After hearing terrific praise for this book I was thrilled to have the opportunity to preview it. It was an absolute delight; sincere, self-deprecating in the best way… Victoria Lavine has a singular voice. I can’t wait to read what she comes up with next.

3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ on this one. First off, I just want to say that I LOVED the idea of this book. A romance author that doesn’t believe in the happily ever afters that she writes, who instead writes secret happy NEVER afters??? Yes, just yes!

This fmc experiences the ups and downs of life, making her extremely relatable. The millions of romance tropes she runs into with the love interest are fun to read for sure. Think knight in shining flannel, snowed in, forced proximity (iykyk), etc.

Even with this being a super cute read, the 3 stars comes from the speed of the character and plot development. This felt like the relationship was moved along too fast and prior to the reader having any real connection to the characters on their own. To me, that’s a big detractor from a book. That being said, this is a fun and light hearted read for a snowy winter day ❄️

Definitely some 🌶️🌶️ in this one for readers who enjoy that.

Quote that Stuck: “I’ve never felt so vulnerable, so exposed, or powerful in all my life.”

^^ this is something I will be thinking and reflecting on for sure!

As Margot said, “Reading novels is one of the most time honored ways of understanding and processing the human experience, and an essential part of that human experience is, of course, love.” 💕

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance and gifting me my first ARC. This authors debut was solid and her ideas are unique and clever, excited to see how her writing continues to develop!

A side note for anyone who notices the small details: there are a few small inconsistencies (ex: when he pours scotch, but then they keep talking about whiskey. I know these can be used interchangeably sometimes but every other time it’s mentioned it’s whiskey versus when it’s poured it’s scotch. My brain just latched to this) and a few small typos. None impact the story line but in case anyone else’s brain can be a bit goofy about those things, just know you’ll likely find a few.

Imagine your whole career revolved around creating happy endings for lovers, however, you don't believe in love. Now, consider what would you do if career ending information was leaked and went viral. What would you do? Would you brave the storm or would you run away to the middle of nowhere in Alaska to hide? Meet Margot, a romance writer whose file of alternative realistic and bad endings for her love interests is leaked and she finds herself hiding in Alaska with Hunk of a local Doctor leading her to question her opinion on the possibility and reality of love.

I really enjoyed this debut novel! I was so intrigued by the title of it and I loved how Lavine incorporated so many different tropes within the text! The chemistry between Margot and Forrest was so entertaining and I LOVED the banter. I read a lot of enemies to lovers, because it is my favorite trope and this was great! I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoyed that particular trope for sure! Now, I am off to book my Alaskan vacation!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria for the ARC and the chance to read and review this book early!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7214900006

LOVED this one!! A romance writer getting canceled for not believing in happily ever afters escapes to Alaska with one goal in mind: to reinvent herself. Only to find herself living out her own romance plot FULL of classic romance troupes. Truly just the perfect winter romance book. It was so cute, well-written, and funny. It is so rare that a book actually makes me laugh out loud but this one had me GIGGLING. The banter between Margot and Forrest!!!! PLEASE!!!

An absolutely fun read, perfect for this most recent cold snowy weekend. I *do* love a good trope*, and Lavine manages to put a fun twist on romance tropes while keeping it enjoyable. Her MC is sassy and fun, and the story has just the right amount of spice.

*I confess, whenever a plot is moved by a miscommunication that could be resolved by an actual conversation I get beyond frustrated, but Lavine seems to manage this well.

Looking forward to more books by this author.

This was so freaking cute and fun and actually hilarious. Is fake grump x grump a trope because it needs to be one now! Her and Forrest were actually just the cutest together even in the beginning when they clearly were trying not to vibe with each other.

What a great tongue in cheek novel about romance novel tropes. I loved every page.

The book follows Margot as she gets cancelled for being a romance writer who doesn't believe in HEAs. She goes away to a remote lodge in Alaska to reinvent herself and of course she finds loves in a series of cliche romance tropes. My faves: the meet cute and there is only one bed.

Lavine's writing had me legit laughing out loud. Her characters were well developed and the spice was on point. What a great debut novel!

Thank you netgalley and Atria for the advanced reader copy. My opinions are my own.

I was drawn in by the cute cover and wow, I loved this book so much! An LA romance writer gets cancelled for her "Happily Never After" file being hacked and released to the public, featuring alternate, not-so-nice endings of her romance novels. She banishes herself to a rural Alaskan lodge to write a murder story and lie low while reinventing herself. She does not expect to connect with Forrest, the lodge owner's son who left his medical research career to come back home and care for his ailing father.

