Oh my gosh, the Russian got his own book and it is everything I could have dreamed of. If you’ve been living under a rock and aren’t sure what I’m talking about, Isn’t it Bromantic? is the 4th installment in one of my favorite book series: The Bromance Book Club. In this book, Vlad (The Russian) is trying to save his marriage with his childhood friend Elena. AND he’s writing a romance novel!!!

This book did not disappoint - from the first few pages I was laughing out loud. It had grand gestures and the romance we come to expect from the Bromance book club. The friendships in this series are everything and I was so happy to see how the friend group so quickly included Elena into their circle and cared for her. There was all the cheese (for real, now I want a charcuterie board asap). And there were so many laugh out loud moments thanks to Vlad. I adored this book and think it might be my favorite in the series.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Russian!!

I have had a soft spot for the Russian since the first book. He is such a sweet man and I can relate to the digestive issues though not quite as severe but man do I love cheese. Um the crazy talk about cheese makes me think I need a Cheese Man. Do I not know what real cheese even tastes like? Have I been missing out on real cheese? Where can I get my fix?

Vlad joined the Bromance book club to help his marriage which we didn't know much about till this book. 

Vlad and Natasha were childhood friends and married when he was drafted by the NHL and was moving to America. She had some tragic family events happen and he wanted to protect her and remove her any danger.

Ok so this is just all miscommunication and no communication. These two heard something at some point in their relationship and they just stopped talking to trying to be a couple. It always makes me want to yell at them. But they are being so respectful of their life long friend and not pushing.

I loved this book! I don't want to give too much away since we slowly learn more about Vlad and he was such a small side character which became a more since we all love him but there is so much that we learn. And of course the relationship with his book club is still so amazing and beautiful.

The parallel romance novel is different in this book and I love it and I hope you do too! You can tell a lot about him because of it!

This is just the most Bromantic and romantic series. And I love how they refer to romance novels as manuals. 

Thank you berkley romance and net galley for the E-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

I am SO glad that Vlad finally got his own book! I’ve been curious about him since the beginning, and while I found many of the men in previous books fairly similar to each other, Vlad really stood out to me. Elena’s character also stood out from the other women in the series, and she was much more unique to me. I think that’s what made me really care about this couple: they had more to them then the others.

**Spoilers ahead**

That being said, I do wish more could have been done with Elena’s backstory. Despite investigating something really significant, it wasn’t really made a big deal of. This was especially true when Elena was kidnapped and I found myself thinking, “Oh, this still matters? I thought we weren’t really addressing the human trafficking thing?” I really wanted to care about her investigation, but it was left out for a good chunk of the book, which made her kidnapping feel a bit out of left field.

Overall, this book was easy to read, enjoyable, and lots of fun! I absolutely love that this series tackled toxic masculinity and explored men being vulnerable with their partners and their friends. I really appreciated the author depicting men who actively wanted to improve themselves and their relationships by recognizing what the patriarchy does on a systemic level, and they didn’t simply make changes for their own gain. For once it wasn’t about women exerting all the emotional labour, and that was amazing to see.

𝘐𝘴𝘯‘𝘵 𝘐𝘵 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤?, the fourth Bromance Book Club installment, focuses on professional hockey star Vlad Konnikov, affectionately called the Russian.

Vlad could not be more in love with his wife, Elena Konnikova. Most women would be overjoyed, but Vlad and Elena married for convenience after her father, a journalist, disappeared, so she could leave Russia. Since arriving in the United States, she’s been attending journalism school in Chicago and planning to return to her native country to continue her father’s work.

When circumstances force Elena to return to Nashville, the Bros resolve to help Vlad win his wife’s heart. Her secret investigation into her father’s disappearance, however, represents a greater risk than any of them imagined.

𝘐𝘴𝘯‘𝘵 𝘐𝘵 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤? is such a fun read! I liked it even more than 𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘻𝘺 𝘚𝘵𝘶𝘱𝘪𝘥 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦! One thing I love and think is interesting about the series is the great friendships among the guys, their willingness to be vulnerable, and drive to constantly improve. The books have plenty of hilarious banter, but most of it is among them.

