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Any Trope But You
A bestselling romance author flees to Alaska to reinvent herself and write her first murder mystery, but the rugged resort proprietor soon has her fearing she’s living in a rom-com plot instead in this earnestly spectacular debut by a stunning new voice.
Beloved romance author Margot Bradley has a dark she doesn’t believe in Happily Ever Afters. Not for herself, not for her readers, and not even for her characters, for whom she secretly writes alternate endings that swap weddings and babies for divorce papers and the occasional slashed tire. When her Happily Never After document is hacked and released to the public, she finds herself canceled by her readers and dropped by her publisher.
Desperate to find a way to continue supporting her chronically ill sister, Savannah, Margot decides to trade meet-cutes for murder. The fictional kind. Probably. But when Savannah books Margot a six-week stay in a remote Alaskan resort to pen her first murder mystery, Margot finds herself running from a moose and leaping into the arms of the handsome proprietor, making her fear she’s just landed in a romance novel instead.
The last thing Dr. Forrest Wakefield ever expected was to leave his dream job as a cancer researcher to become a glorified bellhop. What he’s really doing at his family’s resort is caring for his stubborn, ailing father, and his puzzle-loving mind is slowly freezing over—until Margot shows up. But Forrest doesn’t have any room in his life for another person he could lose, especially one with a checkout date.
As long snowy nights and one unlikely trope after another draw Margot and Forrest together, they’ll each have to learn to overcome their fears and set their aside assumptions before Margot leaves—or risk becoming a Happily Never After story themselves.
Beloved romance author Margot Bradley has a dark she doesn’t believe in Happily Ever Afters. Not for herself, not for her readers, and not even for her characters, for whom she secretly writes alternate endings that swap weddings and babies for divorce papers and the occasional slashed tire. When her Happily Never After document is hacked and released to the public, she finds herself canceled by her readers and dropped by her publisher.
Desperate to find a way to continue supporting her chronically ill sister, Savannah, Margot decides to trade meet-cutes for murder. The fictional kind. Probably. But when Savannah books Margot a six-week stay in a remote Alaskan resort to pen her first murder mystery, Margot finds herself running from a moose and leaping into the arms of the handsome proprietor, making her fear she’s just landed in a romance novel instead.
The last thing Dr. Forrest Wakefield ever expected was to leave his dream job as a cancer researcher to become a glorified bellhop. What he’s really doing at his family’s resort is caring for his stubborn, ailing father, and his puzzle-loving mind is slowly freezing over—until Margot shows up. But Forrest doesn’t have any room in his life for another person he could lose, especially one with a checkout date.
As long snowy nights and one unlikely trope after another draw Margot and Forrest together, they’ll each have to learn to overcome their fears and set their aside assumptions before Margot leaves—or risk becoming a Happily Never After story themselves.
336 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2025
1009 people are currently reading
38176 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,048 reviews
May 5, 2025
On the one hand, I did have some fun with this one. But on the other hand, shouldn't these characters be in therapy instead of a romcom?
Let me preface this by saying that my opinion here is decidedly in the minority. I see so much love for this book, so I'm inclined to think this is probably a me-problem and not a book-problem. I'm getting to that cynical old age when I should stop reading romances about silly young 'uns and move onto more serious novels about geriatric leads.
But since you're still here, I might as well tell you my thoughts.
First, the good. The premise of this book is a lot of fun, about a romance author all romanced-out and pretending for her readers. There is a lot of trope awareness within the pages, so it almost feels a bit meta as you're reading it. I also thought the banter was top notch, and it definitely had me chuckling along.
But then, the not so good. I feel like this book took every possible minor issue that the characters could have had and laid it on so thick, it robbed any semblance of reality from the story. Find out your favorite romance author doesn't believe in happily ever after? Cancel her. Caring for an ill loved one? Why not make it almost Munchausen by proxy. Love someone but can't physically be in the same location? Don't even consider long distance, just call it quits and wallow in self-pity.
It's hard to take a story seriously when it's so over the top on everything. I understand that to have a story at all, there needs to be conflicts and resolutions. And yes, sometimes one has to stretch the conflicts a bit in order to have a story last the requisite 300 pages to be called a book. But this one went so hard to town with just about everything, it started to feel vaguely farcical.
And this nuttiness extended to the characters too. At the center is Margot, the most beautiful and successful female lead ever, yet so full of self-doubt that she needs constant reassurance from everyone around her, which she manifests as rudeness and brattiness and borderline harassment.
Yikes, talk about a red flag! Then there is Forrest, yet another one of those doormat male leads, existing solely to fall in love with and bolster up our female lead, no matter how poorly she behaves. I cringed so hard in embarrassment for them both, my cheeks were permanently pink while reading this.
And the cherry on top? They were both caring for ill loved ones, but to a degree that was so extreme, these said loved ones had to formulate complicated plans to extricate themselves from this unwelcome, excessive style of smothering and guilt/self-conflagration. My eyes rolleth out of my head, my friends.
At its core, in order for me to buy into a romance, I have to believe that people can fall in love with the main characters, and it just didn't happen here. It's one thing to suspend disbelief, and I'm happy to do so for pretty much every book I read. But the way Margot and Forrest were written, they were just a step too far beyond disbelief for me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Let me preface this by saying that my opinion here is decidedly in the minority. I see so much love for this book, so I'm inclined to think this is probably a me-problem and not a book-problem. I'm getting to that cynical old age when I should stop reading romances about silly young 'uns and move onto more serious novels about geriatric leads.
But since you're still here, I might as well tell you my thoughts.
First, the good. The premise of this book is a lot of fun, about a romance author all romanced-out and pretending for her readers. There is a lot of trope awareness within the pages, so it almost feels a bit meta as you're reading it. I also thought the banter was top notch, and it definitely had me chuckling along.
But then, the not so good. I feel like this book took every possible minor issue that the characters could have had and laid it on so thick, it robbed any semblance of reality from the story. Find out your favorite romance author doesn't believe in happily ever after? Cancel her. Caring for an ill loved one? Why not make it almost Munchausen by proxy. Love someone but can't physically be in the same location? Don't even consider long distance, just call it quits and wallow in self-pity.
It's hard to take a story seriously when it's so over the top on everything. I understand that to have a story at all, there needs to be conflicts and resolutions. And yes, sometimes one has to stretch the conflicts a bit in order to have a story last the requisite 300 pages to be called a book. But this one went so hard to town with just about everything, it started to feel vaguely farcical.
And this nuttiness extended to the characters too. At the center is Margot, the most beautiful and successful female lead ever, yet so full of self-doubt that she needs constant reassurance from everyone around her, which she manifests as rudeness and brattiness and borderline harassment.
"No, Forrest, you listen. You gave me every indication that you were interested. I thought maybe we could have a little fun in this godforsaken place, but since that's obviously not something you're capable of, I'm happy to find it somewhere else."
Yikes, talk about a red flag! Then there is Forrest, yet another one of those doormat male leads, existing solely to fall in love with and bolster up our female lead, no matter how poorly she behaves. I cringed so hard in embarrassment for them both, my cheeks were permanently pink while reading this.
And the cherry on top? They were both caring for ill loved ones, but to a degree that was so extreme, these said loved ones had to formulate complicated plans to extricate themselves from this unwelcome, excessive style of smothering and guilt/self-conflagration. My eyes rolleth out of my head, my friends.
At its core, in order for me to buy into a romance, I have to believe that people can fall in love with the main characters, and it just didn't happen here. It's one thing to suspend disbelief, and I'm happy to do so for pretty much every book I read. But the way Margot and Forrest were written, they were just a step too far beyond disbelief for me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
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July 10, 2025
3.75!
These are not bad three stars because I genuinely enjoyed this book and I really liked the idea and how it was explored, but I would advise everyone to take my rating of the book I'm currently reading with a grain of salt as my slump may have affected my opinion on the book and it's potential. The way I started this on June 6th and finished it now makes me want to bash my head against the wall because the writing is addictive, and if the slump wasn't there, I would have binged this.
The story follows Margot, an author who does not believe in happy endings, who goes to this retreat in Alaska to write a murder mystery (I think?), I initially did not like her character, but I liked how stuff about her slowly unraveled and we were let in, which really changed my perspective on her and made me resonate with her. Her humor was always fun to read, and I honestly enjoyed her perspective. Forrest, is this doctor who has the personality of a grumpy caveman, loll. I loved him and his interactions with Margot, he was truly such a good love interest, and he made Margot's story very interesting. I loved the exchange of letters in this story as well, the way they were written was so enjoyable and humorous!!
I'm just gonna skip to the romance part because this was quite literally the part of the book which actually was the part that was my motivation to finish the book. It was so well written, like the chemistry that the main characters shared was so intense and natural, the tension and moments of forced proximity just heightened everything, the communication between them, and the understanding that these two established was what made this book so unique also not to minish how intense the spicy scene were ESPECIALLY the Sauna scene like go with a fan, guys.
Overall, it was definitely a very enjoyable debut!!
__
Another one of the few books I soft dnf'd, but I feel like reading it now!
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher- Atria for the E-Arc.*
These are not bad three stars because I genuinely enjoyed this book and I really liked the idea and how it was explored, but I would advise everyone to take my rating of the book I'm currently reading with a grain of salt as my slump may have affected my opinion on the book and it's potential. The way I started this on June 6th and finished it now makes me want to bash my head against the wall because the writing is addictive, and if the slump wasn't there, I would have binged this.
The story follows Margot, an author who does not believe in happy endings, who goes to this retreat in Alaska to write a murder mystery (I think?), I initially did not like her character, but I liked how stuff about her slowly unraveled and we were let in, which really changed my perspective on her and made me resonate with her. Her humor was always fun to read, and I honestly enjoyed her perspective. Forrest, is this doctor who has the personality of a grumpy caveman, loll. I loved him and his interactions with Margot, he was truly such a good love interest, and he made Margot's story very interesting. I loved the exchange of letters in this story as well, the way they were written was so enjoyable and humorous!!
I'm just gonna skip to the romance part because this was quite literally the part of the book which actually was the part that was my motivation to finish the book. It was so well written, like the chemistry that the main characters shared was so intense and natural, the tension and moments of forced proximity just heightened everything, the communication between them, and the understanding that these two established was what made this book so unique also not to minish how intense the spicy scene were ESPECIALLY the Sauna scene like go with a fan, guys.
Overall, it was definitely a very enjoyable debut!!
__
Another one of the few books I soft dnf'd, but I feel like reading it now!
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher- Atria for the E-Arc.*
September 11, 2025
chants to myself: i still like romance, i still like romance, i still like romance (just not this one)
May 12, 2025
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
⤿🎿28/02/25
3.75 stars ok lowkey I didn't expect to enjoy this? because all my arcs recntly were letting me down, but this one did the job!!😌🙌🏻 Despite liking it, I feel like there could've been more to the end, as I felt the ending was rushed. I honestly wanted more of Forrest & Margot, like an epilogue of them finally living together. Anyways their relationship was everything!! the way they saw each other truly through all the inner walls, it was so sweet to read. Forrest made Margot believe in love again, when she gave up the idea of getting her HEA a long time ago. They atlast found their HEA with eachother, they were so cute.
what to expect:
⛄ enemies-to-lovers
⛄ forced proximity
⛄ bestselling author x doctor
⛄ one tent
⛄ set in Alaska
⛄ no connection with the oustide world for 6 weeks
⛄ rediscovering oneself
⛄ emotional family bonds
⤿🎿24/02/25
Enemies-to-lovers? SIGN ME UP!😍 all my recent arcs have been letting me down, so I don't have any high expectations for this one.🙁 I'm only reading this now because I won't be reading any romance books next month due to Ramadan, and ig this book might be releasing on eid. Wish me luck 🤞🏻
⤿🎿28/02/25
3.75 stars ok lowkey I didn't expect to enjoy this? because all my arcs recntly were letting me down, but this one did the job!!😌🙌🏻 Despite liking it, I feel like there could've been more to the end, as I felt the ending was rushed. I honestly wanted more of Forrest & Margot, like an epilogue of them finally living together. Anyways their relationship was everything!! the way they saw each other truly through all the inner walls, it was so sweet to read. Forrest made Margot believe in love again, when she gave up the idea of getting her HEA a long time ago. They atlast found their HEA with eachother, they were so cute.
what to expect:
⛄ enemies-to-lovers
⛄ forced proximity
⛄ bestselling author x doctor
⛄ one tent
⛄ set in Alaska
⛄ no connection with the oustide world for 6 weeks
⛄ rediscovering oneself
⛄ emotional family bonds
⤿🎿24/02/25
Enemies-to-lovers? SIGN ME UP!😍 all my recent arcs have been letting me down, so I don't have any high expectations for this one.🙁 I'm only reading this now because I won't be reading any romance books next month due to Ramadan, and ig this book might be releasing on eid. Wish me luck 🤞🏻
March 9, 2025
3.75 stars! 🌟 Huge thanks to Atria Books for the eARC via Netgalley! 💌
Okay, hear me out—this book was like getting hit with every rom-com trope in existence, and somehow, it WORKED. 😂
Margot Bradley is a bestselling romance author who—plot twist—doesn't believe in HEAs. And when her secret Happily Never After document leaks, she gets canceled hard. Her solution? Run off to Alaska to write a murder mystery (because what could go wrong?). Enter Forrest Wakefield, a doctor-turned-reluctant-lodge-owner with a heart of gold and a serious case of grumpy-but-soft-for-her. 🥹
Listen. This book is self-aware AF. It throws every classic romance trope at you—forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers, one tent, only one bed, stuck in the wilderness—and it knows exactly what it's doing. Margot even acknowledges how absurd it is, which made it so much fun. 😭
💖 Things I Loved:
✔ Alaska setting – the snowy vibes were immaculate. ❄️
✔ Forrest – if book boyfriends were a competition, he’d at least place Top 5. A hot, broody doctor who quotes Taylor Swift at the gym? Please. 🫠
✔ Margot's chaotic energy – girl was out here dodging moose and embarrassing herself at every turn, and I was living for it.
