Member Reviews

Any Trope But You is the debut novel of Victoria Lavine. And what a debut! Margot is a famous romance author who no longer believes in happily ever afters. As a way of dealing with her pain she creates a Happily Never After file that details alternate realistic endings to her novel. When a hacker releases the information her readers hurt by the file turn on her. To help Margot heal her sister Savannah sends Margot to Alaska to lick her wounds and try and write a new novel in a new genre. There she meets Forrest a doctor specializing in research who returned from LA to Alaska to care for his dad after an accident. Thus begins a slow burn, enemies to lovers tale with humor and heart.

This book is funny, romantic and full of heart. It touches on heartbreak, family and caring for an ailing family member. There is a depth to Victoria's story telling. It hits you in all the feels!! I cannot wait for more from this author! Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for an advanced copy. This is my honest review.

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Thank you Netgalley and Victoria Lavine for the e-ARC of Any Trope but You, I absolutely fell in love with Forrest and Margot! The book is filled with romance tropes, family love, humor, and love. What an amazing debut novel!!!

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Setting: Alaska/SoCal
Enemies to lovers
Grumpy/Sunshine
Hurt/Comfort
Caring for family
Disability rep

Lavine’s debut is a love letter to the romance genre. About not giving up hope, a bond between sisters and showing up for one another, finding yourself, and maybe finding Dr. Mountain Daddy.

We meet Margot during a career low, and en route to remote Alaska for some time away to write a new non romance book. She instantly finds herself jumping into the arms of a man absolutely written by a woman - Forrest.
Margot and Forrest have to work through their own issues, while being cordial to one another and not giving in to the attraction. Cue the character growth. You can’t help but love these two, and the supporting characters moving the plot along.

Recognizing that sometimes we sacrifice so much of ourselves for others, we really don’t have the room to love anyone else and show up for ourselves. Margot and Forrest play this out well and show us when the right person comes along, a HEA is possible. HOWEVER, the third act breakup(s) shattered me a little (I say this as I am reading and writing this at 3:39am unable to put this down).

Full caveat — The first chapter of Margot’s narration didn’t hook me. I can’t pinpoint where I got sucked in, but I did. So don’t be deterred if you’re anything like me.

Van needs her own lil novella or something. Such a great side character, who spent little time physically on page but managed to take up so much space.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this debut eARC!

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Any Trope But You stars Margot, a romance novelist whose career hangs in the balance after her disbelief in happily ever after is revealed to Romancelandia. In an attempt to help Margot salvage her career, Margot’s chronically ill sister sends her to a retreat in frigid Alaska for Margot to get some needed relaxation and a space to start drafting her first non-romance book.

There she meets Forrest, the son of the owner of the resort and a literal walking romance trope.

Even though she’s supposed be escaping romance, Margot seems to be in forced proximity with the only man that can make her backtrack on her vow to keep her heart safe.

Forrest, a doctor and researcher is back home in Alaska to look after his father after a devastating injury. He and Margo relate to each other’s experiences as caregivers for loved ones.

While this book is hilarious, with banter to die for and ever-escalating tropey-situations, there is a beautiful weight to this story in the careful character development of the two leads and the richness of the side characters and the main characters relationships with them.

I absolutely adored Any Trope But You. I highly recommend this to all readers of romance. Thanks to NetGalley, Victoria Lavine and Atria for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Wow. What an amazing book.

I have never read anything by Victoria Lavine, but this book was so good. The enemies to lovers and serious topics discussed so gracefully was an amazing combination and made for a seriously intense read. I loved Forrest and Margot, and all the other characters as well. I loved that Scout the dog was such a prominent figure for Trapper, and am always a sucker for having animals included in books. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this title, and I look forward to reading many more books by this author!

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This book really was a homage to us romance readers! I couldn't put it down and found myself kicking my feet when I was reading. And a romance set in Alaska...yes please! Highly recommend!!

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Dual POV, 1st person: Margot & Forrest
Rating: 5/5 (♾️/5 if I’m being totally honest)
Spice: 2.5/5 🌶️
Tropes: enemies to lovers, slow burn, one sleeping bag, hurt/comfort, snowed in - I could honestly go on and on, but one thing I love about this story is all the tropes, so I'll leave you with those.
Trigger warning: care giving of family members, past loss of a family member

Sometimes you start reading a book and you know early on that it's going to stick with you forever. That is exactly what happened with ATBY.
This is so much more than just a hilarious, witty, swoon worthy RomCom. This is a journey for both of the MCs and the reader.
I am in love with the heart and the growth these characters have.

Margot with her sister she takes care of and carries her struggles deep in her soul. Her own set backs with a HEA that she is constantly writing but never living. The incredible strength she has coupled with a massive heart that deserves someone to call her own and to take care of her for once.
<i>"How can she write romance novels if she believes love is Satan's Pyramid scheme?" </i>

Forrest with the heaviness he carries in the guilt of dealing with the loss of his mother and his father's own declining health. Not to mention the guilt of a previous relationship that has him weary of the blonde spitfire that literally throws herself at him in the cutest meet-cute featuring a moose named Bullwinkle.

