I love all the pop culture references in this book. As a millennial, I appreciate this. This is a quick and fun read, perfect for a relaxing weekend. I love the unique spin on this book, and I definitely recommend. And yes, there is a great plot twist.

Before I get to the review, I want to say a quick thank you to NetGalley and the publishers over at Thomas Nelson for giving me a copy of this one in exchange for an honest review. Plot Twist is about a chance encounter between an up and coming actor and a screenwriter at a coffee shop. They agree to meet back at the coffee shop ten years later after they had both honed their craft to make a movie together. But a decade is a long time and there’s a lot of life that can happen. It’s an adult contemporary romance that is coming out on June 15th and is available for pre-order now.

I have been reading more romance over the past few years, but romance isn’t a genre I tend to gravitate toward, but when I saw the premise I had to request it. The premise reminded me a lot of One Day in December by Josie Silver. And I think fans of One Day in December will really enjoy this book. We follow the screenwriter through the chance encounter and the 10 years following. And I think the thing I enjoyed the most about those years was the realistic way Olivia’s life flowed. I see so many romance books where everyone has their crap together constantly and it gives me anxiety about my own life. But Olivia and her roommate Fiona are just figuring it out as they go along. The author spends a decent amount of time also exploring the friendship between Olivia and her roommate Fiona which I loved seeing because a lot of the time the friends are pushed to the side in a romance story. I also really enjoyed Olivia’s growth during the book. I think she’s got a lot of hang ups about her life and her self-esteem is pretty much garbage, but by the end of the book she has come to terms with these aspects of herself. I also really enjoyed Liam as a character. I agree that he’s not the Perfect Love Interest. He’s just a guy doing his best. We also really had a slow burn romance throughout the novel and a lot of will they/won’t they which I loved.

I think the thing I didn’t particularly love about this one was how quick the end went. I think the build up through the decade was good and there are so many scenes I want to live rent free in my head. But that ending came out of no where and was gone so fast. I felt like I needed a little more resolution or a little more sweetness given everything that everyone has to go through.

This is a cute and quick romance novel that will put you right in your feels. I think it feels perfectly at home with a summer release since it’s set in L.A. And it’s just a lot of fun.

With the way the world has been lately, it was such a relief to find a rom-com that truly took me away on a journey that spans the course of a decade. Oliva Ross has a pretty mundane life writing greeting cards for the Heartlite company that provides a certain type of stability, which she appreciates. Her best friend Fiona's life is far more glamour filled and Olivia likes it that way. Her boyfriend Liam is swoon worthy, but their relationship is more complicated than it might first appear. Life in LA is unpredictable and often inexplicable for Olivia and her circle.

A series of crazy events are set in motion that will spur Olivia on to fulfill the dream she's had for some time--writing her own screenplay. The beginning of the book sets up the dominos for the years to follow, so while it might seem overwhelming at first with details, STICK with it! Trust me, it gets even better as time progresses. I hate to give too much away, because once you think you've got it all figured out...there's yet another PLOT TWIST! There's lots of laughter, struggles, real life issues and relational drama around every corner.

Fans of Turner's work will appreciate the subtle nods to pop culture, relationships with depth and dimension, and the twist of the unexpected. If you've read any of her earlier works, you have an idea of what to expect...but "Plot Twist" reveals a bit more maturity. There is not a clear faith journey for these characters, but it is a clean fiction read. (For those that care to know, there are a few mentions of alcohol and a character drinks, but it is only during one portion of the book.)

This book is a great summer escape read. You will lose track of time and possibly lose sleep if you try and finish this one before bed.

I was an early reader, thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own

The premise of this book sounded so good. I loved the idea of this book taking place on the same day every year. But unlike other books with the same premise, this one left me wanting more. I wanted to know the in-between or what happened with Olivia over the past year. There seemed to be a lot missing year to year that I wish the author would have expanded more on.

The first encounter didn’t seem to justify this intense connection and or pinning that Olivia had manifested in her head. It was a nice meet-cute, but to dwell on it for a full year seemed a bit much. There was something missing with the story to where it couldn’t hold my attention. I couldn’t connect with Olivia or the story because I found Olivia a hard character to relate too. The writing style felt a bit dry and lacking emotion that would have connected the reader to the story.

