This was an easy 5-star read and might just be the best rom-com I’ve ever picked up!

I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, but wow—I fell head over heels for both the story and the characters. The writing is phenomenal, seamlessly blending all my favorite romance tropes. By the time I hit the 20% mark, I simply couldn’t put it down.

Mason is everything I’ve ever looked for in a romantic lead—sweet, committed, and willing to do whatever it takes to make the relationship work. Maybe a little too much at times, but he’s definitely a rare gem. And Sawyer? I just wanted to hug her and tell her everything would be okay. Her heartbreak was so raw and relatable, and it was beautiful to see how Mason helped bring her back to life.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

What a fun ode to rom coms. It took me a little bit to warm up to Sawyer, but she grew on me and I loved seeing her and Mason try to fight their relationship and eventually come together.

I loved this so much! What a great way to poke (affectionate) fun at the romance tropes we all know and love. I adored both Sawyer and Mason and thought they had great chemistry together; the banter here was top notch!

Honestly, one night stand to more books generally aren't my favorite because I like a little more tension and buildup between them, but I just couldn't say no to this premise! And this book was so fun that I didn't even mind it, the relationship and trust that grows between them is very sweet and feels genuine.

This was funny, charming, and sexy - the most fun I've had with a romcom in a long time! I highly recommend it and look forward to whatever Erin Connor writes next!

I had such a great time with this! This took me a minute to get into it since I struggled a bit with the cheesiness at first, but as it went, I found myself falling hard for Sawyer and Mason. The chemistry was top-tier and the banter was so good!

It was a bit difficult to get past the plot since it felt a little weak, but the two of them together really won me over. For a debut, this felt very strong and I really enjoyed Erin Connor's voice. I'll be interested to see what she writes next!

Oh my sweet lil Bi-Queen Sawyer and Leading Man Mason, how I adored them! Their will-they-won't-they had me on the edge of my seat (and life line) the whole book and I just needed them to be togetherrrrr already! The slow burn wasn't quite a slow burn in the usual sense as there were a few little scattered embers throughout, but it felt just as much of a tease! Erin, whyyyy?! but also, I wouldn't change a thing because I loved it so much. Even the side characters were so full of life and I just wanted little novellas of them all! I'd also take a full book for each of them, if anyone is asking...I'd also like to read Sawyer's book, please and thank you!
Romance tropes are such a vibe and I loved how she took on so many of them with such a fun version. I absolutely love that she threw in the iconic 500 Days who's-the-real-villain discussion and the IKEA scene that I may or may not have attempted to recreate a time or two. I love their character growth together and that they were both able to get to such a solid place in their lives. I just love them and loved the book haha that is all!

It’s only January but I think this might be a top read of the year. This is a stand-out breakout romance and I cannot wait to see everyone EAT this book UP. It’s funny, it’s sweet, it’s intriguing and everyone needs to get this book STAT!

This was such a pleasant surprise! 4.5⭐️

Sawyer is a romance author that no longer believes in romance and is suffering a HUGE ASS writers block and Mason is a TV actor and HOPELESS romantic who just had his heart broken. They have an adorable meet cute in an elevator and decide to have a one night stand, which turns into them making a list of romantic things for Sawyer to *ruin* for Mason so that he stops romanticizing everything and she hopefully finds inspiration to begin writing her next book.

When I tell you this book had me GIGGLING AND KICKING MY FEET omg. A contemporary romance hasn’t left me feeling so swoony in such a long time. The tension!! The banter!! The YEARNING!! Honestly this was top tier chemistry between two fictional characters and I could not get enough of them. There were also really funny side characters that added so many LOL moments for me. Overall just such a fantastic time, definitely recommend 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻

*thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review*

A stunning debut from Erin Connor! An over the top hopeless romantic and a jaded romance author who has sworn off romance walk into an elevator. Sounds like the beginning of a good joke, but it's just a great time with witty banter, spicy times and heartfelt moments.

Mason needs to stay single and stay out of the paparazzi lens. Sawyer has zero inspiration for her romance novel and has a deadline breathing down her neck. After getting stuck in an elevator and a night together they run into each other again and agree to help each other out. Mason needs to not dive headfirst into every relationship and Sawyer needs book help. They decide to go on book worthy romantic dates- to ruin it for West and to spark inspiration for Sawyer.

