An incredible debut. Erin Connor writes in a way that makes you feel as though you’re reading about your friends. The chemistry and banter set this book apart from others for me. I can’t wait to read more by Erin Connor.

Thank you so much to Erin Connor, Forever Publishing, and NetGalley for the eARC. Unromance comes out January 14th, 2025.

Plot Summary:
Getting stuck in an elevator leads to a one night stand between Sawyer and Mason, who don’t expect to run into each other again (but of course, they do). Sawyer is a romance author who has had trouble writing about love since her last breakup. Mason is an actor and hopeless romantic who doesn’t understand how his relationships keep ending. They agree to help each other out by making a list of romance tropes. While Mason’s goal is to romanticize experiences to give Sawyer some inspiration for her books, Sawyer’s goal is to un-romanticize experiences to get Mason to be a little bit less of a hopeless romantic.

This love story between Mason and Sawyer is truly swoon worth! Sawyer, a romance author who no longer believes in love and happily ever afters, and Mason, a heartthrob TV actor who falls too fast and too hard, what could possibly happen when they agree to an arrangement that helps them both? Sawyer has been stuck since her breakup with her girlfriend, which had left her with the feeling to not let anyone in and take everything from her again. In comes Mason, where their meet cute takes place in a broken down elevator ( the cutest Rom-com way possible. But while she makes it out to be nothing more than a one night stand, he reads more into it. So when fate would have it they meet again and come with an arrangement. What could possibly go wrong?

I’m in love with the level of banter and the one liners truly will make you want to laugh out loud!

A beautiful play on rom-com’s and an incredible debut novel!


Thank you Forever Publishing and Erin for the ARC 🫶🏼!

When a hopeless romantic actor and a blocked romance writer have a chance encounter, a series of tropes begin. his book has it all...Hallmark meets heavy skepticism, meet-cutes, Christmas tree lots, shopping montages, grand gestures, etc. Erin Carter does a great job blending them all together and keeps things entertaining without being over the top. Highly recommend!

There was so much to love about this book. A fantastic set-up to the story (elevator meet-cute), a relatable protagonist I was cheering for, and lots of fun dialogue. This felt like a celebration of the romance genre. I liked how each chapter started with a specific trope. For those that like spicy scenes, Erin Connor definitely knows how to write them.

This book got an extra star from me for all the rom-com references. I especially loved all the very specific references to How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. This was a really fun debut. I would definitely read future books by this author.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

DNF Details:

How far did I get? Just over a quarter of the way through, maybe 100 pages?

Why did I stop? Everyone is loving this debut but me! It’s not that I don’t like it, I’m simply not connecting to it at all. Books written in third person POV typically either work for me or they really, really don’t, and this is one of those that keeps me feeling extremely disconnected. It also doesn’t help that these characters hit it off immediately, bang right away, and then just kinda don’t get together. I don’t know - every time I try to get into it, I’m ready to put it back down immediately.

Was I enjoying it initially? Well, I’ve heard such good things, the cover is awesome, and the blurb had me super intrigued, so I went in with a lot of excitement. I did like the way their meet cute started, as well as the fact that they’re both famous in different ways. It’s also fun that he’s the romantic, though their arrangement didn’t make sense to me at all. I think I simply wasn’t the right reader for this.

Would I finish this? If it continues to stay very popular after release, maybe I’d try to listen to the audio and see if that went better. I’d need to go in with fresh eyes/ears. I’m definitely not having any luck finishing it with the ebook.

Who would I recommend this to? Fans of third person POV who enjoy a one night stand to more/celebrity romance.

⭐️ 5/5
🌶️ 3/5

Unromance was just the kind of romance I needed! It was the perfect winter book to pick up and I can’t wait for you to read it too!

I was charmed right from the start with the chapter titles! Each was a different romance trope that gave us a hint as to what might happen next and it was my FAVORITE THING!

I’m also a total sucker for a one-night stand trope, especially when they swear it’ll never happen again. Throw in a healthy dose of they can’t seem to stop thinking about the other and then they inevitably run into each other again! Ugh! It just makes my heart oh so happy!

