Another fun addition to the series. Colton is such a charmer that you can practically hear his drawl in your head as you read, and Gretchen was a good match for him — smart, kind, feisty. But the epilogue was lacking a bit in terms of resolution to their family and career arcs. It’s almost like the book was missing a few pages at the end.

Another fantastic addition to the Bromance Book Club. I was pleased to learn more about Gretchen and her history (her family is awful by the way). Gretchen and Colton had a perfect build-up to their love story - it was a lovely story with the perfect balance of humor and romance.

Another amazing installment of the Bromance Book Club!

I was skeptical at first if I would enjoy a relationship between Colton and Gretchen. They just seem so different from an emotional intelligence standpoint. I am so glad I was wrong, they are SO SWEET together! I loved seeing Colton slowly work on Gretchen to convince her that he's on the level, and furthermore that Christmas is wonderful even though her family ruined the holiday for her. Gretchen's backstory with her family was a tough read and a little heavy, but overall the book is fun and bright.

Not to be left out, the rest of the Bromance boys and their significant others are always such a great support system and fun to interact with throughout.

This series is always A+++++ and this installment is no different. Please please read the whole series, its amazing!

Thank you so much to Berkley for the advanced reader copy.

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of A Very Merry Bromance! I loved this book!

Star Rating: 5⭐️
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pub Date: November 1, 2022

I was hesitantly excited for this book. I loved the first three books in the series, but I was lukewarm at best on the fourth book. I'm happy to say the series is back at the top of my favorites list with the fifth iteration, this time focusing on Colton and Gretchen!

First off, this book has some very heavy undertones despite being a contemporary romance book with a lot of LOL moments. Things like parental neglect, sibling abuse (both physical and verbal), and immigration reform are front and center for much of the story. There's also a slight focus on the negative side affects of toxic positivity from a man's perspective as well as discussions about childhood poverty. I've officially listed CW/TW at the bottom of this review, but I think those are something to keep in mind as you read this one. It is more in line with the tone of the second and third books in the series. I actually love that the book tackles these serious topics in a non-threatening, safe way. I felt safe reading about these events in the way Lyssa Adams constructed the story.

Second, holy smokes, do I love Gretchen and Colton. I didn't really like either character when they were introduced in previous books, but I love them now. They are both so strong, independent, smart, and just overall deep characters. My heart broke for Gretchen as her frustrations with the way her family constantly dissed and dismissed her. It was, at times, hard to read the constant belittlement and verbal abuse from her brothers and occasionally her father. And while her mother wasn't as bad, I don't think being naive or unobservant (which her mother was) is an excuse to ignore bad and abusive behavior. I loathed Evan by the end of the book, and I'm so glad Jack finally stood up when it mattered the most. The rest of Gretchen's family can kick rocks IMO.

Third, the relationships among the men were highlighted very well in this one while still allowing Colton to be the star. I love how supportive they and how they completely dismiss the acceptance of toxic masculinity. They're not perfect men, but they are such good examples of how men can be good and true. I also loved the message of found family among not only the men but also their spouses in this book. It just gave me all the feels.

I highly recommend this one! And, if you haven't read the series, now is a great time to start!

TW/CW: parental neglect, parental verbal abuse, sibling verbal and physical abuse, gaslighting, immigration issues and reform, affects of toxic positivity, childhood poverty

4.5 stars for A Very Merry Bromance. The Bromance Book Club's conceit - that a group of total dudebros get together to support each other in their romantic relationships by reading romance novels as "manuals" - is always fun, and with this entry Adams takes on the Christmas romance. Gretchen is the cynical immigration lawyer/grump, and Colton is the Christmas-loving country star/sunshine.

We're almost always impressed with how sensitively Adams mixes laugh-out-loud moments with more serious subject matter, and she does it well here. Gretchen is passionate about her job, both because she loves it but also because she feels some guilt because of her privileged background. Colton has the opposite problem: he's lost his muse but feels responsible for supporting his family. One year ago they shared an intimate interlude, but Gretchen has stayed away since.

When her family asks her to approach Colton on their behalf, he takes the opportunity to rekindle their relationship. As they spend time together outside of the bedroom, they realize they have more in common than they thought. We especially loved Adams's take on the Christmas romance novel combined with references to Dickens's A Christmas Carol. Definitely a winning combo for the holiday season!

