(Actual: 3.5⭐) Hmmm— honestly, I really struggled in deciding whether I wanted to round up or down for this read. On the one (stronger) hand, and like many others I have seen note also: UNROMANCE starts off to be both very engaging and promising! I loved Sawyer and Mason as individual characters - yay for ~chaotic bi-energy~ rep (Sawyer; and also, hi, it me) + sinnnamon roll rep (Mason; and again, also it me 😂) - and *did* believe in their later chemistry together as a couple; while at first I thought we were leaning more towards the ~insta-love route (what with their O/N/S happening early on), I'm happy to report that there is a lot of foundation building following that first interaction and we are clearly shown (not just told) how their relationship slowly evolves from strangers-turned-colleagues to friends to, eventually of course, lovers. Their banter, for the most part, worked and truly was very funny at times. However....... for me personally, this book definitely falters and loses some of its sparkle once we're in the back half. Certain plot points just seemed to drag on and on despite feeling rather simplistic in nature (and in their solutions); the central conflict between Sawyer and Mason was also so, so thin and obvious (they literally even acknowledge this? very meta haha) and, again, probably could have been dialed back a bit in terms of dramatics. Like, did this book need a 3rd-act B/U? Nah. I feel like that was added in just because it was expected for a first novel? If that makes sense. That being said, I know this a debut novel and so I'll allow Connor some grace here because overall I still had a really fun time reading it and would def recommend it out to others. I look forward to whatever she releases next!

If you're in the mood for a funny and heartwarming read, Unromance by Erin Connor is a must read! The story follows Sawyer, a romance skeptic with a hidden soft side, and Mason, the ultimate hopeless romantic. The two decide they can help each other. Their pact? Sawyer keeps Mason busy and jaded while he lends her his heart-shaped rose-colored glasses to help her write her next book.

The chemistry between Sawyer and Mason is electric, with their banter filled with clever innuendos that will keep you chuckling. Each chapter kicks off with humorous definitions of romance tropes, adding a fun twist to the reading experience.

Mason is the ultimate book boyfriend. He’s read all of Sawyer’s novels and knows her stories are far better than any movie adaptation. And his grand gesture is chef kiss!

What really shines in Unromance is how these two can be their true selves around each other, navigating their quirks and insecurities in a refreshingly genuine way. If you love a story that combines humor, romance, and relatable characters, grab a copy of Unromance. You won't regret it!

I received a gifted copy of this book.

Sawyer Greene is a romance writer who no longer believes in happily ever afters. Mason West is a hopeless romantic television actor, whose most recent break up has made headline news. After a couple chance encounters, the two decide to make a list of rom-com cliches that they have to do together, Mason giving romantic inspiration for Sawyer’s writing, and Sawyer trying to ruin these romantic tropes for Mason.

This was such a fun read! The banter and chemistry between Mason and Sawyer was delightful! Such a promising debut novel!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review!

A fun, super cute debut! I really enjoyed how each date featured a different trope, and the meet-cute was spot on, and at times I laughed out loud! Overall, an engaging story with likeable characters which made for a fun, quick read 🥰

3.5 Stars.

I originally planned to read this book over the Christmas holiday, completely unaware that it was set during Christmastime. Of course, that didn’t quite go as planned. However, I ended up picking it up on Valentine’s Day, which felt just as fitting—reading a romance novel during the most romantic time of the year.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was fun, engaging, and fast-paced, making for a delightful read. If I were to dive into a discussion about the book covers, I’d be here all day, so let me sum it up briefly: both editions are absolutely stunning.

Sawyer is a romance author experiencing writers block and Mason is actor at a turning point in his career. They have a meet-cute in a stopped elevator followed but a one night stand. They find themselves supporting each other through a strange holiday season. While convincing themselves they were just friends, the sparks flew.

Unromance completely won me over with its humor, charm, and unexpected romance.

The story starts with a hilarious meet-cute that immediately hooks you in. The main characters are determined to keep things strictly unromantic, but of course, fate (and their undeniable chemistry) has other plans. Watching them fight their feelings while being pulled closer together was both entertaining and heartwarming.

What I loved most was the witty banter and natural flow of their relationship. The humor was spot-on, making me laugh out loud, but there were also moments of depth that made the romance feel real. Erin Conner’s writing style is fresh, engaging, and filled with that perfect balance of lighthearted fun and emotional connection.

If you love rom-coms with strong humor, sizzling tension, and characters who think they can outsmart love (spoiler: they can’t), Unromance is a must-read!

