Review & Giveaway - - A Very Merry Bromance

A Very Merry Bromance

by Lyssa Kay Adams

Bromance Book Club

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: November 1, 2022

Reviewed by Santa

'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.

Santa Says: 

A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams is just in time for all you Hallmark Channel Christmas rom com movie madness fans out there. And, yes, that means yours truly. It’s the most wonderful time of the year and this book checks off all the boxes. Hot cocoa. Check. Grumpy Scrooge meets Sunshine Elf. Check. Plenty of good cheer and, of course, the ever loving members of the Bromance Book Club. Check and check and check. A band of the hottest men in the Nashville area who happen to love reading romance novels. They see them as manuals on how to successfully woo and win the women of their lives. Yes, romance readers, they have unlocked the secrets we have already found within their pages. 

Colton Wheeler is a country music star with a stalled career. His muse seems to have gone missing. That is until one Gretchen Winthrop reluctantly comes back into his life. Gretchen is an immigration lawyer with demons of her own in the shape of her cold, indifferent family. And she hates the holiday season. Something Colton sees as a challenge. With the help of his buddies and romance novels aka manuals he sets out to woo her and bring her into the true experience of Christmas - full stop. 

Gretchen puts up with his Christmas wreath wrangling as long as he considers being a spokesperson for her family’s whiskey re-branding. A deal she struck with her devil of a brother. Gretchen is no match for Colton’s charm, swagger, not to mention his washboard abs and his romance reading heart. Gretchen is the kick start Colton’s career needs. 

Lyssa Kay Adams' series The Bromance Book Club is so much fun to read! I have read about half of the series, in no particular order and have found each one to be a delight. The banter is funny. The situations the guys find themselves in are hilarious and entirely of their own making. I, for one, would like to wish upon a Christmas star to see this series made into a limited edition series of movies. I’m looking at you, Hallmark! 

Have you read any of the Bromance Book Club books?

Are you as addicted to the Hallmark Christmas movies as Santa (and I) are?

Have you started reading your Christmas romances yet? Any to recommend?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before11:00 PM, November 11 will receive a print copy of A Very Merry Bromance.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

*Void where prohibited

Review - - Isn't it Bromantic?

Isn't it Bromantic?

by Lyssa Kay Adams

Bromance Book Club - Book 4

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: July 20, 2021

Reviewed by Santa

Review - - Undercover Bromance

UNDERCOVER BROMANCE

by Lyssa Kay Adams

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: March 10, 2020

Reviewed by Hellie

 

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.

Hellie’s Heeds

I cannot wait for you guys to read this book. You may recall in the BROMANCE BOOK CLUB that Braden Mack was the secondary character that all the women swooned over, repeatedly. He was hysterical and charming--and also the founder of the Bromance Book Club. I couldn’t wait to see who he finally ended up paired with. Lyssa did not disappoint. She gave him the most uncharmed, no-bullshit woman who I ever wanted to be friends with: Liv Papandreas. 

Liv is Thea’s little sister (the heroine of the first book); and she is Salty with a capital S. I adore her. When she first meets Mack, he has just helped himself to her leftover chinese lo mein, and boy, can I relate. (Hands off my leftovers, people!) She is a pastry chef at a renown top tier restaurant, working for an asshole celebrity chef who sexually assaults his women workers and pays them off (and/or intimidates them) to keep quiet. When she discovers this side of her boss (who she thought was just a normal entitled asshole), she sets out to expose him.

However, Mack has also learned of this travesty and wants to help dispense justice. Liv doesn’t want his help, but that hardly matters, he’s going to help anyway. Mack is determined to protect Liv, even if from herself. Liv is determined to show Mack she doesn’t need protection and certainly not from him. Everything about Liv throws Mack off his game--any smooth moves he has had with women prior to Liv have evaporated, and it takes him quite a while to figure out presenting a charming perfect front is the opposite of authenticity and the connection with Liv he craves. 