Book Four introduces The Loners, a group of widows, neighbors of Vlad, who are very protective of him and are great characters for myriad reasons. The characters also shop at an underground cheese operation which is much funnier in Adams’s words than mine.

Other highlights for me:

🏒 Russian culture and cuisine
🏒 Vlad’s love of animals
🏒 Elena’s struggle to find a way to make a difference
🏒 Inclusion of significant human rights issue in a way that seemed natural to the plot
🏒 Instead of reading a “manual,” the guys help Vlad write a romance book

I thought the ending could have been expanded and there could have been even more steam, but this didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book.

The Bromance Book Club is one of my favorite romance series, and this is my favorite volume so far! Both Vlad and Elena are so likable, it’s easy to get invested in their happiness. Highly recommended for rom-com fans!

The fourth book is almost out and it is FANTASTIC, you guys! The group I read this with all seemed to love this one, and many even claimed it was their favorite of the series!

Throughout the rest of the books, our main star in this one has been named the Russian, since he is Russian, but here he goes by Vlad and tells us his deepest secrets: his marriage is one of convenience, his wife wants a divorce, and he’s madly in love with her.

Vlad has always been one for love – always pushing his friends to express their feelings and tell their wives and girlfriends just how much they care about them. But it seems that it’s easier to give that advice than take it, and being on the receiving end of the Bromance Book Club’s advice is hard to handle.

That being said, I loved that this book was also more than just their love story. It was about Elena, his wife, and her passion to determine just what had happened to her father when he disappeared in the line of his work as a journalist. Following both of these plots kept me turning page after page until I was sad to see it end.

I know this one is being released in a couple days, but I’m already hoping for a book five to come out soon.

Is it my friend of 20+ years or husband's potty (literally poop) humor that led to me being in stitches with Vlad? I don't know, but right from the get-go, this book sucked me in and made me want all the cheese, literal and figurative.
Vlad is the heart of the Bromance club. He clearly loves love and has no compunction for being in touch with his feelings. Throughout the series, I love that he says, "we always run for grand gesture!" His claims that he is married are validated - shockingly to the other bros - at the end of Crazy Stupid Bromance. That ending had me highly anticipating this book.
Lyssa did a fantastic job bringing humor and levity to the Russian's story. I rooted for his love for Elena and his love for cheese. It's so great too that she has a huge cast of characters that shine in small and big moments, all while supporting the main characters. This is my favorite of the series to date. I don't know how she will top it, but I'm looking forward to what she comes up with next. It's gotta be Colton, right?!
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Adams sends a huge love letter to the fans of her smash hit Bromance Book Club series in the form of her Russian bear hockey star's long-awaited story. And Vlad is indeed adorable. Not only does Adams turn favorite tropes of marriage-of-convenience and childhood-friends-to-lovers on its heels, she once more weaves in talking-point advocacy that feels as vital as the HEA itself. Losses and injuries aside, both Elena and Vlad exhibit a level of selflessness and sacrifice that make up for the amount of misunderstandings their journey has taken them on. Adams also knows how to expertly craft her supporting characters to bear the weight of introspection. That payoff is especially sweet, here. Between a novel within a novel, the talk of Pushkin, a scene-stealing Hazel, bed-side mannerisms, the amount of food served, and bromance newbie/Country-Western crooner Colton, this could be the best one in the series...But why would readers choose when collecting them all is such great fun? And who could blame you if you end up following the real-life Nashville Preds either? Highly recommended!

