Plot Twist is a very sweet, sexy romcom. It even had me giggling a couple times.

While it was fun to grow with Sophie, I think the real hero here was our hero. I'd never read a book in which the hero was in recovery. So I applaud both the LGBTQIA+ rep with Sophie, and the sober rep with Dash.

This book is perfect for lovers of Ali Hazelwood, Elena Armas and Christina Lauren.

Plot twist starts out as a light hearted romcom with Sophie, a writer struggling with writers block, goes viral on TikTok for a drunken reveal that she is a romance writer that has never been in love. In an effort to un-block herself, she decides to meet with her previous partners to determine what went wrong.

As Sophie digs into her own issues, Dash
- both her landlord and best friends brother - has been hiding out from life with a secret TikTok account where he is hiding the terrible secret that he crafts lol. The story takes on a more serious edge with his alcoholism and that serves as one of the main impediments to their happily ever after.

With all of that going on, there seemed to be so many tropes packed into the story that it almost felt like the plot went in directions to add then in. The TikTok references didn't bother me as it added to the story and it is part of contemporary life.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

So this book follows Sophie Lyon in her quest to revisit her past relationships to find out why she's never been in love after a night out leaves her telling the internet that she's never been in love even though she's a romance author. Enter Dash-who helps bring her during the hangover from the night that created this mess & is also her landlord.

As Sophie revisits her past relationships, she learns more about herself and about Dash, and finds that there is love to be found.

There are things that I like-
-the alcoholism representation- not something that I've read about before in a fiction book, but I enjoyed
-the fact that she had a pacemaker
-to my surprise, I enjoyed the tiktok use. I am normally not one to like bringing social media into a book, but I enjoyed this because I think it was something that I myself would have followed along with.

That being said. I felt this was a slow read. I wasn't desperate to pick this one up. It was just there.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for providing me with this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.

So happy I got an ACR of this super cute rom-com from @netgalley about a romance reader who has never been in love and her best friends brother/ landlord who is newly sober. The progression of their story was so cute and I loved all the side characters and complex group dynamics between them. I loved the authors writing style and immediately ordered the first book in this series after finishing this one.

I really enjoyed this best friend’s older brother romance between Dash and Sophie.

Dash is battling many demons and Sophie has a few of her own. With a book deadline looming in the distance and a severe case of writer’s block, Dash helps Sophie come up with a plan to overcome her writing woes while also figuring out why she has never fallen in love.

But neither of them expected feelings to arise between each other!

This book managed to deal with some heavy topics and familial issues, but also remaining hopeful in the face of it all.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this advanced copy!

Love a book with a great happily ever after. This story had great character development and they had great chemistry with fun banter. A very realistic view of a relationship.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc of this book!

I absolutely loved this little grumpy x sunshine he falls first brothers best friend romance. It was incredible start to finish and touched on real issues in a way that felt realistic and not overdone. Incredibly written characters that are lovable and oh so amazing.

"Plot Twist" delivers a delightful and captivating tale that seamlessly blends humor, vulnerability, and a splash of unexpected romance. Sophie Lyon, a successful romance author who has never experienced love herself, finds her own life entangled in a plot straight out of her novels. The story is an intricate dance of self-discovery, second chances, and the unpredictable twists that only real life can offer.

The author skillfully navigates Sophie's journey from a seemingly picture-perfect façade to the raw reality beneath. Her decision to reconnect with her exes in pursuit of inspiration for her writing provides the backdrop for an engaging exploration of love's multifaceted nature. As Sophie confronts her own past, readers are treated to a mosaic of emotions, from heartache to laughter, and ultimately to empowerment.

Dash Montrose adds a layer of complexity to the narrative as he comes with his own closet of secrets. His unlikely partnership with Sophie, fueled by a simmering attraction, keeps the pages turning. The chemistry between them feels genuine, and their evolving dynamic is a rollercoaster of emotions that leaves readers rooting for their happiness.

The backdrop of Dash's hidden life as an online crafter battling his own demons provides a refreshing angle, touching on themes of vulnerability, addiction, and personal growth. The book's ability to interlace serious issues with lighthearted moments is a testament to the author's narrative dexterity.

