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dojipengin's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing and Bullying
Minor: Alcohol and Infidelity
yvo_about_books's review
4.5
Finished reading: June 5th 2023
“That’s why fiction resonates with people. It speaks to universal truths.”
This series has been recommended to me multiple times since it was published four years ago, and I've been meaning to finally pick it up for ages now. I actually added it to my list of series I wanted to catch up with in 2023, and after a fantastic start with The Bromance Book Club I have no doubt that I actually will this time. Oh yes, this first book and me got along splendidly! I was warned about the female main character before I started, but thankfully I wasn't too bothered by Thea herself. I did find her sister Liv to be extremely frustrating, but that was probably the only minor blip in this story for me. It was so easy to warm up to Gavin and the rest of his friends, and I loved the twins from the start. As a result, I found myself rooting for Gavin from the very beginning... The bromance book club element was brilliant, and I liked how the Courting The Countess chapters were incorporated into the plot. Thea's behavior could get a little annoying, but then again it is understandable if you keep in mind her past... The smut was a bit too much for me, but somehow I didn't mind those scenes that much as the main focus of the story was on Gavin and Thea rebuilding their relationship. I can't wait to read the next book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Vomit, Ableism, Alcohol, Cursing, Bullying, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Sexism, and Pregnancy
Minor: Miscarriage
fromthefoxhole's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.0
Gavin and Thea got married only a few months into dating, as a direct result of finding out that Thea was pregnant with twins. Almost immediately after, Gavin was whisked away as part of a major league baseball team, leaving their foundation on not-quite-steady ground.
Now, years into their marriage, they've drifted so far apart that Gavin is staying in a hotel and Thea has dropped the D bomb - divorce. Luckily for them both, Gavin's got some teammates in his corner, who vow to help him get his wife back by way of introducing him to the world of romance novels. Thea agrees to a few weeks of Gavin being back in the home, but she's not planning on going easy on him.
I had a great time reading this, past a few slightly fatphobic moments in the beginning. I definitely wish we got more of the book club outside of Mack being a bit of a thoughtless prick, but I assume I'll get to flesh them out a little more in their individual books.
Thea and Gavin are both prideful and stubborn, which at times made me want to physically shake them, but I did feel rewarded when they finally worked through it! Their physical chemistry is great, they just needed to get on the same mental page to really make it shine.
Now, years into their marriage, they've drifted so far apart that Gavin is staying in a hotel and Thea has dropped the D bomb - divorce. Luckily for them both, Gavin's got some teammates in his corner, who vow to help him get his wife back by way of introducing him to the world of romance novels. Thea agrees to a few weeks of Gavin being back in the home, but she's not planning on going easy on him.
I had a great time reading this, past a few slightly fatphobic moments in the beginning. I definitely wish we got more of the book club outside of Mack being a bit of a thoughtless prick, but I assume I'll get to flesh them out a little more in their individual books.
Thea and Gavin are both prideful and stubborn, which at times made me want to physically shake them, but I did feel rewarded when they finally worked through it! Their physical chemistry is great, they just needed to get on the same mental page to really make it shine.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Cursing
Moderate: Bullying and Vomit
Minor: Pregnancy and Miscarriage
cady_sass's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
BRILLIANT! Delightful! So much fun.
If only men possessed the emotional intelligence and were secure enough in their masculinity to actually do this… it would be over for us
If only men possessed the emotional intelligence and were secure enough in their masculinity to actually do this… it would be over for us
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, and Sexual content
hannibanani29's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Sexual content, and Ableism
Moderate: Pregnancy and Vomit
Minor: Alcohol, Bullying, and Cursing
amberinpieces's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol and Cursing
mtnest's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Bullying, Pregnancy, and Cursing
beckyyreadss's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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
4.0
I have seen this book all over the book community. I was dying to read it as it seemed right up my street. I was right. This book should be hyped up. It was funny, cute, a small amount of spice – the whole works.
This book has two points of views. The first is Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott. He’s recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always been faking the Big O. After he finds out, he loses his cool and it was the final straw on the already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce and Gavin realizes he has let his pride and fear get the better of him. Gavin is desperate and he 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: Courting the Countess, a steamy Regency novel, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it will take a lot more than fictional words and flowers to get his girl back. The second point of view is Thea Scott. She has been married for three years and even though she loves her husband, she hates some part of his job. Mainly having to socialise with the other WAGs. See, she isn’t like the rest of them who plan their life around being a WAG. She is a mother first, a mother who gave up her dreams of being an artist three years ago when she got pregnant with twins. She has to be a solo parent for 50 percent of the year whilst Gavin is away and she hasn’t told him she doesn’t like going to all the social events that Gavin goes to. She is trying to make sure that her girls don’t witness any of the fighting as she grew up witnessing her mum and dad fight. Will she be able to forgive Gavin? Will she ever give him the Big O?
