Romance Meets Vigilante Justice In ‘Undercover Bromance’

What do you get when you combine a guy who’s accustomed to being the knight in shining armor with a girl who refuses to be saved by someone else? An entertaining read that will have you laughing your socks off and cheering for their HEA.

Undercover Bromance tells the story of Braden Mack, the founder of the Bromance Book Club, and Liv Papandreas, Thea’s sister from book 1. Though this story deals with a more serious theme than the previous book (sexual harassment), there is enough witty banter and comedy to make it an enjoyable and engaging read. 

Synopsis

Braden Mack thinks reading romance novels makes him an expert in love, but he’ll soon discover that real life is better than fiction. 

Liv Papandreas has a dream job as a sous chef at Nashville’s hottest restaurant. Too bad the celebrity chef owner is less than charming behind kitchen doors. After she catches him harassing a young hostess, she confronts him and gets fired. Liv vows revenge, but she’ll need assistance to take on the powerful chef.

Unfortunately, that means turning to Braden Mack. When Liv’s blackballed from the restaurant scene, the charismatic nightclub entrepreneur offers to help expose her ex-boss, but she is suspicious of his motives. He’ll need to call in reinforcements: the Bromance Book Club.

Inspired by the romantic suspense novel they’re reading, the book club assists Liv in setting up a sting operation to take down the chef. But they’re just as eager to help Mack figure out the way to Liv’s heart…even though she’s determined to squelch the sparks between them before she gets burned.

Characters

MACK

After getting introduced to Braden Mack and his charm in the previous book, I couldn’t wait to get more of his story. And this book did not disappoint. Mack is funny, confident in his masculinity, and a pure-hearted soul who just wants his own HEA. Seeing him grow from trying to be perfect and therefore inauthentic to more vulnerable and flawed was a moving journey. And kudos to his patience in dealing with Liv.

LIV

The younger sister of Thea Scott is a spitfire. She’s stubborn, and a bit judgemental but has a huge heart. She often jumps the gun, and while her heart is always in the right place, her execution isn’t always the greatest. Throughout the book, she skirts the line between being independent and standing up for herself and being a bitch. While she does cross the line sometimes and comes off as a bit rude, she’s not afraid to admit when she’s wrong.

I loved that her friends didn’t sugarcoat things for her and called her out on her flaws when necessary, forcing her to take a deeper look into herself. For someone used to making her own way in the world, it’s not easy to depend on another person. Her character is real and flawed, and watching her walls come down with Mack was oh-so gratifying. 

SIDE CHARACTERS

There’s great development with side characters’ storylines as well. Rosie, whose farm Liv resides on, is like a second mother to Liv and reminds you of an older version of Liv herself. 

The bros from the Bromance Book Club continue to be a great supporting cast. Their unmoving camaraderie and hilarious antics make the story that much more charming.

Plot

If I could sum up the main plot in a single sentence, it would be – a comedic form of vigilante justice. And even though enemies to lovers is not one of my favourite tropes, this book is one of my top reads in this category. 

As mentioned before, the central theme throughout this book is sexual harassment in the workplace. Lyssa Kay Adams did a great job handling this issue delicately while promoting female empowerment and solidarity. 

The ending was a swoon-worthy and realistic conclusion and will have you rejoicing with your fists pumping in the air. 

Writing

While book 1 used the story within a story format, this one did not. But this ended up being for the best. As this book dealt with more serious issues, adequate time was needed to develop this without leaving the reader unsatisfied. And the author did a great job balancing the heavy material with the lighthearted comedy. 

Conclusion

Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams is a fresh, engaging, and hilarious story that is great for a quick feel-good read. If you love charming and flawed characters with a bit of girl power thrown in, then this book is for you. 

Quotes