Plot Twist

The Hollywood Series #2

by Erin La Rosa

“I give it five stars—and five chili pepper emojis.” —Kate Spencer, author of In a New York Minute

She’s written off more than she can chew…

Romance author Sophie Lyon’s ironic secret just went she’s never been in love—and it’s ruining her reputation. With a manuscript deadline looming, Sophie makes an ambitious plan to overcome her writer’s reunite with her exes (including her last girlfriend Carla, the one person she could have loved) to learn why she’s never fallen in love, and document it all for her millions of new online followers.

Luckily, Sophie’s reclusive landlord, Dash Montrose—a former teen heartthrob—has social media all figured out and is willing to help. What he doesn’t mention is that he’s an anonymous online crafter, a hobby that helps him maintain his sobriety. No one knows about his complicated relationship with alcohol, and with a family that’s Hollywood royalty, Dash has to steer clear of scandal.

As Sophie and Dash grow closer, they discover a heat between them that rivals Dash’s pottery kiln. But Sophie needs to figure out who she is outside her relationships, and Dash isn’t sure he’s stable enough for the commitment she deserves. So Sophie suggests what any good romance author a friends-with-benefits arrangement. Surely a strictly casual relationship won’t cause any trouble…

“Spicy. Sexy. Swoony. Rachel Lynn Solomon and Christina Lauren fans will love this story!” —Suzanne Park, author of So We Meet Again and The Do-Over

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Audiobook, Adult, Fiction, Friends To Lovers

Audible Audio

First published November 14, 2023

About the author

ERIN LA ROSA is the author of Plot Twist and For Butter or Worse, and on her way to writing romance, she’s also published two humorous nonfiction books, Womanskills and The Big Redhead Book. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and four daughters (two humans, two felines). Find her on Twitter and Instagram @erinlarosalit and on TikTok @erinlarosawrites.

Be sure to follow Erin on BookBub for the latest sales as well https://www.bookbub.com/authors/erin-...

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this sweet and sexy romance, which included hints of necessary angst and tackled sensitive subjects such as alcoholism and dysfunctional family relationships, just as much as the author's previous book. The forced proximity and friends-to-lovers tropes were also well-executed.

The main heroine, Sophie Lyon, is a romance writer suffering from writer's block with only six weeks left to finish her new book for her contract. Her lack of love life has killed her passion, so she decides to face her past by meeting with her exes to understand what went wrong in her relationships. She plans to document her meetings on social media, which helps her become a TikTok sensation.

Her landlord, Dash Montrose, who was once a teen heartthrob, offers to help her during her romance journey. This plan may also benefit Dash, who has long fought with alcoholism. Coming from Hollywood royalty, he intends to stay out of scandals, but he can't help being attracted to Sophie, leading them to become friends with benefits. Their chemistry is palpable, but they both like each other more than they can admit. Sophie has never fallen for someone before and is confused about her feelings, while Dash deals with heavier issues and feels he's not good enough for her. Can they fight against their insecurities to ride into the sunset for their HEA?

The cover is dreamy, and the love story is appealing. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more Erin La Rosa romances in the near future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

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[Southern Lady Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 Imperfect people, imperfect beginnings, and an adorable love story!!

THOUGHTS:
- I love that our heroine has a pacemaker! I have a friend who's having twins, and one of her babies will have to have a pacemaker right from the jump. I think we need more off-the-cuff inclusion of these kinds of elements in romance novels 🖤

- The idea of talking to my exes makes me want to cringe - but I enjoyed the journey that Sophie goes on. Very rarely are any of us willing to face our pasts, so I think her character shows an incredible amount of courage!!

- If you've got a lot of family drama and it's made you the skittish type - you'll love Plot Twist!! All about finding love in a way that works for you while healing from your past, I think La Rosa did a great job creating characters who have the capacity to be great partners but need to do a little work on themselves first.

NOTES:
- CWs: alcoholism
- LGBTQ+ themes
- Would be a great audiobook pick! I think the story flowed well with laughable moments perfect for that morning commute and will transport you to the sunny streets of LA just long enough to get you home in the afternoons!

**Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

Find Me On Instagram 🦋 || More Bookish Thoughts & Reviews Here 🖤

[Nilguen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy PubDay 🥳🥂

This is a super sweet, unpredictable and unputdownable romance plot with several twists and turns including very steamy scenes 🔥🥵.

Find me on instagram

Finally, an author that calls the child by its name and writes a coherent story about LOVE regardless of gender issues. Both protagonists, Sophia and Dash, are in their thirties and have had their fair share of experiences in life without the rewarding reciprocity of true love until their paths lead to one another.

Sophia is an author, who is suffering from a writer’s block. She is the people-pleaser, exposing her hopeless love life on TikTok looking for an inspiration for her next novel. Dash, who is eagerly advancing his crafting hobby on TikTok, used to be an actor, and is a lone wolf.

What does it take to find true love? Perhaps a course correction in one’s own life? Easier said than done as you’ll see with Sophia & Dash.

