Any Trope But You by Victoria Lavine
Length: 320 pages
Source: NetGalley eARC, Atria Books
Publication date: April 1, 2025

5 ⭐️
3 🌶️

Margot Bradley is a well-known romance author who no longer believes in romance. Happily Ever Afters? Try Happily Never Afters, the alternate endings that Margot writes for her books—all the ugly, sad, miserable endings readers don’t see after the characters declare their love for one another. And unfortunately, Margot’s private journal of HNAs makes it out into the social-media world, and she’s quickly canceled—by fans AND by her publisher.

Margot, with her sister’s insistence, decides to try reinventing herself as a mystery writer, and said sister books her for a six-week vacay to a remote Alaskan resort. Once there, Margot finds herself smack-dab in what seems to be one of her old romance novels, complete with every trope she can think of. Handsome doctor? Check. Rescuing the heroine from wildlife? Check. Cooking for her and giving her a cute nickname? Check, check. There are even micro-tropes! Henley shirts, muscled forearms, heroic good looks … what's a girl to do?

Forrest Wakefield is clearly too good to be true, and Margot’s cynical heart won’t let her forget that men like him can’t possibly exist. For Forrest, Margot looks like his dream girl, but there’s no way he has the time or desire to put himself out there. He’s busy taking care of his sick dad, and he’s been burned in the past after getting involved with a guest. He’s not going down that road again, especially since Margot’s only staying for six weeks.

But the tropes want what the tropes want—a real HEA—and Margot and Forrest find themselves thrown together time and again, hurtful pasts and messy presents be damned.

Whew … this book! I loved it. Incredibly well-written and a distinctive writing voice. The two main characters were so clear and fleshed out, I had absolutely no trouble picturing them (and that kind of mental visualization is really difficult for those of us with ADHD). And debut-author Lavine really didn’t want to leave out any trope. Margot mentions most of them explicitly, in case you miss any. Now are there those tropes we hate as well? Yes, yes, there are (I’m not going to spoil it with which ones, but if you read a lot of romance, you can probably guess).

If you’re old enough to have ever been in love, I would think you’ve been in Margot’s shoes at one point or another, even if you found your own Happily Ever After or believe that The One is still out there. But my guess is at some point, we’ve all felt like, “Love’s not worth it, so burn it all to the ground!” or “I’m NEVER putting myself out there again.” I felt Margot’s cynicism and defensiveness so strongly as she tried to not fall in love with Forrest, and it hurt, even knowing she was only trying to protect herself. And yet, I also laughed more at this book than I have in a long time while reading a rom-com. Both Margot and Forrest were humorous in their ways, and getting to be in both their heads had me cackling. (Even Lavine’s acknowledgements were funny!) And yes ... Forrest, despite his faults, IS that perfect book boyfriend.

Any Trope But You gives you all this and more:
—City girl x backcountry boy
—Forced proximity
—So much banter
—Only one tent
—Slow burn
—Snowed in
—Dual POV

So what’s the verdict? Definitely a yes from me. I’m ridiculously into this author’s debut and look forward to more.

— A

Thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Victoria Lavine for an eARC of this book. All opinions are mine. Review up now on BlueSky, StoryGraph, Fable, Tome, and BookBub.

A jaded romance author meets the cumilnation of all the male love interests she's ever written and fights her hardest not to fall in love with him. Any Trope but You breathes new life into all the classic romance tropes in an ode to romance readers and happily ever afters.

I had heard lots of hype about this Alaska-based rom com for months and I’m so happy I got a sneak peak (it’s out tomorrow). If you like Abby Jimenez books, you’ll love this one. Romantic but dealing with real issues and hard choices with the backdrop of beautiful Alaska scenery, this is the perfect escapist romance to put a smile on your face and tear in your eye. A friendly moose named Bullwinkle doesn’t hurt either. Thanks @netgalley for my advanced copy!!

“Romance readers are the best kinds of readers. For one, we buy ALL the books.”
“Secondly, and most importantly, we believe in true love.”

Thank you Atria and NetGalley for the free book! All opinions are my own. #Atria

I had so much fun reading this book! Any Trope But You is witty, heartfelt, hilarious and so very sweet. If you are a romance reader then this is one you can’t miss! I am so excited to read whatever Victoria Lavine writes next!

Best selling romance author, Margo’s secret is out -- she doesn’t really believe in happily ever afters. Having been canceled by her fans and dropped by her publisher, Margo heads to a remote Alaskan resort at the request of her sister to regroup. While there she meets Forrest, the adorable doctor turned inn proprietor who epitomizes all of the romance tropes she has only ever written about in her books.

On its surface Any Trope But You seems like just another fun filled romance but there are many deeper and more emotional moments woven throughout. Margo and Forrest are both struggling to find a balance in their lives between following their dreams and providing care for their loved ones. They fight their connection because neither of their lives feel completely their own and the sense of responsibility they each bear is profound. I loved watching their journeys of self discovery and fell in love with the adorable cast of characters that surrounds them. The story is beautifully written, from start to finish and I am so glad to have read it.

