Ok so I loved this one. I wasn’t expecting to get pulled in so quickly to this witty romcom. This novel was truly an explosion of all the best tropes and mini tropes wrapped in one. The little trope snippet beginning every chapter was 🙌🙌!! I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and their development. Mason was basically McDreamy in book form with his swooning, optimistic, romance loving self. Sawyer brought a more reserved, realistic, deflecting personality with a heart of gold. I loved to see these roles reversed as the characters were so different but so likeable The duel POV third person gives us great insight to both sides. I loved the chemistry, banter and quick depth that their relationship found. The journey they took together was honestly so fun and had me cackling, swooning and and in all the feels.

Im still baffled that this is a debut novel! We should all have our eyes on what’s next for Erin Connor!! 🫶🥰

Side note: This isn’t a holiday romance but the little sprinkles of Christmas time made it the perfect December read for me 🎄

ARC Review!!!

I loved how this book started off, the meet-cute everyone wants but these two didn't. Mason and Sawyer clicked right away it was such good chemistry. Sawyer didn't want anything with strings attached while Mason was a hopeless romantic. The one night stand was perfect until they see each other again. They were meant to be with the amount of times they were running into each other. The story flowed nicely and even kind of quickly. It had everything from laughter to heartache. Such a good debut novel!!! Very well written.
3.5 Stars!

Unromance does a good job both breaking romance stereotypes and proving why they are so loved in stories.

Sawyer is a romance writer with writers block who is done with romance in her real life. Mason is a actor who falls fast and hard and keeps getting hurt. When they have a meet cute in a stuck elevator, they end up having a one night stand. Then when they run into each other again, they decide to help each other out by debunking romance myths to break Mason of his romantic tendencies and try to help Sawyer get out of her writing funk. Inevitably they end up falling for each other.

Unromance was such a fun read! It is a clear love letter to romance books and rom com movies. Mason is such a sweet cinnamon bun MMC and he was endearing from the get go. I loved Sawyer and she felt very realistic in her grumpiness towards romance. Also love the bi representation! Overall this book had me laughing and rooting for the characters all along the way.

Tropes
* All the tropes

4.5 stars

Forever Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Books, provided an early galley for review.

I am not one who gravitates towards the romance genre, however the cover art by Guy Shield is what caught my attention here. This is also Connor's debut novel, and I always like to support new authors diving into the world of publishing.

As a wannabe-writer myself, I always find stories that involve writers and books to be extra fun as well. Through Sawyer, Connor is able to get a little bit meta about the writing process and the romance genre specifically. The story has all the romance elements, including several sizzling sex scenes. The bouncing of the narration back and forth between Sawyer and Mason works well as each has a very distinctive voice; I did find Sawyer's chapters to flow a bit better overall. The characters are fully-rounded and believable.

In the end, Connor certainly delivered on her first published work. If a non-romance reader like myself could thoroughly enjoy himself, I am certain that fans of the genre will find it very satisfying as well.

This was such an amazing book!! I loved it🥰

As soon as I read this book’s description and I was obsessed and it didn’t disappoint! I loved Sawyer and Mason so much. Their chemistry was so clear from the start and seeing them get to know each other and really connect was so beautiful.

I loved Sawyer’s bubbly personality and how funny she could be. And Mason was such a sweetheart - I love him so much and am so glad he finally found the happy ending he’d been looking for. He was also her biggest cheerleader and I loved that!

Both of them has issues they needed to work through and I loved that while their relationship was what ultimately led them to seek answers and try to understand themselves better, they did it outside of the relationship itself.

Overall, this book is perfect for any romance and romcom lover so make sure to check it out!!

Sawyer is a jaded romance author struggling with her next book. Mason is trying to repair his public persona after a breakup with his costar. They meet in a made for romcom meet cute, but instead help each other to get past their romance issues. He’ll woo her to inspire her writing and she’ll keep him from falling into another relationship by ruining romance cliches.

