So glad the Russian got his own story. He is the most cinnamon rolley hero of the Bromance Book Club and deserved all the happiness. I loved the addition of The Loners and am hoping for a book for Michelle, also Colton.

I've been waiting for this book since I read the fist Bromance Book Club book. Vlad was (and still is) my favorite character. I was shocked to learn Adams hadn't initially planned to write a book centered around Vlad, and I am SOOO thankful she listened to her fans and found a story worthy of him.

I love finally getting the Russians story!! This series never fails to put me in a good mood AND it is set in my favorite city, Nashville. Throw a little mystery in there and I'm hooked.

So this is the Russian’s book.

When I read the first two books in Lyssa Kay Adams’ The Bromance Book Club series, the humor involving this guy quickly wore out its welcome. I felt it was crass and narrow-minded for the only foreigner in the gang to not even have a name and to be the comic relief because of his gluten allergy. But then I saw that he was getting his own book, and for the most part, Isn't It Bromantic? is a lovely story for this guy. Readers wanting heroes who are gentle giants and cinnamon rolls, just stop here and put this book on your list.

One of the things I liked immediately is that this story begins with hockey player Vladislav Konnikov already married to his childhood best friend Elena, although they’re all but estranged. He’s never told anyone about her. But at a friend’s wedding, she shows up, looking beautiful, and then pulls his heart straight out of his chest by telling him she’s going back to Russia.

Vlad is devastated. He’s been in love with Elena for the six years of their marriage and even before it, but they’ve been separated partly because she’s been studying journalism in Chicago and partly because he’s been trying to give her all the space she wants. Meanwhile, Elena likewise cares about Vlad. But she believes theirs is a marriage of convenience heavily slanted towards one person’s convenience - hers. She was orphaned young when her father, a journalist so involved in his career he barely noticed her, was murdered.

But after Vlad became a hockey player in the States, he found out about her situation, and offered to marry her so that she could have a chance at a better life. Elena has never forgotten what happened to her father though, and she hopes to discover who killed him, not to mention finish his investigation into sex trafficking. Hence her plan to return to Russia.

Vlad, being Vlad, steps back and allows her to do what’s right for her -which Elena interprets as his not needing her in his life. But then a collision on the ice leads to him breaking his leg, and Elena realizes he’ll need someone to take care of him. This is her chance to repay him for everything he’s done for her. For the first time in their marriage, they now live in the same house and discover new things about each other - such as the fact that they’re both desperately attracted to each other but don’t want to take any more risks.

There’s a lot to enjoy in this story. Vlad is a romantic who’s remained a virgin because… well, there’s only one woman he wants, and the scene where he finally blurts this out to the book club is great. I enjoyed the descriptions of all the Russian dishes that Elena cooks, and there are some hilarious moments, one of them involving a clandestine cheese store owned by an eccentric man who’s paranoid about “Big Dairy”. Then, of course, there are the romance novels. This time it’s a manuscript Vlad is secretly writing, and the question is whether he can use his own experiences to give his characters an HEA.

So why doesn’t this book get an A? A few reasons. The first is the number of secondary characters. As well as Malcolm, Mack, Noah, Colton and Gavin from the book club, there are Claud, Linda, Andrea and Michelle, widows and divorcées who are Vlad’s neighbors. There wasn’t room for all these characters to have a personality (Linda, for instance, does nothing but protest every time Claud says something rude), and they kept shouldering their way into the story. If you’re not keen on romances where secondary characters push the hero and heroine together, best avoid this one.

The second problem was the sex trafficking network. The plotline where Elena tries to expose this is not well-integrated with the laid-back, jokey main story, and it felt jarring to go from one to the other. Also, my recollections of Elena in the story are mostly her cooking, talking to the other women, and trying to overcome her nervousness with Vlad, so the quick wrap-up of the sex trafficking plot felt unrealistic.

