When Star ruffles Rafe’s feathers, she ruffles them good and in public for strangers to laugh with! She takes ruffling up a level by mentioning food play and it’s hilarious! He does his own ruffling too, leaving her proud of him in “The Love Plot” by Samantha Young!

This romantic comedy is a fast read! From the beginning when Star bravely stands up for herself while wearing a Merida costume to the biggest grump in Manhattan, but his attractiveness levels up when Rafe is caught being happy with his niece, I needed more!!!

There are emotional scenes in this book which I expect and enjoy when reading Young’s books! There are hurtful moments yet swoony moments. There are multiple twists that leave you thinking what makes a person selfish and they need to stay away from our sunshine, Star Shine Meadows!

The reason for their fake relationship is wild yet necessary. I love the character growth for both Star and Rafe while these two very opposite people learn from each other.

I love the conditions Young wrote for their relationship to shift from fake to real albeit the tension tightening because of one bed! I love how Young made Star and Rafe’s food play come full circle! I love everything about this book!!!

If you enjoy close proximity, difference social class, found family, happy and independent women, I tried relationships, spicy time, steamy kisses, and swoony grump reads, then I highly recommend this book!

Thank you Valentine PR and Samantha Young for my advanced review copy which I received in exchange for an honest review.

Stunning, incredible, perfect, so fun. I blazed through THE LOVE PLOT in about 36 hours and just ate up the fake dating plot like an insatiable little woodland creature. As a love interest, Rafe was great and I loved that most of the books tension and drama didn't center around Rafe and Star as a couple and was more centered around Star's issues related to her upbringing and family dynamics. Even when they had disagreements due to miscommunication, it didn't feel like the same tired miscommunication trope that so many other romance novels rely on to move the plot forward.

Samantha Young is a “new to me” author and I absolutely loved The Love Plot! I am looking forward to reading more of her work!

Rafe and Star go together like peanut butter and jelly! This book had me laughing from start to finish with Star’s smart mouth. I absolutely loved the chemistry between these two characters.

Star is a lovely, free spirit who has a few jobs just to make ends meet. She is a character actor where she is hired to dress up as any character under the sun as well as a line sitter. She meets Rafe at his niece's birthday party and he was really pretty crappy to her. They met again while she was waiting in line when her witty banter caught his attention. He then offered her a job fake dating him for $10k a month (for 6 months). This would allow Star to do what she wanted most in life - travel.

Rafe is a hot, rich, GRUMPY veterinarian who needs to do something to get his mother and sister-in-law off his back to find himself a wife. He is just so desperate to offer Star a once in a lifetime offer just to get some peace in his life.

Both of these MC’s have their own personal baggage/issues. They really connect with each other and seem to be able to help overcome some of those issues. At first, I couldn’t stand Rafe but he grew on me. I loved how Rafe was so honest and didn’t sugar coat things for Star. I did find Star a bit annoying at times when it came to their “relationship” because of her past and from her parents' issues. But I did enjoy seeing their character development throughout the book.

Overall, a fantastic book. I enjoyed most of the side characters - Star’s mom is such a garbage person. The writing and story were wonderful. Definitely a must read!

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐡𝐚𝐬:
Grumpy x Sunshine
Fake Dating
One Bed
Miscommunication
Cinnamon Roll MMC
Opposites Attract
Polyamorous Relationship Rep (Stars best friends)

Thank you to @valentine_pr_ @authorsamanthayoung for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A new book from Samantha Young and I couldn't be more thrilled to have the chance to review here.
I'm well familiar with her novels, read so many already, but one thing I can tell you about her writing style it's that it can be so addictive that you want to read more and more and never stop.
I'm a fan of romance, so romance with complications like fake dating it's evem more fun for me.
Loved the love plot, loved Rafe and Star and I absolutely recommend it.
A few things that you'll get with this book - likeable characters :a free spirited young woman and a very serious grumpy vet
-their plan to fake a relationship in order for him to be left alone by his family, who were making a case into finding him a perfect girl
-characters that are atracted to each other from the beginning but try to wear a mask of.... "Ohh you're not my style"
-get heated with their oh so hot encounters
-and obviously that moment when you want to slap one of them for not seeing the obvious about their story.
Love plot, has everithing to make you not to put it down until it's finished, and regret at the end that it's over.

The Love Plot is a fun rom-com with grumpy sunshine vibes and fake dating — the perfect combination!

I really loved Star in this book. She has such a bubbly, carefree personality and it's a refreshing aspect to this story. Rafe, while he embodies the personality of "grumpy", is a little frustrating at times. But I also understand his desire to bring Star around his family. And I love that she softens him up as the story goes on.

It's a fun rom-com that many will love. Samantha Young's writing is definitely something that makes me want to pick up more of her books!