Flabbers were GASTED when I read that this was a debut. It was SO GOOD. I kept reading different things and thinking “yes, this is how X should be written”. How did Erin Connor take things that normally don’t work for me and make me LOVE it?? Guarded, deflecting through humor, innuendo wielding Sawyer and hopelessly romantic, earnest, softie Mason were so well written that I feel like I truly know them and therefore all the things made sense for THEM. What a read to end the year🫶

Tropes:
- Celebrity
- Friends to lovers
- Black cat x golden retriever
- Holiday
- Bi rep

Romance author Sawyer gets stuck in an elevator with TV heartthrob Mason (YES for this meet-cute!), they have a hot one-night stand and then part ways. Then they bump into each other again. Sawyer's still hung up on the ex who broke her heart and eschews all things romance (her writing suffering for it all the while), while Mason wants to break his own pattern of falling hard and fast. He and Sawyer decide to ruin all of the romantic tropes so she can start writing about love again and he can be turned off by love.

It's like reverse dating lessons.

The writing is great and relatable, the story is fun, the characters are likable and the spice (2-3 open door scenes) is plot-driven and unique. There were some back stories that could have served as good prequels if this was a series, like her best friend's marriage and his sister's marriage. I wanted to know more about this universe.

An exciting debut from a promising new romance writer! If you liked "The Rom-Commers," you'll love "Unromance."

As someone who hates the miscommunication trope, I still do.

I will say that I still don't understand why she got mad during the 3rd act breakup. Like, I get it but this is also why I hate this trope. But, that is more my personal preference and I'm not going to hold that against the author. I still loved how this book was written.

Anyway, I adored Sawyer. I adored Mason. I was rooting for them through this whole book. I always find it annoying when the FMC is overly quirky and a hot mess. I didn't think that with this book though. While she had her own things to deal with, I didn't find her to be overly quirky. I also loved the banter between them and was laughing through quite a bit of this book. I also kinda adored how Mason fell first and he fell hard. Unapologetically so.

Book was 4/5 on the spicy scale. There were quite a few scenes that were open door but they weren't explicitly described. Like, they were and they weren't. I didn't find myself cringing because we were getting an anatomy lesson.

Genuinely loved the plot and the characters. I would definitely pick up more books from the author in the future.

4.25⭐️ this book gripped me from first glance at the cover and it didn’t disappoint!!

this book felt like a warm holiday romance movie and it was so so adorable. from every romcom reference to each christamassy activity it felt so wholesome and cozy.

sawyer was perfect “cynical romance writer” micro trope character and she was so funny. her little writing moments were so me😭 and i loved seeing her slow development into believing in the romance between her and mason 🙏🙏 their banter and nicknames were so 💗💗

mason west my king (hopeless romantic men>>>) he was so so pure and adorable like he needed a hug all he wanted was love 😔. their plan (which obviously would’ve never worked) to make him hate romance contributed so many cute moments and made the holiday feeling in this book so cozy and no super cringy or overwhelming.

books with deals or pacts between characters are one of my favorite micro tropes and i eat it up every time and this was no different. highly recommend for anyone who wants a sweet holiday romcom!! thank you to NetGalley for this arc!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Unromance” - Erin Connor

Sawyer Greene, romance author extraordinaire. Dislikes romance and meet cutes IRL.

Mason West, basically McDreamy in a fictional book acting world. Hopeless romantic.

An elevator. An impossible meet-cute. Cue the Hallmark fated romance Gods, Altho wait this should be all Unromantic shouldn’t it?

I absolutely adored Erin’s debut novel’s cast of characters. It wasn’t traditional. It had me cracking up, it had me sad, it had my heart happy. Best of all it wasn’t a typical cliche happy ending. It was a greeting ending outside of the romance book norms.

Meet Sawyer & Mark for yourself and discover the list of unromantic tasks as the cover SCREAMS T.Swift vibes like nobodies business along with a few references as well. 😉

Pub Date: 1/14/2025️⃣!


#BookDragon #Bookstagram #Books #BookReviews #BookReview #BookReviewer #ARC #NetGalley #ReadForeverPub #Unromance #MeetCute #TSwiftVibes #DebutAuthor

This is a fun, entertaining read. Mason and Sawyer are interesting, wounded, complex, relatable, intriguing, strong, flawed, entertaining characters. I enjoyed spending time with these two. Mason is such a sweetheart – my newest book boyfriend. I loved the growth of the characters throughout the course of the story. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Sawyer, a cynical romance novelist well past deadline on her next book with her advance nearly spent, embarks on a mission to ruin romance for starry-eyed romantic, television star Mason, after they meet-cute in an elevator and then a local bar. She’s been in a self-imposed multi-year dry spell, and he’s just been dumped. He doesn’t recognize her name from the NYT bestseller list; she doesn’t recognize his face from a popular television drama series.