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

My favorite boys are back!!!! As someone who doesn't read a ton of Christmas books (Jewish reader, I'm easily burned out on Christmas...), there is nothing that would stop me from reading a Bromance Book Club book - especially Colton's story. I have loved every single book in this series and A Very Merry Bromance was another 5 star winner. This was not "over the top" on the Christmas which I loved, while still being festive enough that it is a great holiday read.

I'm eager to see which character we get next - I know I'll be picking it up!

Thank you to Berkley Romance for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Colton is a hot country music star, and Gretchen just wants to stay far from the limelight. When their one night stand turns into wanting more from Colton, Gretchen flees. A year later, Colton and Gretchen are thrown together again and maybe, just maybe Colton can get Gretchen to see that there is more than meets the eye with him.
Gretchen isn't fond of Christmas, her childhood made the holiday impersonal and cold, so when she comes to Colton to ask him a favor, he uses this as an opportunity to show her what the season is really about.
I loved that this was an opposite grumpy/sunshine trope because I am just like Gretchen and I could relate so well to her. I really loved seeing the whole group back together, but I would have loved a little more input from them on how to get the girl.
I thought this would be a little on the lighter side than the others since it was more of a holiday romance, and I was right, but I also did feel the depth of the issues that each of them were going through. It was a great installment to one of my favorite series.
Thanks to Berkley, Lyssa Kay Adams and Netgalley for an early copy.

I was only a quarter of the way through last night and typically only read a chapter or so before falling asleep and then I read until almost 3am which I most certainly will pay for today but once the story picked up, I truly could not put it down. This installment follows Colton, a country music star, and Gretchen, an immigration lawyer - who hooked up at Mack and Liv's wedding and Colton wanted more but Gretchen ghosted him. Gretchen's family owns a successful whiskey distillery and wants Colton to partner with them, so Gretchen is tasked with getting him to agree if she wants a board position on the family's foundation. I know it's spooky season and this is a Christmas book but it was SO lovely and perfect. I could not get enough of the chemistry between Colton and Gretchen. I love that the trope was grumpy and sunshine. Colton is an incredible male protagonist and completely swoonworthy. And LKA does the BEST smutty scenes ever. Unparalleled.

Another sweet romance featuring the Bromance Book Club.

I really enjoyed getting a glimpse of the relationship between Colton and Gretchen. It was sweet to see them interact. I loved seeing Colton work to convince Gretchen that Christmas was a worthwhile holiday especially after understanding her family history.

I felt sad to read about Gretchen’s history and her family. How she was abused and gaslighted. I cannot imagine being told that being an immigration lawyer isn’t a worthwhile vocation.

Of course there were great scenes with the whole book club and the wives and I absolutely loved continuing to see them interact and support each other.

A lovely engaging book and def recommend for fans of the series.

A one night stand at their mutual friend's wedding. Colton Wheeler, a country music star is ready to explore the relationship... Gretchen Winthrop, an immigration lawyer walks away. One year later, Colton is under fire with his record contract and struggling at his favorite time of year. Gretchen's wealthy and estranged brother dangles a seat at the board of the family's charity organization if she can get Colton Wheeler to be the new face of her family’s whiskey brand.

Why I started this book: Thrilled to get an ARC from Netgalley. This series is simply the best, if you have enjoyed a large diet of romance novels in your reading life.

Why I finished it: Holiday romances are not my favorite trope, but this was truly delightful. Colton shines as thoughtful, hopeful, happy sunshine that paired exceptionally well with the grumpy Gretchen. She's seen the real world, the broken families, the broken immigration system and the powerful and wealthy who ignore the ugly parts. She doesn't have the time of energy to ignore the ugly and doesn't want to spread it into Colton's wonderful life. Time for some Christmas magic and the support of the Bromance Book Club.

Another Bromance win!

Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing, and Lydia Kay Adam’s for the e-arc. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

Notable Tropes:
Reverse Grumpy/Sunshine
Holiday Romance (not over the top)
Found Family
Dual POV

After reading about the famous Colton as a side character in all the other novels before this…. I definitely was curious as to when his story would come out. It did NOT disappoint. Though I will admit, I did have a little issue with Gretchen’s attitude in the beginning, but then understood where she was coming from as we got more of her story.

