You know those series where they're not that good and you wouldn't really recommend them to anyone else, but you've started reading them and they're fine and so you'll keep reading them even though they're aggressively fine? That's what the Hollywood series is for me. I read For Butter Or For Worse last year, and it was such a 3-star read. The whole book was one big miscommunication trope, and it was frustrating to read. But it wasn't... bad, so I still wanted to read Plot Twist. And this one is also such a 3-star read.

Sophie, a romance author who just had a viral night where she proclaimed loudly and drunkenly that she's never been in love, rents her apartment from Dash, who is not only her sister's best friend, but also a former hunky child actor (and current hunk). The day after her rant goes viral where she is extremely hungover, Dash takes care of her (in a kind of icky scene with content warnings for vomit). He gives her the idea to document on TikTok her reaching out to her exes to figure out what went wrong and how she can have better relationships moving forward. And he knows anything about TikTok because he has a secret crafting account (tokcraftytome, which, A+) where he documents his pottery making as a way to focus and maintain his sobriety. (Side note, but if you're into the "romance author who has never been in love" trope, read The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren, which is a 5-star version of that storyline.)

There was also so much not communication in this book, not only between Sophie and Dash (in the vein of I'm definitely not catching feelings and I'm sure not going to tell you that), but also between basically all of the characters, including Sophie and her best friend (Poppy, Dash's sister) and her sister (Nina, of For Butter or Worse). Which was annoying to read, because you as the reader know it's going to blow up, and the amount of withholding information was just so extreme.

In addition to extreme amounts of miscommunication, there are also extreme amounts of anger, mostly at Sophie, but also just in general. While some of what she does justifies being angry at her, multiple people were mad at her at the same time, and it just kept happening chapter after chapter, which is not the vibe I wanted to read! Also, one character holds on to anger from a decade ago (that IMO is not justified in the first place) and then lashes out, which... just felt so unnecessary for Sophie.

On the plus side, you could see Sophie and Dash's relationship grow, and I did end up rooting for them as the book went on. Particularly Dash, who struggles with sobriety and the pressure his family puts on him and being a former child actor and everything that comes with that. And I obviously hated the third act breakup, but I think this is actually one instance where the plot is genuinely served by it. And it makes their reunion that much sweeter and more meaningful.

Will I keep reading books by Erin La Rosa, like Poppy's story? Yes. Would I recommend these books? ...No.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for providing me with an eARC of Plot Twist in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately, I've tried to give this book a chance multiple times over the past month and some change, and I can't seem to get past 30-something percent through. It's just not holding my attention. The writing is fun and holds potential, but the storyline is just messy and uninteresting. I could be persuaded to try another work from this author but this just isn't for me. I also don't see this book aging well and not feeling dated within a year or two with the specific pop-culture references included.

Sophie has never been in love, and after a drunken karaoke night, the whole world knows it. The pressure is on her to finish her second book, and as the weeks count down, she decides to revisit her exes to see what may have gone wrong in her relationships. Dash is 18 months sober and is determined to not let his famous family and his previous lifestyle ruin it. If Los Angeles were to be a quirky Rom-Com, Plot Twist would be it.

Living in California, I absolutely adored the references to local bookstores and the feeling that stands out as purely Southern California. Oftentimes, Los Angeles is portrayed as Hollywood, but Plot Twist touched on something more and made it feel almost small.

Sophie and Dash are loveable characters. Sophie is sweet and genuine. The uncomfortable moments with exes are silly, yet embarrassingly relatable. Dash is strong and caring without the need to stand out in a crowd. I specifically love how the characters are strong and unique people who have personal challenges that are normalized in the story. It is a gentle reminder to the reader that it is okay, and seeking support is a big step.

Plot twist was a trope lover’s dream and has everything that a Rom-Com reader would be looking for. At times it felt like there were so many tropes that it made the story too wide-ranging, and I would have enjoyed if some of these moments went deeper. I felt like the story would touch on one aspect of the plot and then quickly move onto the next. If you enjoy being involved in social media, then this book is for you. Overall, it was a lighthearted story with a deeper meaning and quirky commentary.

Sophie Lyon, is a romance writer suffering from writer's block with only six weeks left to finish her new book for her contract. Her lack of love life has killed her passion, so she decides to face her past by meeting with her exes to understand what went wrong in her relationships. She plans to document her meetings on social media, which helps her become a TikTok sensation.

