I had such high hopes for the Russian's book. But I was kind of let down. It was cute but also boring at the same time. I thought the whole part of Elena's dad being kidnapped/killed was a little much. And then of course she was researching it and so something was going to happen to her. There were a few funny parts but that was mostly thanks to Mack and Noah. I think in all honesty, marriage of convenience isn't my favorite trope.

Another charming addition to the Bromance series! A nice, quick read for all those who like their romance with some humour and suspense. Not much new or unexpected, but there's a certain comfort in that.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy to review. All opinions are my own.

Ah, tenderhearted Vlad! You finally got your story.

First off, let me say that I am so happy Vlad was properly diagnosed for his gastrointestinal issues, otherwise this book would likely have included more bathroom scenes than what I personally would have wanted. And he CAN eat cheese! Thank the heavens, because what is life without cheese?

In this most recent installment in the Bromance series, we learn where the mysterious Mrs. Konnikova has been and why she hasn't been by her husband's side all these years. We also learn that Vlad's romantic side includes some mad writing skills. And, regardless of how kindhearted and gentle he is, he is also passionate, protective, and maybe just a bit jealous. Of course, there is plenty of personal growth for both protagonists, lots of insightful meta-romance commentary from the club members, and the climactic moment + grand gesture that leads to the HEA that we all know is coming.

Oh, and the Cheese Man was over-the-top in such a wonderful way. I hope he gets to make more cameos as the series continues, with an abundance of near-erotic descriptions of delicious cheeses for those of us who rely on romance novels for our food porn.

Vladimir Konnikov, aka the Russian, is a hockey player in Nashville and also a member of the Bromance Book club made up of several high-profile men in the city with relationship problems that they work to resolve through various "manuals" (aka romance novels). Except Vlad is writing one. And although he and his wife Elena grew up together in Russia, theirs is a marriage of convenience, with both of them convinced that the other one deserves someone better than themselves .but that when Vlad proposed, he was already playing pro hockey in America and she needed to get out of Russia after her father, a journalist, disappeared under suspicious circumstances,
This is a lovely rom-com that brings back a number of characters from the author's earlier books in the series, but lets Vlad and Elena's story shine. If you liked the earlier books in this series, you'll love Isn't It Bromantic?

Vlad’s story! OMG!!!

Since I first fell in love with this series I have been waiting for the Russian to get his turn at love. We finally get to meet his wife and find out the whole story surrounding their separation. Vlad and Elena have a real lack of communication causing their problem, but the Bromance Book Club is there to help one of their own.

This time the book club doesn’t turn to one of the trusty manuals, they find out Vlad has been writing one of his own and they help him finish it. His romance novel parallels the circumstances of his own marriage and in order to write the ending of his book he will need to figure out his own love story.

Read this amazing story to see if the Russian and his characters will get their HEA ending.

Recommended for: romance novel enthusiasts

I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In this book we follow Vlad, a famous hockey player and his wife Elena, these childhood friends turned spouses of convenience are on the verge of divorce when Vlad gets injured in one of the penultimate games of the season. Elena swoops in to nurse him back to health and maybe just maybe save their marriage.

The last few books in the series have been misses for me but this one was phenomenal! I absolutely loved the childhood friends to lovers aspect, it was full of all the right angst and pining! And the marriage of convenience aspect was just *chef's kiss* and I love the "one person is injured and the love interest nurses them to health" trope it was just so adorable and I loved Elena and Vlad's relationship so much. Also this book made me enjoy the miscommunication trope? shocking I know but it's true. This story had just the right amount of wholesomeness, angst and hilarity so the melodrama was just part of the larger, very entertaining picture of the story. I adored Vlad's characterization in this, he has so much depth to him and I love that we got to see him outside of his role as the comedic relief. I loved the book club in this book as well, the guys are always so hilarious and I adored their scenes together so much. I think they're my favorite fictional friend group maybe ever?

The only reason this isn't five stars is I felt that this story suffered from the same thing that the last two books have struggled with in my opinion: the tonal differences between the romance's narrative and the subplots. In this story Elena's backstory and subsequent subplot involves and missing parent, and journalistic investiagtions into crime rings and human trafficking and mostly it was fine but the way it played into the story's ending was just felt cheesy and unnecessary. I wish I could understand Adams' compulsion to add these sorts of subplots to her romcoms 😅

But regardless this was a great time! I absolutely loved it and honestly I can't wait to reread it💖

THIS BOOK DESERVES ALL THE STARS!!!!

I LOVED absolutely every second I spent reading it. Let’s fast forward to July so that everyone can get their hands on it.

Trust me, if you loved Vlad (The Russian) from any of the past books, you’re going to be a puddle at his feet in this book. We finally get to learn about his marriage of convenience to his childhood best friend, Elena. I loved being part of each of their journeys and having them realize the growing pains of actually being together and what that meant for them individually. Vlad is seriously just a big softie and each time he got emotional, he made me cry!

