2,5 🌟
Sadly, I wasn’t too fond of this book. It all started with me strongly disliking the main character, which had an effect on the story as a whole for me. I thought the main character was naïve, selfish, and the decisions she made did not resemble her age. So many of the main character’s problems could’ve been solved by communicating like an adult, which sadly she didn’t most of the time.
I did really like the storyline of Angie and Martin, even though I also disliked Martin at times.
I liked Will, but at times I felt like his love for Allie made him rather blind.
I’m sure this book will be perfect for others, but personally it wasn’t my cup of tea!

A really enjoyable, cosy read, and loved that it was a bit predictable in parts which made it nice and uplifting and I got what I came for!
Allie and Martin are both authors of different genres, and after meeting at a party find out they are both in a writing rut so decide to switch things up a bit and team up to see if they can help each other get over their writers block (loved their banter!). I loved the build up with Allie and cute waiter Will and how their connection ends up being the tonic Allie needs to get the words on the pages for her book and although there wasn't much 'on-screen' spice/romance, it kind of fitted the energy for the book (in a good way). Although at times I wanted Allie to take that leap of faith and stop being so cautious, at the same time I can resonate as I am 35yo F and I am definitely more cautious and reserved the older I get so can understand some of her reservations. I really loved the dynamics between Martin and his wife and it was beautiful to see the love still there. Jess is the friend everyone needs to just say it as it is! I did really enjoy this, it was an easy, cute read and was just a perfect blend for me.

This book was the perfect balance of a romantic fantasy and realistic characters to keep you hopeful. The protagonist is so immediately relatable and lovable. The plot is a realistic publishing adventure that didn't read as cliche. The mundane settings are beautiful and tangibly described. Her flat was so expertly explained and sounded like heaven. The parties felt claustrophobic and loud. I could feel the night air as she met Martin. I will definitely be coming back for more from Eleanor Goymer!

Another well written and enjoyable book from Eleanor Goymer. I loved the sense of found family, friendship, and having the ability to overcome anything now matter how trivial. Eleanor has a lovely way of writing, I feel like a lot of personality shines through her books and I'm pleased to say I really did enjoy The Plot Twist.

I loved the plot of Martin and Allie swapping story plots and particularly enjoyed seeing how their friendship developed, and while it was obvious to me who Martin's son was very early on, I still enjoyed seeing it all come to fruition and thoroughly enjoyed Will and Allie's romance.

Overall, a lovely romance with some of my favourite themes.

2 stars! 🌟 Huge thanks to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter & NetGalley for the ARC! 💌 This is my honest, unsolicited, slightly frustrated opinion.

You know that moment when you're excited to read a book because the premise sounds SO GOOD, but then reality hits like a badly timed plot twist? Yeah… that was me with The Plot Twist.

Okay, so we’ve got Allie—bestselling romance author with a case of writer’s block ✍️ (relatable). She teams up with grumpy crime novelist Martin, and along the way, she meets Will, a swoon-worthy caterer. Sounds like a fun bookish rom-com, right? Well, the execution left me scratching my head more than swooning. 🤨

📖 The good:
✨ The friendship between Allie and Martin was sweet! 🫶 Their banter had potential, and honestly, I was more invested in their dynamic than the romance.
✨ Fast-paced and easy to read. It didn’t drag, so I’ll give it that. ⏳

📖 The not-so-good:
❌ The romance was barely there. Like, Will who?? 🤷‍♀️ I swear we got more half-baked interactions than actual chemistry. The relationship felt rushed, shallow, and lowkey transactional. 🥴
❌ Allie… girl. She’s in her 30s but makes decisions like a teen in a Wattpad fic. 🤦‍♀️ I wanted to root for her, but she kept sabotaging herself in ways that made zero sense.
❌ The book juggles too many themes but doesn’t fully commit to any. There’s feminism, publishing drama, romance, found family—but all of it felt surface-level and underdeveloped.
❌ The pacing was weird. ⏭️ Scenes would cut off abruptly, and we’d jump to the next day with no real buildup. Emotional connection? Nonexistent. 🚫💖

Honestly, this had all the makings of a great book, but the execution fell flat. 📉 If it had been longer, with more depth to the romance and characters, it could've worked! As it stands, I just felt underwhelmed. 😕

Final verdict? ⭐⭐ for potential and a few enjoyable moments, but this plot twist did NOT have me gasping in delight.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collin’s for this advanced copy of The Plot Twist.