When Mason and Sawyer bump into one another a third time at the Christmas market, they hatch a plan to help him not date and get her through her writer’s block: do romantic stuff together while he waits for the tabloid to lose interest in his life and she waits for inspiration to strike. They ice-skate at Millennium Park, shop at IKEA, and become plus-ones at each others traditional holiday gatherings. The two rules they set are no feelings and no sex, but it wouldn’t be a romantic comedy if they didn’t break both, becoming friends along the way.

Unromance is quick-paced, delightfully snarky read with a unique plot and many laugh-out-loud funny moments. Pop culture nods to television and movies abound. Each chapter is prefaced with a funny definition of a trope they have sworn to avoid and about to encounter. Sawyer makes fun of romance tropes throughout as they turn tropes on their heads. Her soliloquy on romance rivals American Ferrara’s feminist rant on what it means to be a woman in the Barbie movie, made all the more ironic as she rails against the Lies Hollywood Tells Us to an actor.

Sawyer, a preacher’s kid, is bisexual and has been shunned by her family of origin, while Mason’s soap star mother believes in always being ahead of the story and crafting a media-perfect life. Dealing with their baggage and backgrounds is another element that deepens their compatibility and strengthens their relationship.

This debut novel lands in January 2025; it’s a shame it didn’t come out before the holidays this year, as much of the action takes place in December and the holidays play a large role in the plot.

I received a free advance readers review copy of #Unromance via #NetGalley courtesy of #Forever. This review will publish on HLBB on 1/9/2025.

Thank you Forever Pub for the eGalley!

Let's start that this is a debut?! It didn't read like one! This book reminded me a bit of Beach Read, but it had its own take on it heavily influenced by iconic rom-coms. It made me laugh, and a spice that actually had me blushing and kicking my feet. While i wasn't the biggest fan of the conflict (it's a me problem lol) it still was great. I had the best time reading it and i am truly looking forward to reading more from this author.

I will share my full review on my Instagram page closer to pub day!

I really enjoyed this sneaky holiday romance. The connection between the main characters was so genuine and believable that when the slow burn started heating up the wait was well worth it. I’ll be looking out for this authors next book for sure!

I couldn't remember where I'd first heard about this book and figured I must have just found it scrolling a through NetGalley, but upon finishing it and reading the acknowledgments I'm pretty sure I have Courtney Kae's influence to thank! And I do thank her because I LOVED this book! I am not someone who highlights things as I read unless they really get me, and sometimes not even then, but from the jump the humor, wit, sarcasm, and scattered mind of the FMC Sawyer had me enamored, and I ended up with 15 different spots highlighted. Erin Connor, you officially have another big fan; I both commend and thank you for what you've achieved with your debut, and really look forward to anything else you might gift us with in the future.

Sawyer is a romance author, three books in but now with major writer block and past her deadline. She meets Mason in an elevator (hello meet-cute) and they have what is supposed to be a one night stand. Then they meet again and end up working through a list of cheesy romance moments attempting to ruin them, to cure Mason (a decently famous actor, which she doesn't know to start) of being overly romantic and falling for the wrong people, while inspiring her to write.

I appreciated how there was so much life and story left once they both finally admit their feelings, because the build up to that could have meant the rest of the book was clear sailing and it wasn't (in a good way that was necessary for the characters).

The statement that this is a love letter to romcoms is so accurate, and I laughed, internally squealed, and sent my sister many of the references to beloved pop culture and literature love stories. I loved it, and it was only very narrowly beat out for fave of the month.

Thanks to Forever for the arc!
Release date: Jan 14/25

I knew I was going to be obsessed with Erin Connor’s UNROMANCE, and it did not disappoint! Sawyer and Mason were the perfect combination of sarcastic and sweet, and I’ll officially read anything Erin deigns to give us!

A recently dumped TV heartthrob enlists a jaded romance novelist to ruin romance for him—one rom-com trope at a time—so he never gets swept off his feet again . . .

