User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
Let me hear you sing with me: ‘BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN! BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN!”
My favorite book club members are finally back. Good to see Gavin and Thea, having a stronger marriage but now, you gotta get ready to read Mack and Thea’s sister Liv’ story.
I loved those boys carry their big, golden hearts behind those muscularity and muscles. When they focus on something and team up to achieve an important mission, they turned into amateurish, humorous, clumsy agents. And this time they were determined to help Liv who was unfairly fired from her job because she witnessed her douchebag boss/ famous chef harassing her colleague. ( She also dropped a cupcake cooked with real golden into Mack’s date’s lap but it was not intentional!) So Mack is stubborn enough to help Liv to fight against this woman predator and bring out his entire book club crew to the war.
My thoughts:
-I loved Braden Mack, his emotional backstory, his charms, boyish but also honest manners ( he reminded me of wiser kind of Joey Tribbiani and I waited him to ask Liv how she is doing!), his heroism, caring, protectiveness. He is amazing book-boyfriend and book reader boyfriend.
-I loved the smart dialogues between Mack and Liv. Their slow-burn romance, growing attraction put them at complex situations. (Poor Mack hardly survive when he collects the eggs and being abused by rooster.)
-I loved RUSSIAN, a great addition to the book club who shouldn’t be fed with cheese, judging the restrooms of the city and giving them points, giving awkward reactions to the situations makes you laugh so hard. (Yes he stole the show and needs a book ASAP!I’m already chanting Russian! Russian! Russian! Taking a few more Smirnoff shots!)
-This book is sweet, swoony, emotional and tha characters’ suffering from traumatic father issues and finding themselves to connect with each other. This ia absolutely a hot and entertaining enemies to lovers story. I also appreciated the message about women’s stand up for themselves to fight against the harassment and abuse at their work places!
And I also loved ex Vietnam veteran Hop and his contribution to the boy’s club. It seemed like watching Dirty Harry reading romance novels which gave me more hard and long laughs!
Only one thing really really really disturbed me so much ( See! I wrote “really” three times) that was surprise, surprise, surprise (another 3 times): heroine!
I want to scream at Liv to get her head out of her ass!!! She was acting like underage spoiled brat, too stubborn, too pretentious, keep telling: “I can do by myself! I don’t need anybody’s help blablabla yada yada yada” too many times which make me fantasize to slap her several times!
Especially after the big revelation about Mack’s past, she acted like a biggest Ahole so yes I didn’t like her at the first book and now I still detest her. Hero and his gang overshadowed this obnoxious heroine! Score for: Mack!
Another detail: I have to disagree with Mack, I think “Protector” was most dislikable novel of Jodi Ellen Malpas (Second and third books of This Man series will always have special place in my heart)
Overall: 4 shining, entertaining, enjoyable, fantastic stars! It could be five gazillion stars for the boys! Blame it on dislikable heroine!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for sharing this wonderful ARC COPY with me in exchange my honest review and I have to congratulate to Lyssa Kay Adams to enlighten my day with her talented work...
And special request: Please write about RUSSIAN!
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Rating: really liked it
3.75* or maybe 3.5 not sure yet!
Rating: really liked it
So excited about this Booktube video - all about the Top 10 Books of 2020 (so far).
"You've read too many romance novels."
"And you haven't read enough."
Liv Papandreas worked (past tense) at one of Nashville's hottest restaurants.
She witnessed her boss
taking advantage of a fellow worker, and Liv immediately confronted him. And is promptly kicked to the curb.
"I always win, Olivia. Always."
Blacklisted and jobless - Liv has only one thought in her head...revenge.
"I should've kicked you in that shriveled-blob fish dick of yours when I had a chance,"
Braden Mack is a
proud founder of the Bromance Book club - he's realized for a long time that there's a reason women love romance...and he's saved one relationship after another thanks to his handy books.
And while he knows all the right moves and can pick up any girl he's ever wanted...he's always had trouble keeping them.
When he hears of Liv's plight - and (honestly) he's inspired by his latest romantic suspense book - Mack immediately joins Liv in taking down her former boss.
"I hate that motherfucker, and that was before I knew I actually had a reason to. So I want in on whatever you plan to do."
But as the stakes raise and the threats get ever nearer, Mack wonders if he's finally gotten in over his head...
"If we're not careful, you're going to fall in love with me. And I just can't have that on my conscience."