Read if you like:

Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Alaska Setting
Slow Burn
Some Spice
Debut Authors

This one made me laugh, swoon, and ache. It was so good. What a debut! It’s so cozy and real. And I loved getting to explore the Alaskan wilderness.

3.5* stars - thank you netgalley and atria books for this free ARC!

seeing as it's the night before publishing day, what a perfect evening to finish this! i really enjoyed this seeing as the plot was pretty unique and the main characters were so easy to love. "enemies to lovers" is such an odd trope to tackle for contemporary romances but this one was great! it wasn't surface level storytelling too, there were some deep and real life moments in here that made the book more enjoyable honestly because it felt relatable. i highly recommend this for your next rom com!!!

I've been in a reading rut and really burnt out from work, and Any Trope but You was a great fix as winter comes to an end. A trope-aware romance, Any Trope but You follows disgraced romance author Margot as she takes a getaway to an Alaskan resort to write her next book. There she meets Forest, a cancer researcher who is back at his family's resort to take care of his sick father. With charming characters I rooted for, good banter, and a cozy setting, Any Trope but You was a strong debut by Victoria Lavine and I look forward to reading more by her.

I absolutely loved this book! Margot and Forrest’s banter was so good and it was genuinely just a perfect romcom, feel good, slow burn story that left me with me all warm and fuzzy! I can’t wait to see what comes next from Victoria.

A very cute romance novel which quite honestly covered every trope in existence. Although that may sound crazy this is exactly what made this book fun and different. Margot is a very successful author but one mishap puts all of her fears and insecurities out in the open for all of her devoted fans to see. In an attempt to save her career Margot ends up at a winter lodge in Alaska where she meets Forrest. As part of the medical field, Forrest has always been a success story, however he is now back at the lodge taking care of his father and slowly losing his mind. When the two of them meet instantly sparks fly. Will the tropes bring them together? Or will Margot's reservation run out before Forrest can make a move?

Pros: I loved the use of all of the tropes throughout this novel. I felt that it added something different.

Cons: It was a very cute novel but overall it was very predictable. However I still enjoyed it and highly suggest to romance lovers.

Special thanks to Atria Books for the early release through Netgalley.

This book was better than I expected. You get so many rom com tropes at once and honestly I was worried it would feel like a jumbled mess, but it worked!!

Margo Bradley is a bestselling romance author who shockingly doesn’t believe in Happily Ever After.’s! Crazy right!? When her secret work in progress “Happily Never After” document is leaked, she gets cancelled big time. So she decides the best thing for her to do is to run away to Alaska (of all places) and write a murder mystery? (This had me cracking up!) That’s when we meet Forrest Wakefield, a doctor who is now (against his own wishes) a lodge owner, but he had a heart of gold and is grumpy to everyone but has a soft spot for Margo. (cue the cartoon heart eyes!!)

This books was just so much fun, though my only complaint was the ending felt so rushed, it honestly could have had like 3 more chapters and I wouldn’t have complained at all!! lol. I needed MORE. And the fact the book was so self aware, with Margo literally pointing out all the tropes had me cackling!! This was the exact type of romcom I needed.

So a huge thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Victoria Lavine for the eArc in exchange for my honest review. I had a great time with this book!!

First of all, I love this title! I really enjoy a playful yet on the nose romance title. Excellent work!
Margot is the perfect cozy romance author with an unfortunate secret… She doesn’t believe in happily ever after. After her secret is hacked she’s forced by her sister on an Alaskan getaway. There she meets Forrest, who she bonds with over being caregivers to their family members, but also clashes with. These two engage in some high jinx that seem very familiar to romance readers, a.k.a. tropes! Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Despite having a winter cover, I think this is an absolute perfect be treat!

Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun book. I loved the cover and the title was catchy. Margot writing Romance and not believing in happily ever after was intriguing and kept me interested. I liked seeing how things went after she fled to Alaska to write a murder mystery and continue to provide for her sister.

I loved the setting, the male main character, the tropes the book included like forced proximity, slow burn, enemies to lovers, etc.

Overall, the book was great but some things annoyed me a tad, like feeling the ending was somewhat rushed and I wish was more flushed out. But other than that, wow!!!!!!

Margot is a successful romance author. One of her books was even made into a rom-com! But while doing a publicity event, she is exposed for writing Happily Never Afters, what might happen to her characters in the real world. To make things even worse, this document contains her thoughts about her readers and that is a problem. Ashamed, she runs off to Alaska. Forrest is at his father's resort helping out after his father had an accident. The doctor turned innkeeper is attracted to but annoyed by Margot. Can she write a mystery novel to keep her head afloat? Can they resist each other?

I have to say that having any document that bashes your readers backed up to the Cloud is a bad idea. But that premise seems a bit flimsy. Otherwise, this is a fun read for those of us who do believe that HEA exists.

