4.5 stars - The perfect Grumpy/Sunshine RomCom! Samantha is one of my favorite one-click authors, and I love that I know I'll devour the story, whether it's a romcom or drama.

The characters were witty, charming, and complete opposites. With family dynamics that interfere on both sides, they're fake relationship turns sideways fast.

**Fake relationship
**Found family
**Grumpy/Sunshine
**Veterinarian

Let me tell you good communication and witty banter make for an amazing romance. I also loved the support that they both gave each other throughout the book on various subjects. Star was definitely a star that shines brightly and was uniquely herself and unapologetic about it as well. I loved the Rafe was a grump at first but he actually just needed to know people before he was comfortable(relatable). I have loved the stand-alone books I have read by Samantha Young and I will definitely be keeping a look for other ones by her.

This was my first book by Samantha Young and I absolutely love how she writes. From well rounded characters to snappy dialogue and interesting dynamics that move the plot forward, this book was such a joy to read!

Star Shine Meadows is such an interesting character. She’s free-spirited, but much of her world view comes from how she was raised by two hippie parents who didn’t believe in monogamy or really want a child, so they neglected her. Star’s one goal in life is to be happy, so she bucks the idea of committing to anything too strongly - career, odd jobs, and especially relationships. She meets Rafe, an uptight veterinarian from a wealthy NYC family - and a serial monogamist to boot - and agrees to start fake-dating him as a way to earn money for travel. When she begins to fall for him it propels her on a journey of self-discovery.

This starts out as an easy breezy grumpy/sunshine read, but it really becomes much more layered and emotionally complex. I wasn’t expecting the book to dive into class as much as it did, but I LOVE opposite-sides-of-the-track stories (hello 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, one of my forever faves) and I ate up every moment seeing Star hold her own as she navigates Rafe’s world. Of course the stakes get higher when real feelings develop and she starts questioning her whole identity.

Overall, this has a wonderful message about staying true to yourself. I loved Star’s growth throughout the story and thought Young did a great job looking at both the pros and cons of living life with no strings attached. Rafe is a great cinnamon roll MC who is true to himself as well. Although he falls HARD for Star, I love how he gives her the space to make her own choices. It’s very romantic and I would love to believe a relationship like this could happen in real life. There were a few minor things that kept this from being a solid 5 stars for me, but this was definitely one of the most fun rom coms I’ve read all year! 4.5 stars!

Thank you Valentine PR, Berkley, and NetGalley for the eARC for review!!

"But since you’re in a bad mood, I won’t hold it against you. As for me, I’m genuinely happy in life. I don’t know if many people can say the same, so I feel pretty awesome about the fact that I’m standing here rocking a Merida costume and a Scottish accent..”

This was such a great grump/sunshine and fake dating romance! I loved how upbeat and bubbly Star was. It was the total opposite to Rafe lol! Star and Rafe’s meet cute was a funny one! When Rafe hires Star to be his fake date for six months, that’s when things start to pick up! I loved how much Star’s personality would get on Rafe’s nerves. Once Star gets Rafe to come out of his shell, you really can’t help but fall for him! He’s so caring of Star and wants the best for her. He also falls for her and all of her crazy personalities! I love that we get a few steamy scenes in this romance!

Read if you like:
Heroine’s POV
Grump x Sunshine
Fake dating romance
Open door romance
Quirky heroine

5 Stars!
Star Shine Meadows is a quirky, independent woman that lives on Staten Island. She was raised by hippie parents and has always been a free spirit. She strives to live a life that makes her happy and tries to be her true authentic self. She's a laid back, people person that enjoys doing a variety of jobs that never get boring. From line sitting to being a professional costume character she has a good time. She likes having a laid back lifestyle with no pressure or expectations. Then one day while working at a party, she meets the birthday girl's grumpy uncle. She finds the gorgeous, uptight stranger captivating, and has some fun joking and picking on him.

Rafe Whitman is a bachelor in New York City from a wealthy, influential family. He's a veterinarian on the Upper West Side that just wants to live his life in peace on his own terms. Unfortunately his family is obsessed with him finding a wife and settling down. They won't let up, so he come's up with a plan to get them to leave him alone. He's decided he needs a pretend girlfriend, and when he runs into a woman he recently met, he makes her an offer she can't refuse.

Star is looking forward to saving up money from her newest job. It should be easy attending a few family functions, but with their extreme differences she quickly realizes she doesn't belong in Rafe's world. Soon lines get blurred with the sexy vet that's off limits, and things get complicated when she develops unexpected feelings for her fake boyfriend. After months together was it all pretending, or had their relationship turned into something real?

