3.75
This has nice narration (I actually did like the female voice more than the man though). It started pretty messy and really throws in a whole lot of romance tropes (maybe one too many?) but I got more invested as it went on and the characters grew on me. There is a few sexy scenes, a real fun one with tights (yes, tights!) and some overall sweet romance. I got frustrated with the characters a few times, but they seemed pretty realistic, which I like.

Unromance is such a fun read! It starts with Sawyer, a romance writer with writer's block, and Mason, an actor who is a hopeless romantic, get stuck in an elevator together. Even though Sawyer claims this is not a meet-cute, it does help her write so they decide to live out every romantic meet-cute to cure each other. Does it work? The characters are both realistically flawed and lovable so it most definitely worked for me.
Mia Hutchinson Shaw and Lee Osorio were fantastic narrators in the audiobook, they really brought both characters to life.

Unromance is absolutely an adult romance novel that's worth the hype. I've seen this book talked about a lot on social media so I was excited to be gifted an ARC by NetGalley to review and I was definitely not disappointed. I enjoyed the premace of a romance lover and a romance hater being thrown together by the universe and then working together to try to solve their problems--writer's block and falling in love too fast. Connor's execution of this idea was beyond my expectations. I loved that each chapter set up a trope or cliche of romance novels and movies and how that played into the plot of each chapter. It was like a fun foreshadowing that built the anticipation of how things would unfold for these two characters. The characters themselves were endearing. We could see how both of them struggled and, as all good romance authors do, Connor not only developed them as a couple but showed great development for them as individuals as well. I loved that while there was great LGBTQIA rep it was not the main part of the story--Connor balanced Sawyer's identity in an authentic way. While Sawyer was a frustrating character at times and Mason was certainly easier to fall for, it was her character arc that really drew me into the story because it was largely a redemption arc for her and about her renewed faith in love and herself. I think in a time that is so full of tumult and conflict for all of us this is the perfect reminder of our resilience in a way that will touch all of our hearts. If you like the romance genre, grab this one today!

Unromance by Erin Conner is a refreshing and unconventional take on love, featuring Sawyer Green and Mason West. Sawyer, a fiercely independent woman, isn’t looking for romance, while Mason, charming yet complicated, challenges her views on relationships. Their dynamic is filled with witty banter, undeniable chemistry, and emotional depth that keeps readers hooked.
Conner crafts a story that defies traditional romance tropes, making it a compelling read for those who enjoy slow-burn connections and realistic character development. With heartfelt moments and humor woven throughout, Unromance is a captivating exploration of love that doesn’t always follow the rules.

Received a free copy from NetGalley for an honest review

#Unromance #NetGalley

This romance was really great! It was laugh out loud funny at times. I loved the banter so much!! I also appreciated the pop culture references as so many spoke to my millennial self.

The characters were flawed but in the best way. I loved that the FMC hides herself in her work as it felt close to home. I enjoyed the slight nod to Grey’s Anatomy with the hospital show as well. The situation was fun — playing out common romantic tropes — and obviously knew it wasn’t going to work. It was fun and lighthearted.

The audio narrator for the FMC was great! She had the perfect comedic timing for the FMC’s wit. I was underwhelmed by the MMC narrator voice as he didn’t sound attractive to me — but obviously up to anyone else’s taste.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

👩🏻‍💻 ᗰY TᕼOᑌGᕼTS: 3.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

I want to say that I definitely enjoyed the narrators voices! I was actually expecting a different type of voice for Mason, maybe something smoother? And I absolutely LOVEEEED Mia as Sawyer!

Onto the book itself, first of all, LOVING that Sawyer is bisexual and her story line was seemless and Sawyer is one cool gal. Then there’s the mmc, Mason, im not sure how i feel about him being this hopeless romantic, who is a semi-famous actor and can’t find that long term commitment relationship. It started off fun and quick with their ‘ruin romance’ list… and basically helping each other out..

