Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC of Any Trope but You by Victoria Lavine.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Forrest is the main male character who is the epitome of every romance genre trope. Margot is the romance novel writer. Except she’s on hiatus after her followers witness a hacker exploit her negative side and weariness to HEA. The two meet up when Margot’s sister send her to Alaska for a break to work on her next novel in a new genre. A meet cute of course, two people who don’t believe in HEAs what can go wrong. Especially in the middle of remote Alaska. A great read that sums up all the romance tropes and makes you believe that love can be found by all, and possibly not where or when you expect it.

As a romance reader, I really enjoyed Any Trope But You - not just because I agree with the sentiment that romance readers are the best readers (we are), nor only because each of the tropes were so spot on, but because it's nice to read about HEA and HNA (happily-never-afters). This story about Margot, a famous romance author, opens up with her dirty secret being shared on a huge webcast. She has written the book of Happily Never Afters - you know, the real stories about child custody disputes and divorces, ghosting and erectile dysfunction - for her beloved characters. Oh, and when the tide was turning during that webcast, she also shows off her granny panties. Solid. So her sister Savannah packs her up and sends her to Alaska where she literally runs into the peak of a swoony romance MMC named Forrest. Yes, he lives in the forest; yes, there are all the puns. So starts the enemies-to-maybe-lovers story.

I thought this book was a wonderful tribute to the tropes that we all love (the people who hate on them probably secretly love them too). Victoria Lavine was witty, created deep characters, and didn't shy away from some of the heartache that comes with loving other people. It was easy to get invested in the stories of all of the characters and was a quick, enjoyable read. I'll definitely be looking out for more stories from Victoria! I would highly recommend, even to those that may not be die-hard romance readers.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review!

many thanks to the author, atria books, and netgalley for this arc

as an avid romance reader, i loved everything about this (even the third act breakup that i knew was coming but still wrecked me on every plane of existence). i laughed, i ugly cried, it was such a well written book. i really appreciated the emotional depth to it and the way Lavine made me homesick for a kind of love i’ve yet to experience.

the bond between Margot and Savannah was so so beautiful, i loved how they were each other’s safety and how they both grew to be independent. i especially loved the letter aspect to this book. now Forrest was a book bf dream (obviously) and it was so refreshing for the book to poke fun at itself. i’d recommend this book to the romance lover, the romance hater, and everyone in between. it really is so much more than a list of tropes

Beloved romance author Margot Bradley has a dark secret: she doesn’t believe in Happily Ever Afters. Not for herself, not for her readers, and not even for her characters, for whom she secretly writes alternate endings that swap weddings and babies for divorce papers and the occasional slashed tire. When her Happily Never After document is hacked and released to the public, she finds herself canceled by her readers and dropped by her publisher. Desperate to find a way to continue supporting her chronically ill sister, Savannah, Margot decides to trade meet-cutes for murder. The fictional kind. Probably. But when Savannah books Margot a six-week stay in a remote Alaskan resort to pen her first murder mystery, Margot finds herself running from a moose and leaping into the arms of the handsome proprietor, making her fear she’s just landed in a romance novel instead. The last thing Dr. Forrest Wakefield ever expected was to leave his dream job as a cancer researcher to become a glorified bellhop. What he’s really doing at his family’s resort is caring for his stubborn, ailing father, and his puzzle-loving mind is slowly freezing over—until Margot shows up. But Forrest doesn’t have any room in his life for another person he could lose, especially one with a checkout date. As long snowy nights and one unlikely trope after another draw Margot and Forrest together, they’ll each have to learn to overcome their fears and set their aside assumptions before Margot leaves—or risk becoming a Happily Never After story themselves.

Thoughts
A light fluffy easy read with a dash of spice. The main characters are both caretakers to family members which adds a layer of depth and complication to their story. But this isn’t a heavy read. I liked the idea of a romance writer not believing in love to run into a mixture of all the tropes in on man.

Two Sentence Summary:
After her Happily “Never” After file is leaked, canceled romance author Margot flees to a remote Alaskan resort to write a murder mystery—only to find herself dodging moose and falling into a classic rom-com story line. As forced proximity and tropes ensue, she and the grumpy proprietor, Forrest must decide if they’re brave enough to rewrite their own ending.

My Thoughts:
This book was an absolute love letter to romance readers, and I devoured every single page! From the very first chapter, I was hooked on Margot’s journey—from canceled romance author to reluctant rom-com heroine—and the way this story so brilliantly played with (and fully embraced) beloved romance tropes. The writing was sharp, the humor spot-on, and the emotional depth so perfectly woven in that I found myself laughing one moment and swooning the next.

Dr. Forrest Wakefield? Utterly swoon-worthy. He’s the perfect mix of grumpy, protective, and secretly soft, and watching him fall for Margot—despite every effort to resist—was pure magic. And Margot? An absolute girl boss. I adored her wit, resilience, and the way she refused to let her past define her. Their chemistry was electric, their banter was perfection, and every moment between them had me grinning like an idiot.