Ahhh! This one was such a cute book.
I absolutely LOVE this concept. The big, burly men analyzing romance books with the attention and fire of a newly-graduated English teacher -
all symbolism and subtext. The way the guys would meet up for their book club - half-afraid anyone would recognized, half-defiant little spitballs.
But above all, they cared for each other and did their best to help out their fellow book club members.
"You are not yourself today, Mack. Talk to us. Book club is about more than books. You know that."
One of my favorite scenes was very early on when the book club was psyching each other up for entering into a book store and buying a romance book - in front of other people - and if any one asked, they would say it was for themselves.
I also loved
the dynamic between Mack and Liv - it felt like such a fun twist on the typical romantic tropes.
There would be times where Liv would snap at him to man up and Mack would counter with how comments like are sexist and inspire fragile masculinity.
I think the whole going after the ex-boss did come off as
a little over-the-top social justice warrior but it wasn't overwhelmingly distracting.
All in all,
this was SUCH a fun book. I really enjoyed the various characters and cannot WAIT for the next one!
"Is it grand gesture time?"
"...It's grand gesture time."
With thanks to the author and Berkley Publishing for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All quotes come from an uncorrected proof and are subject to change upon publication.YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Rating: really liked it
in comparison, i didnt enjoy this as much as the first book, but its still a really cute story. i actually think i would prefer it more if this had been written as a standalone and not as part of a series.
the bromance bookclub, what i found to be super endearing (albeit cheesey) in the previous book, seems to have lost a little bit of its charm. it doesnt really play any part in this story and, when it does appear, the scenes are not as impactful as i would have liked.
but i think the story between liv and mack is adorable. i love a good enemies to lovers plot, so i was totally rooting for them from the beginning. i also really appreciate how this story handles the subjects of gender equality, sexism, and harassment.
overall, i found this to be really entertaining and likeable. i wish the bookclub had played a larger role, but beggars cant be choosers.
↠ 3.5 stars
Rating: really liked it
This book wasn't perfect, but it was a still a fun read and I definitely think that if you enjoyed the first book in the series, you'll most likely enjoy this one as well! However, I do feel like this one was missing some of the ~magic~ that
The Bromance Book Club had. In that first book, I was completely invested in Gavin and Thea because they were already in a pre-established relationship and I was eager to see them work through their marital struggles. In this book, however, we don't really feel as much chemistry between Mack and Liv and it definitely hurt the reading experience a bit for me. As I said before, this was still a very fun read and I fully intend to carry on with the series, but it just wasn't *quite* everything I was hoping for.
TW: sexual assault, victim blaming, gaslighting, domestic abuse
Rating: really liked it
Lyssa Kay Adams could write another 10 books featuring a different bro and I'd be totally okay with that.
“What are we doing?” he repeated, looking at the guys. “We’re going to buy some goddamned romance novels in public.”
Liv works as sous chef for one of the best chefs in the country. It's the job of her dreams. But after catching her celebrity chef boss harassing a coworker, Liv confronts him and loses her job. She wants revenge, but she needs help and so she turns to Braden Mack, the infuriating friend of her brother-in-law, who offers to help expose her ex-boss.
Braden and the guys from the Bromance Bookclub help Liv with taking down her boss and at the same time help Braden try to win Liv's heart.
“There’s no force on Earth as strong as a woman who is good and fed up.” I was not the biggest fan of Liv in book one, but getting to know her better in
Undercover Bromance warmed me up to her. I finally understood why she is the way she is and there were still parts where she said things that made me mad, however, I loved her determination and her unwillingness to give up.
Mack. Oh Mack. Precious and sweet. Even though Mack is not really my type, (the guy winks way too much for my liking) I couldn't help but fall in love with him. He is the guy everyone in the Bromance Bookclub relies on, so it warmed my heart to see them all be there for him.
Not for the first time, he felt on the outs. The odd man in the group. The man who could save a hundred marriages but was doomed to never find his own happy ending. I liked the message this book was telling. It did not overwhelm the romance (which tbh is what I was there for 👀😏) and the way everything was executed with a lovely dose of humour was just *chef's kiss*
I wish we had more scenes of the bookclub together. I lived for those parts! I honestly cannot get enough of these books.
[The lovely gals I was reading this book with agreed that we need Russian to have his own story. Lo and behold Lyssa Kay Adams announced that he will be getting one! Our excitement is unreal!!]
