I love this series so much. It is a lot of fun and the characters are so great. This time the story focuses on Colton, the country music star and Gretchen. The story was a quick read and I enjoyed it as I have the others. I only wish the guys from the bookclub had been in it more. Their antics are always one of the best parts. Regardless this was great, keep them coming !!

4 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley #LyssaKayAdams #AVeryMerryBromance

A Country Music Charmer has been ghosted by the woman who caught his fancy for over a year. Time for the Bromance Book Club to take up their holiday romance pick and get busy working on this holiday lover vs. Grinch romance conflict. Another heartwarming and humorous installment to a series that is Christmas lights out fantastic.

A Very Merry Bromance is book five in this series of standalone romances centered around a men’s romance book club.

Colton Wheeler is a Country Western song star who started out in a poor, loving family and his golden voice and country boy looks and charm had him hitting it big. Well, until recently…
But, as dreary as this Christmas season is starting out to be, he’s learned to put a smile on it and just keep going. The smile isn’t fooling his book pals and the club has whipped out their holiday romances to help a bro in need when back into his life walks Gretchen Winthrop with a business deal. Colton can work with that and show Gretchen Christmas, ahem, love, isn’t as bleak and painful as she thinks.

Gretchen is one of THE Winthrops, but she’s the barely mentioned or acknowledged one who doesn’t work for the family’s wealthy whiskey business and spends her days as an immigration lawyer working through heartrending situations and defending people in crisis. Now, her brother has pressured her with promises of being on the company foundation board if she can land Colton Wheeler to be the face of the company. Yep, the guy she ditched and ghosted and who is her total opposite and a bad idea.

I have to confess that I didn’t warm to Gretchen right away like I did Colton, but I’ve learned to be patient because Lyssa Adams likes to reveal layers to her characters that aren’t always obvious up front. Gretchen is no exception. Sure she runs out on a chance at a relationship with a nice guy, keeps apart from her family, and yep, she’s rather a Grinch about Christmas, but it makes sense as her past with her family comes out and she is scared of being emotionally vulnerable with Colton. Her uncle is the only relation worth calling family. Fortunately, she does have her friends from the men in book club and, by extension, their gals and families- as does Colton.

I loved it when Colton was able to take her out- the snappy dialogue was great- and, in their ongoing time together, they have holiday fun with the others. Warm vibes start to grow as they reconnect and hang out. Oh yes, they follow the formula of having that heartwrenching conflict that the bros all know must happen before the romance hero makes his big play for the woman he loves.
Oh, and the Silver Sneakers group was a hoot (along with Cheese guy). These old gals show the young guy athletes that aerobics can kick butt and take names.

There was a blend of holiday feel good, growing opposites attract romance, found family and camaraderie, but the contemporary social elements ground it all with some gritty reality, too. Each couple are different from the ones before, fight their own demons and come from a variety of situations. All in all, this is a series that has captivated me from the beginning and I don’t hesitate to recommend it to contemporary romance or RomCom lovers.

The Bromance Book Club books are consistently good. They give us swoony heroes who simp in the best way for their women while also delivering a compelling story with believable conflict. I'll keep reading them as long as Lyssa Kay Adams keeps writing them.

Country music star, Colton Wheeler had a steamy night with Gretchen Winthrop the night of Mack and Liv’s wedding. Their chemistry was off-the-charts and Colton wanted more but Gretchen just froze him out. He still can’t stop thinking about her and why she just walked away.

Gretchen feels like she has no time for a relationship, dedicated to her work as an immigration attorney. When a position opens up on her family’s charitable foundation, her dream job, and the only way she’ll be considered is by snapping up Colton as the new brand ambassador for the family’s Whiskey. Colton agrees to consider the offer only if Gretchen agrees to a few dates

Coming from a privileged and wealthy family Gretchen feels for guilty for having so much and so she kind of martyrs herself by doing without: materially and emotionally. Christmas seems frivolous when her clients are barely getting by. It’s Colton’s mission to change her mind.

Gretchen was a real prickly pear to begin with, the grump in this grump vs. sunshine romance. Colton was the sunshine and he gradually chipped away her rigid views. It was impossible for Gretchen to hold to her grouchy ways in the face of Colton’s charm. It was cute and entertaining. Colton made me smile and I had to laugh at their push and pull, while Colton romanced Gretchen, showing her how good they could be together. Colon was a sweetheart and Gretchen had a big heart under all the grumbles!

Of course, this couldn’t be a Bromance book without all the gang alternately trash talking and cheering Colton on. I even liked the story within the story, a forced proximity romance Colton gave to Gretchen to read.

