3.5/5 🌟

I read this book a while ago but haven't got around to reviewing. Overall, I thought that Lavine wrote a cute story set in almost every romance readers favorite backdrop, snow and the holidays, but I didn't overly enjoy this one. I felt that having the main character be an active participant in the trop that she writes in was a little too on the nose and didn't pack the punch like I was hoping.

Like I said, I still enjoyed the read but would not necessarily pick it back up again.

This was a fantastic debut! Filled with all the tropes, hilarious moments and lovable cast of characters, all in a unique setting, made for such a cute & fun read. Though lighthearted some more serious subjects were a vital part of Margot and Forrest’s story that created a nice balance. This is a perfect end of winter read. I loved escaping to the North Star Lodge. I can’t wait for Victoria’s future books. And after learning she’s from my home state of Maine here’s my official request for one set there!

Thank you to Atria Books, NetGalley and Victoria Levine for the eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

3.5 ⭐️

What happens when a romance author who’s sworn off love ends up living inside the exact tropes she’s written her whole career? That’s the setup for Any Trope but You—a meta, trope-filled rom-com set in a snowy, off-grid Alaskan lodge that feels like a Hallmark movie collided with a Bookstagram fever dream.

Victoria Lavine clearly set out to write a love letter to romance readers—and in many ways, she did. Many tropes are sprinkled throughout; some are laugh-out-loud fun and others feel a bit forced, but the intent is charming. That said, the book sometimes felt immature. While the premise is clever and the setting unique, the execution didn’t always land for me. I liked the story and the wink-wink moments for rom-com fans, but I didn’t love it. It felt like it was trying so hard to be clever and meta that the actual emotional arc got a little lost in the shuffle.

Still, if you love romance books about romance and are in the mood for a quirky, self-aware story set somewhere snowy and remote, this one might win you over.

Thank you to Victoria Lavine, Atria Books and NetGalley for the early digital ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts! “Any Trope But You” is on sale on April 1st, 2025.

I LOVED this book. I loved how cynical and burnt out the FMC was because it was so funny and it was like poking fun at the books I love so much. When the FMC rolled her eyes about MMC's job, Prefect!
Such comedic pacing and banter, I really enjoyed this book.
I liked that the book actually talked about the activities that FMC was completing and the struggles she had, not that she was just inherently good at it because she was the heroine.
I found myself annoyed with myself that it took so long for me to finish the book because I had other life activities in the way.

I loved this one! This was truly a love letter to romance readers, especially those of us who are a fan of tropes 🩷 I love that this one was dual POV and the main characters were completely relatable and I really enjoyed the dialogue. My favorite part of the book was the letters that Margot’s little sister wrote for her 🥹 There was spice and great banter, but also a lot of heart. Both Margot and Forrest dealt with caring for family members who were ill. The description of scenery was great. I’m such a fan of books about authors. The title and cover are what initially grabbed my attention. But I loved this one even more than I thought I would. Victoria’s writing is so good and this is an amazing debut! I really can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Victoria Lavine's Any Trope But You centers on Margot Bradley, a romance author who, after a career-damaging scandal, escapes to Alaska to write a murder mystery. However, she finds her plans disrupted by the presence of Forrest Wakefield, a charming resort proprietor, and the undeniable romantic tropes that begin to unfold around them. The story explores Margot's struggle to reconcile her cynicism about "happily ever afters" with the real possibility of finding love..

I enjoyed following Margot and Forrest's journey through all of the romantic tropes as tried to avoid falling for each other. I loved seeing how all of the tropes were weaved together into a single story.

I would recommend this book for fans of romantic comedies. I can't wait to see what Victoria Lavine comes up with next!

Thank you to Atria Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Victoria Lavine put a fun spin on this romance book! Margot Bradley is a romance author who doesn’t believe in happily ever afters. She secretly writes alternate endings for her books that swap HEAs for not so happily ever afters. When Margot’s secret document gets leaked to the public, she finds herself cancelled and dropped by her publisher.

The beginning pulled me in right away and I thought it was the perfect setup for the FMC to leave the city temporarily for a fresh start.

I love a remote setting and especially loved that it was out of the FMC’s comfort zone.

