3/5 stars! This is a contemporary romance written by author Samantha Young. This reads like every other Samantha Young book. Her characters are all the same. That said, if this is the first book you have read by her you'll likely enjoy it.

Thank you for my earc of this book. Unfortunately u DNF this book, I just couldn’t gel with the MMC.

In Samantha Young's latest romance novel, a professional costume character actor named Star Shine Meadows, who takes on quirky jobs, meets grumpy veterinarian Rafe Whitman at his niece's birthday party. Despite their differences, they agree to a fake dating arrangement, leading to unexpected personal growth and mutual support. The story explores themes of communication, family dynamics, and self-acceptance, with endearing characters and engaging banter. This opposites-attract romance is captivating and heartwarming, showcasing Young's talent for creating relatable and likable characters.

Samantha Young always manages to make me fall in love with all her books! I’m loving this light contemporary romances!

This is just an amazing book! I love most of Samantha Young's books but this is one of my favourites!

I love the banter between Rafe and Star and the strength of the characters too!

Awesome. Amazing! Buy.this.book!!

"The Love Plot" by Samantha Young is a delightful contemporary romance that offers an engaging mix of humor, chemistry, and relatable characters. The story unfolds as the protagonists embark on a fake relationship that leads to real feelings. Young's witty dialogue and charismatic characters add depth to the romance, making it a page-turner. With a well-crafted plot and a healthy dose of charm, "The Love Plot" is a sweet and enjoyable love story that will warm the hearts of romance enthusiasts.

This is definitely one of my favourite reads of the year - I had so much fun with The Love Plot and read it within 24 hours because I was that enthralled. I absolutely adored the chemistry between Rafe and Star, they were the definition of opposites attract, as they couldn't have been more different from each other, but loved the way they were. I loved how Star showed Rafe up with a bit of banter from time to time, as he needed to loosen up a bit and have fun. Rafe was also a great influence on Star, as despite his family trying to change her to suit them, Rafe never wanted Star to be anything like his family and supported her quirky ways of living life, including being paid to queue for other people. The fake dating plot was so lovely, I can be hit and miss with the fake dating trope and this was a HIT. Really loved this one and will be looking further into Samantha's previous books!

Such a lovely easy read. I loved the characters, their development and their stories together. Such a nice wholesome book, I will definitely be recommending it once it it released.

This was a sweet fun one. If you love fake dating, New York setting, Mr Grumpy and sunshine then this one is for you!

I really liked Rafe and Star and felt that the fake dating element really worked well here and getting to know both the characters backgrounds really added a lot and made the fake dating seem believable and understandable too, which I really liked!

This is perfect if your looking for a quick and light romance!

From the blurb -

Star Shine Meadows is all about freedom, thanks to the hippie parents who raised her. Juggling her jobs as a professional costume character actor and a line sitter, she believes in no expectations, no stressful ambitions, and no-strings-attached relationships. So when she meets a birthday girl’s grumpy uncle while working a princess party, she can’t help but needle him. She’ll never see him again, and honestly, he's pretty hot.

Rafe Whitman may be a veterinarian with a great bedside manner, but that doesn’t mean his patience extends to anyone with opposable thumbs. His family will not stop nagging him about finding “the one,” so when he runs into obnoxiously cheery Star again, he makes her an offer: He’ll pay her more than she would make doing her odd jobs if she’ll pretend to be his girlfriend at family gatherings. She can stop sitting in line waiting for someone else’s new phone, and he’ll get his family off his back.

When the tension between them heats to a breaking point, Star’s desire for "no strings" is tested against Rafe’s staunch stability. They say opposites attract, after all....

*ARC from NetGalley ✨

I have been a fan of Samantha Young's since the On Dublin Street series, years ago. This book reminded me why I love her work. It was such a cute, fun read that had been devouring chapter after chapter! I had forgotten what a fun read felt like and this did feel really fun. I'm not always a fan of grumpy sunshine but once again, Samatha Young does it right. I do however love a good fake dating trope and this did not disappoint in the slightest. Something this author does really well is fully fleshed out side characters that you either love or hate and here both Star's family and friends and Rafe's family added so much to the overall story.

I am obsessed with how obsessed with her Rafe was and how he supported the things that made Star Star, even when he didn't quite get it. I also really loved that when he was given another perspective, he actually took it on board. Boys in books really are better haha!

This ARC was kindly provided by Netgally for an honest review.

I had such a goofy little smile on my face when I was reading this! I had no idea what this would be like when I went into it, but I loved the New York setting and how Star and Race came from very clearly different worlds, and families, and yet still respected each other's differences without trying to change them, or let anyone else do so. I always love a good grumpy guy, but the way that Rafe became such a sweetheart once he started falling for Star was very endearing, and I really liked how much his protective nature came out around her, even against his family, when he felt her being judged at all. Star's found family were very sweet, and I think it felt authentic to see how she inadvertently distanced herself from them while building her relationship, and for them to feel neglected before finding a balance between them all, and especially when considering how sad her situation with her parents was, this was a really nice aspect.

