Reviewed by Valerie 

TITLE:  Hopelessly Bromantic

SERIES:  The Hopelessly Bromantic Duet #1    

AUTHOR:  Lauren Blakely

PUBLISHER:  Top Notch Boyfriends Books

LENGTH:  354 pages

RELEASE DATE:  May 31, 2022

BLURB:   

Look, when I met the sexy, witty Brit on the streets of London last night, I had no idea who he was. He was just that hot guy I wanted to have a drink with so I asked him out for my first evening in town.

One thing almost led to another. After a midnight kiss, we made plans for a whole lot more the next day.

But when I unlock the door to my rental in the morning, the English hottie is lounging on the couch like he lives here too. Great. For the next year I’ll be sharing a tiny flat with the sexiest guy I’ve ever known.

Time for a few simple rules — don’t walk around the flat wearing only a towel, don’t spend our nights together exploring London, and don’t crack open my secrets for him.

Even as I smash all those rules, I try to resist falling for the cocky charmer. But after a taste of his lips, I give all the way in, telling myself one night and we won’t fall in love.

Too bad in the morning I discover that hiding my true feelings is the least of my worries, compared to a twist I never see coming.

Contents Include: One broody American, one charming Brit, and two libidos that can barely fit into the smallest flat in London. Translation – hot, angsty nights in the first novel in a scorching and emotional two-book epic MM romance!

REVIEW:   

Oh, how I love this outstanding novel, Hopelessly Bromantic. Jude and TJ are each other’s destiny. They’re made for each other, from their meet-cute on a London street to their whirlwind romance, the yummy UST, and finally, finally, their tumble into bed. It’s a delicious slow burn and incredibly hot.

I’ll warn you right off the bat – this book has a trifecta of things romance readers are apt to complain about: a long separation (years and years), The Big Misunderstanding, and I hate to say it, a cliffhanger. But this book is sooo good, you can push past those three things, I know you can, because this is a book not to be missed. It’s written with two of my favorite components of Lauren Blakely’s stories: passion so deep it lifts off the page and unparalleled, unresolved sexual tension. I’m quite sure Hopelessly Bromantic will be on my Top Ten Books of 2022 list.

This book also broke my heart. The seven-year separation had me angsting massively. I hated thinking of these two kind, beautiful men living without each other for so very long after their short lived but once in a lifetime love affair. And then just when their romance is rekindling, that Big Bad Misunderstanding charges in and stands in the way. But I promise you, it’s worth the heart ache.

TJ is a twenty-three-year-old American journalist sent to London for a one-year assignment. He’s had a decade long dream of being a novelist and he feels London is where he’s meant to make that happen. But then he meets charming and witty Jude – with his seductive British accent – and conjures up another dream – of taking Jude to bed. But before he can, they discover they’re unexpectedly roommates for the next year and both determine a romantic relationship is off the table. They’ll have to be just friends. Ha! They are both utterly infatuated and want each other badly. It becomes a study in restraint. Until they cross the line and share an explosive kiss:

“I pour everything I have into this kiss. It’s like ten thousand kisses. It’s all the kisses in the city. All the times I’ve thought of Jude. All the longing. All the desire. With my lips, I tell him all the things I won’t say out loud. The sentences form in my head. I have a massive crush on you. I can’t get you out of my head. I’m a little bit crazy for you. He tastes like he’s a little crazy for me too.”

It’s more than physical attraction, though. They care about each other’s dreams and share a passion for their work – acting for Jude and becoming a novelist for TJ. But sadly, none of that matters when fate throws a wrench in their plans to spend the year as more than just friends. There are a few twists to make the story even more interesting but I won’t detail any more of the plot.

TJ and Jude are darling characters and their playful, flirty banter is endearing. They’re irresistible and I was pulling for them for the duration of the story. Their time in London reminds me a bit of Ms. Blakely’s first MM novel, A Guy Walks Into My Bar, my favorite read of 2020. And speaking of A Guy… be on the lookout for a little Easter egg related to that book.

I can’t wait for the sequel, Here Comes My Man. Fortunately, it’s only a few weeks away and I anticipate it will be as fabulous as this one. Cheers!

RATING: 

BUY LINK: 

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