A review by laurenabayne
Any Trope But You by Victoria Lavine

lighthearted
  • 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

"I learned the hard way that in this bleak swipe-left world, romance novels give hope to the hopeless. They make you believe that a sensitive, multilingual, insanely jacked doctor named Hunter is just waiting in the wings of your life, ready to laugh with you about all the toads you dated while cuddling after your nightly synchronized orgasms."

This was a delightful ode to romance novels. It lovingly pokes fun at tropes and how they bring comfort to so many by hitting on some of the best ones: the meet-cute, the enemies-to-friends-to-lovers pipeline, the only-one-tent, the secret heart of gold. It points out how outlandish and how wonderful romance novels are and how outlandish and wonderful romance is in general. I appreciated that it wasn't lust to love, there was a level of getting to know each other too.

Honestly, my only hang-up is that I don't think we as romance readers would cancel an author for having a Happily Never After document! Maybe it's just me, but I would LOVE to see some authors write that. I would really enjoy seeing MMCs with male-patterned baldness, medication for erectile dysfunction, or even just the use of lube. I would love to see amicable exes and co-parenting woes. Victoria Lavine, drop your HNA doc for Forrest and Margot. I would be super intrigued.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for an eARC in exchange for my honest review! 
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