Any Trope but You was really cute and a fun romance palate cleanser! The premise of a romance author trying to avoid every cliché only to find herself wrapped up in them anyway was really fun and a playful premise to the book. The chemistry between the main characters is sweet, and I found myself rooting for them despite all the tropes they end up living out. The writing is witty, with plenty of charming banter and a lighthearted tone that makes it a great feel-good read.

While I really enjoyed the book, it didn’t fully blow me away. Some of the plot points felt a little predictable, but that didn’t take away from how much fun I had with the story. Overall, it’s an easy, delightful read—perfect for anyone who loves a good romance with a sprinkle of self-aware humor.

Flannel, snow and moose! Perfect romcom set in snowy Alaska. I couldn't figure out which of the two were the sunshine and the grumpy, but the immediate chemistry between Margot and Forrest was on fire! I love the quick banter and the parallel family story that kept the book going. I couldn't put it down!

It was a good book. it was funny and entertaining and I had a good time reading it. Highly recommend this author.

THE MOST PERFECT ROMANCE NOVEL
Had every trope and not in the cheesy way
Forrest and Margot were perfectly imperfect characters
Everything they were dealing with was so real, so heartbreaking.
Every reader needs to read this - whether they believe in HEAs or not. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

This book!!! Aside from being a fun, trope filled romp through remote Alaska, it’s filled with such emotional depth I often had to put it down to bask in the moment. If you like a strong female mc this is the book for you. I will definitely be rereading this one and I can’t wait for @victorialavinewrites next book ❤️

Any Trope But You, the debut book from Victoria Lavine, tells the story of jaded romance writer Margot, whose life and career are in need of transformation. She arrives at North Star Lodge in Alaska only to be met with handsome Dr. Forrest, the very romance tropes she was hoping to escape, some adventurous wilderness challenges, and, quite possibly, the ability to believe in Happily Ever Afters again.
This book so beautifully captures much of what the romance community is. We come here to heal when we’re hurt, we support our authors with a fierceness few other genres would know, and our authors gift readers the most beautiful gifts in their stories. Ms. Lavine’s writing is delightful, the characters lovable and relatable, and honestly didn’t want it to end.
The book is the surprise of the year. I requested the ARC because the title caught my attention and blurb sounded interesting. I never expected to love this book the way I did or to discover what I know will be one of my top five reads of 2025 in January.

This is a brilliantly written debut novel that manages to balance both ends of the emotional spectrum without cheapening either. I found myself both laughing out loud and tearing up at several points in this book.

“There are some people who come into your life—even for a moment—who have the power to fundamentally change you forever.”

Margot drew me in from the first page. She starts out prickly and jaded—all witty snark and pop culture references—but those defense mechanisms protect a very soft and wounded core. Forrest, an amalgamation of Margot’s swoon-worthy leading men, could have easily come off as one-dimensional, a sort of embodiment of female wish fulfillment, but he too is written with depth and care.

The slow build of their chemistry, every interaction adding fuel to the fire, is so well executed. Even when they try to push each other away, the desire drawing them together is apparent. These are characters that share not just a physical attraction, but an emotional connection and mutual respect for one another.

The quality of writing here, even in small phrases, is superb; the author, very adept at painting word pictures. I highlighted so many sentences simply because they were well-written. And while cycling through so many romance tropes could become tired or cheesy, the plot remains fresh and well-paced.

“But the thing I’ve learned about hollowness—the kind that’s carved from pain—is that the deeper it goes, the more room it leaves for love. And when love finally rushes in, it fills every dark and twisty crevice with a light almost too brilliant to bear.”

I loved that Margot and Forrest bonded over caring for chronically ill/injured loved ones. As someone on the other side of the equation, I only hope to be as selfless and thoughtful as Margot’s sister, Savannah. Those letters absolutely killed me. I think I teared up while reading every single one. Margot might be looking out for Savannah’s physical health, but Savannah is looking out for Margot’s emotional health.

I could go on and on about this novel, but I’ll stop here. Just read it. It’s a treasure trove of well-loved romance tropes, but it’s not just fluff—it has a heart. This is a hard-earned HEA (one of my favorite kinds) and your heart might just break a little for Margot and Forrest before they finally end up together. A fantastic debut novel and I can’t wait to read more from Victoria Lavine.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

This book has a great premise: a romance author who doesn't believe in true love and who writes separate, brutally realistic endings to her own novels for her own reading pleasure. When her alternate endings are discovered, Margot Bradley's career implodes, and she flees to a lodge in Alaska to try her hand at writing a mystery novel. She finds herself experiencing every romance trope in short order with the proprietor's son, Forrest Wakefield, who has returned home to care for his father. There is witty banter but there is also a lot of swearing that doesn't add to the story and is used unevenly. Physical attraction brings these two together (lots of steamy scenes), but they do develop a deeper relationship over the course of Margot's stay. Spoiler alert: I had difficulty with the abruptness of Margot and Forrest's break up as it felt like they had gotten to the point in their relationship where they could have at least a cursory discussion of why Forrest felt conflicted. Having recently been to Alaska, it was very enjoyable to revisit the wilderness of our 49th state.

This enemies-to-lovers romance offered a delightful escape. Margot, a romance author whose "Happily Never After" scenarios are exposed by a vengeful fan, is sent to Alaska by her sister, Savannah. There, she encounters the undeniably sexy and rugged Forrest.