The story kept my attention with its flawed, but endearing characters, whilst I immersed myself into their LA lifestyle including their social media hype.

At 60% into the book, I thought that I’ve had enough of the horny-fantasies-come-true-scenes, but was glad that I kept on reading as the last 30-40% of the fluent novel are unearthing some details around delicate issues such as dysfunctional families, addictions and mental health. One of the many plot twists ;)

The side characters have also their big moments when you least expect it and rebalance the overall love story.

It’s been a fantastic reading experience, indeed.
Easy 5 stars ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and Erin La Rosa for an ARC!

Also, this is the #1 most requested book on NetGalley this week, last week and the week before! 👏👏👏What do you think piques readers’ interest?

Follow me on Instagram: @nilguen_reads

[daisy · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf at 30%.
there’s not a lot that irks me more than when a book references tiktok. don’t get me wrong, in some instances pop culture references CAN be done right, or less badly, but having them take up a big part of a book will make me instantly want to dnf.
ALSO it was already clear in the first few chapters how “tropey” this was. it was very obviously built around the tropes rather than either the plot or the characters. and in my opinion there’s absolutely no point in throwing in a handful of popular and well liked tropes; it won’t automatically make a book good.

the publisher kindly provided this arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kate Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quirky, sexy romp that had me turning pages into the night. An ex-actor struggling with sobriety and a frazzled writer struggling to meet her deadline decide to help each other out, with sizzling results. Will definitely look for more from Erin de la Rosa.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS WAS THE CUTEST THING OML

thank you to edelweiss and the publisher for providing this review copy

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[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up)) · Rating 4 out of 5]

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Sophie Lyon is a Romance author with a big problem: Writer's Block. After the great success of her first book, Sophie is truly struggling to get her second completed by the Publisher's deadline.

There's so much pressure, and she just can't think of a way to finish it. Out at a karaoke bar one night, blowing off some steam, Sophie has too much to drink and has a breakdown with the mic in hand, confessing she's never been in love.



The unflattering moment is caught on camera and goes ridiculously viral. How can Sophie write Romance novels if she's never been in love?! It makes her look like a big fraud.

In an effort to get out ahead of it, and save her reputation, Sophie comes up with a plan to confess the truth on TikTok. Then she will meet up with all of her exes and talk to them about why their relationship didn't work out.

First of all, great content. Secondly, Sophie is hoping that something in this process will help to break her Writer's Block, and bring her closer to finishing off her novel.



Dash Montrose is from a successful Hollywood family. He's a former teen heartthrob, who has since distanced himself from the limelight.

Dash's sister, Poppy, is Sophie's best friend. Dash also happens to be Sophie's landlord. When he learns what Sophie is attempting to do, he offers to help her with her social media presence, as TikTok is a platform he is well-versed in.

Of course, he doesn't tell her the reason he knows that platform so well is because he is a successful anonymous online crafter...



In fact, Dash has a lot of things he hides from the world and his family. The biggest being his struggles with alcoholism and the fact that he has been sober for the last 18-months.

There's a lot of pressure within his Hollywood royal family, and he just tries to steer clear of stirring up any scandal. He lives a quiet life now, a bit of a recluse, and Sophie's energy is sure to shake that up.



Will Dash be able to handle helping with Sophie's exes project, while keeping a firm grip on his new found sobriety? It's definitely a risk.

Nevertheless, the two form an unlikely secret alliance. As they grow closer, feelings and attraction begin to come into play.



Plot Twist is a solid Romance story, which plays off a friends-with-benefits scenario. This is the 2nd-book in Erin La Rosa's Hollywood series, but you do not need to read Book 1 in order to read this one.

These are companion novels and nothing will spoil Book 1 for you if you read this one first. The MC in this novel, Sophie, is the sister of the MC, Nina, from For Butter or Worse.

I do like Contemporary stories that follow fictional celebrities. I know not everyone is crazy about that, but I find their lives interesting. The different issues that arise when someone has a certain level of fame always feels engaging to me.



Therefore, the Hollywood setting of these novels attracts me. I also enjoyed that Sophie was a author who was struggling. Her career wasn't painted with rose-colored glasses, and Dash's wasn't either.

This turned out to be heavier than I was expecting, so I would caution Readers, if you are looking for a light, fun read, this may not fit the bill for you. While it does have some fun, flirty elements, the issues, particularly that Dash is going through, are fairly heavily.

Alcoholism and struggles in recovery aren't something to be taken lightly and feel like La Rosa does a good job of representing that here, as best as can be done in a Romance story. Because of the serious topics though, it does bring down the overall tone of the story.



If this makes sense. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with tackling serious topics in a Romance novel, I just want Readers to be aware prior to picking this up.

Firstly, for the triggers, and secondly, just to rein in expectations. The cover looks so light and fluffy, I feel like it could lead to a mischaracterization of what this is all about.

