What do you think?
Rate this book
Plot Twist
What's a love story without a good plot twist . . . ?
A pitch-perfect, heart-warming and hilarious Scottish and Irish romantic comedy, perfect for fans of Catherine Walsh, Annabel Monaghan and Emily Henry, you can't miss this irresistible page-turner.
Becca Taylor is having a bad summer.
Her best friend is dead. Her good-for-nothing ex is back in her life. And her career is in freefall.
So, when fellow writer Riley O'Connell invites Becca to the charming Irish countryside, she can't pack her bags fast enough, even though they have never met.
But happily-ever-after isn't quite so simple.
And Riley is not a sensitive female romance novelist like Becca assumed. No, he is definitely a man. A hot, six-foot tall, Irish man.
But with their complicated pasts getting in the way, Becca and Riley just can't get on the same page.
So can fate give their love story a rewrite?
A pitch-perfect, heart-warming and hilarious Scottish and Irish romantic comedy, perfect for fans of Catherine Walsh, Annabel Monaghan and Emily Henry, you can't miss this irresistible page-turner.
Becca Taylor is having a bad summer.
Her best friend is dead. Her good-for-nothing ex is back in her life. And her career is in freefall.
So, when fellow writer Riley O'Connell invites Becca to the charming Irish countryside, she can't pack her bags fast enough, even though they have never met.
But happily-ever-after isn't quite so simple.
And Riley is not a sensitive female romance novelist like Becca assumed. No, he is definitely a man. A hot, six-foot tall, Irish man.
But with their complicated pasts getting in the way, Becca and Riley just can't get on the same page.
So can fate give their love story a rewrite?
352 pages, Paperback
First published March 28, 2024
40 people are currently reading
1,244 people want to read
About the author
Breea Keenan
1book16followersBreea Keenan has been writing professionally for 18 years. She has a first-class honours degree in English Literature, Journalism and Creative Writing from Strathclyde University, and worked as a journalist for various media titles before moving into communications and marketing. Her poetry was selected for inclusion in Blether (Scottish Book Trust) and Living During the Coronavirus Pandemic (Legend Times). Breea lives near Glasgow with her husband and three children. Plot Twist is her debut novel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews
March 30, 2024
Plot Twist is the first novel by Scottish journalist, poet and author, Breea Keenan. The audio version is narrated by Joy McAvoy. Glasgow primary school teacher and aspiring children’s author, Becca Taylor is dealing with feelings of profound grief and betrayal. At her best friend Rae’s funeral, she learns that the ex-boyfriend she could never forgive had been about to marry Rae. alternating
The best way to sort out her head, Riley O’Connell suggests, is to spend the summer in a small Irish village working on their books together. Becca met Riley, a published romance author with a very full-on four-year-old, an even more impatient agent, and a bit of second-novel writer’s block, through a social media writers� group. Impulsive, drunk-made arrangements see her on the ferry to Rathcliffe.
But when she arrives, she discovers that “Riley � the yoga-loving, long-skirted, clean-living, romance writer I’d envisaged � was not a she at all. Riley was a he. A tall, broad-shouldered, messy-dark-haired, green-eyed, athletic, manly-man.� She can’t stay, surely? But Riley counters: it’s not the nineteen forties, and there’s a spare room in Bellinder Cottage, the setting is gorgeous, and little Ivy begs her to stay.
What follows is a delightful romance that starts off predictable, then takes a few surprising turns before the obligatory happy ever after. Some well-worn romance tropes come into play: friends who become lovers, lovers who become friends, exes turning up to put a fly in the ointment, being forced to share a room, and grand gestures. An impressive debut.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Headline Audio.
The best way to sort out her head, Riley O’Connell suggests, is to spend the summer in a small Irish village working on their books together. Becca met Riley, a published romance author with a very full-on four-year-old, an even more impatient agent, and a bit of second-novel writer’s block, through a social media writers� group. Impulsive, drunk-made arrangements see her on the ferry to Rathcliffe.
But when she arrives, she discovers that “Riley � the yoga-loving, long-skirted, clean-living, romance writer I’d envisaged � was not a she at all. Riley was a he. A tall, broad-shouldered, messy-dark-haired, green-eyed, athletic, manly-man.� She can’t stay, surely? But Riley counters: it’s not the nineteen forties, and there’s a spare room in Bellinder Cottage, the setting is gorgeous, and little Ivy begs her to stay.
What follows is a delightful romance that starts off predictable, then takes a few surprising turns before the obligatory happy ever after. Some well-worn romance tropes come into play: friends who become lovers, lovers who become friends, exes turning up to put a fly in the ointment, being forced to share a room, and grand gestures. An impressive debut.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Headline Audio.
April 3, 2024
Becca, a teacher and aspiring writer, decides to leave her hometown Glasgow and visit her online friend and fellow writer, Riley, in Ireland after the sudden death of her best friend. Once there, she is in for a surprise when Riley turns out to be a man and not a woman like she had assumed.
This was a sweet romance and a great debut. I thoroughly enjoyed it and finished it in two days even though I listened to the audiobook and usually, it takes me a while to finish those.
