I finally read one of my most anticipated holiday books this season, A Very Merry Bromance! It absolutely lived up to the hype. I love these boys and their shenanigans.

The 5th book in the series follows Colton, our favorite country singer. He had one magical night with Gretchen Winthrop after Mack’s wedding and she left him early the next day. Now a year later, Gretchen’s family business wants her to ask Colton to be the spokesperson for their family whiskey. Only they haven’t spoken in so long and once they do, they both immediately feel their chemistry. Because of Gretchen’s cold family, she also hates Christmas and Colton takes on the responsibility of showing Gretchen the magic of the season.

This book was so genuine and Colton is so swoon worthy. Gretchen works hard and for a good reason as an immigration lawyer, but she needs some help loosening up and enjoying the lighter side of life. She has seen what money can do to people and it makes her not trust people who have it. I felt terrible for her with her family situation. And Colton’s family is picture perfect and so kind.

As always, the book is extremely genuine and hilarious. My only complaint would be not enough of the other boys in the book club! Not nearly enough for me. But I loved all the talk about the friends being their own family. I also love the reverse grumpy sunshine where Colton was all Christmas spirit and Gretchen was the Scrooge. I cannot wait for the next book!

Thank you so much to @berkleyromance for my netgalley copy. I also used my PRH points to get a hard copy I just knew I was going to love this one!

I have been a fan of this series since the first book, so it was an absolute must-read when this became available. I am not typically a "holiday" romance reader. I am one of the few people I know who don't usually enjoy Hallmark movies...I know...gasp!

But Lyssa Kay Adams has this cast of characters that I absolutely love even more with each book!

This book, a stand-alone, features Colton and Gretchen. A grumpy/sunshine with a twist. In most books of this trope, the male character is the grump, but this book has the female lead, Gretchen, as the grump.
They are opposites but had an unforgettable one-night stand that ended is Gretchen ghosting Colton. Colton is a country music star, so that doesn't happen to him. But of course, their paths cross, and they are "put" together in a few situations that lead to them having to reconnect. There are definite ups and down, but Lyssa Kay Adams gives you lots of laughs and steam with this book.

I suggest you read this entire series because it's one of my favorites!

This was holiday perfection, I loved going back into the bromance book club universe. Colton and Gretchen are a lovely couple to follow. A wonderful and hilarious story filled with their passion and love is just what you want in a holiday story. Loved it.

AHHHH WHAT AN INCREDIBLE BOOK! I haven’t loved a bromance book club book this much since undercover bromance. The characters were delightful and the romance was perfect!!!

THE 411...

The fifth installment in the Bromance Bookclub romance series gives us a pinch of The Grinch and a dash of ​the Ghosts of Christmas past. This time around big time country music star Colton Wheeler is going through the motions after a year of not hearing from Gretchen Wheeler, the woman who stole his heart and never looked back. Gretchen is an immigration lawyer with a grinchlike approach to Christmas, how can anyone celebrate and buy lavish gifts when there are families being torn apart. Her clients are marginalized people who are just trying to survive while putting food on the table. When her wealthy family comes calling for her to make an appearance at their estate, Gretchen begrudgingly gives in and goes to see why they’re looking for her. A deal is presented to her, get Colton Wheeler to be the new face of their family owned/renowned whiskey and she’ll be given a seat on their charity board. An opportunity to give back to the community she works in and with is something she can’t turn down even if it means swallowing her pride to talk to Colton. Colton agrees only on the condition that she go on three dates with him leading up to Christmas, the holiday she is accustomed to work on. This Grumpy/Sunshine Christmas romance had a little of everything including the found family vibes we’ve all come to look from these books.

WRITING & FINAL THOUGHTS...

What I loved? Colton’s optimism and holiday spirit, found family vibes, seeing the club members and their wives, the deep dive into Gretchen’s childhood/trauma and finally the emphasis on self worth/self care. These books gift us with fictional men who actually care about working through toxic masculinity and maintaining healthy relationships with the women they are dating. This is the fifth book in the Bromance Bookclub series so we’ve seen the guys meet and fall in love with women from all walks of life. Some are repairing/salvaging marriages they want to stay in and none of them are quick to throw in the towel. I love when character’s are well fleshed out and their careers/hobbies are further explored. Colton’s music career is on the line when he has a bit of writers block and isn’t able to compose music to the standard that made him a big country star. Gretchen could’ve taken the easy route and stepped into a role in the family business, instead we see an immigration lawyer who is very empathetic and actively looking for ways to make a difference in marginalized communities. I follow Lyssa Kay Adams on Goodreads and see that the next release will be a Historical Romance companion to the Bromance Bookclub slated for Summer 2023, something to look forward to!

I LOVED THIS STORY!!! I had seen this series around a bit but didn't know anything about it and quite frankly it didn't look too interesting to me but I'm so glad I read this one! Colton was so sweet and sincere and down to earth and Gretchen...I wanted to hug her! She was stuck in such a tough position and she handled it with such grace. I strive to be her someday; sticking up for what she believed in with the immigration business she had and trying to face all the things on her own without the full support of her family. Also can someone punch Gretchen's brother in the face? He was SUCH A TOOL! I did feel like there were a few times the story could have ended earlier and it would have been equally good but regardless it was still a solid 5 STARS for me!