✔ The romance!!! – The slow burn, the tension, the emotional depth—I was hooked.
🤨 What Didn't Work as Much:
✘ That ending felt RUSHED. I needed at least 20 more pages of Margot & Forrest being cute. 🫠
✘ Margot’s conflict choices... questionable. Some moments made me wanna shake her like, girl, use your brain just once.
But overall?? This was adorable. Fluffy, hilarious, and genuinely heartwarming. If you love rom-coms that embrace the chaos, this one’s for you. 😍
Tropes you’ll eat up:
❄️ Enemies-to-lovers
❄️ Forced proximity
❄️ Romance author x Doctor
❄️ Grumpy & Grumpier
❄️ A moose steals the show
Final verdict: This was unhinged in the best way and I loved it. 😂 Definitely picking up whatever Victoria Lavine writes next!
Okay, hear me out—this book was like getting hit with every rom-com trope in existence, and somehow, it WORKED. 😂
Margot Bradley is a bestselling romance author who—plot twist—doesn't believe in HEAs. And when her secret Happily Never After document leaks, she gets canceled hard. Her solution? Run off to Alaska to write a murder mystery (because what could go wrong?). Enter Forrest Wakefield, a doctor-turned-reluctant-lodge-owner with a heart of gold and a serious case of grumpy-but-soft-for-her. 🥹
Listen. This book is self-aware AF. It throws every classic romance trope at you—forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers, one tent, only one bed, stuck in the wilderness—and it knows exactly what it's doing. Margot even acknowledges how absurd it is, which made it so much fun. 😭
💖 Things I Loved:
✔ Alaska setting – the snowy vibes were immaculate. ❄️
✔ Forrest – if book boyfriends were a competition, he’d at least place Top 5. A hot, broody doctor who quotes Taylor Swift at the gym? Please. 🫠
✔ Margot's chaotic energy – girl was out here dodging moose and embarrassing herself at every turn, and I was living for it.
✔ The romance!!! – The slow burn, the tension, the emotional depth—I was hooked.
🤨 What Didn't Work as Much:
✘ That ending felt RUSHED. I needed at least 20 more pages of Margot & Forrest being cute. 🫠
✘ Margot’s conflict choices... questionable. Some moments made me wanna shake her like, girl, use your brain just once.
But overall?? This was adorable. Fluffy, hilarious, and genuinely heartwarming. If you love rom-coms that embrace the chaos, this one’s for you. 😍
Tropes you’ll eat up:
❄️ Enemies-to-lovers
❄️ Forced proximity
❄️ Romance author x Doctor
❄️ Grumpy & Grumpier
❄️ A moose steals the show
Final verdict: This was unhinged in the best way and I loved it. 😂 Definitely picking up whatever Victoria Lavine writes next!
June 22, 2025
✩ 3 stars ✩
What to Expect:
➼ Forced Proximity
➼ Dislike-to-Love
➼ Meet Cute
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Grumpy x Grumpier
➼ Jaded Author FMC x Doctor/Medical Researcher MMC
➼ Off the Grid Alaskan Hotel Setting
➼ Only One Tent
➼ Chronically Ill Family Members
➼ Dual Narration
➼ Dual First Person POV
After the FMC (Margot) is burned by cancel culture, her sister stages somewhat of an intervention and books her a 6 month stay in a remote Alaskan resort. Margot is a romance author who is down on her luck and has lost faith in ever finding her own happily ever after when she meets Forest whose father owns the resort. They both see each other initially through the jaded lens of past betrayals and their meet cute quickly turns to dislike. Being a romance author, Margot sees tropes everywhere and repeatedly calls them out, sometimes out loud to Forest. I wasn’t exactly surprised by the discussion of tropes considering the title, but it was definitley over the top. I weeded my list down, but this book covered pretty much every trope you can imagine. Too many in my opinion.
There were some aspects of this plot that I found very unrealistic. My biggest issue was with the letters and the FMC’s quest to earn them. Forest was a complete stranger to her and her sister and he had plenty of his own personal issues to focus on. It was completely unrealistic for him to be managing her sister’s letters to the degree that he did. Based on his personality in the story, I just don’t believe he would have ever agreed to do all that. The only argument that can be made is that perhaps they really needed the business, but still, who would even ask all that of a stranger?
I was also bothered by the portrayal of the FMC as being a helpless and hapless damsel in distress that had basically never seen the outdoors but was also someone’s caretaker? Her character didn’t make sense to me at all. People in LA also live in California where there is plenty of great hiking and beautiful places in nature that people come from all over the world to visit, but the author is trying to tell me the FMC has basically never hiked? Even if she were an “indoor cat” as she said, she wouldn’t have been completely helpless. Is she just super out of shape or something? If not, the way both he and her sister spoke to her about completing activities was bizarre to me.
I also feel like she was portrayed as somewhat unintelligent. She doesn’t know what a flue is, she has no idea how to act around wild animals, she doesn’t notice that when she packs her tent, the tent itself is missing, she takes her hat off when it’s freezing and he told her not to, etc. I might have felt a little different if she had lived in NYC, but not LA. Maybe the worst for me was her doing a live feed in her underwear. Honestly, who does that? She definitely wasn’t an FMC I identified with.
Anyway, she just seemed super dense and like a liability which didn’t feel at all likely to me. Authors would be well read and have knowledge of lots of things after researching all their books. There were some odd lines here and there that bothered me too. Like when she has hypothermia he says “I told you not to sweat.” Like sir, how is she supposed to control her body’s reactions? Or in a spicy scene the author wrote “fists tugging in his chest hair.” 🤨 How hairy is this man that she can get a whole fist full of his chest hair? And is that meant to be attractive? At one point it says she starts dry humping him without realizing it… just lots of little lines like these throughout that had me curling my lip or scratching my head.
Also, was the caretaker subplot giving Munchausen’s for anyone else? 👀 Their family members were basically like, please go live your lives and leave us alone. 😅
This is a debut, and knowing that, I’d say this was a decent read. I think most people will overlook the things that bothered me about this one and enjoy it more than I did. I liked the second half of the book more than the first when the FMC stopped slipping up and making stupid mistakes left and right. I also thought the spice in chapter 21 was pretty well written even though it contained even more tropes. 👀 You’ll see… I suspect most people will rate this higher than me, so if it peaks your interest, I say go for it!
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: The Afterlight edition is so cute! I’m a little behind on reading my SE’s so I’m trying to prioritize them this month. It feels wrong to read a book with snow on the cover in the middle of June, but it is what it is. 😅
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
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What to Expect:
➼ Forced Proximity
➼ Dislike-to-Love
➼ Meet Cute
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Grumpy x Grumpier
➼ Jaded Author FMC x Doctor/Medical Researcher MMC
➼ Off the Grid Alaskan Hotel Setting
➼ Only One Tent
➼ Chronically Ill Family Members
➼ Dual Narration
➼ Dual First Person POV
After the FMC (Margot) is burned by cancel culture, her sister stages somewhat of an intervention and books her a 6 month stay in a remote Alaskan resort. Margot is a romance author who is down on her luck and has lost faith in ever finding her own happily ever after when she meets Forest whose father owns the resort. They both see each other initially through the jaded lens of past betrayals and their meet cute quickly turns to dislike. Being a romance author, Margot sees tropes everywhere and repeatedly calls them out, sometimes out loud to Forest. I wasn’t exactly surprised by the discussion of tropes considering the title, but it was definitley over the top. I weeded my list down, but this book covered pretty much every trope you can imagine. Too many in my opinion.
There were some aspects of this plot that I found very unrealistic. My biggest issue was with the letters and the FMC’s quest to earn them. Forest was a complete stranger to her and her sister and he had plenty of his own personal issues to focus on. It was completely unrealistic for him to be managing her sister’s letters to the degree that he did. Based on his personality in the story, I just don’t believe he would have ever agreed to do all that. The only argument that can be made is that perhaps they really needed the business, but still, who would even ask all that of a stranger?
I was also bothered by the portrayal of the FMC as being a helpless and hapless damsel in distress that had basically never seen the outdoors but was also someone’s caretaker? Her character didn’t make sense to me at all. People in LA also live in California where there is plenty of great hiking and beautiful places in nature that people come from all over the world to visit, but the author is trying to tell me the FMC has basically never hiked? Even if she were an “indoor cat” as she said, she wouldn’t have been completely helpless. Is she just super out of shape or something? If not, the way both he and her sister spoke to her about completing activities was bizarre to me.
I also feel like she was portrayed as somewhat unintelligent. She doesn’t know what a flue is, she has no idea how to act around wild animals, she doesn’t notice that when she packs her tent, the tent itself is missing, she takes her hat off when it’s freezing and he told her not to, etc. I might have felt a little different if she had lived in NYC, but not LA. Maybe the worst for me was her doing a live feed in her underwear. Honestly, who does that? She definitely wasn’t an FMC I identified with.
Anyway, she just seemed super dense and like a liability which didn’t feel at all likely to me. Authors would be well read and have knowledge of lots of things after researching all their books. There were some odd lines here and there that bothered me too. Like when she has hypothermia he says “I told you not to sweat.” Like sir, how is she supposed to control her body’s reactions? Or in a spicy scene the author wrote “fists tugging in his chest hair.” 🤨 How hairy is this man that she can get a whole fist full of his chest hair? And is that meant to be attractive? At one point it says she starts dry humping him without realizing it… just lots of little lines like these throughout that had me curling my lip or scratching my head.
Also, was the caretaker subplot giving Munchausen’s for anyone else? 👀 Their family members were basically like, please go live your lives and leave us alone. 😅
This is a debut, and knowing that, I’d say this was a decent read. I think most people will overlook the things that bothered me about this one and enjoy it more than I did. I liked the second half of the book more than the first when the FMC stopped slipping up and making stupid mistakes left and right. I also thought the spice in chapter 21 was pretty well written even though it contained even more tropes. 👀 You’ll see… I suspect most people will rate this higher than me, so if it peaks your interest, I say go for it!
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: The Afterlight edition is so cute! I’m a little behind on reading my SE’s so I’m trying to prioritize them this month. It feels wrong to read a book with snow on the cover in the middle of June, but it is what it is. 😅
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram
April 30, 2025
Since I'm pretty sure I’m not the one who wrote this book, I'm glad to know my entire existence can be described as a series of cliches put together.
And you may ask: why would you say that? Well, if there ever was a book that screamed “that's so me” and “I’d have written the same thing”, that book is Any Trope but You.
Don't be misled by the title; there are tons of our favourite tropes in this story, but the way they blend into one another and how they work in the biggest scheme of the whole book… *chef kiss*
(I feel like I must report I haven't cringed once because, most of the time, the FMC was the first to point out how ridiculous the situation was, and I just loved how completely normal and sincere the whole thing felt)
But perfection doesn't exist, and even if a book doesn't have to be perfect to be loved, I'm sad that this one lost me a little bit near the end.