I did enjoy learning about both Sophie and Dash's characters. Additionally, I liked them together, although it did feel a bit too instalove for me. I was very surprised at how quickly things escalated to a point where I felt like that had been communicating for 2-days and then were hopelessly smitten with one another.



I did enjoy this one a bit more than the first book, which is why I decided to round up my rating. I am a Reader who enjoys some serious topics brought into my Contemporaries, so that aspect worked for me.

I also had fun watching Dash and Sophie work together on her exes project. They even go on a road trip where there ends up being a forced proximity element that was nice and sexy.

There's definitely some steam in this. Not the exact type that I tend to go for, but it wasn't bad. I only cringed a couple of times. Depending on your kinks, it could end up working well for you.



Thank you to the publisher, Canary Street Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I was entertained. Iff there are more books released in The Hollywood Series, I would def check them out.

I actually would love for Poppy to get her own installment!

[Haley Jean · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for this e-ARC.

I will be DNF’ing this at 24% :(

this book felt like it was written around the tropes that Erin La Rosa wanted to include rather than having the tropes naturally integrate into the story.

the writing style was enjoyable overall and normally pop-culture/internet references don’t bother me (as long as they are done well), but i couldn’t handle the TikTok references that were happening over and over and over. it felt disingenuous to Dash’s character and the overall story. lets also not forget his username is @tokcrafty2me … i wish i was making that up.

im still giving this 2 stars because while it wasn’t for me, i know there are people that would enjoy this. the writing style was good, the plot was fun and fast-paced.

i just think meta-romance is either going to absolutely knock my socks off OR annoy the living hell out of me. unfortunately in the case of Plot Twist, it it was the latter.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

You’ve already noticed the single star, so I feel obligated to be transparent here: there will be spoilers in this review. I can’t explain my issues with this novel without them. Sorry/not sorry.

The Gist:

Sophie is a romance author whose never-been-in-love status has triggered writer’s block: she can’t write the HEA for her upcoming novel, which is due to her editor soon. She determines to meet up with all of her exes to figure out what went wrong, documenting her journey on TikTok and hoping that it will unblock her writing and maybe even rekindle a past flame. Oh yeah, she also has a longstanding mad crush on her BFF’s brother Dash, who also happens to be her neighbor/landlord.

Dash is a former actor and black sheep of a major Hollywood family. He left acting to focus on his sobriety, although he’s keeping both his alcoholism and recovery a closely guarded secret. Clean for just over 18 months, he’s managed to stay sober by isolating himself, a secret craft-focused TikTok account his only avenue to community. Sophie has always just been his sister’s BFF…until he finally notices her one morning while helping her through a monster hangover. (If you want to avoid the upcoming spoilers, just know that this last detail is one huge red flag for my biggest objections.)

The Good:

1. La Rosa’s writing style is engaging—her smutty scenes are generally satisfying and work to move the plot forward, and her minor characters are well drawn. Had my Biggest Issues been handled differently, I certainly would have enjoyed this novel. So, despite my strong fatal objections here, I’m willing to read another of her titles.

2. Probably my favorite aspect of this book was the casual inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters. That Sophie is pansexual is no biggie. One of her exes is enby; another is a BIPOC/same-sex ex. Again and again—no big, no big. They are presented as (gasp!) normal people doing their normal people-y thing. This is exactly as it should be. The seamless weaving in of these characters is so phe.nom.en.al that I debated whether to even mention it here. (Believe me, I recognize the irony of pointing out how much I appreciated the inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters without them explicitly being pointed out.)

The Meh:

1. Trope-a-palooza. So many other reviewers have mentioned this that I don’t feel much need to elaborate. I think the author was trying to achieve a meta-fiction thing here—a romance author encountering a series of romance tropes. Unfortunately, the plot points aren’t developed well enough to make that approach successful. This is unfortunate because it could have come across as fun; instead, it just came across as lazy.

2. The whole TikTok thing—I get it: it’s supposed to be a fresh, new take on the epistolatory novel. Except it just…isn’t. It immediately gives this novel a limited shelf life, not to mention that TikTok’s format doesn’t lend itself to prose. It was far too awkward to include as such a frequent and important literary device.

The Bad: Beware: spoilers ahead!

1. Penetrative Sex as some sort of threshold for physical intimacy: can we please stop pretending that p-in-v sex somehow ‘counts more’ than other methods? Particularly (but not exclusively) when we’re reading about queer characters?

2. Cheating: Sophie sleeps with Dash after she decides to reconcile with her most recent ex. She even tells Dash on her way out the door, with “all her clothes bundled in her hands,” that she’s “attempting to make things work with Carla.”

Are you, Sophie? Are you really?

Let me just say that cheating is never acceptable. Not even as a plot device. Nope. Nope, nope, nope.

3. And this is the big one: irresponsible depiction of addiction and recovery:

Where do I even begin?