I really enjoyed the plot of this romance. With Sawyer trying to get inspiration to write again, while simultaneously trying to ruin romance for hopeless romantic, Mason - I just loved to see them attempt to avoid fate. The tension that also built up over time was also too good to put down!

I was completely charmed by this story and cannot wait to read more from Erin Connor in the future!

Thank you Forever(@readforeverpub) for the advanced copy!

Dnf 50% in. I loved the concept of this book. It’s essentially two people using romance tropes with each other for different reasons but obviously they are very attracted to each other. This stats out with a one night stand and then evolves into friendship but I just felt nothing for either character. Very surface level and no yearning.

This book has no right being this good. I'm not even kidding. I LOVED every aspect of this. Yes, it's another book where it's an author who lost their ability to write about love and now they're like "fake dating" to fix it. But seriously, I ATE IT UP. I seriously loved the little romcom tidbits at the beginning of the chapter and also dang the pining, the banter, EVERYTHING is just chefs kiss.

I cannot tell you how surprised I am to be saying this one might be one of my favorite reads of the year. Unromance is like a warm hug on a cold day and had me kicking my feet and giggling through most of the book.

Erin did such a great job celebrating all of our favorite romance tropes in this crazy fun story about a romance author with writers block and a TV star who whole-heartedly believes in love. Our FMC Sawyer tries to make Mason (our MMC) a little more jaded while Mason tries to help her get her spark back.

PUT THIS ON YOUR TBR NOW IF YOU LOVE CHEESY ROMCOM MOVIES. ❤️

2.5 stars. i was really excited for the premise of this book. The idea had potential to be really funny. We are following Sawyer who is a romance author who is struggling with the idea of romance and Mason, who is a TV actor who was recently dumped but is a hopeless romantic. They decide to do all the cliche romance thing together. For Mason, it's to sure him of his hopeless romanticness and for Sawyer, it's to inspire her next book. The problem is we didn't really get any of that, and what we did was very lackluster. I don't mind a third act breakup typically. This book has one but then it seems they just get back together very suddenly without having nay sort of conversation of solving the problems that caused the breakup.

This one is a treat! If you have been around the romance block for a while, you will appreciate all the callbacks to the genre. I really enjoyed their romance roller coaster ride. I think you probably will too.

I voluntarily read an early copy.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an arc of this book!

I need you all to know that this book is PERFECTION. I adored every part, start to finish. I was howling with laughter, swooning like crazy (over *both* protagonists), kicking my feet, and wishing it would never end!

Sawyer and Mason are the most adorable and sexy (un)couple. Their tenderness together?! So many forehead presses?! I’m bawling just thinking about how much I love them both.

I will admit that I do shamelessly relate to Sawyer a ton as a fellow filthy and silly person. She is such an incredible bisexual icon, and I don’t know if I want to be her or be with her. But either way, I adored Unromance, and it was an easy 5 star read!!!

Also, I now need to start a potato bracket with my friends to determine the Chosen Spud.

MY FELLOW READERS, BUCKLE UP

I would like to say thank you to Erin Connor for this absolute treat of a book.

And NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the ARC <3

Mason, a hopeless romantic television sensation and ladies man gets stuck in an elevator with romance novelist, Sawyer, who is everything but a lover of romantic meet cutes and gestures. A one night stand leads to challenge to ruin romance.

Set at the start of the holiday season this was a perfect mid December read for me.

I don't want to give too much because it comes out in a few weeks but this book felt warm and wholesome and it exceeded my expectations by miles.

From the clichés to the banter to big gesture from Sawyer, I could not put it down. Mason West is the most hopeless romantic down bad man who truly just wants to show Sawyer why she deserves the world and why you should be a hopeless romantic.

Don't know what made these silly gooses think that list was going to work with the chemistry they shared but it was a fun valiant effort on both ends! I love books like this, it's like a game of who's going to cave first and it reads like watching a movie play out before your eyes.