Overall I wanted something more than what was delivered. I think this book had all the potential to be an adorable RomCom, but something was missing from the final product. Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for this ARC

Plot Twist had a fun premise and I flew through it. I found it to be a nice easy read, getting through big chunks of it quite quickly. This would be a perfect light read, one to pack for a holiday for sure. I can’t say I loved it, as it was a bit too cliched at times but overall it was fine!

What an enjoyable read! I can honestly say the conclusion of this story was so sweet and satisfying, I couldn't stop smiling. Once again, Bethany Turner manages to turn traditional story structure on its head by taking her characters on a decade-long adventure of twists, turns, heartache and missed opportunities. She writes in a style that's equal parts chat-with-your-bestie and thought-provoking, and I think the heroine's struggles with doubt and envy will resonate with readers. Turner's references to iconic films and pop culture are quite entertaining, and the fictional greeting card notes had me laughing out loud. No spoilers here, of course, but as the title indicates the plot twist is so clever and well-written.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions shared here are my own.

This was a quick read but I had higher hopes for it. The characters fell flat and the intriguing plot went array. Olivia's life isn't playing out like she hoped especially not like her mysterious suitor Hamish who is now a Hollywood superstar. Since each chapter jumps to the same day, Feb 4th, of each year I felt like a lot of the book was missing.
I know the point of the book is to focus on this particular day, but I found myself missing the in between details and in turn didn't feel invested or connected to the characters. We weren't keen on the main character Olivia and I feel like liking the protagonist in a romance/fiction novel is crucial. Instead of working hard on her goals she throws herself a lot of pity parties. There is no growth or behavior changes from her for about 80% of the book. Great love and great opportunities fall in her lap on multiple occasions and she lets them pass her by. It was really hard to root for someone who felt like she wasn't even rooting for herself.
There was also no other POVs here, no Hamish POV which was disappointing maybe it would have rounded the book out a bit more.
Basically this book had a lot of potential but the unlikable main character broke it for me. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Plot Twist by Bethany Turner is an adorable romantic comedy that will appeal to readers of Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella and Beach Read by Emily Henry. in my opinion, the best love stories involve books or writers, and this rom-com definitely delivers on that front. The plot revolves Olivia, who is an aspiring screenplay writer and an aspiring actor who she meets in a coffeeshop. The two make a pact to meet again in 10 years when they have achieved their dreams.

Here is an excerpt from the first chapter in the book. Olivia is diligently working on her novel in a coffeeshop when she is interrupted by a nameless man asking to sit next to her:

"The seat next to me on the couch, where the possibly Irish stranger now sat drinking his coffee, had in fact been the only empty seat in the building. I could have no doubt that my earlier indiscreet declarations to various men that destiny in fact played no role whatsoever in our mutual love of java were all that had kept other earnest would-be sitters at bay.
"Sorry if I was rude. I didn't realize there was nowhere else to sit. I guess I've been kind of lost in my own little world."
He smiled. "And you thought I was hitting on you?"
"No! I mean, maybe. But not because... I mean, few other guys..." I sighed, grateful that now I was in my thirties I at least seemed to know when to cut my losses and shut up."

What follows is the cutest conversation where the two strangers promise to meet up in 10 years after they succeeded in fulfilling their dreams. The nameless actor agrees to star in Olivia's film after she becomes a successful writer. But what will happen after 10 years? Will they keep their promises to each other? Will they remember this one-time pact and return to the coffeeshop? Will they fall in love? All of these questions are more are answered in this book.

Overall, Plot Twist is an absolutely adorable and amazing rom-com, and I give it 5 glorious stars! My favorite rom-coms seem to be about books or writers, and this book is no exception. I enjoyed the characters and the author's sense of humor so much, and I also liked following the plot to see what happens. It was unputdownable. I ended up finishing this book in a few hours. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a regular reader of the rom-com genre, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in June!

Our story begins in a coffee shop with a strong, independent aspiring screenwriter, who is accosted by Frat Bro and is pushed into being "saved" by the hot actor-type. I was pleasantly diverted from a DNF when he backed off, giving her room to grow and they made a plan to meet back there in 10 years. The book then progresses, each chapter one year in the future with a series of truly small-world, ridiculous coincidence happenings every February 4th. I kept waiting for the plot twist, losing faith in the screenwriter until she seemed to have a huge life turn-around and the title actually made sense.

This book will be misfiled as a romance almost everywhere - it reads like a love story, but the real focus is on Olivia's growth. It's a great recommendation for fans of People magazine, celebrity gossip, and Heartlite... excuse me... Hallmark movies.

"I’m who I am today at least in part because I met you ten years ago."

Plot Twist offered such potential with a cute, creative premise. Aspiring screenwriter Olivia Ross has the perfect coffeehouse meet-cute with a handsome man who hopes to make it in Hollywood as an actor. Over the span of just a few moments together, they make a pact to meet up in exactly 10 years to collaborate on a movie, once they've each found career success.

"That was the moment. Right then. That was the exact moment when I chose to believe my life could be a romantic comedy after all."

Unfortunately, the story didn't pan out to be quite as enticing for me as I'd hoped. I expected Plot Twist to cover the lives & experiences of both characters from the coffeehouse, with perhaps a romantic connection between the two of them, but instead, it follows Olivia entirely, and her handsome stranger all but falls off the map.

"Maybe it just wasn’t in the cards for me. Any of it. Love, fulfilled dreams—my best life. Then again, maybe this was my best life and I needed to get busy living it."

Speaking of romance (since this was billed as a romance novel) there was literally no romance or chemistry or steam at all. Olivia kisses her ex three times in 10 years, and that’s literally it. This was 100% women's fiction, following a protagonist through 10 years and watching as she interacts with her friends, navigates breakups, and grapples with her future. Nothing romantic about it.

"I felt safe and loved, and I knew that no matter how many men let us down, or how many times in however many ways we let ourselves down, Fiona and I would always have each other."

The pacing & timeline made it challenging to get to know the characters or feel a connection with any of them. Jumping in and out of their lives once a year, for a decade, made the whole thing feel choppy and random, and the near-constant references to well-known movies and name-dropping of famous actors felt like the author took a shortcut to compensate for her underdeveloped characters & plot.

"We aren’t all meant to be superheroes, and we aren’t all meant to date Superman."

Overall, the book felt flat and didn't live up to my expectations, in a lot of ways. I found myself asking, “Wait, what is going on?” far too often, and the cheesiness factor just solidified that this book was not for me.

—-

Thanks to Bethany Turner, Thomas Nelson, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was great! I love a good romantic comedy and this one was well done. It was funny and so easy to read, I flew through it!

Bethany Turner is a master of the romantic comedy. Plot Twist had such a unique storyline. The events of the story were told each February 4th for a 10 year period. The ups and downs and surprises that Olivia Ross faced each February 4th kept me turning the pages. There were many laugh-out-loud moments throughout the book while also including some soul searching on Olivia's part. Without giving anything away, the year of the auction is my favorite! The only thing I missed in this book was the Christian focus that some of Bethany's previous books have included. If you are looking for a fun, romantic comedy, I recommend Bethany Turner's new novel.

I found this heroine so very annoying. She has such low self esteem that she continually self sabotages any hope of happiness in her life. Forget the plotline given in the book synopsis about having met a cute guy in a coffee shop and their pledge to meet ten years later when she will have written a screenplay and he will have become an Oscar-winning actor.

THe real story is how Olivia breaks up with the guy she’s dating because she suddenly realizes that he’s funnier and more interesting than she suspected. She thought that he was a Clark Kent and it turns out that he was a Superman. Just because he eased up around her and made some jokes and sang a song to her in public. But they remain friends even though it’s clear that he’s still, for some reason, stuck on her. But she treats him rather selfishly throughout the book because she can’t get over herself. She’s convinced that she is so unworthy. She is a sidekick in her own life story. Her best friend, however, is a star. I can see that her best friend has charisma and confidence and interesting-sounding jobs, but all those jobs involve being an assistant to someone else more famous or taking care of celebrities. How does that make her a star?

I understand that there are people who feel that down on themselves that they throw away any opportunity for happiness. But I didn’t enjoy slogging through the ten years (ten years!!) that it takes Olivia to figure her life out and recognize that she is finally deserving of love and success.

