Review & Giveaway: A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

A Very Merry Bromance (Bromance Book Club #5) by Lyssa Kay Adams

Publication Date: November 1st 2022 by Berkley

Pages: 336

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Country music star, Colton Wheeler had a steamy night with Gretchen Winthrop the night of Mack and Liv’s wedding. Their chemistry was off-the-charts and Colton wanted more but Gretchen just froze him out. He still can’t stop thinking about her and why she just walked away.

Gretchen feels like she has no time for a relationship, dedicated to her work as an immigration attorney. When a position opens up on her family’s charitable foundation, her dream job, and the only way she’ll be considered is by snapping up Colton as the new brand ambassador for the family’s Whiskey. Colton agrees to consider the offer only if Gretchen agrees to a few dates.

Coming from a privileged and wealthy family Gretchen feels for guilty for having so much and so she kind of martyrs herself by doing without: materially and emotionally.  Christmas seems frivolous when her clients are barely getting by. It’s Colton’s mission to change her mind.

Gretchen was a real prickly pear to begin with, the grump in this grump vs. sunshine romance. Colton was the sunshine and he gradually chipped away her rigid views. It was impossible for Gretchen to hold to her grouchy ways in the face of Colton’s charm. It was cute and entertaining. Colton made me smile and I had to laugh at their push and pull, while Colton romanced Gretchen, showing her how good they could be together.  Colon was a sweetheart and Gretchen had a big heart under all the grumbles!

Of course, this couldn’t be a Bromance book without all the gang alternately trash talking and cheering Colton on. I even liked the story within the story, a forced proximity romance Colton gave to Gretchen to read.

A Very Merry Bromance is the perfect second chance romance read for this season with Colton sharing all the special things about Christmas with Gretchen. Touring a Christmas festival, with all the lights and magic, decorating the tree and I had to laugh at the gifts Colton gave to the Bromance kiddies! A little payback for the trash talking, but well-meant too! I thoroughly enjoyed every minute!

4 Stars

Book Description:

'Tis the season for a Bromance Book Club matchmaking mission! This time, they're pulling out the mistletoe for everyone's favorite country music star, Colton, and his second chance at love.

Country music’s golden boy Colton Wheeler felt the most perfect harmony when he was with Gretchen Winthrop. But for her, it was a love him and leave him situation. A year later, Colton is struggling to push his music forward in a new direction. If it weren’t about to be the most magical time of year and the support of the Bromance Book Club, he’d be wallowing in self-pity.

It’s hard for immigration attorney Gretchen not to feel a little Scrooge-ish about the excess of Christmas when her clients are scrambling to afford their rent. So when her estranged, wealthy family reaches out with an offer that will allow her to better serve the community, she’s unable to say no. She just needs to convince Colton to be the new face of her family’s whiskey brand. No big deal…

Colton agrees to consider Gretchen’s offer in exchange for three dates before Christmas. With the help of the Bromance Book Club, Colton throws himself into the task of proving to her there’s a spark between them. But Gretchen and Colton will both need to overcome the ghosts of Christmas past to build a future together.

The lovely people at Berkley Romance provided a Paperback Copy of A Very Merry Bromance and I'm giving it away to one lucky reader! Giveaway is open to US Residents only. Fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win. Good luck!

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Review: Isn't It Bromantic? by Lyssa Kay Adams

 

Isn't It Bromantic? (Bromance Book Club #4) by Lyssa Kay Adams

Publication Date: July 20th 2021 by Berkley Books

Pages: 352

Source: Publisher & Audio Purchase

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads | Audible

My Thoughts:

To be honest, when I picked up the first book in this series I wouldn’t have considered Ivan (aka “The Russian”) to be a love interest as he was more the butt of bathroom jokes due to his intestinal issues. It was funny, but as Ivan said, it’s not funny when the joke is about you. Poor guy! I was happy Ivan went to the doctor, discovered he had a gluten allergy and got a diet tailored to help.

In the last book I saw a different side to Ivan, his emotional pain seeing his estranged wife and I knew Ms. Adams would have a story and I was all in!

Ivan’s been married for six years to the only woman he’s ever loved, but he assumes Elena only married him so she could escape Russia and move on from the grief of losing her father. He hopes for more, but on coming to America, Elena immediately decides to attend collage in Chicago and moves away. He’s crushed, but Ivan’s not about to force her to stay in Nashville with him. Seeing all his Bromance Book Club besties find happiness and fall in love inspires him to reach out to Elena telling her he’d like to try a real marriage now that she’s done with school. Unfortunately, Elena informs him that she’s going to move back to Russia and wants a divorce. Ouch!

My heart went out to Ivan. He was such a kind, emotional soul and being a professional hockey player hottie, he had his pick of women but he always held out hope that something would work out with Elena. When she announces she’s going back to Russia it crushes him. However, when Ivan gets injured and needs care, Elena puts her plans on hold and moves back to help him heal.

This is one of those romances where a simple conversation to clear up miscommunications, misconceptions would’ve saved both Ivan and Elena a lot of heartache. This is even joked about when the Bromance Bros, connoisseurs of the romance genre, meet up to discuss romantic strategy. It was a little frustrating to be honest, and I think Elena annoyed me more here than Ivan, but when things came out, I could see her point of view.

With that said, I still had a lot of fun with the story. The Bromance guys were hilarious, and I was charmed by “The Loners”, a group of women either widowed or on their own for other reasons that made themselves Ivan’s girl posse. I really appreciated that both the Bromance guys and The Loners decided to try and be supportive, and welcomed Elena in (all except Claude, at first) when they could’ve been mean and defensive over Ivan.

