The RomCon by Devon Daniels was a cute enemies to lovers romance reads along the lines of How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

In this book, Cassidy (Cassie) and Jack work at rival magazines. As an assignment from her grandmother, Cassie decides to use antiquated dating tips to try and win a man and write about how it doesn’t actually work for her magazine article. Jack, a co-founder of Brawler, a men’s magazine that Cassie holds responsible for her previous failed relationship seems to be the perfect target. Her goal is to do all of the old school things and catch him saying something in poor taste. However, Jack is the complete opposite of what she expects and they may actually have a real connection. Will she abandon the article for love? Or will she follow through and leave Jack absolutely devastated?

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and lighthearted read. I enjoyed the humorous parts of the book as well as all of the pop culture references. The major conflict was a bit over dramatic for be, but I was happy with how everything resolved in the end.

I loved meet you in the middle so naturally I loved this one as well. I wasn’t a huge fan of the how to loose a guy in 10 days vibes. Cassidy did Jack dirty. But the ending redeemed the book. They were able to be mature about it all and come to a resolution. I loved it.

Cassidy has survived another breakup. After receiving a 1950’s dating book from her grandmother she decides to write an ironic article for the women’s magazine she writes for. Of course she needs a test subject so she chooses, Jack, the rival magazine writer for a man’s site. No surprise, hijinks ensue and love blooms. How to Lose a Guy in Ten Dates is one of my all time favorite rom coms. This one reminded me so much of my fave movie! This was a fun one.
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Thank you @berkleypub and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Are you a huge fan of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days? I know I am. This is the perfect book for you!

After Cassidy gets some good advice from her 90+ grandmother, she gets an idea to use the 1950s dating book to try to get a man and write a story for her women’s website. And not just any man but the brotastic creator of Brawler? Her own rivals’s site?

They have a hilarious meet cute as Cassidy tries some of her tips out, but Jack isn’t falling for it. As she tries her hardest to scare him off with these crazy ideas (she actually tells him they need chaperones on their first date), it only makes Jack more into Cassidy! I think the funniest date is when Cassidy attempts to roast a chicken and just fails. It reminded me of Becky Bloomwood.

Just like the movie, it’s not all smooth sailing and there are a few roadblocks. Jack and Cassidy have incredible chemistry and wonderful banter. They have similar personalities and ambition and I think that’s why they get along so well. Jack was a very layered character who didn’t reveal a lot of himself at a time.

One minor personal pet peeve of mine, as the biggest fan of the US Open. On their first date, Jack asks if she likes tennis and it doesn’t even occur to her that the one of the biggest tennis events of the year is happening in the very city she lives in? Isn’t she a journalist? She also says that people wear “shorts and flip flops” to tennis matches. She’s clearly never been to the US Open where the dress code is dress to impress. I was also mad she ordered wine and not a honey deuce. Luckily I was able to get over this and really enjoyed the book.

I had another turn when the #joyfulchaosbookclub traveling arc and this was so fun to read everyone’s comments about the book. It’s like the chillest bookclub because you read at your own pace and then read everyone’s comments and doodles! Thank you to @berkleyromance for my netgalley copy.

In this one Cassidy uses her grandmother’s outdated tips to get a guy to write a magazine article over - a twist on the How to Lose a Guy movie. What ensues is a fun, swoony romance. It’s easy to fall for Jack in this one!

🥰really liked

🎶I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)

📚Lynn Painter, Fallon Ballard

3.5 stars. This was How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days book version. I loved the concept, and I found myself enjoying both characters. The attempts that Cassie would use to try to scare Jack off were funny and felt true to the movie. Jack ended up being sweet and liking Cassie for all the right reasons. I liked the message about gender roles and society's view on women that the author expressed. Overall, it was a good book, but not one I'll remember.

A fantastic second book from Devon Daniels!

Down-on-her-luck-in-love Cassidy is challenged by her beloved grandmother to try to find love using 'rules' and etiquette from the 1950s. This goes against the grain for Cassidy, but as a journalist, turns this into a work assignment that she can write about for her job.

While attending a work event, she meets Jack, the founder and head of a rival media outlet that focuses on men and often has articles that are misogynistic. And an ethos that led to Cassidy's most recent break-up.

Cassie decides that Jack is the perfect guy to test out these 1950s rules, while also digging for any information to write an expose about it. Of course, the more time they spend together, the more Cassidy likes Jack, and Jack clearly likes Cassidy.

This was a really fun premise and took Cassidy on a journey of not only finding love, but also taking a look at herself and how she approaches relationships. I'm definitely not saying that all the rules are ideal, but I think they do provide some good guidance for anyone: show respect for your partner, show interest, care for them, etc. (and this goes for both partners - it can't all be on one!)

I have mixed feelings on the third-act breakup (the source which comes from an unlikely source), only because I really dislike when one MC knowingly does something that could negatively impact the other MC's job. I generally don't like this because anything that could result in job loss and therefore income loss is just not funny to me. In this book, I think the author handles it really well and the issue is addressed that it was really poor behaviour to behave that way (yes, vague, I know, but I don't want spoilers here!).