First, Dash’s sponsor Chris—how loudly can I write that a sponsor is not a bestie? And there’s no way, zero, that Chris is going to strap his own baby onto Dash’s chest, send him to a meeting, and then not follow up with him about it. I don’t care how sleep-deprived Chris is or how much he’s jonesing for a nap. This is not sponsor behavior. At all. There also won't be basically zero repercussions—including and most immediately Dash having to find a new sponsor—once Chris realizes he’s been lied to (even if ‘only’ by omission) multiple times.

Next, Dash’s relapse—I have no problem with the fact that Dash had a third-act relapse. In the course of the narrative, this absolutely makes sense. However, I do have a few major problems with his time in rehab:

There’s a soft implication that he wants to get better ‘for her,’ so that he can ‘be the man she thinks he is.’ (Please note that I’m paraphrasing here.) What’s worse, these implications go largely unchallenged. Even Dash’s therapist goes along with this, which is not something an addiction counselor would ever do, especially within the first days and weeks of residential treatment. No. Just, no.

Next, Sophie sets up a scavenger hunt at the rehab facility with her ‘I love you, so let’s officially kick off our romantic relationship’ at the end of it? And the treatment center lets her do this? On visitors’ day? Seriously? Because, no. No, they didn’t. It’s basically s.o.p. for addicts to focus only on their sobriety for the first year of treatment. There is absolutely no way that Dash’s sponsor (such as he is), therapist, and rehab center staff would condone this. Which of course means that the one-year-later Epilogue should have been Dash and Sophie’s first official date.

And this brings me to my biggest beef with the way Dash’s alcoholism was treated in this novel—he is never shown going to a meeting, not even after his on-page stint in rehab. I get that for most of the novel Dash was trying to ‘do things on his own,’ but after his relapse? The dude has to go to meetings. Readers need to see his character grow in a very specific way—and that means meetings. On the regular. And probably therapy. And a new sponsor. These things are non-negotiable. As it’s written, the Epilogue basically shows him being ‘all better’ after a year with Sophie, which dangerously supports the ‘love can fix addiction’ lie. For me, this absolutely kills the book and I cannot in good conscience recommend it to anybody. At all. Ever.

And don’t even get me started on Sophie’s tattoo, about which I will just say this: getting inked as a way to announce your love is cringey. Creepy. Ill-advised. And honestly, Dash—who faced a cringey, creepy stalker within the course of the narrative—absolutely should have seen it as a red flag. Ew. Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Bree · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author, and it won’t be my last 💞 A former teen movie star and a romance writer who’s never been in love??? She used to have a crush on him AND they live next door to each other??? *screams*

This book has:
• Grumpy x sunshine: Dash is a grumpy hero with a heart of gold, and Sophie is the sunshine heroine that he can’t stop thinking about
• Best friends brother trope: This trope added in a forbidden element, and all the pining was ✨ chefs kiss ✨
• Close proximity (Dash is her landlord)
• Friends with benefits: There’s nothing I love more than seeing characters fail to stick to their friends with benefits rules 😌

Overall, I enjoyed this book, and these two leads SO much. I rooted for Dash and Sophie since their first interaction and the grand gesture at the end was so heartwarming 💞

Thank you to Harlequin and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

[sil ♡ the book voyagers]

Erin La Rosa back at it again with another swoon-worthy romance! ✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡♡˚ Hollywood x romance books? Perfect combination. Especially if you have a former Hollywood teen star and a romance writer currently with writer's block who happen to be neighbors and she is his sister's best friend! *giggles* Isn't that the best plot?

Hope you all read it when it's out!

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I was surprisingly super into this book right when I started it… probably because it was giving off rom-com movie vibes but my interest started dwindling around 60% mark. While I liked romance between Sophie and Dash, there was a real missed opportunity to let them stew in that mutual pinning a little bit more. Overall this a cute and spicy book.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm supposing Mercury was in Gatorade when I read this because absolutely nothing worked for me. It did not feel like this was the same author who wrote For Butter or Worse. This was a direct one-way flight to Cringe City and I felt very uncomfortable. There were so many elements that totally bombed and it felt like the author was floundering. There is a certain trend rearing its ugly head and I hope with all my heart it doesn't gain popularity, and it's TikTok-centric plotlines. Bringing social media into books is always a dicey move and it doesn't always pay off. I can understand the desire to garner younger readers, but it dates the book and makes it apparent that you're involving a popular app for clout. This unfortunately wasn't even the first TikTok plotline I've read this year and I hope it is the last.



Despite my fondness for freckles, I didn't like anything about the heroine. She came off as a dumpy Bridget Jones with her life careening directly into a wall. It was evident that none of her relationships flourished because of how erratically she lived her life. She was a "messy bench" and left her hunky landlord to pick up the pieces of her life. The novelty underwear, cringy dialogue, and long list of failed relationships all culminated into a human version of toilet paper sticking to your pants. I also thought the hero's tattoos were dumb and there was too much emphasis on the side characters. I don't know if I took a bite of a sour apple before reading this book, but this was a disaster.



