Reviews with content warning for Kidnapping - Isn't It Bromantic?

Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

Isn't It Bromantic? by Lyssa Kay Adams

66 reviews

what_karla_reads's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

4.5/5 stars
1.5/5 spice

Oh sweetness... this love story was just super sweet and heart-wrenching. Probably my favorite of the series so far.

Tropes:
Marriage of Convenience
Friends to lovers
She nurses him back to health
Hockey player MMC
Cinnamon roll hero
Slow burn
Found family
Dual POV

Vlad is that rare jewel of a man who is super sensitive, sweet, kind, and selfless, wrapped up in sexy hulk of a package. I was so happy to read his story and how Elena and him grew up. I felt for them both. Even though there was miscommunication that sparked the discord that lasted years, it was still worth the journey. The last few chapters had me in a chokehold. But I knew the Bromance Book Club would come in with the grand gesture. I seriously love these guys. Down with toxic masculinity and misogyny! Give me more sensitive and empathetic men, please 🙏🏽 Also...I want a Cheese Man in my life 😫

I should probably mention that the spice was there, but it was sweet and emotional. I rated it low because it was more about the connection and not as descriptive as the other books in the series. But it worked for the storyline and was just so...🥹🥹

Highly recommend for fans of friends to lovers with marriage of convenience.

Trigger/Content warnings:
Death of parent (shared as memory), child

Content Warnings

booklovinmamas's review

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I’m attempting to tackle my backlist of books I’ve meant to read, including finishing the book series I’ve meant to read. One of those book series is Lyssa Kay Adams Bromance Book Club. It’s time for me to finish reading this series, especially since I love that it is about men being part of a romance book club. I read the first three books in the series and picked up where I left off: Vlad’s book, Isn’t It Bromantic.

Storyline/My Thoughts: I loved Vlad’s character in the previous books in the series and was happy to hear that the Russian Hockey Player would get his book. This man has been a favorite in the series because he may come off as an intimidating, touch hockey player, but when you get to know him, he has a soft, romantic side. I learned more about his other side in this book when I found out why he married his childhood best friend and that the man not only reads romance books but he is writing his own romance stories. Readers will get sneak peeks of what he is writing and how the other guys in the romance book club are assisting him with this story. That’s not the main focus of the story, though.

Vlad’s marriage is in trouble with his childhood friend, Elena. He married her to get out of Russia and keep her safe after what happened to her father, but she has decided she wants a divorce and to return to Russia. She’s been attending a university in Chicago for a few years while Vlad focused on his hockey career, so they didn’t have a typical marriage. Elena knows she’ll be deported back to Russia once they divorce, and she’s okay with it. The issue is that Vlad and Elena can’t admit they have feelings for each other. When Vlad gets hurt on the ice and needs help recovering, Elena steps in to assist him, but Vlad doesn’t understand why she wants to help when she wants a divorce, but he’ll take her up on her offer, even if he’s heartbroken with her leaving him. There is a lot of back and forth with these two characters fighting the fact they have feelings for one another. It’s obvious from their POVs how much they care, but they are stubborn, especially Elena.

Sometimes I wanted to go through the book and talk with Elena about how she was making a mistake leaving Vlad. The man cared for her from the beginning by marrying her to protect her, but she decided it was wrong and she couldn’t stay with him. The whole reason she wanted a divorce and to return to Russia made me upset. I could sympathize with Vlad on his feelings regarding her wanting a divorce after what this man did for her. He was protecting her and had obvious feelings for her.

I’m not a fan of miscommunication in romance books, which this book had from the beginning. It was a lot of not communicating between both MCs, and there were times I wanted to DNF because of it, but I kept on because I wanted to know if Vlad would get his HEA. I kept thinking he deserved better the whole time, especially with what happened at the end of this book. Vlad was at fault, too, when reading his POV when it came to miscommunicating with Elena. The man kept how he felt from Elena the whole time, and it took his friends in the romance book club confronting him about his feelings for his wife.

What I enjoyed about this book, which stopped me from DNFing, was my investment in Vlad because I loved his character from the beginning of the series. I wanted this man to get his HEA, and I enjoyed getting his POV finally and finding out this man is all about caring for others. It saddens me to give this book 2.5 stars. It’s only due to the miscommunication trope and Elena’s character not being lovable, which is why it gets such a low rating.

Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the Bromance Book Club series.

Steam/Spice: 🌶

Would I recommend this book? This book may have gotten a low rating from me, but other readers may enjoy it, so I recommend it to readers who enjoy the marriage of convenience trope and have read the other books in this series from Lyssa Kay Adams. If you are like me and don’t like miscommunication in books, then this book may drive you crazy, like it did me.

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chaptersofamylea's review

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

3 ⭐️

Fairly enjoyable but nothing to write home about. I’m glad we got Vlad’s book, his character reminded me a lot of Danny Wheeler from Baby Daddy, a big giant softie.

TWs: neglect, kidnapping, ref to human trafficking

Content Warnings

alisonreadsitall's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It’s been a couple years since I read the first three Bromance Book Club books, so it took me a minute to remember what previously happened. It all quickly came flashing back after the first chapter and I came to the following conclusions:
Maybe

1. The Russian is a precious man who should be protected at all costs.🥰
2. I love a slowwww burn when it’s done right.
3. I need a black market cheese guy 🧀🤣

Overall, this book is adorable, goofy, and delightful! I can’t want to read the next one!

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margaritaflower's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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haley49's review against another edition

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Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I loved the humor and ensamble cast. Everyone was fun and had cute moments to shine. Unfortunately, there was a lot of not communicating as a major plot point and that combined with a narrator with an awfully fake Russian accent effected my rating a bit. It does get a bump up for having a virgin hero and the 🌶 was very nice. I still appreciate the themes of emotional intelligence and brotherhood in the series

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dianaschmidty's review

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adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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rakizaka's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

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lotte5322's review

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4.0

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macykey's review

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dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

The love I have for Vlad knows. No. Bounds!!! I never thought I’d care to read a book about Vlad, but tell me why this is the best one so far?! It had me laughing out loud in some parts and tearing up in others. The miscommunication was a little overdone at parts, but it was so freaking beautiful!!

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