The reason? I’d have liked for our dear first-born daughter, who raised herself and her sick sister, to stand up for the hurt she felt and dive a little bit more into that.
And, before you ask, there is a third-act break-up — if you think about it, it’s like a necessary trope to have in a book full of tropes —, which is completely understandable given the characters' situation.
But the very end, the big-speech-to-win-her-back moment, felt rushed and due, and maybe even something that didn't necessarily need to happen.
The ones who know me know I don't make this comparison lightly but — and please trust me on this —, if you love Emily Henry’s type of giggling-screaming-crying-throwing-up type of romance, then this one has to be your next reading.
↠ 4.8 stars
Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
And you may ask: why would you say that? Well, if there ever was a book that screamed “that's so me” and “I’d have written the same thing”, that book is Any Trope but You.
Don't be misled by the title; there are tons of our favourite tropes in this story, but the way they blend into one another and how they work in the biggest scheme of the whole book… *chef kiss*
(I feel like I must report I haven't cringed once because, most of the time, the FMC was the first to point out how ridiculous the situation was, and I just loved how completely normal and sincere the whole thing felt)
But perfection doesn't exist, and even if a book doesn't have to be perfect to be loved, I'm sad that this one lost me a little bit near the end.
The reason? I’d have liked for our dear first-born daughter, who raised herself and her sick sister, to stand up for the hurt she felt and dive a little bit more into that.
And, before you ask, there is a third-act break-up — if you think about it, it’s like a necessary trope to have in a book full of tropes —, which is completely understandable given the characters' situation.
But the very end, the big-speech-to-win-her-back moment, felt rushed and due, and maybe even something that didn't necessarily need to happen.
The ones who know me know I don't make this comparison lightly but — and please trust me on this —, if you love Emily Henry’s type of giggling-screaming-crying-throwing-up type of romance, then this one has to be your next reading.
↠ 4.8 stars
Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
![Profile Image for ari [gin’s vrsn 🩵] [semi ia].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1757265812i%2F180071670._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
April 2, 2025
3.5⭐CHARS (that was a crappy reference sorry)
thank you Netgalley for providing an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
18+ (y’all the hypocrisy)
romance: 9/10 (explicit descriptions of finger, oral, and penetrative sex. The only reason it’s not a 10 is bc it doesn’t use words like “c*nt” or “p*ssy”, which I find to be worse on the scale of smut scenes. *coughs in twisted* scroll down to the bottom of the overview section for chapters to skip. There are also mentions of masturbation)
cursing: 8/10 (damn, hell, ass, bitch, shit. Plus f-ck 102 times)
violence: 0/10 (nothing)
other: drinking/drunkenness. Talk of drugs. A married lesbian couple.
tropes: forced proximity, fish out of water, snowed in, onebed tent
tw: divorce, cancer, death of loved one
first person, present tense
dual pov
publish date: 4-1-25
At what point did biology decide wood was the go-to scent for making men smell attractive?
– OVERVIEW –
edit 4-1-25: HAPPY RELEASE DAY Y’ALL
So, if I’m being 100% honest, this book was so cute minus the smut scenes.
As a 15 year old Christian, I did not read the scenes (on purpose at least lol, I zoned out while Margot was checking the light in the sauna and the next thing I know Forrest is sucking her breasts… UH)
I’m having such a good track record this year abt books with spice in it…. 🥲
The romance seemed a little rushed to me, and based purely on the sexual attraction they feel toward the other. Obviously, the first thing you would notice about a person is if you find them attractive or not, but this takes it to the extreme. Honestly, I was getting tired of hearing how Margot instantly was put on edge and wet like a slimy snail everytime Forrest brushed her elbow at the dinner table. Am I the only person who doesn’t like the “casual fling to something more” trope? Bc that’s essentially what this is. They know things aren’t going to work, and that after Margot leaves the resort they’re not going to see each other again. And yet, apparently Forrest’s dick and Margot’s vajayjay didn’t get the memo. They start off as f-buddies. Not exactly ideal 💀
BUTTTT the banter in this book was SO good. I was giggling and kicking my feet during the first half. And the ending was so sweeetttt, so like basically after you get past the middle which is freaky lust it’s so so cute.
I think this book ruined my head. I keep thinking in swear words. ALSO can someone explain the overkill f-cks??? LIKE WHY 102? Most of them are awkward and unnecessary. Can someone give me a time machine to before I requested this book? I would like to warn past me…
the writing
It seemed a little juvenile to me? The style was unique. It was enjoyable enough, but quite obviously a debut. Usually I don’t care much about research inconsistencies, except when I know about the subject. Like with this book it was the snow machine (where I live we call them snowmobiles or sleds) scene. Margot and Forrest are seen weaving pin point turns around trees at a “breakneck” speed… which is kind of ridiculous to me. Like for one, those things are tippy as frick so the pin point turns at a breakneck speed??? Disaster. I grew up riding snowmobiles (in fact, the only way to get to my house in the winter is on one. Go ahead. Be jealous. I’m jsk it lwk sucks), so I know that it might be a possibility with a single experienced rider, but with a passenger (never advised bc it’s dangerous btw) who has no knowledge on how to lean, it’s pretty much impossible. Now I could just be envisioning the trees closer together than the author imagined them, but if so, then she did a bad job at explaining.
Which brings me to the descriptions. I had the most difficult time picturing the world in my head. At first I thought it was because I was tired, or needed another cup of coffee, but the more I read into this book the less and less that seemed the case.
I see the characters as faceless cardboard cut outs with the features they’re so fond of about the other. Which NEVERRRRR happens for me unless the writing is phenomenally bad. (*coughs* Powerless *coughing hack*)
I might just have controversial opinions on books tho hahaha
As promised, here are the chapters you’ll want to skip if you plan on avoiding the spice (my soul has been tainted from just skimming to find the beginning and ends of the scenes so you’re welcome)
End of Chapter 10 (a scene in which they’re dry humping in a sleeping bag??? Idk, it says the word “erection” so it’s a nono for me)
Chapters 17, 20, and 21 (full chapters)
Chapter 22 (some stuff at the beginning)
Chapter 25 (a bit at the beginning)
Chapter 26
“I’m never going to be someone you can’t trust.”
– PLOT –
After New York Times bestselling romance author, Margot Bradley’s secret Happily Never After File, a document in which she rewrote the endings of all her books with a turn for the worse, leaks, she is left reeling in the aftermath. Her younger sister books her a “Reinvention” trip to a wilderness resort in Alaska, trying to turn her into the next Taylor Swift of rebrands. There, she meets tall, dark, and handsome, Forrest of the Forest (heh). He is the embodiment of her ideal type, and a man who checks all the romance hero boxes. How much longer will she be able to pretend she hates him and ignore her extreme attraction?
(not long isttlga)
“I can’t believe you read romance novels. You seems more like a Scientific American kind of guy.”
The tension breaks and he laughs in surprise. “I am a Scientific American kind of guy,” he confirms before his smile fades slightly. “But I guess I’m a Margot Bradley kind of guy now too.”
– CHARACTERS –
MARGOT she’s not a bad fmc. I just wish she was a little more consistent. Like how do you go years of swearing love is fake, only to change your mind after knowing a man for three weeks and having sex with him? I do not understand. I didn’t see much personality in her besides “protect sister” and either “dream abt screwing” or “screwing Forrest” (not in the business type way, mind you) which is sad 🥳🥳
Why was there such a large amount of sex scenes in this book? I swear, they take up like 40% of the book 🥲🥲
But I. Hate. The. “He’s so big she’s so tiny”. TROPE. It’s icky. Who would want to constantly read abt how his “giant muscled frame dwarfed her as he stood above her”. Frick to the NO. especially the “he’s too big to fit” vibe going on. Isttlga.
FORREST ngl he’s also flat. But I loved that he’s a triple negative breast cancer researcher. That was so cute how he dove into that field after his mom passed. Swoony. And as someone who was born with a heart condition, I also loved how he wanted to be a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon. Isn’t that so adorable??? He’s a nerdy man who loves to read, has a phd. like brooooo.
But. all that’s on his mind is Margot’s little snail…. SAURRRR
*coughs*
Apparently he also has a giant dingaling. So at least he has that going for him 💀💀
Also, “Sweetheart” that’s the best you could do??? I’m sorry, but that makes me feel icky, bc like old grandpas and my dad call me that daily, so that fact he calls her that during sexy time freaks me out.
SAVANNAH she was my favorite character 🥹🥹 but we don’t see much of her bc her sis is too busy banging 🥳👏
I ADORED her letters tho. Easily my favorite part of the whole book.
JO she was a girlboss, and I loved the little thing she had going with Trapper, that was so sweet.
TRAPPER he reminds me of my grandpa and I loved him (totally not projecting my own personalities on these characters bc they were flat asfrickkkk)
OLLIE naur pookie. Stop trying. It’s just sad atp.
“Nah, I only work out to Taylor Swift”
– CONCLUSION –
The amount of dirty jokes my friends made that I didn’t understand until reading this book concerns me. What has become of me 🥲🫠
ANYWAY if you’re over 18 and you read smut definitely go pick this book up (for moral reasons I will not be recommending this book to anyone who is not old enough to legally buy a vape 🥳) (don’t mistake that as me encouraging vaping either bc that’s bad for your lungs. Go breath some oxygen please and ty)
It was an easy fluffy (minus the scenes which are not fluffy lol) read that I flew through.
So demure.
So mindful.
SAUR cutesy.
Anyway, tysm for reading lovelies <333
“You love me,” I whisper, and it’s half a question, half-declaration.
“Of course I love you,” he says, raising a hand to stroke my dimple with his thumb. “Why else would I be here begging you to spend the rest of your life with me?”
preread
guess who just got her first official arc 🥹🥹🥹
THANK YOU JONI FOR TELLING ME ABT ATRIA ily 🤭🤭
thank you Netgalley for providing an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
18+ (y’all the hypocrisy)
romance: 9/10 (explicit descriptions of finger, oral, and penetrative sex. The only reason it’s not a 10 is bc it doesn’t use words like “c*nt” or “p*ssy”, which I find to be worse on the scale of smut scenes. *coughs in twisted* scroll down to the bottom of the overview section for chapters to skip. There are also mentions of masturbation)
cursing: 8/10 (damn, hell, ass, bitch, shit. Plus f-ck 102 times)
violence: 0/10 (nothing)
other: drinking/drunkenness. Talk of drugs. A married lesbian couple.
tropes: forced proximity, fish out of water, snowed in, one
tw: divorce, cancer, death of loved one
first person, present tense
dual pov
publish date: 4-1-25
At what point did biology decide wood was the go-to scent for making men smell attractive?
– OVERVIEW –
edit 4-1-25: HAPPY RELEASE DAY Y’ALL
So, if I’m being 100% honest, this book was so cute minus the smut scenes.
As a 15 year old Christian, I did not read the scenes (on purpose at least lol, I zoned out while Margot was checking the light in the sauna and the next thing I know Forrest is sucking her breasts… UH)
I’m having such a good track record this year abt books with spice in it…. 🥲
The romance seemed a little rushed to me, and based purely on the sexual attraction they feel toward the other. Obviously, the first thing you would notice about a person is if you find them attractive or not, but this takes it to the extreme. Honestly, I was getting tired of hearing how Margot instantly was put on edge and wet like a slimy snail everytime Forrest brushed her elbow at the dinner table. Am I the only person who doesn’t like the “casual fling to something more” trope? Bc that’s essentially what this is. They know things aren’t going to work, and that after Margot leaves the resort they’re not going to see each other again. And yet, apparently Forrest’s dick and Margot’s vajayjay didn’t get the memo. They start off as f-buddies. Not exactly ideal 💀
BUTTTT the banter in this book was SO good. I was giggling and kicking my feet during the first half. And the ending was so sweeetttt, so like basically after you get past the middle which is freaky lust it’s so so cute.