The heroine went on a mission to confront her past relationships to determine what went wrong, but didn't consider that she was the common denominator? I haven't experienced such a strong negative reaction to a book in a hot minute, but this book wins the prize. I hate to be so sour about a new release, but I try to keep my reviews honest. I did like the coy reference to her previous book, but she laid it on too thick when she praised the author's writing knowing she was really tooting her own horn. Real subtle... I received this as Plot Twist, but it seems that it's been retitled as Exes and Prose? Even with a title change, it still didn't rise to the occasion. Perhaps with an elimination of the cringe dialogue, social media spotlight, and recasting of the heroine, we could twist the plot enough for me to like it.

[✷⁠Ley✷ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

Plot Twist is written in third person.
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5
Tropes: Best Friends Brother; One Bed; Forced Proximity; Friends to Lovers
Possible TW’s: Alcoholism; Some Stalking; Toxic Family Member(s); Family Betrayal

We follow both Sophie and Dash in this romcom. Sophie is an author who is struggling to write the happy ending to the next book in her romance novel, but her deadline is quickly approaching. With no inspiration and a fresh break up, Sophie finds herself kind of TikTok famous from confessing to an entire bar that she has never been in love. With the help from her landlord, best friends brother and former actor, Dash, she uses this to her advantage. She revisits her exes and documents it for her TikTok to find out why the relationships didn’t work. In turn for Dash’s helps, Sophie help Dash with a speech.

Dash is from a wealthy famous family. His father being a big time actor, he was pushed down the same path as a kid. We find he struggles with alcohol. His mom reminded me so much of an Irish Kris Jenner. She is the family’s manager. His younger brother is on his way to stardom. And his sister, Poppy who is also Sophie’s best friend (they couldn’t emphasize that enough), did her own thing and hid from the limelight. Dash was left wondering who he truly was aside from his last name.

As they work close together, they get to really know each other. Secrets are shared between the two. Private jokes are made. Emotions get involved.

Erin La Rosa, in my opinion, did a good job writing about certain subjects in this story. The way she wrote about Dash’s struggles with alcohol and is serious about his sobriety was well done and realistic (again, in my opinion). Sophie being pansexual was well represented. However, there was one phrase that was overused and used for any situation, “Licked his/her lips”. It got old pretty fast. Also, you could never forget that Sophie is best friends with Dash’s sister. It was mentioned too much.

I really enjoyed the characters and was rooting for the both of them. The private joke between Sophie and Dash is cute and quirky. And OH. MY. GOD With the yard scene. This is truly a cute spicy romcom and I definitely recommend checking it out.

Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa will be released November 14th, 2023

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Canary Street Press for a digital ARC for my honest review

[Jess (oracle_of_madness) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this, but unfortunately, I couldn't get past the tiktok references. It was this one specific thing that bothered me too much for me to enjoy the book, and I had to just put it down. The characters are interesting, and I enjoyed their backstories. I feel like if this hadn't started so heavy with social media references, I would have really enjoyed it.
However, this is just my opinion. I urge anyone to pick this up and give it a go!
Out November 14, 2024!
Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

[elyssa ꫂ ၴႅၴ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I hated every second of this book. I should have dnf'd when I wanted to which was on chapter 2 in the mmc POV. His first ever scene is him jerking off. Disgusting and not how a mmc should be introduced AT ALL. Also, his inner monologue stays disgusting throughout the entirety of the book because every time he sees the fmc, he is thinking about her breasts, looking at them, or thinking about how "sexy her canine tooth is"?? He mentions her canine tooth so much throughout the book it is genuinely the weirdest thing I've ever had to read about.

ANYWAY, to talk a little about the "plot" it's about a romance writer who has writer's block because she has never been in love before. So she decides to post tiktoks about meeting up with her exes to figure out what went wrong in their relationships. This book was boring to say the least. The romance I genuinely did not care about and reading the entire book never once did the writing make me change my mind. Another reason this book did not work for me is all of the tiktok mentions and super cringey dialogue between all of the characters who are meant to be in their thirties. Having to review this arc is entirely my fault because I requested it based on the cover and because a lot of mutuals were requesting it too. In conclusion, I have no good things to say about this book and I really should have dnf'd it.

Thank you netgalley for the arc

[PlotTrysts · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a lot in Plot Twist that I really enjoyed. Set in Los Angeles, it's a "celebrity adjacent" romance: FMC Sophie is a bestselling romance author who's under deadline for her second book and facing down some major writer's block, while MMC Dash was a teen heartthrob and indie movie star. Dash might be famous, he's about the 3rd most famous person in his superstar family, and Sophie's sister is a celebrity chef married to another celebrity chef. It was fun to see these two characters navigate their relative fame (how much should they post on TikTok? Can they avoid the paparazzi who are really only their for their families?) while also being themselves. Also, the steam was very steamy, with two characters who were very, very attracted to each other. What was tougher for me to chew on was Dash's perspective as someone in recovery from alcoholism. I am personally not very familiar with being in a relationship with someone in recovery, so I cannot evaluate how accurate or sensitive the portrayal is. I can say that I felt uncomfortable with the final relationship stumbling block; while La Rosa clearly communicated that Dash's mental health and recovery did not rely solely on his relationship with Sophie, the grand gesture felt out of place in its setting, and I was honestly unsure about the longevity of the HEA.