Few authors can make me laugh and swoon in the same chapter like Samantha Young can! The Love Plot follows Star, a bohemian gig worker, and Rafe, a straight-laced veterinarian, as they fake date to try to ward off Rafe's family's matchmaking attempts.

Star is pure sunshine and fun, with a big heart. Her strength and compassion are admirable given her background and parents.

Rafe is the grumpy, stern guy that just wants to live his life in peace. Preferring dogs to people, he is very much over his family's attempts to set him up with the most eligible women in New York. So, he cooks up a plan to hire Star to pretend to date him to get at least of few months off from their antics.

This was a sweet and steamy read with a lot of heart. I particularly enjoyed the emphasis on what makes a family.

Some of my favorite tropes can be found in The Love Plot:
•Grumpy/sunshine
•Fake dating
•Opposites attract
•Class/upbringing differences
•He fall first 😌

Thanks to Berkley Romance for the advanced copy! Even with a newborn to take care of, I inhaled this book!

Super cute romance opposite attract/fake dating/fall in love for real and HEA. Alot more to unpack though - heroine dysfunctional family versus hero loving family, polygamy relationships with Star's friends. Star trying to fit in and be who she thinks he deserves. Star cuts tie with her dysfunctional mother. Emotional baggage from hero's cheating ex. Star commitment phobia and fear of abandonment as the result of her upbringing...overall I enjoyed it!
I think the plot is interesting. The chemistry is great even though they are very different from each other (a vet and a free-spirit). A lot of sexy times, laugh out loud moments, and fun banters. Entertaining read! 💞

THE LOVE PLOT by Samantha Young is a stand alone, contemporary, adult, romance story line focusing on Star Shine Meadows, and thirty-three year old, veterinarian Dr. Rafe Whitman.

Told from first person perspective (Star) THE LOVE PLOT follows the fake relationship agreement between Star Shine Meadows, and thirty-three year old, veterinarian Dr. Rafe Whitman. Star Meadows grew up with unconventional parents, in an unconventional life style, has two unconventional jobs, and a tight knit group of unconventional friends. A job posing as a Disney princess finds Star face to face with Dr. Rafe Whitman, the birthday girl’s uncle, and a man whose family is desperate to find him a wife. Butting proverbial heads from the outset, Rafe offers Star a six month, financially exclusive contract as his ‘fake girlfriend’ in which Star will discover her unconventionality does not fit well with the Whitman side of life. As Star slowly falls for the man in question, his family is slowly changing our story line heroine. What ensues is the building relationship between Star and Rafe, and the potential fall-out as Star begins to lose herself in an effort to support the man with whom she has fallen in love.

The relationship between Star and Rafe begins acrimoniously. Rafe is troubled by Star’s methods of employment but desperate times force Rafe to offer Star another ‘unconventional’ contract, a contract to play the loving girlfriend of a man who is struggling in his personal life. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to Star’s friends, and her Bohemian parents, as well as Rafe’s extended family of rich snobs and questionable friends.

THE LOVE PLOT is a ‘sunshine-grumpy’ story line of desperation and determination, friendships and family, acceptance and love. The premise is entertaining, engaging and inviting; the characters are flirty, sassy and lively; the romance is edgy, tender and emotional.




THE READING CAFÉ: http://www.thereadingcafe.com/the-love-plot-by-samantha-young-review-excerpt-giveaway/


AMAZON COM: https://www.amazon.com/review/R214L1EV22XNK3/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8


GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5793868182


BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/2093354968


B&N (Sandy_thereadingcafe) https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-love-plot-samantha-young/1142778732?ean=9780593438633&bvnotificationId=a524bbfb-469a-11ee-aae3-124e24e0dde5&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=hotmail.com#review/256630964


Ibooks (Sandy sch)

Sick of his mother and sister-in-law trying to set him up on dates, Rafe Whitman enlists the help of free-spirited Star Shine Meadows to pretend to date him to get them off his back. Star and Rafe lead completely different lives, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have chemistry. Will they be able to get over their differences and take a chance on being happy with each other while remaining true to who they are?

This was a fun romance set in New York City. Star was a unique character who was the child of hippies so she lives a free-spirited lifestyle and has jobs like character actor and line sitter. I enjoyed how she and Rafe met at a birthday party she was working at, but their second meeting really set the tone for the book and had me laughing out loud.

I listened to the audiobook while reading along to the ebook and enjoyed the narrator, Savannah Peachwood did a fantastic job. She brought both Star and Rafe to life and delivered all the comedic moments really well. She also handled the family drama and steamy moments perfectly.

This was my first book by Young. I enjoyed her writing style and that she included interesting characters especially Star’s friends who I really enjoyed while reading this one. Opposites attract has become one of my favorite tropes, and she really showed us how the other half lives in this story. I don’t always love fake dating, but I enjoyed it in this story.