ENGLISH MAJOR GIBBERISH & FEMINIST RANT: As before, there is a “book within a book” subplot that does the doublework of presenting romance novels as feminist literature that helps people learn about themselves and how they connect and also as a foil for the main characters since the books the characters are drawn to are filled with characters with the same flaws and strengths they have to overcome and discover. Plus having the men meet and discuss the books, and also to stand for one another as the main character figures out what he needs to do to be authentic and loved is sweet and brilliant. Part of me, when reading it, felt it was a bit “wish fulfillment” (i.e. “Men would never do this!”), but then I thought about it and realized, the reason I don’t believe it could happen is that society doesn’t normalize it and make it an acceptable behavior for men to exhibit. Which is exactly the problem; and which is exactly what romance novels should be doing, yes? Breaking down barriers, increasing diversity, and celebrating true intimacy? So...yes, Bravo, Lyssa Kay Adams, for that scene where Mack is supported by his guy friends and he has a breakthrough. That is exactly what needs to happen. We need to make this normal if we ever want to help break the patriarchy from harming men as well as women. 

Okay, off my soapbox now. 

The banter is hysterical between the two main characters. This book was a quick read for me; and there were scenes where I was crying with laughter. (Randy the Rooster steals all the scenes. Note to self: never own a rooster. Also, who knew hens don’t have vaginas?) I did read Liv and wonder if most readers would love her as I do. She’s cynical, sarcastic, covered in barbed-wire, and unapproachable on a good day. And I also know we women tend to have a bit of a higher standard for women than we do with men, even in character form. But Mack is quick to see through Liv’s saltiness to her marshmallow center and not take her sarcasm and hatred of all things romantic personally. I hope readers do the same. 

There is a third book in the series coming out in October which will feature two secondary characters from this book...and I cannot wait. 

Review - - The Bromance Book Club

THE BROMANCE BOOK CLUB

by Lyssa Kay Adams

Publisher: Berkley

November 5, 2019

Reviewed by Hellie

The first rule of book club:

You don't talk about book club.

Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott's marriage is in major league trouble. He’s recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always faked the Big O. When he loses his cool at the revelation, it’s the final straw on their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he’s let his pride and fear get the better of him. 

Welcome to the Bromance Book Club.

Distraught and desperate, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville's top alpha men. With the help of their current read, a steamy Regency titled Courting the Countess, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it'll take a lot more than flowery words and grand gestures for this hapless Romeo to find his inner hero and win back the trust of his wife.

Hellie’s Heeds:

TLDR: Hellie says GO ORDER THIS BOOK NOW. If Hellie could have given more than 5 stars, she would have. 

In case you need a bit more persuasion, let me say this book has flown to the top of my 2019 Best Reads. It may even be in the top 10 of best books for the decade. It was so funny and emotional and clever, I could not put the book down. 

I realized this was SUCH A BOOK when I brought in the book to work and read parts of it to my co-worker, Unicorn, who does not read romances herself. But I’ll make her listen. One day I’ll get her converted to the charm and brilliance of romance novels. This book definitely tipped the scales to it being a possibility because even she was completely charmed by the diverse group of men who made up the Bromance Book Club. I hadn’t even gotten a quarter way through the book before I’d logged onto Facebook in order to be part of Lyssa Kay’s Book Club. But I was a complete goner when I thought to myself: this woman could give Julie Anne Long a run for her money when it comes to funny and heart-felt. And now that Jules has gone back to historical set funny and heart-felt, Lyssa Kay has come and created a contemporary world I can’t wait to read more of. 

Please, please, please tell me there will be a book for Braden Mack. A scene stealer of the highest order, it was a miracle Gavin (the hero) still managed to outshine him (which is hard to do when you have secondary characters who steal scenes--but Lyssa Kay handles it well.) In fact, I would love a whole slew of books about the men in this book club, or at least a hopeful trilogy. Gavin, Mack...and some other hottie. A nice hat trick, you could say. Excuse me while I spin in a web of reader speculation….

That aside, the modern day twist of a marriage of convenience (so to speak) where the husband needs to woo back his wife was absolutely delicious. The drama of the WAGs (wives and girlfriends) and their hierarchy was such a rich setting conflict to the storyline--and you won’t be able to help but root for Thea. If you’ve ever been in a relationship where you didn’t know yourself anymore--and you came to a cross roads to determine if staying in the relationship was worth it, this is your story. A hero and heroine to truly root for and adore. And obviously plenty of secondary characters to add hilarity and drama. 

Put this book at the top of your TBR pile. I would share favorite scenes with you, but there are too many and I don’t want to ruin the New to Me Experience of reading it. In fact, I wish I could read it again for the first time...it was that delightful.