Oh this book was so much fun!! I never wanted it to end. As someone who reads a LOT of romance books, this was so refreshing and also perfectly on brand for me, especially with each chapter starting with a trope definition which was a fun little touch that I appreciated! Beach Read enjoyers, this one was for us!

Mason Alvarez, my sweet perfect little guy who has never done anything wrong a day in his life!!! You are so special to me. No, but really, how often do we see a MMC whose biggest flaw is just that he loves too hard?? AND a bisexual FMC whose bisexuality is actually talked about and is an integral part of the plot and plays into some of her trust issues?? LOVE IT!!! GIVE ME MORE OF THIS!!!

Do not even get me started on the tights scene... I cannot wait for this book to come out simply because I just know the people are going to eat that up. I foresee this being an instant bookstagram/booktok hit, and I am EXCITED. Erin Connor, I was not familiar with your game!!! I cannot believe this is a debut novel, but I will be anxiously waiting to gobble up any and everything she puts out after this.

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and Erin Connor for this ARC!!

*Note: Review will be published closer to pub date on the instagram page linked below, link will be updated when review is posted!

dnf @ 18%

Unfortunately the writing in this book was not for me. I'm also not a big dual POV fan and wish the summary had been more apparent about this. Not a book for me but it might work for you, etc!

DNF at 60%. I enjoyed the first half of this book, but it did end up losing steam for me around 40%. It’s funny and quirky and I think the premise is fun and different. But it just wasn’t quite hitting right for me. Will definitely be loved by the right audience!

A truly fantastic debut! I’m already planning to devour more books by Erin Connor in the future!

What I absolutely adored:
The tights scene
Holiday cheer that made my heart glow
He's the hopeless romantic, she's the love-hating cynic
A bisexual FMC
Giggles, feet kicking, and all the adorable moments
Lovable side characters

What I wasn’t totally sold on:
I didn’t fully connect with the MCs—still fun, though!
In all, it was a delightful ride, and I’m already on the lookout for more!

WOW what a debut! Erin perfectly captures perfect rom-com moments and turns them on their head. Mason is a hopeless romantic, falling in love easily. Sawyer is a romance writer who has lost her inspiration. They agree to work together and in the process inspire each other. Mason to fall out of love and ruin romance tropes, Sawyer to relive so many romance tropes that she's inspired to write her next book. If you read romance, and know the common tropes you will love how they are called out here while also fresh and new. Mason is the most cinnamon roll MMC you'll meet. I didn't expect this book to take place during the holidays, so the timing was absolutely perfect on when I decided to read it. Pick up this debut NOW!

Cute! This is a fun grumpy sunshine romance. You have a romance author who is struggling to write her next book and doesn’t believe in love. Then there’s the recently dumped actor who is always hopelessly falling in love but wants to stop. Cue their mission to ruin romance for him and help her write her new book!

It was as cute as you think it would be. They had great chemistry. Sawyer is hilarious and Mason is a walking green flag! I loved how every chapter is named after a classic romance trope and then they experience that trope in the chapter. It was really fun.
My only complaint is that the third person pov took me out of it a little in the beginning but I guess I got used to it.

A funny, romantic tribute to early 2000s romcoms with its own blend of comedy and heart that kept me reading all day long.

I binged this in a day. I could not put Sawyer and Mason's story down! Some things I loved:
-Each chapter starting with a romance trope and then that trope being in the chapter
-The romcom references
-The MCs were basically in every scene together (I hate it in romance books when the MCs aren't together XD)
-The plot
-The characters
-Bisexual FMC
-Minimal miscommunication

This story has a premise that delivers and is both comedic and emotionally impactful. I had a fantastic time reading it and will be looking for more from this author in the future. It was a lovely debut!

When a meet-cute in an elevator leads to a one-night stand, romance author Sawyer and actor (and hardcore romantic) Will make a pact to try to "ruin" romance tropes in the hope that she'll be inspired to finish her book he'll realize romance is a sham and stop falling so easily. Conditions include no sex or catching feelings, but then...

With its mazing premise and dual delicious grand gestures, hard-core romance fans will love this sparkling debut.