One-word review: Multi-layered
Emojis: 💫🫶🐶🌶️🌶️❤️‍🔥
Trope: Grumpy - Sunshine, Fake Dating
Rating: 5🌟s

My thoughts:
The Love Plot is more than just a steamy, grumpy-sunshine HEA. It is a story about finding yourself and being true to yourself - relatable and essential themes.

I just loved Star and Rafe together. A true opposites attract couple; their witty banter never failed to keep a smile on my face. You could easily see how they added something to each other’s lives they had previously been missing. I especially loved how she made him feel uncomfortable on purpose early in the story. These were genuine laugh-out-loud moments for me.

The themes are so incredibly relatable. Changing yourself to be who others want you to be happens often, so I could sympathize with Star, who just wanted to fit into Rafe’s world for him and keep the peace with his family. Also, the need to figure out her place at 28 years old is so authentic. I know I have spent a good portion of my adult life in the same situation. I like her goal of being happy, though. I think that is an acceptable life goal.

The book is fast-paced and is told exclusively from Star’s point of view. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down until I reached the end. The dialogue was authentic and flowed seamlessly, and the story had just the right amount of tension versus fun. I only became frustrated with the couple once, as they needed to realize what was in front of them.

The Love Plot is a delightful, authentically relatable romantic comedy that I finished in one setting and thoroughly enjoyed! But be prepared; you will crave peanut butter and jelly once you finish.

I absolutely devoured this. I will always eat up a fake dating trope. Add in the grump/sunshine and opposites attract? I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one.

This was true grumpy sunshine and the banter between Rafe and Star was so hilarious. I highlighted so much dialogue between them because I was straight up giggling at the two of them.

What I really loved in this one though, is that there was a perfect balance between the humor, and some deeper moments with our characters. There were some harder topics the characters had to deal with, that gave the story more depth then just a funny fake dating romcom. I just really loved how Rafe showed up for Star in dealing with her parents and helping her realize it wasn't okay and she deserved better. And the way he stood up to his brother on her behalf. They made a great team and I loved them together.

Thank you so much to Valentine PR and netgalley for this arc! I can't wait to add the paperback to my shelf when it comes out!

Sucked me in from the first page! Rafe is the ultimate curmudgeon! But love has a way of bringing out the realness of everyone “sigh”. The challenges and emotional backgrounds Rafe and Star go through are trying and definitely pull at your heartstrings. So dang glad they found each other! A definite must read!

I have to admit that the fake relationship trope is my favorite and this book definitely checked all the boxes - adding grumpy-sunshine to it was icing on the cake! The banter, the steam - this is definitely a book that I’ll be rereading often!!

Star was born to hippie parents who never married and practically left her to raise herself. Rafe grew up with rich, but loving parents and is a vet. They meet when Star is dressed up as a Disney princess at his niece's birthday party. He later proposes a fake dating arrangement that will benefit her financially and get his mom and sister to stop trying to set him up with any (and all 🤣) women.

As this fake relationship progresses, Star starts to conform her life into trying to be the girl his parents always imagined him with but in this, she starts to lose herself and all she is.

I loved the progress of the MCs relationship! Rafe is so freaking hot and adorable and grumpy! Their chemistry is off the charts. Their fakeness went real a lot quicker than other books I've read of this type, but it was great for them both to realize what makes them happy and how they could get it, everyone else be damned.

Short Synopsis:
Grumpy Rafe is from an affluent family. When his family starts trying to set him up, he hires Star to be his fake girlfriend to have them back off. But Star is the opposite of everything his family wants for him. She’s bohemian, she doesn’t fit into a box, and her biggest goal in life is to be happy.

My Thoughts:
This was my first book by Samantha Young. I struggled getting into Rafe and Star’s beginnings. I did end up appreciating Star’s kindness and their love though.

Read if You Like:
🐶 Grumpy/Sunshine trope
🐶 Fake Dating
🐶 Steam
🐶 Complicated family dynamics
🐶 Animals

Are you ready for The Love Plot by Samantha Young? It's a contemporary romance about fake dating.

Rafferty Whitman, 33, is a veterinarian with his clinic in Manhattan, New York. His father, Greg, was a shipping magnate, and his older brother, Hugo, took over the family's company. His youngest sister, Georgina, is a computer genius. Hugo is married to Philippa, and they have an eight-year-old daughter, Charmaine.