2.5*
The romance in this book was incredibly sweet and I loved watching Vlad and Elena rediscover each other and build from childhood friends to lovers. The author did an amazing job building the tension between the two characters as Elena took care of Vlad. I also loved watching them bond over their Russian culture and the way in which that connected to their shared childhood. Unfortunately, every other aspect of the book did not engage me. I was not interested in the excerpts from Vlad's book nor the conversation centered around it though I did understand that this was a vessel through which the guys discovered things about Vlad's own relationship, it just didn't work for me. I also did not find Elena's journalist plotline to be interesting nor well-developed and mostly just found myself feeling bored when reading those sections. There were a few moments where the book felt a bit corny and melodramatic which was definitely intentional in some cases such as with the cheese man. Though intentional, this humor is not one that I resonated with so it did not add to my enjoyment of the book in any way. I also found the very last climatic scene with Elena to be very cliche and over the top and I saw it coming from the very beginning of the book. Overall, though I enjoyed the romantic aspects of the book for the most part, I feel like the other plotlines were given more screentime and those were all things that I did not enjoy as much.

This is Book four of the Bromance Bookclub series and it can be read as a standalone. However, the first three books are great, so I recommend you read them in order if you can.

The Russian, Vlad, has been a side character in each of the first three books. We don't know much about him other than he's from Russia, plays professional hockey, and has some gastrointestinal issues (fart jokes and bathroom humor makes me laugh out loud every time and they are in each book- be warned!).

We get to know a lot more about Vlad in this book and meet some new characters. Elena, who we haven't met until now, is his wife. It was a marriage of convenience six years ago, and she has been living in Chicago. When Vlad needs some assistance after an injury, Elena comes to help him. There is also a club of single (mostly widowed) women called the Loners that live in Vlad's neighborhood and are fiercely protective of him. On of the newer members of the book club is Colton, a country western singer who is more present in this book (fingers crossed the next book is about him!).

Instead of reading a romance book, the bookclub is giving Vlad feedback on a romance novel he is writing. And the romance in his novel mirrors some of the roadblocks that he has with Elena, and it's great to see them help Vlad with both his book and his real life romance. As with all of these books, I loved the humor, all the characters, but especially the enlightened men, the friendships, and the romance! Parts of it are a little (ok, maybe a lot) over the top, and I loved it all!

Thanks to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

I cannot even tell you have excited I was when I heard Alyssa Kay Adams was writing a book for The Russian. He emerged early in this series as a fan favorite, and I will admit, Adams did right by him. I want people to learn a few details on their own, but Adams showed some kindness to Vlad as well as giving him his HEA.

FIVE REASONS I LOVED THIS BOOK

1. It’s a Friends-to-Lovers romance. I am always going on about how much I adore this trope, and I loved learning about the friendship shared between Vlad and Elena. They had been part of each other’s lives for so long, and I was grateful for each memory that was shared with me.

2. The Bromance was strong! One of my favorite things about this series is the friendship shared between these men. I am never disappointed by anything that happens when they share the page. The love, the friendship, the feelings! I am always left laughing or smiling or shedding happy tears because of this group of men.

3. A few new characters added to the mayhem as well. The Cheese Man and The Loners were fantastic additions to this world. The whole concept of The Cheeseman was hilarious, but meeting and interacting with him was next level. I had so much fun with these characters.

4. So. Much. Food. As if I wasn’t already salivating with all the cheese mentions, Elena was a Russian cuisine cooking machine. I seriously want all Vlad's favorites to become my favorites.

5. I liked getting to know this side of Vlad. The Russian pretty much served as comic relief in the other books. He had a huge heart, which he wore on his sleeve, and was a hopeless romantic. Here, I saw there was a lot more to him, and it was beautiful seeing him chase his happy.

Overall: It was a pleasure being back with the Bromance Book Club, and yes, I did cry because I was so happy for Vlad.

I love that Vlad got his own story. I was happy to see that he finial got resolve his health issues. Meeting El for real this time was neat. Getting to see all my favorite characters from all the other books. Vlad has to learn in this book what it means to communicate with his wife of 6 years. When they start talking and realize they wanted the same thing. Can't see what happens next in the overall story.

Thank you @netgalley and @berkley romance for this gifted copy!

Lyssa Kay Adams does it again! She took the most lovable side character of her Bromance series and crafted a nuanced, engaging rom com that has surprising emotional depth.

