Any Trope but You by Victoria Lavine (April 1, 2025) a huge thank you to all of my Bookstagram friends who know me so well, DM’d me and tagged me telling me this was my kind of book! You were SO RIGHT!
Margot Bradley is a bestselling romance author who’s built a career on happily ever afters… even if she doesn’t actually believe in them. But when her private document of “happily never after” alternate endings gets leaked, her fans turn on her – and her next book deal is canceled. Desperate to provide for herself and her chronically ill sister, she retreats to a six-week writing intensive in Alaska to work on a mystery novel. Unfortunately, Dr. Forrest Wakefield, the proprietor, is the walking embodiment of every single swoon-worthy characteristic of her male main characters…and Margot fears she’s landed in her own romance novel. Except Forest isn’t looking for love. He’s taken leave from his job as a premier cancer researcher to care for his father, the owner of the rustic getaway. He’s grumpy, grounded, and completely off-limits. She’s heart-bruised and reluctant to believe in love. But as forced proximity, one-tent situations, and emotional caretaking start stacking up, there’s no denying their chemistry.
This book had everything I love in a romance: whip-smart humor, layered characters, vulnerable growth, and tropes used in ways that feel both familiar and refreshingly new. The emotional arc is as strong as the romantic one – and I especially loved how both Margot and Forrest get space to confront their fears, insecurities, and hopes. The dual POV is beautifully balanced, and Lavine blends laugh-out-loud moments with powerful reflections on grief, healing, and family in such a grounded way. Also? Margot’s sister is the fierce, funny, ride-or-die type that makes every scene better. It is a fantastic story about families that forcibly demand for you the happiness they know you deserve – even if you don’t see it yourself. Just an absolute charmer.
🎧 Audiobook Thoughts 🎧 This dual narration by Tim Paige (Icebreaker) Jesse Vilinsky (Better Than the Movies) was just pitch perfect. I loved it. (11 hrs and 17 mins)
Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Audiobook: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Book Smart Kate 