Any Trope But You by Victoria Lavine is a delightful rom-com that had me hooked from the start. The story follows Margot, a romance author who, after a public scandal, retreats to a remote Alaskan lodge to reinvent herself as a thriller writer. There, she meets Forrest, the lodge's proprietor, and their initial antagonism gives way to a heartwarming romance.
Margot and Forrest's chemistry is palpable, and their witty banter kept me engaged throughout. The exploration of their personal growth and vulnerabilities added layers to the story. The pacing felt a bit rushed towards the end, with some plot points resolving quickly, but overall this was thoroughly enjoyable read.
If you're a fan of enemies to lovers romance, "Any Trope But You" is a must-read.
Thank you to Netgalley, the Publisher and author for giving me the opportunity to review this enjoyable read.

This one was full of witty banter and possibly every single trope you can think of. Our main character, Margot, does not believe in happily ever afters. Which as a romance author, might sound a little wrong! After a difficult incident, she decides to try her hand at writing murder mystery. She is sent to Alaska where she meets the sexy Dr Forrest, who was once a cancer research doctor, and is now working at his family’s lodge taking care of his father.

The character growth that ensues is just phenomenal. The setting was cozy, My only complaint is that the story ended too soon, I needed more of this couple! Thank you so much to NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

Brief overview:

After being cancelled online for her real thoughts on happily ever afters, romance author Margot is sent away to a resort in the Alaskan wilderness to clear her thoughts and start a new novel in a new genre. What she doesn't expect is to arrive and instantly meet the human embodiment of all the typical romance tropes in a single man.

My thoughts:

The writing style in this story was really fun and playful and made for an immersive experience. The letters from the sister woven throughout the book are heartwarming and add a depth to the characters that may not have been as easily shown without it. The dual POV was enjoyable, though I did feel like the fmc kind of repeatedly expressed the same complaints/concerns and it did get a bit redundant in the middle, but Forrest's POVs helped to break it up.

The overall story really strikes at the pressure to be a caregiver for someone while also trying to maintain your own happiness. Very well done!

thank you to netgalley for the e-arc. i loved this book so much, i couldn't believe this was a debut for the author. i thought the writing was really good and the plot did not drag. the only thing i didn't like was the timeline sometimes. it felt like scenes skipped a day or two and when it got to a new chapter, you get filled in on what happened but for such a short trip inside the story, you'd think every detail would want to be spelled out.

This was a cute one. Filled with all of the romance tropes. I really liked seeing Margot push herself out of her comfort zone with the activities in Alaska. I liked seeing her push back against Forest. Their dislike to friends to more is so fun. I liked seeing Margot and Forest open up to each other and help heal the parts that needed to be given their previous relationships. The third act breakup wasn’t a surprise but somewhat made sense. And I did like seeing Margot being confronted by her relationship with her sister. Seeing how she needs to separate a bit.

This one was just fun and sweet. Really enjoyed.

Listened to the book via advanced listening copy courtesy of Simon Audio.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced reader copy.

This week’s headline? Life’s a trope, then you get your HEA (and eventually die 😂 I’m sorry, that’s probably not funny)

Why this book? Seemed cute.

Which book format? ARC

Primary reading environment? Bed

Any preconceived notions? This will be a 3 star read for me (and that’s not a bad thing! because I usually give romances three stars when I care to rate books)
Identify most with? Hating winter camping (what even)

Three little words? “the grand gesture”

Goes well with? Home cooked meals, romance novels, letters to your loved ones

Recommend this to? Romance lovers

Other cultural accompaniments: https://janefriedman.com/tropes-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/

I leave you with this: “Not to mention I’ve already been through enough tropes with this man to fill my favorite Nora Roberts trilogy, and that was before One Bed got downgraded to One Tent.”
*
Any Trope But You is so freaking cute. Margot and Forrest are a romance reader’s dream. Who doesn’t love a book filled with fun romance tropes, especially when Margot points them out in a breaking the fourth/meta wall kind of way. Perfect time to read this before spring really starts up for real.
*
Any Trope But You is available now.