Overall: I’d give it a 3.25 stars out of 5

I really struggled to get into this book. I’m not sure why it’s marketed towards cartoon cover romance, when it’s really more literary fiction. By the end it was cute, but I don’t think it’s marketed correctly.

I loved this! The different relationships between Allie/Martin and Allie/Will are so heartwarming and dynamic. Allie drove me a little crazy sometimes, and I just kept yelling at my book "TELL THEM!" But I know that was part of the story, just so frustrating. I do wish I could read Allie's books that she's written (including the last 2!). Thank you so much to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital ARC!!

2.5⭐

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to review this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Blurb: Allie Edwards is a romance author down with writer's block and befriends an old man named Martin, a once-upon-a-time great crime author, who also can't seem to write anything he deems of substance, and after bonding over their mutual struggles, they decide to swap genres, and write each other's plots. While her friendship (and mentorship) with Martin's on the rise, she also strikes up a romance with the caterer from the same party she met Martin, named Will.

My favorite part about this book was Martin. I said it before, but his grumpy but loving vibe is synonymous from Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World. Watching his friendship with Allie was akin to father and daughter and watching him rekindle his relationship with his wife was also heartwarming.

Unfortunately, that is mainly what I liked with this book. This book had a lot of potential for me, but Allie was hard to like and I found myself wanting to reach in the book and shake her for her actions and even the way she treats Martin and Will, tbh. I think this wasn't more of a romance for me, because her romance with Will felt secondary to her friendship with Martin because it seemed forced and there wasn't much chemistry. Additionally, all of the side plots of the book, for ex: her new publisher Jake (who btw I thought at first was going to be her love interest LOL?), and Martin's relationship diluted most of the story. It was too busy for me and none of the plots were well-developed, muddying the story for me so I was unable to enjoy it as much.

This story was so cute, unique and fun!! The characters are relatable, messy and fun to follow along. I especially liked Allies and Martins relationship and how they bonded over their writers block. The story touched on so many aspects of writing and it felt refreshing seeing that POV. The ending was perfect, pretty predictable but still worth the read, and it had me swooning.
There were a few issues I had with the book. There were sometimes too much happening and I feel like some moments felt a little unfinished/rushed because of that. I think if the focus was on fewer story lines and with more depth on those I would’ve enjoyed the book even more. But overall it was an enjoyable read and perfect if you like books about books or authors!

Thank you to the author, Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a feel good, wholesome book! The dedication of the book is one of my favorite Taylor Swift lyrics so I knew from the start that I would love this book. Allie is awkward and adorable and felt so relatable. Martin is the cutest, grumpy old man and him and Allie bonding made my heart happy. Not to mention Will is the kind of man I hope to find! What I really loved about this book was the feeling of wanting to be in love and not feeling like it is meant for you. A good reminder that being a hopeful romantic is possible!

I’m really sorry, but I had to DNF this book. I’m really tried my best to have an open mind about where the store was leading but after 20%, and I just simply cannot force myself to continue reading something that I did not enjoy. Maybe it was because I was in the headspace of reading a cute romance book and it felt more like a fiction book with a hint of romance.
I didn’t really get that connection from the first moment she met Will, which I skip throughout the book and read little parts to figure out that he is the love interest.
There seemed to be too much going on in the first 10% of the book and I felt like the plot for the book or even the set up for what to expect wasn’t really done very well.
I really am not a harsh critic. I tend to read everything with an open mind and I’m really sorry but I just couldn’t enjoy this one.
I am not one to leave ugly reviews on the internet, so therefore, I will not share a negative review on my socials or Goodreads.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Allie is a 33 year old romance writer who has stopped believing in happily ever afters. Martin is in his 60’s and was a popular crime novelist in the 90’s. Both have a severe case of writers block and are behind on the deadlines for their latest novels. With a shakeup at their publisher, the two writers must make every effort to get a book in by their deadlines.