Buddy read with three favessss: Ameerah, May and Warda
____
My review for:Bromance Book Club
Rating: really liked it
I’m gonna need Lyssa Kay Adams to keep on writing about The Bromance Book Club members. I cannot and will not ever get enough of them.
————————
Retuuurn of the Mack!
Buddy-reading with some pretty amazing people! Azrah, Ameerah aaaand May
————————————
Mack was the best side character in the first book. I’m so glad his dramatic ass is getting his own story now.
Rating: really liked it
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
I think the most important take away here is that The Russian got a name reveal. 2.5 stars
I have some complex feelings about this one, I feel like the complete love and adoration I felt for the first book made my expectations for this one super high. I personally had issues with Liv and I understand that some of her characterization is completely intentional so that the author can give her some character delevopment as the story goes on and she becomes a more empathetic person with the ability to appreciate the nuanced complicated reactions some women have to assault. However, I found her off-putting, she was so judgemental and I think it made this intense assault plotline harder to swallow because initially Liv is incredibly judgemental towards survivors. Beyond that, which she does grow out of over the course of the novel, largely I just didn't connect to her overall and as a result I couldn't see what Mack was talking about when he mentioned how much he loved her or found her personality inticing. Mack was cool though and I liked him well enough. I always appreciate a male romantic and it was cool to see how him being "in love with love" kind of hindered him from creating deep genuine connections.
Another critique I had was the fact that the "manual" the book club was reading didn't play a large role in this installment in the series. I liked how the excerpts from the "manual" in the first book directly paralleled certain scenes and for me that aspect was sorely missed. I wished the book club got more page time and the members a bit more depth because they all blend together.
As far as the plot goes I think the book was tonally strange as well because we're dealing with this really intense subject matter but then it's also a romantic comedy and it's full of cheesiness and hilarious absurdities, so I think the dichotomy between the the light hearted nature of the writing and the sexual predator plotline made it hard to fully invest in the story for me. I wasn't engaged until about 60% in. Despite this as weird as it may sound this book was enjoyable and funny in some ways so I didn't hate it but the concept is highly questionable. This is a strange review because I kind of thought it was a cool read but I had a lot of compliants and concerns. Some things shouldn't be a romcom.
Cw: workplace sexual harassment, assault
Rating: really liked it
Standalone Series #1 The Bromance Book Club — 4.5 Stars
#2 Undercover Bromance — 3 Stars
#3 Crazy Stupid Bromance — 3.5 Stars
#4 Isn’t It Bromantic? — 3.25 Stars
Undercover Bromance follows “the manuals” that all romance books live by too . . . rigorously? It’s lost its appeal. How ironic it is that the book is titled “Undercover Bromance” but there’s nothing (sans the book club) subtle or ingenious about every single aspect of the story. What worked in the first book simply stopped working. Ultimately, this is just a romance you’re going to categorize as “same olds.”
“There was just something satisfying about two people discovering that what makes them fight is also the thing that makes them perfect for each other.”
Mack is delightful, but Liv is hard to like—which has always been the case since book 1. I wasn’t as opposed to Liv’s hostile personality as I was to their banal love story. I enjoyed their banter, but their romantic development holds no momentum. From them having similar daddy issues, them withholding secrets about their own past, their “sexist vs. feminist” arguments, to their HEA. It’s all so . . . premeditated.
“I hate that motherfucker, and that was before I knew I actually had a reason to. So I want in on whatever you plan to do.”
I didn’t read the blurb, so I didn’t know this book was going to tackle such delicate issue. The fact that it’s handled under this bubble of lighthearted rom-com seems a little insensitive. I didn’t mean to underappreciate what the book was trying to accomplish, but it bothered me quite a bit. Not to mention, the characters use the oldest tricks in the book to carry out their mission. This book barely has any plot twist.
Overall:Undercover Bromance is cute, entertaining, and fun to read—as it should. The romance is formulaic, and the plot is generic despite the seriousness of the topic it deals with. These are made even more glaring by the clichéd writing. It’s true that the humor saves the book from being too bland. The book club and its members is the most unique thing about this series, but it shouldn’t have to shoulder everything on its own.
(Read as an Audiobook)
Rating: really liked it
This is the second book in the Bromance Book Club series, following the love story of Braden Mack, the founder of BBC and Liv Papandreas, Thea's loyal and interfering sister from the first book.
