The Plot Twist by Eleanor Goymer is a warm rom-com and an easy, enjoyable read.

4.5☆

Ali Edwards, is a rom-com author struggling with writer’s block, and Martin Clark, a fellow author agree to write about each other’s lives to overcome their creative ruts. Along the way, Ali finds an unexpected family in Martin and his wife while also falling for Will, a charming events caterer.

The romance between Ali and Will's chemistry is undeniable, and Will’s sweet yet confident personality makes their interactions dreamy!

The side friendships were the stand out for me, especially Ali’s bond with Jess. Jess is supportive and plays a key role in pushing Will toward his big romantic gesture, which added a fun layer to the plot without overshadowing the main romance.

While the story is overall lighthearted and engaging, I did feel that certain parts of the romance could have been explored a bit more, particularly in some of the more intimate or pivotal scenes. Additionally, a few elements of the story were predictable, which slightly reduced the impact of some plot points.

Despite these minor critiques, The Plot Twist is still a thoroughly enjoyable and heartwarming read. It’s perfect for fans of contemporary romance looking for a charming, feel-good story with great character dynamics and plenty of heart!

Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and Elenor Goymer for this eARC for an honest review!

This was adorable!! I was giggling and kicking my feet she truly enjoyed every second I spent reading it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I don't know if I was in a reading slump or I truly didn't like this book. It took me forever to get into it and I even had to skip over 1/4 of the pages. The sub-plot with the new boss seemed completely unneeded. I really liked the interactions between Allie and Martin, and there was about 2 seconds where I thought the plot twist was going to be them. Kind of disappointing it wasn't, but I still like their interactions after. The real plot twists were things that I saw coming from a mile away, but again the on page interactions between Allie and Will were great. I wish I had liked this book more because the idea seemed great from the blurb.

the plot twist follows allie, a best selling romance author who finds herself in a writing slump after her own romantic life ends up a bit… lacklustre. she teams up with martin, a previously successful crime author in his 60s (i think) who’s also been experiencing a writers block. the two are put under pressure as their publishing house is taken over by the ominous jake matthews and so to help each other, they exchange ideas. at the same time, allie starts dating a new man who also brings some long awaited inspiration. the book becomes a story about publishing, love and some scheming.

sadly, this book did not work for me. there’s a couple of main reasons why.

There’s a lot of ideas here that have been featured in a variety of novels and have worked in the past, but the amount of different story lines this book tries to explore in a short page count ends up creating a rather weak narrative. at times its difficult to tell what exactly kind of story this book is even trying to be.
Allie is a very frustrating character. For a woman in her mid 30s, she’s very very short-sighted. The way she chooses to approach her dating life and deal with issues that come up in it (i’m talking about the big secret i guess) feels quite immature. She makes a lot of very obviously bad decisions which would be fine if she wasn’t being so oblivious about it. At times she feels a bit like a frustrated teenager.
The other characters are largely underdeveloped. Martin is written as a teenage boy with no emotional self-reflection in regards to his own love life when he’s had a wife for, what, maybe 30 years, and even if their marriage is a bit dull now clearly it was successful at some point and they used to be very happy so it’s clear as a reader that Martin should have some maturity.
The pacing throws you off and contributes to the underwhelming what is this book trying to do vibe i described earlier. We on ever get half-scenes, especially between Will and Allie. They’ll meet up, and we get a description of the first 10 minutes they meet and then nothing. It jumps to the next day and something completely different. This jumping from unfinished scenes makes it difficult to emotionally connect with the romance and take the other plots seriously. It makes for some inconsistent and slightly illogical occurrences.

to end on a positive note, i appreciate what the author was trying to do here and there are a couple of funny, loving and tense scenes that are well executed. for me, the book fell flat but i could totally see it working for others.

thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.

The Plot Twist by Eleanor Goymer is a heartwarming romcom about two writers desperate to overcome their collective writer's block and move on from certain choices in both their lives. It’s heartwarming, entertaining, and absolutely a must read for fans of contemporary romance and fans of Emily Henry.

When Ali Edwards, a romcom author struggling with writer's block, meets fellow bestseller Martin Clark, the two decide to write about each other's lives in hopes of managing something to give to their editors. In the process, Ali and Martin both find a sort of family with each other, and Ali meets an incredibly handsome events caterer who sweeps her off her feet.

This book has me hooked from the beginning. Not only was the premise interesting, but I found that the characters were so much more unique than any others that I’ve read. Ali and Martin's father-daughter relationship truly was the star of the show, and I absolutely loved reading about Ali’s relationship with Martin and his wife throughout the story.