After meeting at a party for the publisher, Allie and Martin decide to “swap plots” and help each other with their novels. The two then form a friendship/mentorship while working with each other. I enjoyed reading about their friendship, but also found Allie to be rather harsh and judgmental towards Martin.

At that same party, Allie meets Will, who works for the caterer. The two then begin to date. The actual details of their relationship were very glossed over. There was kissing on page, and at one time Allie wakes up in Will’s bed and has to collect her clothes. So it is assumed that they have a sexual relationship, but it is never directly stated or discussed. Their relationship really felt flat and lacking in chemistry. I couldn’t pick Will out of a lineup. Was he blonde or brunette? Did he wear glasses? Have a beard? Was he tall? I honestly can’t remember a single detail about him.

Allie, as a character, is very unlikable. For a majority of the story she is using Martin and Will to get what she needs out of them and seems to care very little about them. She often was zoning out of conversations with them and her “bestie” Jess, too wrapped up in her own life. I can appreciate a character with flaws, but Allie didn’t seem to have any redeeming qualities.

While I like the idea of there being more to the story than just a basic plot, there was just too much going on throughout the book. The side plot with the horrible Jake guy at the publisher and her former editor took up too much space. That, along with the friendship and plot swaps with Martin, Martin’s relationship with his wife and the secrets he is keeping from her, the budding romance with Will, and the minor minor subplot of whatever was going on with Allie’s friend Jess and it felt like no one plot was the main plot or had enough time to develop fully.

i liked the premise and plot of the book, but honestly it was way too slow and but the time it picked up and i was getting into the plot (maybe about 35/40% in) it slowed down again and it felt like a chore. i liked will and Allie together and her salad realization of her wanting more out of life and a partner felt great reading but it was the pacing that messed the experience up for me.

all opinions and reviews are my own - arc provided by netgalley and publisher for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for this ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

If you’ve been searching for a fun, lighthearted story with romance and a touch of self-reinvention, 'Plot Twist' by Erin La Rosa might just hit the spot. It’s one of those books that hooks you with charming characters, awkwardly cute moments, and a plot that feels fresh and relatable.

Let’s dive into the story: Sophie Lyon is a popular romance writer, and her life seems perfect—until a huge secret about her goes viral: she’s never been in love! For a romance writer, that’s like a chef admitting they’ve never tasted salt. Cue the public backlash. With her career suddenly on thin ice and a pressing deadline looming, Sophie comes up with a bold solution: she’ll track down her exes (including Carla, her ex-girlfriend who might have been *the one*) to figure out why love has always escaped her. To make things even juicier, Sophie plans to document this emotional journey for her growing legion of online followers. What could possibly go wrong, right?

Enter Dash Montrose, Sophie’s landlord and a former teen heartthrob. These days, Dash prefers to stay far from the Hollywood spotlight, spending his time crafting anonymously and leaning on his creative hobbies to help maintain his sobriety. While he’s charming and generous in helping Sophie navigate social media, Dash also has his own secrets, particularly his complicated history with alcohol and family drama tied to his famous lineage.

As Sophie and Dash spend more time together, sparks start flying. The pull between them is undeniable—think steamy romance-novel-worthy chemistry that rivals the heat of Dash’s pottery kiln. But, of course, it’s not that simple. Sophie is trying to figure out who she is without basing her identity on relationships, and Dash isn’t sure if he’s ready—or even capable—of giving her the stability she needs. To avoid things getting too complicated, Sophie suggests they keep it casual—a classic friends-with-benefits deal. It sounds easy enough in theory, until, well, feelings start to sneak in.