I struggled a bit with Becca getting over the initial shock of finding out that Riley is a man in what felt like five minutes and the romance felt a bit rushed.
But overall, i really liked it.
Special mention to the narrator. She did a great job and has a Scottish accent, which I think really added to the story (Becca, the main character, is Scottish) and made it very immersive. It did take me a while to get used to it, but that might just be because English isn’t my first language.
Thank you to Netgalley and Headline Audio for the arc.
This was a sweet romance and a great debut. I thoroughly enjoyed it and finished it in two days even though I listened to the audiobook and usually, it takes me a while to finish those.
I struggled a bit with Becca getting over the initial shock of finding out that Riley is a man in what felt like five minutes and the romance felt a bit rushed.
But overall, i really liked it.
Special mention to the narrator. She did a great job and has a Scottish accent, which I think really added to the story (Becca, the main character, is Scottish) and made it very immersive. It did take me a while to get used to it, but that might just be because English isn’t my first language.
Thank you to Netgalley and Headline Audio for the arc.
April 3, 2024
- Small town
- Both MC are writers/ inspiring writers
- Forced proximity
- The chance to heal
- Best Friend's death
- Mention of cancer
- Parents death
- Single dad
"That's what I said"- I absolutely love Ivy
Becca's life has been turned upside down. Her best friend was involved in a crash and passed away, work is all over the place especially due to her boss, she is an inspiring children's author who is struggling to get words to paper and her ex boyfriend turned up at Rae's funeral only for Becca to discover they wanted to get married and she knew nothing about it.
Riley, fellow author and online bestie invites Becca to come and stay with him and his daughter in Ireland, to not only help them both with writers block but also a well needed change of scenery. Becca presumed at first that Riley was female romance author and to her surprised when she arrived on Riley's door step and saw a male Riley (she wasn't the only one)
The romance aspect was a back burn of the story. The main focus was Becca's growth from her struggling through her grief and finding a place where she felt like she belonged and felt like she was becoming herself. Because of this I would have liked the ending to be different about Becca being happy with herself and allowed her to be a published author on her own. Instead of ending up with Riley it would have been nice to see them reconnecting at the end and begin to dating in the epilogue. If the book was more romance based I would have loved the ending that was included with the book.
Saying that the romance side within the book, I felt it needed more time connecting between Becca and Riley as I didn't feel the usually build up between, not enough chemistry. It just felt rushed and also what else felt rushed was the twists in the plot after about 70% it just felt like one thing after the other rather than being spaced out a bit more. If the book was a bit longer the plot and character development could have been better. Maybe if we had less on the past flash backs and more on the present.
Overall. I really enjoyed the book I couldn't put it down. I ended up crying over the cancer scare aspect as I am currently going through a family member with cancer (different form though- prostate) and I haven't yet allowed more self to have a moment. But reading about it really hit me which I wasn't expecting, I will definitely be reading more work by Breea Keenan
Thank you Netgalley and Headline for a copy of the book for an honest review
- Both MC are writers/ inspiring writers
- Forced proximity
- The chance to heal
- Best Friend's death
- Mention of cancer
- Parents death
- Single dad
"That's what I said"- I absolutely love Ivy
Becca's life has been turned upside down. Her best friend was involved in a crash and passed away, work is all over the place especially due to her boss, she is an inspiring children's author who is struggling to get words to paper and her ex boyfriend turned up at Rae's funeral only for Becca to discover they wanted to get married and she knew nothing about it.
Riley, fellow author and online bestie invites Becca to come and stay with him and his daughter in Ireland, to not only help them both with writers block but also a well needed change of scenery. Becca presumed at first that Riley was female romance author and to her surprised when she arrived on Riley's door step and saw a male Riley (she wasn't the only one)
The romance aspect was a back burn of the story. The main focus was Becca's growth from her struggling through her grief and finding a place where she felt like she belonged and felt like she was becoming herself. Because of this I would have liked the ending to be different about Becca being happy with herself and allowed her to be a published author on her own. Instead of ending up with Riley it would have been nice to see them reconnecting at the end and begin to dating in the epilogue. If the book was more romance based I would have loved the ending that was included with the book.
Saying that the romance side within the book, I felt it needed more time connecting between Becca and Riley as I didn't feel the usually build up between, not enough chemistry. It just felt rushed and also what else felt rushed was the twists in the plot after about 70% it just felt like one thing after the other rather than being spaced out a bit more. If the book was a bit longer the plot and character development could have been better. Maybe if we had less on the past flash backs and more on the present.
Overall. I really enjoyed the book I couldn't put it down. I ended up crying over the cancer scare aspect as I am currently going through a family member with cancer (different form though- prostate) and I haven't yet allowed more self to have a moment. But reading about it really hit me which I wasn't expecting, I will definitely be reading more work by Breea Keenan
Thank you Netgalley and Headline for a copy of the book for an honest review
November 5, 2023
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Plot Twist.
ARC Review-
I devoured this book, literally could not put it down.