Another thing I loved was Ali’s relationship with Will, the handsome events caterer, and how it sort of filled the space for a leading man throughout the plot. Plus he was absolutely to die for. I only wish though that they were a little more fleshed out but with how many other storylines there were happening it made sense the way it was written.

I’m not sure how to explain how I feel about this book. I say this because when Allie meant Martin and I was hoping we were getting an age gap, he was going to mentor her while their romantic relationship grew. But then she meets Will and Martin is a father figure and Allie and Will switch manuscripts. I found it overly complicated. I would have prefer an age gap story or Allie and Will’s story. I felt her meeting both Martin and Will was just too much. And this might just be because I read too much dark romance but I would have preferred an age gap Allie meets an older writer who is handsome and charming and mentors her. Instead she falls for a waiter. On top of that Martin would of had more in common with Allie than she did with Will.

A fast read with a cute premise, just ever so slightly predictable

The story all tied together quite nicely despite being able to guess what was to happen. There were moments, mainly in the beginning of the story, where our fmc Allie comes across as rather childish and immature. Some of her decisions are definitely questionable.
Her relationship with our mmc Will is cute, I don't think we really got as into their relationship as much as we could have, I would also say it's not even the highlighted relationship.

The relationship between her and Martin was the most fun to read about. Martin who can't seem to find his footing in both his marriage and in writing another book again & Allie who can't seem to find her footing in writing or happily ever afters. They benefit they have in each others lives was quite a beautiful read.

This book was enjoyable and I'll be going back and reading 'The Fallback' for sure!

Thank you netgalley & Eleanor Goymer for an arc in exchange for an honest review

It is always great fun for me to read about authors and how they cope with the writing process. Plot Twist,, a romcom by Eleanor Goymer, does not disappoint. Although some parts are predictable, that is what I expect in a fun and escapist romance. However, there are plot twists, and one I enjoyed was the writing partner idea that was a father daughter-like relationship, and not the romantic one I was expecting. The romance that does occur is satisfying and believable.

There is also a lot more here than just a lighthearted romance. Family issues, overcoming the loss of a parent, and taking down a bad boss all are part of the novel. I loved the main character, Allie, and her loyalty and her wise and funny best friend Jess.

This novel completely satisfied my need for a feel good escape.

This was a very cute and lighthearted book, my only issue with it is that i knew what was going to happen but! i was still enjoying reading it. I enjoyed the writing and the plot it was very predictable.

Adorable romance! I adore how the two authors in this book exchanged drafts and fell in love. I'm excited to read more from this author in the future because the writing was superb. Soooooo cute. I enjoyed each and every page. It was a lot of fun to follow the characters. The Plot Twist is a great option if you want a cute, short, and simple book!

This book exceeded all my expectations! The premise of a romance writer and a crime writer collaborating to overcome writer's block is incredibly unique. The story masterfully weaves in contemporary social issues like #metoo, adding a layer of depth and relevance. The budding romance between the protagonist and her love interest is heartwarming and captivating. I was completely engrossed from beginning to end and found myself unable to put it down.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This was an easy read. I think my favorite part was reading about Allie and Martin’s friendship, they had a really sweet and wholesome! I would’ve loved to read more about him and his wife too.
Unfortunately, everything else felt a little bit flat for me. The pacing after a while was a little off, it felt like i was watching a filler episode, it just dragged a bit too much for me.
Will, felt pretty one dimensional, undeveloped. We barely learn anything about him, so it’s really hard to connect/care about him.
I know there are many people that will enjoy this book but it just wasn’t for me.

I see the potential in this book however i believe it is just not for me. Therefore I did not finish book and I stopped at 48%. I couldn’t get immersed into the story. The whole thing just felt like a long and drawn out synopsis. That being said the plot is there and I imagine would be enjoyable if you like your romance books in 3rd person.

Whenever I see a romance book about authors or a publishing agency, I can’t resist picking it up. While this book started off slow for me, by the halfway mark, I was hooked.

Allie is a romance author battling the worst writer's block, with an extended deadline looming over her. If she doesn’t finish her book on time, she’ll face some serious consequences. At a work function, she meets Martin, an older crime author facing a similar creative struggle. After another chance meeting, they come up with a plan to help each other break through their blocks.

At the same function, Allie also meets Will, a sexy waiter she feels an instant attraction to. As her relationship with Will deepens, she begins to realize that her stagnant life may have been the source of her writer’s block. The passion and excitement she experiences with Will unlock her creativity, allowing her to write again.