There were so many fun side characters that helped move the story along.

enemies to lovers ❤️
cozy Alaska setting ❄️
only one tent 🏕️

Definitely recommend picking this one up if you’re a fan of romance books with a bunch of tropes 🩵

Any Trope but You is a fun and quick romance read that will have you believing in a happy ending after all.

Margot is a romance writer who, after her own difficult breakup, doesn't believe in the genre's required Happily Ever After. In secret, she keeps a file of alternate endings for her books titled Happily Never After - where her characters end up dealing with the real messy issues that other real people have to deal with in every relationship. When her list is leaked and she is shunned by the romance community, Margot takes a trip to Alaska to hide for a while and write her next book. She isn't expecting to meet Forrest, a doctor who is taking care of his ailing father and maintaining the family resort. After a series of romantic entanglements and mishaps worthy of Margot's romance novels. the pair must decide if a happy ever after is in their future after all.

This was such a cute and fun read! I love a good rom-com and this definitely checked all the boxes. Funny, romantic, and heartfelt, this book was definitely an enjoyable read. While a bit predictable, the story was enjoyable and I felt I could connect to the characters. Both have their reservations about getting involved, but this was such a great slow burn romance. We get hit with all the classic romance tropes, and you cant help but laugh at the absurdity - and the characters do too! This was definitely a fun read, and was both heartwarming and hilarious. It was a perfect rom-com and I think a great read for a snowy day with a cup of tea.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Loved this one! I adored how all the tropes were included in the book yet it was still easy to follow. This book is geared for any romance reader because of this! The character development was great and it was so well written. Congratulations Victoria on an incredible debut novel!

3.75 Really cute book, some how it had all the romance tropes but it worked. The book is full of both lighthearted and emotional moments. I absolutely loved the wintry Alaskan setting.

Any Trope But You was such a fantastically adorable debut and I loved every moment of it.
I’m a real big fan of the recent trend of books breaking the fourth wall, much like this one did. Margot is a romance author who is burnt out on romance, but she frequently references popular romance tropes as she ACTUALLY LIVES THEM, while remaining firmly in denial about it, which I lived for throughout this book.
After her cloud gets hacked and an unflattering document about all her existing characters is leaked (as well as her equally unflattering underwear being flashed to basically the entirety of the internet) Margot’s sister Savannah sends her on a trip to Alaska to do some soul searching and self reinvention. She expects to write her new murder mystery and come back a new author. She doesn’t expect Forrest. Or Bullwinkle. And she doesn’t believe in HEAs anyway.
Forrest might be the most selfless person to exist and I loved peeling back all his layers (flannel or metaphorical) as we learned more about him. He set aside his entire life to be there for his dad when a health crisis happens, and now lives isolated in Alaska running the family business. He can’t afford distractions that come in the way of Californian blondes.
Despite all this, their attraction is immediate and I loved the slow burn tension that ensued. Their walls slowly come down and they both realize there are worse things in life than falling in love. I ADORE how despite basically being the same A+B=C romance formula full of perfect tropes, Victoria Lavine has crafted such a unique and fresh feeling masterpiece. The witty banter, the steamy “there’s only one tent”, the elements of familial caretaking, everything added up to perfection in my book and I’m awestruck that this is a debut! I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Thank you so much to Atria Books for sending me an eARC via NetGalley.

4.5⭐️ If you are a romance reader you will simply love this book. It pokes at all the romance tropes we know and love and does so with perfection.

I did not realize that this was the author’s debut novel but I loved it & will now read any other book that she publishes.

The character development in this book is perfection and the MMC is a giant green flag!

This was an advanced read copy I received through Netgalley so it’s not going to be officially published until April 1, 2025! But this is my honest review!

Add this book to your to read list, I promise you won’t regret it! & then let me know what you thought!

I didn’t love this book, but I didn’t hate it. I loved the setting! Reading about Alaska was fun and I enjoyed the author's writing style. It was funny at times, I definitely laughed out loud at a few parts. Ultimately, I just didn’t feel too connected to the characters.