These stories wouldn’t be complete without a cute animal or two, and I was delighted to “see” Hazel, a sweet chicken who made friends with Ivan in Undercover Bromance, again! Neighbor Cat and Neighbor Dog were cute additions, too, flocking to Ivan the softie. 

4 Stars

Book Description:

With his passion for romance novels, it was only a matter of time before Vlad wrote one.

Elena Konnikova has lived her entire adult life in the shadows. As the daughter of a Russian journalist who mysteriously disappeared, she escaped danger the only way she knew how: She married her childhood friend, Vladimir, and moved to the United States, where he is a professional hockey player in Nashville.

Vlad, aka the Russian, thought he could be content with his marriage of convenience. But it’s become too difficult to continue in a one-sided relationship. He joined the Bromance Book Club to learn how to make his wife love him, but all he’s learned is that he deserves more. He’s ready to create his own sweeping romance—both on and off the page.

The bros are unwilling to let Vlad forgo true love—and this time they’re not operating solo. They join forces with Vlad’s neighbors, a group of meddling widows who call themselves the Loners. But just when things finally look promising, Elena’s past life intrudes and their happily ever after is cast into doubt.

Review: Crazy Stupid Romance by Lyssa Kay Adams

 

Crazy Stupid Bromance (Book Bromance Club #3) by Lyssa Kay Adams

Publication Date: October 27th 2020 by Berkley

Pages: 352

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Noah and Alexis become fast friends after Noah helps nail the man who sexually harassed Alexis and a whole string of women. Now as best friends they confide and rely on each other, and secretly crush on each other. Both are afraid to ruin the special bond they have. Noah worries that Alexis has put him firmly in the friend zone and Alexis has no clue that he feels anything romantic for her.

However, a moment of emotional vulnerability lowers their defenses to the point where the desire they continuously feel for each other leaks out, exposed for the other to see. From that point on their relationship shifts, becomes passionate and heated, and I was oh-so-happy for these two! As this all unfolds, Alexis deals with a family situation that throws her for a loop. She has an important decision thrust at her and it shakes both her and Noah up.

Crazy Stupid Bromance was a truly multi-layered story with Noah and Alexis’ romance at the center. Unrequited love is a favorite troupe, and the pent-up longing from afar they each felt led to a passionate payoff!

I have to say that I liked the animals in the last book a little better, Randy the homicidal (and “randy”) rooster cracked me the heck up, whereas I found Beefcake, the murderous cat, less entertaining. Still, any animal hijinks is a win for me.

Crazy Stupid Bromance is my favorite of the three books, just by a hair, mainly because Alexis was very likeable and relatable while Liz and Thea tested my patience a few times in the last two books. All were fun, though. This series is fun and flirty, with lots of laugh-out-loud humor, but also deals with more weighty issues with just the right balance for a satisfying, feel-good read!

4.5 Suns

About the book:

Alexis Carlisle and her cat café, ToeBeans, have shot to fame after she came forward as a victim of a celebrity chef’s sexual harassment. When a new customer approaches to confide in her, the last thing Alexis expects is for the woman to claim they’re sisters. Unsure what to do, Alexis turns to the only man she trusts—her best friend, Noah Logan.

Computer genius Noah left his rebellious teenage hacker past behind to become a computer security expert. Now he only uses his old skills for the right cause. But Noah’s got a secret: He’s madly in love with Alexis. When she asks for his help, he wonders if the timing will ever be right to confess his crush.

Noah’s pals in The Bromance Book Club are more than willing to share their beloved “manuals” to help him go from bud to boyfriend. But he must decide if telling the truth is worth risking the best friendship he’s ever had.

A hacktivist and a cat café owner decode the friend zone in this romantic comedy from the author of Undercover Bromance.

Mini Review & Giveaway: Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

Undercover Bromanced (Bromance Book Club #2) by Lyssa Kay Adams

Publication Date: March 10th 2020 by Berkley

Pages: 320

Source: Publisher

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book: 

Braden Mack thinks reading romance novels makes him an expert in love, but he’ll soon discover that real life is better than fiction. 

Liv Papandreas has a dream job as a sous chef at Nashville’s hottest restaurant. Too bad the celebrity chef owner is less than charming behind kitchen doors. After she catches him harassing a young hostess, she confronts him and gets fired. Liv vows revenge, but she’ll need assistance to take on the powerful chef.

Unfortunately, that means turning to Braden Mack. When Liv’s blackballed from the restaurant scene, the charismatic nightclub entrepreneur offers to help expose her ex-boss, but she is suspicious of his motives. He’ll need to call in reinforcements: the Bromance Book Club.

Inspired by the romantic suspense novel they’re reading, the book club assists Liv in setting up a sting operation to take down the chef. But they’re just as eager to help Mack figure out the way to Liv’s heart... even though she’s determined to squelch the sparks between them before she gets burned.

My Thoughts:

Things I loved about Undercover Bromance: All the laughs! Randy the homicidal (and “randy) rooster! That mean bird was better, and funnier than any attack dog out there! The subject of chicken mating…I really had no idea, lol. The Russian and his weakness and intolerance for cheese. I wonder if that Bro will get a romance? I think he’ll have to find a cure first. The romance was fun, starting out a little antagonistic, on Liz’s side, of course, but when she let her vulnerable side out it was sweet and then steamy! A definite recommend.

4 Suns

I'm giving away my ARC copy of Undercover Bromance and The Bromance Book Club! Both so good! The giveaway is open to US Residents only. Fill out the rafflecopter below for a chance to win. Good luck!