I think this book ruined my head. I keep thinking in swear words. ALSO can someone explain the overkill f-cks??? LIKE WHY 102? Most of them are awkward and unnecessary. Can someone give me a time machine to before I requested this book? I would like to warn past me…
the writing
It seemed a little juvenile to me? The style was unique. It was enjoyable enough, but quite obviously a debut. Usually I don’t care much about research inconsistencies, except when I know about the subject. Like with this book it was the snow machine (where I live we call them snowmobiles or sleds) scene. Margot and Forrest are seen weaving pin point turns around trees at a “breakneck” speed… which is kind of ridiculous to me. Like for one, those things are tippy as frick so the pin point turns at a breakneck speed??? Disaster. I grew up riding snowmobiles (in fact, the only way to get to my house in the winter is on one. Go ahead. Be jealous. I’m jsk it lwk sucks), so I know that it might be a possibility with a single experienced rider, but with a passenger (never advised bc it’s dangerous btw) who has no knowledge on how to lean, it’s pretty much impossible. Now I could just be envisioning the trees closer together than the author imagined them, but if so, then she did a bad job at explaining.
Which brings me to the descriptions. I had the most difficult time picturing the world in my head. At first I thought it was because I was tired, or needed another cup of coffee, but the more I read into this book the less and less that seemed the case.
I see the characters as faceless cardboard cut outs with the features they’re so fond of about the other. Which NEVERRRRR happens for me unless the writing is phenomenally bad. (*coughs* Powerless *coughing hack*)
I might just have controversial opinions on books tho hahaha
As promised, here are the chapters you’ll want to skip if you plan on avoiding the spice (my soul has been tainted from just skimming to find the beginning and ends of the scenes so you’re welcome)
End of Chapter 10 (a scene in which they’re dry humping in a sleeping bag??? Idk, it says the word “erection” so it’s a nono for me)
Chapters 17, 20, and 21 (full chapters)
Chapter 22 (some stuff at the beginning)
Chapter 25 (a bit at the beginning)
Chapter 26
“I’m never going to be someone you can’t trust.”
– PLOT –
After New York Times bestselling romance author, Margot Bradley’s secret Happily Never After File, a document in which she rewrote the endings of all her books with a turn for the worse, leaks, she is left reeling in the aftermath. Her younger sister books her a “Reinvention” trip to a wilderness resort in Alaska, trying to turn her into the next Taylor Swift of rebrands. There, she meets tall, dark, and handsome, Forrest of the Forest (heh). He is the embodiment of her ideal type, and a man who checks all the romance hero boxes. How much longer will she be able to pretend she hates him and ignore her extreme attraction?
(not long isttlga)
“I can’t believe you read romance novels. You seems more like a Scientific American kind of guy.”
The tension breaks and he laughs in surprise. “I am a Scientific American kind of guy,” he confirms before his smile fades slightly. “But I guess I’m a Margot Bradley kind of guy now too.”
– CHARACTERS –
MARGOT she’s not a bad fmc. I just wish she was a little more consistent. Like how do you go years of swearing love is fake, only to change your mind after knowing a man for three weeks and having sex with him? I do not understand. I didn’t see much personality in her besides “protect sister” and either “dream abt screwing” or “screwing Forrest” (not in the business type way, mind you) which is sad 🥳🥳
Why was there such a large amount of sex scenes in this book? I swear, they take up like 40% of the book 🥲🥲
But I. Hate. The. “He’s so big she’s so tiny”. TROPE. It’s icky. Who would want to constantly read abt how his “giant muscled frame dwarfed her as he stood above her”. Frick to the NO. especially the “he’s too big to fit” vibe going on. Isttlga.
FORREST ngl he’s also flat. But I loved that he’s a triple negative breast cancer researcher. That was so cute how he dove into that field after his mom passed. Swoony. And as someone who was born with a heart condition, I also loved how he wanted to be a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon. Isn’t that so adorable??? He’s a nerdy man who loves to read, has a phd. like brooooo.
But. all that’s on his mind is Margot’s little snail…. SAURRRR
*coughs*
Apparently he also has a giant dingaling. So at least he has that going for him 💀💀
Also, “Sweetheart” that’s the best you could do??? I’m sorry, but that makes me feel icky, bc like old grandpas and my dad call me that daily, so that fact he calls her that during sexy time freaks me out.
SAVANNAH she was my favorite character 🥹🥹 but we don’t see much of her bc her sis is too busy banging 🥳👏
I ADORED her letters tho. Easily my favorite part of the whole book.
JO she was a girlboss, and I loved the little thing she had going with Trapper, that was so sweet.
TRAPPER he reminds me of my grandpa and I loved him (totally not projecting my own personalities on these characters bc they were flat asfrickkkk)
OLLIE naur pookie. Stop trying. It’s just sad atp.
“Nah, I only work out to Taylor Swift”
– CONCLUSION –
The amount of dirty jokes my friends made that I didn’t understand until reading this book concerns me. What has become of me 🥲🫠
ANYWAY if you’re over 18 and you read smut definitely go pick this book up (for moral reasons I will not be recommending this book to anyone who is not old enough to legally buy a vape 🥳) (don’t mistake that as me encouraging vaping either bc that’s bad for your lungs. Go breath some oxygen please and ty)
It was an easy fluffy (minus the scenes which are not fluffy lol) read that I flew through.
So demure.
So mindful.
SAUR cutesy.
Anyway, tysm for reading lovelies <333
“You love me,” I whisper, and it’s half a question, half-declaration.
“Of course I love you,” he says, raising a hand to stroke my dimple with his thumb. “Why else would I be here begging you to spend the rest of your life with me?”
preread
guess who just got her first official arc 🥹🥹🥹
THANK YOU JONI FOR TELLING ME ABT ATRIA ily 🤭🤭
May 19, 2025
This should have resonated with me. Such a fun premise with a romance author who is cancelled when her readers discover she’s a bit jaded and doesn’t really believe in HEA. She heads off to a remote AK location to write and reinvent herself.
What I loved:
-the Alaskan location
- the focus on autoimmune disorders
- The role of caretakers
- city girl struggling with life in the wilderness
What I didn’t like:
- Margot. I didn’t like Margot. Intensely. She’s rude & abrasive.
If I can’t get behind the MC then nothing else in the story will work for me.
So much promise, but lacking in execution and character development.
* I received a digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own
What I loved:
-the Alaskan location
- the focus on autoimmune disorders
- The role of caretakers
- city girl struggling with life in the wilderness
What I didn’t like:
- Margot. I didn’t like Margot. Intensely. She’s rude & abrasive.
If I can’t get behind the MC then nothing else in the story will work for me.
So much promise, but lacking in execution and character development.
* I received a digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own
April 24, 2025
Oh, to be a romance author who doesn't believe in love but somehow finds her match in the grumpy and caring mountain man while on a retreat in remote Alaska... A girl can dream, right?!?
February 17, 2025
Happy Valentine’s week. ❤️ What better way to kick it off then with this adorable rom com. Thank you soo much @atriabooks #atriapartner for my gorgeous gifted copy!! 🥰🥰 Pub date is 4/1/25! 🥳🥳
Guys… this was adorable. It really is hard to believe that this is a debut! 😍
Margot is the queen 👸 of HEA. Best selling romance author who knows exactly what her readers want. 😉 Except our girl Margot gets OUTED by a hacker… and her dirty little secret is revealed. 😳… It’s really not so dirty but it is a HUGE deal in Margot’s world.
This is like a meet cute between grumpy and grumpy.��.. Let me tell you… I loved them both!! What else did I love??
✅ Alaska setting 🥶
✅ A handsome doctor 🧑⚕️
✅ Absolutely hilarious scenes as Margot tries to adjust to non city life 😬🫣
✅ Zooming in underwear 😳
✅A Moose😍😍😍
Okay so I am usually a thriller type of girl.. but this was just what I needed. 🫶So adorable!! I loved it. I can’t wait for @victorialavinewrites to come out with another book!! Sign me up for whatever she writes. 😉
Guys… this was adorable. It really is hard to believe that this is a debut! 😍
Margot is the queen 👸 of HEA. Best selling romance author who knows exactly what her readers want. 😉 Except our girl Margot gets OUTED by a hacker… and her dirty little secret is revealed. 😳… It’s really not so dirty but it is a HUGE deal in Margot’s world.
This is like a meet cute between grumpy and grumpy.��.. Let me tell you… I loved them both!! What else did I love??
✅ Alaska setting 🥶
✅ A handsome doctor 🧑⚕️
✅ Absolutely hilarious scenes as Margot tries to adjust to non city life 😬🫣
✅ Zooming in underwear 😳
✅A Moose😍😍😍
Okay so I am usually a thriller type of girl.. but this was just what I needed. 🫶So adorable!! I loved it. I can’t wait for @victorialavinewrites to come out with another book!! Sign me up for whatever she writes. 😉
March 31, 2025
𝑯𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒎 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒆. “𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍, 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒐𝒕.” 𝑵𝒐, 𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌. 𝑰’𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍. 𝑼𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑰’𝒎 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕.
Okay, this was HELLA CUTE!! 😍 Obviously, as someone who only reads romance, I found it hilarious how Margot (a romance author) keeps using book jargon and points out all the tropes she’s in while experiencing her own love story 📖💘 The way she was basically screaming at the universe like, "Are you kidding me?!" while simultaneously falling hard for him?? PERFECTION.
𝑶𝒏 𝒕𝒐𝒑 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒐 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔, 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒕𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒕-𝒄𝒖𝒕𝒆 𝑰 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒊𝒎, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆’𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝒂 𝒅𝒐𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓 𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒇𝒂𝒓.
The storyline was so good!!! Margot leaves California for a secluded lodge in Alaska to write after her scandal where she publicly declares that, as a romance writer, she doesn’t believe in love 😬 And then?? She literally jumps into the arms of the handsome man she’s stuck with for six weeks?? Tell me that doesn’t scream romantic comedy. I’m here for it!!! 🤭💖
The banter, the tension, the flirtatious touches I don’t know what it was, BUT IT WAS ELECTRIFYING🔥 And don’t even get me started on the one tent trope + the "stay close to me" skin-to-skin contact because she’s cold and needs to survive the night 💀 SCREAMING.
Now let’s talk about Forrest the handsome, broody man who, from the moment he sees Margot, you already know he’s gonna fall fast and hard 🥹 And let’s not forget he’s doing EVERYTHING in his power to not give in, even while we read this POV and you see she’s literally all he thinks about?? SWOON Period 😭❤️
𝑯𝒆’𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆. 𝑨 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒍, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒇 𝑰’𝒎 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆’𝒔 𝒂 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒍𝒚 𝒖𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒊𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒃𝒊𝒕.
I could keep talking about how freaking cute this book was, but then I’d spoil it, so I’ll leave it at this: read this super swoony book and then try not to romanticize your own life while counting how many tropes you are in right now actually experiencing irl ✨
tropes
📖 forced proximity
📖 enemies to lovers
📖 slow burn
📖 one tent + one sleeping bag
Thank you Atria books for my eARC in exchange for my honest review
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ omg this sounds so cute i'm so happy I got this ARC! fingers crossed is a good one
Okay, this was HELLA CUTE!! 😍 Obviously, as someone who only reads romance, I found it hilarious how Margot (a romance author) keeps using book jargon and points out all the tropes she’s in while experiencing her own love story 📖💘 The way she was basically screaming at the universe like, "Are you kidding me?!" while simultaneously falling hard for him?? PERFECTION.
𝑶𝒏 𝒕𝒐𝒑 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒐 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔, 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒕𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒕-𝒄𝒖𝒕𝒆 𝑰 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒊𝒎, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆’𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝒂 𝒅𝒐𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓 𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒇𝒂𝒓.
The storyline was so good!!! Margot leaves California for a secluded lodge in Alaska to write after her scandal where she publicly declares that, as a romance writer, she doesn’t believe in love 😬 And then?? She literally jumps into the arms of the handsome man she’s stuck with for six weeks?? Tell me that doesn’t scream romantic comedy. I’m here for it!!! 🤭💖
The banter, the tension, the flirtatious touches I don’t know what it was, BUT IT WAS ELECTRIFYING🔥 And don’t even get me started on the one tent trope + the "stay close to me" skin-to-skin contact because she’s cold and needs to survive the night 💀 SCREAMING.
Now let’s talk about Forrest the handsome, broody man who, from the moment he sees Margot, you already know he’s gonna fall fast and hard 🥹 And let’s not forget he’s doing EVERYTHING in his power to not give in, even while we read this POV and you see she’s literally all he thinks about?? SWOON Period 😭❤️
𝑯𝒆’𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆. 𝑨 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒍, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒇 𝑰’𝒎 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆’𝒔 𝒂 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒍𝒚 𝒖𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒊𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒃𝒊𝒕.
