Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams Series: Bromance Book Club #2
Published by Berkley on March 10, 2020
Pages: 320
Format: ARC
Genres: Romance, Romantic Comedy
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Braden Mack thinks reading romance novels makes him an expert in love, but he’ll soon discover that real life is better than fiction.
Liv Papandreas has a dream job as a sous chef at Nashville’s hottest restaurant. Too bad the celebrity chef owner is less than charming behind kitchen doors. After she catches him harassing a young hostess, she confronts him and gets fired. Liv vows revenge, but she’ll need assistance to take on the powerful chef.
Unfortunately, that means turning to Braden Mack. When Liv’s blackballed from the restaurant scene, the charismatic nightclub entrepreneur offers to help expose her ex-boss, but she is suspicious of his motives. He’ll need to call in reinforcements: the Bromance Book Club.
Inspired by the romantic suspense novel they’re reading, the book club assists Liv in setting up a sting operation to take down the chef. But they’re just as eager to help Mack figure out the way to Liv’s heart... even though she’s determined to squelch the sparks between them before she gets burned.
Undercover Bromance is an entertaining follow-up to The Bromance Book Club. Mack is the misunderstood single, cocky, and rather annoying nightclub owner who founded the club. This time around, instead of dishing out advice, he’s the one in need of love lessons.
Liv is Thea’s sister from the previous book. She’s a pastry chef who has difficulty trusting men thanks to a suitcase full of Daddy issues. When Liv is blacklisted by her immoral vengeful boss, Mack’s hero complex kicks in and he insists on teaming up with Liv to take down the celebrity chef.
Often times in romance novels, either the male or female protagonist has a major flaw that causes a roadblock on their path to love. This story is more balanced and it does a good job highlighting the areas of growth for both characters while also making them appealing. I love Liv’s fierce independence and snark. Mack’s vulnerability and respect for women completely won me over.
The men in the book club engage is some well-meaning ribbing of Mack but they always have his back. I wish the story incorporated discussion of the romantic suspense book they are studying more so that it increasingly parallels Mack and Liv’s relationship.
The book is light and lively. An easy read that goes down sweet.
Recommended fans of:
Book clubs
Sting operations
Romantic comedy
* An early copy was received to voluntarily read. *
About Lyssa Kay Adams
Lyssa Kay Adams read her first romance novel in eighth grade after swiping one from her grandmother’s book shelf and was hooked forever. After a nearly 20-year career as a journalist, her dreams of writing and publishing her own HEAs came true in 2015 with the release of her first novel, Seventh Inning Heat, followed by the RITA-nominated novella, Wild in Rio. Today, she writes full-time from her home in Michigan with a pesky, fluffy K9 assistant named Domino who spends most of his day snoring on her desk (that is, when he’s not burying things around the house).
Great review! I was surprised by how much I loved this one. They weren’t my favorite characters from the first book, so I didn’t really have any expectations. I really hope The Russian gets a book.