Thank you to NetGalley and Erin La Rosa for letting me get ARC of this book.

PUB Date will be on November 14 and even though I've had this book for some time I gave it its proper timing in my opinion. It could've been read at any time but I just thought to be best to read it in my November hopefuls which I did and I couldn't put it down. it was rather one of those books that I need to get to bottom of it. Best Friends brother trope is one of my favorites and I this book gave all those vibes. There's other topics of course but Dash and Sophie were such a cute couple. Sophie was a struggling author trying to finish her novel and Dash was dealing with staying sober while dealing with family problems and a stalker. Neither of them were in the position of finding love but they had that attraction between them that just couldn't keep the from each other. The level of spice I will say was 2 out 5 but the scenes were rather good in my opinion. Not only was their relationship spicy between each other but being there for one another was the best outcome in my opinion. Sophie didn't let Dash go through things alone and Dash was always cheering Sophie on and encouraging her not to loose faith in her own dreams. I was blown away how their relationship came out to be so easy going even though they had bumps going along themselves.

Erin La Rosa brought this book together and it was something that enjoyed very much and would love to read more by her.

Overall I give this book a 4.5 stars and will recommend this to my fellow book besties.

I enjoyed Plot Twist as a fun, quirky, romantic read, complete with fun tropes but also a read with depth to it as far as characterization and the plot goes (especially the end). The ending almost had a different tone than the beginning- it was more serious, deeper, than the fluffy beginning of the novel. But it is the ending that really engaged me and made me believe this couple could last. Also, this novel is very open door so keep that in mind if you pick it up.
Thank you to #Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press & #NetGalley for ARC.

2.5 stars- This book was okay, but the pacing just felt off. It seems like the main characters barely spend any real time together before they’re serious. It’s interesting that the mmc is shorter, because that definitely goes against the norm, but he wasn’t given quite enough personality. I appreciate that the fmc is curvy, has a pacemaker, even that she’s never been in love, but I didn’t love the “going back through her exes to find out what went wrong” trope. Sometimes it can work, but I really didn’t enjoy the way it was done in this story or the social media aspect of it either. The pacing of their relationship was just strange- they weren’t even really together, hadn’t even seemed to spend that much time together, but she was hurt he didn’t tell her every single secret he had?
The side characters were mostly just frustrating. Poppy acted terribly when she found out about the main characters and Nina acted pretty terribly when Sophie, very innocently, told an old friend something personal about her. The only likeable side character in the book is Chris.
There were a few smaller confusing or frustrating things that just left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. Firstly, I don’t know much about the recovery process, but there are several times the mmc talks about how he’s “very” newly sober, but then you find out he’s been sober for eighteen months. He seemed constantly concerned about his sobriety but wasn’t going to meetings and didn’t seem to be going to therapy? Just a little confusing. And then there were the small things like the author referring to a car seat as a “chair”. Saying her friend was “mad with her” instead of mad at her. There are a few instances like this that make me wonder about the editor. Hopefully some of those things are fixed by publication day.
Overall, this book was just a strange mix of trying to be a rom-com, but really being too serious for that. It was just not for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for providing me access to this eARC for my honest opinion!

What a fun, romantic read.
This book was spicy, funny and emotional! So fun!

I loved the concept of a romance writer who has never been in love, such a fun twist for an avid romance reader to read ❤️

A quirky, sexy romp that had me turning pages into the night. An ex-actor struggling with sobriety and a frazzled writer struggling to meet her deadline decide to help each other out, with sizzling results. Will definitely look for more from Erin de la Rosa

A writer revisiting all of her exes to figure out where everything went wrong? Pretty solid plot. There were some plot elements that felt a little klunky, especially having to do with the best friend's brother trope and addiction, but I still enjoyed it. I liked the TikTok angle, especially with Dash commenting on them and bolstering her self esteem. Dash and Sophie together was precious, but we never really got to enjoy it. Everything falls apart too dang fast. But admittedly there was a lot going on, so it kind of made sense.

Honestly I'd be down to read the spa owner and masseuse story. Poppy next, eh??

*Thank you to Canary Street Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

"Surely a casual relationship won’t cause any trouble…" FAMOUS. LAST. WORDS. UGH!!!! This was executed amazingly, and I enjoyed every moment of this romance! I love quite a few romance tropes, and friends-with-benefits is definitely a good one!! Highly enjoyed, and will recommend!

Thank you for the ARC!

I wanted to like this so bad. I really like Dash! His story seems really interesting! It’s wild that he’s sober and never told anyone in his life. But he’s still able maintain it in a healthy way - other than the secret of course. I love the life he’s created for himself post acting! And Sophie while clearly a hot mess, seems like a good time! I think her and Dash’s relationship will be so good for both of them. But truthfully I’m just struggling to actually want to finish the book.

