This book was cute, but not exactlyyyy my cup of tea- which doesn't mean it wasnt good! Personally, I didn't feel that click with the two main characters. I never got to the point where I was really invested in their relationship. However, the plot moved along nicely. I am just very character driven, so connecting with the characters is a big thing when it comes to enjoying a book.

The book also includes some tropes, such as grumpy/sunshine, best friend's brother, and forced proximity, which i always love to see. overall a good, entertaining read but not one I would necessarily pick up again.

🌟 best friend’s brother
🌟 movie star & author romance
🌟 Hollywood setting
🌟 hottttttt 🌶️
🌟 complicated family dynamics
🌟 addiction rep

I ate this up! I loved the setting, Dash’s messy family drama was top tier, I loved Sophie meeting up with all of her exes, and I stinking loved the “Ghost” minus the ghost scene.

I highly recommend if you enjoy a whole lotta heart and a great plot with your spice.

Thank you, NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing/Canary Street Press, and the author for allowing me to read Plot Twist as an eARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

I thoroughly enjoyed this story: funny, well plotted and cute. I like Sophie, had fun and it was a good way to escape reality
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Coming from a Hollywood background and dysfunctional family, the last thing Dash is looking for is to fall in love. Sophie is in the midst of writing her second book and is having serious writer block. This story takes a look at family relationships, friendship, and self-awareness in a way that was so fun and reflective. I really enjoyed the banter and fun social media aspects of this novel. I look forward to new books in this series or from this author. Thank you NetGalley.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC.

3 stars

Plot Twist is the second book in the Hollywood series by Erin La Rosa.

I really enjoyed the sobriety rep in this book. I don't see it a lot and I liked how supportive Sophie was of the MMC and his journey.

However, I didn't really connect with the book otherwise. I personally felt that there were way too many subplots moving throughout the story. In just a few chapters it felt like I read 10 different subplots all in a row. The story felt rushed because it tried to tie all the subplots into one story.

I also am not a fan of romance books where one main character is with another character for part of the book. That also means that Sophie and Dash were not together for most of this book, which I'm also not a fan of.

Unfortunately, this book wasn't my favorite but if you enjoy books with a lot of subplots and don't mind when one main character is seeing someone who isn't the other main character during the story this might be for you.

This kept my attention abd got me excited to come back for more while I read this in small chunks on my phone with a newborn in my arms.

I loved the inclusion of Dash's craft hobbies and both his and Sophie's social media. There were also darker themes of addiction, which I did not expect in a Rom Com. The first person view of a recovering addict had both depth and nuance.

I now want to go back and read the first book in this universe!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade for the eArc.

She's an author with writer's block and has a second book deadling due in a couple weeks and he's an actor who's given up acting to make craft tiktok videos while he's maintaining his sobriety... he's also her landlord and her best friend's brother but when one checkup leads to more, both of them are beginning to realize that they might be the perfect person for the other. Sophie is a romance author but she's only written one book, and now she's stuck in a rut, she has a second book due but she can't seem to write it. When a drunken night out leads to her going viral over a video in which she says she's never been in love she decides to overcome her writer's block and reunite with her exes to learn why she's never fallen in love...all the while documenting it to her millions of new online followers. Dash Montrose is a former teen hearthrub turned anonymous online crafter, a hobby that has helped him maintain his sobriety. No one knows his secret and he plans on keeping it that way, but that might be hard when his family is Hollywood Royalty and they want him to come back into the spotlight. When his sister ask him to check on her best friend and his tenant, Sophie, he does, and what was only suppose to be a check in turns into more as he begins opening up to her and they find themselves becoming friends... and possibly something more.... This was an okay book overall for me, I did appreciate the emphasis that Dash had on his sobriety and trying to maintain it and I liked how supportive and understanding Sophie was. The romance was nice and the resolution to the struggle of why they couldn't be together was alright. Overall it was oaky, it just didn't grab me as much as I thought it would and I just felt alright overall. It's not bad but it just wasn't that great to me. I felt that it was a cute story and the romance was nice and would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a romance read with friends-with-benefits in it.

*Thanks Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Plot Twist was so sweet and easy-going despite all the deeper themes within the story. I love the brother's best friend trope, but I didn't really like/connect with the characters much. I liked seeing Sophie on her mission to find love and Dash was so kind even though life gave him every reason to be cold, but there wasn't as much tension and drama as I like. I feel like the story was anti-climactic in a way. I loved that the author included sensitive topics such as recovering from alcoholism/setbacks, IVF/egg freezing, dysfunctional families, LGBTQ+ themes, and stalking, but there was just something missing that kept me from truly investing myself into the story. And bonus points for having a main character with a pacemaker- I love seeing real-life people in books. I did find their banter funny and enjoyed the spice, I just needed something more. But it was definitely a fast and cute read.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review! I really enjoyed this story! Sophie is really easy to relate to and Dash is well.. dash! They made it so easy to root for them the whole time. I loved to see Sophie’s development and dash as well, but that man went through it y’all. They’re such a cute couple and I can’t wait to see more from this author!