Becca Taylor’s life is in a bit of a free fall. She is struggling at work, has a serious case of writer’s block, her best friend is dead, and she is surprised when her ex-boyfriend shows back up in her life. She is in need of a serious change of scenery so when her online friend and fellow author Riley invites her to visit their cottage in Ireland to hopefully help each other overcome their writers block, Becca books a ferry and heads out of town.
Riley O’Connell is a published romance writer who is struggling to meet the deadline for his second book. He is a hopeless romantic, lover of rom coms and a big fan of the “grand gesture� trope. He invites his online friend Becca to visit his home in Ireland to hopefully inspire him to finish his second book. The only problem? Becca assumed Riley the romance author was a woman and she is very surprised when he turns out to be a very handsome, athletic, 6 foot tall man and that definitely stirs up some feelings.
If you’re a lover of rom-com’s like Riley (and myself) you’ll love this book. It reminded me a lot of the movie P.S. I Love You. The setting being in Ireland which is the picture perfect rom com setting. Plus the story is told in present day and in flashbacks, which I enjoyed. We get to see Becca’s current life but we also see glimpses of her life with the best friend she lost and that helps us get to know her better.
There were multiple plot twists that I was not expecting so it lived up to its name. I absolutely LOVED the epilogue. This story is romantic but it is not spicy, it is closed door/fade to black. The side characters were so charming.
Tropes
𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝑴𝑪’�
𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕
𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒙𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒚
𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔
𝑺𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒐𝒘𝒏
This book was the perfect romance. The characters were likable, the plot twists kept me on the edge of my seat. Would definitely recommend!
ARC Review-
I devoured this book, literally could not put it down.
Becca Taylor’s life is in a bit of a free fall. She is struggling at work, has a serious case of writer’s block, her best friend is dead, and she is surprised when her ex-boyfriend shows back up in her life. She is in need of a serious change of scenery so when her online friend and fellow author Riley invites her to visit their cottage in Ireland to hopefully help each other overcome their writers block, Becca books a ferry and heads out of town.
Riley O’Connell is a published romance writer who is struggling to meet the deadline for his second book. He is a hopeless romantic, lover of rom coms and a big fan of the “grand gesture� trope. He invites his online friend Becca to visit his home in Ireland to hopefully inspire him to finish his second book. The only problem? Becca assumed Riley the romance author was a woman and she is very surprised when he turns out to be a very handsome, athletic, 6 foot tall man and that definitely stirs up some feelings.
If you’re a lover of rom-com’s like Riley (and myself) you’ll love this book. It reminded me a lot of the movie P.S. I Love You. The setting being in Ireland which is the picture perfect rom com setting. Plus the story is told in present day and in flashbacks, which I enjoyed. We get to see Becca’s current life but we also see glimpses of her life with the best friend she lost and that helps us get to know her better.
There were multiple plot twists that I was not expecting so it lived up to its name. I absolutely LOVED the epilogue. This story is romantic but it is not spicy, it is closed door/fade to black. The side characters were so charming.
Tropes
𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝑴𝑪’�
𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕
𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒙𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒚
𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔
𝑺𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒐𝒘𝒏
This book was the perfect romance. The characters were likable, the plot twists kept me on the edge of my seat. Would definitely recommend!
November 16, 2023
I think this was a nice little romance novel, although I do think it was hanging around the 'trying to be normal friends' and then jumped into more with less of the middle fluffy romance that I like best. I also found it confusing initially with Riley and Rae having similar names, and the texts distinguished only by the initial 'R', and I had to go back and check who was texting right before we got the news of Rae's death (ie was she texting and driving). Other than this plot point which is established early, I don't think there were any other 'plot twists' and the developments felt obvious to me. I also find it difficult to stay immersed in books where the characters are writers and discuss book tropes, etc. It wasn't as pervasive as other books I've read, but i don't enjoy it like I do when Scream is meta.
I think it would've been nice for Becca's dad to join her in Ireland with it being mentioned he misses it. I found it weird that Ivy was so excited to meet Becca initially, but I guess kids can be like that. I also felt that a minor characters coming out wasn't handled the best (it wasn't negative, but it didn't appreciate how scary that can be imo). None of these things are major gripes, but the book wasn't life changing for me or anything either.
Overall, I think it's a nice easy read and the stakes weren't too high. TW for death, cancer, addiction. Thank you to netgalley for the arc.
I think it would've been nice for Becca's dad to join her in Ireland with it being mentioned he misses it. I found it weird that Ivy was so excited to meet Becca initially, but I guess kids can be like that. I also felt that a minor characters coming out wasn't handled the best (it wasn't negative, but it didn't appreciate how scary that can be imo). None of these things are major gripes, but the book wasn't life changing for me or anything either.
Overall, I think it's a nice easy read and the stakes weren't too high. TW for death, cancer, addiction. Thank you to netgalley for the arc.
November 7, 2023
Thank you so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the free copy provided in exchange for an honest review!
3.5 stars rounded down
Okay so woah. I think I have neck pains for all the whiplash that book gave me good lord, (I probably should have taken the title more seriously). Plot twist follows a main character (Becca) who through a journey of grief (and other revelations) goes to stay with a friend as an informal writer's retreat, leading to more surprises and drama to unfold.