DNF @ 35%

DNF @ 11%

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC.

Even though I love contemporary romances, I just couldn't connect with the characters in this book. I also wasn't a fan of the characterization of both the female and male lead. This book just wasn't for me.

I think readers will really enjoy this book if they liked the first book of the series and love tropes and pop culture. Its a bubbly romance for when you're looking to escape!

4.5/5 stars

Thank you so much Netgalley and publishers for giving me a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Romance author Sophie Lyon has gone viral after getting drunk and posting a video on TikTok about how she has never been in love. With a manuscript deadline looming, she makes an ambitious plan to overcome her writers block- reunite with her exes to learn why she’s never fallen in love. Oh and document the journey on TT for all of her new followers. Luckily, her best friend’s brother and landlord, Dash Montrose, and former teen heartthrob, has social media all figured out and offers to assist!

My thoughts:
I absolutely adored Plot Twist. It has some of my favorite tropes (Best Friend’s Brother, Grumpy x Sunshine, and One Bed) and representation! Sophie has a pacemaker, and she is bisexual. Dash has his baggage and has a pretty toxic family unit, but I loved how Sophie had his back and stayed with him even when Dash was at his lowest! Also the friendship between Dash and Chris was amazing!

PS: While Sophie could have handled situations better, I was not a fan of how Poppy treated her supposed best friend. Additionally, I loathe Dash’s mother and she deserves what she got.

Sophie is a romance author in trouble. Her next book is due, but word's just got out: she's never been in love! Thankfully she has a social media savvy neighbor next door named Dash. He's a former actor focusing on his sobriety. The two help one another through their challenges while attempting to maintain a friendship that turns into a friends with benefits situation. Love isn't something either of them was planning on, but it certainly was a...PLOT TWIST!

I found this to be a very mature book (in places). I appreciated the thoughtful conversations between members of Dash's dysfunctional family. We see the ways in which family members THINK they are helping, but actually are harming, other members of their family. Sophie has a pace maker. She's also pansexual, and it was really interesting to see the variety of people with whom Sophie was attracted. Much of this book revolves around Dash's relationship with alcohol and sobriety, which was really interesting to observe. I loved watching these characters grow and support one another.

Much of this book, unfortunately, felt a bit silly to me. Sophie attempts to interview her past relationships to see what went wrong and why she didn't fall in love, but it was often clear from the beginning why each relationship was doomed. It begged the question, "Why are we even doing this?" Much of the same ground is covered over and over. The spicy scenes didn't quite land for me. I did enjoy the ending!

I'd like to thank Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press, and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade/Canary Street Press for the eARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. I enjoyed this book. Found Sophie to be fun and interesting. Glad Dash got some help. Cute 3.5 stars

4/5 stars
2/5 spice

A really cute story that also has its heavy moments that create a bit of drama. I kinda wanna do a ceramics class 😋

Tropes:
Neighbors to FWB to lovers
BFF's brother/Sister's BFF
Retired actor/crafting MMC
Author FMC
Pacemaker rep
LGBTQIA rep
Mental health rep
Trauma/healing
Secret relationship
Close proximity
Dual POV

Some really great angsty moments but also sweet and funny. I loved how the author handled hard topics in a realistic and sensitive way. Sophie and Dash created their own little bubble, and it worked with their personalities. I was rooting for these two from the start, and you get a clear view of the friendship and trust they were building in the midst of all the drama circling around them. I also liked that their intimacy had a natural progression. They needed to build more trust before they could go all in, and I really appreciated that the spice made sense for their dynamic.

Overall, I highly recommend this one for fans of friends to lovers with secrecy and close proximity. There are quite a few heavy topics discussed, so please check trigger warnings before starting.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered voluntarily.

Trigger/Content warnings:
Alcoholism, addiction/sobriety, stalking, anxiety, dysfunctional family, overbearing parent, rehab, paparazzi harassment, sexual content, explicit language

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the e-arc!

This book had some ups and downs for me. I loved the concept and the characters (most of the time). The tropes were perfect! Grump/sunshine and best friend’s brother are some that I gravitate towards a lot.

Dash was an interesting character to read about and I loved his point of view. How sobriety was and how hard he was working towards it. I also really liked the crafting aspect of him. I just wish we got a little bit more of his backstory and more of his family and how they acted when he was younger.

Sophie was also really interesting, but some moments were lost to me. I wish there was a bit more about the exes' interviews. They seemed a bit short when the plot was driven by how she was learning about herself because of asking them questions. I do like how she genuinely learned from previous experiences and tried to change for the better.