This is just so freaking good. Seriously, this is one of my all-time favorite books EVER and everyone needs to read it!!

(But also we need to discuss how Colton needs a book in the near future 👀)

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

Wow, did it feel good to get Vlad's story. I know he maybe started as comic relief but I loved this big, sweet, caring, squishy-hearted man. With a tender soul and a love of romance. The way he stayed true to the love of his life, even when he thought there was no hope... was so beautiful.

Elena and Vlad had a lot of things getting in there way. And pride can do a lot of damage when it gets hurt, but it was so beautiful to watch them overcome it and make a go of their marriage for real. I am a sucker for mutual pining and this one sure did it for me.

Now, the part that just drug this book down for me... Even though I loved the idea of Vlad writing a romance novel.... again, I just don't like the tacky involvement of another story to the plot. Especially because this one was the most awkward of them all. And the commentary of the book club that are critiquing his book which is also his life.... it had me rolling my eyes and skimming pages so often. Ugh.

This mostly bothered me because I loved this couple a lot, and I wish page count had been spent with them BEING together instead of the build up and then... wasted pages on the "fake" story in the book. It was so frustrating.

Anyway, if you have made it to this book after reading the others, you will have a good time. Vlad is just as dreamy as you hoped and I am so glad he now has medicine for his stomach issues. That is one way to level a hero up and keep him out of the bathroom...

4/5 stars.

I was so excited when I saw Lyssa Kay Adams was finally coming our with Vlad's story. This was a cute story and I loved it just as much as the other books in the series.

Very excited that the author chose to explore the Russians marriage. It really gave depth to a fan favorite background character.

I have to admit that I was nervous about getting The Russian's story in this novel, but thankfully, his diet is under control with medication for lactose intolerance and simply abstaining from gluten.

Instead of his bathroom habits, which had had many readers chuckling for three books, we see Vlad's relationship with his beautiful wife Elena shift and develop after six years of miscommunication and misunderstanding. Beyond the six years of marriage, Vlad and Elena have known each other for most of their lives and have been dishonest or less than forthcoming regarding their feelings for each other.

When Vlad is injured during a playoff hockey game, Elena returns home to help him convalesce, and the plan is for her to return to Chicago and her Master's program after a few weeks. The events of the story allow both Vlad and Elena to view each other in a new light, and when Elena is taken in to Vlad's circle of friends and loved ones, she may not be able to disentangle herself from the network that is the Bromance Book Club.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I really loved Vlad from the first chapter of this novel. He has a wonderful heart and wants to help whomever he can. The trouble is, he doesn't know how to ask for help himself. We still a grand gesture, and we always run for grand gesture, but that may not be the best course of action in this particular circumstance. Thankfully, Elena's strength and their growing communication skills may save this couple from disaster and bring purpose and love to both of their lives.

I received this as an early review copy from NetGalley and Berkley. All opinions are my own.

Hurray for Vlad Konnikov! I'd been waiting for a romance story for the Vlad and Lyssa Kay Adams delivered in the fourth installment of the Bromance series in Isn't It Bromantic. I adored this book!

Vlad has been a professional hockey player living in Nashville, TN for the last 6-7 years. His Bromance crew thinks that he has had a loving marriage with Elena Konnikova but that is far from the truth. Vlad and Elena grew up together in Russia and he married his childhood friend to give her a better life in America - and to keep her away from danger when her journalist father mysteriously disappeared one day.

The majority of the marriage, Elena has been away in Chicago studying to be a journalist. When Vlad gets injured during a hockey game, she drops everything and goes to be by his side. She decides to stay in Nashville to help him with his recovery. Even though they married for convenience, Vlad has always been in love with Elena - but does Elena feel the same?

While Vlad recovers, he tries to woo Elena and it's heartwarming to see them fall for each other. The Bromance Club of course helps with that, but Vlad is keeping yet another secret from them and even Elena.

This book was so cute and hilarious and I love that Adams included all of the Russian elements in the book. Even though this is a slow burn, the plot flowed really well and came together beautifully. I love the inclusion of the meddling neighbors and the secret speakeasy that Vlad frequents. My only criticism is that I would've loved if the book were more steamy, but overall this was a fun solid read. This was one of my most anticipated reads this year and I'm happy that Adams delivered.

Thank you NetGalley, Berkley Pub and Lyssa Kay Adams for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This series has been so fun and light-hearted! So, of course I was excited for Isn't it Bromatic.

While I enjoyed parts of this book and I loved the chemistry between the main characters, I think I enjoyed some of the other side stories better.

I look forward to reading more from this author.