This book wasn't necessarily bad, however I found structure to be absent in some of the book, creating a mess of storytelling, many of the conflicts that were introduced either didn't get discussed enough and provided an abrupt solution to tie lose ends, or did not provide a resolution. Also, as it was under the 'romance' category when I saw it on Netgalley, I was expecting this to be central to the book, however I found it was lacking romance.
I did love some aspects though, seeing more realistic portrayals of relationships as adults, how everyone kind of sucks sometimes, people keep secrets, we get jealous and stalk-that-one-girl-at-his-work-that's-way-cooler-than-me, was well done.
So overall, it was fun, I love a good book filled with chaos, however for the amount of contend compacted in there, I didn't really get to know the love interest well enough or see much of a romantic connection happening. If it was a little longer and there was a bit more structure would have been a definite 5 stars,
3.5 stars rounded down
Okay so woah. I think I have neck pains for all the whiplash that book gave me good lord, (I probably should have taken the title more seriously). Plot twist follows a main character (Becca) who through a journey of grief (and other revelations) goes to stay with a friend as an informal writer's retreat, leading to more surprises and drama to unfold.
This book wasn't necessarily bad, however I found structure to be absent in some of the book, creating a mess of storytelling, many of the conflicts that were introduced either didn't get discussed enough and provided an abrupt solution to tie lose ends, or did not provide a resolution. Also, as it was under the 'romance' category when I saw it on Netgalley, I was expecting this to be central to the book, however I found it was lacking romance.
I did love some aspects though, seeing more realistic portrayals of relationships as adults, how everyone kind of sucks sometimes, people keep secrets, we get jealous and stalk-that-one-girl-at-his-work-that's-way-cooler-than-me, was well done.
So overall, it was fun, I love a good book filled with chaos, however for the amount of contend compacted in there, I didn't really get to know the love interest well enough or see much of a romantic connection happening. If it was a little longer and there was a bit more structure would have been a definite 5 stars,
January 8, 2025
There’s more chemistry between me and a McDonald’s wrap of the day than between these two MCs
April 4, 2024
Plot Twist is a Scottish/Irish romcom that centres on Becca, an aspiring children’s writer who is freshly grieving the death of her best friend Rae, who she has just learned was dating her ex-boyfriend. In an attempt to get away and work on her book, Becca agrees to travel to Ireland to stay with Riley, who she met on an online writing forum. When she arrives, she is shocked to discover yoga-loving, romance-writing Riley is a man.
I really enjoyed the first 25-30% of this book - it was funny, the character dynamics were realistic and whole, and it was refreshing to read a romance book where the author showed and didn’t tell (writing 101 - the bare minimum!). The banter between the love interests was fun, and I loved the initial interactions between Becca and Rae, and Becca and her dad.
For me, things started going downhill when the flashbacks came into play. We learn early on that Becca despises her ex, Drew, who was dating Rae at the time of her death. From the way Becca speaks about Drew, ten years after their break up, you would think that he had cheated on her, murdered her mum, and burned her house down. After a lot of filler that doesn’t add much, we learn that they broke up because he wouldn’t attend her graduation because he had a work event? And his boss was flirting with him? Bad things, of course, but bad enough for ten years of overly bitter resentment? I just can’t see it.
I also felt confused with the characterisation of Rae. We meet her at the beginning, and she is fun and upbeat, Becca’s best friend who tells her everything. Yet, when we hear about her from Drew, she is presented as a worn woman who has been broken down by her previous relationship. This paired with Rae’s refusal to tell Becca about her relationship with Drew really threw me, and I couldn’t quite get my head around who she was meant to be. I wish the book would have delved a bit deeper into this exploration of learning more about the people closest to us after they die, but I suppose that’s not what the author set out to do.
I think this book suffered from trying to do too much. It began as a genuinely funny and heartfelt tale of friendship, with a romance bubbling in the background, but seemed to derail by inserting too many subplots that didn’t really add anything. It gave me whiplash. Easygoing romance, first kiss, KIDNAPPING SUBPLOT. Tender reunion, forgiveness, POTENTIAL CANCER SUBPLOT. It all got a bit too much by the end.
Overall, this book was fine, a middle of the road 3 stars, but I wish it would have stayed consistent with how it started. Huge props to the audiobook narrator who absolutely brought this story to life. Thanks to NetGalley and Headline for the free audio in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed the first 25-30% of this book - it was funny, the character dynamics were realistic and whole, and it was refreshing to read a romance book where the author showed and didn’t tell (writing 101 - the bare minimum!). The banter between the love interests was fun, and I loved the initial interactions between Becca and Rae, and Becca and her dad.
For me, things started going downhill when the flashbacks came into play. We learn early on that Becca despises her ex, Drew, who was dating Rae at the time of her death. From the way Becca speaks about Drew, ten years after their break up, you would think that he had cheated on her, murdered her mum, and burned her house down. After a lot of filler that doesn’t add much, we learn that they broke up because he wouldn’t attend her graduation because he had a work event? And his boss was flirting with him? Bad things, of course, but bad enough for ten years of overly bitter resentment? I just can’t see it.