Romance author Sophie Lyon’s big secret has just gone viral: she’s never been in love. After a hit debut novel, she’s got a terrible case of writer’s block and – when combined with her recent TikTok revelation and a looming deadline – she’s in trouble. Her solution? Go back through her exes and see where things went wrong. Along for the ride (somewhat reluctantly) is her sexy landlord, Dash Montrose. Dash is Hollywood royalty, but he’s quit acting to focus on maintaining his sobriety. He doesn’t want any upheavals to his carefully constructed peace and Sophie is a whirlwind filled with complications. But the two of them are drawn to each other and the longer Dash spends helping Sophie the more impossible their mutual attraction is to resist…

Erin La Rosa leans hard into tried-and-true romance tropes in Plot Twist. You’ve got grumpy + sunshine, best friend’s brother, only one bed…it’s cute and fitting when you have a heroine who’s a romance author. I had mixed feelings about Sophie and Dash’s story but overall it was fun.

Dash was an easy hero for me to like. He’s Hollywood royalty and being shoved into acting from a young age didn’t help him in the slightest. He’s a recovering alcoholic, less than two years into his sobriety and he’s focused on that. He’s holed up in his home, using crafting as an outlet while he tries to determine what direction he wants his life to take. I was rooting for Dash and even though he’s (very slightly) grumpy I found him an endearing hero who was there to cheer on and bolster Sophie. His family life is messy and I wish we’d explored the dynamics there a bit more because it was interesting and had potential.

Sophie is a hot mess in the beginning of Plot Twist. Her looming deadline is weighing on her and she can’t capture the magic of her bestselling debut. I never fully connected with Sophie, but I liked that she eventually started to realize that maybe she was part of the problem when it came to her past relationships not working. She’s messy, flawed, and screws up, but takes the time to realize her flaws and doesn’t balk when her best friend and sister point them out. She and Dash have good chemistry and it made their romance work. It’s sweet and sexy, with some good humor thrown in (Richard the squirrel made use of his cameos).

La Rosa makes the most of the romance tropes she employs and that’s generally fun. That being said, some of the drama – especially at the end of the book – felt forced and rushed when it could have been woven in better over the latter half of the story. There were real issues in this book that gave it depth and could have been explored more to take this from good to great. And while I didn’t mind all the TikTok references, I’m worried this book will start to feel dated quickly. While Plot Twist didn’t dazzle me, I liked it and La Rosa’s writing enough that I’ll be on the lookout for more of her work.

This was such a steamy romance that had tons of heart. Fell in love with Dash and Sophie and rooted for them until the end. Dash’s journey to growth mixed with Sophie’s journey to change tugs the heartstrings.

“You deserve to be loved, deeply, by someone worthy. Please remember that.”

Sophie is a romance write who is having trouble coming up with the happily ever after for here newest book. Dash is a former actor with a secret craft TikTok who needs to steer clear of scandal to protect his famous family. When they agree to help each other out, they decided to handle their attraction with a friends-with-benefits situationship, but it’s clear that can only last so long.

The relationship that develops between Sophie and Dash is really lovely, and the unwavering support they have for each other throughout makes them easy to root for. It’s clear that Sophie has never really been able to be honest in relationships and speak up for herself, so through this journey of meeting up with her exes to figure herself out she finds what she wants. She claims to have never been in love and takes this journey of self-discovery as sh reconnects with her exes to analyze why she never fell in love. It’s a really great arc and Sophie is really likable as a character, even if she makes some questionable choices on her journey.

Dash is a complex character. He comes from a famous Hollywood family and his mother expects him to continue acting, but it’s the last thing he wants to do. He’s a recovering alcoholic, but has kept it a secret from his family. With Sophie, he’s so worried about disappointing her and it’s hard not to feel for him. His family, minus his sister, seem to keep pressuring him back into the profession that started his addiction, and they prove to be great villains. Dash is such a sweet character and as a reader you just want him to have a happy ending.

“I will try anything with you.”

I think there were a few smaller plot points that could have been removed to focus a little more on Dash’s family trauma and that resolution. It was interesting and compelling, and I would have liked to see how it played out a bit more. Overall, this is a super cute romance and worth checking out.

Plot Twist
by Erin La Rosa
Pub DAte: Nov/ 14, 2023
Thanks to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I enjoyed this sweet and sexy romance which included sensitive topics.
I love the cover!
4 stars

Flawed but not destructively so. There were times that the book didn't feel like it flowed, or existed to bracket sex scenes, but for the most part, the writing was solid, the characters likable, and if the reveal isn't surprising, it has big "I'm not shocked, I'm just disappointed in you" energy.

