Thank you Berkley for the eArc.

This book unfortunately just didn’t work for me. I found most of the writing and dialogue stiff and contrived, making it hard to feel any real connection between the main characters.

However, I did like that this book casually included characters in a polyamorous relationship (Star’s best friends) as that’s not something represented in a lot of traditionally published books.

Fun and wonderful - among her best. Utterly readable and delightful with characters that are so well defined and articulated.

“The Love Plot” by Samantha Young is a grumpy-meets-sunshine fun story! I was a little hesitant because of the fake girlfriend trope but of course the author didn’t let me down.

The main character, Star, was so much fun! She’s a free-spirited, fun, happy person that I would love to know in real life. Rafe is just the opposite; he starts out so moody, but ends up being so supportive of Star that I just loved their story!

I’ve been reading Samantha Young for years and she’s never let me down. She’s such a great writer and her characters are so relatable!

Rating: 4/5
Warnings: difficult family dynamics, parental abandonment
Steam: 3.5/5
Tropes: fake dating, grumpy sunshine, forced proximity, spicy cinnamon

Thank you to Berkley Romance for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. The Love Plot will be released on August 29th, 2023

Things I loved: Rafe was such a grumpy to Star's sunshine attitude. I really loved how Rafe did not take any of Star's bs, he knew her so well and communicated effectively. I loved how much Star was 100% herself and I loved her goal to just be happy. The book was such a trope filled book but it was done so well! The sweet pets. All the humor and banter kept me laughing. Well written steam.

Things I didn't care for: Star was so unkind to herself, we understand the backstory of why and we had some character growth...but I wish it wasn't all of a sudden near the end.

This might be my new favorite Samantha Young book and I can't wait to own it!

3.75 stars

So i actually enjoyed this book a lot and was really into it! There were a couple things that kind of bothered me though. For someone who was all about being kind to everyone, I felt like she brought that point up a lot. Like, she was constantly reminding herself how kind and non-judgmental she was, which seemed weird. She also, even at the very end, made it clear that she would do whatever she wanted and go wherever she wanted regardless of what her SO thought of it. To me, this is super selfish thinking. While obviously a relationship shouldn't change the important aspects of your person, it is important to be with someone who supports you and also to be considerate of their feelings, just like you want them to be considerate to you.

I meant to read a few pages over lunch, and ended up zooming through this delightful novel through the afternoon. The fake dating premise is a trope that often promises fun; the author's spin was to pit sunshine against grumpy.

Sunshine: Star Shine Meadows, daughter of hippies, who is happy with her life, sketchy as it seems from the outside. She earns her rent by standing in lines for people, and playing characters for parties and events. She doesn't believe in marriage, or careers.

She meets Rafe, who is grumpy and rude because his mother and sister-in-law will not stop trying to matchmake him. Of course he's the whole package (hot and rich) or this wouldn't be a romance novel, but he's a veterinarian!

He hires Star to ward off his family for six months. Some of their early encounters are hilarious. I think Star is probably my favorite romance heroine so far this year--she's funny, sweet, but she's got a spine. What's more, she catches herself spiraling, and tries to communicate. As I loathe with a passion the easy to write but annoying to read "grand misunderstanding" that keeps conflict going, I welcomed with relief the way that every time Star and Rafe hit snags, they talked. Even the inevitable-these-days Big Climactic Moment near the end wasn't dragged out because these two got right up into each other's faces and talked it out.

I loved the side characters, and also the way we slowly learned why Star is the way she is--and what she does about it. Such a fun book. If the rest of Samantha Young's books are this smart, and funny, and kind to the characters who are trying to redeem themselves, she will go to my insta-buy list.

I enjoyed the central romance and learning about Star's unconventional jobs. I believed that the characters were falling in love, and the supporting characters charmed and infuriated me at times.

I am not a fan of the illustrated cover. I prefer the covers of the author's earlier books.

A little pat in places but also really funny in others…maybe it was meant to be a novella…lots of cute kids and animals

Of the previous 3 books by Samantha Young I've read, I gave them all 5 stars. This, too, is a 5 star book. Young's books are fun and popular at my library. I will continue to read and purchase her books.

The cutest, sexiest romcom!

Star is a free spirit. She won't work a 9-5. She doesn't like to be tied down. She's never spends much time with a guy. Relationships just aren't for her.

But then she meets Rafe (a hot veterinarian, swoon!) and they enter into a fake dating relationship. But will it go the way they think it will?

Tropes:
Fake dating
Grumpy sunshine
Found family

Thank you to netgalley and Berkley romance for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

After being so disappointed by romance lately, this blew me away. Samantha Young has an extensive backlist that I’ve barely tapped the surface on but, of the few I’ve read, this is my favorite by far. Perfectly executed use of the grumpy/sunshine and fake dating tropes! I mean seriously, is there anything better than fake dating when someone “hasn’t been pretending for awhile?” I think not. Add in a veterinarian love interest (my kryptonite) and I’m a goner. Seriously though, Rafe tops the list of book boyfriends. He started off a rude jerk and become my future ex-husband fairly quickly. And Star! If you told me I would fall in love with a character named Star Shine Meadows, I would’ve called you a liar. Thankfully it wasn’t a weird name for no reason (my pet peeve), since she was born to hippie parents and her relationship with them was a pivotal part of the book. And the spice! I was blushing while reading this at work, so if you like steamy books look no further. I also really liked the addition of a successful polyamorous relationship between Star’s closest friends. Anyways, I absolutely recommend this to fans of romance! It’s so good! I’m already ready for a reread and will definitely be pre-ordering.

