How do you make peace with the past so you can enjoy the present?
Okay, here’s an embarrassing admission: I didn’t read the premise of A Very Merry Bromance before buying it. I saw the title, assumed it was about a bromance, and got excited. We get a lot of romance novels, but there aren’t a ton of stories that explore the dynamics of platonic relationships, particularly between men. I love the idea of literature exploring bromance with the same passion and shamelessness of a romance novel, and that’s what I thought I was going to get.
Turns out, that’s not what the Bromance Book Club series from Lyssa Kay Adams is about. Each book is about each member of a men’s book club using romance novels—as well as advice from the other members—to help him navigate the heterosexual romance going on in his life. A Very Merry Bromance still managed to be a good read, though I did feel a sense of false advertising.
The fifth book of the series, A Very Merry Bromance follows country singer Colton Wheeler as he attempts to woo immigration attorney Gretchen Winthrop, with whom he had a one-night stand. Not only does he hope to persuade her to give him a chance at something long-term, but he also wants her to see the magic of the holiday season. But both of them have their own reasons for feeling cynical in December. As they grow closer, each realize they will have to come to terms with the past if they want a future together.
“Happiness is the expectation that weighs you down.”
Despite my disappointment with the series premise, there’s still a lot to like about the execution, at least from this installment. Even though the series is not about the relationships between men, the other members of Colton’s book club still make periodic appearances. They offer advice, call him out when he messes up, and support both Colton and Gretchen as the events unfold. Gretchen is a Boss Ass Bitch, which we stan. And I also like how the story puts its own spin on romance tropes. For instance, the trope where the man wins over/back his love interest with a grand gesture of love. Colton and Gretchen have talked about it, and Colton initially planned on doing this to make amends with her after a misunderstanding. But he quickly changes gears and opts for something smaller, intimate, and personal to both of them.
There are also a few things in the book that could’ve used some fine-tuning. From what I’ve read about the series, each novel references an in-story romance novel the men are reading, presumably novels Adams came up with herself for each installment. While the concept sounds good, here the excerpts from the referenced fictional book don’t serve a purpose in the bigger story. Colton does draw parallels from that story and his, but it doesn’t help him understand what’s going on with Gretchen or how he can connect with her better. Also, the premise of A Very Merry Bromance is that both lovers have ghosts to deal with, but beyond occasional references we don’t see Colton’s backstory explored as much as Gretchen’s. For me, though, the biggest beef I had (aside from the false advertising) was that Colton and Gretchen’s uncle have a showdown with her deeply unpleasant brother Evan, but Gretchen herself is not a part of it. It’s odd because her upbringing with her brother is an important part of Gretchen’s story, but the last interaction we see her have with him is her giving him what he wants. So that showdown with her brother wasn’t as satisfying as it could’ve been.
For the record, I still want to read novels centered on men exploring the complex, interpersonal dynamics of platonic relationships with each other. That said, I’m glad Bromance Book Club exists, and I think the series does have positives that people can take away from it, at least if A Very Merry Bromance is any indication. If you’re the least bit curious about an adult Christmas romance that features men being childishly wholesome, I’d say give it a shot and see if it gets you in the holiday mood.
Final rating: 3.1/5
Many thanks for reading.
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