The Bromance Book Club (Bromance Book Club, #1)

by Lyssa Kay Adams

“Good. First rule of book club?” They finished in unison. “You don’t talk about book club.”

“Romance novels are primarily written by women for women, and they’re entirely about how they want to be treated and what they want out of life and in a relationship. We read them to be more comfortable expressing ourselves and to look at things from their perspective.”

“It means that whatever happened to your wife before she met you plays a role in who she is today,” Malcolm said. “We are all the sum total of our experiences at any given time, and our reactions to things are shaped by them. Just like in romance novels. Whatever a character went through before the start of the book will eventually determine how they react to things that happen in the book.”

“That’s why fiction resonates with people. It speaks to universal truths.”

More than anything, she feared that she would awaken some morning and realize her entire life had passed her by,’” he read. “‘That at some point, she had become less than. Less than w-w-what she used to imagine. Less than w-wh-what she used to hope for. Nothing more than a silent accessory to a man. Nothing more than her own mother, a passive face at a glittering table.’”

“But this is a new look for you, isn’t it? I guess comfort really does trump style some days, doesn’t it?” “Absolutely. Just like class trumps beauty.”

“Yeah, but be forewarned, Gavin. I’m like a kid in a candy store in places like this.” He smiled. “I know. I’ve seen our pen drawer at home, Thea. I’m prepared.” • • • He wasn’t prepared.

Gavin tried to ease the tension with a joke. “I should take you shopping for w-w-washi tape more often,” Gavin mused. The joke worked. Thea relaxed. “Wait until you get me in the paintbrush aisle.” “How fast can we get there?”