Star Shine Meadows is a twenty-eight-year-old children's entertainer and line sitter. She has a bohemian way about her, and her main objective in life is to be happy and make others happy.

When Rafe meets Star for the first time at his niece's birthday party, he is a pompous jerk. He becomes interested when he sees that Star is a humble, secure individual who lives on her terms.

This story is laugh-out-loud funny; it reminds one to live your life, be true to yourself and not change for anyone, be happy, and love!

The Love Plot is a fun rom-com jammed packed with smoking-hot chemistry and heart.

This was one addictive and swoony read. I do adore Samantha’s writing. She always seems to have this incredible ability to make her readers laugh and fall in love while still tackling some more challenging issues. The Love Plot is perfect for those bookworms who love fake dating, grumpy sunshine; opposites attract, and one-bed love stories. If you have read one of Samantha’s previous books, you know that her writing and stories are super easy to sink into. They always flow beautifully and move quickly enough to keep readers engaged and entertained. There is a lot of humour, spice, and some interesting family dynamics that I think readers will enjoy.

Star is a ray of sunshine, and she is just one of those characters that is just a terrific ball of sunshine. I loved hanging around with her; she had me laughing multiple times throughout this book. Star gives off this hippy, flightily unconventional vibe, and many people around her think she isn’t smart or possesses any moment of depth. But she does; she is passionate about life and often sees things more clearly than those people around her. She is smart and ambitious, but her ambition is geared towards living a life that makes her happy, which is a way of thinking that I love. Many characters in books go through a journey of growth or change, and I was worried that Samantha would try and change who Star is. Thankfully that doesn’t happen; instead, Star’s growth is linked to her ability to open her heart to the possibility of having a relationship with Rafe.

Rafe, Rafe, Rafe, is that perfect mixture of broody grumpy and adorable softness. I loved watching this man become bedazzled and befuddled by Star. She really just shakes his world, and he doesn’t know what to do with her or her outrageous antics. One of my favourite things in romance land is watching an uptight grumpy man have his world completely rocked by a bubbly loveable woman, and that is what happens here. He is just drawn to Star, and he loves her for who she is and doesn’t want her to change.

The romance between these two is delicious, and all I wanted was more Star and Rafe moments. I always find grumpy sunshine romances addictive when they are done right, and Samantha knocked this one out of the park. The chemistry between these two is on fire, and everyone can see the sparks flying between them. I ate up every heated look, brief touch, and sexual innuendo between these two. For those who love a romance with a bit of spice, then you will enjoy the second half of this book.

The Love Plot is an addictive rom-com that I plan on reading again and again.

Thank you, Berkley Publishing, for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book gives me victorian vibes, so if it does you... don't let it. It's not Victorian. It's modern day and just so adorable! I love a grump to sunshine story and this hits all the right notes! The family drama, on both sides is just such an added bonus to a grump and sunshine storyline! Just a solid story! Well done, again, Samantha Young!

“The Love Plot” by Samantha Young is an exhilarating rollercoaster of emotions that delivers laughter and pure joy. The novel effortlessly captures the magnetic attraction between the carefree gig worker, Star Shine Meadows, and the initially uptight Rafe Whitman. Their fake relationship sets the stage for a heartwarming but steamy romantic comedy that beautifully explores the dynamics of opposites attracting. Amidst the tension and laughter, Rafe’s character shines as the kind of man every woman would want in their life. A delightful read that easily earns its 4-star rating.

Swoon-worthy, sweet and sentimental. Star’s journey through her relationships- not just with Rafe, but with her friends, parents and even with work and love- was both relatable and emotional. On the page, her free spirited whimsy felt so grounded that it was easy to see why Rafe fell even when he didn’t want to.

Their grumpy-sunshine dynamic was so well reflected in the plot itself, and in Star’s own narrative. I kind of hoped they’d get a dog, but I really loved seeing her come full circle and bloom (burst? Idk, what’s the appropriate star analogy?).