Thank you to Net Galley and Atria Books for the DRC. All opinions are my own and are based on my own HEA.

✍🏼 Any Trope but You by Victoria Lavine
Releases TOMORROW (April 1)
⭐ 4.5/5 🌶️ 3/5

Margot Bradley, a romance author who secretly writes cynical alternate endings for her characters, faces public backlash when her "Happily Never After" document is leaked. With her career and livelihood on the line, she agrees to write a murder mystery in a remote Alaskan resort, hoping to revive her career to still support her ill sister, Savannah. At the resort, Margot crosses paths with Forrest Wakefield, a former cancer researcher now running the family business while caring for his sick father. Despite their initial reluctance, the two grow closer as they navigate a series of romantic tropes. However, Forrest is afraid of getting close to someone he could lose, especially knowing Margot's departure is inevitable. As they confront their fears and assumptions, they must decide whether to risk their hearts or end up as another "Happily Never After" story.

This debut novel is incredibly charming! Victoria's writing made it so easy for this reader to fall in love with Margot and Forrest. I love how Margot openly acknowledges the romance tropes she shares with Forrest, but it's done subtly enough not to overshadow the plot or their relationship. Their shared experience as primary caregivers of their chronically ill family members allow them to empathize with each other on a profound level, understanding each other's needs, motivations, and concerns in a way that is uniquely their own.

🫎 Dual POV
🫎 Meet-cute
🫎 Enemies-to-lovers
🫎 Forced Proximity
🫎 Slow burn
🫎 One tent

Thank you, Atria books, for my gifted eARC of Any Trope but You in exchange for an honest review!

#anytropebutyou #victorialavine #atriabooks #netgalley #bookreview #bookreviewer #bookstagram

Margot Bradley is a very popular romance author who really doesn't believe in happy ever after. She has a file of Never Happy After where she has written unhappy outcomes for her book's character. When this file is hacked from her computer and spread all over the Internet, Margot flees to a lodge in Alaska to heal and start writing on a non-romance book.

It's there that she meets Forrest, the lodge owner's son. Basically, every romance trope that she writes about occur with her and Forrest, starting with their initial meet cute. There are so many tropes that it should be eye-rolling, but Margot acknowledges that they are happening that it makes it funny.

I really enjoyed this book and am surprised that it is a debut author!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really loved this book. It was a fun take on all of the classic romance tropes, while still focusing on some more serious issues that Margot and Forrest were facing. Each trope was written into Margot and Forrest's story without feeling forced.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A romance author who doesn't believe in happily ever after's and a swoon worthy book boyfriend with a heart of gold. I absolutely ate this book up! the depth of Margot's love for her sister and the lengths she would go to hide her own unhappiness to keep writing stories she did not believe in just to make sure she was taken care of was heartwarming. Sweet, dumb Forrest and his need to take everything on his shoulders and push away love....it was everything and not too much lol This book had ALL the tropes and it was fantastic. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for an emotional read!

This rom-com contains every romance trope known to man (and maybe a few more), which adds to both the romance and the comedy aspects of the book…and the cheesiness of course, in the best way possible! While it’s a lighthearted book in a lot of ways, it also contains depth as both the female and male main characters face challenges related to family, struggles from the past, and making hard choices. There was a perfect balance of emotions weaved throughout. Congrats to the author on her debut novel!

Thank you Net Galley and publishers for the advanced copy!

Thank you, Atria Books and NetGalley, for the advanced copy of Any Trope but You.

Five stars? Really? Hear me out! Think of your favorite romance tropes, and I'm pretty sure they're in here. Sounds like it would be messy and rushed and just meh, right? Wrong! Any Trope but You gave me the silly smiles. You know what the silly smiles are: when you read something just so cute and adorable that you can't help but to show off your pearly whites. This is the perfect novel for a quick, light-hearted read that will have you swooning.

Margot is a best-selling romance author. She loves the flexible schedule she can keep which gives her the time and the money to take care of her chronically-ill sister. While she no longer believes in HEAs, she keeps a document titled Happily Never After on her computer where she writes alternate endings to her novels. During an online interview, her Happily Never After file gets exposed to fans and media. She finds herself being canceled by her beloved readers and dropped by her publisher. Finding the need to pivot, she decides to try her hands at a good old-fashioned murder book. When her sister books Margot for a vacation in the perfect setting for her new novel, Margot finds more than just the wilderness at the remote Alaskan resort. Enter Dr. Forest Wakefield, cancer researcher extraordinaire now taking care of his ailing father. If any of the tropes I've mentioned so far don't get you, I have two words for you: one bed. Well, bed... sleeping bag... what's the difference?

This was the self-aware romantic comedy that I needed to entertain me over the past couple of days.

The book throws so many rom com tropes out, it could be romance salad but it comes together as a load of fast moving fun. It's probably not going to win any awards or be anyone's absolute favorite but it was entertaining and a fluffy good time.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book published on 1 April 2025