I have been a big fan of Samantha Young's for a while but hadn't picked up her last book. I devoured this book in one night, had to know how it ended! The grumpy sunshine trope at its best, so much tension, and so steamy. Loved, must read!

Are you wanting to read a book? pick this book
Are you wanting a lovable heroine, grumpy vetenarian romcom? pick this book
Are you wanting to fall in LOVE with how sweet the main characters are to each other (...eventually)? pick this book
Are you wanting to giggle and blush at a book while reading? pick this book
Are you wanting to be hooked from the first page? pick this book
Are you wanting a book without a third act break up? pick this book
PICK
THIS
BOOK
UP!!
READ IT
god save our goddess Samantha Young

The Love Plot is exactly my type of romance...While it was tropetastic...it executed each one so well. Rafe was the perfect misunderstood grump who had a squishy marshmallow inside, and Star was unapologetically herself with some great style. It was a fun read that also tugged at your heart. I'm definitely adding this to my re-read rotation.

Star is proud of who she is and doesn’t feel the need to impress others. She loves her two jobs as a character actor, often dressing as Disney princesses, and as someone who waits in lines for others so she can get lots of reading done. When she meets Rafe at one of her jobs, he doesn’t make a great impression. He seems like an arrogant, rich snob, actually, which is why Star finds it fun to push his buttons and embarrass him the next time she sees him. He surprises her by offering her a job- to fake date him so that his unrelenting mother and sister in law stop setting him up with every woman they know.

I loved this book so much, and it’s one of my favorite romance reads this year! This was my first book by Samantha Young, but it won’t be my last. I loved her writing style and the beautiful message in this book of being proud of who you are and true to yourself. This book has my very favorite romance trope of fake dating, along with grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract, and forced proximity with one bed. Rafe’s character growth was heartwarming, and Star is one of my favorite main characters in a long time! She had me laughing out loud at her antics and loving her honesty and sunny personality. If you like romcoms, this book should definitely top your reading list!

Thank you to Samantha Young, Berkley Romance, and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Many thanks to Samantha Young for writing this swoon-worthy and entertaining romance, with favorite tropes including grumpy-meets-sunshine, opposites-attract, and fake dating! Both of the characters are so lovable, giving millions of hugs! I have to admit, our brooding and hot-as-hell hero Rafe didn’t leave a good first impression with his harsh comments about our extra-sunshiny, sweet, gold-hearted, and incarnation-of-Disney-Princess heroine Star Shine Meadows (it’s impossible not to be extra protective over her – she’s a wonderful, kind, optimistic, energetic heroine who makes you feel good about yourself and change your perspective about the world)! Rafe’s family dynamics also reminded me a little of L.J. Shen’s Devil in Black (supporting and friendly sister, sweetheart mom, arrogant brother, and dislikable sister-in-law characteristics were so much similar to that book).

Thankfully, Samantha Young’s story has better main characters, and this book provides clean romance. Both of the characters deal with their own emotional insecurities and baggage, but I loved seeing how they slowly destroyed each other’s emotional barriers, evolving into a better version of themselves. There was no unnecessary, angsty drama between them.

The main story revolves around Rafe Whitman, a commitment guy who believes in monogamous, long-term relationships, preferring animals to humans, socially a little reserved, and working as a veterinarian at the clinic he recently founded. His last breakup left him with trust issues, which resulted in the nonstop intervention of his mother and sister-in-law, who try so hard to matchmake him with the most eligible singles of Manhattan elites.

When Rafe meets Star Shine Meadows in a Disney costume at his niece’s birthday, he makes cruel comments about her job and life choices. Star was raised by hippie, extra free-spirited, selfish parents who are polygamists, trying to fit in throughout her teenage years in different cities and social circles that resulted in her being outcasted or bullied because of her eccentric parents’ unconventional lifestyle. She learned to take care of herself at the age of 10. The neglect and abandonment created trust issues and lots of emotional baggage that she cannot form a bonding for too long, preferring short-term flings to serious long-term attachments. She works as a costume character actor and line sitter, which requires waiting in long lines for special products, tickets for the people who cannot have time or energy.

At their second coincidental meeting, Star makes saucy comments and humiliates Rafe in the middle of the Apple Store to avenge the mean words he’s said behind her back. She waits for retaliation, but instead of that, Rafe makes an offer she finds way too alluring to reject. He wants her to fake-date with him to stop his family’s matchmaking attempts! He’s ready to pay $10,000 monthly for a six-month commitment, which may help Star afford the road trip she’s dreaming of going on.

As they start their dating game, privileged and wealthy family members show mixed reactions about Star’s family life, her colorful and eccentric fashion style, and her lack of career plans. But Star slowly gets under their skin with her kind heart, honesty, and genuineness. At least she wins some of them over as Rafe's biased brother Hugo and his criticizing wife Pippa still think their relationship will never work.

As they spend more time together and realize the palpable attraction, Star starts to think that maybe she can take a chance to grow roots, bond with the people, and confront her abandonment issues, which means she has to face her fears.

At first, I didn't like Rafe, but he grew on me after apologizing several times for his attitude and mean words. Don't be fooled by his rough facade; he's hiding his cinnamon roll persona under his grumpy attitude. Overall, I'm rounding up 3.5 stars to 4. This engaging, swoon-worthy, and entertaining romance is highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing book's digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.