The smut was exquisite and I loved it. 4 stars because I really struggled with the intensity of Pippa and Hugo’s disdain, as well as the conflict with Kendall and Roger which were never really explored. But this is likely a limit of trad publishing and if another book came out in this universe, I definitely would read it immediately.

Thank you to Samantha Young for the ARC. As always, this has not influenced the honesty of my review and simply served to allow me to reflect my own views instead of trying to fit into society’s boxes- Star would be so proud!

What an adorable story. This grumpy vs. sunshine trope is such a fun and sexy read. The chemistry between Star and Rafe is off the charts and so is their witty banter.

Star Shine Meadows is as cute as her name indicates and she couldn’t be more opposite from Rafferty Whitman. Born to hippie parents, Star is all about being happy and free. Rafe, born into wealth, is all about family, career, and one day committing to marriage.

To get his mom and sister-in-law off his back about being single, Rafe hires Star to be his girlfriend. The ruse is going along well until it is not a ruse anymore and Star begins to change herself to fit into Rafe’s world. Star is forced to look deep into her heart, her insecurities and her upbringing. Both characters learn a lot about the importance of being yourself and not having to fit into the little boxes that society dictates.

Such a fun, witty story with a cast of great characters. The swoony grump and the free spirited beauty will steal your heart. It was everything I love in a romantic comedy

“I felt pity for anyone who was narrow-minded. It closed off so much of the beauty of the world to them.”

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Professional line sitter and character actor Star meets the grumpiest, elitest, and judgy Rafe at a client’s daughter’s birthday party. After another chance meeting, Rafe offers Star a deal she finds hard to refuse: fake date him for $10K per month. That’s more money her current jobs pay her. But once things get muddy and lines are blurred, could Star get over her commitment phobia to be with the one man she least expected? Rafe and Star couldn’t be any more opposite, but they do say, opposites attract.

This was just what I needed after a slow reading month last month. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the story was told from Star’s POV, the character growth of both MCs, the chemistry between the two, and the solid opposites attract trope slash fake dating romance. I loved Rafe and all his grumpy alpha-ness and how much he defended Star to his family. I definitely recommend to my fellow romance-lovers!

I needed this kind of amusing entertainment but still a keep you grounded story. It feels energizing, especially when Star and Rafe meet. They are very different, but once they start opening up, they show a lot of support, understanding, and acceptance towards each other. Even when the road is not easy. One thing I would have loved was to get some of the chapters from his POV, especially at the beginning. But the story is still very good.

That quote pretty sums this one up, and it is one wild and crazy ride! Rafe and Star meet when she's standing in line for her line sitting job and takes great delight in heckling the rich, handsome grump. Somehow this turns into a fake dating relationship so Rafe Whitman can get his family off his back about him dating.

His mother and sister-in-law are relentless, constantly sending woman his way who call him on the phone and show up at his veterinarian clinic with their four-legged friends who have imaginary problems. It really is a lot, bless his heart, and he's desperate to get out of this situation.

Star Shine Meadows is exactly how her name sounds – a free spirit with a glass-half-full attitude who never met a stranger and is kind to everyone she meets. Her parents are non-monogamous hippies and her best friends are two men and a woman in a polyamorous relationship. She and Rafe are complete opposites in every way, from upbringing and affluence to outlook and social circles. But she's just what he needs, and he’s everything she ever needed and never knew to look for.

This one has good bones and some truly hilarious scenes. The verbose narrative and introspection slowed me down and took me out of the story at times, and I’ll admit, Star was a lot. It took me a while to warm up to her, but I loved watching her grow and find herself with Rafe by her side. I’m a big fan of this gifted storyteller, and if you love her work you'll enjoy this one. Sweet, smexy, humorous, and heartfelt, this is sure to please romantic comedy lovers everywhere.

I honestly loved this so so much!

This was a perfect grumpy sunshine romance and I had a great time reading it! Star and Rafe were the freaking cutest and I loved that they loved each other despite their imperfections.

It was heartbreaking to hear of Star's childhood and the abandonment that she received from her parents. It was beautiful to watch her character development throughout the novel! She deserved all the love and I'm so glad she was able to grow and become stable in the relationships she made with Rafe and her friends.

I loved the quirky aspects of this and it truly made for an enjoyable reading experience. The found family aspects made my heart so happy and the steam was immaculate!