Finally, while Vlad was a sweetheart, I wasn’t very keen on Elena, who does a yo-yo impression in the story. She’s returning to Russia - scratch that, she’s staying. But Vlad doesn’t need her, so she’s gone - wait, no, she’s at Michelle’s house. This time for real, though, she’s leaving. And at one point, she punches him thrice. This is presented as frustrated sexual tension building up to a kiss, but if it’s wrong for men to slam their fists into women, why is the reverse acceptable?

If you can overlook these issues, though, Isn’t it Bromantic? will be worth your time. I read it on my commute to work, and often had a smile under my mask. Readers already hooked on this series will find this a great next instalment, and readers who haven’t read the other books could jump in here with little difficulty. And I really enjoyed all those descriptions of Russian food.

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Every installment of this series is a delight, from the cover to the love stories. I really enjoyed learning more about this character, who felt kind of pushed to the side in other books.

SWOON! Vlad is the sweetest most wonderful of all the Bromance book club crew. I absolutely loved book four & I think this is the best one yet. Vlad & Elena's story swept me away. I can't decide if this is my favorite because I read it versus listened but either way it was so dang good. This will not disappoint & you'll probably want to read them all over again. Keep them coming Lyssa Kay Adams! Also can we get a Netflix movie please.

This book was just *chef's kiss* perfection. This entire series is so fun and this 4th book did not disappoint.

The story moves at an incredible pace and I consistently love the way the author uses the book within a book to relate to the main characters plot line and move their story along. The entire premise of this series is brilliant and I love watching the bromance bookclub come together to help each other out.

Vlad is such a lovable teddy bear I literally wanted to jump into the pages and hug him the entire book. This book was a breath of fresh air. It was incredible to read about a main male character who isn't afraid to show his emotions. Don't get me wrong, I love an alpha a-hole as much as the next girl, but it is so refreshing to read about a man who isn't afraid to express himself and doesn't shy away from his feelings. Vlad encompassed that perfectly.

ALSO it was so incredible to have an older main character [who was still a virgin. On top of that, the way the group of guys reacted to finding out about that secret was incredible and exactly how it should be in real life. Unfortunately in our society virginity is looked down on as something to be embarrassed about, when it is completely normal and admirable to wait to share that moment with someone you really love and care about. That part of the book honestly made me tear up because I related to it so much, and it made it feel normal, instead of something to be ashamed about.

Final thoughts:
This book was an absolute delight. I read it in one sitting because I physically couldn't put it down. At one point around 1:30am I did put it down because I was determined to fall asleep, but I ended up picking it back up 10 minutes later because I needed to finish it. The book is a fast paced, super cute marriage of convenience romance read (with a splash of thriller/suspense thrown in!) that I highly recommend.

I love this whole series and loved the book. Everyone wants to know about the backstory when it comes to their friend The Russian in this story. I once again loved all the characters in this book and love the chemistry with the characters. This was such a fun read and laugh out loud multiple times while reading this one.

Isn't It Bromantic? is the 4th installment in the Bromance Book Club series and tells the long awaited story of Vlad - aka the Russian. Up until now, Vlad has mostly served as the comedic relief in the series and I've been impatiently waiting for his story. He may be a star hockey player but he's a huge softie as well and deserves his own Happily Ever After.
Vlad's wife Elena has always been absent to the point where the guys were questioning her existence but not anymore. Sadly, his romance didn't have the greatest start but the guys are determined to help change that...both on and off the page. After all, the book they use to help solve Vlad's romance woes happens to be Vlad's own unfinished novel.

Vlad's love for animals is definitely showcased here. Between a neighbor dog and cat who constantly come to hang out at his house and a cameo by Hazel the hen - who Vlad bonded with in Undercover Bromance - there's no shortage of adorable animals here.
Oh and don't worry, Vlad's obsession with cheese is still very real only this time around he's got his digestive system under control. I have to say the 'Cheese Man' was a very entertaining addition who I'm hoping sticks around!

This was one of my most anticipated books of 2021 and it did not disappoint! I love Vlad's character so I was over the moon when I found out this would be his story. Isn't It Bromantic? is a second-chance romance focused on childhood friends who entered into a marriage of convenience and I loved every second of it.
Despite their many miscommunications, Vlad and Elena are a great match and I absolutely adored them together.

