The Bromance Book Club

The Bromance Book Club series by Lyssa Kay Adams incorporates and examines various romance tropes, with each installment focusing on a different theme and relationship dynamic. The book club was initially formed as a way for men to become more emotionally aware and vulnerable by reading romance novels. This unique approach challenges the stereotype that romance novels are only for women and shows the male characters gaining insight into their partners’ emotions and desires. This aspect highlights the theme of dismantling toxic masculinity—or expectations of traditional masculinity that grow harmful—while promoting healthier relationships. The first book, The Bromance Book Club, introduces a group of men who secretly read romance novels to improve their relationships. It sets the stage for the rest of the series, which follows different book club members as they navigate their own romantic struggles.

The first novel centers around the “marriage in trouble” trope, with Gavin Scott trying to win back his wife, Thea, after their marriage crumbles. Gavin turns to a Regency novel, Courting the Countess, for guidance, and the fictional book is a vital tool throughout the story. This installment relies most heavily on its alternate novel, using it to parallel Gavin’s real-life relationship journey.

In Undercover Bromance, the second book, the “enemies-to-lovers” trope takes the spotlight. Braden Mack, a prominent figure in the book club, clashes with Liv, Thea’s fiery sister, and their initial animosity gradually becomes a passionate romance.

Crazy Stupid Bromance, the third novel, explores the “friends-to-lovers” trope through Noah and Alexis, whose deep friendship blossoms into romance. Noah reads Coming Home, a “secret baby” romance—a storyline where a child, usually conceived during a brief romantic relationship or from a past connection, remains unknown to one of the parents until later in the story—but struggles to relate its plot to his own love story.

Isn’t It Bromantic?, the fourth book in the series, revolves around the “marriage of convenience” trope, focusing on Vlad, the lovable Russian member. Rather than reading a romance novel, Vlad is writing one—Promise Me—which plays a significant role in the narrative.

The fifth book, A Very Merry Bromance, features country star Colton Wheeler and lawyer Gretchen Winthrop. This story uses the “reverse sunshine/grumpy” trope for a second-chance romance, with Colton gifting Gretchen a Christmas romance, A Cold Winter’s Night, to help her reconnect with the magic of the holiday season.

As the series progresses, each book deconstructs and celebrates classic romance tropes, with the first novel establishing the central theme of men learning about love through romance novels. Each subsequent story builds on this framework, blending romance and self-reflection with a unique exploration of familiar tropes. The Bromance Book Club series has been widely praised for its fresh take on the romance genre, offering a humorous yet insightful look at modern relationships. Critics have commended the series for subverting traditional gender roles and using romance novels as a tool for self-reflection and emotional growth.