I loved how Cassidy took charge of her life at the end, pushing herself out of her comfort zone, while also thriving on spending time with loved ones.

Obviously, this is a romance so we get our HEA, and I think it was done well and showed a lot of growth for both Cassidy and Jack.

I think people who read and liked the author's first book won't be disappointed with this one!


Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the eARC; all opinions are my own.

The "How to Lose a Guy In Ten Days" vibe of this book is extremely fun, and I love a good rivals-to-lovers romance. I immensely enjoyed the witty style of Devon Daniels, and the way it helped me begin rooting for the couple. The book is filled with fun side characters (you go Grandma!) This is a rom com that fans of "The True Love Experiment" and Christina Lauren will love.

This was very reminiscent of How to Lose A Guy in Ten Days. Not a bad thing. I think I just was expecting a little more by the end of it.
While Cassidy and Jack were generally likeable, I just couldn't get fully invested in them as people and felt there was work left to do on their development and growth throughout the story. It's always difficult to navigate how to interpret discussions on gender roles and expectations and this was no exception. The feminist ideals the author tries to put forth still feel outdated and biased. I could tell she was going for empowering and being comfortable with yourself but it just fell a little short. I never like when a girl essentially changes huge things about herself (like the way she dresses) once she realizes it attracts others. I wanted Cassidy to stay true to herself and her style while also growing. Instead, like her other book, the author seems to just make the MFL change her ways to fit into a stereotypical female gender role.
Jack was definitely the redeeming character (despite his profession) and it's always refreshing to have a MML that is in touch with his emotions. Again, I would have liked to see more explantion or resolution with his family backstory.
All in all, the playfulness and romantic tension pushed this from two stars to three for me. It was still a fun read and I did enjoy the reminiscence of movies and shows like How to Lose A Guy in Ten Days and The Bold Type.

this book god me out of a two-month reading slump, so i will be forever grateful.

the chemistry was super good. i really liked this slightly more nuanced take of "it's okay to put effort into your relationship" because somehow we don't see that much. i'm so tired of effortless heroines and easy beginnings of relationships. it was super refreshing.

i will say, i almost dnf-ed because of how harsh cassidy was in the opening 5%, but i'm super glad i stuck with it. some bits felt like they were somehow over-edited and possibly things got moved around too much. i think the "saturdays with the bros" thing was SUPER confusing when introduced with brett and should've been done a bit differently. also there's a LOT of pop culture references that i always hate to see. but i was so charmed by the two leads that it didn't distract too much.

thank you devon daniels, berkeley publishing group, and netgalley for proving my arc <3

This was a super fun story to get lost in. Cassie is a writer at a women's online publication and after meeting a rival owner of a men's sexist e-zine, Jack, and reading her Grandmother's antiquated book from the 1950s dating guide, she decided she will use the tips to ensnare Jack in his "sexist ways" and expose/embarrass him.

What follows is a hilarious "How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days"-esque adventure. Everything Cassie tried from the book tips backfires because Jack is a genuinely nice guy.

I like Cassie and what her conviction allows her to do once she realizes what publishing any article could do to her budding relationship. I really liked Jack a whole lot but didn't quite understand fully why he stayed at a publication that went against his nature even after he explained.

But this book I read in a span of hours and I really enjoyed every minute of it.

I loved this book! Best described as a mash-up between the TV show The Bold Type and the movie How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (a fave of mine), THE ROM CON digs deeper into 1950's dating advice and what it means to love someone. ​​​​​​​​
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The "125 Tips to Hook a Husband" were truly hilarious, i.e. read obituaries to find eligible widowers and always end a phone call first. Others were more reasonable, i.e. ask his mother for recipes (shows interest) and greet him with a smile (be nice). What I loved the most was her grandmother's advice for a long marriage and also their stories. Not giving those away... read the book. Her gran made me miss my own. ​​​​​​​​
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This was a book I did not want to end and would highly recommend, especially to those who love the enemies-to-lovers trope! I've already added Devon Daniels' first book MEET YOU IN THE MIDDLE to my shelf. ​​​​​​​​
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DETAILS: Devon Daniels // 384 pages // November 7, 2023 // Gifted: @berkleyromance @netgalley

I had mixed feelings about this book! It took me a while to get into it, and then once I did, I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. I loved how to lose a guy in 10 days, and I'm not sure if that worked for me here, but I will say, that the comeback from the third-act breakup was done really well! I loved all the elements about dating now vs the "old ways" and I thought the banter was done well.

The Rom Con was a delightful read, and it kept me laughing throughout. Cassidy and Jack were well-developed characters; I was all about their chemistry! I loved Cassidy and Jack, but the quirky grandmother character was the best! There were so many fun pop culture references. I love the movie “How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days,” so I knew this book would be for me. I highly recommend adding this romance book to your reading list!

Inspired by the 2000s classic, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, The Rom Con follows Cassidy Sutton, an ambitious journalist as she navigates between the story that could elevate her career and unexpected feelings for the rival. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, Jack Bradford takes Cassidy by surprise with his caring and thoughtful ways.

Having never read any of Devon Daniels work, I was intrigued both by the premise of this book and the opportunity to discover a new author. And, overall, I had a great time during this read! The connection between the leads was apparent, carrying through all the way to the end.