Romance readers, this book is Abby Jimenez quality and you should read it immediately. The MCs are adorable yet sassy, full of depth and real flaws and weaknesses. Any book set in Alaska is an auto read for me, too. As a city girl who's spent years on and off in the woods, I can relate to Forrest and Margot's struggles with each other. I laughed, I cried, I enjoyed the spice. You can tell the author put her heart and soul into this debut, and I can't wait to read what she comes up with next. My only hangups are the letters from Margot's sister were a little cheesy and scripted. As someone who's not a Taylor Swift fan, I cringe at how that's made it's way so prevalently in the romance book world. Finally, any experienced hiking group would be starting a hike at sunrise or earlier in Alaska in November to avoid what happened later on in that chapter 🙃.

4 stars!

I really enjoyed this read! It was a quick read but very enjoyable and funny. I really appreciate the use of tropes in both the literal discussion by the character but also in the novel itself, because it wasn’t overdone or annoying. The characters have realistic reactions and responses to the issues that arise (for example, re: Charlotte). It is a sweet and heartwarming novel. The only lingering question I have is whether they would have been a match had they not shared extremely similar family care situations.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to review this book!

DNF at 38%

I ended up being too bored to continue with this book, which sucks because the premise is fun and it’s well written - but it’s not well executed.

Margot’s journey to reinvention was funny and charming at first - the spider-monkey jump and hold onto a total stranger when she saw a moose for the first time had me laughing out loud! But…this reinvention isn’t anything new: California Girl goes to find herself in the wilds of Alaska and she will take part in weekly outdoor adventures so she can receive letters from her sister and feel good about herself. After the first excursion, I knew exactly how the rest of the book was going to go arc by arc. Rinse and repeat.

Forrest from the forest, the hero, seemed to have no personality beyond thinking Margot was hot but knowing he can’t sleep with her. He’s torn between his own past in California and taking care of his father….and wanting to sleep with Margot.

I just didn’t care to wait around for Forrest to pull his head out of ass, Margot to go through 5 more outdoor excursions, and these two to admit their feelings.

Also on a personal preference note, authors who make a heroine's like of Taylor Swift into a big personality trait: please stop. I am begging you. Margot could reinvent herself without knowing Ms. Swift has previously done it before.

I did enjoy the writing and will be curious to see what Lavine comes out with in the future, but Any Trope But You was a miss for me.

🌟 4.5 Stars 🌟

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this E-ARC!

What a fantastic way to kick off my reading year! Any Trope but You had the perfect balance of humor, spice, and heart, making it an absolute joy to read. This book seamlessly combines the charm of a rom-com with deeper themes of self-discovery, resilience, and love.

The premise is wonderfully unique: Margot Bradley, a bestselling romance author who secretly doesn’t believe in Happily Ever Afters, finds herself canceled after her cynical alternate endings are leaked. Her journey to Alaska to reinvent herself—and write a murder mystery—was as hilarious as it was heartfelt. Watching her go from dodging moose to dodging feelings for the grumpy but kind-hearted resort owner, Dr. Forrest Wakefield, was everything I could have hoped for.

Margot and Forrest’s chemistry was magnetic. Their banter kept me laughing, the slow-burn romance had me swooning, and the emotional depth of their individual struggles added so much compassion and authenticity to the story. I loved how Margot's internal battle with vulnerability and Forrest’s fear of loss played into their relationship, making it feel real and earned.

Author Victoria Lavine skillfully weaves in clever nods to romance tropes, flipping them on their heads in a way that felt fresh and endearing. The snowy Alaskan setting was enchanting and added a cozy backdrop for all the romance and introspection.

If you’re looking for a story that celebrates romance while acknowledging life’s imperfections, Any Trope but You is a must-read. It’s charming, emotional, and laugh-out-loud funny—a stunning debut from an author I can’t wait to read more from.

Perfect for fans of quirky romance with a side of heartfelt introspection. Highly recommend!

Love, love, love. Every added trope made me chuckle as the FMC made fun of herself and called out the cliches. You couldn’t help getting caught up in the ridiculous nature of it and smiling along. Absolutely charming!!

4.5 stars, rounded up.

This book was such a fun escape into the Alaska wilderness! I especially enjoyed the premise of a romance writer FMC who is well aware of the romance tropes that happen to her.

This book features tropes including only one tent, cuddling for body heat, fish out of water, a hot mountain man MMC, and a love triangle.

While miscommunication in romance books usually makes me want to throw the book (or my Kindle, in this case) across the room, this book does a great job of portraying healthy, adult handling of miscommunications. The main characters often work out their differences like mature adults and talk things out rather than letting petty issues get in their way, and I loved that.

I flew through "Any Trope but You" in a day. It was the perfect January read for a cold weekend. It takes place mainly in Alaska and gave me great outdoorsy vibes. The characters were hilarious and very relatable. If you are a fan of romantic comedies or romance novels in general this is a wonderful pick. I loved it so much I went to see what else the author had written and was shocked it was her debut novel! I can't wait to see what else she writes in the future!