SPOILER, possible CW: There was no 3rd act breakup; instead, there was a 3rd act relapse. The final grand gesture takes place at the rehab center where Dash is staying.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

[♥Milica♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping I'd like this better than the first book, but it also didn't work for me. There were so many things/tropes in here that I just didn't care for, and Sophie was so hard to like. Bonus points for the pansexual rep though, that was a pleasant surprise.

[Jocie C · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
2🌶️

This book was adorable 🥰 I loved Dash. I loved how they showed his struggles with sobriety. I’ve never experienced first hand, but I have family members who have. I understand the struggle not only on the person, but the family as well. Very few books show that struggle so I’m glad this one did. I loved the relationship between them.

[Diana | LatinaWithABook · Rating 4 out of 5]

As soon as I saw this cover I knew I wanted to get my hands on it. This cutesy rom-com book was just what I needed to bring me back to my romance obsession.
I really enjoyed all the characters and the writing flows beautifully-not robotic at all. It definitely had me laughing and smiling. I couldn’t put it down, team Dash & Soph all the way!!
Sophie- pansexual, romance author,never been in love- revisits her past relationships to figure out what went wrong.
Dash-ex actor, crafter, Hollywood heartthrob- struggles with keeping his recovery and identity a secret.
Together, they learn to navigate their struggles and learn to lean on each other as they confess their fears. The steam factor is mild but sweet and genuine.

I dislike the word guffawed and it appears multiple times in the book. Again personal preference. The book is also heavy on tropes, and trope talk which is understandable since the FMC is a romance author.
I thought the mention of TikTok would get old but it’s not really the centerpiece, which I’m thankful for.
I give this book 3.7
Thank you to NetGalley, Erin La Rosa, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so sweet 😍 Dash is book boyfriend material for sure!

[Rhonda 🌒🌕🌘 🐈‍⬛ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 🌟
4/5 ❤️‍🩹
4/5 🥰
4/5🌶️
0/5 🔎
4/5 😰A
3/5 🎭C
3/5 🎭T

⚠️⛔️TRIGGERS:⛔️⚠️

Alcoholism
Addiction
Alcohol Use
Stalking
Sexual Content
Toxic Relationship
Mention of Parental Death
Panic Attacks
Infertility
Toxic Friendship
Infidelity
Vomit
Drug Abuse
Emotional Abuse
Medical Trauma
Profanity
Misogyny
Grief
Pregnancy
Gaslighting
Ableism
Graphic Depictions of Injury
Abandonment

🗯️💬BOOK BLURB:💬🗯️

”I give it five stars—and five chili pepper emojis.” —Kate Spencer, author of In a New York Minute

She’s written off more than she can chew…

Romance author Sophie Lyon’s ironic secret just went viral: she’s never been in love—and it’s ruining her reputation. With a manuscript deadline looming, Sophie makes an ambitious plan to overcome her writer’s block: reunite with her exes (including her last girlfriend Carla, the one person she could have loved) to learn why she’s never fallen in love, and document it all for her millions of new online followers.

Luckily, Sophie’s reclusive landlord, Dash Montrose—a former teen heartthrob—has social media all figured out and is willing to help. What he doesn’t mention is that he’s an anonymous online crafter, a hobby that helps him maintain his sobriety. No one knows about his complicated relationship with alcohol, and with a family that’s Hollywood royalty, Dash has to steer clear of scandal.

As Sophie and Dash grow closer, they discover a heat between them that rivals Dash’s pottery kiln. But Sophie needs to figure out who she is outside her relationships, and Dash isn’t sure he’s stable enough for the commitment she deserves. So Sophie suggests what any good romance author would: a friends-with-benefits arrangement. Surely a strictly casual relationship won’t cause any trouble…

”Spicy. Sexy. Swoony. Rachel Lynn Solomon and Christina Lauren fans will love this story!” —Suzanne Park, author of So We Meet Again and The Do-Over

🌎📖OVERALL REVIEWS📖🌎
Courtesy of Storygraph

COMMUNITY REVIEWS
SUMMARY OF 933 REVIEWS

Moods
emotional 70%
funny 58%
lighthearted 58%
hopeful 41%
reflective 22%
inspiring 16%
challenging 8%
relaxing 6%
sad 5%
tense 4%
adventurous 3%
dark 2%
informative 2%
Pace
medium 69%
fast 24%
slow 6%
Plot- or character-driven?
Character: 53% | A mix: 36% | Plot: 9%
Strong character development?
Yes: 78% | It's complicated: 13% | No: 7%
Loveable characters?
Yes: 72% | It's complicated: 17% | No: 9%
Diverse cast of characters?
No: 53% | Yes: 31% | It's complicated: 13% | N/A: 2%
Flaws of characters a main focus?
Yes: 89% | It's complicated: 6% | No: 2% | N/A: 1%
Average rating
3.45

🤔🧐🤯MY THOUGHTS:🤯🧐🤔

SQUEEEEEEE!!! This was an absolute perfect sequel to For Butter or Worse!!! It was a fabulous read as well! Our MFC in this story is Nina’s, from the first book’s, little sister. It’s about her inability to fall in love with anyone despite becoming a romance author.

