Undercover Bromance

January 20, 2020
Adams follows The Bromance Book Club with this cute comedic twist on the romantic suspense genre. Charming Braden Mack is the de facto leader of his all-male romance book club, remarkably comprising the most eligible, athletic, and successful men in Nashville, who hope to learn how to be “better men, better lovers, better husbands” from the genre. Despite Mack’s natural charm and romance novel training, he’s off his game when it comes to pastry chef Liv Papandreas, whose sister, Thea, is married to another book club member. Prickly, distrustful Liv isn’t looking for a boyfriend, but when her celebrity chef boss, Royce, fires her for calling him out as a sexual predator, she accepts Braden’s and the book club’s help to confront and expose him for his crimes. The book club hatches a plan, drawing inspiration from the romantic suspense novel they’re reading, though series fans may be disappointed that, unlike in the first volume, no excerpts from the novel within a novel appear. Instead Adams weaves romantic suspense tropes into her contemporary rom-com to excellent effect. Strong characterization, humor, and a genuine connection between Liv and Mack make this one a keeper. Agent: Tara Gelsomino, One Track Literary.

January 15, 2020
A local club owner helps a recently fired sous-chef get revenge on her boss. Liv Papandreas puts up with a lot from her boss at Nashville's hottest restaurant--Royce is verbally abusive and takes credit for his staff's recipes--but the final straw is when she witnesses him sexually harassing and groping a hostess in his office. After Liv is fired, she vows to bring his abuse to light. Her unlikely ally is Braden Mack, her brother-in-law's charmingly smarmy friend. Mack is outraged when he hears about Royce's actions; he wonders why he never noticed the man's predatory behavior, and he enlists the other men in his romance-reading book club to help Liv bring Royce to justice. Their shock at Royce's actions might strike readers as naïve; on the other hand, Liv and Mack's decision to go after Royce without consulting lawyers or the police is both inexplicable and reckless. After an overly long setup, the revenge plot is put on hold to develop the wan romance between Liv and Mack. Neither of them trust emotional entanglements, so they agree to a no-strings affair while they use Mack's superficial knowledge of romantic suspense to figure out how to bring Royce's misdeeds to light. Adams (The Bromance Book Club, 2019, etc.) clearly intends for Royce to be a Harvey Weinstein-like figure: He threatens to end Liv's career, orders his thugs to follow Liv and Mack, and pays off the many women he has harassed. Unfortunately, the tone of the novel reduces #MeToo to a madcap caper, including fart jokes, traffic jams, and macho posturing. The victims of Royce's sexual harassment are used as a plot device, allowing Liv, Mack, and the other book club members to swoop in and save the day. A romance attempting to tackle #MeToo misses the mark.

COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

February 1, 2020

Anyone who can last in a Royce Preston restaurant can write their own ticket in the culinary world, so Liv Papandreas is determined to keep her job at the celebrity chef's restaurant for one more year. But when she catches her boss harassing an employee, she's fired and blacklisted from the Nashville restaurant scene. Not one for giving up, she accepts the help of nemesis Braden Mack and his Bromance Book Club, whose members use the strategies of romantic suspense to expose her powerful ex-boss. In the process, prickly Liv and confident Braden experience some scorching chemistry and the book club's matchmaking attempts. The main romance is supported by an eccentric group of secondary characters, including a farm-owning activist named Rosie, a Russian hockey player with gastrointestinal problems, and an amorous rooster named Randy. VERDICT Adams's latest (The Bromance Book Club) combines humorous elements that balance the heavier themes of workplace harassment, resulting in a fast-paced romance that offers both laughs and greater social relevance.--Meagan Day, High Plains Lib. Dist., CO

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2020
Adams continues the strong series she launched with The Bromance Book Club (2019) with Nashville nightclub manager and member of the secret men's romance book club Braden Mack having difficulty with his love interest. Nothing in the beloved romantic suspense novel he and his fellow book-clubbers are reading is helping him with Liv Papandreas, a pastry chef who was fired from her job after interfering when her boss sexually assailed a colleague. Braden wants to help her take down the celebrity chef, who has a history of preying on women, but Liv isn't sure she can trust him. Readers will enjoy seeing characters from the first installment, including Liv's sister, Thea, who, along with the book club members, step up to help this prickly pair see past their insecurities to happiness. Adams' unique and pleasing series turns male and romance fiction stereotypes upside down with memorable story lines and engaging characters.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

January 15, 2020
A local club owner helps a recently fired sous-chef get revenge on her boss. Liv Papandreas puts up with a lot from her boss at Nashville's hottest restaurant--Royce is verbally abusive and takes credit for his staff's recipes--but the final straw is when she witnesses him sexually harassing and groping a hostess in his office. After Liv is fired, she vows to bring his abuse to light. Her unlikely ally is Braden Mack, her brother-in-law's charmingly smarmy friend. Mack is outraged when he hears about Royce's actions; he wonders why he never noticed the man's predatory behavior, and he enlists the other men in his romance-reading book club to help Liv bring Royce to justice. Their shock at Royce's actions might strike readers as na�ve; on the other hand, Liv and Mack's decision to go after Royce without consulting lawyers or the police is both inexplicable and reckless. After an overly long setup, the revenge plot is put on hold to develop the wan romance between Liv and Mack. Neither of them trust emotional entanglements, so they agree to a no-strings affair while they use Mack's superficial knowledge of romantic suspense to figure out how to bring Royce's misdeeds to light. Adams (The Bromance Book Club, 2019, etc.) clearly intends for Royce to be a Harvey Weinstein-like figure: He threatens to end Liv's career, orders his thugs to follow Liv and Mack, and pays off the many women he has harassed. Unfortunately, the tone of the novel reduces #MeToo to a madcap caper, including fart jokes, traffic jams, and macho posturing. The victims of Royce's sexual harassment are used as a plot device, allowing Liv, Mack, and the other book club members to swoop in and save the day. A romance attempting to tackle #MeToo misses the mark.

COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.