Vlad “The Russian” Konnikov starts out the story helping others, as he does in every book. We didn’t know how much of his private life he’s been hiding from his friends (the Bookclub Bros) and I relished learning each new and surprising thing as the story unfolded.

Elena, Vlad’s estranged wife, was a little less interesting to me. At the beginning I didn’t care if she stayed or went but like all of the Bromance novels, you become invested in her character.

Another thing I love is the book within a book premise Adams writes into her novels. How a person can write two stories at the same time always fascinates me.

Overall, if you like rom coms with hilarious side characters and a lot of effective conflict, you should pick up this book!

It’s no secret that I absolutely love The Russian in Bromance Book Club series! In the previous books, he’s the funny but sensitive side character, providing perfect punch lines and laugh-out-loud moments. So I was really super stoked when I learned he’s getting his own story! Isn’t It Bromantic is the 4th book in the series. Here, we get to know more about the Russian/Vlad, his backstory and relationship with his mysterious wife, Elena. Vlad is an NHL player and during playoffs, he fell and suffered tibial fracture, forcing him to undergo surgery and rehab. His estranged wife showed up, wanting to take care of him despite their impending divorce. Wait, divorce?!?! We didn’t even know Vlad had a wife until end of book 3! It turns out, for 6 years, they have been living long distance and not actually living as husband and wife. When the Bromance Book Club guys learned about this, they rallied together to help Vlad and Elena “fix” their marriage, seeing as Vlad really love Elena. Reading this is really so much fun! It might be my favorite book yet in the series! I love Vlad and Elena - they complement each other so perfectly! And of course Colton! I hope if there’s book 5, it’ll be his turn next! Love also the Loners (Vlad’s female friends who are “lonely” widows/divorcées) and the recurring past characters. I liked that in this book, instead of the group reading a novel, the men helped Vlad finish writing his own romance story! How cool is that? The “hurdle” or “conflict” of course was there, though it resolved so quickly so it was too abrupt for me. Vlad, being Vlad, had to do the grand gesture in his own signature —falling flat on his face!😂 I always recommend this series to anybody who wants a good romcom, funny and feel good with lotsa steam and relationship lessons!!! Each book never failed to make me laugh and cry at the same time. Thanks so much to @berkleypub and @netgalley for my e-ARC! I can’t wait to get my physical copy so my collection can be complete! Pub date is July 20, 2021 so please please pre-order or run to the bookstore in 5 days! 💖 Rating: 4.5/5

I read the first three books in the Bromance Book Club series last month, and I have to say I absolutely adore this series. I’ve always loved Vlad and his big heart, so I was especially excited for him to have a book of his own (and to learn the mystery behind Elena).

This book felt a little heavier to me than some of the previous books in the series--given the subject matter Elena was researching, mainly. There were definitely positives to these differences, but it didn’t feel like the lighthearted rom-com I was expecting.

I LOVED that Vlad was writing his own romance novel! I definitely didn’t expect that, but it felt so right once I read it. I loved Elena and that she went out of her way to make his favorite foods that his mother used to make. All the talk of her cooking made me so hungry, and I definitely need to try more Russian food now. I think Elena and Vlad did make a good couple in the end, but I’ll never understand how couples can go that long without having a real conversation about their feelings.

I’m not sure how I felt about the Loners--I get that we needed some fresh characters (will Andrea be the love interest in Colton’s book?), but it ended up being a lot of people to keep straight.

Overall, though, I enjoyed the story and can’t wait for Colton’s book!

Lyssa Kay Adams does it again! I have been so excited to read Vlad's story since the day it was announced and I'm so happy with the results.

Vlad's story is incredibly heartwarming and has definitely solidified him as one of my favourite "bros." He's so kind hearted and sweet — his story with his marriage was the perfect backstory for his personality but also helped to showcase his sweet and caring side, which is so evident in the first three books.

Elena is the perfect character and I loved the constant push and pull between her and Vlad. While it can sometimes be a lot in books, I felt that it worked so much for their story because it truly showed their love and admiration for each other. But it also highlighted their vulnerability.