I could keep talking about how freaking cute this book was, but then I’d spoil it, so I’ll leave it at this: read this super swoony book and then try not to romanticize your own life while counting how many tropes you are in right now actually experiencing irl ✨
tropes
📖 forced proximity
📖 enemies to lovers
📖 slow burn
📖 one tent + one sleeping bag
Thank you Atria books for my eARC in exchange for my honest review
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ omg this sounds so cute i'm so happy I got this ARC! fingers crossed is a good one
April 13, 2025
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✧
✧₊⁺ thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review ❤︎
──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────
✧₊⁺ overview ⁺₊ ✧
──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────
let’s get into it, shall we? this book was just so funny and it honestly made my heart happy reading it. any trope but you centers around our FMC, Margot, who’s on a 6 week forced vacation in alaska when she meets the lumberjack man of her dreams. anyway, they have this whole meet cute thing and the whole shabang, but here’s the catch-
she’s a romance author who doesn’t believe in HEAs. but she writes them.
like, holdup. are you telling me that when victoria lavine wrote margot and forrest, she secretly envisioned them not ending up together??
my life is a lie.
continuing with the review though, both forrest and margot have people who they are overly protective of and feel responsible for, which makes for a lot of emotion moments. In all honesty, the combination between moments where I was on verge of tears and laughing was near perfection with this book. Having complex relationships between characters can sometimes make the book feel very heavy, but the humor made the mood a lotttt lighter.
this book did have a number of moments where I couldn’t help but cringe though, especially the whole damsel in distress vibe. Margot is honestly kind of bad ass, and I love her for that, but as soon as she’s with forrest, she’s falling into his arms and getting hypothermia, which skin to skin contact helps cure. catch my drift? And yes, I did search it up on google to see if skin to skin contact actually helps hypothermia, and yes, it does.
✧₊⁺ relationships ~ guys. forrest listens to taylor swift. he’s a swiftie. my book boyfriend alarms are sounding. and he’s like heroic lumberjack jacked core and she’s a romance author. some might say its a romance book waiting to be written. tehe.
──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────
✧₊⁺ features ~
❥ enemies to lovers
↟ lumberjack x author
❥ forbidden romance
↟ hallmark style rom-com
❥ damsel in distress vibes
↟ spice - closed door
❥ HEA
↟ forced proximity
──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────
♬⋆.˚ now playing - peace ~ tswift
❝ would it be enough ☆ if i could never give you peace? ❞
──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────
⚠︎ we have come to the part of my review that most definitely includes spoilers. read at your own risk ⚠︎
──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────
guys. the moose scene. the first time they meet, she runs into his arms because she thinks a moose is a bear. But, of course, the moose is actually Forrests little moose friend. Of course. forgive me for thinking we might’ve gotten over the jumping into his arms phase.
The ending was really amazing though (however predictable) and I was in such a good mood for the rest of the day. when he comes back I was smiling so hard my cheeks hurt. happy sigh.
oh my god, this book had me laughing so hard-
✧₊⁺ features ~
❥ enemies to lovers
↟ lumberjack x author
❥ forbidden romance
↟ hallmark style rom-com
❥ damsel in distress vibes
↟ spice - closed door
rtc <33
thank you to netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review 💗💖
~~~~~~
im very excited to read this book help-
✧₊⁺ thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review ❤︎
──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────
✧₊⁺ overview ⁺₊ ✧
──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────
let’s get into it, shall we? this book was just so funny and it honestly made my heart happy reading it. any trope but you centers around our FMC, Margot, who’s on a 6 week forced vacation in alaska when she meets the lumberjack man of her dreams. anyway, they have this whole meet cute thing and the whole shabang, but here’s the catch-
she’s a romance author who doesn’t believe in HEAs. but she writes them.
like, holdup. are you telling me that when victoria lavine wrote margot and forrest, she secretly envisioned them not ending up together??
my life is a lie.
continuing with the review though, both forrest and margot have people who they are overly protective of and feel responsible for, which makes for a lot of emotion moments. In all honesty, the combination between moments where I was on verge of tears and laughing was near perfection with this book. Having complex relationships between characters can sometimes make the book feel very heavy, but the humor made the mood a lotttt lighter.
this book did have a number of moments where I couldn’t help but cringe though, especially the whole damsel in distress vibe. Margot is honestly kind of bad ass, and I love her for that, but as soon as she’s with forrest, she’s falling into his arms and getting hypothermia, which skin to skin contact helps cure. catch my drift? And yes, I did search it up on google to see if skin to skin contact actually helps hypothermia, and yes, it does.
✧₊⁺ relationships ~ guys. forrest listens to taylor swift. he’s a swiftie. my book boyfriend alarms are sounding. and he’s like heroic lumberjack jacked core and she’s a romance author. some might say its a romance book waiting to be written. tehe.
──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────
✧₊⁺ features ~
❥ enemies to lovers
↟ lumberjack x author
❥ forbidden romance
↟ hallmark style rom-com
❥ damsel in distress vibes
↟ spice - closed door
❥ HEA
↟ forced proximity
──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────
♬⋆.˚ now playing - peace ~ tswift
❝ would it be enough ☆ if i could never give you peace? ❞
──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────
⚠︎ we have come to the part of my review that most definitely includes spoilers. read at your own risk ⚠︎
──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────
guys. the moose scene. the first time they meet, she runs into his arms because she thinks a moose is a bear. But, of course, the moose is actually Forrests little moose friend. Of course. forgive me for thinking we might’ve gotten over the jumping into his arms phase.
The ending was really amazing though (however predictable) and I was in such a good mood for the rest of the day. when he comes back I was smiling so hard my cheeks hurt. happy sigh.
oh my god, this book had me laughing so hard-
✧₊⁺ features ~
❥ enemies to lovers
↟ lumberjack x author
❥ forbidden romance
↟ hallmark style rom-com
❥ damsel in distress vibes
↟ spice - closed door
rtc <33
thank you to netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review 💗💖
~~~~~~
im very excited to read this book help-
May 4, 2025
˖ ⁺ ౿ 🪵┆3.5 stars ⛧
⤿ arc review
⤹ my thoughts
this book would be a perfect winter romance. i thought the premise was interesting—a romance author who doesn’t actually believe in love. and when her “never ever after” document gets leaked her whole career starts careening. she retreats to alaska and meets a guy who encapsulates all she’s trying to escape. and their tensionnn 🤭
⤹ characters
margot
you gotta love when our mc is an author 🙂↕️ it was so funny whenever she would compare her and forrest to romance tropes! it was interesting to see her view on romance as a someone who didn’t believe in it, but then how forrest slowly changed her mind <3
forrest
he was like your stereotypical romance hero—or maybe that was just how margot described him lol. i loved how protective he was over margot. i mean, he literally carried her down a mountain when she sprained her ankle 🙈 seeing his reason he got into medical research and also how he gave up everything he built to take care of his dad was touching.
⤹ concluding thoughts
overall, i’d recommend this for any rom-com lover. it felt a little cliché at times but i didn’t mind too much. i feel like this would definitely be cute to read in the winter too with the setting!
⤹ quotes
“But I can’t be in another trope with you,” she whines. “And we already did this one! Remember the fire?”
“But the thing I’ve learned about hollowness—the kind that’s carved from pain—is that the deeper it goes, the more room it leaves for love. And when love finally rushes in, it fills every dark and twisty crevice with a light almost too brilliant to bear.”
⤿ thank you netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!
⤿ arc review
⊹“there are some people who come into your life—even for just a moment—who have the power to fundamentally change you forever.”
⤹ my thoughts
this book would be a perfect winter romance. i thought the premise was interesting—a romance author who doesn’t actually believe in love. and when her “never ever after” document gets leaked her whole career starts careening. she retreats to alaska and meets a guy who encapsulates all she’s trying to escape. and their tensionnn 🤭
⤹ characters
margot
you gotta love when our mc is an author 🙂↕️ it was so funny whenever she would compare her and forrest to romance tropes! it was interesting to see her view on romance as a someone who didn’t believe in it, but then how forrest slowly changed her mind <3
forrest
he was like your stereotypical romance hero—or maybe that was just how margot described him lol. i loved how protective he was over margot. i mean, he literally carried her down a mountain when she sprained her ankle 🙈 seeing his reason he got into medical research and also how he gave up everything he built to take care of his dad was touching.
⤹ concluding thoughts
overall, i’d recommend this for any rom-com lover. it felt a little cliché at times but i didn’t mind too much. i feel like this would definitely be cute to read in the winter too with the setting!
⤹ quotes
“But I can’t be in another trope with you,” she whines. “And we already did this one! Remember the fire?”
“But the thing I’ve learned about hollowness—the kind that’s carved from pain—is that the deeper it goes, the more room it leaves for love. And when love finally rushes in, it fills every dark and twisty crevice with a light almost too brilliant to bear.”
⤿ thank you netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!
April 13, 2025
I chose this as a palate cleanser, as I do with romance. I never expected to love this. What an incredible debut!
The FMC Margot is a romance novelist who has been canceled when her true feelings about a HEA were revealed. Her chronically ill sister, Savannah, sends her to Alaska, which was to be the setting of her next book.
There she meets Forrest, a strapping lumberjack of a man, who happens to be a physician, who has given up his life as a cancer researcher to take care of his ailing father.
From there, commence every romance novel trope ever.
This was done in such a playful and sensitive way. This had what I love the most in a rom-com. It actually delivered on the -com part. It legitimately made me laugh. Often, and even out loud.
Making fun of the romance novel tropes in the context of the book just made this work for me, and it had less of a cringe factor, which is my typical issue with this genre. The Alaska setting was 👨🍳💋. The characters made difficult decisions in a thoughtful adult way.
Great debut novel. 4.25⭐️
The FMC Margot is a romance novelist who has been canceled when her true feelings about a HEA were revealed. Her chronically ill sister, Savannah, sends her to Alaska, which was to be the setting of her next book.
There she meets Forrest, a strapping lumberjack of a man, who happens to be a physician, who has given up his life as a cancer researcher to take care of his ailing father.
From there, commence every romance novel trope ever.
This was done in such a playful and sensitive way. This had what I love the most in a rom-com. It actually delivered on the -com part. It legitimately made me laugh. Often, and even out loud.
Making fun of the romance novel tropes in the context of the book just made this work for me, and it had less of a cringe factor, which is my typical issue with this genre. The Alaska setting was 👨🍳💋. The characters made difficult decisions in a thoughtful adult way.
Great debut novel. 4.25⭐️
March 31, 2025
2.5 ★
Well, this is a disappointing rating for a book I've seen almost everyone give at least 4 stars. One who has a premise as fun as a romance author trying to find her footing in an Alaskan resort after getting exposed for not believing in Happily Ever Afters, only to find her own with the man in charge of said resort who seems to check every trope she's been avoiding.
You see, I liked the beginning of this book. The first chapters had me giggling, highlighting a bunch of funny quotes, and so eager to see how the romance would develop after our MCs Margot and Forrest's meet-cute. I was charmed by the other guests and everyone part of the resort, had fun with the outings and activities they were doing, and wanted more of Margot and Forrest... but this didn't last long. By 30%, I started noticing how fast their feelings were moving and how so not ready I was for them to develop something more or cross any lines. Their connection felt purely physical then, and for a long time after, it stayed like that. They had some conversations here and there, but those weren't proportional to their feelings for each other.
Thinking about what I just said, and as ironic as it sounds, things went simultaneously too fast and too slow for my liking. Too fast because, like I mentioned, their yearning and longing seemed to intensify as time passed, but it was entirely sexual; too slow because a love triangle (of sorts) with a secondary male character delayed Margot and Forrest from admitting their feelings and acting on them. It was such a mess that by the time they finally crossed the line, I wasn't as invested as I should have been. I even skimmed through the majority of their sex scenes because, when it came to them, I didn't care about that; I didn't care about their physical connection. I was looking for that "something", that spark I felt was missing —one I never found.
Don't get me wrong, this wasn't a completely terrible experience. I got into it again by 85% (not ideal, but better than nothing) and thought Margot and Forrest were kinda cute together. I enjoyed how much they understood each other since they both take care of chronically ill and disabled family members (she takes care of her sister, he of his dad) and loved the beautiful bonds they had with said family members (including the sweetest letters that Margot's sister wrote to her). I also found the writing super easy to follow and wasn't supremely annoyed by all the unnecessary Taylor Swift references (I even found the 'Margot's version' and 'Savannah's version' cute). The last two chapters were adorable, and the very last paragraphs super cute, but that wasn't enough for me to rate this higher or tell you I enjoyed it more than I expected because I didn't.
Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for the ARC ♡ I'm in the minority over my feelings on it, so if you're still interested, pick it up when it comes out on April 1st!!
Well, this is a disappointing rating for a book I've seen almost everyone give at least 4 stars. One who has a premise as fun as a romance author trying to find her footing in an Alaskan resort after getting exposed for not believing in Happily Ever Afters, only to find her own with the man in charge of said resort who seems to check every trope she's been avoiding.
“I came here to turn over a new leaf, but here I am, sitting next to a man who seems to embody the entire genre I'm trying to put behind me.”
You see, I liked the beginning of this book. The first chapters had me giggling, highlighting a bunch of funny quotes, and so eager to see how the romance would develop after our MCs Margot and Forrest's meet-cute. I was charmed by the other guests and everyone part of the resort, had fun with the outings and activities they were doing, and wanted more of Margot and Forrest... but this didn't last long. By 30%, I started noticing how fast their feelings were moving and how so not ready I was for them to develop something more or cross any lines. Their connection felt purely physical then, and for a long time after, it stayed like that. They had some conversations here and there, but those weren't proportional to their feelings for each other.
“Christ Almighty. One kiss with this woman and I'm already planning our future together.”
Thinking about what I just said, and as ironic as it sounds, things went simultaneously too fast and too slow for my liking. Too fast because, like I mentioned, their yearning and longing seemed to intensify as time passed, but it was entirely sexual; too slow because a love triangle (of sorts) with a secondary male character delayed Margot and Forrest from admitting their feelings and acting on them. It was such a mess that by the time they finally crossed the line, I wasn't as invested as I should have been. I even skimmed through the majority of their sex scenes because, when it came to them, I didn't care about that; I didn't care about their physical connection. I was looking for that "something", that spark I felt was missing —one I never found.
“I think he knows. I think he sees every hidden part of me, and for the first time ever, being known doesn't feel like a threat. It feels like coming home.”
Don't get me wrong, this wasn't a completely terrible experience. I got into it again by 85% (not ideal, but better than nothing) and thought Margot and Forrest were kinda cute together. I enjoyed how much they understood each other since they both take care of chronically ill and disabled family members (she takes care of her sister, he of his dad) and loved the beautiful bonds they had with said family members (including the sweetest letters that Margot's sister wrote to her). I also found the writing super easy to follow and wasn't supremely annoyed by all the unnecessary Taylor Swift references (I even found the 'Margot's version' and 'Savannah's version' cute). The last two chapters were adorable, and the very last paragraphs super cute, but that wasn't enough for me to rate this higher or tell you I enjoyed it more than I expected because I didn't.
Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for the ARC ♡ I'm in the minority over my feelings on it, so if you're still interested, pick it up when it comes out on April 1st!!
June 16, 2025
RTC ❄️🩵!!!!
December 23, 2024
While I did find the premise of this super fun, the execution was not, I’m afraid, and I’m kinda sad about it.
The idea of a romance author secretly rewriting the endings of her novels to reflect the harsh reality (in her opinion) only for everyone finding out and basically upending her whole career and then her going to Alaska to change it up and write a thriller while meeting a hot doctor? That sounded great to me.
My reading experience though was mostly filled with some serious second-hand embarrassment, an unlikeable fmc and a romance I didn't care about.
I just couldn’t stand Margot. She came across very rude and entitled and defensive. I can’t for the life of me figure out why Forrest would ever be interested in her, seeing the way she acted towards him.
And with an unlikeable main character, you can’t win in a romance setting. I need to like the main characters in a romance, or it won’t work for me.
I did enjoy the Alaska setting but that was about it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
___
One last holiday romance.. ⛷️
The idea of a romance author secretly rewriting the endings of her novels to reflect the harsh reality (in her opinion) only for everyone finding out and basically upending her whole career and then her going to Alaska to change it up and write a thriller while meeting a hot doctor? That sounded great to me.
My reading experience though was mostly filled with some serious second-hand embarrassment, an unlikeable fmc and a romance I didn't care about.
I just couldn’t stand Margot. She came across very rude and entitled and defensive. I can’t for the life of me figure out why Forrest would ever be interested in her, seeing the way she acted towards him.
And with an unlikeable main character, you can’t win in a romance setting. I need to like the main characters in a romance, or it won’t work for me.
I did enjoy the Alaska setting but that was about it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
___
One last holiday romance.. ⛷️
December 7, 2025
"How can she write romance novels if she believes love is Satan’s pyramid scheme?"
Alaska ❄️ that is what initially inspired me to pick up this novel. I am a SUCKER for an Alaskan setting. That coupled with the fact this is a story about a bestselling author had me sold 🙌🏽
A romcom book that covers pretty much every trope? Sounds like a nightmare, yet somehow it worked 🤷🏻♀️
"Is this another trope? If so, I’m okay with it. Huge fan." 🙂↔️
Bestselling romance author, Margot, doesn’t believe in HEAs 😮 But, when her secret Happily Never After document is hacked and released to the public, she is canceled by her readers and dropped by her publisher. She quickly flees to Alaska to reinvent herself, aiming to write her first murder mystery…Enter: Forrest Wakefield (our MMC) resulting in her living in her very own rom-com plot…
I loved the vibe of this book so much. It was light, fun and full of heart. It was so refreshing to read a book that didn’t take itself too seriously; definitely lending itself to the comedy side of romcom. While it covers almost every popular trope in the book ( 😉) from forced proximity, to enemies to lovers, to stuck in the wilderness disaster moments, Victoria acknowledges each and every one of them through Margot’s character. It was original and brilliantly executed 👏🏽
Through a dual POV narrative, we get a full insight into our two MC’s - Margot and Forrest:
Margot is instantly likeable. She is strong-willed, determined, self-sacrificing, and a little chaotic. She never fails to embarrass herself and create lol worthy moments.
Forrest Wakefield, our man man 🙌🏽 what can I say? This man is next to perfect - a doctor-turned-Alaskan lodge-owner - turned carer. Loyal to a fault, with a heart of gold, he cares around the clock for his disabled father. There may be a case of grumpy x sunshine in this partnership but he is soft as a teddy bear when it comes to Margot 🧸💖
On to the romance…Victoria had the pacing perfect 👌🏽 it was a slow burning, tension building situation but only to a point and then POW 💥 explosion of deep emotional connection and genuine chemistry 😍 I thoroughly enjoyed reading the many moments of love and kindness this couple shared.
“what I didn’t understand about Happily Ever After is that there are some people who come into your life—even for just a moment—who have the power to fundamentally change you forever." 💖 ✨
And speaking of sharing things…these two characters shared a unique experience- both carers for disabled relatives. While Forrest looked after his father, Margot had cared for her younger sister. I LOVE how Victoria represented Chronic illness throughout this story. It was written into the story in such a realistic manner and I thought that it showed an extra layer of kindness to both these characters 🥰
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was so fun and genuinely heartwarming. The characters were multilayered, as was the storyline. There was a perfect balance between hilarious, unhinged, and meaningful moments. And, to top it all off, it had the perfect setting in snowy Alaska. I can’t wait to see what Victoria Lavine comes up with next 👀
"I went on an unsuspecting pilgrimage to the Alaskan bush and somehow found the holy grail of hot, considerate men." ❄️ 👣 💖
4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
Alaska ❄️ that is what initially inspired me to pick up this novel. I am a SUCKER for an Alaskan setting. That coupled with the fact this is a story about a bestselling author had me sold 🙌🏽
A romcom book that covers pretty much every trope? Sounds like a nightmare, yet somehow it worked 🤷🏻♀️
"Is this another trope? If so, I’m okay with it. Huge fan." 🙂↔️
Bestselling romance author, Margot, doesn’t believe in HEAs 😮 But, when her secret Happily Never After document is hacked and released to the public, she is canceled by her readers and dropped by her publisher. She quickly flees to Alaska to reinvent herself, aiming to write her first murder mystery…Enter: Forrest Wakefield (our MMC) resulting in her living in her very own rom-com plot…
I loved the vibe of this book so much. It was light, fun and full of heart. It was so refreshing to read a book that didn’t take itself too seriously; definitely lending itself to the comedy side of romcom. While it covers almost every popular trope in the book ( 😉) from forced proximity, to enemies to lovers, to stuck in the wilderness disaster moments, Victoria acknowledges each and every one of them through Margot’s character. It was original and brilliantly executed 👏🏽
Through a dual POV narrative, we get a full insight into our two MC’s - Margot and Forrest:
Margot is instantly likeable. She is strong-willed, determined, self-sacrificing, and a little chaotic. She never fails to embarrass herself and create lol worthy moments.
Forrest Wakefield, our man man 🙌🏽 what can I say? This man is next to perfect - a doctor-turned-Alaskan lodge-owner - turned carer. Loyal to a fault, with a heart of gold, he cares around the clock for his disabled father. There may be a case of grumpy x sunshine in this partnership but he is soft as a teddy bear when it comes to Margot 🧸💖
On to the romance…Victoria had the pacing perfect 👌🏽 it was a slow burning, tension building situation but only to a point and then POW 💥 explosion of deep emotional connection and genuine chemistry 😍 I thoroughly enjoyed reading the many moments of love and kindness this couple shared.
“what I didn’t understand about Happily Ever After is that there are some people who come into your life—even for just a moment—who have the power to fundamentally change you forever." 💖 ✨
And speaking of sharing things…these two characters shared a unique experience- both carers for disabled relatives. While Forrest looked after his father, Margot had cared for her younger sister. I LOVE how Victoria represented Chronic illness throughout this story. It was written into the story in such a realistic manner and I thought that it showed an extra layer of kindness to both these characters 🥰
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was so fun and genuinely heartwarming. The characters were multilayered, as was the storyline. There was a perfect balance between hilarious, unhinged, and meaningful moments. And, to top it all off, it had the perfect setting in snowy Alaska. I can’t wait to see what Victoria Lavine comes up with next 👀
"I went on an unsuspecting pilgrimage to the Alaskan bush and somehow found the holy grail of hot, considerate men." ❄️ 👣 💖
4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
April 11, 2025
Rounding up to 4 stars because the audio was so good!
Cute and spicy!
Cute and spicy!
February 22, 2025
OK. I finished this because I saw so many good reviews - and I think people liked it so much becuase it's HONEST. You can fall in and out of love... BUT how often do we discuss falling out of the idea of love? Only a few novels have actively talked about how hard dating is in the modern world in these specific terms.
SO - while I still stand on the idea my initial impressions - I think that if you can get through the first bit, readers will really enjoy getting to dive deeper into a story where someone gets unfairly 'canceled' (way too easy in today's techy-viral world) and overcoming your mistakes in a way that also allows for personal growth.
Margot is also a decently good person, and I really loved the exploration of the struggles behind being a caretaker. Both of our main characters have struggled with upholding all of their responsibilities! It's nice to see this style of responsibility - not your typical single-parent trope.
Rating: 3.5/5 (Rounded up to a 4)
🌶️: 3/5
Initial Impressions at about 25% of the way in:
- The main character, Margot, is really annoying. Who tries to start a future with absolutely no experience and refuses any and all guidance?
Characters that completely lack humility - but are meant to be the ones you're rooting for? ANNOYING.
So far, my cringe moments have come to very high tally at 25% of the way in:
- First moose encounter
- The underwear on camera
- The fireplace
Characters who lack the common sense the good Lord gave a hog are NOT my thing whatsoever.
We'll see how this progresses. As I'm currently in the midst of a snowstorm in KY - I could see myself liking this more and more for the setting, if nothing else.
SO - while I still stand on the idea my initial impressions - I think that if you can get through the first bit, readers will really enjoy getting to dive deeper into a story where someone gets unfairly 'canceled' (way too easy in today's techy-viral world) and overcoming your mistakes in a way that also allows for personal growth.
Margot is also a decently good person, and I really loved the exploration of the struggles behind being a caretaker. Both of our main characters have struggled with upholding all of their responsibilities! It's nice to see this style of responsibility - not your typical single-parent trope.
Rating: 3.5/5 (Rounded up to a 4)
🌶️: 3/5
Initial Impressions at about 25% of the way in:
- The main character, Margot, is really annoying. Who tries to start a future with absolutely no experience and refuses any and all guidance?
Characters that completely lack humility - but are meant to be the ones you're rooting for? ANNOYING.
So far, my cringe moments have come to very high tally at 25% of the way in:
- First moose encounter
- The underwear on camera
- The fireplace
Characters who lack the common sense the good Lord gave a hog are NOT my thing whatsoever.