This book had everything I love in a bingeable rom-com: the perfect balance of humor and heart, expertly executed tropes, and a romance that made me feel. I cannot wait to read more from this author—because if this debut is any indication, they are about to become an auto-buy for me!

DNF at 30% mark.

I had high hopes for this one but I just couldn’t into it. I wasn’t a fan of the FMC. I also didn’t like all the profanity that was thrown in there.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for this advanced readers copy. This is not honest and voluntary opinion.

This was so sweet. Margot tried so hard to resist Forrest but he is just the epitome of a book boyfriend. He is adorable and just wants to take care of his dad. He doesn't think that he can give Margot what she needs. They are fighting it so hard, but you can't fight fate. I do wish that there was an epilogue, I need more of them.

I received an arc through netgalley.

After a spectacular career implosion leaves her writing dreams in ashes, Margo is banished to the Alaskan wilderness for a six-week 'reinvention' retreat. Little does she know, her path to self-discovery will be paved with… romance tropes? Literally. On day one, she collides (quite spectacularly) into Forrest, a man who seems to embody every swoon-worthy cliché she’s ever read. Skeptical after a string of disastrous relationships and a called off engagement, Margo is convinced love is a fictional construct. But between the forced proximity of the Alaskan wilds, the undeniable chemistry with Forrest, and her sister Savannah’s relentless nudging, Margot begins to question everything she thought she knew about happily ever after. Can she overcome her cynicism and finally believe that maybe, just maybe, she deserves her own real-life romance trope?"

What really made this book shine, for me, was the banter. Forrest and Margo's back-and-forth was sharp, seemless, and kept the pages turning at a rapid pace. Lavine's writing has this light, humorous tone that grabs you from the first page.

Umm… omg?! This book was so fun! It had so much heart and soul. I loved all of the characters. I cannot believe this was a debut novel!

I really liked the twist on how Margot was a romance author that doesn’t believe in happily ever afters. This added a layer to the plot that was different and I loved what it added to the story! I will also read anything set in Alaska, and once you include adventures and a hot forest (ha) man I am THERE.

The writing was great and kept me interested while reading the story. It was easy to read and complimented the romance and the plot well!

Speaking of which, let’s not forget the romance. This was soooo well done. I loved Forrest and Margot’s chemistry. It was so easy for me to fall in love with their love. They were definitely mirrors for each other and I felt that added depth to their relationship we otherwise wouldn’t have seen. Sometimes books with too many tropes are a turnoff for me but I loved this one. Give me ALL the tropes!

I think this would make a great winter read, but it releases April 1 so add this one to the TBR folks! If this author decides to write more books, I will definitely read them!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

An entertaining multi-trope steamy romance. As is normal for me, I skipped all the intimate scenes. Not fond of the "f" word either, but neither stopped me from continuing the story until I reached their HEA. Interesting situations for the main characters. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

I really enjoyed this! The writing was very engaging. The story was great with plenty of humor, heart, and a fun cast of characters. Everything I want in a romance novel. I would definitely recommend!

I'm a sucker for a good romance trope! And a book with MANY tropes? Perfect, chefs kiss.

I felt like the pacing of this book was great, and I really appreciate when the conflict between the main characters are real and not just a miscommunication trope. Felt like I escaped to Alaska and went on an adventure with the whole crew.

P.S. Forrest was absolutely perfect.

Any Trope but You is just CUTE. I love how Forrest ends up in all the tropes for Margot. He really builds her up; we love a supportive king. I love how both of our MCs are caregivers for loved ones, it’s really hits home. Sometimes you just find your person and it all works out.
4/5
Thank you to Net Galley & Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After being outed as a romance writer who doesn’t believe in romance or happily ever afters, Margot is forced to flee to Alaska…where she can’t deny that she just might be wrong. 🫎

3.5 ⭐️ The first half of this book seemed like it was going for all the obvious rom-com scenarios and fell a little flat for me. I thought our FMC, Margot, was rude and our MCs together were petulant and frustrating. As I read, I kept thinking the book couldn’t decide if it wanted to be a rom-com or a deeper contemporary romance. At the halfway point, the book started to feel more contemporary and that’s when I really started to enjoy it. I loved the small epistolary element between Margot and her sister Savannah and the broader plot points around caregiving and chronic pain. Savannah was comic relief when the book was more serious and I enjoyed her character a lot. (So much so, that I’d love a book with her as the FMC!) The “trope” tie-in felt silly for me at first, but by the end I absolutely adored that the book was a love letter to romance novels and an appreciative nod to romance readers. ☺️ I’ll definitely be on the lookout for the author’s next book!

My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a complimentary advance copy of this eBook, out 4/1/2025.

I absolutely loved everything about this hilarious and heartwarming rom com! Victoria Lavine's writing is so good, I loved the characters and could picture the settings so vividly. Parts of it made me laugh and smile, while parts are so tender and sweet. There is a fair amount of open door romance as well, so steer clear if that's not for you.

This book also touches on many heavier topics and I thought it did them in a delicate and sensitive way.

There was no way not to root for Margot and Forrest -- Forrest is one of the best male main characters I've read, he's so swoony and perfect! I couldn't put it down by the end as I raced to find out what would happen to them.