A Very Merry Bromance is the perfect second chance romance read for this season with Colton sharing all the special things about Christmas with Gretchen. Touring a Christmas festival, with all the lights and magic, decorating the tree and I had to laugh at the gifts Colton gave to the Bromance kiddies! A little payback for the trash talking, but well-meant too. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute!

The grumpy (female)/sunshine (male) is a winner every single time. Throw in the Christmas holiday and I AM SOLD! From start to finish, I loved this story. I've struggled with some of the other books in these series but the more Adams' writes, the more and more I love this over-the-top group of friends.

Colton and Gretchen are as opposite as it gets but somehow it works -- and not just behind closed doors. Their devotion to each other and the ones they keep in their circle is one of the reasons they just may be my favorite Bromance couple.

Read this one this holiday and gift yourself laugh out loud moments with a solid dose of swooniness.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Bromance Book Club series has worked its way into the must read category. I really enjoy getting the depth on a new couple in each book but getting to see all the guys in the club and sometimes their ladies. The humor is the real deal. I was a little worried about a country music star being a main character but I shouldn't have. Many of the guys in the series have money and power. I don't like the imbalance if the woman is struggling.

Colton Wheeler is a very famous country music star. He's got a great family and spends time with them. He hasn't released a new album in 2 years and now is under pressure from his label. He's also set on Gretchen who is part of his wider circle of friends.

Gretchen Winthrop is from an old money family but she doesn't have the power. She doesn't enjoy the politics and show her family does. She has her own law firm practicing immigration law now, after being a public defender. Her focus is to help others. She's been avoiding Colton since their initial encounter because of her toxic family.

I can't say Gretchen was totally wrong about her toxic family. Luckily, Colton and her friends are up to the challenge and aren't going to let her be bullied by them. It was heart-warming to see both Colton and Gretchen learn things as they fell for each other. The toxic was over the top, more than the celebrity issues. The "grand gesture" was perfect for them and I cried.

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for providing an arc for an honest review

I love this series so much! I truly cannot describe the amount of joy I get when I read a Bromance Book Club book. There isn't as much Bromance Book Clubbing in this book as previous ones but it definitely works since Colton has been a part of the book club for a while and the dynamic of the group isn't so much about the book club anymore but the fact that they are all family. There is a great grumpy x sunshine relationship with the FMC, Gretchen is the grumpy one and the MMC, Colton is the sunshiny one. you. Mix that with a second chance romance, forced proximity, and Holiday Joy and you have A Very Merry Bromance.

As usual the guys are amazing and their group dynamic brings me so much joy. Their love and support for each other and the way they are there in a drop of a (Santa) hat. Which brings me to the most important thing about this book. Vlad in a Santa suit! This man needs to be protected at all costs! I just love him so much!

Aside from the guys, the relationship between Colton and Gretchen is great. Both of their character arcs are amazing and brought me to tears at times. I felt for Gretchen and her struggle to accept love and for Colton who is trying to show her that she is deserving of love despite her past and how she grew up. As usual there are important topics addressed and moments where as a reader I was humbled. That's part of why I love this series so much. It makes you feel all the feels and also makes you consider things you may not have thought of before.

Do yourself a favor and pick up A Very Merry Bromance this holiday season.

Ok y’all — A Very Merry Bromance might be my favorite book of the season! It has so much I loved - a swoony cowboy hero, a smart and driven heroine, Christmas time (although christmas didn’t throw up on the book), the Bromance Bookclub fellows we all love, steam, amazing chemistry and banter between Gretchen and Colton, a great story that kept me reading just One. More. Chapter… I loved this book so much!

Colton was such a cinnamon roll hero (I think I’m using that correctly?) He had so much swag but would give the world to Gretchen if he could. I love how much he cared for her and how patient he was with her and let her grow on her own terms. I also thought this book was heartfelt, but not overly emotional/sad. There were definitely some serious moments and TW. It doesn’t need to be read with the series, but it’s such a fun series I hope you check them all out if you haven’t.

Tropes:
- one night stand
- Grumpy/sunshine
- Celebrity Romance
- Found family
- Holiday

A Very Merry Bromance is out NOW!! I absolutely loved it and hope y’all do too!!

TW: physical child abuse (mentioned not happening on paper), alcoholism, neglect

Country music star Colton Wheeler recognized what he felt when he was with Gretchen Winthrop, but unfortunately for him, she didn’t agree. It’s been a year since their one night together and he’s struggling to keep his music career on track. He’d definitely be sinking into some depression if he didn’t love the Christmas season so much and have a great support system in the Bromance Book Club.

