Member Reviews
Alright, I loved this one more than I expected to. Margot is a jaded romance writer who lives with her sister, who has autoimmune issues and is her caretaker. After being "outed" for not believing in romance, her sister sends her to Alaska to research her next book in a new genre. She immediately meets Forrest, the owner's son, who is taking care of his dad and his resort while he tries to recover from injury. Margot and Forrest immediately start checking off the romance tropes. Forrest seems too good to be true and Margot fights her feelings about him. They are electric together, but have responsibilities put on themselves that threaten their happily ever after. There's witty banter, spice, heart to heart letters and conversations and of course, embarrassing moments(even if you're on Zoom, please wear pants). My only gripes with this story is that we're told that the leak is apprehended, but no explanation to who or why. It seems too random to not be better explained. My other gripe is no epilogue. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I need to know what else happens.
This one’s for the romance girlies 💌 I adored this debut and predict it will be all over BookTok when it releases!
We follow Margot, a romance writer who gets cancelled after alternate endings of her love stories get leaked. Cue an Alaskan trip of reinvention/rediscovery in a remote lodge where she meets Forrest - a literal walking trope of a man 🤭
And let me tell ya, the slow burn was givinggggggg. For a book that checks off every trope in a romance story (and that’s intentional btw), Victoria Lavine made the characters work for it! The chemistry, the banter, it was all there and I can guarantee it will also have you giggling and kicking your feet.
Apart from the swoony romance, you can also expect the sweetest familial plot line. Margot is a caregiver for her chronically ill sister Savannah and Forrest is a caregiver for his dad after an unfortunate accident leaves him paralyzed. Watching the two bond over this shared experience was so heartbreaking yet so heartwarming at the same time. It added a whole layer of depth that I personally loved, as I’m sure readers will too.
Thanks to Atria Books & Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
A romance author that doesn’t believe in happily ever afters provides the perfect setup for this cozy laugh out loud rom-com! This book manages to poke fun at endless romance tropes all while using them to further a HEA for Forrest and Margot! This was a fantastic debut rom-com that had me immediately adding Lavine to must read romance authors.
I loved the pull into this book. It was interesting to see the different tropes played out but I really enjoyed the overall stories and the depth of the characters!
As a romance novel enthusiast… Any Trope But You is a MUST READ. I laughed, cried and swooned! If you’re looking for a romcom that will tug on your heartstrings.. look no further! 5/5 Stars! Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC!
Oh my gosh! A new favourite romance author has been found. I loved this debut novel by Victoria Lavine. It follows Margot, a romance author, who has her career blown up so she retreats to Alaska, thanks to her sister who gave her the trip; a 6 week stay at a remote Alaskan resort. Forrest, the resort owner's son, has a run in (cue: meet-cute) with Margot. Forrest is the ultimate trope - gorgeous, sweet, smart (a dr!) and he and Margot have the enemies to lovers trope, forced proximity trope just to name a few. This novel was fantastic. It was sweet, funny, swoony (some spice!) and gave you the feels - a perfect romance. I did find the book to be a tad too long; but all in all an entertaining read.
I look forward to reading more from this author! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
This was one of those one-sitting reads for me and probably one of the best debut novels I've read this year. I connected easily with Margot and related with a lot of her issues. The other characters were quirky and fun as well. The humor in the book along with all of the tropes reminded me a lot of Meghan Quinn and her books, and MQ is one of my favorites!
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! Love getting a sneak peek into upcoming titles! Any Trope but You is a story about a jaded romance author, Margot, who has been disappointed one too many times by love. In order to cope with the imposter syndrome of writing HEA, she writes a diary of Happily Never Afters. After this get leaked to the world, her life falls apart. Dropped by her publisher, cancelled by her readers. Her sister decides it's the perfect opportunity for reinvention - and signs her up for a 6 week trip to a remote Alaskan cabin. A total fish out of water, Margot runs into (literally) the personified version of every trope and trait she writes about - Forrest. But is he too good to be true? Can she believe in HEA again? Or is this just another heartbreak waiting to happen. Such a lovely story about two selfless people who are caring for their family members and sacrificing for family. Great writing, fantastic banter. Excited for others to read this once it comes out!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ debut! This is a smart, swoony romance about a romance author that doesn't believe in HEAs due to her personal experiences and a hot proprietors son who happens to have muscles and be a top researcher of triple negative breast cancer. They are instantly attracted to each other and both of them instantly try to resist the attraction. The circumstances of the wilderness expeditions they go on continue to push them together and it is so much fun! Must read! Victoria Lavine will now be a must buy author for me!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC!
This was one of the best debut novels I have read in a quite a while. My favorite author in this genre is Abby Jimenez, and this author is able to create real characters with relatable real life issues in a very similar way. Often when the main characters have an obstacle that keeps them apart, I roll my eyes and think "how is this an issue?" In this book the scenarios that each person found themselves in is relatable to many people, and is a realistic reason to cause a stumbling block in a new relationship. Long story short, I loved it.