I also felt confused with the characterisation of Rae. We meet her at the beginning, and she is fun and upbeat, Becca’s best friend who tells her everything. Yet, when we hear about her from Drew, she is presented as a worn woman who has been broken down by her previous relationship. This paired with Rae’s refusal to tell Becca about her relationship with Drew really threw me, and I couldn’t quite get my head around who she was meant to be. I wish the book would have delved a bit deeper into this exploration of learning more about the people closest to us after they die, but I suppose that’s not what the author set out to do.
I think this book suffered from trying to do too much. It began as a genuinely funny and heartfelt tale of friendship, with a romance bubbling in the background, but seemed to derail by inserting too many subplots that didn’t really add anything. It gave me whiplash. Easygoing romance, first kiss, KIDNAPPING SUBPLOT. Tender reunion, forgiveness, POTENTIAL CANCER SUBPLOT. It all got a bit too much by the end.
Overall, this book was fine, a middle of the road 3 stars, but I wish it would have stayed consistent with how it started. Huge props to the audiobook narrator who absolutely brought this story to life. Thanks to NetGalley and Headline for the free audio in exchange for an honest review.
March 30, 2024
Plot Twist is the first novel by Scottish journalist, poet and author, Breea Keenan. Glasgow primary school teacher and aspiring children’s author, Becca Taylor is dealing with feelings of profound grief and betrayal. At her best friend Rae’s funeral, she learns that the ex-boyfriend she could never forgive had been about to marry Rae. alternating
The best way to sort out her head, Riley O’Connell suggests, is to spend the summer in a small Irish village working on their books together. Becca met Riley, a published romance author with a very full-on four-year-old, an even more impatient agent, and a bit of second-novel writer’s block, through a social media writers� group. Impulsive, drunk-made arrangements see her on the ferry to Rathcliffe.
But when she arrives, she discovers that “Riley � the yoga-loving, long-skirted, clean-living, romance writer I’d envisaged � was not a she at all. Riley was a he. A tall, broad-shouldered, messy-dark-haired, green-eyed, athletic, manly-man.� She can’t stay, surely? But Riley counters: it’s not the nineteen forties, and there’s a spare room in Bellinder Cottage, the setting is gorgeous, and little Ivy begs her to stay.
What follows is a delightful romance that starts off predictable, then takes a few surprising turns before the obligatory happy ever after. Some well-worn romance tropes come into play: friends who become lovers, lovers who become friends, exes turning up to put a fly in the ointment, being forced to share a room, and grand gestures. An impressive debut.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Headline Publishing
The best way to sort out her head, Riley O’Connell suggests, is to spend the summer in a small Irish village working on their books together. Becca met Riley, a published romance author with a very full-on four-year-old, an even more impatient agent, and a bit of second-novel writer’s block, through a social media writers� group. Impulsive, drunk-made arrangements see her on the ferry to Rathcliffe.
But when she arrives, she discovers that “Riley � the yoga-loving, long-skirted, clean-living, romance writer I’d envisaged � was not a she at all. Riley was a he. A tall, broad-shouldered, messy-dark-haired, green-eyed, athletic, manly-man.� She can’t stay, surely? But Riley counters: it’s not the nineteen forties, and there’s a spare room in Bellinder Cottage, the setting is gorgeous, and little Ivy begs her to stay.
What follows is a delightful romance that starts off predictable, then takes a few surprising turns before the obligatory happy ever after. Some well-worn romance tropes come into play: friends who become lovers, lovers who become friends, exes turning up to put a fly in the ointment, being forced to share a room, and grand gestures. An impressive debut.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Headline Publishing
September 23, 2024
This was soooo cute! I stayed up to finish it
April 22, 2024
Plot twist by Breea Keenan
I received an ARC copy on Net galley in return for my opinion. Thank you to the publisher and author.
Some of the tropes featured in this book
-Friends to lovers
-Small town
-Forced proximity
Amazing debut novel. Well it sure did live up to its name of plot twist as there was a few. It was the perfect kind of Rom-com. The scenery of the places where they were so descriptive and made me imagine I was there. I enjoyed that it wasn’t all about the main characters Becca and Riley and that even the side characters had a time for their own stories. I absolutely loved the epilogue and feel that it ended the book with a perfect happy ending.
I received an ARC copy on Net galley in return for my opinion. Thank you to the publisher and author.
Some of the tropes featured in this book
-Friends to lovers
-Small town
-Forced proximity
Amazing debut novel. Well it sure did live up to its name of plot twist as there was a few. It was the perfect kind of Rom-com. The scenery of the places where they were so descriptive and made me imagine I was there. I enjoyed that it wasn’t all about the main characters Becca and Riley and that even the side characters had a time for their own stories. I absolutely loved the epilogue and feel that it ended the book with a perfect happy ending.
May 26, 2024
I listened to this as an ARC
The tone of the story is set within the first few minutes of listening - an enjoyable rom-com. Even though the story covers some sad topics, it was fine in such a way that the listener was able to do enjoyI t the light-hearted storyline.
I felt the narrator's give was appealling. She really brought the characters to life. I felt that her voice was a perfect match for the novel. Even though there was only one narrator, it was clear to identify the characters.