Sawyer Greene is a romance author plagued with writer’s block as she’s become disillusioned with love despite her approaching deadline. Actor Mason West, however, falls in love too easily. Mason and Sawyer find themselves in one of the ultimate cliche meet-cutes of a broken elevator followed by a one-night stand. Together, they make a pact to ruin every romance trope to break Mason’s idealistic view of love and Sawyer’s writing block.

“Unromance” is a fun and quirky romantic comedy. It’s self-aware, mocking all the tropes without being too over-the-top and still acknowledging their beauty. The banter between Mason and Sawyer is one of the highlights, alongside the somewhat meta dialogue.
Sawyer’s stubbornness frustrated me at times. This book is also incredibly guilty of the unnecessary third-act breakup, which detracts from the story more than it adds.

✨3.75 — rounded up for review purposes.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for my review.

Sawyer and Mason get stuck in an elevator together & being a romance writer, Sawyer says to him this would be an adorable meet-cute to tell people how we met.

They end up bumping into each other again and having a one night stand. Only to bump into each other, again, shortly after. Sawyer is looking for some inspiration for her book and Mason is a hopeless romantic who needs help and what better person to help him than a romance author. Sawyer makes a list of romantic things for them to do together, as friends.

I love the rom com vibes of this book. It felt like watching a movie from the late 90s/early 2000s. Reading about Mason and Sawyer falling in love was so much fun!

Thanks Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the ARC!

“And if you ever doubt my feelings for you, know that you have ruined romance for me in the best way, in that you have become the very definition of it for me.”

Sawyer is a burnt out and burnt by love cynic and Mason is a reformed hopeless romantic. They meet on an elevator that gets stuck, because of course they do. And yes, you read that correctly but let me just repeat: Mason is a DOWN BAD kinda guy that falls first! Can I get a “we need more sappy hopeless romantic heroes like Mason” for the people in the back??

UNROMANCE was ironically the most romantic book ever. Not a single trope was left behind in the making of this delightful love story – no, like seriously, literally every single romance trope is used in this (but strictly for research purposes). I had a blast being the third wheel to Sawyer and Mason’s fake dating scheme and all the fun they had along the way to falling in love with each other. I loved even more that the city of Chicago during the holiday season was the backdrop for the plentiful cozy dates together. Think: holiday market, ice skating, the works! I’m a sucker for relationships that bare all and hold nothing back since there’s no pressure in a fake dating scenario because the love and passion that it creates is *chef’s kiss.* These characters share secrets and vulnerabilities with each other because the rules don’t apply and it only spurs a deeper romance between two people actively fighting against romance.

Thanks @foreverpub for the digital galley. My sappy romance heart adored this story from start to finish!

Thank you Forever for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

New five star romance loading! I loved this book. I am a sucker for famous person/normal person but I loved that this was actor/writer. I loved how the author used the cliches for good and commented on them while still being true to the rom com genre. The dialogue is smart and hilarious, the characters are soft and dreamy and sexy and fun. It’s the perfect Winter read as it takes place Thanksgiving-Valentine’s Day but it doesn’t feel like a holiday book. I am obsessed and will be downbad for Mason West for the rest of time.

Synopsis:

“Sawyer Greene knows romance. She’s a bestselling author of the genre—or she was, until her ex left her with nothing but writer’s block and a broken heart. But when she gets stuck in the elevator with a handsome stranger, she sees their meet cute for what it is: just a one-night stand. It might have worked, too, if they could stop running into each other.Actor Mason West sees Sawyer’s reappearance in his life as a sign. Obviously, they’re meant to cure each other. Him of the hopeless romanticism that only ends in heartbreak—and tabloid trainwrecks—and Sawyer of her writer’s block. Their agreement is simple: 1. No (more) sex, and 2. No matter how swoony the circumstances, absolutely no falling in love. It’s a foolproof plan–until Sawyer and Mason find that, once set in motion, some plots can't be stopped—and that they might be hurtling towards a happy ending...” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Writing + Dialogue—This book was SO funny and smart, everything that I love about a Rom Com.

The Tropes—So fun, so juicy, and totally made sense.

The Characters—I fell in love with Mason so hard. Nothing like when a man is down bad but the FMC isn’t quite ready yet.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

Nothing—I really loved this book. I loved the setting of Chicago, I loved the time period it took us through, and I loved the characters. All around, a fantastic read for romance lovers and even some skeptics.

Character Authenticity: 5/5 Spice Rating: 3/5 Overall Rating: 5/5

Content Warnings:

biphobia, toxic relationship, abandonment

I always love fake dating and opposites attract rom coms and Unromance didn’t disappoint. Mason and Sawyer had an adorable meet-cute and I loved their banter. Anyone who is looking for a light and fun romance should check this one out!