I loved the sweet and supportive dynamic between Allie and Martin—they were exactly what each other needed. However, some of the interactions with Will felt a little confusing, even though the resolution played out as expected. I also enjoyed Allie’s friendships with Jess and Verity, which added warmth to the story. While the overall plot was enjoyable, it was quite predictable, and at times, the background elements felt a bit too busy.

If you’re looking for a closed-door romance with a touch of secrecy, I’d definitely recommend giving this book a try.

Thank you, NetGalley, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter, and Eleanor Goymer, for allowing me to review this early copy of The Plot Twist.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, and for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. 
3.5/5 Stars

This was a sweet read but not my favorite. It did have me hooked in the beginning but I seem to have lost interest. What I did like was the predictability of the book. I knew what was going to come and that felt like a level of comfort. Allie and Will's chemistry was well written and I liked how the characters developed over time. There was humor, and wit which I always love to see in a book. 


Read if you like:
-Slow burn
- 3rd person narrative

Eleanor Goymer’s *The Plot Twist* is a delightful and inventive romcom that explores the messy, hilarious, and heartfelt journey of writing, love, and self-discovery. With its unique premise and memorable characters, this book is a refreshing addition to the genre that keeps readers entertained from start to finish.

The story begins when romcom author Allie Edwards meets Martin Clark, a bestselling crime novelist and self-proclaimed “publishing dinosaur,” at a party. Both are grappling with crippling writer’s block, overdue manuscripts, and mounting pressure from their editors. Their solution? Swap plots. This quirky and original setup is the perfect springboard for a story that’s as much about friendship and personal growth as it is about romance.

Allie and Martin’s partnership is the heart of the novel. Their unlikely friendship blossoms into a touching father-daughter dynamic, and their contrasting approaches to storytelling provide plenty of humorous and heartfelt moments. Martin’s wry wisdom complements Allie’s energetic determination, creating a dynamic that feels both genuine and endearing.

Adding to the charm is Will, a gorgeous and charismatic events caterer who sweeps Allie off her feet and fills the “leading man” void in her life. Their romance is sweet, sizzling, and full of the kind of tension that keeps you rooting for them. Goymer captures their chemistry beautifully, balancing the romance with Allie’s personal and professional struggles.

The writing itself is sharp, witty, and brimming with personality. Goymer’s knack for capturing the highs and lows of creative work adds an extra layer of relatability, especially for readers who have faced their own artistic challenges. The themes of taking risks, embracing change, and finding inspiration in unexpected places are woven seamlessly throughout the narrative.

With its clever twists, engaging characters, and a perfect blend of humor and heart, *The Plot Twist* is more than just a romance—it’s a celebration of storytelling, relationships, and the surprises that life has in store.

**Verdict:** A thoroughly entertaining and heartwarming romcom with an unforgettable premise. Eleanor Goymer delivers a feel-good story that will leave readers smiling long after the final page. A must-read for fans of books about love, writing, and the unexpected twists that shape our lives.

Very cute romance! Honestly, the plot of this reminded me a little of Emily Henry's Beach Read — I love that the two writers in this book swapped copies of their drafts and fell in love in the process. The writing was excellent and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

What a darling, adventurous, and full of love book!! I could not put it down. Just adorable. Loved every page. The characters were so fun to follow.

i wanted to love this story so much, but it unfortunately fell a little flat for me.

the plot was really interesting to me and i was very excited to dive into it. now - the plot was still unique and fun to read, but the pacing of the story itself had my interest waning. this book felt too quick in important parts and too slow in parts i’d consider “filler”.

allie and martin’s relationship was great! i did love seeing them interact and watch allie gain a father figure. martin and his wife are so adorable. i could read an entire series just about them!

i unfortunately didn’t enjoy the main couple. will is completely underdeveloped. for being the main love interest of a romance novel, he was incredibly one-dimensional and lacked any real depth. we don’t know much about him which is crazy to think since we’re suppose to root for him. allie is also just a character i didn’t enjoy. i can understand a character who stands in their way and self-sabotages - it’s just a reality for some people. but - allie does it EVERY chance she gets then gets upset with the outcome. she makes her life harder than it needs to be and i don’t find her a great person? she uses will for inspiration, but refuses to develop any sort of real relationship with him and then easily lies to him for her own gain. i just don’t think she’s a good person and it made it hard to root for her.

this book was okay. i don’t regret reading it, but i feel like for someone who usually really enjoys romance and books set in publishing, this fell quite flat.

I really enjoyed the idea of a love story between two authors, it had that feel that i wanted and was hooked from the first page. The characters had that feel that I wanted and was engaged with what was hoping for. I enjoyed getting to read this romance going on and was glad I read this. Eleanor Goymer has that element that I was looking for and was glad everything worked together.