Admittedly, I was nervous that Cassidy's deception may start to feel gross and hard to forgive if she kept the ruse going too long, but thankfully that aspect of the plot was handled appropriately and the characters managed a lot of healthy communication. Paired with an adorable cover that will look lovely on shelves everywhere, Jack and Cassidy made for a lovely duo. Rooting for their happy ending was easy a pie.

Thanks to NetGalley, Berkley and Devon Daniels for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! Devon Daniels is definitely a new favorite author. This book had such great characters, banter, humor and writing! And if you loved the movie How to Lose A Guy In 10 Days then you’ll love this book. It’s the opposite with booking a man using 1950s dating advice. I did find it a little annoying how closely it followed the movie plot but I still ended up loving it.

I spent our three-hour flight down to Florida last night binging 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗖𝗢𝗡. Devon Daniels has her writer MC Cassidy explain about her work that "There's a really delicious tension between 'feminine' and 'feminist' that I had so much fun exploring" and that's how I felt about aspects of this book. It not only made me swoon but also made me think.

This is a great one if you love:
💕 Rivals to lovers
🏆 Battle of the sexes
🔥 Slow burn
👵🏻 Sassy grannies
🎬 Pop culture references
👫 Fun side characters (can we get a Christine and Greg prequel, please?)

Thanks to Berkley for the copy to review.

This is a mash up of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and that group The Rules that wanted to follow old time dating rules. The vintage women in their place dating rules.

I liked the charm and the voice the author gave to the characters. This one is told from Cassidy’s POV which I don’t normally like as much as both sides, but it ended up working in this one. Cassidy, while a little wacky at times, was incredibly relatable. And I think only seeing Jack through Cassidy’s eyes added to his appeal.

I loved that Jack, even with his own demons, really stood his ground and showed her that men weren’t always the enemy. And some of the supporting characters stole the show, including Grandma. I wouldn’t mind hearing a little more from these characters.

I rooted for Cassidy and Jack to turn the journalism rivalry into a partnership and succeed together and professionally.

Anyone who is a fan of 1990s rom com movies is sure to get lost in this one.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥?
This is an amazingly bingeable read that kept a smile on my face from cover to cover. When I pick up a romance, I want an escape from the heaviness from the world and to believe in happily ever afters...The Rom Con definitely delivered on that front. The sexual tension and slow burn between our two MCs was electric, the banter was perfection and the underlying examination of gender roles was well executed. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish! I'm definitely looking forward to the #joyfulchaosbookclub chat with @devondanielsauthor coming up soon!

𝐈𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧? If you're planning on picking this one up, make sure you know that this is meant to be pure fun. There is a lot of campy call outs to the rom coms of yesteryear (which I freaking loved) but it can read like rom com fanfic at times so it's important to know that prior to going in. The many references to my favorites had me giggling and smiling ear to ear.

𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝?
Absolutely. This was the perfect weekend read to snuggle under a blanket with and get lost in the fun. Anyone looking for a sweet and sexy romance should pick this up. And anyone feeling nostalgic for the rom com gold that was the 2000s will get their fill with this fun romance.

The experience reading this is something akin to the first time watching How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days; the cringe is visceral, the humor is laugh out loud, and the romance gives you all the swoon-worthy feels.

The first thing I noticed when I picked up this book was how quickly I was flying through the pages. There is something about Devon Daniels's writing that hooks you in and propels you through the story in a way that you have to force yourself to put it down if you don't want to find yourself staying up all night (note: I was not successful in this endeavor). I also appreciated how seamlessly the pop culture references were woven into the story (especially the You're So Vain call-out near the end). There's a fine line between including references in an intentional way and having so many that the reader is taken out of the story, and I think that Daniels walks this line perfectly.

Cassidy was a heroine who was both sharp and a little messy. Her disillusionment with the process of modern dating was incredibly relatable, and I loved her bond with her grandmother (who was an ICON and I wish she was in more of the book). It was so funny watching her try to apply her grandma's old fashioned dating tips to the modern world of romance, but my favorite moments of hers where she would let the real Cassie overcome her 50s persona, Betty, and bring some fire to her verbal sparring with Jack.

Jack was downright swoon-worthy. It's clear that Jack enjoys the way Cassidy never backs down from a fight , and it was so fun watching how he subverts Cassidy's expectations at every turn, always acting the perfect gentleman while she's trying to expose him as her sexist nemesis. From his charming first meeting with Cassidy to every date he has with her during which his inner sweetheart comes out more and more, I kept falling deeper in love with his character as the story progressed.

There was so much I loved about Jack and Cassidy's romance, especially once Cassie drops the facade that she put in place when she decided to write the story. The pair's natural chemistry combined with the fact that Jack continuously thwarts Cassie's plans made their love story an incredibly entertaining read. While I didn't love the way the third-act breakup unfolded, I could understand where both characters were coming from.

If you are looking for a fun rivals-to-lovers story that acts as a solid retelling of a movie that is pure rom-com gold, with a hero that is downright charming and a heroine who never backs down from a fight, then be sure to check this one out.