The pace of the plot was in keeping with what I would expect from a cosy romance novel.
The tone of the story is set within the first few minutes of listening - an enjoyable rom-com. Even though the story covers some sad topics, it was fine in such a way that the listener was able to do enjoyI t the light-hearted storyline.
I felt the narrator's give was appealling. She really brought the characters to life. I felt that her voice was a perfect match for the novel. Even though there was only one narrator, it was clear to identify the characters.
The pace of the plot was in keeping with what I would expect from a cosy romance novel.
March 17, 2024
Plot Twist is a standalone romantic comedy but with some serious topics in it. Becca is an aspiring author who meets Riley in an online writers' forum. Becca and Riley form a friendship, with Becca under the illusion that Riley is a woman. When Becca's best friend Rae suddenly dies, Riley invites Becca to Ireland for the summer to deal with both her grief and their mutual writers' block. Becca arrives in Ireland to find that Riley is in fact a stunning Irish man.
The book alternates between the current time period and 9-10 years before. I thought they were well spaced out, occurring at exactly the right time to ramp up tension while providing extra context, and the whole story was well paced. The chapters set in the past added up gradually and were quite emotional in the end.
The story includes a clean romance but includes serious topics such as a best friend's death, domestic abuse, cancer, and the impacts of addiction. I enjoyed the book a lot, but I will say that the book isn't what I thought it was going to be based on the blurb and cover combination. I was expecting a light, easy-reading rom-com, possibly with some spice. And while there are definitely lots of funny moments and the first half of the book is mainly a traditional rom-com, I wouldn't say that the heavier themes were signposted in the blurb very well. The blurb definitely focuses on the comedy aspect so while I ended up completely loving the book, I wanted to point out the heavier topics. It might be that I just haven't read enough modern rom-coms to expect it, since the ones I've read before haven't got into topics like that before. The blurb mentions that this book is perfect for fans of Emily Henry. I've never read any of her books, so I definitely can't speak to those similarities - maybe if I had, the more serious topics wouldn't have been such a surprise?
I listened to the audiobook version, and I thought it was a fantastic format for the book. The narrator perfectly managed both the dramatic and sad moments, and the rom-com moments. Hearing it in a Scottish accent really enhanced it as well for me. Maybe the audiobook version ramps up the dramatic elements more than reading the physical or e-book would have done, which is why I'm interpreting the book's topics as heavier than other reviews I can see for this book, which refer to receiving an ARC rather than ALC. I generally listen to audiobooks while doing other things, and normally the audiobook is consumed in addition to a main physical or e-book. The sign of a 5 star audiobook for me is when it becomes my main book, when I just sit or lay down and listen to it while doing nothing else, and I did that with this book.
As an emotional fiction book with rom-com elements, it was pretty perfect, but the blurb and cover probably don't fit what I personally experienced in the book. It might just be that I'm a relative newbie to a modern romcom, so it doesn't harm the rating at all for me. As a debut novel and as an audiobook, this was amazing and I will definitely read more from Breea Keenan.
Disclaimer: I received an ALC from NetGalley, but this is my voluntary and honest review.
The book alternates between the current time period and 9-10 years before. I thought they were well spaced out, occurring at exactly the right time to ramp up tension while providing extra context, and the whole story was well paced. The chapters set in the past added up gradually and were quite emotional in the end.
The story includes a clean romance but includes serious topics such as a best friend's death, domestic abuse, cancer, and the impacts of addiction. I enjoyed the book a lot, but I will say that the book isn't what I thought it was going to be based on the blurb and cover combination. I was expecting a light, easy-reading rom-com, possibly with some spice. And while there are definitely lots of funny moments and the first half of the book is mainly a traditional rom-com, I wouldn't say that the heavier themes were signposted in the blurb very well. The blurb definitely focuses on the comedy aspect so while I ended up completely loving the book, I wanted to point out the heavier topics. It might be that I just haven't read enough modern rom-coms to expect it, since the ones I've read before haven't got into topics like that before. The blurb mentions that this book is perfect for fans of Emily Henry. I've never read any of her books, so I definitely can't speak to those similarities - maybe if I had, the more serious topics wouldn't have been such a surprise?
I listened to the audiobook version, and I thought it was a fantastic format for the book. The narrator perfectly managed both the dramatic and sad moments, and the rom-com moments. Hearing it in a Scottish accent really enhanced it as well for me. Maybe the audiobook version ramps up the dramatic elements more than reading the physical or e-book would have done, which is why I'm interpreting the book's topics as heavier than other reviews I can see for this book, which refer to receiving an ARC rather than ALC. I generally listen to audiobooks while doing other things, and normally the audiobook is consumed in addition to a main physical or e-book. The sign of a 5 star audiobook for me is when it becomes my main book, when I just sit or lay down and listen to it while doing nothing else, and I did that with this book.
As an emotional fiction book with rom-com elements, it was pretty perfect, but the blurb and cover probably don't fit what I personally experienced in the book. It might just be that I'm a relative newbie to a modern romcom, so it doesn't harm the rating at all for me. As a debut novel and as an audiobook, this was amazing and I will definitely read more from Breea Keenan.