While I enjoy the romance, one of my favorite things about this series is the friendship between the men in the book club. They're always ready to rally together to help each other out and don't shy away from delivering tough love to make whichever man is struggling see sense.

In Isn't It Bromantic? we meet a new group of characters who call themselves The Loners that are fiercely protective of Vlad and I hope we get to see more of them in the future as well! Fingers crossed we get Colton's story next!

Vladimir Konnikov, aka the Russian gentle giant from the first three Bromance books, has a problem. He wants a real marriage with his wife, Elena. She, however, wants a divorce and to go back to Russia. This fun read takes one of my favorite romance trope, the marriage of convenience, and fits it into one of my favorite series. Then, Adams turns it up a notch and has Vlad writing a World War II romance of his own. I loved everything about this one- all of my favorites from the previous novels show up along with some new friends. I laughed a lot- which was perfect for this time of year. I hope this series just keeps going and going!

I keep being positively surprised by how good this series is, and especially by how much I love the characters. This book was off to a fairly rocky start for me, I even considered DNF-ing. But I'm so glad I stuck with it, because it truly stole my heart after the first few chapters.

I just loved these characters so much, and I loved the way the trope of taking care of someone who's injured combined with what's kind of a second chance romance.

I will say I feel like there was a bit of a tonal dissonance with Elena's backstory, which read almost more like a thriller in parts, and I could have done without the added suspense.

As always, spectacular. I hope Colton and Malcolm get their own books soon. Such a superb series, I will automatically read any more books to come. A++. Keep going! I need more Bromance Book Club!

This is the four book in Lyssa Kay Adams' Bromance Book Club series and I loved it just as much as the first three. I read this book so fast, I could not put it down. I loved learning more about Vlad, the Russian, of the book club and his relationship with his wife, Elena. Childhood friends, they are a marriage of convenience but we see that they are so much more to each other. I'm really enjoying these rom-com contemporary romances, they are so fun to read. I also love that Adams uses this genre, to not only show that it's ok for men to read romance books but also shows the bad effects of toxic masculinity and how men can overcome the toxicity. In this book Adams really showed how the bro book club is so close and they are there for each other.

I love the Russian and was so excited to get his book finally!!!! I adored the first book in this series and I enjoyed this one next best. It had the humor, the feels, and ofcourse that quirky group of guys! This was the funny, cute Rom Com I was looking for!

This series is JUST SO FUN. I have been excitedly waiting for The Russian's story and it was exactly the warm hug that we needed it to be. I think these stories show such depth and such a light hand when making points that we all need to hear (about men in writing, stereotypes and how we do life). I love the variety in the cast of characters and how this group of men who outwardly would be expected to be one way, are so much more. Vlad and Elena's marriage of convenience is absolutely not convenient and when they learn to trust and communicate, everything they wanted from each other and life opens up to them. Their proximity and history add depth and heat to an already fun trope.

First off, thanks to the publisher for providing me a copy of "Isn't It Bromantic?" via NetGalley!

This is part of a series of books following the men of the Bromance Book Club, who read romance novels to learn how to express their emotions, recognize toxic behavior, and treat women with their deserved respect. I truly appreciated that premise -- how the men sometimes did say something rude or were too afraid to express themselves, and they found the men around them calling them out or sharing some healthy advice. The male lead of this book is Vlad, or "The Russian", who's been in a marriage of convenience with his childhood best friend, Elena. After he gets into an accident at work, Elena comes to take care of him, even as they are discussing divorce. With the help of the Book Club, and Vlad's neighbors (known as "The Loners"), Vlad and Elena learn to talk with each other and realize they've both been putting walls up in their marriage and their true feelings.

I liked how Vlad's characterization was both strong and sensitive. I so rarely see men expressing their true emotions in novels. I also liked the characterization of the other men of Book Club, and they were so rooting for Vlad and Elena to get together! However, while I did appreciate this book, I also found it a little cheesy. The plot was a little contrived, and ended definitely way too early and easily.

"He knew the truth now. Happy ever afters were for other men. All Vlad had left was hockey."