Read this is you like:
- Grumpy/sunshine
- Opposites attract
- Fake dating

Thank you Berkley Publishing, PRH Audio, and NetGalley for advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.

I thought this was a super cute romance with some fun spice thrown in the mix! The fake dating trope and grumpy/sunshine characters were executed so well in this book! I loved the tension & banter between the main characters, it made this book really hard to put down! I gotta say, Rafe was a bit of an ass to begin with.. but I’m happy to say that he grew on me and I really enjoyed character growth. I thought Star’s unique background was interesting and enjoyed her authenticity throughout. This book also did a good job of addressing trauma from dysfunctional families and I loved how the two MCs worked through those together.

Really enjoyed this one, definitely add it to your to-read list! Thank you Berkley Publishing and Berkley Romance for the copy of this novel for review.

I have loved Young’s words since the start of her career and The Love Plot is another stunning addition to her catalog! I love a good grumpy sunshine story and this one was a lot of fun. From two completely opposites attract to fake dating, Rafe and Star Shine take you on a roller coaster ride of all the emotions, quirky moments because of the different ways these two have grown up. This is a fun read and keeps you on your toes!

After a couple of meh romcoms this was a breath of fresh air. There’s fake dating, which is fast becoming one of my favorite romance tropes along with opposites and grumpy sunshine. Yeah I know kinda similar but they both don’t have to exist.

Star and Rafe. What names. I connected with her happy go lucky personality and while he was a little much at times, I really grew to like him too. And as I always say, the most important thing for me with a romance is to root for the couple. Which I did.

It’s cute and heartwarming. I giggled and loved the banter. The characters grew and stumbled as they spent time together. Opposites don’t just change and fall in love, I liked we saw the struggle and them trying to work out the solution. Exactly what I needed to read right now.

And kudos to @savannahpeachwood for doing a bang up job being both Star and Rafe. I’m sometimes disappointed when there isn’t dual narration in a romance but she does such a good job. I loved it.

——4.5⭐️
📚The Love Plot
Genre: Romance
Tropes: Fake Dating, Grumpy x Sunshine

Star Meadows jobs aren’t ‘traditional’ she’s a line sitter & a character actor. On one job playing as Merida for a little girls birthday party a grumpy looking man at the back of the party catches Stars eye, who happens to be the uncle (Rafe) of the birthday girl. During her break she talks to him out on the balcony only to realize he’s an ass.
A few days later while waiting in line during one of her jobs she sees Rafe and yells to him to purposely embarrass him. When he comes over to her he asks if she’d like another job to be his fake girlfriend in front of his family.

This was super cute & very fast paced! I’d definitely recommend to those who love the fake dating & grumpy x sunshine trope as I felt this executed it very well. And there’s also a bit of the one bed trope😏

Comes out- August 29th!
Thank you to Samantha Young & Valentine Pr for the Arc!!

I love an opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine trope. It's two tropes that Samantha Young does exceptionally well. I adored Rafe. Talk about being relatable... it can be not very pleasant to constantly have your family meddling, so I loved him from the start. I also loved that they got along even though Star is the opposite of Rafe's family. The writing was excellent, and there were some absolutely swoon-worthy parts.

4.5 stars

This was such a sweet story

Fake dating
Grumpy sunshine
1 bed forced proximity .

Star is free spirt raised by self declared hippie parents who borderline on neglectful. Raffe is a vet coming from a wealthy family. Raffe wants to get his family of his back about settling down and shock them a little. He employs Star to be his girlfriend i front of his family.

I loved the story between Raffe and Star but Star’s finding herself journey was such a special part of this book.

When Star Meadows and Rafe Whitman meet at his niece's birthday party, they don't exactly hit it off. He disparages her job as a costumed character actor, and while she would normally try to let such things go, she can't help pushing back. As she's walking away from the encounter, she accidentally overhears a conversation between him and his sister-in-law and learns that at least some of his grumpiness is due to exhaustion from a rough night at work, as well as frustration with his family's incessant matchmaking efforts.

A few days later, Star is working her second job as a professional line sitter when she happens to see Rafe again and decides to tease him. She couldn't be more surprised when he responds by giving her his business card and telling her to call him if she's interested in making a lot of money. As it turns out, Rafe is looking to hire a temporary fake girlfriend to get a break from the constant setups and offers Star $10,000 per month to take the job. She's been feeling restless and dreaming of taking time off to go on an extended cross-country road trip, so despite her reservations, she agrees. The relationship may be fake, but the attraction between Rafe and Star is very real. Could real feelings be far behind?

I expected to enjoy this book, but I was honestly blown away by how much I loved it. The witty banter between Rafe and Star was pitch perfect, and the slow burn chemistry had me at the edge of my seat until the moment it finally boiled over. There was no way these two should have worked as a couple, but somehow they just fit, and I was rooting for them the whole way.

