Background
This series is at least in the top 3 of my favorite series of all time, if it isn't the number one. Each book brings me so much genuine joy, I could read these all the time and never get sick of them. I picked up one of these off a recommendation from a friend and I never looked back. I have read all of them, and recommend them to any person who asks.
Funnily enough, my grandma has also read one of these. She is almost blind and is able to get audiobooks from the library through our state. Isn't it bromantic? happened to be one of the books that she received--I had started to tell her about the book that I had finished a couple of weeks prior, and she finished telling the story to me, informing me that she just listened to that book on audiobook!
Before we get into the summaries & reviews of each individual book, I wanted to give a bit of background on these books. The series focuses on a group of guys who live in Nashville. They are wanting to strengthen their relationships with the women in their lives, so they start reading romance novels to better understand what women want from their relationships. They use romance novels as the guidebooks to their relationships. Each book is a standalone, but you will see common characters throughout the series.
The Bromance Book Club
Summary
"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."
Review
This is the first book that I read in the series, it isn't the normal rom-com that I would pick up. I generally like the type of love stories that include a meet-cute instead of a pre-existing relationship. However, I was immediately sucked into how absolutely loveable these characters are. Their story is woven together so beautifully that I didn't want to put the book down.
To be completely honest with you, I read so many romance novels, that a lot of times they can blend together and I get plotlines confused. This one, however, and honestly this entire series, sticks out in my mind perfectly, like I just read it yesterday instead of last year.
The vulnerability that we see in these characters makes them so lovable. Each scene shows a side of the men in the Bromance book club that I think women crave to see. It's rare to hear a man talk about how he wants to better his relationship with his wife or his partner. At least in my life, all I hear about is the men complaining about their spouses. This shows a refreshing side that I'm pretty convinced is rare, and though these characters are fictional, it makes me want to find this in a relationship.
Undercover Bromance
Summary
"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."
Review: This book made me laugh out loud more times than I could keep track of, especially in the first few chapters. Lyssa KayAdams has a way of writing that will give you second-hand embarrassment for her characters. I love the tough-girl persona of Liv and the tough-guy exterior of Mack.
Again, these books show such a fantastic side of the male characters. The desire of impressing a woman, of wanting to be protective, of fighting for someone they love... they are fictional characters, but again, are #relationshipgoals.
Lyssa does such an incredible job showing how bad-ass women can be while also falling in love. A lot of times, it seems that romance authors (especially male authors) make females characters nothing but mindless goop after they fall in love. Lyssa does a wonderful job continuing to empower her characters and make them more well-rounded even after meeting the love interest.
Crazy Stupid Bromance
Summary
"A hacktivist and a cat café owner decode the friend zone in this romantic comedy from the author of Undercover Bromance. 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."
Review
This is book is top-tier in my mind. There's another series by Penny Reid that is very similar to this called Knitting in the City. I love that series almost as much as I love this one. This book is a warm friends-to-lovers book that checks every single box for me.
This is also one of those stories that I felt super connected to the characters. It doesn't seem to have such deep ties to the other books. The characters are a bit more isolated, and I think that's what makes me love them more.
Isn't it Bromantic?
Summary
"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
This romance novel is unlike any of the others in the series. It has a bit more mystery and action and weird cheese men. The actual romance part is also completely different than the others. This book bounces back and forth between Vlad & Elena's story and the romance novel that Vlad is writing, which is very similar to the first book in this series.
Vlad and Elena's story has a lot of history, and for me, it gave a lot of context as to why Vlad is the way that he is in the other books. Vlad had a lot of potential, and it was obvious in the first 3 books in the series. This is why I think Lyssa Kay Adams knocked this book out of the park.
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