I mean, THAT PREMISE! Each chapter starts with a clever, sarcastic definition of a different trope that connects to the story, which I adored, and the chapters themselves lived up to the promise of those snippets. Their banter is hilarious, the spicy scenes are top-tier (I see you, tights), and the growth arcs, individual and together, are perfectly done!

I’m so excited to officially add this one to my shelf next month and to see what Erin comes up with next!

I enjoyed reading this book, and Christmas was the perfect time to read it! The book covers Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's, and I always appreciate reading books like this in the time leading up to Christmas. It was fun to read a book set in Chicago - don't see too many of those! Thanks to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC.

Unromance by Erin Connor is a delightful read that hooks you right from the start. The premise is super cute—Sawyer Greene, a romance author who doesn't believe in love, struggling with writer’s block, and Mason Alvarez/West, a soap opera star with a heart full of romance, trying to move past a public breakup. The book kicks off with a one-night stand, which sets the stage for a fun and engaging story.

I absolutely adored the little touches at the beginning of each chapter, and by 14%, I was already rooting for Sawyer. The chemistry between the characters is undeniable, and their banter kept me turning pages.

The only downside for me was the breakup around the 60% mark, followed by another in the third act. It felt a bit repetitive, but I have to say the book was still well-written and kept me invested. I didn’t even realize it was a debut novel until I finished it, which is impressive. The story strikes a perfect balance between spicy and sweet, although I did feel the relationship played out a little long for my taste. Still, it was definitely an enjoyable book, with just the right amount of drama, heart, and heat!

⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️

I really liked this book. It's super refreshing compared to other rom-coms. Both characters were interesting and kept me hooked from the beginning. Also liked the idea of book & the idea of ruining romance just to fall in love. Cute book all around.

Sawyer Greene, a New York Times bestselling romance author, is a actually romance cynic with a major deadline and an even bigger case of writer's block. While dropping off book donations to the bartender at her favorite watering hole, she gets stuck in the elevator with an absolute hunk...who is beginning to have a panic attack??? Mason West, the elevator-phobic star of a hit TV medical drama, is on the way to break things off with his co-star and estranged girlfriend at a local bar...and he cannot believe he is about to melt down in front of the beautiful woman carrying an absurd number of books in the elevator. To his complete surprise, she begins attempting to distract and calm him until it's up and running again. An even bigger surprise, however, is that this woman does not appear to recognize him AT ALL.

When he notices she's sitting at the bar after his "meeting" he decides to approach her...while Sawyer decides that this is the perfect night for a one night stand, and banters herself right into an invitation home with Elevator Guy. Sawyer and Mason absolutely blow their backs out, and assume they'll never see each other again. And they don't. For three entire weeks until they run into each other at the Christkindlemarket.

As a schmoopy serial dater always attempting to romance the hell out of his partners, he decides his best course of action would be some quality single time--and for his optimistic views on love to be completely obliterated. Remembering Sawyer's writer's block, he proposes a brilliant solution to everyone's problems: Sawyer, an expert in romance, can ruin big tropey romantic gestures for him, and along the way possibly maybe find some inspiration for her next book. There are only two rules: A. They will keep their relationship surface level, and B. They will absolutely not sleep with each other again.

First of all, and I am not proud of this, but I become the absolute worst version of myself when I read a book set in Chicago. I was born and raised in the city, and have read a few too many Chicago-based novels with street performers in residential neighborhoods and hot dog carts on every corner and characters who bleed deep dish pizza. When I tell you this is the most accurate version of Chicago that I have read so far down to the IKEA in Schaumburg, I am not even kidding. Absolutely immaculate.

Now on to the feral screaming part--OH MY F*CKING GOD DID I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!! The plot? AMAZING! The chemistry between these characters? IMPECCABLE. That scene with the nylons? I NEED A COLD SHOWER. This is yet another debut written by an author who writes like they have been at it for years.

Mason is such a cinnamon roll, and Sawyer is just so spicy. They could not help but throw caution to the wind, because not breaking the rules was an impossibility. Watching their bumpy attempt to balance the fact that he fell fast and hard and that she is terrified of being hurt kept the plot moving right along. I devoured this book in one day because I don't think I could have slept until they figured it all out. Unromance is hysterical, tender, and an absolute joy to read.

An easy 5/5 stars for me!

Unromance is out on January 14th!

Thank you to Forever for a copy of this eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.