The first rule of book club:
You don't talk about book club.
Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott's marriage is in major league trouble. He’s recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always faked the Big O. When he loses his cool at the revelation, it’s the final straw on their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he’s let his pride and fear get the better of him.
Welcome to the Bromance Book Club.
Distraught and desperate, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville's top alpha men. With the help of their current read, a steamy Regency titled Courting the Countess, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it'll take a lot more than flowery words and grand gestures for this hapless Romeo to find his inner hero and win back the trust of his wife.
Kindle Edition, 352 pages
Published November 5th 2019 by Berkley
Source: Publisher
Four stars: A second chance romance featuring a broken marriage and a husband who wants to fix things with a little help from his teammates and romance novels.
Gavin, a baseball star, is devastated when learns that his wife has been faking her orgasms. His ego and pride are bruised so he moves to the guest bedroom. Things quickly go from bad to worse as Thea demands a divorce. Gavin isn’t ready to give up on his marriage. He wants to make things work, but Thea doesn’t. In a night of drunk confessions, he lets his teammates know his marriage is failing. To his surprise, they come to the rescues in an unexpected way. Gavin soon finds himself reading historical romances and dissecting them with the guys in order to gain insight on how to fix his marital problems. Will the Bromance Book Club work a miracle?
What I Liked:
- The Bromance Book Club is a book that I was eager to read as there is so much hype surrounding this one. For the most part, this one pans out and it is a funny and heartfelt read.
- I liked that this was a second chance romance featuring a married couple. Anyone who has been in a long term relationship or marriage, knows there are plenty of ups and downs, and that a relationship takes constant work. This is a story about a marriage that is in the working phase. I liked that both parties were at fault, and that they both made mistakes. I enjoyed watching the two work through their differences and try to figure out how to make it work again.
- I adored Gavin. I felt like he was trying so much harder than Thea. He was the one who refused to give up, and he put the effort into the relationship. I liked that he was kind, caring and that he remembered the small things. I especially appreciated the lengths he was willing to go to save his marriage from joining the Bromance Book Club, reading historical romances, to art supply store dates. He isn’t perfect, and he makes some mistakes, which makes him all the more adorable.
- Thea is prickly, and I admittedly struggled with her character. However, it was easier to understand her actions once her back story was revealed. Once I knew why she behaved the way she did, my heart went out to her. One of the best scenes in the book for me was when she went to see her dad. It was poignant and heartfelt. I liked that the author kept it real too.
- The Bromance Book Club was hilarious. It was funny to see big star baseball players reading steamy historical romance novels on the sly and then discussing and dissecting them to gain insight into their own marriages. If only this happened in real life. The scenes where the Bromance Club met were some of my favorite in the book.
- Another thing that I loved about the book was that the author took wealthy, successful baseball stars and made them relatable. I liked seeing the guys struggle with their own insecurities especially when it came to their wives and girlfriends. The author doesn’t glamorize the baseball players or make them seem larger than life.
- After lots of reflection, the book ends in a happy moment like it should. I thought it was the right ending, and I was completely satisfied with the end.
And The Not So Much:
- Even though I understood Thea once her backstory was revealed, I felt like she was overreacting and being a little too nasty. Yes, Gavin made mistakes, but she did too, but she was never willing to step up and take responsibility for her actions. Meanwhile, Gavin was analyzing his behavior, apologizing and doing everything in his power to make it right. I felt like she wasn’t even willing to try for most of the book, and her reasons were shallow. I wished I liked her more. She redeems herself, but it was almost too late for me.
- I adored the Bromance Book Club, but I was disappointed that the author didn’t bother to flesh out more of the guys in the club. Maybe it’s just me, but I was bothered by the fact that she didn’t even properly give one of the characters a name. He is referred to as the Russian throughout.
The Bromance Book Club isn’t your run of the mill romance. I liked that this was a second chance romance all about repairing a broken marriage. This was a story about reflection, change and righting some wrongs with a little help from the Bromance Book Club. I enjoyed the heartfelt moments as well as the hilarious parts too. This is a fun, flirty read perfect for anyone who wants something different in the romance genre.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and IW as not compensated for this review.