To quote Forrest, the MMC of our dreams: <i>"We're two sides of the same mirror, perfect reflections of each other, unable to breach the glass."</i>
And it's so true. The way they fit each other so perfectly and understood each other even when they were trying to fight it had my heart singing. I was cheering for them from the first page.
The push and pull is so worth it in this slow burn, too. I loved their little moments, a long with their big moments. And of course the spice was spicy while still being wonderfully written and just adding to the connection between Margot & Forrest.

The supporting cast of characters also stole the show. I loved our little Alaskan group, especially Forrest's dad, Trapper, and his puppy.
But Margot's sister, Savannah, stole the show. The amount of highlighted text I have just from her page time might hold a record. Not to mention the appropriate Taylor Swift mentions.
<i> “So you were knocked on your ass. So what? Do you think Taylor Swift gave up after her recording company screwed her over? No. She started rerecording her own albums and emerged as a new woman. A better woman. And when people still tried to dim her shine? Do you think she threw in the towel? No. She slapped the world back with her Eras Tour.”</i>

I could talk forever about how much this book spoke to my soul and how much I absolutely adore it. And yes I already jumped into the author's DMs because I needed her to know I was reading during work hours and crying because I was so touched by these characters.


*ARC REVIEW*

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OH EM GEE.

I have no words. Seriously. The way I loved this book. Not going to lie it took me forever to get into it, mostly because of the long chapters, but when I say I didn’t stop kicking my feet and giggling I mean it. The chemistry right from the start from Margot and Forrest had me believing in all things love. Hoping everyone can get their HEA.

The story is funny, the characters are relatable to an extent. The way all the tropes just perfectly flowed in was just everything. The spice was the perfect amount and it was just very well written.

It’s one of those books that I feel everyone should read. I enjoyed every second of it (just wished chapters were shorter 😅). All the analogies just made me cackle from cover to cover
HIGHLY recommend 🩵

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Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, and Victoria Lavine for the early access copy of Any Trope but You.

Any Trope but You is a dual point-of-view romance that follows the story of Margot and Forrest. Margot is a romance writer with a jaded view on her personal love life. When a hacker releases her Happily Never After document spilling alternative endings of her beloved novels, she experiences cancel culture first-hand. When Margot agrees to go on a six-week remote Alaskan trip that her chronically ill sister organizes to try to write her first murder mystery, she is thrust into her own trope-y romance with Dr. Forrest, who left his dream job to support his sick father and their family business.

It'll be hard to leave the Margot and Forrest universe. Victoria Lavine writes beautifully imperfect characters that are hard not to love. The climax and conflict of the story hit hard with how real and difficult the situations would be to navigate. The secondary characters (Savannah, Trapper, and Jo) are well written and can easily have their own stories that readers would love to experience.

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I’m always drawn in by books about writing, publishing, reading, etc. so I was very excited to read Any Trope but You. I found the concept of this book to be interesting and I enjoyed the writing style of Victoria Lavine. This is the first book I’ve read by her and I am looking forward to reading others.

Margot is a well-known romance writer who has had her heart broken. She no longer believes in love and for every happy ending she publishes, she keeps a not so happy ending for herself. During a live video interview, the happily never after list is leaked which prompts Margot’s sister to send her on a retreat to a remote area in Alaska to write her next manuscript, a murder mystery. Margot is very hesitant because her sister has a chronic illness and Margot has always taken care of her. Nevertheless, Margot goes on the trip and there she meets the son of/owners of the resort. Forrest is a cancer research doctor who has returned home to take care of his father who now requires assistance to complete day to day tasks. Together the two learn from each other during the 6 weeks Margot spends at the resort.

Throughout the story, I appreciated that we were able to learn a lot about the side characters as they drove many points in the story. I often find that authors do not give the reason for conflicts enough attention, but that was not the case in this story. I loved Trapper and Savannah’s characters and I think they added a lot to the plot. Even though Savannah was not on the page very often, her letters were and through them we got to know her. I liked the concept of the two MC’s finding themselves after spending the past years using others as motivation to keep moving forward. The ending was a little cliche but I mean, that’s totally the point with a book called Any Trope but You and that made me love it even more because it is exactly what you would expect it to be.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victoria Lavine for an advance readers copy in exchange for a completely honest review.

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it was a fun read but I didn’t connect deeply with the characters, and the pacing felt off in parts. It was cute, just not super memorable for me. Perfect for a quick, feel-good read if you don’t mind something a bit predictable.

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This book is a 4 star/5 star read. I could easily recommend this o anyone looking for a cozy romcom read. My husband kept asking what i was smiling about when i was reading it. I thought it was so good. AND when i can post quotes I’m coming back to this because one line from this book is repeating in my head nonstop and i can’t stop giggling

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This book was a pleasure to read! It does encompass all the tropes as the title would suggest. It's done wonderfully, you don't feel like they're all thrown at you at once.
Margot is a romance author reeling from a disastrous online interview. Her sister, Savannah, sends her to Alaska under to guise its to help her research her next book.
Forrest is the quintessential wilderness man, rough exterior, soft interior. You find him also trying to deal with things from his past.