She seemed like a total drip and it was a wonder that her best friend and lovely former boyfriend would have stuck around loving her for so long.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Had a feeling I was going to love this from the description. I was right!! Cute and sweet and a quick read. The story moved along though it took place over the course of a decade. Loved Olivia, she was so relatable and the whole cast of characters were such fun. I would read more from Turner.

I enjoyed this book. The story follows Olivia on the same day for 11 years. The way the story is written keeps you wanting more. Will Olivia even finish her screenplay? Will the handsome actor remember her and show back up at the coffee shop in 10 years? Olivia's story is definitely nothing that she could have ever predicted. Overall, a great romance filled with plot twists along the way.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book was an absolute rollercoaster ride. If you want to read a book that makes you feel things, laugh, cry, squeal, sigh in relief, want to crack your kindle in half and scream, insist that your partner listen to you obsess over what you are sure is going to happen . . . then look no further.

This book was both SO GOOD and utter torture for me to read. I couldn't go to bed without finishing it, so I ended up reading it in two sittings. I had angry feelings about what was happening for about half the book, and yet I was amazed at my attachment and how unputdownable the book was. So even though the storyline was so infuriating, I was on the Bethany Turner Plot Twist ride and not getting off. Now in the light of day I have to admit I am sad its over, glad for how it ended, and cannot wait to recommend this book to others.

I did not think that a book of this length could properly drop us into the plot at yearly intervals in a way that still connects the reader to the story and seems believable, but it was absolutely a success.

Review Snippet:
MEET CUTE IN HOLLYWOOD!

Prepare to laugh out loud, cry and sigh over the irony of this brand new romantic comedy novel, Plot Twist, by Bethany Turner. It is simply brilliant!

Bethany is a genius at storytelling with her creative use of thematic elements, her lovable characters, and her “plot twists” that keep readers thoroughly engrossed in her hilarious, spellbinding rom-coms! A definite must-read for 2021!

My Review: Plot Twist, by Bethany Turner, is simply brilliant! Bethany is a genius at storytelling with her creative use of thematic elements, her lovable characters, and her “plot twists” that keep readers thoroughly engrossed in her hilarious, spellbinding rom-coms!

I absolutely loved this story. I devoured it in two short afternoons… I simply couldn’t put it down! I could so easily relate to Olivia Ross and her self-description of a supporting character in the narration of life. Meanwhile, I enjoyed the twist that the supporting characters in this story: Fiona, Hamish and Liam were all “leading characters” in Olivia’s mind. The irony is not lost on me!

Without giving too much of this story away, I’ll say that it is very cleverly written, hilarious and unique! I loved the celebrity name dropping and special appearances, the Hollywood theme, the laugh out loud thoughts readers are privy to via Olivia’s internal dialogue and the mention of many movies I experienced and loved in my early twenties. In fact, there wasn’t anything I didn’t love about this story!

This novel is very well-written and offers a wide range of exciting, captivating elements such as mystery, intrigue, personal struggles, steamy romance, delightful characters, humor, friendship and personal growth. I found this story to be uplifting, emotional, fun and charming. It is a
definite must-read!

*I voluntarily received a complimentary e-copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.

Olivia Ross has been working on her screenplay for 10 years. This story takes us on a journey of Feb 4ths as Olivia is convinced that day is both blessed and cursed.
The friendship between Olivia and Fiona is a major player in this story. They have been friends through most of their lives and have always (for the most part) had each others back. Olivia has always felt as through she was the sidekick to Fionas leading lady. She doesn't see herself the way Fiona and Liam see her and this leads to many misunderstandings, secrets and hurt.

This book is good at being exactly what it is: a lighthearted romantic comedy with a dash of friendship and career angst thrown in. Great if you want a quick, enjoyable read.

Grateful to Netgalley for the ARC!

Plot Twist by Bethany Turner is a very cute and extremely fun romantic comedy. I was so absorbed in this story, and it was such a page-turner, that I finished the book in one sitting.

This will appeal to fans of rom-com movies, Hollywood stars and California. Pop-cultures references abide. If your looking for a fun story to get lost in and leave any expecations of "realism" at the door, this book is the one.