I went from loving it to just kinda liking it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

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 audio ARC exchange for my honest review.)

This book was adorable. They set out to rid themselves of romance by doing all the cliche romantic things together and of course fall in love. It probably just needed a little more character development but otherwise I liked it

A pessimistic romance author in need of inspiration experiences a series of meet-cutes with an actor who wants someone to remove his rose-coloured glasses.

Likable characters, decent writing. And yet.

Unromance has a real life-feeling that you might find in a book by Emily Henry, Denise Williams or Helen Hoang – authors whom I like – but it felt bland to me. I occasionally enjoyed the story, and mostly didn’t mind it, but I won’t be revisiting.

If you are a one and done type of reader, this book could be worth the time. I listened to the audiobook and liked the narrators – they suited the characters quite nicely. It is however almost eleven hours, so be prepared for a story that takes its time.


Thank you to Hachette Audio and Netgalley for the ARC!

✨ 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

3.5

This contemporary romance had all the ingredients of a five-star read for the first half, I was so sure it would be. It opens with a bang, full of charm, spark, and chemistry. I loved the main characters (and honestly, who doesn’t enjoy a writer as a romantic lead?), and I was completely on board for the ride.

The chemistry between the leads really worked for me early on. Their banter, the tension, the romantic buildup it was all clicking. The holiday dates sprinkled throughout were adorable and added a cozy, festive feel that enhanced the atmosphere in the best way.

But then - the third act breakup hit. And oof. I already tend to hate that trope, but this one felt particularly over-the-top and totally predictable. As the story went on, the chemistry that hooked me in the beginning started to fizzle out, and by the time the drama unfolded, it felt exaggerated and unnecessary. It took the wind out of the story’s sails and brought my rating down a notch.

This was a debut, and for that, it was pretty solid. There’s definitely potential here, and I’ll check out what the author does next. I just wish this book had maintained the momentum it started with.

Also, I listened to this on audiobook, and unfortunately, the male narrator didn’t work for me. It’s hard to explain exactly why. His voice just didn’t fit the character at all, and it pulled me out of the story more than once.

Still, if you love holiday romances and don’t mind a dramatic third act bump in the road, you might enjoy this more than I did.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an gifted advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

this book was so fun! cant believe it was a debut Novel. I found the premises fun and kinda different to the other romance books out there. I thought it had all the right ingredients and the narrators really brought the story to life!

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this ALC.

Mia Hutchinson Shaw and Lee Osorio are new to me narrators. Mia was good- my ears went back and forth on liking Lee.

This story was cute. Lots of references to different books and movies. Sawyer is hope, Mason is romance.

This book was so awkward. While I saw where the quick quippy Gilmore-Girls-Esque dialogue was brought in to SOUND cool it just felt very scripted and stilted. I didn't feel the chemistry and I was ready for it to be over.

The premise was fun, I loved that it was set at Christmas and thought it had so much potential. But I was bored for most of it. It started out strong but was all downhill for me. The insta-love beginning was a bit of a red flag for me, as I don't tend to love that trope. And the conflict was fairly over the top, which gave it another strike.

Not for me, but I know others would disagree.

There was nothing wrong with this book, i just didn't find anything particularly special. I honestly have a hard time with i had a girlfriend break up with me then i met a man Feels like we are trying to be inclusive of the LGBT community, but that idea falls flat to me.

This is one of my favourite 2025 contemporary romance releases so far this year. The chemistry between the characters, the banter and the way the author has incorporated so many favourite (and iconic) romance tropes was great and I had a delightful time with the story. The narrators for the audiobook were fantastic, and really brought the story to life.

Fake dating
Celebrity Romance
He falls first

If you like romance this is a total gem. I devoured this book in 2 stints. Filled with all the tropes and all the romancy situations we love as romance readers, it was incredibly enjoyable. This book had me laughing, kicking my feet, and distracted from everything else I had going on.

Fantastic narration, both narrators were able to capture the characters so well.

Lily is my lowkey favourite.

I LOVED this audiobook so much. The voices for Mason and Sawyer were so perfect. It made me even more immersed into the story. Sawyers narrator captured her wit and humor so perfectly. The same can be said for Mason! I also appreciate that the audiobook production was very clear and not scratchy at all which I appreciate.

This was a trope-tastic journey through romcom ideology! This book had everything you needed to make the perfect romcom from the great meat, cute, to the fake dating, to the relationship experiment, and even having one of the characters require their dating in order to help their writing career and the other one being a celebrity- all in one package and very well put together.

The audio narration provided by dual narrators, Mia Hutchinson Shaw and Lee Osorio was well done, and showed to be a good pairing between Mia and Lee. I really enjoyed both of their narrations and found that they each provided great emphasis to their storytelling that helped bring the story to life and highlight the comedic nature of the book.