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If you love stories set in Alaska, this romance is for you.

This book does encompass all the romantic tropes as suggested in the title, and for a good reason. Our main character Margot finds herself living all the classic themes found in happily ever after stories, however believing none of them are true. The only ending in her experience is happily never after. Nothing like fresh air to change a mindset.

Margot’s sister Savannah sends her for a six week trip to a remote Alaskan resort for a reset. Off the grid, get in touch with nature on hikes and be intrigued by the handsome Forrest who works there… Margot does jump him upon the first meeting, due to a moose scare, and something stirs in them both.

Any Trope But You was a great combination of cute silly romance stuff mixed in with mature conversations about life choices, overcoming fears and taking a chance. There is surprisingly a lot of steamy scenes. Well worth the read if you are looking for something light, cozy and sexy this winter.

Thanks to Atria Books for providing me with an e-ARC of this via Netgalley.

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I loved this book! I don't think I've read a book where the fmc is an author so it was nice to get that pov! I also love how she was an author who didn't believe in a traditional HEA. From the first time we met Forrest, I was obsessedddd. I loved how he acted all grumpy but he did little things to make sure Margot was taken care of. I loved the caregiver aspect where Forrest took care of his dad and Margot took care of her sister, Savannah. I loved when Savannah was on the page because I loved her personality. Their relationship reminds me so much of my relationship with my sister. Overall, this was such a good read and I can't wait to read more from Victoria Lavine!

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4.5- I thought based on the title this may be cringey, but it was so much cuter than I was expecting! As a true romance girly, I enjoyed all the discussion of various romance tropes in a way that heartfelt and not overdone. The connection between the two main characters was so well done, and I was really rooting for them. I feel in real life, these characters would actually stay together forever. Heartfelt and so cute, I loved it!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

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I had the absolute PLEASURE of reading this while on an unplugged camping trip, and let me beg you to consider doing the same. Forrest would gently but firmly encourage you, “you can do it.” Savannah, Margot’s scheming sister, would secretly cut off your cell phone service after sending you on an overnight quest in the woods. This reads like an experienced novelist, rather than a debut. I’m an absolute sucker for the writers on writing microtrope, and the hilariously skillful way that the author integrated all the romance tropes without it seeming kitschy was so enjoyable! Both Margot and Forrest’s characters were layered, realistic, and loveably struggling. Honestly, I have no notes, this was spot on for me! I’d love to read more from this author. *I would be a failure if neglected to mention that Forrest gets PERFECTLY growly and authorative in the spicy scenes.*

-writers on writing
-dual POV
-outdoorsy adventures
-she’s grumpy/hurt by love
-top notch banter

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The ubiquitous enemies-to-lovers trope is one of my least favorites in romance genre, but the book synopsis was intriguing. As the title implies, this novel is chock full of every trope (cliché) imaginable – to the point that the storyline lost its sparkle through sheer repetition. I appreciate the author’s talent and her perseverance; she mentions in her acknowledgements that she underwent cancer treatment amid the creation of the book. However, this novel was not particularly satisfying for several reasons.

Despite her career imploding due to a hacker exposing her true feelings about romance novels and her devotion to her sister who has a serious chronic illness, Margot was not a sympathetic protagonist. The source of her emotional wounding became apparent as the story progressed, but I found her immature and superficial. She seemed more taken by Forrest’s title of doctor and his good looks for much of book. Their relationship appeared to be based more on being “in lust” than falling in love and bordered on obsession. Cautionary Note: there are several graphic descriptions of the couple’s intimate encounters that go on for pages.

Forrest has his own woundedness. For an accomplished research scientist – holding both an MD and a PhD – he has a colorful vocabulary and a petty streak that is displayed toward Margot and Ollie, a rival for Margot’s attention. His redeeming quality is his devotion to his ailing father. However, both Margot and Forrest are so invested in their roles as caretakers that they are blind to the unhealthy dependency they are fostering in others at the expense of their own happiness.

Overall, I was intrigued by the complexity of the storyline, but I did not find it that enjoyable for escapist reading. The star of the novel was Alaska with all its wildness and beauty.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

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This book was honestly everything I could want in a fun romance story. I felt like it was the perfect length. The setting and the people were so well described, I could visualize it so easily. I absolutely adore this book and when it is published, I will definitely be recommending it to my book club because I loved it that much. It was just absolutely adorable without being too much. I will not stop books praise!

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Do you love enemies to lovers? Forced proximity? Wilderness? Then this is the book for you. Any Trop but You follows Margot, a romance author, as she faces a scandal in which her readers realize that she doesn't believe in love at all. When she is sent to Alaska against her wishes for some rest, relaxation, and thought, she meets Forrest, the son of the owners who is there taking care of his father. Turns out, he is basically the perfect man.
I appreciated how there was never a moment where they had a dumb fight for no real reason. They were good at communicating.

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