A romance about being there for one another even when you need to try again. I love that the story give a realistic view of hollywood and that it's not all you see on screen. I love that both main characters Sophie and Dash become fast friends and stick by each other even though they are both experience trust issues and yet they both encourage each other to do their best. There are situations in the story that keep testing Sophie and Dash and make them doubt they will be able to have a relationship. However as they go along with the relationship, their love life becomes more involved and somehow they decide that their relationship is worth it. I want to thank Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this great summer read.

REVIEW cw: substance abuse recovery, anxiety, mentions of IVF, stalking When a video of romance writer Sophie Lyon professing to never having been in love goes viral, she sets about (publicly reviewing her past relationships). Former teen star Dash Montrose can't afford to be distracted by romance. His single focus is sobriety. But when his neighbour (and sister's best friend) asks for his help, he can't seem to stay away. Plot Twist had all the ingredients I usually love in romance. But, while I liked both Sophie and Dash, some of their early decisions didn't make a lot of sense to me, and I felt the revisiting of partners past took up too much of the story. There were some truly adorable and hilarious moments, as well as some great chemistry, but I also felt incredibly frustrated at times, both with the characterisation and the pacing. One moment, in particular, didn't feel authentic: Dash was struggling to be around people drinking, but after he told Sophie about his addiction, they kissed (immediately after she'd drunk wine). Yet neither even acknowledged it, and Dash said how good she tasted. I also felt that some of their reactions were overly heightened, and a little immature for characters in their late twenties to mid thirties. Sophie described herself as a 'monster' for liking her friend's brother, and Dash's crafting is some HUGE secret from everyone for reasons that only sort of made sense. That said, I really did appreciate the representation in this story. I felt that Dash's daily substance abuse recovery and anxiety was handled sensitively, and the events at and after the speech really broke my heart and had me rooting for him even more. Sophie was pansexual, and I liked that her exes reflected her sexuality. Ultimately, I loved the development of Dash as a character, and I was so happy when he finally stood up to his mother. I really liked Poppy, and I really liked the dynamic between Rhys and Justine. Probably my favourite character was Chris, as he very often made the most sense. Still, while Sophie and Dash frustrated me at times, I think the story really worked in the latter third and I genuinely loved their connection and was pleased when they finally let down their guards and accepted what had been very clearly inevitable. Not perfect but some truly sweet and emotional moments, and I'm so glad I continued reading as I loved the final third. Overall Rating: ❤❤❤.5 Heat Rating: