"The Plot Twist" by Eleanor Goymer offers a pleasant and relaxing read with a unique angle—a focus on an older side-character couple rekindling their love after decades of marriage. While heartwarming and wholesome, the story fell short of my expectations as a romance novel. The central relationship between Allie and Will lacked the depth and chemistry needed to make their love story compelling. Will, unfortunately, felt underdeveloped as a character, with limited scenes that didn’t fully establish who he was beyond being “hot” and having a forearm tattoo. Their romance unfolded too quickly and off-page, which made it hard to invest in their connection.

On the other hand, I enjoyed Allie and Martin’s writing partnership and appreciated their organic banter. Their dynamic was a highlight of the book and brought a refreshing touch. However, the story became bogged down by side plots, including unnecessary conflicts with Allie’s editor and a publishing rival. These detracted from the time that could have been spent building the romantic tension between Allie and Will.

Allie’s journey as a romance writer facing writer’s block was relatable, but her passive approach to problems and reliance on others to solve them grew frustrating. The slow pacing and reliance on the miscommunication trope, a personal pet peeve, also dulled my enjoyment.

This book isn’t a traditional romance but falls more into contemporary or chick-lit. If you enjoy light reads with zero spice and creative subplots, it might work for you, but it’s not one I’d strongly recommend.

I didn’t love this book all that much, I found it to be predictable throughout and knew what was coming.

I didn’t gel with the characters, I constantly found myself getting annoyed by the fmc and the characters lacked depth for me.

The actual writing was okay, it may have been better with some spice though.

The Plot Twist by Eleanor Goymer is Publishing February 26, 2025 with HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter.

I loved the dynamic between Allie and Martin the characters are intriguing and entertaining. Will is a serious yet fun man. Angie is so sweet. The plot and varying story lines with the main and other characters was really well done. It was a fun, happy, tear inducing, sweet read. By the time I reached the half way point I knew I'd give it five stars. This is one of very few books I would re-read. If you get it I think you will very much be please with the story and the characters alike.

Thank you so much Net Gallery and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the opportunity to read this story.
Mostly thank you to Eleanor for sharing this story with us all.

This was an engaging and delightful story. This was my first time reading a book by this author, and I don't think it will be the last. This was a single-point-of-view story, so it was fun to be in Allie's head, although I am nosy and would have loved to know what Will was thinking as well. I did have a couple of quibbles. A lot was going on in this story, and there were so many different plot points I didn't want to give anything away. Some of these plots could have either been narrowed down or eliminated, and the story would have been the same. Second, I would have loved to have far more interaction between Allie and Will; their banter when on the page was fabulous. Those aside, even because of those quibbles, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would read it again. Disclaimer: I received an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley for an honest review.

Eleanor Goymer's The Plot Twist is a clever and engaging story that keeps readers on their toes. Goymer's sharp wit and inventive storytelling make for a delightful reading experience. The characters are well-drawn and relatable, and the plot is full of surprises that keep the pages turning. This novel is a testament to the joy of unexpected discoveries and the beauty of life's unpredictability.

This book had its ups and downs, but let’s start with what I enjoyed. The humor and banter between the characters were genuinely fun, and the playful, teasy dynamic kept me engaged in several scenes and honestly it was what made me finish the book. There’s definitely charm in some relationships and some fun side moments between Ali and Martin and their “ focus group for stuck writers” that i really enjoyed

That said, the story was very predictable. The conflicts, felt unnecessary most of the time as ALL of the issues could have been solved with a simple conversation started by Allie. Overall Allie being a writer and such bad communivator made it so she was her own worst enemy and the book would have been 100 pages of she’d just speak up when needed…

The structure was also a bit suprising as the first chapter was incredibly long—12% of the book!—and while the rest of the chapters were a more manageable length, that opener was a tough start. Besides that, the cover felt misleading since the main male character doesn’t have blonde hair, and the female lead’s hair should have been longer according to the story. It’s a small thing, but it took away from the immersion for me

Overall, while the chemistry between the characters was more “told” than “shown” and the conflict didn’t always feel natural, there were still enjoyable moments of humor and connection. If you’re looking for a light read and don’t mind a predictable plot, this could work for you.