If you’re picturing a sweet, feel-good rom-com with some meaningful personal growth thrown in, that’s exactly what this book delivers. 'Plot Twist' is the kind of story that’s perfect for curling up on the couch with a warm drink. The characters feel so real that you can’t help but root for them, even when they make messy, human mistakes. The blend of humor, heart, and sizzling chemistry makes this an enjoyable read.

Whether you’re a die-hard romance fan or just in the mood for something light and fun, 'Plot Twist' is a delightful pick. The pacing is quick, the writing is easy to get lost in, and the overall vibe is just plain entertaining. Erin La Rosa serves up the perfect dose of romance sprinkled with all the awkward, sweet, and heartfelt moments that keep us turning the pages.

This was a fun short read. It is a bit predictable but still enjoyable.
Allie is a romance author and Martin writes crime novels.
Allie is likeable and relatable, very realistic character with flaws.
Martin is older and grumpy, he’s been around the book world longer.
Both authors are struggling with what to write and they decide to switch plots. Allie will write a crime book and Martin will write romance.
The book gives great insight to the chaos of writing a book. All the little things that as a reader you don’t even think of.
This would be a great pallet cleanser book. It is lighthearted and funny.

I really wanted to like this book. There were aspects of it that I *did* like, such as how is depicts the difficilties writers go through during the writing process, dealing with editors and publishers, and the more public-facing requirements of the job. There were aspects that I *didn't* like, such as the fact that it was really kinda boring. Everything was very straightforward, there were no realy conflicts, and Will (the MMC) was just too perfect.

I did love Allie and Martin's relationship. It was a twist on the classic grumpy/sunshine dynamic, and I really enjoyed their interactions and how they learned to appreciate and trust one another.

I received a free copy of The Plot Twist by Eleanor Goymer, from the publisher and netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I found it a little bit hard to get into this book initially. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It's not a life changing book but, it's a cute read.

Some spoilers ahead -


Allie is a best selling author who is currently suffering from writer's block. She joins forces with another author Martin, who also has writer's block and they share ideas on writing. I really enjoyed the relationship between Allie and Martin, it was lovely to see a friendship form between these two.
I did find parts of this book predictable, such as Allie's romance with Will I guessed quite quickly that he was Martin's son Liam and that he would be owner of the catering business.
I did find some of the writing a bit repetitive but it was mainly the use of 'ha bloody ha'.
I found myself being more interested in the relationship between Martin and his wife Angie, rather than Allie and Will.

I really enjoyed this book, however I did find it hard to read sometimes as there were a lot of paragraphs that were enormous so might be worth reviewing breaking some of them up at some point? But I did really enjoy the story and was really happy with how it ended.

Enjoyable read and good story; but failed in execution. Chapter 1 is already a red flag when it is 45 pages long, I have never read a book where over 11% of the book is the first chapter - it was a struggle to carry on reading.

If you enjoy books about authors and the problems they may encounter when writing; this is the story for you. I am struggling to write this review because I did enjoy the story but overall there were to many issues to give the book more than 2 stars. My goal this year has been to finish reading books if I don't hate them, so I did push myself through this book to finish but perhaps that could have been a mistake.

The characters lack development throughout the story and Will keeping to himself during the dates put me off. There wasn't really any chemistry between the characters, the story lacked the romance.

Furthermore, the writing style was rather confusing and often scenes were cut short.

Misunderstood identity
Strangers to lovers
Setting: London

This started off really strong for me. I enjoyed the premise (writers block, loveless relationship, meets stranger and has immediate connection). As the story continued, I felt Allie lacked the emotional maturity of a mid to late 30 year old. This story would have been more believable if she was mid 20s. I don’t want to spoil the plot so I won’t go into detail here.
I will say I loved her friendship with Martin, outside of how she talked down to him.

Allie paints herself as a horny and cheeky gal, but this is closed door 0 spice and created a disconnect in the chemistry between Allie and Will.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins/OneMoreChapter for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.