True to her nature, Liv lands in a soup trying to confront her boss for harassing her co-worker, who repeatedly asks her not to butt in! Good intentions aside, she had no job pushing her bestfriend and other victims to report the issue. And when they didn't comply, she turned condescending and judgemental. No matter what she had to prove, this should have been on their terms, not hers. I kept muttering "Girllll come on, they've been through so much, give them a freaking break." But yeah, she did manage to bring the perp down but I couldn't stand her victim-blaming attitude. And her commitment phobia became tiring after a while. As much as I loved her interactions with Braden, she was super snarky for atleast 60% of the book. Normally I do stan a sarcastic, outspoken heroine, but Liv seemed dangerously close to crossing the line of bitchy at times. That too to my baby boy!!!!
Now where do I start with him? Very rarely do we come across characters who grab on to our hearts and never let go, making us wish they were real. To me, Mack was it. He was a proud reader of romance, confident in his masculinity, extremely charming, quite vocal in his advocacy of gender equality and a momma's pet! Doesn't he just sound like the perfect specimen??! He offers to help Liv in her quest not because he likes her or wants to prove something, *like someone we know* but to bring a sexual predator to justice. He's ready to hire the harassed for a non existent job without even taking a minute to mull it over, just to get her away from her asshole boss. King shit, seriously!
The way he keeps showing Liv how she can lean on him and trust him to love her was just so pure. Eventually she does come around, but not before getting on the nerves of everyone around her. (and mine!!)
This book confirms my theory that you can't go wrong with enemies to lovers trope. The BBC's intervention and Mack's grand gesture turned my heart to mush. And the ending was super sweet.
Not just the leads but the writer gives adequate background and development for secondary characters as well. Hop and Rosie's story was so adorable. And fiery! (I'm pretty sure I've never used that word in reference to "old people")
And the Russian. Damn, he was hilarious. I sincerely hope there's a whole ass book dedicated for that guy and his love for cheese.
This was such an entertaining read and I was so sorry to see it end. To think the next book is not even published yet.. ughh, waiting is so not my thing!
Rating: really liked it
4 stars 
Last year when I read
The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams, I knew I had to know more about Braden Mack. I was so happy to hear that his book would be next in this series. I'm happy to say,
Undercover Bromance was just as great as the first book for me.
Not for the first time, he felt on the outs. The odd man in the group. The man who could save a hundred marriages but was doomed to never find his own happy ending.
Braden Mack is the leader of the Bromance Book Club. He's an unapologetic romance lover and I adored him and his fun loving personality. Mack always gets the girl, but he never seems to keep her. When Mack is on a date with his current girlfriend (that isn't going great) he see's Liv again. Liv is Thea's sister and Gavin's sister in law (the couple from book 1).
Liv is a tough nut to crack. She's got trust issues when it comes to men and she's a bit snarky and headstrong. When Liv witnesses her boss sexually harassing another employee and gets fired for it, she decides to she needs to take him down. And Mack decides to help.
Instead of a historical romance, this book follows a romantic suspense, which went perfectly with the theme of Mack and Liv's story. I loved these two together and I especially loved Mack. I enjoyed learning about his past and seeing all the things that make him tick. He and Liv are a bit of opposites attract, but it works for them. Even though she's hesitant to be with him, when she finally gives in, it's magical.
“Don’t you think it’s high time you and I fell in love?”
If you're looking for a fun book that will make you laugh out loud, this book is for you. I loved all the crazy antics, the book club aspects, and the farm that Liv lived on. I also loved that amongst the lighter aspects of the book, it tackled a few serious topics as well. This book has so much heart, is entertaining, funny, and steamy and I truly love this series! I'm looking forward to the next one!!
Rating: really liked it
ouch. I enjoyed the first one, but this was a miss in basically every single way.
Most damning: these fools use sexual assault victims as an excuse to have like...an adventure? I just read Catch and Kill, so I know how tremendously difficult it is to get sexual assault victims to come forward, and the way this book ends just elides right over that. Suddenly a handful of women magically come forward just when the main characters need them to---HOW?
I think a book can have the best intentions of tackling a big subject like sexual assault, but then to have it actually feel like it does more harm than good? The paternalistic implications that a bunch of men are just here to save sexual assault victims from themselves? yikes.