And the book was decent, but I did find myself ‘wandering’ while listening to the audiobook. I wasnt always ‘dialed’ into the dialogue or what was happening and found myself rewinding a lot. I think it was because the book started to lag a bit or it could’ve just been me not really super in the mood for this specific book at this moment? Or maybe because the pacing of the book felt slow which I wasn’t expecting

In the end, I did enjoy it! I think others will too.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸…
🍟One Night Stand
🍟Bisexual FMC
🍟Hopeless Romantic vs Cynical
🍟Grumpy (fmc!)/ Sunshine(mmc)
🍟Holiday Season
🍟Dual POV
🍟Open Door

I received an advance listening copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again. I’ll say it again thousand times. I love this book so much.

I’ll include my review of the book below but do want to touch on the narration. They did an incredible job. I am a firm believer in the narrators really having the ability to bring a story to life and they did a great job.

As for the book,

Mason, a hopeless romantic television sensation and ladies man gets stuck in an elevator with romance novelist, Sawyer, who is everything but a lover of romantic meet cutes and gestures. A one night stand leads to challenge to ruin romance.

Set at the start of the holiday season this was a perfect mid December read for me.

I don't want to give too much because it comes out in a few weeks but this book felt warm and wholesome and it exceeded my expectations by miles.

From the clichés to the banter to big gesture from Sawyer, I could not put it down. Mason West is the most hopeless romantic down bad man who truly just wants to show Sawyer why she deserves the world and why you should be a hopeless romantic.

Don't know what made these silly gooses think that list was going to work with the chemistry they shared but it was a fun valiant effort on both ends! I love books like this, it's like a game of who's going to cave first and it reads like watching a movie play out before your eyes.

This was cute and sexy!

She's a romance author and he's an actor.
He's a romantic and she's romance adverse.
Elevator Meet Cute / One Night Stand.

An elevator meet cute turns into a steamy one night stand that neither MC can forget. When they run into each other weeks later, they put together a plan to experience all of the classic romantic tropes to help inspire Sawyer's writing and desensitize Mason's always-present romantic notions. Of course these two start to fall in love and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. I wasn't the biggest fan of the conflict at the end, but otherwise I enjoyed this!

Rating: 3.5 stars

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

"Unromance" by Erin Connor

I love how Erin Connor playfully deconstructs rom-com clichés while simultaneously delivering a story full of heart and chemistry. The banter is razor-sharp, the tension is electric, and the emotional depth sneaks up on you in the best way. I devoured this witty, self-aware, and unexpectedly heartfelt love story. Sawyer and Mason’s dynamic is addictive—their witty exchanges and undeniable chemistry make this book impossible to put down. Overall, I loved how it played with tropes while still embracing everything that makes rom-coms so fun!

Unfortunately, I got 60% through this book and was too bored to finish which makes me so sad. I was really excited about this book. The cover and description sounded right up my alley but sadly it was not for me. Thank you to NetGalley for early access to this audiobook in exchange for a review.

this was cute. sawyer is a workaholic jaded romance author who swore off love and mason is a hopeless romantic actor who coincidentally get stuck in an elevator and have their meet cute. After news of mason's recent break up and after sawyer having writers block, they come together and get tasked with making mason hate love and giving sawyer inspiration to write her book they end up with a couple rules they cannot break two of which is no sex, and no catching feelings well doesn't happen. overall, I really did enjoy the story it is a really good debut novel.

When recently dumped TV heartthrob Mason West decides he’s done with love, he teams up with Sawyer Greene, a jaded romance novelist battling writer’s block, to dismantle rom-com clichés and avoid heartbreak for good. Their foolproof deal? No sex, no swooning, and definitely no falling in love. But as they test their plan, they realise some love stories refuse to stick to the rules.

This was such a fun romcom, and I really enjoyed listening to it while working and on my daily walks. The narrators did a great job bringing the characters to life, and their performances made the story easy to follow and engaging. The audiobook was well produced, and the narration complemented the humour and chemistry in the book perfectly. A great listen overall!

Thank you NetGalley & Forever Publishing for gifting me this ebook! Unromance by Erin Connor is for the Lovers of Love and rommance books! Mark your calendars, it will be out on Jan 14 2025!
Sawyer Greene, a bestselling romance author, is struggling with writer's block after a bad breakup. She has a one-night stand with actor Mason West, but they keep running into each other. Mason believes they’re meant to help each other: her with her writing, and him with his fear of heartbreak. They agree to no more sex and no falling in love. However, as they grow closer, they realize some romantic plots can't be controlled, and they might be headed for a real-life happy ending!
If you love contemporary romances, if you read the tropes of a book before picking it up and if you are okay with 3rd POV then this book is for you!