We'll see how this progresses. As I'm currently in the midst of a snowstorm in KY - I could see myself liking this more and more for the setting, if nothing else.
December 16, 2025
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 🩵
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
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 🩵
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
March 27, 2025
“But the thing I’ve learned about hollowness—the kind that’s carved from pain—is that the deeper it goes, the more room it leaves for love. And when love finally rushes in, it fills every dark and twisty crevice with a light almost too brilliant to bear.” ✨
↳ ♡₊˚. The premise of this book had me hooked from the beginning: a romance author getting cancelled for not believing in her books’ happily ever afters ends up retreating to a remote lodge in Alaska and meeting a grumpy proprietor/cancer researcher whose one rule is to avoid dating guests at his family’s lodge. Both MCs, Margot Bradley and Dr. Forrest Wakefield, are so similar in how selfless and caring they are for their loved ones: Margot for her sister, Savannah and her struggles with an autoimmune disorder; Forrest for her father, Trapper, and his obstacles with overcoming a spinal injury. It’s very admiring to see how dedicated and devoted they were to dropping everything in their lives just to be at their side 24/7 as so many people often do in real life ♥️
↳ ♡₊˚. However, I wasn’t very interested in the romance when it did happen between them about halfway just because I felt like it was solely based on looks and attraction. I did love the quippy and snarky banter between the two of them, which I thought was hilarious. They did also have conversations about being caretakers, how Forrest found out how Margot didn’t believe in true romance, and how Margot found out how Forrest sacrificed his life back in California to stay in Alaska. But I felt like the instant attraction from when they first meet and build-up towards them finally embracing their growing attraction to each other fell flat for me, and I wasn’t very heavily invested in them because of it. I would’ve liked to see them have more heartfelt interactions in lieu of them arguing over petty things or lusting over each other’s looks, just to add a bit of a different dimension to their romance.
↳ ♡₊˚. Because they got together earlier than I would have expected, I did feel like I had to force myself to continue reading just because they were bound to have a roadblock or two in their way. And I’m so glad I kept going. Margot and Forrest’s relationship is plagued with so much uncertainty between their optimism for their relationship working out and their shared fears of thinking about themselves over the loved ones they’ve spent their lives taking care of. I feel like they have a unique, shared experience that not everyone will be able to understand unless you’ve been in their shoes and that’s what brought them closer to each other despite their constant fear of not letting anyone in too close ❣️
↳ ♡₊˚. I thought it was so interesting to see the themes of falling in love with someone but also falling out of love with them for factors that they can’t control as well as the fear of trusting and letting someone into your life knowing that they could walk out anytime. It was something I felt tugged at my heartstrings and it was so satisfying to see both Margot and Forrest navigate their fears for this on their own terms and with their support from their loved ones. I think the overall theme of learning that it’s okay to care about others but to also swallow the hard pill that sometimes you hurt them by not learning to live your life for yourself too was very important to include and was executed very well 💭
↳ ♡₊˚. I think my favourite parts of this book was seeing Margot’s relationship with Savannah and Forrest’s relationship with his father. I think I would’ve liked to see more of Forrest and Trapper’s relationship because despite him doing a whole 180 and leaving his life behind for his father, you didn’t really get to see many scenes of them bonding or what their relationship was like outside of Forrest serving as his father’s main caretaker. Margot and Savannah, on the other hand, made my heart swell and it was so heartwarming to see how much love they had for each other. Savannah deciding to carve her own path out of life and encouraging Margot to live her life for herself and not out of fear for her sister’s flare-ups was so bittersweet but full of love that I wouldn’t have complained if there were more scenes with them together. Their relationship was symbiotic and you could feel the love they had for one another in Savannah’s letters and in the stories Savannah recalled of Margot putting her little sister first all the time 💌
↳ ♡₊˚. I would give this a read to anyone who’s been burned by the flames of heartbreak, in need of a reminder that it’s okay to put yourself first once in a while, and still hoping for their chance of a happily ever after. You’ll find that you’re not the only one when you meet Margot and Forrest in Any Trope But You 🌄
“There are some people who come into your life—even for just a moment—who have the power to fundamentally change you forever.” 💘
Tropes:
- Romance author FMC x cancer researcher MMC 📝🔬
- Dual POV
- Enemies-to-lovers
- Caretaker rep ❣️
- Forced proximity + one tent, snowed in
Thank you to Victoria Lavine, NetGalley, and Atria Books for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for my honest review!
↳ ♡₊˚. The premise of this book had me hooked from the beginning: a romance author getting cancelled for not believing in her books’ happily ever afters ends up retreating to a remote lodge in Alaska and meeting a grumpy proprietor/cancer researcher whose one rule is to avoid dating guests at his family’s lodge. Both MCs, Margot Bradley and Dr. Forrest Wakefield, are so similar in how selfless and caring they are for their loved ones: Margot for her sister, Savannah and her struggles with an autoimmune disorder; Forrest for her father, Trapper, and his obstacles with overcoming a spinal injury. It’s very admiring to see how dedicated and devoted they were to dropping everything in their lives just to be at their side 24/7 as so many people often do in real life ♥️
↳ ♡₊˚. However, I wasn’t very interested in the romance when it did happen between them about halfway just because I felt like it was solely based on looks and attraction. I did love the quippy and snarky banter between the two of them, which I thought was hilarious. They did also have conversations about being caretakers, how Forrest found out how Margot didn’t believe in true romance, and how Margot found out how Forrest sacrificed his life back in California to stay in Alaska. But I felt like the instant attraction from when they first meet and build-up towards them finally embracing their growing attraction to each other fell flat for me, and I wasn’t very heavily invested in them because of it. I would’ve liked to see them have more heartfelt interactions in lieu of them arguing over petty things or lusting over each other’s looks, just to add a bit of a different dimension to their romance.
↳ ♡₊˚. Because they got together earlier than I would have expected, I did feel like I had to force myself to continue reading just because they were bound to have a roadblock or two in their way. And I’m so glad I kept going. Margot and Forrest’s relationship is plagued with so much uncertainty between their optimism for their relationship working out and their shared fears of thinking about themselves over the loved ones they’ve spent their lives taking care of. I feel like they have a unique, shared experience that not everyone will be able to understand unless you’ve been in their shoes and that’s what brought them closer to each other despite their constant fear of not letting anyone in too close ❣️
↳ ♡₊˚. I thought it was so interesting to see the themes of falling in love with someone but also falling out of love with them for factors that they can’t control as well as the fear of trusting and letting someone into your life knowing that they could walk out anytime. It was something I felt tugged at my heartstrings and it was so satisfying to see both Margot and Forrest navigate their fears for this on their own terms and with their support from their loved ones. I think the overall theme of learning that it’s okay to care about others but to also swallow the hard pill that sometimes you hurt them by not learning to live your life for yourself too was very important to include and was executed very well 💭
↳ ♡₊˚. I think my favourite parts of this book was seeing Margot’s relationship with Savannah and Forrest’s relationship with his father. I think I would’ve liked to see more of Forrest and Trapper’s relationship because despite him doing a whole 180 and leaving his life behind for his father, you didn’t really get to see many scenes of them bonding or what their relationship was like outside of Forrest serving as his father’s main caretaker. Margot and Savannah, on the other hand, made my heart swell and it was so heartwarming to see how much love they had for each other. Savannah deciding to carve her own path out of life and encouraging Margot to live her life for herself and not out of fear for her sister’s flare-ups was so bittersweet but full of love that I wouldn’t have complained if there were more scenes with them together. Their relationship was symbiotic and you could feel the love they had for one another in Savannah’s letters and in the stories Savannah recalled of Margot putting her little sister first all the time 💌
↳ ♡₊˚. I would give this a read to anyone who’s been burned by the flames of heartbreak, in need of a reminder that it’s okay to put yourself first once in a while, and still hoping for their chance of a happily ever after. You’ll find that you’re not the only one when you meet Margot and Forrest in Any Trope But You 🌄
“There are some people who come into your life—even for just a moment—who have the power to fundamentally change you forever.” 💘
Tropes:
- Romance author FMC x cancer researcher MMC 📝🔬
- Dual POV
- Enemies-to-lovers
- Caretaker rep ❣️
- Forced proximity + one tent, snowed in
Thank you to Victoria Lavine, NetGalley, and Atria Books for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for my honest review!
May 10, 2025
aka how I fell back in love with romance novels in the middle of Alaska ❄️
Okay, friends. Let me tell you about the book that single-handedly yanked me out of my romance reading slump by the parka collar and said, “Get over here and swoon again.” Any Troupe But You by Victoria Lavine is exactly the kind of book I didn’t know I needed until I was staying up way too late whispering “just one more chapter” to myself under the covers.
I don’t know what it is about writers falling in love, but I eat it up every single time. Think Beach Read, The Rom-Commers, and now—Any Troupe But You. Throw in a little Alaskan wilderness, a grumpy bellhop-slash-former-cancer-researcher, and a romance author who is so done with love? You’ve got me. You’ve absolutely got me.
Margot is an instant favorite—sassy, cynical, and a little emotionally constipated, just the way I like my female leads. The twist? She secretly writes tragic alternate endings for her beloved romances. Yes, you heard me. Divorce papers and tire-slashing. Queen of chaos. But when her “Happily Never After” doc gets leaked and she’s suddenly persona non grata in Romancelandia, she escapes to Alaska to reinvent herself as a murder mystery author. I mean, iconic.
Enter Forrest (cue dreamy sigh). He’s gruff, awkward, and nursing wounds of his own while running his family’s snowy getaway. Their chemistry is like a slow-burn wood stove in the middle of a blizzard—🔥but make it emotionally complicated. And the setting? Insert heart eyes here. Remote lodge, midnight moose encounters, cozy fireside banter—it’s giving Hallmark but with actual depth and better dialogue.
Oh, and speaking of better dialogue… Cedar and Muscles?? I NEED this candle in my life. Where is it? Who do I bribe? Etsy? Black market? I’m desperate. I will throw money.
The only reason this isn’t a full 5-star review? I wish the pacing in the middle had leaned just a touch more into the mystery plot. It lagged just a smidge before picking back up into full rom-com glory. But that’s a small price to pay for a story that made me laugh, ache, and swoon all over again.
If you’re a fan of bookish love stories, anti-romance romantics, or just need to believe in Happily Ever Afters again (even the complicated, moose-adjacent kind), Any Troupe But You is for you.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Tropes: grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, reluctant romance, moose cameo
Steam: enough to warm your winter nights
Scent: probably smells like Cedar and Muscles
Has anyone found this candle? Seriously. Help a girl out.
Okay, friends. Let me tell you about the book that single-handedly yanked me out of my romance reading slump by the parka collar and said, “Get over here and swoon again.” Any Troupe But You by Victoria Lavine is exactly the kind of book I didn’t know I needed until I was staying up way too late whispering “just one more chapter” to myself under the covers.
I don’t know what it is about writers falling in love, but I eat it up every single time. Think Beach Read, The Rom-Commers, and now—Any Troupe But You. Throw in a little Alaskan wilderness, a grumpy bellhop-slash-former-cancer-researcher, and a romance author who is so done with love? You’ve got me. You’ve absolutely got me.
Margot is an instant favorite—sassy, cynical, and a little emotionally constipated, just the way I like my female leads. The twist? She secretly writes tragic alternate endings for her beloved romances. Yes, you heard me. Divorce papers and tire-slashing. Queen of chaos. But when her “Happily Never After” doc gets leaked and she’s suddenly persona non grata in Romancelandia, she escapes to Alaska to reinvent herself as a murder mystery author. I mean, iconic.
Enter Forrest (cue dreamy sigh). He’s gruff, awkward, and nursing wounds of his own while running his family’s snowy getaway. Their chemistry is like a slow-burn wood stove in the middle of a blizzard—🔥but make it emotionally complicated. And the setting? Insert heart eyes here. Remote lodge, midnight moose encounters, cozy fireside banter—it’s giving Hallmark but with actual depth and better dialogue.
Oh, and speaking of better dialogue… Cedar and Muscles?? I NEED this candle in my life. Where is it? Who do I bribe? Etsy? Black market? I’m desperate. I will throw money.
The only reason this isn’t a full 5-star review? I wish the pacing in the middle had leaned just a touch more into the mystery plot. It lagged just a smidge before picking back up into full rom-com glory. But that’s a small price to pay for a story that made me laugh, ache, and swoon all over again.