This book was a fast paced, heartwarming, and funny story. I of course, LOVED the bromance between the men, and how they help lift each other up when they need it the most. Highly recommend this series to anyone and everyone looking for cute romance!!

I've enjoyed every book in this series so far and this one did not disappoint! All the men in the bromance book club are lovable and I love watching their stories unfold. I'm so glad Gretchen gets her own storyline in this book because I would have hated her to just fall into the background as a side character. Colton is definitely the sunshine character and it was fun to watch him chase after Gretchen and her grumpiness.

I think this series is so cute. I love that men get in touch with their emotions through a romance book club and I love that side characters get their own spin off stories. I was never a huge fan of Colton, but I like that the author is able to draw the reader in to being more compassionate toward every flawed character. It also feels good to be reunited with previous characters again. This rom com is silly at times but also touches on more serious issues. If you enjoy romantic comedies then this is a the book series for you.

3.5/5 stars

A Very Merry Bromance is the fifth book in the Bromance Book Club series, and they just keep getting better and better. Colton has intrigued me from the first moment he was introduced. Colton puts on a front for the world, worried to show anything less than happiness. Getting inside of his head helped me understand him more. Gretchen is my hero. She’s determined to do good in the world and balance the scales of inequity and inequality in the world. I loved how she strove to be better. As always, I enjoyed seeing the Bromance Book Club get together and the glimpses of the other characters that we got. This was a grumpy/sunshine romance of my dreams. I loved the exploration into the Winthrop’s
whiskey distillery but would have loved to see Gretchen’s practice thrive more. My heart ached for Gretchen as she dealt with her past abuse and trauma, and for Colton as he did his best to be there for her. I was full on sobbing when Gretchen finally called her mom out for turning a blind eye. The contrast of Colton and Gretchen’s families was well done. This was full of humor, steam, emotions, and swooning.

Grab a cup of hot cocoa, a fuzzy blanket, and put on some Christmas music before you dive back into the world of the Bromance Book Club.

I didn't mind Gretchen when we first met her, in fact I agreed with her who spends $1,000 on a cupcake? But then she makes a joke about sex trafficking in the fourth book and that was the end of it. Especially as an immigration lawyer. Especially as an immigration lawyer who has a holier than thou chip on her shoulder.
I get it her family is the worst, and Evan deserves to see some jail time and a restraining order.
But much like with all the other books in this series, the author tries to dive into a deep serious subject, only to have no real repercussions for the antagonist.
He gets a slap on the wrist and everyone goes on with their lives.
It is infuriating. Don't deal with tough subjects (sex trafficking, sexual assault, child abuse) if you aren't going to fully deal with them but only use them as a cute plot device to bring your main characters together.
But of course it all explodes with 15 pages left and everything is tied up nice and neat in a "they had amazing sex and got engaged" epilogue.

I think that is my second issue with this series. They all have relationship issues but they never reall deal with them. The just have their "we run for grand gestures" moment and then everything is solved in their relationships with sex. (see the first book for the perfect example. Our marriage is terrible because I haven't had an orgasm in 3 years. *has orgasm and everything is perfect again*).
I realise this is a romance book and is supposed to be cute and fluffy and spicy but really it was none of those things and just annoyingly painful.

There's some kind of magic in all of the books in this series, and mixed with the Christmas sparkle, this book shines. At the heart of it, this is a second chance-ish romance, plus a healthy dose of sunshine/grump, with plenty of Hallmark movie vibes. I loved getting the chance to see the happy ending for Colton and Gretchen, who were interesting background characters in other books in the series, especially Gretchen, as the ex-girlfriend of one of the earlier MMCs.

Colton is a famous country singer, who feels like he's about to lose his career as he hasn't been able to get a new album out, much to the displeasure of his record label. He's charming, handsome, and wealthy, and he hasn't been able to stop thinking about Gretchen since they spent a night together about a year ago, at the wedding of his friend, who is also Gretchen's aforementioned ex.

Gretchen is an immigration lawyer, running her own pro bono clinic, just trying to keep the lights on so she can help her clients. Meanwhile, her capital-w Wealthy family that she mostly stays away from wants her to convince Colton to become the face of their whisky brand. Her family is absolutely the worst, but if she does this, she'll be able to join their charity's board, and make a real impact with the millions of dollars the charity is in charge of.