Or so Vladimir Konnikov (AKA The Russian) thought. The other members of the Bromance Book Club thought otherwise.

Four years ago, Vlad married his childhood friend and longtime crush, Elena, in a marriage of convenience. He thought that they could make things work, even though he could count the number of times they slept under one roof on one hand, which is more than the number of times they've slept in the same bed. A fan of romance novels and a driving force behind the Bromance Book Club, Vlad is sure that love can prevail and he can sweep his wife off her feet. Instead, his world comes crashing down when Elena tells him she wants a divorce.

The daughter of a journalist who disappeared under mysterious circumstances, Elena has spent her time in America following in her father's footsteps, studying journalism and trying to complete the story that ended with his death. As her graduation date approaches, Elena finds that she is so close, so very close, to finishing the investigation that her father began. But in order to find the name of the man who had her father killed, Elena needs to return to Russia. And that means finally freeing herself--and Vlad, her childhood friend and crush--from their loveless marriage. After all, he never really loved her, right? It's just a marriage of convenience, Vlad compelled by duty to protect her from her father's enemies....

When Vlad suffers a horrific injury on the ice, however, Elena rushes to his side and decides to delay her return to Russia to stay and take care of him, to Vlad's surprise and relief. Vlad knows this is his one opportunity to win Elena's heart once and for all. He's spent years studying romance novels--and taking a stab at writing his own--and with the help of the Bromance Book Club, he might just finally be able to turn their marriage of convenience into a marriage of love.

Taking center stage is one of the most beloved members of the Bromance Book Club, and readers will be delighted to see The Russian in his moment to shine. I honestly screamed with delight when I saw that the fourth book would feature Vlad. Who doesn't love this big, burly, hockey-playing, ray-of-sunshine, teddy bear of a sweetheart, am I right?

And Adams kills it in this book. The humor, the heat, the drama, the emotions--so. many. emotions--the brilliant cast of characters old and new, the hockey butt appreciation, the grand gesture... This book is perfection incarnate. It's everything I ever wanted in a book and more.

But it wasn't just Vlad I adored in this book. I loved Elena, who is this brilliant blend of confidence and insecurity, who works hard, has a strong sense of justice, and wants to find her place in the world. She wants to know who she is other than her father's daughter and a distant ice-queen of a hockey wife. She craves love and warmth, all of which Vlad radiates, and yet she still doesn't feel like it could possibly be for her. Like it's too good to possibly be for her. She puts up walls around herself, and is hesitant to let people in. And when she finally does, she finds that she has only become stronger from doing so.

Heartwarming, charming, and breathtaking, "Isn't It Bromantic?" will leave you feeling like walking on air, your soul will feel ten pounds lighter, and there will be a smile on your face with tears of joy in your eyes.

Oh my gosh I love this so much! Books like this hold such a special place in my heart. So this is the long awaited romance of the Russian! And that right there is what I mean by these types of stories are my favorites. When we get to finally see a fully fleshed out plot and backstory for a character who’s only initial role was to be the comedic relief in others’ stories.

This is almost reminiscent of Cletus’ story in Penny Reid’s Winston Brothers series in that we finally get to see the character underneath the quick one liners that make you chuckle in previous books. Vlad is so much more than his gassy presence in the first three books. He is a beautiful cinnamon roll who is pushing boundaries of masculinity and feelings and romance and I just adore him. This is his slow burn romance with his wife! Yup, his wife. She exists. It’s a thing. And I love them so much.

With slight Russian mafia undertones and cultural influences along with some really touching scenes with the book club members we’ve grown to love, this is definitely one of my favorite stories yet.

I adore this series and the fourth book did not disappoint. Readers have wanted to know more about "The Russian" for a while. This was a satisfying book to get Vlad and Elena to their happily ever after. These books are hilarious, well written and perfect for a modern reader who wishes all men were are progressive as the Bro Club.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this series and this book was a lovely edition. I love the "Russian", aka Vlad. He is so soft-hearted and sweet. I enjoyed hearing more about his mysterious wife and learning their love story. It was quite perfect and hard to put down.