I always get a good laugh from Lyssa Kay Adams. I love that her guy's bookclub looks at love from the male perspective and it always surprises me. I really do love what Lyssa has created and I hope there will be many more books coming our way!

This is a series I have been loving from the start. A male book club dedicated to the reading of romance novels in order to help better themselves and make them better partners for their wives and girlfriends. Fun right!?

And to this point it was. But with this latest release of book 4, I was left a bit disappointed. It lacked the fun and romance of the previous books.

The focus of this latest release is on Vlad the Russian hockey star and his estranged wife Elena. They have been separated for virtually their entire marriage. Vlad now wants to make the marriage work. After all, she is the only woman he has ever loved.

There are some fun moments with the losers club (the neighborhood women who have lost their men- for one reason or another). The animals that are drawn to Vlad as though he is the Pied Piper.

I share a heritage with Vlad and Elena so reading about all the Russian foods Elena cooked up made me long for my mom’s cooking, 😥.

Unfortunately, instead of keeping the focus on the romance itself, other serious themes kept distracting both me and the characters. It just didn’t fit, not in a light humorous rom-com.

I’m still a huge fan of the series and will be picking up the next release!

A buddy read with Susanne.

Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

Thank you to Berkley publishing via NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.

Review posted on blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend.com/

A Beloved Series. A Bit of a Let-Down.

As a HUGE fan of the Bromance Book Club series, I could not wait for “Isn’t It Bromantic?” - the next book in the series even though I had my doubts that any book could possibly top “Crazy Stupid Bromance” (Noah and Alexis’ story). Sadly, I was right.

Admittedly, Vlad has never been my favorite character, so perhaps, I was setting myself up for disappointment.

Vlad is a famous hockey player. He’s sweet, lovable, and has a horribly upset stomach at the most inopportune times. Little did he know that all this time he was gluten intolerant! Poor guy! Estranged from his wife and childhood best friend Elena, Vlad wants nothing more than to make her happy. Sadly, Elena wants nothing to do with him. That is until Vlad gets injured playing hockey and needs someone to care for him. Enter, his wife. Taking care of Vlad during his recovery puts these two in very close quarters and as it turns out, both do in fact have feelings for each other, if only they’ll admit it to the other.

Enter the Bromance Book Club and The Losers (Vlad’s widowed neighbors who check in on him from time to time).

Sadly, I felt that the entire romance between Elena and Vlad was forced and missed the witty banter between the book club members, which was lacking.

Looking at other readers' reviews, I appear to be an outlier when it comes to this book. Though this novel wasn’t my favorite, I can’t wait for the next Bromance book by Lyssa Kay Adams.

This was a buddy read with Kaceey.

Thank you to Elisha at Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley for the arc.

Published on Goodreads and Twitter.

Another amazing book from Lyssa Kay Adams. I hope this series never ends!
I will be purchasing a copy for my library and it is one of my go to books to recommend if someone is looking for something a little spicy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Books for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Russian got his love story and I can’t contain my heart. 🥺 Based on his appearances in the previous Bromance Book Club books, I expected this book to hilarious. Instead, I got to see a more serious side of Vlad that was not uncovered before! Who knew our favorite hockey player was such a complex, emotional character? Lyssa Kay Adams crafts her characters in a way that makes them so relatable and charming. We love the bros!

Now who is next??? Maybe Colton will settle down and find someone who is worth it for the long haul? This is definitely one of my favorite series of all time.

“It’s all fun and games until someone shits their pants.”

The RUSSIAN finally get’s his HEA!!! Okay, so his real name is Vlad and the only thing we’ve ever really known about him is he has some serious gastrointestinal issues. Fortunately, his gut mysteries have all been resolved before the start of his book. We found out in the previous book that Vlad’s marriage isn’t as happy as it seems on the surface and Vlad has been keeping some big secrets from his friends. We quickly find out that he and Elena were childhood friends and their marriage isn’t as real as either of them wish it to be.

ISN’T IT BROMANTIC? has all the things I love about this series: humor, tension, romance, and bromance. Seriously, the bromance, specifically the relationship between Vlad and Colton, were some of my most favorite parts of this book. The romance between Vlad and Elena was good, but it wasn’t the most intense or steamiest of the series. The little mystery had a nice wrap up, but it was predictable from the beginning.

Can Colton get his book now??! Please and thank you.

This was another charming and hilarious installment in the Bromance Book Club series. I was never swoony over Vlad, but I really fell in love with him over the course of the story. He is a big softie and I loved it. And I loved that he was writing his own romance novel - again mirroring the situation in book perfectly (though I do wish it wasn't another historical romance because that's just not my thing). But I loved the second chance, friends-to-lovers things going on in the story and seeing Vlad and Elena grow closer. The ending was a bit ridiculous and rushed, but I mostly give this series a pass because it's so fun, light hearted, and compulsively readable.