Interesting book. It had too much spice for me so I ended up having to DNF it. But that doesn’t reflect on the characters or story, I think they were good and set up for a great arc I just didn’t want to read that much spice.

A good read -- I thought the characters were well-developed and I really enjoyed their dynamic/chemistry.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, and the author. I have enjoyed this author before, and I was not disappointed this time! The Romance gave what I needed and I loved the book. I loved that both protagonists were 30 years old. I also found that the author did a great job of creating a FMC that was relatable. 4 stars

This book was so refreshing to read. I used to love reading romance novels, but the formulaic writing of new novels began to wear me down. Although Plot Twist is a traditional romance (more of a rom-com), I didn't feel like I could predict every action and piece of dialogue made by the characters. It felt authentic. They seemed real. And their love was beautiful. And spicy!

Also, this book switches points of view, and I think this author beautifully wrote from the perspective of a man as well. It wasn't some a-hole who speak about his love interest like a sex toy but an authentic male view.

Great job Erin La Rosa and I hope to see more of your works in the future!

A romance author who’s never been in love who went viral on Tiktok letting everyone know as such. Currently having a hell of a writers block decides to reunite with her exes to learn why she’s never fallen in love. But of course you’ve got to add in her former teen heartthrob landlord offers to help her on her social media quest. Who also has a lot of secrets up his sleeve.

Normally I try to stay away from books that are to in the now. Like with the use tiktok and trends. But I LOVED this book. It’s the perfect rom-com blend with bits of seriousness that hit me to my core. I did not want to put this book down but I also didn’t want to finish it! The realness this brought was amazing. Like the title, there was definitely some plot twists I wasn’t expecting at all! We also love a short king mmc. I never read the first in the series but I definitely will be!

PLOT TWIST by Erin LA Rosa comes out in November, but I was able to read an eARC from NetGalley (🙌)

The sequel (ish; we need better terms for these loose series) to FOR BUTTER OR WORSE, and I might have actually liked it better than the first one. Two flawed characters with trust issues trust each other and fall in looooove. Do they both need some therapy? Yes. Do I wish they would just taaaaaalk about their feeeeeelings instead of keeping them bottled up? Heck yes! But it just makes them realistic characters, because who amongst us, you know?

Hilariously, it name checks Abby Jimenez and her ability to write romances that make you cry, because this had some heavy stuff too. And yet it's also sweet and funny and hopeful.

The plot deals significantly with alcoholism/sobriety/relapse, so take care if that is something that's hard for you.

This was a cute and funny read, I absolutely loved the two main characters, Sophie and Dash. There were several parts of this book that had me laughing out loud and smiling. I enjoyed the premise of the book and found the TikTok references hilarious. Both of the characters are working through personal struggles. Sophie who is experiencing writers block with a deadline quickly approaching and Dash, who is fighting to maintain his sobriety. I loved how supportive these two characters were for each other and I felt like this book had just the right amount of steamy scenes!

I was super excited after reading the summary of the book and the first like 40% I was hooked. However, as the book went on, it lost the appeal and I struggled to finish it. I found Sophie is to be incredibly immature and I did not care about her and her journey through talking to her exes (which she was the common denominator for why they didn’t work). The book has so many tropes in it and it just felt super overwhelming. Also, the whole TikTok plot line I was not expecting and just didn’t enjoy it at all.

I did enjoy Dash and how the author addressed his sobriety and alcoholism. It’s a super sensitive topic that was handled really well. I enjoyed his character a lot and I feel like he was done dirty by staying with Sophie. I didn’t really feel their chemistry at all and it’s more of a HFN story.

Sophie is a romance writer with writer's block and a fast-approaching deadline. She has also never been in love. Sophie is so funny and likeable. She's an astrology girly that just screams when things are bad which is such a mood.

Dash is Sophie's best friend's older brother who is also her landlord. He is also a recovering alcoholic that is part of an acting legacy family in Hollywood. He does crafting to manage his stress and stay sober. Which side note: a tatted-up guy doing crafts is hot AF. Especially pottery lol.

The progression of their relationship was realistic and really steamyyyyy. I live for super supportive and understanding romances and Sophie and Dash have that to the max. I was a little nervous about the addiction aspect of this book just because it's not something I enjoy reading about. However, it was handled really well. The compassion Sophie had for Dash was very sweet and also realistic. Sophie's growth throughout the novel was enjoyable and was something I could see playing out in real life when confronting your exes.