A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams.
This is the fifth in the Bromance Book Club series and can be read as a standalone. It does have appearances from characters from previous books but very easy to follow if you haven't kept up with the series.

I really liked Colton and Gretchen's story and seeing their relationship progress. They met at a wedding from a previous book and he was infatuated with her but she ghosted him after a one night stand.

Colton is a big time country music star but his music career is starting to suffer in the past year and Gretchen is an immigration attorney who is hoping to land Colton as the new face to their whiskey business. Colton is using this opportunity as his second chance with Gretchen.

This is another fun, second-chance romance read. This has some cute holiday scenes to put you in the holiday mood. Gretchen was tough to root for at times and the story fell a little flat overall. This didn't have as much of the book club itself in it, focus on a specific book that the club would recommend to the lead character, or the general advice from the group. I'll continue reading this series and looking forward to seeing who will be next - maybe the cheese man?

Another great Lyssa Kay Adams book! I’ve been loving the Bromance book club series came out and I’m so happy we got to see Colton and Gretchen’s story! They were great together and it’s awesome to see this two characters get even more developed. Lyssa Kay Adams has done a great job growing sine the first book which was fluffy – entertaing fluff though- to this with heart wrenching moments in her character’s lives.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

As someone who normally doesn't love Christmas romances, I loved this book! I really enjoyed the depth of the characters and seeing them grow together as they faced their trauma.

This is an excellent addition to the Bromance Book Club series.

I fell in love with the character of Colton during his first appearance earlier in the series, so I was very excited to finally get to see his happy ending after watching his friends get theirs. This book did not disappoint in giving a heartfelt romance that featured Lyssa Kay Adams’ signature mix of romance and the family found with the book club. Gretchen and Colton had amazing chemistry that really had me rooting for them.
My only problem with this book is that Colton gets blamed for basically all conflict. I like Gretchen, but it felt like all of the characters, including Colton himself, blame him for things that are either out of his control or are just straight up Gretchen’s fault. I appreciate that this was sort of remedied when Mack apologized to Colton, but it still felt like he got blamed simply because he was the guy in the relationship.
Besides that, this was a great addition to one of my favorite romance series!

The Bros are back in action and this time it’s Colton’s turn to find love. When sparks flew between Colton and Gretchen at their friend’s wedding, he thought he finally found “the one”. That is until she ghosted him after a one night stand.

Colton spent a year in a rut. He seemed to lose his mojo and his music career was starting to suffer for it. That is until he got the opportunity to interact with Gretchen again. Her family was determined to land Colton as the new face for their multimillion dollar whiskey business and they sent Gretchen to reel him in. So of course Colton has to milk it for all it’s worth and use this opportunity as his second chance with Gretchen.

This was a fun read. All the Bromance books are. After Vlad, Colton was one of my favorite Bros. So I was excited for his book. I would’ve rated it 5 stars if not for my frustration with Gretchen. Yes, she has an incredibly horrid family, but all that running was starting to wear me down. Didn’t she say she had a therapist? Maybe she should look into getting a new one because clearly the woman needed some serious help.

I was also a little disappointed that the Bros didn’t discuss their “manual” or recent book club pick like they usually do. I missed the profound interpretations my feminist boys usually give about whichever romance book they’re reading. Malcolm still dropped some knowledge, but not in relation to the parallels of what they’re reading and Colton’s situation like he usually does.

Overall, the Bros were awesome as usual (Especially Vlad. Always Vlad). And I’m glad that Colton got his HEA. Now I just have to wait for the next in the series. Who will be next? My guess is Ramon the flirtatious Cheese Man.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for releasing this arc to me in exchange for an honest review.

Colton Wheeler is a big time country music star and he has his sight set on Gretchen. But after a hook up she leaves him with no explanation. A year later Colton is struggling with his music career and Gretchen might just be his muse. Gretchen is struggling to get in the holiday season and Colton wants to show her all the Nashville has to offer while also proving they have chemistry.

This wasn’t my favorite in the Bromance series however I still think it’s a cute holiday read. I always enjoy a golden retriever man that wants to win the heart of a grumpy girl.

I thought Colton and Gretchen had great chemistry and you could feel the spark from their first meeting. Colton and Gretchen make a great couple and I loved that all the couples were rooting for them.

Have you read the Isn’t it Bromantic series?

This is my favorite one yet! I have loved the entire series. It’s the perfect amount of cheesy love story and real life experiences. These books just make me happy.

I have adored Colton in previous books and was stoked to get to his love story. I just knew there had to be more to him than we’ve seen in previous books. And then when we knew he was going to be paired up with Gretchen…these two together? I love it!