The dual POV was a definite strength, allowing for a deeper understanding of both characters. Margot's fierce independence, born from past hurts and a desire to protect her sister were compelling. Forrest, the quintessential grumpy-but-gorgeous hero, also resonated with his dedication to his father and the quiet ache of missing his mother.

The Alaskan wilderness setting added a unique dimension to the story, though the pacing felt a bit slow initially. While some plot points, like the rapid recovery from a sprained ankle and the two-hour carry down a mountain, strained believability, I ultimately enjoyed the book. Once I got into the story, it was a quick, steamy, and well-written read.

Margot is a loved and renowned romance author thriving in her career when it all goes sideways as a hacker publicly releases a very private file she kept known as the Happily Never Afters. Margot goes to remote Alaska to reinvent herself and try her hand at writing a murder mystery when she stumbles upon a moose of a roadblock… Any Trope But You had me laughing out loud and crying into my Kindle. (Yes, I’m a softie!) This debut takes hundreds of cheesy romance tropes and throws them all at you in a funny and entertaining way that actually works so well. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to future works by this author.

A romance not believing in love? Oh my. Of course she meets someone and suddenly believes in love. It’s cliche but love the story and writing,

I eagerly requested Any Trope But You by Victoria Lavine from NetGalley after hearing rave reviews from Bad on Paper podcast. I was intrigued by the premise: a popular romance author, Margot, retreats to rural Alaska after being cancelled. Her fans revolt and her publisher drops her after her private file of alternate endings for her beloved characters, titled Happily Never After, is maliciously leaked to her fans. Her chronically ill sister then plans a 6-week stay at a rugged resort in Alaska for her so Margot can get her mojo back. She has an immediate meet-cute with the resort owners son, Forrest, and a slow burn, enemies to lovers romance begins. This novel has all of the elements that I enjoy in my romances, but it seemed to be missing a bit of magic. The slow burn was a bit too slow for me, and I felt my mind wandering at times. I appreciated the author’s use of so many of my favorite romance tropes (and even some of my least favorite), but unfortunately I wasn’t completely wowed. It will be worth reading for the right romance lover. 3/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own. Anticipated release date: 4/1/25

i was given the opportunity to read this arc through netgalley & let it sit on my shelf for far too long! such a cute & fun rom-com, with a clever play on classic romance tropes. Loved the characters - especially Forrest, aka, Dr mountain daddy 😂 he’s literally the perfect book boyfriend. Fairly predictable, very hallmark vibes, but not too cheesy. I was giggling and thoroughly enjoying the entire read.
🌶️🌶️ there were some great spicy scenes as well
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Omg this was ADORABLE. Such a cute rom-com, I highly recommend. Great banter/chemistry from the beginning, but also had depth. This was a great romance! I will absolutely read whatever this author writes next.

Wow wow wow wow wow. It's so hard to believe this is a debut because most authors ramp up to their best work over time and it seems like Lavine can't top this (I'm sure she will, though). It hits a very specific niche I'm interested in: romance author, Alaska, the remote wilderness, forced proximity, a sauna. This was more than just a fun read, though. Both MCs had satisfying emotional arcs. Both of them were fighting their own battles, learning how to be their own person while also sufficiently taking care of someone they love. The sacrifices they were willing to make for their family members felt so realistic, and the obstacles keeping them apart were so deep that multiple times I was like, "There's no way they're making it out of this one." It was so good I wanted to reread it as soon as I finished.

I LOVED this story! From an Alaskan setting to the lighthearted joy of the book I just didn’t want it to end!

This book is f.u.n.n.y. and has gifted me with my first book boyfriend of 2025. What a trophy, right?? :)
Romance writer Margot Bradley is caught with her pants down. Literally. Her fan base is shocked to discover her Happily Never After file where all of her books have an epilogue breaking up her couples in devastating ways. She's abruptly canceled and encouraged by her sister to take a trip to Alaska to plot out and jump into a new genre sans romance. Her arrival is met with a moose and every dream of a romance hero combined in the proprietor's son, Forrest. But she knows he's just like every other man who has disappointed her in the past and to steer clear. Forrest is also carrying wounds that tell him to avoid her as well.
I really can't believe this is a debut. It's an absolute knockout. The humor, the tension, the setting, the cast all work magically to make this one entertaining read. I especially loved the letters Margot gets from her sister, Savannah, and they ways Margot is pushed out of her comfort zone. Victoria's descriptions are uniquely perfect (like who describes a scent as cedar and muscles and yet it perfectly makes sense??) I am a fan and am excited to read Victoria again and again.
Thank you to the author for the traveling arc copy. All thoughts are my own.

This was such a cute story. I loved their relationship and it really seemed like they were made for each other. While being sweet, both main characters had such depth and other things that they had to get through to be with each other. The only reason it’s not a 5 stars is because the trope thing got a tad annoying. Like I know it was the point of the book, hence the title, but it got a bit repetitive. And there was also a part where they called her a grumpy romance writer, which I thought was a little cringe. Other than that I loved this book and will recommend it to everyone I know. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you Atria for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

First five star read of 2025!! Any Trope But You is for the romance readers. It’s clever and swoony and brilliant. Plus, Forrest is 100% book boyfriend material.

I had so much fun reading this book - I loved the Alaska setting! The characters were likeable and relatable.