The Love Plot by Samantha Young is a grumpy/sunshine, fake dating romance about family, love and self discovery. Opposites attract and we get a fabulous story packed with heart, emotion, sizzling chemistry and hilarious banter. I really loved these characters and couldn't quit smiling while reading this book. <333

Sandy M’s review of The Love Plot by Samantha Young
Contemporary Romance published by Berkley 29 Aug 23

Star Shine Meadows is definitely a product of her hippie parents. She juggles her two jobs, a character actor and standing in line for anything and everything someone else thinks they don’t have the time for, and has a blast doing so. Some grumpiness is about to invade her world and her need to be free in her own way pulls her in different directions, most of which she isn’t happy about. But that grump? He’s a whole ‘nother story, as far as Star is concerned.


Rafe Whitman is a stand-up guy, a veterinarian, and tired of his family trying to fix him up with the perfect woman. When he meets
Star at his niece’s princess-themed birthday party, he’s not impressed. He can’t understand someone who has no ambition beyond dress-up and freedom at all costs. They go their separate ways, and that’s the end of that. Isn’t it?

But they meet up again, and we see how opposites attract, despite their best efforts to keep that at bay. Eventually, after they’re able to have a discussion or two, they agree Star will be Rafe’s pretend girlfriend to hopefully keep his mother and sister-in-law off his back about getting married. She gets big bucks to finally do that traveling she’s always wanted to do. But slowly the relationship transitions through every emotion possible, something Samantha Young gets right every time.

I so enjoyed how Rafe begins to defend Star and her decisions in life. He becomes a more stand-up guy the better you get to know him. And Star Shine is absolutely fun and heart wrenching at the same time, when you learn more about her parents and their seeming disinterest in her. Suddenly Rafe sees her in the light of love, and changing her mind about feelings and romance is priority number one.

Once again, Ms.Young gives readers the perfect road to romance with characters who will steal your heart and never let go. This story is absolute perfection of why Samantha Young is a favorite of mine and I anxiously await each of her books.

Grade: A

3.5 Stars [rounded up] ⭐️

Many thanks to Valentine PR for the ARC!

✨Fake Dating
✨Grumpy x Sunshine
✨Opposites Attract
✨Only One Bed

The Love Plot was such a fun read - this was the first Samantha Young book I've read and I'll definitely check out her others!

Rafe Whitman & Star Shine Meadows could not be more different but they both have something to gain from a fake relationship. Rafe needs his mother and sister-in-law to stop trying to set him up with every elligible woman they come across & Star needs a stable income to make the travels in her daydreams a reality. So they make a deal and like a loving couple in front of Rafe's circle until it becomes clear that things aren't feeling so fake anymore...

I'd recommend this one to fans of the fake dating trope!

She's done it again!! I've never met a Samantha Young book I haven't loved! This story was an exceptionally, spectacular execution of the fake dating trope. It was funny and cute and spicy and swoony. The grumpiness of the MMC and how he's fighting his family's plans to set him up left, right, and center is almost comical if it wasn't sad. The independence and free spirit of the FMC would be something we all strive for, except for the fact that it comes with parental trauma and the buried need for stability. The growth of these two throughout the book and how their seemingly jarring differences are what make them work so well is so warm and swoony. Everything about these two and their story is 😍

This week I had the absolute pleasure of reading The Love Plot & I adored the heck out of it! It was quirky and funny and the romance was more than swoon-y!

The grumpy meets sunshine trope is one of my favorites and when the grump is the one who falls first? 😍 It’s what dreams are made of! This fake dating romance quickly turns into a real romance wherein the characters are so incredibly right for each other AND they get together early on in the book (love 😍)! Of course, there are some ups and downs otherwise it wouldn’t be a true rom-com but the characters get it together long enough for an amazing HEA.

Star Shine Meadows is not your average girl. She grew up with hippie parents and learned from a young age about always looking on the bright side, no stressful ambitions, and no-strings-attached relationships. She works two jobs, one as a professional line-sitter and one as a costume character actor. She enjoys juggling the jobs around and having her own free time. One day, while working a party, she meets the birthday girl's grumpy uncle and can't help herself. She wants to wind him up, because of how tight strung he appears. Who cares, she will never see him again, right?

Rafe Whitman, comes from a wealthy family but decides not to follow in his father's footsteps. Instead, he opens up his own veterinary clinic. While he may come across stern, it is only to the people he does not want to be bothered by. He has been bothered a lot lately, considering his mother and sister-in-law are set on helping him find the perfect girl. Star was the last girl he talked to, who wasn't being pushed on him, so when he runs into her on the street, he decides to make her an offer. He will pay her a large sum of money, if she pretends to be his girlfriend and comes with him to family gatherings. She is weary at first, since she thinks he's a little too uptight, but she eventually decided to go for it.