Her landlord, Dash Montrose, offers to help her during her romance journey. he intends to stay out of scandals, but he can't help being attracted to Sophie, leading them to become friends with benefits. Their chemistry is palpable, but they both like each other more than they can admit. Sophie has never fallen for someone before and is confused about her feelings, while Dash deals with heavier issues and feels he's not good enough for her. The cover is dreamy, and the love story is appealing.

Imperfect people, imperfect (vomitous) beginnings, and an adorable love story!!

THOUGHTS:
- I love that our heroine has a pacemaker! I have a friend who's having twins, and one of her babies will have to have a pacemaker right from the jump. I think we need more off-the-cuff inclusion of these kinds of elements in romance novels 🖤

- The idea of talking to my exes makes me want to cringe - but I enjoyed the journey that Sophie goes on. Very rarely are any of us willing to face our pasts, so I think her character shows an incredible amount of courage!!

- If you've got a lot of family drama and it's made you the skittish type - you'll love Plot Twist!! All about finding love in a way that works for you while healing from your past, I think La Rosa did a great job creating characters who have the capacity to be great partners but need to do a little work on themselves first.

NOTES:
- CWs: alcoholism
- LGBTQ+ themes
- Would be a great audiobook pick! I think the story flowed well with laughable moments perfect for that morning commute and will transport you to the sunny streets of LA just long enough to get you home in the afternoons!

**Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

This is a charming story of a romance author who has never been in love and has terrible writer's block. She lives in the guest house of her best friend's brother, recluse, and former teen heartthrob Dash. Both are stuck in a rut, and decide to help each other.
This book is filled with tropey goodness, including best friend's brother, forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine and friends with benefits.
It was lovely to see Dash and Sophie's love story play out and form such a wonderful bond.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced reader copy.

I really enjoyed this grumpy/sunshine, friends/lovers, tenant/leaser Romance. Dash is a former movie star who is secretly 18 months into his sobriety journey. He's really nervous about slipping, so he isn't interested in a lot of commitment. But his sister's best friend, Sophie, draws him in. Sophie is a struggling Romance writer who needs to finish her second novel, but the problem is that she actually has never been in love. So, of course, Dash and Sophie end up spending time together and their chemistry is undeniable. I really like the way their friendship is explored deeply, and that they step back from getting into anything serious until they are both ready, There's great communication in this book. Lots of the usual Romance tropes, and steamy scenes. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and admired its sensitive representation of a man's journey towards self-improvement and sobriety.

I love a grumpy sunshine romance and I think the concept for the one was really fun. There's a good amount of spice while not being over the top, and the side characters had such fun side adventures to Sophie and Dash.

Thank you netgalley for the free ebook and opportunity to read this book.
I wish I liked this book more. My interest just plateaued and the more I read the more I was meh about it. To me the book was too predictable. I hated how in-depth the TikTok element of the book was. Also, the FMC and MMC relationship felt forced. I don’t have enough feelings to right a lengthy well thought out review.

I just finished Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa and I have so much to say about it. I’ll start off with the bad because that was my first impression but definitely not my last. I didn’t like how it started. I said out loud “oh no” when I finished the first few chapters. You see I’m not a fan of hot mess characters and Sophie definitely came off that way. Honestly, she really didn’t become a favorite for me at any point in the book. You’re definitely reading the book for Dash and his story. You will fall in love with Dash and you will root for Dash every step of the way. The book has a couple spicy scenes and you’ll be wanting your own Dash for that.

I really liked this book despite the rough start. It made me smile almost all the way through the book. There are so many quirky details like squirrels and Richard Gere to the name of Sophie’s pet fish that will make you fall in love with Plot Twist. I enjoyed my time reading it.

**Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.**


4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the first book I have ever read from Erin La Rosa, and it will not be my last!! 😊

Sophie is an author down on her luck. Having written a successful first book, she's now facing the pressure of finishing book 2, her career on the line.