Workaholic immigration attorney Gretchen loathes Christmas. She struggles to enjoy the frivolity of the seasons when her clients are struggling to feed their families. When her wealthy, estranged family offers her the opportunity to serve on the board of their charitable foundation, she can’t turn it down. Unfortunately, the offer comes with a catch: she has to convince Colton to do a public endorsement of her family’s whiskey.

Colton tells Gretchen he’ll consider the offer if she goes on three dates with him before Christmas. As Colton works to show Gretchen the magic of Christmas and the validity of the spark between them, they’ll have to deal with some ghosts from their pasts to create a future together.

I wanted to love this so much more than I did. I was expecting a lot more Christmas and a lot more bromance, so I was just a little bit letdown. I think my main issue here was Gretchen herself. She definitely came off as a bit too poor little rich girl for me. I didn’t like the fact that she was allowed to be so mean to Colton with no consequences, but when he’s had enough and is a bit mean back to her, it has to be a big deal. I wasn’t a fan of that double standard and I think that right there is what’s wrong with feminism today. Otherwise, there were also a ton of filler characters that we didn’t really need and I’m not sure why they had page time, the entire staff of the record company for example.

There was a lot more drama and angst here and a lot less Christmas than I wanted. I also could’ve done without the heavy-handed politics, especially in the first half of the book. It definitely didn’t set me up for the warm Christmas fuzzies I was craving. I did love the male friendships here and how they were openly affectionate and supportive of one another. However, much of the time rather than bromance what we really got was the guys ragging on Colton and warning him not to hurt Gretchen when he was clearly the more vulnerable one in their relationship. When he wound up being the one to get hurt, they still did apologize for not seeing his feelings. In fact, Colton’s feelings kept getting glossed over by literally every character in this book. His mom was the only one who saw that he tried to be happy for everyone else and hide any sadness or loneliness he felt. I so wanted to explore this more and have his friends come to this realization, but it’s barely touched on and that felt like such a missed opportunity. When Colton was sad, his friends didn’t really take him seriously and it definitely seemed like the book club boys were really just there for some occasional comic relief less than to be actual supportive friends.

I think Gretchen gave her family way too much power over her, especially after such a long estrangement. I just kept feeling puzzled and asking myself why she cared. This definitely made me appreciate the found family aspect of the book club, even if Gretchen still never really embraced it. Gretchen had her reasons and past traumas to blame for much of her behavior, but I still found her problematic, and I didn’t think Colton deserved to have to work so hard to reassure her and then receive nothing in return. He should’ve gotten some security in the relationship too. Instead, it seemed like she worked pretty hard to keep him feeling uncertain and certainly not loved or wanted. In fact, this just made Gretchen seem toxic rather than sympathetic because she’s perfectly fine with letting Colton feel insecure and unsure of her if it means she can have the upper hand and not open herself up to him.

In the end, I wanted to know more about why the alcoholic, philandering brother was so tolerated by the rest of the family. I think Gretchen should’ve been asking Colton’s forgiveness and not the other way around. He may have been less than kind to her, but he did say some things she needed to hear. I definitely got fed up and a little bit bored with her constantly running away. She wasn’t there for him emotionally when he needed her, so the relationship felt incredibly one-sided.

This bit of one-dimensionality wasn’t helped by the fact that Gretchen is grumpy, likes helping people (so she says, though we don’t really see her actually being nice to anyone), and prone to running away when things get tough. That’s about it for her character. She got fleshed out a bit more toward the end, but it was a bit too little too late for me after how hateful she’d been to him. Colton was adorable, but I have zero clue as to why he was so steadfastly attracted to Gretchen. The meaner she was to him, the more he liked her, and I will never like that in a romance. He was actually really sweet, and she literally told him she was embarrassed to be seen with him, yet he keeps coming back for more. We know there is a caring person beneath Gretchen’s shell, but all the grumpiness was just on another level and it hard to believe anything else was there because she just never let up, not with Colton, not with her friends, just mostly rigidity.

The resolution in the end seemed rather rushed, incomplete, and less than satisfying. I think what Colton went through and the potential damage to his career over it wasn’t really necessary and was just more angst added to an already very angsty book. I had a lot of questions that were left unanswered, and I wanted to see more of a comeuppance for her family. Otherwise, I really did love Colton’s family, and their interactions were a place where Gretchen started to become more human and likable, so I would’ve loved to see more of this and less of her shutting herself off and running away. Unrelated, but the steam here also didn't live up to what I was expecting; there was a lot of fade to black and some weirdly awkward clichés that were a bit of a letdown after a lot of build-up.