I really enjoyed this book! Loved Allie - the female protagonist, and her relationship with Martin, an aging writer, as they worked to overcome some "obstacles" they each were facing. Then adding in Will to the mix - was very fun! I couldn't help but root for the two of them!

Overall, I enjoyed The Plot Twist by Eleanor Goymer. It was my first book by her, and I really appreciated her character development and pacing. I'm always a fan of a romance set in the literary world, but this book went beyond the typical meet cute romance. I loved how Allie and Martin's relationship developed and how Martin and Angie's love blossomed again.

What kept it from being a 5 star book for me - (1) too predictable with the miscommunication/who is who; (2) the focus on taking down the patriarchy in the industry took away from the flow of the narrative in many spots of the book. I loved the characters of Verity and Tessa and the cloak and dagger unveiling, but there were too many spots where it felt like the patriarchy talk was kind of haphazardly thrown in and completely out of left field, completely ruining the flow.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was simply ok. It didn't stand out amongst other contemporary romances I've read. I love a romance that involves characters who write books and/or love reading, and I liked the idea of 2 authors collaborating and falling for one another. But this lacked execution and those swoonworthy feels I look for in a romance book. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

I really wanted to love The Plot Twist, but ultimately it just did not hold my attention and I skimmed through most of it.

I enjoyed this book, It was my first Elenor Goymer book and it will not be my last. I loved how the story flowed together and it kept you wanting more and wanting to see where it went chapter by chapter. I would want to keep reading when I got to the next chapter.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

This was well written with rich characters, there was good chemistry between the characters and the dialog was fantastic, Most of all there really was a plot twist that I didn't see coming. The elements of this novel flowed together so seamlessly. I loved the idea of two authors sharing their work with each other and developing a relationship through their mutual love of writing.

I love romance books about bookish people!!!! I really connected with these characters and I am so glad I read this!

This book was okay, but it was too similar to some other books I have read, most recently Not in My Book. This was just not executed as well as it could have been. I liked the characters, but it just seemed too predictable.

This is an entertaining, fun read. Will and Allie are interesting, relatable, intriguing, complex, wounded, strong, feisty, complicated, entertaining characters. The path to their HEA is not an easy one but fun to read. I enjoyed spending time with these two. I also love the relationship Allie has with another writer Martin. It brought an interesting dynamic to both the plot and Allie, that I enjoyed. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. The story is easy to read and get into.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book is about an unlikely friendship between a best selling romance writer who is on a deadline to finish her next book but is in a writing slump as she has giving up happily ever afters when she starts up an unlikely friendship with a crime writer who has not written in years. They partner up to exchage plots to help each other finish their respective manuscripts. Allie meets a new hot waiter named Will at the same publishing event. As they get to know each other and begin to fall in love, things start to get complicated as we learn Will is also known as Liam, Martins son.

Just finished The Plot Twist by Eleanor Goymer, and it was an absolute delight! This book kept me guessing, laughing, and swooning all at once. Goymer has a knack for crafting witty banter and weaving a story that feels so fresh and original. The characters leap off the page, each one bringing their quirks and charm to the table, making it impossible not to root for them.

The unexpected twists kept me hooked, and the romance? Perfection. This isn't just a story about love but also about finding yourself and embracing the unexpected curveballs life throws your way. If you’re looking for a book that’ll make you laugh, cry, and fall in love, The Plot Twist is the one to pick up. Highly recommend! 📚✨

It all starts with a wrong turn, and author Allie finds herself locked out of a big party with Martin, a fellow author who writes mystery. And Will, the handsome waiter that finds them both.

Allie is struggling with her romance book, and Martin is struggling to save his career by writing another mystery - both are stuck and decide to help each other out with ideas. Allie also meets back up with Will and soon things are rolling for her - a new romance and a new lead story for her book. Only the love story is really Martin's life, and Will is part of it.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

I did not enjoy the writing style of this book, the third person narrative repeatedly over used the names and ir was so tedious to read “Allie” every couple of words. The story was predictable albeit cute. Not my favourite but not entirely offensive once you get over the writing pattern.

I thought this was a cute idea of a book, but I wouldn’t necessarily say it is a romance book as the cover suggests. The romance between the MCs felt rather forced and not really discussed in full detail - the main focus of the story to me was the writing aspect and her relationship with Martin. The twists were predictable but overall a good plot idea.