Overall, I just loved every minute of this book. This series in general has been so wonderful and I'm so happy we have another great addition to the series. I can't wait for more of Lyssa Kay Adams' books in the future!!

Aaahhh! So happy that the giant teddy bear, the Russian, got his own book in the series! I said after reading the first book that he needed his own and here it is and it lived up to expectations!! Yay!
Vlad is a ginormous hairy Russian professional hockey player who is nothing like you’d expect him to be based on his appearance-he’s sweet, sensitive, kind and generous. The kind of man who takes in strays-even chickens, and cries at weddings. He has a severe gluten intolerance but his favorite food is cheese. He’s basically a little boy trapped in a huge body. And at his core, he’s a man who’s been in love with the same woman his whole life. They got married so she could come and live with him in the USA but they’d never taken their relationship to the next level, so he joins the book club in order to figure out how to win her heart while she finishes her schooling out of town. She’s still dealing with the death of her father so she’s shut herself off but when Vlad gets injured she comes running to his aid even though the guys in the club are more than willing to take care of him. When they figure out what’s really going on between Vlad and Elena, they are determined to get these two stubborn people to admit what they should have long ago.
There’s so much to love about this series, and it particular this book, as it address serious issues with heart and compassion, but it’s also so dang engaging and funny and such a good time to read!
Thanks to Berkley Publishers and Netgalley for this Arc in exchange for my review and thanks to the author for finally giving the Russian the story he deserves!!

This book focuses on The Russian’s (a.k.a. Vlad) story and his troublesome marriage to his childhood friend, Elena. While readers are taken on a journey of a lack of communication and deep emotions between the two, we really get to know more of Vlad’s heart and he’s just the sweetest!

As with all the books in this series, the banter between the friends in the book club had me cracking up and I loved the guys’ analysis about the kiss scene they provided Vlad for his story. I can safely say, this series is a re-read for me, which says a lot. There is humour, steamy and heartwarming moments and a combo of all of those make a fantastic rom-com.

This is the fourth in a series of Bromance novels but I read this as a stand-alone.

The premise of male bonding and friendships is brought out beautifully. The ‘boys’ run a bookclub and read romance novels; not just for reading but also to learn how to better their own lives and relationships.

Vlad Konnikov, a reputed ice hockey player, gets hurt in a game and needs to rest. To look after him comes his wife Elena. They have been married for six years but have spent the most part away from each other: in a bid not to hurt the other.

Each feels that the other deserves better and this guilt keeps them from sharing what they’re actually feeling.

Through a series of fun moments with Vlad’s friends and neighbours ( including a cat and a dog who look out for him) Elena and Vlad learn to face their fears , their feelings and rewrite their story..

Throw in some good food, witty banter and a bit of Russian mafia and you have a fast paced read in your hands.

Thank you Penguin Random House, Berkeley Publishing and Net Galley for a digital ARC in exchange of an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

International intrigue meets our favorite Bromance Book Club in Lyssa Kay Adams's Isn't It Bromantic.

The Russian, Vlad, has always loved romance, he wants everyone to find their other half. He's helped half his friends find their way to or back to their love of their lives, but he can't seem to help himself. He's married to his childhood best friend Elena, and while he's been madly in love with her, she thinks it's a marriage of convenience and protection. This time he's going to need the Bromance Book Club's help to solve his romance troubles and get the romance novel he's writing back on track.

To be honest I never really was all that curious about the Russian. He always seemed like the side character, the comic relief in this book series. While he still isn't my favorite of the boys, Isn't It Bromantic revealed a side of him that wasn't always ducking to the restroom with gastrointestinal issues. He's sweet, kind, caring and loves his friends and Elena more than this world. Adams gives him light and energy that you crave in a best friend turned lover.

Thank you to Lyssa Kay Adams, Berkeley and NetGalley for this early read. It warmed my heart.

This may be my new favorite book in the series (i know i say that everytime, but....)

I loved the Russians story so much and the growth shown from Elena. I hope Colton gets a book next!