This is a very cute romance. What happens when a romance writer doesn’t believe in the happily ever afters she is writing? She is being cancelled by the general public when her thoughts come to light. She then self exiles to remote Alaska to write her next book. It’s there that she finds the most amazing slow burn romance. I love the pairing of a romance and social isolation. This was a great read!

"Write your heart out, no matter what's hiding inside."

Oh, my GOD did I love this book. I'm not ashamed to admit I stayed up unbelievably late to finish it because I simply couldn't fathom going to bed without knowing how this beautiful story ended.

This book is perfection. I was enamoured and invested from page 1. I loved Margot's voice. How abrasive and a little cold should could be at times, but also how kind and selfless, determined and fierce. I loved her journey throughout this book. How she had to grapple with the fact that you can't forgo your own life and happiness when you give your life for the ones you love most. How you have to be brave and feel what you need to feel. How you can learn to trust and love despite your past heartaches and tragedies. I was crying at the end of this book; it truly gripped my heartstrings.

I adored Forrest. Give me a grumpy but soft man who knows and makes your coffee order and carries you down a mountain any day!!! Also, I'm obsessed with the fact that this book was set in Alaska - a dream destination for me, and now so even more.

I loved the tropes we go through in the book. It was hilarious and hot and heartfelt. I just loved everything about this book. It was written so beautifully, with a beautiful love story at the crux - between Margot and her sister, and Margot and Forrest - both were developed so well and with so much heart.

This book is a love letter to romance and the romance community. It was everything I needed and more. Do not even think twice about picking this up!

Endless thank you to Atria books for the advanced e-copy! It's one of my new favourite reads!

This novel expertly blends romance with deeper themes of responsibility and caregiving, as both Margot and Forrest struggle with the emotional weight of supporting their loved ones. Their slow-burning connection, filled with witty banter, jealousy, and swoon-worthy moments, makes for an engaging and heartfelt read. While packed with classic romance tropes, the story feels fresh, thanks to sharp writing and top-tier chemistry. Set against a vividly described Alaskan winter, the novel not only explores falling in love but also the struggle of falling out of the idea of love, offering a unique and thoughtful take on modern relationships.

I absolutely LOVED this book! The characters , the plot, the backdrop of Alaska, all chefs kiss. This book came together so amazingly and I am so excited to read more from Victoria Lavine!

I really enjoyed this one! Set in Alaska to try to get her writing mojo back was so fun to read about especially because she starts to fall in love with Forrest! I love the talk about all the different romance tropes.

This story was unique and refreshing! Margot is a best selling romance author who doesn’t believe in love and her “happily never after” alternate endings of her books goes viral making her go to Alaska to hide away and write a new book in a different genre to show she can still write. There she meets Forrest who is literally the perfect book boyfriend come to life! He also hits all of the book tropes making her rethink her stance on love.
Victoria knocked this one out of the park and honestly I can’t believe this is a debut book! Reading her authors note about what she went through while writing it also blows me away how she could accomplish writing such a great book!
I highly recommend if you are looking for a different take on a romance book filled with tropes!

I ADORED this book! One of the best-written and well-crafted romances I've ever gotten to read. Normally, I don't love when one of the characters in a romance is a writer, but the way Lavine crafts the story here, I loved it. Margot, being a romance writer, is the whole point of the story and the way it is used here is not only funny but so so important to her character's wound of never getting to see a happy ending so why would she ever believe it could happen for herself. The idea of a romance writer getting canceled for not believing in love and then going to Alaska to write her new murder mystery...only to find love along the way?? And the way this book is crafted to not only poke fun at romance tropes but also celebrate them made my romance heart soar!!!

I love how we have a double POV of both Margot and Forrest. Forrest also has his own wounds, and the way they mirror Margot's was masterfully done. Margot feels like she has to be her sister's caregiver, while Forrest has also sacrificed his career to be in Alaska, taking care of his father. The two of them completely understand one another and it was such a joy to see that on the page. This book was full of such delightful tropey goodness. It was so funny that the characters were aware of it, but it never got TOO silly or TOO mocking. This book hit the tone on everything so well. I laughed, got emotional and omg is this book HOT. Lavine really gives us everything we want with this book and I cannot wait to read more!

Thank you SO much to Atria and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review. This is one of the best romances of the year, you have to give it a shot!