Thank you Harlequin, Erin La Rosa and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This started so cute for me. It had everything it need, grumpy-sunshine, close proxim, best friends brother, neighbor, and a one-bed moment?! But even with all of that there wasn't any pining. The second either of them started to have feelings they acted on it and kept going. There was no real build up for either the intial relationship or the second chance in the last half.

3.5 stars

Plot Twist was a super cute, feel-good romance with an an HEA that I didn't see coming. Dash, a charming, not-overly-masculine, short king, was a refreshing break from the typical ill-tempered giant that tends to dominate contemporary romance. Sophie's pansexuality was very well written. It was present and forward but not overworked to the point that it felt inorganic. Despite some cringey TikTok references (TokCrafty2Me? Seriously?) I don't have many bad things to say about this book.

I did not read the first book in this series, For Butter or Worse, so I don't know if that would have changed my reading experience. This book was fine, but it did not give me the romancey feels that I was wanting. The characters were not fully developed so I was not really rooting for them. The plot goes like this: romance writer realizes that she has never been in love and has a drunken breakdown at a bar declating her woe. Someone takes a video and she's trending on TikTok. With the help of her grumpy landlord a tattooed, ex-actor (who happens to be her best friend's brother), she embarks on a journey to meet up with her exes to determine why she hasn't fallen in love, will document on TikTok, and hopefully break out of her writers block. He is secretly in recovery, and agrees to it if she can help write a speech for an award his way famous dad is writing. They deny feelings for each other, there is a one bed situation, he is also a secret crafter and gives her kudos on her posts, and there's a stalker and a goldfish.

I will still give the author a chance with the first book, but this one didn't really do it for me.

Thank you Harlequin and NetGalley for the ARC for my honest review.

Fans of Love on the Brain and Two Wrongs Make a Right, this is for you!

La Rosa has a wonderful grasp of banter, tension and wit that will have you on the edge of your seat and saying “one more chapter!”

Somewhat predictable, but I like a bit of a formulaic take to my romcoms.

Plot Twist is a romance book lovers dream. I’m a total sucker for a good trope and with the main character of this book Sophie being a romance author herself this story is wonderfully aware of its tropes and leans into it.

I loved watching Sophie navigate her relationships with her ex’s as she tries to figure out why she’s the romance author who’s never been in love all while falling for her best friends brother.

I found Dash’s story really interesting, his struggle with addiction and his family really added a lot to his character and his story. One of the things I really liked about Dash’s plot was his friendship with Chris. I loved seeing a male lead have a best friend who he was fully honest with at all times, often in dual POV books we see the male lead leave things out when talking to his friends and that didn’t happen here which was super refreshing.

This story was sweet and sexy and really had me rooting for their success. I also really liked the added layer of Hollywood and LA as the backdrop for these characters. I didn’t realize when I started this that it’s the second in a series so I will definitely be going back to read the first one!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and the author Erin La Rosa for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review. Check this one out when it comes out in November!

Erin La Rosa's Hollywood romance novel was an absolute delight and my first encounter with her writing left me curious to check out the first book in her Hollywood Romance series. The concept of the story was adorable; the never been in love romance author with the former teen heartthrob who's her landlord. Oh and did I mention her best friend's brother?

Dash's character and backstory were particularly captivating, especially since we've all seen the devastating impact of child actors recovering later in adulthood. Witnessing his journey as he grappled with fame, his overbearing mom/manager, and the crushing pressure to live up to his older sibling's success, all while battling alcoholism and low self-worth, left me feeling a sense of bittersweet empathy. Yet, despite all these hardships, Dash is a very kind and genuine person who's just misunderstood and needs a little coaxing to come out of his shell.

Sophie, the romance author with no experience in love, was an absolute mess, and I couldn't help but adore her. The storyline of her revisiting past relationships via a TikTok series was a delightful touch and a great nod to Booktok! However, I did find myself yearning for more insight into her past relationships as the scenes of her reunions with exes felt slightly rushed, but it didn't detract from the story's overall appeal.