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of Unromance in exchange for my honest review. While Unromance had a great storyline I did not fall head over heels for the romance in this one, just not my cup of tea. If you love the following tropes you should definitely give it a shot! I would definitely be interested to read more from Erin because the premise of this story is so fun!

Grumpy Sunshine
Forced proximity
Opposites attract
Fake dating

This was such a fun romcom read. I really enjoyed that Sawyer was a romance writer who was stuck in a writing rut and through a meet cute meets Mason who is a hopeless romantic that ends up getting dumped the night they met. I thought the premise of the story line of trying to unromance Mason was super cute and it played into to all the movie/book meet cute themes that I enjoy. This was definitely a light and fluffy read. One of my favorite parts was each of the chapter headers featuring different romance themes/tropes/meet-cutes.

This is a quick witted, super smart romance book about romance books. kinda.

Sawyer is a cynical romance author who has writers block. She needs inspiration. Enter Mason. A hopeless romantic heartthrob who falls in love with all his co-stars.

Sawyer is going to help Mason stop falling in love with everyone, Mason is going to help her get her writing mojo back. How? By tackling romance one cliche'd romance trope at a time.

This was so fun and so unique. The concept is so good, and the author pulled it off brilliantly. I loved the banter between these two. I love their "Unromance" challenges. And I thought it was a cute touch that each chapter started with a romance trope and definition. It always somehow tied into the chapter.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers copy of Unromance by Erin Connor!

What a fun romance. I had such a good time reading this book. Would recommend it if someone was looking for a fun rom-com.

Rating: 4.5⭐️ rounded up

This was such a cute (and spicy) story of Mason, an actor, who can’t stop falling in love and Sawyer, a romance author, who has given up on romance completely. They’re both trying to change their outlook towards romance and decide to go on one trope filled fake date after another.

This was like a love letter to romances, both movies and books. They take many scenes from movies to replicate and I loved the sassy trope definitions at the beginning of each chapter that was relevant to their current situation.

Their romance was super sweet. As the book also points out, everyone else can tell they’re in love except for them for quite a while, and it was fun to go along these dates with them, watching them be super cute and clueless. These dates also gave them a chance to get to know each other better and really build a solid friendship before they got to the relationship stage. Their chemistry was palpable from the first page, and the Christmas dinner scene 🥵!!!

I loved that they both gave each other the space to rock in their careers. Especially Mason with Sawyer, since she has a tendency to block everything out when she’s working, and she deserved to be with someone who would give her the space to do that.

I’m also a sucker for any story where someone manages to break down the thick walls of another, especially if that other person has completely given up on romance. Mason really managed to get Sawyer out of her grumpy shell and accept love into her heart. So heartwarming!

Other scattered notes: I loved the personal growth both of them went through, especially as it related to their past relationships. I loved the bi representation with Sawyer, I think the book highlighted her identity as a whole. Her meeting his ex was one of my favorite non-romantic scenes.

Thank you to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC!

Read If You Like:
- Romantic comedies
- classic romance tropes
- Stories about writers and actors
- Humorous and steamy narratives
- Opposites-attract romances

A bestselling romance novelist grappling with writer's block and a broken heart after a painful breakup crosses paths with a hopeless romantic and television star reeling from a public split. Their chance encounter leads to a unique pact: together, they'll reenact classic rom-com scenarios in an effort to cure his idealistic views on love and reignite her creative spark.

Their agreement to avoid further intimacy and resist falling in love takes them through a series of humorous and heartfelt situations, from staged meet-cutes to orchestrated grand gestures. As they navigate these contrived dates, the chemistry between them becomes undeniable, challenging their initial resolve and leading to genuine emotional connection.

This story is both a celebration and a clever deconstruction of romance tropes, offering a narrative that is self-aware yet deeply sincere. The protagonists are well-developed, with relatable flaws and endearing qualities that make their journey compelling. The dialogue is sharp, the scenarios are delightfully over-the-top, and the emotional beats resonate authentically.

For readers who enjoy meta-romantic comedies that playfully yet lovingly critique the genre, this book offers a delightful and satisfying experience.

Thanks so much to Forever Pub for my gifted copy!

Unromance by Erin Conner was a fun rom com with the fake dating/friends-to-lovers trope. Sawyer, a bestselling romance author suffers from writers block and a broken heart after a painful breakup. She meets Mason, a TV heartthrob in a stalled elevator that leads to a one-night stand. Despite their attempt to keep it casual they continue to cross paths. Their dynamic turns into a friends with benefits type relationship which made for some sizzling chemistry and cute banter along the way! I would rate this book a solid 3 stars. While I really enjoyed the chemistry between Sawyer and Mason, I felt the plot was a little predictable. Overall it was a fun quick read and the cover is absolutely gorgeous!