There are some moments of tragedy regarding our MMC, Dash Montrose, an Indie film actor and recovering alcoholic.

If ya wanna know more, ya gotta read this duet!!

RATING KEY:

🌟 Stars - based on the overall plot and theme or idea of the book
❤️‍🩹 Emotions - based on how emotional I got while reading
🥰 Romance - based on how well I got invested in the love story aspect
🌶️ Spice - based on how the sex scenes were portrayed and written as well as the number of sex scenes
🔎 Mystery - based on how well it kept me guessing who, how and why
😰 Scared/Anxious - based on how scared or anxious the book made me while reading
🎭 Comedy/Tragedy based on if I laughed or if there was a tragic event and how it affected me. I will mark the Masks with either a C or T to indicate Comedy or Tragedy

[niti · Rating 4 out of 5]

So he did what any person would when wanting to avoid emotions and pivoted the conversation. “I’ll carry you to the couch,” he said.

This book proved to me that even when I hype up a book in my mind A LOT, it is possible for it to not be a 5⭐️ read for me. Which isn't a bad thing; I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and smiled a lot during it.

For my absolute least favorite thing about this book that cost it at least like half a star, is the SMIRKING. There is simply way too much smirking going on and 90% of it makes no sense. The word appears 33 times which may be only once every 10 pages, but because of how out of place it is for the scene and characters, it just enraged me every single time.

I also wish there was more development for Dash. I loved him but I feel like he only had two personality traits and neither really had anything to do with his PERSONALITY. I honestly feel like this book needs another round or two of editing.

Onto the things I did like... honestly most parts of the book. Sophie's relationship with Nina (I MISS THAT QUEEN) and Poppy was really genuine and refreshing. I loved how much Sophie messed up and was forced to be vulnerable. I really enjoyed the scenes with her meeting her exes; most of them were absolute trash, but it was frustrating in an entertaining way, if that makes sense.

More random thoughts:
I actually really loved all the side-plots in the book, especially all the ones Dash had.
Him in the the last few chapters was very 🫶🏼.
The dirty talk was not it for me.
Surprisingly enough, I loved all the TikTok stuff.
I loved the lack of bookstagram stuff.
Sophie's internal monologue sometimes was hilarious like this perfect line, "Say it. Say it, you absolute and complete turd."

MVP: Nina Lyon i miss you 🥹

(Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.)

[Lisa Leone-campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plot Twist is a sweet love story about a romance writer who has lost her mojo on love and can’t write, who proceeds to fall in love with her best friend’s brother, an actor who comes from Hollywood royalty, but does not only not want to act anymore, but is facing a sober life and is afraid of letting someone else down. In this charming plot, they discover not only each other, but themselves.

Romance writer Sophie Lyon gets very drunk one night and declares live on social media that she has never been in love and with her next book due in weeks believes she is a wash-up. Except the next morning when she is sober, she discovers she is now a media star. What has she done?

Dash Montrose, Sophie’s landlord as well as Sophie’s best friend Poppy’s brother sees her in a panic. An expert at social media, he tells her he can help create a platform where she could share what she feels if she will help him write a speech he needs to make at a ceremony in honor of his father, a Hollywood legend.

So, Sophie decides to go back to her former exes and ask the question why we broke up and document said answers on social media as the clock ticks towards her deadline. Dash who has his own crisis going on is learning to be sober. He has not told anyone in his family this as well as the fact he does not want to act and would prefer to live a simple life creating pottery while he is still learning how to live life clearheaded. Sophie’s problem is a terrific distraction as well as her being great to look at and fun to be with.

As Sophie visits her exes and discovers the good the bad and the ugly, she begins to realize she perhaps may have a problem with commitment. While this is happening, Dash is trying to figure out how to tell his family, who will not be pleased with his news that he was in a rehab. You see, his parents are all about the fame and being the perfect family.

But attraction gives in, and Sophie and Dash proceed to become friends with benefits. Of course, neither wants to tell Poppy because they know she will lose her mind! In the meantime, Dash seems to have a stalker who threatens to blow up his life by informing the media of his secret.

Everything explodes in their faces all at once and neither of them handles the aftermath very well. Is it possible for these two people who clearly love one another to admit their feelings when one of them can’t commit and the other is afraid to commit?

