Book: Isn’t It Bromantic
Genre: Romance
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Before I even get into the summary and the review of this book, I need to say that Lyssa Kay Adams is a masterful writer of romance! These books, while sweet and steamy are also thoughtful and deep. I would read and re-read these books any day because of the characters and their real stories.
First up, here is the Goodreads summary of the book:
With his passion for romance novels, it was only a matter of time before Vlad wrote one.
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.
A few things stood out to me while reading this were the wine (yes the wine, I’ll explain…), new level of bromance and Vlad & Elena’s love.
Okay, first up, THE WINE. This might seem like such a small detail, but this Michigan author threw in a little Michigan Easter egg and I was so excited to catch it!! While on a walk I was listening to the audiobook and heard one of the characters reference their favorite wine from Michigan. As a Michigander and a lover of Michigan wines, I had to know if she was referring to a specific vineyard/wine. I immediately sent an Instagram DM and Lyssa Kay Adams responded! It’s one of our favorite wines, The Late Harvest Riesling from Black Star Farms ! This was such a tiny little moment, but for me it made the book that much more enjoyable!
THE BROMANCE IN THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING! Each book Adams has built on the amazing bromance and how they interact and help each other. The level of brotherly love, checking themselves on things they say and really just being their to pick each other up makes my hear so happy! These men hold each other up and hold each other accountable and the friendships, though not always perfect, reflect what healthy male friendships should be. They show the tears and heartbreak, but also the love and triumphs that they all share. If you need a book that models healthy male relationships this series does that!
Finally, the Elena/Vlad romance it was completely makes this book. Where the last book left off we knew we were getting their story next, but it was better than I could have ever hoped for! Vlad’s relentless love for Elena (though not always shown in obvious ways) was adorable, and in return Elena’s quiet pining for Vlad was precious! The moment they actually stumble upon the fact that they both love each other is INCREDIBLE! Vlad’s declaration (won’t spoil it) and Elena dressing up for Vlad when they come together finally is too much and their love filled my heart with so much joy!
If you haven’t read this series, there are really no spoilers above, I would HIGHLY recommend you pick these books up! The audiobooks are fantastic, but the books themselves are gorgeous so you can’t go wrong picking these up!
Happy reading!
Joyfully Jacquie 