DNF at 36%. The premise of this was so cute and I was excited to try out a new author, but the execution was boring. Both MCs felt a bit one-dimensional and spend most of their internal dialogue lusting after each other, to the point where their other personality traits weren’t convincing and felt like the author was like “oh yeah, I’m supposed to give them a backstory too.” The whole joke is that the MMC is this perfect romance hero, but a “perfect” romance hero is also boring, so…yeah. If I were more in the mood for something light and shallow, I’d probably be more open to this, but that is not the current reading mood.

Thanks to Atria and NetGalley for the ARC!!

Ok, this debut novel was an utter delight! Written with the flirtatious banter and humor that would make fans of Abby Jimenez proud and covering a unique plot to boot, I could not recommend this one enough.

Do you ever wonder if your favorite author ever gets sick of writing the same genre time and time again? For world acclaimed romance author, Margot Bradley, she's lost every single ounce of the romantic optimism her readers have grown to expect. As a sort of self-therapy exercise, she keeps a hidden "Happily Never Afters" file in her google docs detailing harsh, critical, "real-life" alternative endings to all of her bestselling books. After a mishap leads to her HNA doc getting leaked, causing a ruckus amongst the romance booktok community, she sets out to the Alaskan wilderness with the hope of tapping into a new genre she's always wanted to write (a murder mystery!).

What she believes she's gaining is an opportunity to lick her wounds and fix her public image with a new book. What she doesn't expect to find is the proprietor of her wilderness lodge to be the living, breathing personification of every one of her famous MMC leading men (i.e. he's damn near perfect and yet may even has a couple of secrets of his own). Our love cynical girl has now found herself in a real-life romcom of epic proportions and finding herself experiencing every dang romance trope like a moth to a flame.

Again, the way I simply devoured this novel - this DEBUT novel! (And kudos to Lavine for writing this in the middle of a cancer diagnosis! I was thrilled to read in the acknowledgements that she is doing ok.) The way she makes you root for Margot and all of her romantic disbeliefs to be wrong. The way Forrest is truly a man written by a woman. And Margot's little Taylor Swift-loving sister (same, girl, same!), was my favorite side character, followed closely by - you guessed it - Scout the dog and Bullwinkle the moose. This gem checked all of my boxes and more.

Many thanks to Atria Books, NetGalley, and Victoria Lavine for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

*Thank you to Atria & NetGalley for the Advanced Copy!*

3/5 - I was going between a 2.5 and a 3, but I think I liked it enough to call it a 3 star read.

I felt like this was a solid, enjoyable read, but there was nothing that really stood out to me and made me want to recommend it to anyone. It had a lot of potential with the concept and shoving in a bunch of tropes, but it fell flat more often than not, so I was a little disappointed.

Margot wasn't a particularly likeable character for me and came off as immature and kind of mean sometimes. You have characters like Savannah and Forrest telling you as the reader how great of a person she is and how she's not the way she comes off, but it doesn't work when I'm inside her head and seeing her intentionally behaving like a teenage mean girl sometimes. The way she talked about Forrest even after getting to know him better felt immature, and I wasn't a fan of how she talked about her sister either. I know she had a lesson to learn, but Margot was propped up as someone who advocates for her sister and cares for her, but the way she spoke about her almost felt like she barely saw her as a real person and more like a fragile doll.

The relationship moved way too quickly and there was hardly any build up between "I hate you" and "I love you" and that's just not for me. One second she's intentionally trying to make him mad by acting childish and then suddenly, she wants him to move back home with her. It always seems like the characters are only falling in love super quickly because they're attracted to each other, so it feels more like they're trying to force love onto lust to justify why they're getting together.

Also, I am a big Taylor Swift fan myself, but excessive Taylor Swift references in every other romance book these days have me wanting to throw my book down. It's just not needed.

What a wonderful book. As far as romance novels go, this was pretty perfect. Margot, a romance author who stopped believing in love, was a fantastic protagonist. Forrest was her perfect match.

The setting worked so well, starting with their meet cute and moving through all the romance tropes we know and love.

The pacing was quick, I enjoyed how the story moved along.

I would definitely recommend this book and look forward to reading more by this author!

This was a perfect winter romance read. I loved Margot and Forestt once being introduced to both, I found myself
Laughing out loud at times. The banter was great, the romance was even better.

Overall I really, really enjoyed this one!!

I’m not going to lie, I’ve been really disenchanted with the use of the word “trope” in the last year. I don’t know, maybe it’s just a thing like people have with “moist” - but I will say that with the humor of this book and the MC being an author- it did it for me!

I enjoyed the main characters and the side characters were really enjoyable for me as well.

The setting is amazing- love that rural Alaskan life!