That epilogue was the cutest thing i've ever read. That proposal was freaking adorable.

Overall a good time reading!

Thank you PRH Audio, Berkely Romance, Valentine PR, and Samantha Young for this arc and audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

I love Samantha Young. So much. Every book I have read from her has been absolutely amazing. Cosmic Kind of Love is actually in my top 5 favorite romcoms. This was no different. I adored Star. I adored that she was her own person and did her own thing. I adored that she made her own happiness and Rafe came in and complimented it and didn’t take it over. I adored that they had such amazing chemistry and he didn’t want her to change anything about who she was, even if some of his stuffy family tried to change that. I adored how intense both characters were written. I loved that I hated Rafe in the beginning but ended up warming up to him. I loved that you could feel him falling more and more even if Star couldn’t. The only issue I had with this book was a scene in Rafe’s bathroom after they had a fight. It just felt weird to me but that’s just me. I will say that this book is 10/10 for spicy so if you’re not wanting spicy, steer clear. Personally, I thought the spicy added to it and made their relationship more real. This book was so freaking good. I can’t wait for her next one.

I was excited to get this book before its publication date. I love everything Samantha Young writes and this did not disappoint. It’s got all the great tropes, grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, forced proximity, only one bed… I was also fortunate enough to get the audio copy from PRHaudio so I was able to bounce back and forth between audio and ebook and I loved both. It’s a really fun, feel good story, that has the spice and swoony moments we love to see.

Starr is hilarious and so bright, haha makes sense and her job as a character actor is perfect for her. Rafe is, well, a sexy vet and it’s another perfect pairing. I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it.

Happy-go-lucky, Star Shine Meadows hates being tied down which is why her two jobs--a costume character actor and professional line sitter--are the perfect gigs. They allow her the freedom a stifling career would not while simultaneously bringing joy to others. Rafe Whitman, sick of being set up by both his mother and sister-in-law, hires Star to play his fake girlfriend.

I loved this! The overall writing style and Star's voice drew me in from the very beginning. I loved seeing her journey as she grew and changed while learning to not compromise who she was deep down. I also thought the chemistry between Star and Rafe was fantastic (this is the grumpy/sunshine romance of my dreams!). Star's free spirit energy matched up perfectly with Rafe's more buttoned-up personality. However, the more we got to know the characters, the more their similarities came out and it was obvious why they worked.

The Love Plot by Samantha Young is so entertaining and oh so swoony!!!!!

The Love Plot follows Star Shine Meadows, a bohemian free spirit that cares more about being happy than any traditional job or lifestyle can provide. She meets Rafe Whitman, a veterinarian who is tired of all the meddling his family is doing in trying to find him a wife, and he hires Star to be his fake girlfriend. Opposites attract, sparks fly, and welcome to your new favorite summer romance!

I thoroughly enjoyed the plot of this story and fell in love with Star and Rafe. Their grumpy/sunshine vibe with all the banter was so fun! I also love a good fake dating, close proximity, shared bed, steamy story!

I loved the character development in this story. Star is a professional line sitter and Disney princess character actor. She is quirky and wears her heart on her sleeve and I loved that. She is a lady you want to be your friend because she’ll jump in the ocean to save your dog or send you a care package after a rough day. She’s deathly afraid of commitment and I love the way Rafe handles that!

At first, Rafe is harsh, brooding, and cranky and really rubs you wrong but over time he became one of my favorite book boyfriends! He has a softness to him that is guarded from most but when you are in his heart, you are there to stay. I love how he loves people for who they are and doesn’t really care at all what his family thinks. He’s protective and loyal.

Both Star and Rafe have their own struggles but the way they communicate and break down one anothers walls was so tender and romantic. I love good communication in a love story!

Rafe’s family really wanted Star to be more practical, more in tune with reliability like working a nine to five job and dressing more professional. It really had me thinking about how much you should have to change yourself for someone you love? I think so many people are searching for love and it gets exhausting! Slowly people start to settle or think they have to change things about themselves to find their perfect match. I love how this is examined in this story and I think there need to be more men like Rafe out there!

Smanatha Young’s writing is phenomenal! She has such an incredible backlist and I can’t wait to dive back into it! I read On Dublin Street many years ago and loved it!