The Love Plot is a light, heartwarming, humorous read. Fake dating with well-developed, likable characters that have their own wants and motivations. Star was a particularly enjoyable female lead—she was a very refreshing character. I particularly enjoyed the fact that the book did not end when the leads got together, but instead explored their life together and how it would affect them. The Love Plot actually has very little plot, but that doesn’t matter because it’s a very character-driven book. I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I liked it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

Star Meadows is commonly mistaken for a student in her work as professional costume character actor, that surely can’t be a proper job can it? But it is and she does it and she enjoys it, hippie raised Star goes with the flow and does what makes her happy. When she she meets Rafe Whitman at his nieces birthday party she is immediately attracted to him until he opens his mouth and she discovers he’s a prize prick, she thinks of him no more. But then while she’s queue waiting for a client she spots him, gives him a bit of cheek and events happen that wind up with Star being employed by Rafe to be his fake girlfriend to keep his aggressively match making family at bay. You know how it goes from there. However the Love Plot is a little different in that Star has a crisis of identity and it was not influenced by her love interest at all and I thought this was interesting. I also thought Stars friends were a little assholey and should have cut her more slack rather than basically just abandoning her because she didn’t have as much time for them as they wanted even though she had pretty solid reasons for this. It was good though I enjoyed it a lot and had more substance to it than you’re average romcom.

The book is a fun and heartwarming read that will appeal to fans of the fake dating trope. Young does a great job of developing the characters and their relationship, and the book is full of humor and heart. The characters are well-developed and likable. Star is a joy to read about, and I loved her positive outlook on life. Rafe is also a complex and interesting character, and I enjoyed watching him grow and change throughout the book.

The relationship between Star and Rafe is believable and heartwarming. I loved watching them slowly fall in love, and I rooted for them the whole time. The book is full of humor and heart. There are many laugh-out-loud moments, but the book also deals with some deeper themes, such as family, loss, and self-discovery.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Love Plot. It's a charming and heartwarming romance that I would definitely recommend to fans of the genre.

I absolutely adored this one, it was so cute and fun. You get grump and sunshine, fake dating and opposites attract in the perfect blend of romance addorablness. The charecters were authentic and relatable and the love story was genuine, swoony and just perfection

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'The Love Plot' by Samantha Young.

'The Love Plot' is such a fun romance novel. Star is an amazing protagonist who is perfectly accompanied by the love interest Dr. Rafferty - I still cannot get over Rafe's full name being Rafferty.
If you enjoy rich love interests who aren't controlling, this book is for you. The story was filled with problems- such as your family being too snobby to accept you love someone who is "below your class" - but the characters work through that and Rafe never wanted her to change which I think is essential in a romantic partner.
My only qualm was certain bits - such as the texting bubble scenes the wrong way round - but the story was still amazing and worth the read.

A fab read, the story of Star and Rafe. Opposites attract and fake dating. Loved this book and how the characters fell for each other.

This was just not for me, i really disliked the main characters and the writing was not my favourite.

Rafe did not make the greatest of first impressions as a MMC! He was rude, surly and condescending. His only redeeming quality was the love he showed his niece. Star made sure that when they next bumped into each other she made a solid impression on him and cause major embarrassment in the process!

Star Shine Meadows, that's her actual given name honest, makes a living as a line sitter and character actor in NY. She is the epitome of hippy-dippy, live for the moment, no ties - no plans. So when the attractive but oh so annoying Rafe makes her a deal, she figures it couldn't hurt. She'll get the money to travel and he'll get his matrimony pushing relatives off his back.

Rafe could easily have been the arrogant, wealthy playboy but he chose to take a different path. He's aware of his wealth and privilege and tries to limit shoving it in people's faces. Star is also the product of her upbringing: less than involved parents who left her to her own devices. So much so the thought of a long term relationship has her breaking out in hives.

Star and Rafe both have baggage to deal with and I feel Star had the bigger obstacles to overcome, Rafe at least had family support. Their HEA is certainly hard worn and not an easy path. Rafe puts his foot in it several times and Star is just as bad - she's great at giving advice to others about staying true to themselves and then goes and tries to mould herself into someone else's version of her that was more "palatable".

Rafe has this crusty curmudgeon façade which hides complete goo inside. Stick with him though he does come good in the end!

💞You have to read this book💞

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶

- Grumpy/sunshine
- Fake dating
- He falls first



Rafe gets tired of his mother and sister-in-law playing matchmaker. He hires Star, a customer character actor, to pretend to be his girlfriend for 6 months. The plan is simple 6 months of pretending to be in a relationship and then breaking up. But what can happen when there is undeniable chemistry?


This is the first book by Samanta Young that I've read, and I loved it. I will definitely read her other books.

I have so many emotions reading this book, I cry, reading about Star childhood, and laughing so many times with her. There's so many cute moments. I really loved how much Rafe cares about her.

Please read this book.

Thank you, NetGalley and Samantha Young, for the ARC.