I highly recommend "The Love Plot" for all contemporary romance and romantic comedy fans. I look forward to picking up more of Samantha Young's books in the future.

*Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley/Valentine PR. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a refreshing, upbeat, clever romance with plenty of charm and heated banter. There’s deep emotions and life lessons as well. It’s the total romance package for me.
Star Shine Meadows is the heroine and her name says a lot about her. She’s a bohemian spirited woman raised unconventionally by her non-conformist hippie parents. She’s also a woman who can put a snob in their place verbally without being unkind, she’s my hero!
Rafe Whitman, at first meeting seems grumpy, rude and a bit of snob…. Then he plays with his young niece in a way that let me know he was more sensitive and had more going on than his grumpy attitude. Then, discovering he’s a trust fund guy, yet he’s veterinarian who is super caring, kind to animals turned impressions upside down for Star and for me.
They begin a fake dating scheme to keep his affluent family from aggressive match making and to help Star get money for her dream of traveling the country.
It’s a really fun story with snarky banter that changes to flirty banter.
I love both characters so much, they get to know each other on their fake dates around Rafe’s family and “society” types. It makes for interesting interactions as some of the people are openly scornful towards Star and her very open minded personality.
The characters are immensely likable, the flirting is so entertaining and the chemistry is great.
I love that classism and life outside of the box society puts people in is a big part of the story, yet it’s still a bubbly, fun and sweet romance with spice.
The secondary characters are multi dimensional and some aren’t completely likable just like real life.
I really enjoyed this story so much.
It’s a really feel good story with unique characters. Star and Rafe will be forever favorite characters for me.

I absolutely adored The Love Plot. Such an entertaining fake dating, opposites attract romantic comedy.

Rafe’s grumpy to Star’s free spirited personality was a breath of fresh air. They were a perfectly balanced couple and I loved watching their connection grow. The witty banter and steamy chemistry was on point. Their story was well written with family drama and a beautiful happy ever after.

The Love Plot is a polar-opposites attract, fake dating, rom-com following free-spirit, Star Shine Meadows, and type- A veterinarian, Rafferty (Rafe) Whitman.

Friendly and eccentric, Star makes a living as a professional character actor and line sitter, enjoying the flexibility of her part time jobs. Her only goal in life is to be happy.

NYC vet, Rafe Whitman, is sick of being set up on dates by his overbearing (but kind) mother and pretentious sister-in-law. Having grown up extremely wealthy, he is tired of being dragged to social events while he is working to get his new clinic off the ground.

After a disastrous first meeting during his niece’s birthday party and embarrassing run-in days later, Rafe decides to enlist the help of Star and employs her as his fake girlfriend for a reprieve from the dating madness. But the more time he spends in her company, the more he enjoys her kindness and refreshing outlook on life. Can he convince Star that starting a real relationship with him is worth the commitment despite the lessons she has learned from her misguided and unconventional parents?

I am going to be honest, this one started off a little bit rough for me. Star is very QUIRKY, and I had a hard time connecting with her character. But as the story went on and we learnt more about her upbringing, I really started to like her and enjoyed her character growth. It takes her some time to sort out her true feelings on relationships after being brainwashed by her parents for so many years. She has such a wonderful outlook on life and her kindness is contagious; I am glad she was able to keep that piece of herself.

Rafe comes off as reserved, a little shy and grumpy. He starts off the book being very concerned about appearances. As the book goes on, spending time with Star really helps him to prioritize what is important in life. I love how he owns their relationship and doesn’t try to diminish her or her interests.

“I want you because you’re you, differences, and all. I already told you I like you just as you are.”

Overall, another extremely enjoyable rom com from Samantha Young. Despite being opposites in every way, Rafe and Star find common values and priorities by the end of the novel; they both evolve to be the best versions of themselves. Star helps Rafe loosen up and Rafe gives Star the stability and safe place to land she has always needed. Highly recommend for fans of opposites attract.

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for the e-ARC; all thoughts are my own.

Samantha Young brings us the story of Star, a free spirited woman whose mission in life is to be happy. At one of her jobs as a costume character actor, she meets very straight-laced Rafe. How very different their personalities are is very evident when they run into each other at her other job as a line sitter and she tries to embarrass him. The tables get turned when Rafe offers her a job pretending to be his girlfriend.

Star is not prepared for all that is involved when she accepts the job and they spend time together. Will their pasts get in the way of a possible future? Are they too different that attempting a relationship is doomed from the start? Their attraction to each other brings them to a point where they have to make a choice. Can they trust in this new feeling, or revert to the tried and true?

Samantha Young brings us the story of two very different individuals. They remind me of other couples that Samantha has brought into my life. And again, I enjoyed reading Star and Rafe's story and being with them on this adventure. You never knew how they would react to each other and I enjoyed their friendly and sometimes even sexy banter. You can never go wrong with a Samantha Young story!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley for this privilege.