Dash, a former actor and part of a Hollywood dynasty family, is a recovering alcoholic trying his best to stay sober. He also happens to be Sophie's best friend's brother and landlord. 👫🏠

When life pushes them together suddenly, their bond becomes one that they cannot continue to ignore. Only problem? Sophie has never been in love and is looking for a long-term relationship, while Dash is just trying to get by and stay sober. A relationship would just complicate things. ENTER THEIR HOT CHEMISTRY 👨‍🚒🚒📛

OKAY, I really liked this!! This was a really fun rom-com. I noticed that I do enjoy books with characters who are authors or work in the publishing space. I guess that's just me living vicariously through the characters, living a dream I would also love. 😍📚

The pacing was good, the banter was funny, there was some really honest and open communication between Dash and Sophie. There was no miscommunication, no 3rd act breakup, no uncomfortable scenes. 🗣️💬

I don't usually flock towards books with sobriety/drug/alcohol abuse issues. I find the topic is at times too heavy for me to enjoy. But I went into this story blind, and I was pleasantly surprised! It wasn't too heavy, felt light, but also full of emotion & passion. 😌💖

AND OH BOY, I really felt the passion between Dash and Sophie. 🔥🔥 There was really good spice here. 🌶️🌶️

I highly recommend it to anyone who's looking for a fun, smooth rom-com with some deep topics that feel light! 😊📚

You wouldn't expect such good spice while seeing the cover, would you now? Forced proximity is an underated trope and when done well, it shines. Though it might look like a cozy breezethrough romance, it has it's own depth and deals with relatable issues. This book is the proof. Erin La Rose is someone to keep a look out for if you enjoy the adult style of romances.

5/5
Erin La Rosa is quickly becoming a romance author to watch and Plot Twist is proof. This one’s got the unconventional pairing I didn’t know I needed: a romance writer on a deadline and her neighbor, a former star out of the spotlight. Plot Twist packs in the tropes while managing to engage in meaningful commentary on sobriety, harmful family dynamics, and modern relationships. The tension is off the charts between Sophie and Dash from page one and this is undoubtedly the hottest romance I’ve read this year. Go forth and read, you’ll thank me later.

A full review will be posted on my blog closer to publication

So I did like this book. I do recommend this book to anyone who likes contemporary romances.
There were swoon worthy moments. I loved the spicy bits.

What I didn't love:
The main issue I had with this book which is why I didn't read it a week was because I get second hand embarrassment from the main character so easily.
I also didn't fall in love with Sophie as a character. I am not sure why I didn't connect with her as I should have.

I am definitely debating giving this a re-read asap because I feel like maybe I just didn't read this book at the right time.

It had everything I should've loved and yet I didn't love this book. I just liked it.

This book was well written, the plot was addicting and the romance was amazing. I don't know why I didn't love it ,

Still I will highly recommend this book to every romance reader who loves the tropes this book has.

"Plot Twist" by Erin La Rosa is a delightful and witty exploration of unexpected turns in life that will leave you laughing and nodding along.

5/5 it’s hard to find the words for how much I loved this book! Emotionally intelligent MCs with hot banter and SPICY activities?! I loved that the third act falling out was not miscommunication, but actually brought them closer together. Alcoholism is a huge part of the MMCs story and the writing feels genuine to the difficulty of his experience. Can’t wait for more from Erin La Rosa!
Queer representation, dual perspective
*brothers best friend, only one bed
CW: alcoholism

Thanks @netgalley @erinlarosalit and @canarystreetpress for the opportunity to read Plot Twist—out November 14, 2023.

Romance author Sophie is only six weeks away from her deadline and has serious writers block, which might have something to do with her lackluster love life. She’s living with her best friend’s brother Dash—a former teen heartthrob who’s working on his sobriety and taken up ceramics as a hobby. When a TikTok video with Sophie goes viral, Dash helps her turn it into an opportunity for writing inspiration and their friendship turns into more.

This book was equal parts HOTT and heartfelt. The storyline about Dash’s alcoholism and sobriety was very sensitively written. I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more from Erin!

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Tropes: best friend’s brother, roommance, celebrity-normal person

This is such a great, fun read and runs like a RomCom through your mind. A romance author that has never been in love, blasphemy! Follow Sophie as she finds love, with some pitfalls along the way, and happens to learn her true value.

Sophie is a romance writer who is never been in love despite the success of her first book. Now it's time for the follow-up book, and she decides to cure her writers block she would interview each of exes, and find out why she was not capable of loving them. Meanwhile, Dash, her landlord, and former actor - is struggling to hide his secret crafting hobby, and his issues with sobriety. As Sophie and Dash get closer their feelings grow more complex.


I did enjoy reading Dash's story and seeing him overcome his struggles. I think that it's a really important story that the author handled with care. I loved how each of the exes were distinctly their own person, and you can see why Sophie had dated each of them. There is also some great banter and steamy scenes.

While I don't mind the talk of social media in books, I know some do. The idea of the hill was really interesting And I think the fact that I'm probably similar to the FMC in some ways was funny. I do think people will enjoy the author aspect.