I think this story is adorable, and so heart-warming. For a story that I was expecting a lot of spicy in, we didn’t get it but it was made up with a cute and fast-paced storyline with the portraying of the real issues of marriage and you know having to keep the marriage alive by working on it and being open and honest with each other. I loved the twins I think they were adorable and having Thea see the fact that one was like her and one was like her sister when it came to the family dynamic was sweet and heart-breaking at the same time due to the fact that Thea was working so hard to avoid that. I have seen that this book is a series and I really hope that Thea’s sister get a book and I would have loved to seen more of Del in the future.
Overall, I loved the MCs and the storyline was realistic but also funny, like all I’m imagining now is grown men saying they are going the pub or the gym but instead they are going to the basement of someone’s house to read romance books to try and impress their significant others. However, I do think men should read some romance novels because why not. I am looking forward for the next one in the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Sexual content, and Abandonment
Moderate: Cursing, Bullying, and Alcohol
Minor: Pregnancy and Miscarriage
thesmutsister_emma's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.75
Here's to Breaking the First Rule of Book Club.
I'm not going to lie. I was worried about this one. I was soworried in fact, that I broke my own habits and rather than buying the whole series at once, I only bought the first book. I can (thankfully) say I was pleasantly surprised. I truly loved this book and have to have the rest of the series PRONTO.
The Characters
Thea: Look girlie pop... I loved you. And I loved you because I saw WAY too much of myself in you. With my parents' divorce just finalized November 15th, I truly related to the way Thea felt about her father. I liked seeing the way she handled everything because my parents' divorce has impacted me as well. It was interesting watching one of my worst fears at this point play out in a way and see the way that I as a person might deal with it. Thea honestly had just as much character development as Gavin did and it was something that made me happy because in these situations, it's easy to put all of the blame on one party, but the fact that Thea made it back to who she truly feels she is meant a lot to me.
Gavin: I honestly liked Gavin a lot. I felt like he was extremely dense and prideful at times, but I liked his character. Once he was willing to let go of his manhood and be vulnerable. I honestly liked him more than Thea 😅 I was worried that he was never going to wise up and do it, but we were able to get there.
Things I Loved
I loved the way that Thea dealt with Gavin, just in general through the whole thing. I also really liked the rest of the Bromance Book Club so much. They were amazing and I honestly can't wait to read about the rest of them.
Things I Didn't Love
I think my biggest problem with the book was how long it felt like it dragged out. It was very realistic, but it felt to me as though it went on for ages.
The Final Verdict
I feel like this will end up being a book I read over and over. I loved it so much and plan on coming back to it as a comfort read.
I'm not going to lie. I was worried about this one. I was soworried in fact, that I broke my own habits and rather than buying the whole series at once, I only bought the first book. I can (thankfully) say I was pleasantly surprised. I truly loved this book and have to have the rest of the series PRONTO.
The Characters
Thea: Look girlie pop... I loved you. And I loved you because I saw WAY too much of myself in you. With my parents' divorce just finalized November 15th, I truly related to the way Thea felt about her father. I liked seeing the way she handled everything because my parents' divorce has impacted me as well. It was interesting watching one of my worst fears at this point play out in a way and see the way that I as a person might deal with it. Thea honestly had just as much character development as Gavin did and it was something that made me happy because in these situations, it's easy to put all of the blame on one party, but the fact that Thea made it back to who she truly feels she is meant a lot to me.
Gavin: I honestly liked Gavin a lot. I felt like he was extremely dense and prideful at times, but I liked his character. Once he was willing to let go of his manhood and be vulnerable. I honestly liked him more than Thea 😅 I was worried that he was never going to wise up and do it, but we were able to get there.
Things I Loved
I loved the way that Thea dealt with Gavin, just in general through the whole thing. I also really liked the rest of the Bromance Book Club so much. They were amazing and I honestly can't wait to read about the rest of them.
Things I Didn't Love
I think my biggest problem with the book was how long it felt like it dragged out. It was very realistic, but it felt to me as though it went on for ages.
The Final Verdict
I feel like this will end up being a book I read over and over. I loved it so much and plan on coming back to it as a comfort read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Abandonment, Vomit, and Cursing
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Pregnancy and Miscarriage
a_libra_library's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Alcohol, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Sexual content