As the two fake their relationship strings start to form, she loves his family, they love her even though she is different from what they had thought. Her no-strings-attached are tested by his need for stability. The two soon find out that this fake relationship, may be harder to keep fake.

The Love Plot is a great romance read! I truly loved the characters. You got to watch as they navigated through relationships, work, and finding their true selves. Rafe is a man who comes across as mean and closed off, but we get to see him open up and show his emotional side to Star. Star on the other hand, is not only showing us her true self, but going on a journey to find out what she truly wants in life. This book is a perfect example of grumpy/sunshine. Thank you to Valentine PR and Net Galley for this ARC!

A sweet, funny read with some angst intertwined and mixed in with family, friendship and most of all love.

Samantha Young's The Love Plot is absolutely everything I wanted in a grump sunshine story. This contemporary romance is told in first person narrative, linking us directly to the female main character, making her feel like a friend and someone we can easily relate to. Young beautiful crafts this entertaining read with humor and heart, and falling for both the hero and heroine comes extremely easy. This novel is well paced, delightful and really well executed. I adore the way Young brought this world to life, this story was born out of tropes that Young wanted to explore and thrives in the story telling and the character development.

I was quickly and easily swept into Star's world, she is lively, bold and fun. She has a confidence and understanding and love for herself that is really admirable, and even though she gets tested along the way, she always has a deep care for who she is and who the people she loves are. I also adored Rafe, the broody hero who has also forged his own path in live and develops a beautiful understanding of Star and what it means to truly love someone for themselves. This love story is the growth of two opposites who learn that maybe they are not so different after all. This is the love story between two people who truly respect and care for the other and must learn to speak up about there feelings and needs. This love story is sensual and easy to get swept up into and I was delighted and charmed each and every step of the way. Their romance is truly one that brought joy to my heart and a smile to my face.

I love Samantha Young in all the different ways she brings her stories to life. If you are in the mood for a charming stand alone romance full of sweetness, sensuality and a happy and healthy relationship than The Love Plot is sure to meet the mark!

4.5 Stars.

This book has it all. Fake dating, opposites attract, witty banter, and a true story about staying true to yourself. I fell in love with the main characters very quickly and was so giddy the entire book to see how this fake dating scenario would play out. The banter and true opposites of these two characters was so raw and had me laughing out loud the entire book. This is my first read by this author, but it sure will not be my last! The writing is so fast paced and kept me hooked the whole time, I often forgot I was reading. It felt like watching a feel good rom-com, and I loved every second of it! I highly suggest this one to all romance lovers!

Thank you to Valentine PR, Berkley Pub, and Samantha Young for the advanced copy, this book is out now! Go check it out!

Thank you to @berkleyromance for the free ebook and @PRHAudio for the audiobook.
The Love Plot is the definition of the grumpy/sunshine romance trope. Rafe is literally in a bad mood when he meets Star, who is dressed as a Disney princess at his niece's birthday party. His mood isn't a whole lot better the next time he sees her either. Despite their drastic differences, these two opposites end up in a fake-dating situation. Rafe needs his family to get off his back and stop trying to set him up and Star likes the idea of traveling across the country with what Rafe is willing to pay her. Rafe is serious and Star is just enjoying life and satisfied with her goal of being happy and not worrying about a career or anything else. I enjoyed the fake dating and I really liked Rafe, so much that I would have liked his POV. Star just wasn't my kind of heroine. Maybe it was just a little too much of the "free spirit" influence of her hippie parents and her unwillingness to compromise in the name of her uniqueness, but she came across as immature for most of the book. Of course, she does have emotional growth by the end of the story and I appreciated her journey to get there. I didn't see the emotional connection on page as much as their obvious physical connection. Despite this, I really liked Rafe and how Star made him happy. It was nice to see how much his true personality came out and his sweet side shined the more time he spent with Star. Both characters had family issues even though their families are drastically different and I appreciated that they both were able to overcome those issues. Star especially had some healing to go through because of her family and this subplot added a lot of emotion to the story. Oh, and Rafe is a veterinarian who sometimes takes pets home to care for them overnight. I mean, he is seriously sweet!
CW: parental neglect, emotional abuse
3.5 stars, rounded up

I really enjoyed this one!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for my advanced copy of The Love Plot by Samantha Young.

This book was just what I needed.
I part listened part physically read it and the audio was fantastic.
It contained two tropes that I typically enjoy in romance novels- Grumpy Sunshine and Fake Dating.
I enjoyed the majority of the characters. I loved our female MC's individuality and quirkiness.
The romance was one I was invested in and wanted to see work out.

Why This Book Lost a Star- There was some repetitiveness in the writing.
Star's closest friends were in a polyamorous relationship and I thought oh hey that's cool and different but you only have to tell me once. It was brought up quite a bit and not relevant to the story. Then there's the secret that Star and Rafe are hiding from his family. It was brought up more than once that oh we're going to continue to hide this secret... eh. It just slightly annoyed me. Not a BIG BIG deal but it was still a thing.