Plot Twist has strong messages while being a delightful, heartfelt story with twist and happy turns which will keep you rooting until the end.

Thank you #NetGalley #CanaryStreetPress #ErinLaRosa #PlotTwist for the advanced copy.

[winnie ₊ ⊹ · Rating 4 out of 5]

four stars! ʚïɞ

this was such an adorable read! truthfully it wasn’t all i thought it was going to be, but i still really enjoyed this story and the characters a lot.

sophie is a romance writer who has never been in love, which is a fact that she drunkenly confesses to the world on accident when a breakdown in public goes viral on tiktok. dash, her landlord and best friends older brother, is a recovering alcoholic who’s main focus is staying sober while navigating his hollywood royalty family. their paths begin to intertwine after dash helps a hungover sophie, and soon their relationship starts to turn into more than a friendship. however, sophie is looking for the real deal - the commitment, the deep love - all while trying to figure out who she is when she isn’t with someone, and dash isn’t quite ready for the real deal.

i was honestly a little iffy with all the tiktok references because i guess i just didn’t realize how big of an impact that app had on the story, but i didn’t think it was the worst. i’m not someone who hates like modern references in novels bc most of the books i read are contemporary novels and if it’s set in modern day times… like yeah, there’s gonna be modern day references. but i thought the inclusion of the app was pretty neat and i really liked how it was done!

i also really loved sophie and dash’s relationship. they were perfect for each other in so many ways. sophie was able to be herself around dash, whereas in previous relationships she made herself smaller or different to appease the other person. dash felt calm and safe around sophie, and while he’s focusing on staying sober, that’s exactly what he needed. they also were excellent with their communication, i really enjoyed that aspect! it was refreshing, to say the least. they were both real with each other and didn’t downplay any of their feelings or worries.

this was genuinely such a great read! the writing was so easy to fall into, and i really had such a blast while reading it. i think i’ll be picking up erin la rosa’s debut novel after this, because i didn’t realize it followed nina, sophie’s sister! i’m very excited to read more by this author! ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

thank you so much to harlequin and netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!

[mylla ♡·˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars !!

thank you to netgalley for sending me an arc !! i recently read “for butter or worse” and got really happy to know that i was approved to read sophie’s love story !!

plot twist made me fall in love with dash and that’s it like cmon he’s a pottery bf, what else could i want??? but jokes aside, this book was such a fun read :,)

“i’m not overwhelmed by you”

dash’s past is a really sad plot but everything that happened build him into who he’s and i couldn’t be prouder !! him confronting his family was something that he needed to do and i’m glad everything worked out in the end

“you’re not defined by your mistakes”

i loved how sophie took the courage to talk to her exes about something she’s really insecure even after the video got viral. dash always being there for her was *chef kiss* to me, especially with his secret tiktok replies that she didn’t really know about

“i’ve been waiting my whole life for you, just as you are. and if you think i’m going to walk away because of one mistake, then you’re wrong. despite everything, i trust you. i always have. and i trust that if you make more mistakes, we’ll figure them out together.”

i’ll never forget about their squirrel, sophie’s goldfish and the talk about sharks and tractors <3 sophie’s tattoo is definitely unforgettable ! and i wish i could read one of her books !!!!

“just so i’m clear, you love tractors and sharks.”
“you say that like they aren’t all related.”
“sharks and tractors are related?”
“they’re both wildly misunderstood, dash.”

[Inés Molina · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was quite lovely with a nice happily ever after. Warming to reading how the characters developed in this story. They had great chemistry which I love and the banter was cute. It had a realistic view of a relationship that was well written.

[Krysti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley for review. My opinions are my own.

5/5 stars

I’m fan-girling over this book. I read it all in one afternoon, in bed sick with a cold. I could not stop. It was that good. I believe this is La Rosa’s second romance trope and I’ll be checking out her debut soon.

If you’re a fan of the grumpy meets sunshine and one bed tropes, this one is for you. TW: this does deal with some family dynamics and alcoholism so if you struggle with these topics, it may be best to skip.

Sophie is a romance novelist who has (gasp!) never been in love. She embarks on a journey to figure out why, by contacting her ex’s. Dash, her landlord and best friend’s brother, helps her along the way.

Again, loved this book!

[Maddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Dash, in the places where we’ve both been broken, being together makes me feel whole. As soon as I fell in love with you, I knew I couldn’t be without you.”

-close proximity, dual pov, best friend’s brother
-Sophie is romance writer who’s never been in love 👩‍💻❤️
-Dash, who is also her landlord, starts helping her see the possibilities
-I enjoyed reading about their vulnerabilities and building of their friendship to something more!
-tw: substance abuse
-thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this read ✨

4⭐️

[Clarissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is what i get for judging a book by it's cover. i thought i was going to enjoy this a whole lot more than i did. i found the beginning enjoyable but the more that it went on the more i lost interest but at the point i had already read enough to finish the book. it felt repetitive and i dont see why it's called plot twist??

thank you to netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review