Disclaimer: I received an ALC from NetGalley, but this is my voluntary and honest review.
April 15, 2024
A fun summery romance novel about a Scottish woman finding herself in Ireland.
Becca is an aspiring children's books author and a teacher. After her best friend dies Becca ends up at a writer's retreat at her friend and romance author Riley's house in Ireland. But...Riley isn't a woman as Becca had expected and as a matter of fact, he's...well...a very handsome man.
I have to point out that listened to the audiobook version of the book and I loved the narrator's accent, the audiobook is worth a listen just purely because of the narrator.
I liked how real the characters were and how realistic the relationships were portrayed as. It was funny and relatable for a good part of the book. But I feel like the book went a bit overboard adding all the twists and turns into it. It felt like the author had tried to fit all the possible twists and also tropes into the book. There's a best friend's death, Riley is a single dad, there's also lots of family drama and hidden secrets and also forced proximity, just to name only a few...and not to give away the whole plot. There was also less romance than you'd expect, which was a bit disappointing for me. I also think the book didn't need flashbacks and the information we gained from them could've been given to us differently.
Although, for a debut novel, I think the author did a good job and it will be a great summer read for all the romance lovers out there. My overall rating is 3 stars.
I would also like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for giving me the chance to review the book in return for an honest review.
Becca is an aspiring children's books author and a teacher. After her best friend dies Becca ends up at a writer's retreat at her friend and romance author Riley's house in Ireland. But...Riley isn't a woman as Becca had expected and as a matter of fact, he's...well...a very handsome man.
I have to point out that listened to the audiobook version of the book and I loved the narrator's accent, the audiobook is worth a listen just purely because of the narrator.
I liked how real the characters were and how realistic the relationships were portrayed as. It was funny and relatable for a good part of the book. But I feel like the book went a bit overboard adding all the twists and turns into it. It felt like the author had tried to fit all the possible twists and also tropes into the book. There's a best friend's death, Riley is a single dad, there's also lots of family drama and hidden secrets and also forced proximity, just to name only a few...and not to give away the whole plot. There was also less romance than you'd expect, which was a bit disappointing for me. I also think the book didn't need flashbacks and the information we gained from them could've been given to us differently.
Although, for a debut novel, I think the author did a good job and it will be a great summer read for all the romance lovers out there. My overall rating is 3 stars.
I would also like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for giving me the chance to review the book in return for an honest review.
February 16, 2024
Plot Twist
Breea Keenan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Arc review - I received a copy on netgalley on return for an honest review ♥️ thank you!
For a debut novel this was great. The rom con vibes were so good! Obsessed with the Glasgow references since I am there all the time 😂 (the garage mention made my chuckle)
Review - these characters were developed amazingly, I felt like I was reading about real people. I am so obsessed with Riley, deffos a new book boyfriend! The two main characters have great banter, seeing their friendship develop was lovely! I cried, laughed and gasped, I went through every emotions.
I wasn’t bored at all and the plot was really enjoyable, I liked multiple storylines that we were following and also liked the time jump chapters to see a bit of the history and understand why characters would react in a certain way.
I loved the small town and found family within this book, it was super heartwarming!
The perfect rom com to read if you want to escape a little!
I highly recommend adding this to your tbr!
Breea Keenan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Arc review - I received a copy on netgalley on return for an honest review ♥️ thank you!
For a debut novel this was great. The rom con vibes were so good! Obsessed with the Glasgow references since I am there all the time 😂 (the garage mention made my chuckle)
Review - these characters were developed amazingly, I felt like I was reading about real people. I am so obsessed with Riley, deffos a new book boyfriend! The two main characters have great banter, seeing their friendship develop was lovely! I cried, laughed and gasped, I went through every emotions.
I wasn’t bored at all and the plot was really enjoyable, I liked multiple storylines that we were following and also liked the time jump chapters to see a bit of the history and understand why characters would react in a certain way.
I loved the small town and found family within this book, it was super heartwarming!
The perfect rom com to read if you want to escape a little!
I highly recommend adding this to your tbr!
February 21, 2024
Insane!
What a phenomenal ARC read this one was.
I genuinely messaged my friends around Chapter 3 and told them this was going to be one of my favourite reads of 2024!
Plot Twist was such a unique read, the themes of grief, betrayal, forgiveness and love were so well written I couldn’t put it down.
Mark March 28 on your calendars because you NEED to get your hands on a copy when it is released.
Becca must find a way to navigate a new world without her best friend, as new revelations find their way to the surface, she seeks an escape.
She takes off to stay with an author friend of hers she met online in hopes of spending some time away from all the heartbreak in her life. But some names really are ambiguous.
Read Time ⏱️ 3.5 hours
What a phenomenal ARC read this one was.
I genuinely messaged my friends around Chapter 3 and told them this was going to be one of my favourite reads of 2024!
Plot Twist was such a unique read, the themes of grief, betrayal, forgiveness and love were so well written I couldn’t put it down.
Mark March 28 on your calendars because you NEED to get your hands on a copy when it is released.