I am so excited to see what Victoria Lavine writes next and will be eagerly awaiting it!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

This is such a fun debut! Romance lovers: I think you will really enjoy this one as our main characters reluctantly tackle all the tropes. Margot is a romance author whose recently been canceled for not believing in happily ever afters. She goes to Alaska to write a new manuscript in a different genre and finds herself face to face with the attractive son of the lodge’s owner. And she is determined not to give into her attraction BUT OF COURSE these two find themselves thrown into every romance trope known to man. I thought Victoria did this so well—sometimes when a romance novel actively acknowledges tropes it can come off as cheesy but this was one was fun and I found myself rolling your eyes right along with Margot.

Margot and Forrest were so fun and I loved that their relationship wasn’t just physical attraction. Both of them made assumptions on first impressions and quickly realized there was more to each other than they thought. They also had similar hearts and some shared experiences that I felt gave their relationship a deeper connection. I also adored Forrest’s dad and Margot’s sister. I loved how these two pushed our main characters and gave them tough love, but also kindness and support.

And of course-the Happily Ever After was sweet and precious and exactly what you want in a romance novel. I loved it. This book honestly feels like such a fun romcom movie (can someone make it happen please?).

Thank you to the author, @atriabooks, and @netgalley for the ARC! This one releases March 31st!

👍🏻Read If You Like:
•enemies to lovers
•forced proximity
•romance tropes
•author FMCs

🛑Content Warnings:
•loss of parent to cancer (in past)
•parent abandonment (in past)
•primary caregiver for sick family members
•moderate language

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️Open Door Romance
Closed Door Mods: last half of Ch. 17, end of Ch. 20-Ch. 21, Ch. 26

This novel is told in two POVs - Margot and Forrest. Margot is a best selling romance author who secretly has been writing happily never after endings for her books and the file gets hacked and leaked and she’s cancelled during a podcast interview when the papers are leaked. Forrest is a doctor leading the industry in research but moves home to help his father after he suffers an injury and is wheelchair bound. Every romance trope is thrown in but it’s so delightfully tongue-in-cheek that you can’t help but smile and laugh along with the book.

If you enjoy sharp witty romances that will still make you swoon (this reminded me of Abby Jimenez in the best ways) then add this to your TBR pronto!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

🫎 Any Trope But You - Victoria Levine 🫎
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️
e-ARC

You guys, I’m calling it now, this will be one of my top romance reads of the YEAR, that’s how much I loved this book!

First of all, I feel like this book was written for all the romance book girlies out there! I mean it’s about an author who writes Happily Ever Afters! And the way the author hit on every single romance trope we love was perfection! Right off the bat I loved Margot, she was witty and kind while also being a little jaded and slightly pessimistic. The fact that she had to go through a public humiliation was so heart breaking, but I felt like she handled it so well considering. And Forrest 😍, well hello to my new favorite book boyfriend. Seriously though, he may be a bit of a grump but he had such a tender heart who genuinely loved taking care of people, especially his Dad. Now while some may think that the overuse of tropes was a bit much, I personally ate it up. It added such a comedic element to the plot and made this story so bingeworthy! And while the romance was everything in this book, I especially loved how the story also focused on Margot’s relationship with her sister and Forrest’s relationship with his Dad.

I won’t say anymore, other than please add this one to your TBR you will not be disappointed!

Any Trope But You comes out 4/1 so mark your calendars!

Victoria Lavine's debut, "Any Trope But You," delivers a delightful mix of humor and heart. The dialogue is undeniably funny, and the clever play on romance tropes is a highlight. The moose meet-cute? Absolutely hysterical!

While the initial drama felt a tad cringy, the characters quickly developed a tangible depth that drew me in. Forrest, "from the forest," is a trope filled dream, and Lavine crafts him with a special charm. It's easy to see why Margot falls for him.

However, the book had a slow start for me. It wasn't until around the 40% mark that I truly became invested in the story. The transition from enemies to lovers felt a bit rushed, a common issue I find with this trope.

That being said, when the romance hits, it hits. The sauna scene? Let's just say it turned up the heat! 🥵 And while the book isn't overly smutty, the intimate scenes are beautifully written, capturing the tender moments of Margot and Forrest falling in love. It's a testament to Lavine's skill that the romance feels so genuine.

A special shoutout must go to the fantastic sisterly bond between Savannah and Margot. Their dynamic reminded me of the hilarious sisters from "Nobody Wants This" on Netflix.

Despite the slow start, "Any Trope But You" is a promising debut from Victoria Lavine. If you're looking for a funny, heartwarming romance with a unique twist, this book is worth the read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for the ARC opportunity. This book was hands down one of my favourite reads of 2025.

Funny, like actually funny, clever, heartfelt, tender and perfectly paced. This story, as much a romance as a journey of self discovery for both Margot and Forrest. I loved their tropes, I loved how the author weaved in every romance reader's favourite trope and sub tropes, and loved how deep this was. This was as much a love story between two characters, but also a love story to the romance genre.

I can't wait for more people to discover this wonderful book, and I can't wait to read more from this incredibly talented romance author.