Reread as audiobook 30/01/2025: Thank you Hachette Audio for allowing me to listen to this ALC!
I absolutely loved the narration! The dual narration was fantastic, and I’m a huge fan of Mia Hutchinson Shaw’s voice—her intonations were perfect, making me feel every emotion the FMC experienced.

This was cute but I found Sawyer to be a bit annoying at times. The third act breakup was unnecessary (as they mostly tend to be) and that pulled me out of the story a bit.

I listened to the audio arc and whilst the female narrator was great, the male narrator was not suited for this role and not very good.

Audiobook narrated by Mia Hutchinson Shaw and Lee Osorio who both did so well to bring this debut romance to life. This is an opposites attract friends to lovers - a lil bit slow burn (after a one night stand 😲) as actor Mason and writer Sawyer help each other out over a Christmas holiday and try not to fall in love. They do of course, and there's plenty of complications along the way, with romance novel in-jokes and banter. Sawyer's lack of commitment wore a bit thin.

Narrators read alternate chapters so both had to navigate a number of voices - I was impressed! Lee nailed the male role of Mason West - a bit of a golden retriever, not an Alpha at all, and this was reflected in the pitch and some endearing hesitation in Lee's speech. Secondary characters needed to be believable and I especially loved how Mia voiced Lily. She was our FMC Sawyer's irritating sidekick whose job was to keep Sawyer's feelings on track. I would not have enjoyed this nearly as much without the audio.. Sidenote - the cover is gorgeous!

Thank you Hachette Audio, Erin Connor and NetGalley for the audiobook. Opinions are my own.

I love when the story inside is as cute as the cover! I really enjoyed this trope-filled story of two characters falling in love against their wills. The lead characters had great chemistry, and I really enjoyed the unique way the author poked fun at popular romance tropes. It reads less like a celebrity romance and more like a one-night-stand to friends to lovers romance. I found some of the conflict overblown and repetitive, like the FMC harping on the MMC moving away; babe, he’s a 4-hour flight away, and you work remote. Inconsequential conflicts kept happening to the point that it got a bit frustrating, but I would say the HEA was worth it in the end!
The voice actors for this audiobook both performed well; they added to the story with their dual performance and never distracted from the story with out-of-place intonation. I would listen to both narrators again.

This book just wasn’t for me. The chemistry felt forced—getting stuck in an elevator, running into each other at a bar, and then a one-night stand just didn’t click believably. It all felt off. And the nickname for her lady parts? Yeah, that was a definite no for me. Ick.

3.5 stars rounded up!

This was an easy, light listen as an audiobook. I loved the premise of approaching all romance cliches to "unromance" and not end up falling for each other while absolutely ending up falling for each other. The romance trope outline at the start of every chapter was a really fun touch, too.

Mia Hutchinson Shaw was an awesome narrator for Sawyer. I didn't love the male narration as much, and I almost would have preferred the whole novel be narrated from Sawyer's perspective (as a majority of it was already). It was still really well done and I was finding excuses to stop what I was doing to pick up listening again.

Also agreeing with everyone else here: the tights scene 😮‍💨

This book was good, but it didn't wow me. The writing style felt reminiscent of Emily Henry to me for some reason, and I imagine a lot of people will enjoy it for that reason.

I adored Mason. I felt like I could totally relate to him as the hopeless romantic and looking for love everywhere he goes, being a serial dater, and wanting to find love for himself.

Sawyer was Mason's polar opposite. While I'm sure there are many people out there who will connect with Sawyer, unfortunately I just wasn't one of them. Her entire personality was soaked in pessimism.

While the premise of the story was cute, I felt that Mason and Sawyer lacked chemistry because they were on complete opposite wavelengths for the entire book right up until the end. The ending felt rushed to me, because while they were doing all the cute dates and inevitably were going to end up together, they continued to lack chemistry for me. So at the end of the book when they were suddenly together, that's what it felt like. Very sudden.

Mia Hutchinson Shaw and Lee Osorio delivered a good performance of the audiobook. Their narration was enjoyable to listen to and kept me engaged with the story even when I wasn't totally connecting with the characters.

Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the Advanced Listening Copy.