This really is an ode to all romance lovers. Tongue in cheek tropes and delectable witty banter. I loved this so much. Love love love!!!!

Thanks for the ARC, Forever & NetGalley!

My goodness was this a great read! I don't think I have ever laughed so much while reading a romance book. There was spice but not too much to take away from the rest of the book. I devoured this book. Sawyer and Mason were done beautifully. The witty banter and the comebacks were enjoyable. I really enjoyed this take on a romance book. I've never read one where they wanted to ruin all the romantic tropes to cure a romantic. I will definitely be recommending this to all my romance loving friends. I will also be looking for more Erin Connor books to read. Thanks for the ARC.

what happens when a hopeless romantic actor and a romance writer who doesn’t believe in love have a one night stand and then make a list to ruin romance tropes? they fall in love, of course.

mason is a cinnamon roll and I loved him with my WHOLE HEART. even though he agreed to the rule of no feelings, he can’t help himself from falling in love with the chaotic bi disaster that is sawyer. and she wasn’t far behind him but she really had to open up and let him in. I love prickly and imperfect fmcs, and if you do too you’ll love her.

the tension, banter, and romance in this was steamy and perfect! even though sawyer was “I’m not going to fall for him” she found herself impossibly head over heels for mason. and honestly how could you not? he was perfect.

I loved the writing and acting portrayals in this book! it added a lot for me and felt super realistic.

thank you so much forever publishing for the arc!

what to expect
⟢ one night stand to strangers to lovers to idiots to lovers
⟢ hopeless romantic actor x a writer who doesn’t believe in love
⟢ “just to get it out of our system”
⟢ stuck in an elevator meet cute
⟢ bi rep

Quick Summary: An "unromance" romance made for loving

My Review: Unromance by Erin Conner is a 2025 contemporary romance.

About the Book: "When a recently-dumped TV heartthrob gets stuck in an elevator with a jaded romance novelist, he enlists her to ruin romance for him—one rom-com trope at a time—so he never gets swept off his feet and into the tabloids ever again."

In My Own Words: A reverse grumpy-sunshine duo set up an arrangement of sorts, only to advance toward love.

My Final Say: This novel is the one you didn't know you needed in your life! It's funny-sexy-cool and then some. Highly entertaining, it's charm will blow you away or quite possibly make you swoon. Readers who enjoy rom-coms, cinnamon rolls, and meet cutes to more scenarios will love this story.

Other: I would love to be first in line for the audiobook. Please and thank you kindly. ☺

Rating: 4.75/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Status/Level: 💖

Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever), and to NetGalley. Thank you for granting access to a digital ARC. I am grateful for the opportunity. I very much look forward to reading more from this writer.

Happy pub day! I was desperately trying to read this book the last couple of days because I loved it so much.

This book was so fun and sexy! Dual POV (un)romance between a romance writer who has been burned and jaded by love (her) and a tv actor who is a hopeless romantic ray of sunshine (him).

Mason and Sawyer have their own meet-cute when an elevator gets stuck. After a one night stand and running into each other again, they strike a deal and make a list. 1. To help Sawyer get back into her writing groove so she can finish her book and 2. To help Mason stay out of the tabloids and maybe ruin romance and grand gestures for him so he stops running at them headlong.

What blossoms is a beautiful love story rooted in friendship, understanding, laugher, and championing one another. This has great banter/humor, it’s sharp and witty, it has every trope you’ve ever imagined and some you haven’t (but in the best way), so much longing, Bi Rep, and Chicago during the winter vibes 🤍

This book shows that romance doesn’t have to be perfect to be good. It’s actually best when it’s a bit messy and silly and fun and even a little bit weird.

That third act break up had me rage texting a friend and in my FEELINGS. I’d give this one a 4.5/4.75! Truly such a great book.

Sawyer is a romance writer who doesnt believe in romance. Mason is a procedural drama actor known for his huge romantic gestures, as well as a long list of previous lovers. A meet cute between the two leads to a one night stand which leads to another meet cute at a Christmas market. Determined to overcome her writer's block, Sawyer offers to show Mason how to unromance. This means making a list of quintessential romantic tropes and showing Mason that they aren't as hyped up as they are meant to be. Sawyer and Mason make a list of tropes and only have two main rules. No. 1 - No feelings. And No. 2 - No s3x. But rules are made to be broken. And Sawyer and Mason are made to break them.