The ending was just adorable. I am really happy how it all played out and it seemed like these two really just wanted the best for each other no matter what.

Firstly I’d like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. It’s not my usual genre but I really enjoyed this, complex characters, with relatable issues. This book was an easy read and parts had me kicking my feet and blushing.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC in return for my honest review.

Plot Twist is book two in "The Hollywood Series" and while you could read it as a stand-alone -- I do recommend reading "For Butter or Worse" first, as it introduces us to our main female lead, Sophie.

Sophie - romance writer who realizes that she has never been in love. She also only has 5 weeks to turn in her second romance novel and is stuck. Maybe she can't write something she hasn't experienced herself...

Dash - former Hollywood child star, a member of Hollywood royalty and a recovering alcoholic. He's her landlord and also her best friend's big brother (the tropes!!!). While Sophie had crushed on him as a teen, they were strictly neighbours.

But as they spend more time together (forced proximity, one bed (tropes tropes tropes!)) Sophie begins to realize that she has big feelings for Dash - he's the only person she can be herself with... and as Dash is forced to face his demons, he realizes the only person he really trusts is Sophie. Together the navigate the twists and turns of their relationship to get to their HEA.

I will admit - first 60% of the book was solid. I really liked both mains - I thought that they complimented one another and the call backs to Nina and Jasmine from book one was great.

And then... it's as though more things were "tossed" into the mix just to make this book a little longer? I don't know - it felt like it got messy. It pulled itself together for a cute ending - but there was a part of the book that didn't hook me in like the beginning did.

That said - I'm giving this a 3.5 star review. It was solid. I liked the banter between our mains, the chemistry between them was sizzling ... I just think a little less would have gone a long way to making this a 4 star read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Sophie Lyon is a one-time author who is in the process of writing a new book. However, she has had writer's block and a deadline from her agent and publisher that is fast approaching. Sophie has never been in love despite her profession writing romance novels and she wants to find out why many of her relationships never worked out while posting the summaries of these meetings on TikTok. However, she's not big on social media and needs some help.

Enter Dash Montrose, her landlord who has grown a following anonymously on TikTok. He offers to help Sophie build a larger following while she helps him write a speech for his father's ceremony to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Although Sophie is trying to figure out why she has never been in love, she can't help thinking about Dash and how she can't get enough of him. They quickly develop feelings for each other, even though they may have differing expectations and deep insecurities that may keep them apart.

I will be honest. I didn't think I would like this book at first. However, after I read the first 20% or so of this book, I could not put it down. I thought the "Instalove" trope would annoy me, but the author did a fantastic job at breaking the tension between the two of them at just the right time. I was rooting for Dash and Sophie the whole time, which is why I think I was so intrigued to finish the book. Of course, I knew that they would get together, but what was the journey going to be like?
I had to know.

Can we also talk about the spice in this book? Dayum. This is definitely rated PG-13, if not rated R. This is an adults-only book for sure.

If you are looking for a love story with equal parts self-discovery and spice, please pick this up. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Well, I absolutely loved this contemporary romance! This one has grumpy/sunshine and best friend's brother tropes, both of which I love. There's also some amazing spicy scenes that are full of proactive consent, which I find myself really valuing when reading romance these days. I love both characters of Sophie and Dash, and my heart broke for both of them in their separate struggles -- Sophie with her writer's block, and Dash with his struggle to stay sober. Dash was such a grump, but such a softie on the inside! And he was so committed to helping Sophie get over her writer's block and get her book written. I loved the sexual tension between them and the way they were together, and how they each come to realize they don't just want but need the other. This is a magical story and one I would recommend to any romance lover!

Rating: 4 stars!
Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book from the publisher for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book!

I had really high hopes for this book, but I personally just didn't click with it. The concept was absolutely intriguing, and I liked the idea of the plot and romance, but it just ended up not being my favorite.

There were little things that this romance book had that I liked; our FMC has a pacemaker, it dealt with real issues of sobriety, and other more difficult topics, but did it well. The FMC was also dated women as well as men, and I enjoyed the inclusion of that in a romance novel.

I think the biggest thing for me was I just wasn't invested in the characters or their romance, which was disappointing!

This was an adorable romance! While some heavier topics were in it, I thought that the author handled them very well. I really liked the characters and how realistic they were; they weren't perfect, and they made mistakes, and they acknowledged when they did. It was really nice to see. There were also a lot of funny moments which I really enjoyed, and the chemistry between the two main characters was amazing! The only issue I had was how TikTok and social media-centric the book was. I don't overly love this many social media references, and since it was a central part of the book, it was pretty hard to ignore or move around. I will admit it almost made me give up at the beginning, but I'm so glad that I didn't! Overall, I would definitely recommend this book :)