There are a lot of tropes smashed in here, but most of them feel natural.

I am enjoying every moment spent immersed in the pages of this book! Its captivating narrative has already drawn me in, and I find myself eagerly anticipating the journey that lies ahead. The prospect of the approaching winter, with its chilly temperatures, makes me appreciate the comfort and warmth that a delightful and easy read brings. This review is a testament to the anticipation and joy this book has already brought me, and I can't wait to come back to this review and update my thoughts when I finish this read.

4.5 stars, rounded up.

Overall I really enjoyed this one. I saw mixed reviews so I went in a little cautious but I had a great time reading this, personally. We have a best friend’s brother, forced proximity (neighbors) situation. Sophie and Dash both help each other in their own individual endeavors throughout this and I thought particularly with Sophie’s storyline the pacing was well done. She’s exploring each ex and their fallout.

My biggest hang up with this and reason for the half star are the other people. I felt like Sophie’s attempt at rekindling with one particular ex went on way too long and maybe some of those moments from the past with all of them took up too much space which left not enough time for the actual romantic couple. Sophie and Dash definitely had their cute (and spicy!) moments together but they deserved more time on page. I almost wish Dash could have somehow been an ex too (but I digress, that would be like re-writing part of the plot) but he definitely could have been more involved in her journey as a “friend”. This book also has a few villains that end up being kind of one dimensional. It’s fine, but kind of makes it feel like Sophie is the only one allowed to mess up and then get to correct her mistakes, it’s like they aren’t even human too because their actions are so severe.

Major CW for alcoholism with a relapse, toxic parents.

I really liked these characters together, loved the open door, and the premise. I’d recommend it. Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the ARC!

Okay so I liked this but I just know I could have liked it more if there weren’t so many tiktok references, do you know what I mean? This is completely subjective but when a book has like real life references, the book just loses some of its appeal. The reason I read is to escape reality, not be reminded of it? I can see the potential in this book and I do think it is an okay read, it’s just my personal preferences that got in the way here. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!!!

This was fine? I had a decent time reading it, but I felt like it wasn't well thought out/written that well. This was my first book by Erin La Rosa and honestly I wasn't that impressed. I will say I finished it which is a good thing since I've been putting books down as soon as I lose interest.

Sophie is a romance writer and while I love the trope of a writer struggling with writer's block I really don't feel like she fixed it with enough time to write the book. I can kind of cut slack for this, but this all felt unresolved. ALSO not a fan that she fixes it writing about her and Dash's love story?? like girl you're going to have to learn how to write without just writing about your life!!

But my main critique is how heavy some of the topics are, but they are not explored well. Dash struggles with alcoholism and that is handled okay, but he has a stalker, Sophie's mom died years ago, Dash's mom outs his alcoholism to THE PRESS, One of Sophie's Ex's talks to the press. And I felt that these all made the book feel very heavy at times, but them we breezed past most of them. I'm so tired of "Rom Coms" with cute covers sprinkling a bunch of trauma/darker topics.

Dash and Sophie were cute and I loved the LA vibes. The most unrealistic thing about this book is that there is a big earthquake and it is basically mentioned and everyone moves on. A BIG EARTHQUAKE HITS SOCAL AND THAT IS ALL WE TALK ABOUT FOR WEEKS. Literally every person would be talking about it and here they are like oh tee hee and move on. So why was it included?

Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa was a surprisingly cute but deep story of imperfect people dealing with life and falling in love. The author's writing style was clean and descriptive without being over the top. The story's pacing was quick with an engaging plot. I think a little less focus on the social media side of things would've helped the story feel fuller though. The characters were all very unique and well developed. I didn't really like the insta love vibe between the main characters in the beginning but they definitely had great chemistry. The author did a great job at handling sensitive topics like alcoholism and rehabilitation. So while this didn't quite hit the mark for me I think a lot of romance lovers will really enjoy it.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Author + ex-movie star turned crafter = romance? Not your usual combination, but still a good one!

Sophie is struggling with a big case of potentially career-ending writer’s block when her neighbor/landlord/former movie star Dash offers her some social media advice to try and get her wheels spinning again. From there, these two are locked together in an unpredictable journey, trying to figure out how they might fit together while fighting their own personal battles. Secrets are revealed and our struggling main characters try their best, but is it enough?

The story is a cute one, and I love some of the small details that are given such loving attention, like the pottery pieces, Dash the Doll and Richard the Squirrel. That being said, despite the title, nothing felt very plot twisty to me. There are ups-and-downs and some unexpected curves, but the story still progresses on a typical path. I also think that while Dash’s struggle and journey to redemption seems well-portrayed, there was missed potential as Sophie seems to have one lightning bolt moment and then requires no more self-work or exploration.

A bit off the beaten path, this book is a little angsty, a little trope-y, a little sexy and maybe a little rushed but still definitely a cute romance.