Rating: 4/5
Spice: 3/5

Tropes:
Cinnamon Roll MC
Opposites Attract
Lovers to Friends to Lovers

Triggers:
Homophobia
Family Estrangement

My Thoughts:
Unromance has a hard time not being romantic, and I am here for it! Sawyer and Mason are adorable together and I laughed out loud at their hijinks more than once while reading this book. I love how their friendship proves that cliche things can be the most fun when you are enduring them with someone you love. This author writes some great spice and you will happily never look at ripped tights the same way again.

Unromance by Erin Connor is a fun Grumpy/Sunshine story with the absolute best banter!
I fell so in love with these characters. Sawyer and Mason had the best chemistry.
This charming opposites attract story was a funny, sweet, and irresistible debut!

This book beautifully blends opposites: a romance writer who despises romance and a cinnamon roll of a man who adores it. Their meet-cute and spontaneous night together pave the way for a partnership in pursuit of personal goals.

Mason and Sawyer couldn't be more different when it comes to love, yet they make a pact to guide each other through various romance tropes, all while managing life's unpredictable challenges.

From the first blurb, I was hooked. The engaging banter, simmering tension, and heartfelt romance kept me captivated throughout. And the ending? An unforgettable grand romantic gesture that left me swooning. 😍

Thank you Forever for offering me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Unromance
Erin Connor
4 stars

This debut by Erin Connor is perfect for all you romance trope lovers, filled with swoon worthy grand gesture and all the typical tropes you'd expect from a romcom... with a healthy sprinkle of spice.

Sawyer is a romance writer - and reader - who had stopped believing in happily ever after. Since her break up with long time girlfriend, she hasnt been able to finish anything, and with the deadline for her next book around the corner, she knows she has to do SOMETHING, anything, to spark her muse again.

Mason is almost the opposite. Even as all his relationship seem to fail, he's still a hopeless romantic who falls for all the tropes. When a meet-cute in an elevator turns into a one-night stand followed by the inevitable crossing of paths, they decide to help each other out. Mason will help her find inspirations if she helps him ruin all the tropes.

I absolutely adored the header of each chapter: the name and description of the trope its exploring, and overall, i enjoyed the dynamic between the two MCs. Their banter was especially on point. However, i was not a fan of the third break up. But then again, who is a fan of third act break ups. To me, there was an overreaction on one part and a too easy to let go response on the other.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for the ARC!
#bookreview #romancereader #tropeappreciation #unromance #outtoday #recentreads #arc

💭𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒:
+ Literally pages in and I was already getting that good vibes feeling; smiling and laughing out loud
+ Loved the dual POV
+ The characters were incredibly relatable; I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened to them
+ I enjoyed the premise of ‘ruining romance’ in a romance book
+ The growth of Sawyer and Mason’s relationship was really fun to read and the tension was *chef’s kiss*
- I was iffy on the third act break up, but overall enjoyed the dramatic grand gesture at the end. This book wouldn’t have made sense otherwise and was so on brand with the motifs throughout

𝐖𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐈 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐃? Absolutely! This book had so much going for it and I really enjoyed almost everything about it.

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐓-𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄:
* Spice right off the bat that leads to a slow burn
* One-night stand turned friends to lovers
* Laugh out loud banter
* He falls first (and HARD)
* Bi-rep
* Opposites attract

Thank you so much to Forever Publishing, NetGalley and Erin Connor for the ARC of the book in exchange for my review!

I thought this was a cute idea for book. The romance writer with writer's block and the hopeless romantic team up to cure each other of their problems. As a romance writer, Sawyer obviously knows all the meet cute scenarios to experience with Mason, essentially giving them both exposure therapy, which of course makes them both face the root causes of their "issues". We learn a lot about both Mason and Sawyer and I enjoyed both of these characters. The book was a little slow for me in spots, but the storyline itself was enjoyable. I'd rate this book a 3.5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central) Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

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

The best (un)romance book I've ever read. The only (un)romance book I've ever read? Either way, it was romcom perfection! No notes. This was seriously so cute! I'm absolutely obsessed with Mason. He's the perfect Hallmark-movie-in-a-book boyfriend ever. I would loveee to see this book get made into a movie! I would watch it. I mean, who doesn't love a good meet-cute? ;)