Gretchen’s family made my blood boil, so when the inevitable happened with Colton and her brother, I was cheering from the rooftops! Side note: I love Uncle Jack. Is there someone’s Aunt or Mom we could hook him up with in a future book, @lyssakayadams ? 😍

I mean, I haven’t looked yet but I’m thinking Cheese Man might have the next novel…and it would be a riot! Give me all the cheese puns! 😆

If you are looking for a great Christmas read this season, look no further! Definitely give this one a whirl

Thank you to @netgalley and @berkleyromance for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

This is the fifth book in the series, and I swear they just keep getting better and better. At least I certainly end up loving each one even more than the last, which I didn't think was possible.

This installment of the series focuses on Colton Wheeler, the country music star of the group, and his second chance with Gretchen Winthrop, an immigration attorney and friend of the group.

Colton and Gretchen hooked up a year ago, but while Colton wanted to pursue a relationship Gretchen completely ghosted him. Now her family wants Colton for an endorsement deal and she's been sent to make it happen. Colton agrees to the deal, but only if Gretchen will go on three dates with him.

Gretchen is the grinch to Colton's jolly Santa, and I absolutely loved watching them both overcome their pasts to support each other as well as learn to prioritize their own happiness. I loved being emersed in their world and couldn't help but be sad when I reached the end. It was the perfect holiday romance, in my opinion.

It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows though, there are themes of toxic family relationships, sibling abuse, emotional manipulation, and more.

Rating 4/5
Plot 4/5
Spice 3.5/5
Writing 4/5
Character Development 4/5

[I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book]

“A Very Merry Bromance” is the fifth book in Lyssa Kay Adams’ Bromance Book Club. This book tells a second-chance romance story between Colton Wheeler (country music’s “golden boy) and his love Gretchen Winthrop (immigration attorney). The two were together however Gretchen ends the relationship. A year later, Colton is struggling with his music career, however, the Bromance Book Club helps him from falling into a slump. Gretchen is given a case that should be easy however when she realizes it has to do with Colton, she’s unable to say no because the family’s offer is just too good. Colton agrees to consider working with Gretchen however they must go on three dates before Christmas. Colton is on a mission to prove to her that they still have feelings for one another.

I love a good second-chance romance!!! I also love this cover! I thought this was a really good holiday book filled with funny, steamy, and cute moments. Even though this is the fifth book in the series, you don’t need to read the books in order before reading this one (I didn’t lol). If you’re interested in a holiday rom-com, this one is for you!

3.75

This is a great book to read around the holidays. I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge fan of this series. I read the first one and thought it was just okay. I thought this one was good and what really saved it was it being a holiday read. This story was exactly what I needed when I needed it. I haven’t been feeling the holiday cheer but reading this definitely helped me with that. I liked both characters and how they interacted together. I do wish they communicated together more because I feel like that would have really helped their issues. The grumpy/sunshine tropes is one of my favorites and I really loved seeing this one between the characters. I also liked that the trope was reversed because I don’t read many like that. Overall, I would definitely recommend this one because it is cute, well written, and is a quick read. I also think this book would make a cute holiday movie!

Thank you so much @berkleyromance for the gifted copy on Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 stars!

I loved a lot about this book, especially the reverse grumpy/sunshine (or Scrooge/Santa, if you will!) but ultimately this one fell a bit flat for me and it was the narration that kept me going!

I few things I felt this addition to TBBC was lacking that some of the previous books had was humor and the actual book club aspect!

In the previous books I loved how the book club guys would give the MMC a book and he would learn something from that story. The normal “story” aspect that was in previous books was gone from this one, and although Colton did share a Christmas book with Gretchen we didn’t get to see all of the connections and the growth of the characters quite like we’ve seen in the past!

Add in significantly less humor than these books have been known for as well as not as much of the Christmas merriment you’d expect based off the title and all in all I left this one a bit dissatisfied!

I loved the cameos from the previous characters and as always I adored the audio! The audiobook is performed so well that it’s absolutely what kept me reading until the end of this one when I was struggling with my physical copy!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ebook to this one- I’ll definitely still continue this series!

Swooooooooon! What a fun addition to the Bromance Book Club. I didn't expect to like Colton as much as I did!

Available just in time for the holidays, Lyssa Kay Adams gives us a cozy romance for the Scrooge in all of us.

Her fifth book in the Bromance Book Club series, "A Very Merry Bromance" follows book club member Colton Wheeler. The handsome country singer is hopelessly in love with Gretchen Winthrop, a stern immigration attorney who is doing everything in her power to distance herself from both the holidays and Colton. When Gretchen's family uses her ties with Colton as a power move against her, the country singer quickly realizes why she hates the holidays and discovers the reason she said no to him nearly a year before.

In true book club fashion, this title follows one of our hopeless romantics along with a corresponding cozy romance. I would have loved to have more scenes involving the book club boys, but when they do show up, the scenes are golden.

perfect for anyone looking for a christmas romcom that's not *too* christmasy.

the vibes:
- second chance
- reverse grumpy sunshine
- forced proximity
- found family
- very self aware of typical romance book tropes
- funny banter between colton and the rest of the guys in the book club
- set in nashville

any book set in the bromance book club series is my happy place and i would happily read any more books set in this universe