If you’re a fan of bookish love stories, anti-romance romantics, or just need to believe in Happily Ever Afters again (even the complicated, moose-adjacent kind), Any Troupe But You is for you.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Tropes: grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, reluctant romance, moose cameo
Steam: enough to warm your winter nights
Scent: probably smells like Cedar and Muscles
Has anyone found this candle? Seriously. Help a girl out.
March 27, 2025
I love romance books set in Alaska, so when I saw this one, I simply couldn’t resist!
Margot is a romance author who doesn’t believe in HEAs. After a rough incident, she decides to write her first murder mystery. Her sister sends her to Alaska, where she meets the sexy and broody Forrest—who just so happens to be the embodiment of her fictional dream hero.
Forrest is a thoughtful doctor, now running his family’s lodge, and he doesn’t let anyone get too close.
I really enjoyed how the characters slowly grew closer and broke down their emotional walls. Forrest’s jealousy, their banter, and that tent scene—so good!
The story also touches on health-related issues. The heroine is taking care of her sister, and Forrest is looking after his father. It highlights the struggles faced by loved ones of those who are ill, making this not just a romance, but also a story about loyalty and selflessness.
The book is full of both lighthearted and emotional moments. I absolutely loved the wintry Alaskan setting—it truly felt like I was there.
I had such a great time reading this and can’t wait for more stories from Victoria Lavine!
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
❅ enemies to lovers
❅ forced proximity
❅ only one tent
❅ Alaska setting
❅ slow burn
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Margot is a romance author who doesn’t believe in HEAs. After a rough incident, she decides to write her first murder mystery. Her sister sends her to Alaska, where she meets the sexy and broody Forrest—who just so happens to be the embodiment of her fictional dream hero.
Forrest is a thoughtful doctor, now running his family’s lodge, and he doesn’t let anyone get too close.
I really enjoyed how the characters slowly grew closer and broke down their emotional walls. Forrest’s jealousy, their banter, and that tent scene—so good!
The story also touches on health-related issues. The heroine is taking care of her sister, and Forrest is looking after his father. It highlights the struggles faced by loved ones of those who are ill, making this not just a romance, but also a story about loyalty and selflessness.
The book is full of both lighthearted and emotional moments. I absolutely loved the wintry Alaskan setting—it truly felt like I was there.
I had such a great time reading this and can’t wait for more stories from Victoria Lavine!
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
❅ enemies to lovers
❅ forced proximity
❅ only one tent
❅ Alaska setting
❅ slow burn
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 1, 2025
5⭐️ have I just found my favorite romance novel of the year?!
ANY TROPE BUT YOU was everything I want in my romcoms: it’s heartfelt, hilarious, spicy, swoony, AND sexy! I loved every page of this debut and I was devastated that it didn’t continue for 300 more pages.
Here we have a romance writer (who doesn’t believe in love) that escapes to Alaska to try her hand at writing a new genre and just so happens to fall for Mr. Perfect along the way. The synopsis might have you thinking, “been there, read that” but somehow every stereotypical romance trope this talented author throws at us feels totally fresh. The writing is witty, the banter is top tier, and the flawlessly-timed dropping of “sweetheart” had me swooning. I adored both characters and if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to book myself a trip to Alaska!
There’s only one tiny problem with this gem and it’s the fact that it’s not out until 2025. I promise you it’s worth the wait!
🥳 PUB DAY: April 1st!
Thank you to @atriabooks and @victorialavinewrites for allowing me to be an early reader. All of this gushing praise is my own!!
ANY TROPE BUT YOU was everything I want in my romcoms: it’s heartfelt, hilarious, spicy, swoony, AND sexy! I loved every page of this debut and I was devastated that it didn’t continue for 300 more pages.
Here we have a romance writer (who doesn’t believe in love) that escapes to Alaska to try her hand at writing a new genre and just so happens to fall for Mr. Perfect along the way. The synopsis might have you thinking, “been there, read that” but somehow every stereotypical romance trope this talented author throws at us feels totally fresh. The writing is witty, the banter is top tier, and the flawlessly-timed dropping of “sweetheart” had me swooning. I adored both characters and if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to book myself a trip to Alaska!
There’s only one tiny problem with this gem and it’s the fact that it’s not out until 2025. I promise you it’s worth the wait!
🥳 PUB DAY: April 1st!
Thank you to @atriabooks and @victorialavinewrites for allowing me to be an early reader. All of this gushing praise is my own!!
April 18, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
this is quite literally “the simple wild” by k.a. tucker!! if big buff alaskan mountain men, city girlies with a penchant for getting into trouble with a heart of gold, and forced proximity are your thing, i present THEE book for you ✨ this honestly flew by and i finished it in one day- the writings easy and addicting while handling more serious themes of caretaking by both mc’s and how it affects you as an individual
thank you to netgalley & atria books for the arc!!
this is quite literally “the simple wild” by k.a. tucker!! if big buff alaskan mountain men, city girlies with a penchant for getting into trouble with a heart of gold, and forced proximity are your thing, i present THEE book for you ✨ this honestly flew by and i finished it in one day- the writings easy and addicting while handling more serious themes of caretaking by both mc’s and how it affects you as an individual
thank you to netgalley & atria books for the arc!!
June 11, 2025
*The Heart of the Matter*
This was a great debut for me. The theme of the book is romance. We meet Margot Bradley, a romance author who specialises in happy endings (HEAs). However, she is also caring for her younger sister Savanna, who has autoimmune challenges.
Unbeknownst to everyone, Margot has lost faith in HEAs due to her own experiences. She decides to document her disillusionment with love on her computer. Her sister, who absolutely loves romance is her biggest champion, supports her.
Margot occasionally connects with her fans via a live stream with her agent. But sadly, someone leaks the file, which should have been kept private. This leads to Margot’s downfall, and she is in complete disbelief.
What should she do next? Her sister comes up with a plan. Margot is not happy with it, but once she takes care is in place for her sister, who has already booked the flight and everything else, Margot reluctantly agrees to go.
The destination is Alaska, a complete contrast to sunny California. There, she meets Forrest, the owner of the place. He is stern and lofty, but in her mind, he is just her type. However, she is off men. Forrest is there helping to look after his father, who is now wheelchair-bound, and to run the place.
Forrest instantly is attracted to Margot, but he has made a pact to stay away from guests after being burned. Meanwhile, Margot is trying her best to be off with him, and vice versa.
There are hilarious scenes as Margot, a romance writer, sees one trope after another with Forrest while he tries his best to suppress his feelings.
With Forrest caring for his father and Margot caring for her sister, if anything ever happened between them, it would just be for the holidays. But neither is interested. What does fate have in store for them?
I love the way Forrest takes care of his father, and the same with Margot with her sister. It’s more than just a romcom.
This was a great debut for me. The theme of the book is romance. We meet Margot Bradley, a romance author who specialises in happy endings (HEAs). However, she is also caring for her younger sister Savanna, who has autoimmune challenges.
Unbeknownst to everyone, Margot has lost faith in HEAs due to her own experiences. She decides to document her disillusionment with love on her computer. Her sister, who absolutely loves romance is her biggest champion, supports her.
Margot occasionally connects with her fans via a live stream with her agent. But sadly, someone leaks the file, which should have been kept private. This leads to Margot’s downfall, and she is in complete disbelief.
What should she do next? Her sister comes up with a plan. Margot is not happy with it, but once she takes care is in place for her sister, who has already booked the flight and everything else, Margot reluctantly agrees to go.
The destination is Alaska, a complete contrast to sunny California. There, she meets Forrest, the owner of the place. He is stern and lofty, but in her mind, he is just her type. However, she is off men. Forrest is there helping to look after his father, who is now wheelchair-bound, and to run the place.
Forrest instantly is attracted to Margot, but he has made a pact to stay away from guests after being burned. Meanwhile, Margot is trying her best to be off with him, and vice versa.
There are hilarious scenes as Margot, a romance writer, sees one trope after another with Forrest while he tries his best to suppress his feelings.
With Forrest caring for his father and Margot caring for her sister, if anything ever happened between them, it would just be for the holidays. But neither is interested. What does fate have in store for them?
I love the way Forrest takes care of his father, and the same with Margot with her sister. It’s more than just a romcom.
April 10, 2025
•Debut
•Alaskan Wilderness
•Enemies to lovers
•Forced proximity...one sleeping bag!
•Slow burn
•Dual POV
•Third act breakup
This book is cute & hits all the marks. I just so happen to read it in the midst of some amazing five star books so I fear it may be a bit forgettable for me.
3.5/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️
Thank you to Atria & NetGalley for a gifted arc in exchange for my review.
•Alaskan Wilderness
•Enemies to lovers
•Forced proximity...one sleeping bag!
•Slow burn
•Dual POV
•Third act breakup
This book is cute & hits all the marks. I just so happen to read it in the midst of some amazing five star books so I fear it may be a bit forgettable for me.
3.5/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️
Thank you to Atria & NetGalley for a gifted arc in exchange for my review.
May 1, 2025
the setup…
Margot Bradley is a successful romance novelist with a host of bestselling books. But deep down, she feels a bit disingenuous about writing happily ever afters since she doesn’t believe in them. Her own experiences have left her broken-hearted and jaded about romance. Margot has a secret Happily Never After document she uses to bury her true feelings. It’s when she’s in the middle of a show with a high profile romance podcaster that a hacker releases the document during the broadcast and just like that…she’s canceled and Margot’s career seems over. Sister Savannah, who suffers from chronic pain and lives with Margot, arranges a six-week trip to a remote Alaska lodge where she can reinvent herself, writing in a new genre. The lodge manager, Forrest Whitaker, throws a serious kink in that plan.
the heart of the story…
Margot and Forrest’s first encounter qualifies as a true meet cute but from that moment on, it’s more like an enemies to maybe friends experience. I must admit she drove me nuts initially with her many TSTL (too stupid to live) moments where her stubbornness put lives at risk, ignoring wilderness preparations just to defy Forrest. But as the story progressed, her devotion to Savannah as her caretaker and the life punches she suffered defined a more substantive woman.
the narration…
Jesse Vilinsky’s performance shaped my evolving opinion of Margot from annoying to endearing. I found that masterful. Tim Paige’s voice for Forrest perfectly suited the character. I enjoyed their storytelling.
the bottom line…
The beginning of the story didn't enthuse me but around the halfway point things shifted into something very special. Savannah did more than just book the trip for Margot, designing it to be more lifesaving for her sister. Forrest’s commitment to his ailing father meant sacrificing a brilliant medical career. These two were made for each other and I loved the journey the two had in finding in each other, discovering they too deserved their own happily ever after. Hoorah for the romance genre!
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio and Libro.fm for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Margot Bradley is a successful romance novelist with a host of bestselling books. But deep down, she feels a bit disingenuous about writing happily ever afters since she doesn’t believe in them. Her own experiences have left her broken-hearted and jaded about romance. Margot has a secret Happily Never After document she uses to bury her true feelings. It’s when she’s in the middle of a show with a high profile romance podcaster that a hacker releases the document during the broadcast and just like that…she’s canceled and Margot’s career seems over. Sister Savannah, who suffers from chronic pain and lives with Margot, arranges a six-week trip to a remote Alaska lodge where she can reinvent herself, writing in a new genre. The lodge manager, Forrest Whitaker, throws a serious kink in that plan.
the heart of the story…
Margot and Forrest’s first encounter qualifies as a true meet cute but from that moment on, it’s more like an enemies to maybe friends experience. I must admit she drove me nuts initially with her many TSTL (too stupid to live) moments where her stubbornness put lives at risk, ignoring wilderness preparations just to defy Forrest. But as the story progressed, her devotion to Savannah as her caretaker and the life punches she suffered defined a more substantive woman.
the narration…
Jesse Vilinsky’s performance shaped my evolving opinion of Margot from annoying to endearing. I found that masterful. Tim Paige’s voice for Forrest perfectly suited the character. I enjoyed their storytelling.
the bottom line…
The beginning of the story didn't enthuse me but around the halfway point things shifted into something very special. Savannah did more than just book the trip for Margot, designing it to be more lifesaving for her sister. Forrest’s commitment to his ailing father meant sacrificing a brilliant medical career. These two were made for each other and I loved the journey the two had in finding in each other, discovering they too deserved their own happily ever after. Hoorah for the romance genre!
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio and Libro.fm for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
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