Overall- Recommend. I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future ❤.

I was excited to dive into this read as it has some of my favourite tropes and I have always loved Samantha's writing. I got everything I expected and more from the read. I fell in love with Star from the start. Her vibes drew me towards her. Rafe on the other hand, might not have made the best of first impressions but as I got to know him I fell for him especially after his apology. They both come from different worlds and it was amazing to read them get to know each other and fall in love. It isn't easy to overcome the baggage from past but in order to move forward they have to face there demons. There chemistry was great and I loved there complete journey. Thanks to Samantha and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this amazing read.

As a huge fan of Samantha Young’s writing for her Highland series, this was my first time reading one of her standalones. Knowing that it was going to be full of tropes and well Sam writing it, I was all for it. 👏🏻👏🏻

And it was ADORABLE. 🥰🥰

Look at all these tropes!

✨ GRUMPY x SUNSHINE ROMANCE

✨ FAKE DATING FUN

✨ OPPOSITES ATTRACT BANTER

✨ NYC SETTING

✨ HE'S A VETERINARIAN WHO PREFERS LONG TERM RELATIONSHIPS AND ANIMALS TO HUMANS.

✨ SHE'S A HAPPY-GO-LUCKY GIG WORKER WHO IS ALL ABOUT NO STRINGS ATTACHED RELATIONSHIPS AND LOVES ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL.

✨ HE FALLS FIRST

✨ STEAMY GOODTIMES


Just from these tropes alone you can tell what are hero and heroine are like.

I absolutely adored everything about this book. From Star’s personality and eternal optimism and Rafe through his grumpy AF demeanour where he basically didn’t like happy things lol

The drama outside of their fake relationship and watching them grow in character and learn from each other was just perfection. I can’t say that enough. With some heartbreaking moments in regards to Star’s past and abandonment, it was wonderful to see how much she grew. And I loved how much Rafe loved her through it all. 🥰

If you are looking for a feel good, cute and FUNNY read where opposites attract and are completely relatable then add it your TBR today!

5 ⭐️

I just didn't like any of the characters. I found them extremely annoying and such stereotypes. They had zero chemistry and the reason for the fake dating didn't convince me. And why did she agree? Why did he choose her? He was so rude, mean, and obnoxious to her and so judgy towards her. The FMC was defined solely by her quirks, she wasn't a real human. And the instalust that she felt for him was unbelievable even when he was being so mean to her.

Thank you Netgalley, author, and publisher for the ARC.

I absolutely LOVED this book. I laughed reading it. I kicked my feet reading it. I cried while reading it. It was just everything.

Star and Rafe are the definition of a grumpy/sunshine trope and you will be obsessed with them. They could not be more different from each other in literally every way imaginable, BUT they are two pieces of the same puzzle and fit together perfectly.

Samantha did an awesome job showcasing each of the main characters personalities and their vulnerabilities as well as the steamy (RAFE IS SO HOT) parts where Rafe really shines! Can we please talk about how reading about this man and his furry patients just melt your heart and make your insides flutter too?!

When they take the chance to give their relationship a real chance is when we see how deeply Star truly cares and loves Rafe. She goes through a journey trying to do and became what she thinks everyone else thinks is best..but don't worry Samantha brings her journey back around and that HEA at the end was just chef's kiss and will make your crush on Rafe skyrocket! I really loved how this book brought out so many emotions while I was reading it and the love I ended up having for these characters. I still think about them from time to time and I would LOVE a book about Star's friends and their relationship and how it came about!

The Love Plot was a charming, quirky rom-com!

Star Shine Meadows, an eternal ray of sunshine, is a free spirited woman raised by hippies who works a string of “odd” jobs and sees commitment as a problem. However, when she meets Rafe Whitman, veterinarian and grump, at his niece’s birthday party (that she’s working as a princess entertainer) and he makes a few comments at her expense, she puts him in his place and moves on to the next. The tables turn when they meet again by chance and he offers her a proposition that she can’t refuse, but being with Rafe in any sense means facing her fears and Star Shine isn’t so sure about that.

This was such a cute contemporary romance bringing together all things of the genre that I love : a meet cute (ugly) LOL, an NYC setting, a fake dating arrangement and learning to love. Star Shine was a fun character and her string of jobs never failed to amuse me. I loved her heart and witty comebacks. I enjoyed Rafe’s character too - A grumpy veterinarian is never a bad thing in a book. I loved the overall message of the book and the found family that Star Shine had. Overall, this was a cute romance with some steam and I’d definitely recommend for fans of Contemporary Romance, Rom-Com!