Isn't It Bromantic?

Summer is the perfect time to kick back and relax with a good book. For me, summer reading has a different feel to it than winter reading. During the winter, I find myself getting cozy with a thrilling adventure or shocking mystery, but during the summer I want to sit by the pool with a nice steamy romance or daring drama. Beach reads, a popular subgenre of books designed to capture the ease of the summer spirit, are often a section of the bookstore that I overlook, but there was something about this book that caught my eye.

Part of the larger Bromance Book Club series, “Isn’t It Bromantic” by Lyssa Kay Adams takes the traditional tropes and stereotypes of a romance and gives them a bit of a switch. Unlike so many romance stories that center around two unlikely people having their meet cute moment and magically falling in love just in time to save the day (essentially every Hallmark Christmas movie ever produced), “Isn’t It Bromantic” follows a collective of men who have turned to reading and studying romance novels as a way to help them deepen their own relationships with their wives and girlfriends and develop a more holistic partnership of love. Don’t get me wrong, it is still a cheesy romance, but it is a welcomed break from the formula that we see saturated throughout other media.

“Isn’t It Bromantic” follows Vlad, a professional hockey player, and his estranged wife Elena as they navigate their relationship with one another after Vlad suffers an injury that keeps him off the ice. Despite being married for years, Vlad and Elena, who grew up as friends back home in Russia, have never lived together in the United States. Vlad, who came to America to play hockey, married Elena to give her the opportunity to escape the painful memories of her father’s disappearance in Russia and start a new life with him on the other side of the world. Elena quickly moved away to attend a university to study journalism, while Vlad was left alone. Finding solace in his group of friends (the Bromance Book Club), Vlad seemingly moved on from Elena and their marriage became nothing more than paperwork.

When Vlad suffers a tragic injury, Elena reappears in Vlad’s life to take care of him, but her arrival opens old wounds and leaves both of them unsure of their future. With the help of the guys, Vlad comes to terms with his feelings towards Elena and realizes that their relationship is far more complex than anyone might realize.

What I liked most about this book was the realistic relationships that Adams was able to create between these characters. The bond of friendship that is built between the guys in the book club and the way that their extended circle of friends has developed into a family struck a chord with me. Oftentimes, it can be the people we choose to surround ourselves with, not just those related to us by blood, that make indelible marks on our lives. The characters seemed raw and real, and there was a sense of relatability within each of them.

Heartwarming and endearing, this book had everything a good book should have: a compelling story, dynamic relationships, loyalty, friendship, mystery, recovery–a few steamy scenes–and a message about accepting yourself and your feelings.

There was an odd through line regarding Vlad’s addiction to specialty cheeses and the mysterious underground cheese room run by the aloof and unnerving Cheeseman which I didn’t think contributed much to the story, but it did add a bit of humor throughout.

As I turned the last page, I was content, happy, and ready for more. Lyssa Kay Adams brought a compelling romance to life and left me wishing the best for Vlad, Elena, and the rest of the Bromance Book Club.

4 out of 5 stars