What truly sets "Plot Twist" apart is its portrayal of relationships in all their forms. The exploration of friendships, love, and the blurry lines in between is both heartwarming and thought-provoking. The proposition of a friends-with-benefits arrangement, which sounds like a simple solution, evolves into a profound exploration of commitment and emotional availability.

In a world where love stories often follow a predictable formula, "Plot Twist" takes a bold step off the beaten path. It's a charming reminder that love doesn't always adhere to the scripts we create, and that sometimes, the most beautiful stories are the ones we live for ourselves. With a cast of characters that feel like old friends and a narrative that strikes a perfect balance between sweet and poignant,"Plot Twist" is a must-read for anyone seeking a romance that defies convention and leaves a lasting impression.

Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa
Wow. This will be my first 5-star read in a very long time.
Plot Twist is a steamy best friend's brother romance that follows the characters Sophie and Dash as they try to navigate their relationship through the challenges of addiction and self re-discovery.
Sophie is a struggling romance author who has never been in love. Her next project is due in 5 weeks, and she will lose her publishing contract if she doesn’t hand in a completed manuscript by that deadline. Her writer's block comes when she tries to figure out the happy-ever-after ending for her characters but realizes that she can’t conjure up a good enough conclusion to a story for a feeling she has never experienced. This realization lands her in a viral TikTok video where she drunkenly declares to the world that she has never been in love. This is also the same situation that causes her to get sick all over her landlord, who happens to be her best friend’s brother… *cue the wedding bells*.
Dash is an actor with a secret. For eighteen months, he has been in recovery from alcoholism, and nobody knows. Due to his family's competitive and sometimes cold nature, he has closed off this part of himself from everyone and deals with the constant battle of addiction practically on his own. In his solitude, he has taken on the art of pottery and has a TikTok account where he uploads all his projects anonymously.
When he has to deliver a message from his sister Poppy to the woman living in the house in his backyard, he accidentally offers a solution to Sophie about what she can do about her viral drunk video. In response to the video, Sophie created her own account and started uploading videos in which she met up with her exes off-camera to try and understand why their relationship failed and why she hadn’t fallen in love.
While trying to find her second chance romance, Sophie and Dash begin to feel mutual feelings of attraction towards one another. They agree to try a friends-with-benefits relationship, but after spending more time together, things start to get a little more complicated than that. As Dash opens up more about his struggles and Sophie begins to understand herself and why her relationships ended the way they did, the bond between them becomes undeniable.
What is so special about these characters is how they grow with each other. Sophie shows Dash that he is never alone and that he doesn’t have to carry the weight of his addiction all on his own. She gives him a safe space he can turn to whenever he feels out of control. As for Dash, he shows her what true love is. It is patience, acceptance, honesty, and trust. Throughout the book, we see these two grow into those things and find those qualities in each other. It took time, but they fought for the love they deserved, which is powerful. I believe this book couple would have a happily ever after in real life.
Something that I also want to mention is the spice… damn. That massage scene was something else… Read the book on November 14th to see what I mean ;)

This is a cute story about a romance author with writer's block and a troubled relationship history finding love where she least expects it with her neighbor who has a history of his own to overcome. I like how the author approached the subjects of dysfunctional family relationships and alcoholism among others. The characters felt real with real problems. Sometimes a bit cliché but overall a good story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Sadly, I had to DNF this one. I couldn’t find enjoyment in the writing or either of the characters, and the references to Tik Tok we’re driving me crazy lol.

How do you find love, and what do you do if you find it but feel you aren’t ready for it? These are the questions the main characters grapple with in Plot Twist. Sophie is a romance author who has never been in love and is struggling to find a happy ending for her next book. Dash is a recovering alcoholic and is trying to find anything else to do with his life other than continue acting, as his Hollywood royalty family wants him to do. Circumstances have brought these two together and they have a clear connection, but is the timing right for either of them?

This was a nice quick read with solid romantic tension, plenty of introspection from both characters, and lots of high Hollywood drama. A bit too much of the last one for my taste, but it wasn’t so distracting as to ruin the book for me. I could’ve done without Sophie’s whole plan to revisit her past exes - it felt gimmicky and forced. In part because of that, I found myself enjoying Dash’s chapters a lot more, although I wish there had been a bit more depth to his relationships with each of his family members. The best part of the book for me was how much Sophie and Dash supported each other through their challenges - they really felt like a couple that were good for each other.