Overall, this wasn’t quite everything I hoped for, but I definitely enjoyed the writing and I’m going to go back and read the other books in the series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Penguin Randomhouse Audio for the complementary audiobook.

How is it that these books get more amazing as they go?!

I’ve been a fan of this series since day one. I never imagined that I would have a new favorite every time.
This has to be my favorite by far!

A Very Merry Bromance was not only hilarious but it had actually had me crying. This story made me so emotional, I love how she handled the topic of family trauma.

The grumpy/sunshine trope has been a favorite of mine lately. In this one it’s the heroine that’s the grumpy one and i absolutely love that! Gretchen was a character that you had to learn to love, in the end I really enjoyed her character.
Colton I’ve loved since day 1, his story was everything and more!

Don’t be put off by this being a Christmas book. This is the perfect holiday book, the Christmas topic is more of a background than anything.

I listened to the audiobook and absolutely loved it. It was read by Andrew Eiden who was absolutely fantastic! Definitely made the list of my favorite narrators.

This has to be one of Lyssa Kay Adams' very best! I adore the entire Bromance Book Club series, but A Very Merry Bromance is my favorite one yet. I love how she handled the topic of family trauma and dealing with your past, together with a steamy romance! I don't want this series to ever end; thank you Lyssa for another fabulous read!

I love a holiday romance and this one is definitely swoon worthy! Colton and Gretchen have major chemistry and there is some nice spice to their story as well.

Gretchen walks out after a one night stand with Colton at a friend's wedding. Despite the brief encounter, he is heartbroken that she's walked out. A year later, business brings them back together when Gretchen is tasked with signing Colton as the face of her family product campaign. The reunion bring plenty of sparks.

I am a fan of the Bromance series. I have to say this is one of my favorites. The characters definitely have chemistry, there's plenty of humor, and there is a lot of character growth through out the book. At first I wasn't a big fan of Gretchen. However, after about a fourth of the book, I began to warm up to her. Adams does a wonderful job of giving us a glimpse into Gretchen's history, motivations, and frustrations. Colton, on the other hand, had my heart from the beginning. I'm a sucker for a character with a big heart. He is a great counter part to Gretchen. The story is pretty solid as well. Of course the gang is all there to help both Gretchen and Colton find their way.

Overall, I really liked this book. It was a sweet quick read with plenty of holiday warmth and even a bit of sexy heat to hit the spot.

Need a last minute holiday read? A Very Merry Bromance is a sweet and spicy choice.

The Bromance book series has long been on my TBR so I jumped at the chance to read the latest instalment. I’m so glad I did! I loved this story. From my experience I can confidently say this can be read as a stand alone and I was relieved I didn’t feel lost at any point. I did get the sense it would have been even better if I had read the others first so I knew all the other characters.

Gretchen is the kind of main character I love. Smart and capable, she doesn’t need a man. In fact, she doesn’t necessarily want one. She also has a heart of gold. As an immigration lawyer, she faces injustice everyday and does her best to help. Sure, she has some issues, but who doesn’t? Her family is quite toxic and I liked how Lyssa handled this situation in the book.

Country music fans will be swooning over superstar Colton as the other main character. He is just so wonderful. Warm and sweet but with enough depth to keep him interesting. I loved how he just kept pursuing Gretchen, but not in a stalkery kind of way. This book is a grumpy/sunshine trope story and Colton’s positivity just kept going. Some of my favourite parts are when he’s trying to convince Gretchen that Christmas is awesome by semi forcing her to do Christmasy things like attend a lights festival or decorate a Christmas tree. Completely adorable.

The banter between Colton and Grecthen is so entertaining and wonderful. They are both quite quick and I couldn’t get enough. Their chemistry is off the charts good. So well written. I loved how Colton was the smitten kitten from the start and Gretchen tried really hard to fight it. Great tension between them builds up and leads to some pretty spicy scenes.

The rest of the guys from the book club were great too. Their antics kept me giggling throughout. The best part about them though is how they are so there for each other and ready to call each other out if they are acting dumb. I can’t wait to go back and read the rest of the series from the beginning so I can get to know them better.