One of the many things I admired about La Rosa's writing was the subtle nods to different romance tropes and the self-awareness of the main character, making it a treat for fans of the genre. The right amount of spice, cuteness, and drama in this quick and easy romance left me feeling fulfilled, and I would enthusiastically recommend it to anyone looking for a charming read.

Sophie is an author. She wrote a book that was successful but she’s having trouble finishing her second and the deadline is only a few weeks away. The publisher is threatening to void the contract and take back her advance. If this happens, she’s convinced she’ll be finished as a writer. The problem is, she writes romance…but she’s never been in love.

Dash is a semi-famous actor - but he doesn’t like acting. And he’s a bit grumpy. But also attractive. And he happens to be Sophie’s landlord.

If you haven’t read For Butter or Worse (and where will you find a title better than that? Hint: Nowhere), you need to. It was funny and spicy, and the banter was top notch. This is the author’s second book, and it did not disappoint. It was so darn cute.

I loved Sophie and Dash and liked how flawed and real they both were. In no way did they have it together. And they knew it. I also enjoyed the fact the story was, to some extent, about books/writing. It was fun reading about Sophie’s writing process and the things she did to try and finish her book (with the looming deadline). How do you write a book about love when you’ve never experienced it? And the spice? I’m not good with pepper ratings at all. Let’s just say this. There was spice and it was nice. Kidding, I felt like rhyming. Sue me. It wasn’t nice, it was wowzers. Whatever the pepper earring was for her last book, double it (felt that way to me, at least). Do you hear me complaining? Nope.

Instant buy author for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Such a cute book!
Sophie is a romance author who goes viral after announcing to an entire bar that she’s never been in love. She develops writers block, but must finish her next novel. She decides to do an experiment where she records and visits her ex’s and find out why she never fell in love, and then post them online.
Dash is her landlord and a former teen heartthrob who is trying to work through addiction while dealing with family drama.
Together they help each other with tasks they are trying to accomplish, all while trying to deny their feelings for each other.

This was beautifully written with characters that were well developed. They were flawed, but realistic. I felt like the author did a great job writing about the struggles that come from addiction.
This was such a great and easy read! I finished it in one sitting! I loved all the humor, spice, and drama! Definitely add to your tbr list! Erin La Rosa did it again with another great book!


📘: Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa
🗓️: November 14, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley, Erin La Rosa, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC!

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

*Reviewed on NetGalley and Goodreads.

I was surprisingly super into this book right when I started it… probably because it was giving off rom-com movie vibes but my interest started dwindling around 60% mark. While I liked romance between Sophie and Dash, there was a real missed opportunity to let them stew in that mutual pinning a little bit more. Overall this a cute and spicy book.
Also I just find it embarrassing to read about Tik Tok? Something about it just makes my skin crawl so that part of the story really brought it down for me.

This was a cute easy read that surprisingly covered some bigger issues such as addiction, dysfunctional families, trust issues and learning to grow and be yourself.

We follow Sophie, a Romance writer trying to write her next book but she's having major writers block. She looks back on her past relationships to try to take a deeper look at why they didn't work and why she's never been able to say "I love you" to anyone. She hopes this can help her writers block so she can finally finish her second book.
Dash, a former child/teen actor who is struggling with recovery, who is trying to take it day by day and figure out how to live a life away from the Hollywood lifestyle he was born into. He has many issues of his own with his family and keeping many things in his life a secret in order for control.
Together they help each other with tasks they are trying to accomplish, all while trying to deny their budding feelings.

Thank you Netgalley and the Author for the Arc!

I think I wanted to like this book more than I did. Sophie and Dash were fine as characters, but a lot of the secrets they were keeping had no real need to be kept for as long a they did. They both had been through it, which is fair, but I think, especially Dash, could have been more honest for longer. I also think I'm not fully ready for a world were TikTok is a basis for much of the story, though I understand its power in the world. It felt weird that both characters had TikToks and a lot of their motivations stemmed from it. I will say, the idea of 'meeting with exes to see why I've never been in love" was actually really interesting, I just wish it was done better. It felt like it should have been a bigger part of the story than it was. Overall, a 3/5 stars for me.

Full Review:
https://theweatherwriter.wixsite.com/blog/post/book-review-plot-twist-by-erin-la-rosa