5⭐️
3🔥

Quick Breakdown

Set in Alaska
Enemies to Lovers
Romance Author Heroine
Doctor Hero
Fish Out of Water
Only One Tent
He Takes Care of Her
Forced Proximity
Snowed In
Dual POV
Open Door - Moderate

Margot is a romance author whose life experiences has shown her that HEAs don’t exist. To cope, she pens alternate endings to her books where the MCs inevitably break up. Her personal file is hacked & leaked during a livestream interview, leading her to be cancelled by her publisher & the romance community. She escapes to Alaska for 6 weeks in hopes to switch genres & write a murder mystery. Only, as soon as she gets there, she falls into the arms of the son of the resort’s proprietor, Forrest - a handsome, flannel wearing doctor with dreamy forearms. She’s continually thrusted into romance trope after romance trope with him despite both of their reluctance for HEAs.

WOW. If this isn’t on your TBR, you are 100% missing out. This darling debut romance was equal parts self aware, smartly written & swoony to boot. It expertly wove in countless romance tropes in a way that felt fresh & not cheesy in the least. The depth was deep but mixed with the heart & humor, it remained light.

The way I absolutely loved this book about a fish out of water who has lost her belief in romantic love and stumbles into a wilderness vacation where every romance trope is thrown at her!!

usually I would be rolling my eyes at this many tropes in a single story but it works so perfectly here because the heroin does the eye-rolling for us!

The story is sweet, funny, a little serious, and spicy and the lead characters are absolutely the best! I can't wait to read more from this author!

SPICE LEVEL: Rated R / 2-4 descriptive sex scenes, may have harsh language.
CONTENT WARNING: caretaker to disabled family member, stroke
FEELS: 4/5 - Tackled some seriously tough topics.
POV: Dual - M/F - 1st Person

Ok… I really liked this book! The chemistry was so good. I loved the setting and the side characters. This was such an enjoyable read. Knocking off a star because the caretaking parallels were between MCs were too similar and I wish they had different challenges to overcome individually.

I’m not crying, you’re crying.
Oh I just loved this!
I was on the edge of my seat, I cried, I laughed, this book made me feel so much! The way things evolve with Forrest and Margot is such a beautiful story. The relationships they each have outside of one another are also fairly developed and change throughout the course of the book. The writing was so good! I cannot give this enough praise, this story has run away with my whole heart & even if I wasn’t living in my own HEA this would make me believe!

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review

Just average for me. Something about it fell flat and I honestly feel like it might be the romance. I loved the setting and the side characters and enjoyed the writing style, but as for Forrest and Margot, they were better for me as their own individual characters. As a couple, they were kind of lackluster. I loved Margot and Savannah’s relationship, as well as Trapper and Forrest’s but it just kind of fell flat for me. I can see why people are enjoying this though, it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

this book is a journey through the romantic comedy genre that both embraces and pokes fun at all of the clichés. the banter between characters is so witty, and their emotional depth as both are dealing with their pasts, insecurities, and evolving views on love. it did feel very insta-lovey, and the ending felt a bit rushed, but it was a fun and heartwarming story regardless!

3.5 Stars ✰✰✰

Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, and Victoria Lavine for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thoughts:

This book is for those in the mood for…

-snow melting tension
-BANTER!
-polar opposites realizing they actually have a lot in common
-tender scenes to sexy scenes to giggle scenes galore
-slow burn goodness (speaking of burn, there is a burning hot sauna scene that I am still thinking about)
-emotional realness
-trope heaven (I mean the title kind of clues you in lol)
-what most of us look for in a rom-com: the happily ever after!

Any Trope but You is somehow both cliche and unique all at once. It gives rom-com readers exactly what we want while also adding in some truly surprising and raw moments. Definitely a cute read to cozy up with and binge.

P.S. May those who don’t even believe it for themselves still have their HEA!