I've seen several other reviews that say that readers were able to get past these issues and just enjoy the book for what it was. I am glad for those people, but that never happened for me. I read the entire thing in sort of a fugue state of disbelief: what is going on here? what are these people doing? why is everyone so fucking reckless with the lives of sexual assault survivors? I would honestly say that I finished more as a public service than anything else.
Rating: really liked it
This book was cute. It didn’t have the same
magic that Bromance Book Club had, but I still think it’s a really cute romance novel that I would still recommend. This story follows Liv and Mack, Liv is Thea’s sister (from the first book) and Mack is one of the guys in the book club.
This story is a lot more serious than the first book because Liv works in the restaurant industry as a pastry chef, and she witnessed this guy who is the owner of the place sexually harassing this girl, and she decides she wants to take him down, so she needs the help of Mack and the Bromance Book Club hang in order to do that. This storyline took up a lot more of the story than I thought it would, and for most of it I didn’t mind it but towards the end I kind of wanted less of Royce in the story and more of Liv and Mack.
I absolutely adored Mack and Liv as characters. Their banter was freaking on point and they had me grinning from ear to ear for most of this story. I love that Liv is independent and feisty and she has that I don’t need a man attitude. And I love that Mack is surprisingly sensitive and he has the biggest heart. I do feel like the conflict that happens at the end (view spoiler)
[about Mack’s Dad (hide spoiler)] kind of gets drawn out for way too long. Like I don’t think it was that big of a deal and they kind of made it a big deal which was annoying. I also feel like the epilogue was kind of cheesy as hell but what romance with an epilogue isn’t? Am I right?
Rating: really liked it
3 stars
He loved a little danger with his romance, and he especially loved an enemies-to-lovers story. There was just something satisfying about two people discovering that what makes them fight is also the thing that makes them perfect for each other.Why enemies to lovers romance are so enjoyable to read? Well, Mack couldn’t have said it better!!I was so nervous about reading this book, because I wasn’t such a huge fan of Liv in the previous book. But I loved the bookclub so much and I was so interested in reading Mack’s story. And man I love him!
“I’m just a man with a heart, and you’re breaking it.”The dialogue was so freakin entertaining in this book!
The banter? Hilarious! Oh how I loved when these two start to picker and push each other.
Mack? He’s such a sweet big man with the softest romantic heart ever. He’s too good to be true!
Liv? You could get used to her, I think. It took some time to get over how freakin judgmental she was. I mean I get that some people could be judgmental, but you don’t have to be so verbal and insensitive about it! I understand how it was so hard for her to trust. Maybe I don’t completely agree with her way, but I think I can understand?
This book didn’t have “that thing” that the first book had tho. I think that this series is unique and the idea behind it is so adorable and original. Now I’m really looking forward to reading Alexis and Noah’s book. I already love these two.
Song recommendation:Not a bad thing by Justin Timberlake
Power by Isak Danielson
Papercuts by Illy ft. Vera blue
Rating: really liked it
Just like I anticipated, MACK's story was even better.
Don’t you wish toxic masculinity could just disappear? Well, The Bromance Book Club and Lyssa Kay Adams get us one step closer.
And this time Mack is here to make us swoon. Like, swoon real hard. Because if Mack could crack open the tough cookie that was Liv, trust me, he can do anything. Even convert the male population to avid romance readers (if one is allowed to dream).
This instalment of the BBC follows Mack and Liv while they join forces to bring down Liv’s boss, who has been harassing some of his female employees.
Allow me to be clear, if I thought TBBC was a good book - a great book, okay - this one turned out to be even better. If I thought I loved Mack in TBBC, now I am simply head over heels for him. If I thought TBBC tackled toxic masculinity, this one nailed that on the head, plus such a serious issue as sexual harassment in the workplace so Lyssa: 👏🏼
In other words, PULL OUT YOUR CALENDAR and circle down March 10th 2020 because you *do* *seriously* need to read Undercover Bromance. Trust me. Take my book blogger word.
What? Don’t believe me? Check this:
“This. This was what it meant to be kissed. This was what it meant to get lost in light and sound and sensation until everything disappeared but his lips, his taste, his scent, him. This was what she’d been missing without even knowing it.
It was also how mistakes were made.”Now swoon.
*Huge thank you to the publisher for sending me an early copy <3