He wants an actual date, while she has commitment issues (an understatement, really). They have fun banter, and smoking hot chemistry. The clips of the romance novel within the romance novel is always a treat in this series, and there's plenty of that. You can definitely read this without prior knowledge of the series but the big extended family of the bromance book club is so much fun and definitely better consumed together.

I recommend this book if you like: grumpy FMC/sunshine MMC, lowkey celebrity romance, found family
I would not recommend this book if you don't like: stubborn MCs, family problem, Christmas.

TW: abusive/neglectful family, minor violence, alcohol

abusive/neglectful family: Gretchen spent her entire childhood being mistreated by her immediate family, including physical abuse at the hands of her older brother, which was in turn ignored by her parents, along with basically all of her other needs beyond literally food/shelter/schooling.

minor violence: At one point Colton does punch a character and is subsequently arrested for it.

alcohol: There is a lot of casual alcohol consumption, by many characters, including some references to a possible alcohol problem for one character. A lot of scenes include alcohol due to location (bars, the distillery) and also because Gretchen's family owns said distillery.

This is the fifth book in a series and man, I’ve really enjoyed every single book which is honestly not all that common as a series goes on. I’ve been loving celebrity romances this year too so I was excited to get that side of Colton’s story as well as his history. This also has a sunshine and grump trope and when the guy is the happy go lucky one like Colton was I just swoon. This is definitely Christmassy but no too much of that’s not your thing, I was still satisfied with that aspect and my love of all things festive was pleased. The best part of this series is checking in with the boys and it was hilarious as usual when they all get together. Loved the latest installment in this series and adored the charm and humor as always.

I just love this series so much. I think even more than the romance, I love the bromance between the guys. The way they tease each other but ultimately have each other's backs is so touching. This book is so funny with believable conflict and stakes and a bona fide villain, which we don't see too often in contemporary romance. I hope there will be a 6th installment, but it seems all the men are paired up already. Fingers crossed!

I LOVED this book! It was the perfect mix of romance and Christmas. And of course, our Bromance Book Club was back!

The book is told from two point-of-views and they come from Gretchen and Colton. They both come from different backgrounds and met by chance through a mutual friend. They both share one passionate night and she’s off without ever making contact again until a year later. I’m not usually one for second-chances, but wow! This was done so well and I couldn’t help but root for this sunshine and grump duo.

Colton and Gretchen are both dealing with their careers. One has a new job opportunity (well they both do in some way, ha) and the other is trying to find their muse. It’s not just about careers though. Gretchen has been the outcast of her family for as long as she can remember. She has lived life to the beat of her own drum. It was sad to read about her hardships and the way they treated her. It does cause a lot of drama and it definitely had my jaw dropping! Gretchen just wants a place to call home and “family” that cares. Colton wants to make all of that happen and more. A real swoony guy and I was here for it all.

The book club aspect wasn’t as big in this one and I was okay with that. The featured romance book pick was a thing between Gretchen and Colton and I think it was very sweet that he was showing her that love can happen in unexpected ways. The book club men, and their partners/families, are still around and give the best found family vibes. I wish it was a real group because I’d love to be a part of it.

Overall, this was another amazing edition to the series. I feel like I said this for the last one but, this was by far the best! I laughed and I cried all the way through. It had the perfect Christmas atmosphere and I just can’t help but fall more in love with these characters. This author seriously outdoes herself! Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

A Very Merry Bromance is the fifth book in the Bromance Book Club series. I love the Bromance book club series and was excited to hear that our favorite country star, Colton, was going to have his story! This romance novel has a reverse grumpy x sunshine trope and explores family drama and Christmas. Overall, I had mixed feelings about this one. I like Colton and Gretchen individually, but didn’t feel that they were a great fit. I liked that Gretchen was the grumpy one and was a scrounge, but some of her mannerisms were way over the top. Colton, the ever lovable golden child, was what I expected of him, but there were times where I felt he judged Gretchen unfairly. This wasn’t my favorite, but it was an interesting read. I’d recommend reading this one if you’re a fan of the series. Out of the series, I’d have to say Undercover Bromance and Isn’t It Bromantic? are my favs.