Paperback/Hardcover/Audiobook/E-book:
E-book

Pace:
Medium

Cover thoughts:
Rom-Com Cuteness!!

Triggers:
Chronic Illness, Mentions of Cancer, Injury, Mentions of Death, Mentions of Abandonment, Grief, etc.

“Better to fall on your ass climbing a mountain than to never climb it at all.”

What happens when your career comes crashing down and your sister forces you to go on a six week retreat to the middle of nowhere Alaska? You write a murder mystery turned romance while accidentally finding yourself in the middle of your own HEA, something you’ve long stopped believing in. Well, at least if you’re Margot Bradley that is.

“Despite all logic, I look at her and feel the shape of my future, the same way I know the warm taste of her skin without touching her.”

If you’re looking for a cozy, feel good, hot for you type of romance, this book is for you. Margot and Forrest are two people who have been putting others first for a long, long time and have lost themselves a bit along the way. They’re sweet, hurt, and broken people who find peace in someone who finally gets them. Their romance starts off surface level and quickly turns into so much more.

Read if you like:
🌲allll the tropes
🌲enemies to lovers
🌲jaded fmc
🌲closed off mmc
🌲forced proximity
🌲sauna fun times
🌲meddling families

“You seem more like a Scientific American kind of guy.”
“I am a Scientific American kind of guy, but I guess I’m a Margot Bradley kind of guy now too.”

Thank you Atria Books for my gifted copies. All opinions are my own. ⁣
⁣
I absolutely loved this story! Margot is a canceled romance author visiting Alaska for a change of scenery while she writes her first murder mystery. Of course, the resort owner’s son checks all of the trope boxes she never knew she needed! This is swoon worthy and funny. I loved Margot and Forrest’s connection. ⁣They both understand what it’s like to be a caregiver for a loved one. I also lived for her to complete her adventures and then receive a letter from her sister, Savannah. I can’t believe this was a debut and I can’t wait for more books from Victoria Lavine.

Any Trope But You is funny, endearing, spicy and sexy love story!
This debut novel is a love letter to romance books.

Romance lovers rejoice if you like...

Slow Burn
Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Alaska Setting
Hunky Doctor x Romance Writer
Disability Representation
And a moose named, Bullwinkle.

Thank you, Atria Books

Maybe because I'm on a cruise.i didn't pay attention enough to this but it was just Meh to me. Nothing really to remember and praise about it. Sorry

Do you have a favorite troupe? Most of them are probably in this book. Enemies to lovers, just one… tent, snowed in, get naked for body warmth, saving her from a fire, he’s a former doctor, the list goes on and on. It’s almost remarkable how many fit into one book; and I ate them all up! I giggled my way through this with Margot as Forrest saved her at every single turn, despite her protestations. Highly recommend!

This book is EVERYTHING. I am obsessed with every single word that made me laugh out loud as well as cry actual heartfelt tears. This book a love letter to romance readers and I can’t stop thinking about it.

What you’ll find:
- all the tropes
- she’s a famous romance author who gets cancelled
- he runs the alaskan wilderness lodge that she escapes to
- one sleeping bag
- wilderness adventures

When I read the description of this book on NetGalley, I was pretty sold! It sounded like the plot of my next favorite rom-com and thought it would be a fun one to add my TBR. I thought the set up of the story was great and then we get this perfect little meet-cute - how perfect!?!

But then, I don't know, something shifted with Margot, our FMC and honestly I just didn't like her for basically the rest of the book. I like having MCs who aren't perfect, but there was just no reason for her to be as rude initially as she was to Forrest and I felt like that just went on for way too long. I know there was an explanation at some point to us as the reader, but I never felt like there was a turning point the characters discussed this.

I might be focusing too hard on that, but hey, I read these types of stories in hopes of liking the main characters, so it makes sense in my mind. That being said, the overall book was still written well and there were parts that I enjoyed. I particularly loved the letters; it felt very "PS I Love You".

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.