Thank you, Berkeley Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Country music star Colton Wheeler isn't used to hearing the word "no", so when fiercely independent Gretchen Winthrop turns him down after a night of passion, he's left with his wheels -- and heart -- spinning. Immigrant attorney Gretchen has enough on her plate and doesn't have time for distractions like feelings, nor does she feel very confident outside of the courthouse. She'll stick with what she's good at, and offers no apologies -- even if it's left her with a very lonely life. As Christmas approaches and a business deal with Colton presents itself, Gretchen is forced to enter his orbit again. But this time, Colton isn't going to let her walk out his door so easily... He's dedicated to proving to her the magic of Christmas, and love, even at the risk of his own career.

Thoughts: I really enjoyed Gretchen's storyline and the passion between Colton and Gretchen is just... swoon! But Bromance fans be warned: this story is a definite break from Adams' usual story pattern. I wholeheartedly liked this book but in all honesty, it started in one direction (more typical Bromance story style) and then switched to a different plot style for the rest, almost to the point that it felt like a Bromance spinoff instead. Case in point, Colton goes from being in career crisis mode in the beginning of the book to not talking about it or focusing on it because he's focused on Gretchen and her issues, then it suddenly comes into play again towards the end of the story. Most of the book is about Gretchen and her conflicts, which is fine because it's very interesting, and the twist is that she's the one who needs the intervention. However, Colton does some cringe-worthy stuff that the "bros" step in to address but never actually get resolved, and the Bromance club makes very few appearances as compared to other books (i.e. Vlad's story which was hilarious with "bro" antics!). Basically, I could've used more of Colton's music career storyline and more of the Bromance club. But the Bromance scenes are LOL-worthy and the story itself is very interesting, making this book perfect for the holiday season.

**Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.**

This was my favorite of the series to date! I just love a well done Christmas novel - especially with a sunshine/grump romance.

If you are looking for a cute rom-com book to read, then Lyssa Kay Adams is your person. She writes the cutest rom-coms that brighten up your day. And A Very Merry Bromance is another star in the series.

A Very Merry Bromance is a second chance romance trope with a dash of reverse grumpy sunshine. And I feel a bit conflicted about how I feel. I absolutely love Colton. He is such a sunshine main character. He is willing to do anything for his friends and family. And he can’t help himself with Gretchen. She may be the opposite of him, but he can’t help but feel for her.

Sorry, but not sorry. I don’t like Gretchen. I really tried to like her character when I was reading this book, but I just couldn’t like her character. I feel like she is so weak about her communications and feelings. If she would have communicated about her past and struggles, multiple things could have been avoided toward the end.

I preordered this as soon as I could and I wasn't disappointed. This is my favorite of the series. It can be read as a stand-alone, but I love the series so would recommend at least reading the last one (Isn't It Bromantic) since we get a glimpse of Colton and Gretchen.

This was my favorite for a number of reasons. Gretchen (immigrant attorney) is really struggling with her family dynamics and history. I love when characters are on their own journey. I also thought she and Colton had great chemistry. Colton (famous country singer) has his own struggles that he's facing, but no one knows. And it was kind of a reverse grumpy-sunshine romance combined with Colton as a Christmas lover and Gretchen as a Christmas-avoider. Colton's family was as fantastic as Gretchen's was awful. And Colton introduces Gretchen to romance novels (swoon). I could go on- suffice to say, I'm smiling just thinking about it. It's one I'm looking forward to rereading.

The audio version was fantastic. Andrew Eiden did a fantastic job narrating, capturing accents, personalities and emotions.

Lyssa Kay Adams never disappoints. I remember reading the first book in the Bromance Book Club series and laughing through most of it. She mixes romance with humor to perfection. The relationship between the main couple, Colton and Gretchen, was excellent. However, it’s the friendship and book club meetings with the guys that really steal my heart. This is one of the best feminist romance series and Adams writes fictional men like no one else.

3 stars

An ultimately unmemorable entry into the Bromance Book Club series. The female main character, Gretchen, is one of those cactus type characters but with an added bonus of hating Christmas because of her mean rich family. The male main character, Colton, is a famous country music star who is super into Gretchen for unfathomable reasons and also very into Christmas. Most of the book is centered around Gretchen confronting her mean rich family in various ways. The Bromance Book Club is reduced to a cartoonish chorus line of romantic meddling and life updates on them. It's not bad but it wasn't super amazing either. A perfectly mid Christmas book.

I really loved this one. I liked Colton and I liked Gretchen. I felt like I could relate to her family issues. Her anxieties were well explained. I liked that we got to see Colton learn more about himself as well. I also just loved their love. The grumpy/sunshine trope was high quality and their joking about being the grumpy/sunshine trope was top tier. I laughed out loud a few times, and for me, that’s a sign of a true rom-com.