I devoured this book is less than 24 hours. and I have already told several people about it including its publication date. I even took the name and my feedback to my book club last night! I will also be posting a review on TikTok, but I will schedule that post for March since pub date is 1 April. I will absolutely be adding Victoria Lavine to my list of authors to watch for, and I will be purchasing a hard copy of this book when it is released.
This book was so so good! It included a large number of my favorite tropes in a way that was organically a rom-com (a little quirky but so good). I think this book also did very well with dealing with more sensitive topics concerning family members and illness and the toll it causes on the caretaker. This book had me crying, giggling, smiling, and so much more. I can not wait for more from this author!
cute cute cute cute cute! i liked the alaska setting. it was a quick light read id highly recommend.
A big thank you to Atria Books, Simon & Schuster, and Victoria Lavine for this eArc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Ok the banter in this one I love so so much. I caught myself laughing out loud many times! I too don’t believe in happy ever after. As a 45 year old. I am still waiting on mine!!! So many favourite quotes from this book “how can she write romance novels if she believes love is Satan’s pyramid scheme” lol Im Also the reference to Thor’s front porch had me 😂😂. I loved the swiftie references sprinkled through this book. I love the setting for this book in Alaska!!!! Very cozy! I love everything about this one and can see this being a hit romance novel for 2025! I am so excited to see what other books this author writes in the future. This was an amazing first book!!!! Nailed it!!!! You rock!!!!!!!
As a self-proclaimed romance fan-girl, I adored this novel.
I’m also acutely aware that most romance stories are just that—stories. Happily ever afters that are beautiful within the confines of the pages where they exist. Nothing more, and certainly nothing less. Which brings me to our main character…
Margot is a best-selling romance writer who has built a mega-successful career selling her fans on happily ever afters, but there’s just one little catch: she doesn’t believe in them. In fact, she doesn’t believe in romantic love at all.
So when her personal documents—her online diary—are stolen and leaked to the entire world, she finds herself, of course, #cancelled. (Because cancel culture… ugh.)
What follows is a romantic, heartfelt adventure to the middle of nowhere, Alaska, where Margot just happens to meet the blueprint of all romantic heroes. Shenanigans ensue, and it is fabulous.
I loved this story; I loved Margot and her sister Savannah (sister goals); I loved Forrest, his dad Trapper, and all the quirky, funny people at North Star Lodge (dog and moose included).
Additionally, I appreciated the exploration of what it means to be the primary caretaker of a family member with chronic health issues, as well as the profound effects cancel culture has on lives like Margot’s.
In the end, this novel beautifully weaves humor and heart into a tale that challenges our perceptions of love and what it means to be wonderfully, complicatedly selfless.
Also, as the name suggests, you’re gonna get pretty much ever beloved romance trope there is, and I think you’re gonna love it! Highly recommend snagging this book when it hits shelves on April 7th, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I loved every cozy second of this read! I love Alaska as a setting, the magnetic chemistry and banter between Forrest and Margot, the selflessness of both of the lead characters, and representation for Oldest Daughters(tm) and chronic pain. If you enjoyed “Runaway Groomsmen” or “The Highland Fling” by Meghan Quinn as much as I did, you will LOVE this book.
I will be anxiously awaiting Victoria Lavine’s next release; she is one to watch for sure
What an outstanding debut novel. I was so engrossed in the story of Margot and Forrest I could not wait to find out what happened. There was an incredible depth to both Margot and Forrest, I felt they jumped off the page. I was so invested in their happily ever after, that I was practically in tears every time an obstacle was thrown in their way. The story itself was well-paced, and all the additional characters, especially Trapper and Savannah, helped create the depth of the main characters. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and will look for more from this author. Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader copy for an honest review.
Absolutely loved this contemporary romance.. The cover and title are hilarious and punny. One of my favorites.
Where do I even start? Add to charge, preorder, like now! This was an amazing book. I loved it. It’s a fast pace, quick read. It hit all of my emotions. I felt like I could understand the character and their decisions. I understood why it was so hard for them and why they did what they did. I highly recommend this book! I need a physical copy like now. This is by far one of my favorite romance books.
Okay, Victoria, you just wrote the most darling book!!! I can not get over how charming this story was. I devoured every page. I just feel in absolute love with the characters, and their sweet journey they had together. Add this to your TBR lists for April 1.
Margot isa beloved romance book writer, but when her fans discover her grim views on romance, she is forced to spend 6 weeks in the Alaskan wilderness. Throughout that time, Margot is faced with a million tropes, from enemies-to-lovers to only-one-bed, which make readers swoon. Margot also learns to face her previous disappointment and that hope is a radical choice. Forrest was so kind and dedicated to his family, it made me fall in love with him a little bit. My only criticism of this book is the timeline, the characters fall in love and completely change their lifestyle after being together for like 2 weeks.