All in all, a solid romance with a bit of spice, and I’d recommend picking it up!

This book was somewhere between okay and good. It was steamy and dealt with some harder hitting topics (like dysfunctional families and alcohol addiction), but it felt juvenile at other times. The characters have instant attraction, which is something I'm not a *huge* fan of, and their relationship developed a bit too fast. I also think that the gimmick of the book (i.e. reconnecting with exes) was a bit underdeveloped. Overall, okay book that's worth a read if you want a romance book that's a bit light and a bit serious.

*I would like to thank NetGalley for kindly offering me a copy of this book to review - all thoughts and opinions are my own*

I really thought I would love this book...but I didn't. I really enjoyed the writing, and the pacing was perfect. The MMC was endearing, and I found his issues to be very well communicated and expressed. However, our FMC was very chaotic- which I can relate to and appreciate (LOL), but it was just too much. She can be a whole person and not be in love, she's in her 30s and acting like a desperate 16-year-old girl, which I found very difficult to read.

The main thing that got under my skin was the Tik Tok references. I deleted the app to try to get away from it. But alas, even when I am trying to disconnect from social media it's thrown right back into my face.

First off, I want to say thank you to Netgalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for a copy of the e-arc in exchanged for an honest review.

Off the bat, this gave me rom-com storyline from similar movies I have seen (not a bad thing because I am a sucker for movies/books like this). This book was kind of predictable from start to finish and a very fast read (at least to me it was). The story follows former heartthrob, Dash and Romance writer, Sophie trying to help each other out with personal issues both characters have. He helps her finish her second book and she helps him write a speech for him to present at an upcoming event for his father that he has been dreading to do. Of course, there are obstacles they have to overcome throughout the story, but this is something I don't want to spoil as I really want this book to be read.

A swoon-worthy romance! Sophie is best friends with Poppy who has a famous family. Poppy helps Sophie rent a house from her brother, former movie star and recovering alcoholic, Dash. Dash has a crush on Sophie but can't make a move because he is anxious over his fragile sobriety. Sophie lusts after Dash but has been unlucky in love and is scarred she will screw things up. She doesn't want it to make things weird with her friend Poppy either. So neither does anything, until......
Sophie has writer's block and her publisher wants their money back if she doesn't submit her next romance book within six weeks. Sophie drowns her sorrows in alcohol at karaoke and makes a drunken public spectacle of herself that goes viral. She decides to find out why she have never been fully committed to her past relationships. Interviewing her past boyfriends and girlfriends of more than three months seems like a good idea, right.
Dash is being forced to write a speech for a father he hardly knows and he turns to Sophie for help. Sophie agrees thinking it will be a good exercise to get writing again. This throws two people in vulnerable places together talking about things they have kept close to their hearts. As I said swoon-worthy!

3.5 stars
I was so looking forward to this book. I liked this author’s previous book. This cover was so cute. It was a good book, not great. This book had too many tropes, the topics were just a little too heavy for me. I read romcoms for the fun, light reads. But all in all it was a good book. Spicy and funny at times which lifted it up for me. I liked Sophie and Dash…a cute likeable couple.

Thank you for Netgalley for the ARC.

Loved the character development in this story and the mentions of TikTok were cracking me up. Thank you for the opportunity to read your ARC!!

A very quick beach read for a younger romance lover reader. Despite being a millennial, I was not a fan of the TikTok plot line, or the setting of famous people and La La Land. It was very hard to relate to and feel invested in the characters when they didn't seem like people I'd ever meet IRL.

A lot happens in this book with various characters, so take most of it with a grain of salt and suspend belief while reading, as you probably won't be thrilled with how certain plotlines are tied up. I'd try another of La Rosa's books, as a refresher between my larger reads in fantasy or historical fiction.

Tropes:
-best friends sibling
- one bed trope
- fwb

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5

I am in complete awe of the author and her many many talents. I love the way she writes the story and immerses you in the story. I have loved and enjoyed all her books. So gooood!!!

I’d recommend it to anyone.


Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.