Becca must find a way to navigate a new world without her best friend, as new revelations find their way to the surface, she seeks an escape.
She takes off to stay with an author friend of hers she met online in hopes of spending some time away from all the heartbreak in her life. But some names really are ambiguous.
Read Time ⏱️ 3.5 hours
March 28, 2024
It Wouldn’t Be A Good Love Story Without A Plot Twist
Becca is going through a tough time. Her best friend has just died, she’s discovered that her best friend was dating her ex and she has the boss from hell. So when she is offered a summer away in Ireland with her online writer friend, how can she say no? But imagine her shock when the woman she’s been chatting to, turns out to be a man!
I devoured this book so fast! I loved the potential romance between Becca and Riley after she’d gotten over the shock that he was indeed a man and not the woman she assumed from his name! It has a real Hallmark feel to the story (and I’m a sucker for a Hallmark movie!) so yes, it’s a little cheesy but who can complain at that? It had a great balance of comedy, romance and emotion. What’s not to love?
I’m really looking forward to reading more by this author. Thank you NetGalley and Headline Audio for the ARC
Becca is going through a tough time. Her best friend has just died, she’s discovered that her best friend was dating her ex and she has the boss from hell. So when she is offered a summer away in Ireland with her online writer friend, how can she say no? But imagine her shock when the woman she’s been chatting to, turns out to be a man!
I devoured this book so fast! I loved the potential romance between Becca and Riley after she’d gotten over the shock that he was indeed a man and not the woman she assumed from his name! It has a real Hallmark feel to the story (and I’m a sucker for a Hallmark movie!) so yes, it’s a little cheesy but who can complain at that? It had a great balance of comedy, romance and emotion. What’s not to love?
I’m really looking forward to reading more by this author. Thank you NetGalley and Headline Audio for the ARC
April 8, 2024
Unfortunately this book was a dnf at 30 percent in.
It wasn’t a bad book however I just didn’t click with the plot or the FMC, she just made everything about herself and cringed when the MMC corrected his daughter by saying ‘Drew� which was her ex boyfriends name. Like who does that! I really liked the MMC because he was standing up for himself and wasn’t putting up with her assumptions.
It wasn’t a bad book however I just didn’t click with the plot or the FMC, she just made everything about herself and cringed when the MMC corrected his daughter by saying ‘Drew� which was her ex boyfriends name. Like who does that! I really liked the MMC because he was standing up for himself and wasn’t putting up with her assumptions.
June 13, 2024
What a fabulous book! I loved it and its characters, Once I was a few chapters into it it was so hard to put down, you’re so invested in what happens next.
No spoilers so no really explaining about it, just that the main character is Becca and she is having a really tough time.
Read it and I’m sure you’ll love it!
No spoilers so no really explaining about it, just that the main character is Becca and she is having a really tough time.
Read it and I’m sure you’ll love it!
April 12, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Headline Audio for an ALC copy in exchange for an honest review!
Omg, this book lives up to its name haha! I felt like I had whiplash from the turns this book ended up taking, and could barely keep up towards the end
Plot Twist is a cute summery rom-com set in Ireland, following Riley and Becca who end up living together on their own mini writing retreat. The premise sets this book up as a classic romcom, with a main female character who is running away after the death of her best friend, and a miscommunication leading her to initially mistake Riley for a woman when she agreed to stay with him. I really enjoyed the first 70% per cent of this book, with Riley being the perfect caring single dad and the side characters also being a great addition. Also, listening to this book really brings the Irish/Scottish setting and characters to life through the accents, and definitely hooked me into the story more.
However, towards the end, I felt like the actions of both main characters were particularly annoying, with a series of miscommunications and jumping to sometimes unrealistic conclusions leaving me not rooting for the couple and at one point even questioning whether they were going to end up together. I feel like this book perhaps lacked a clear direction and struggled to mix an emotional story with a lighthearted rom-com.
Unfortunately, this book was not a hit for me, however, I enjoyed the overall writing style, so would be interested to see what Breea Keenan publishes next!
Omg, this book lives up to its name haha! I felt like I had whiplash from the turns this book ended up taking, and could barely keep up towards the end
Plot Twist is a cute summery rom-com set in Ireland, following Riley and Becca who end up living together on their own mini writing retreat. The premise sets this book up as a classic romcom, with a main female character who is running away after the death of her best friend, and a miscommunication leading her to initially mistake Riley for a woman when she agreed to stay with him. I really enjoyed the first 70% per cent of this book, with Riley being the perfect caring single dad and the side characters also being a great addition. Also, listening to this book really brings the Irish/Scottish setting and characters to life through the accents, and definitely hooked me into the story more.
However, towards the end, I felt like the actions of both main characters were particularly annoying, with a series of miscommunications and jumping to sometimes unrealistic conclusions leaving me not rooting for the couple and at one point even questioning whether they were going to end up together. I feel like this book perhaps lacked a clear direction and struggled to mix an emotional story with a lighthearted rom-com.
Unfortunately, this book was not a hit for me, however, I enjoyed the overall writing style, so would be interested to see what Breea Keenan publishes next!
April 10, 2024
TRIGGER WARNING: Death of a character, dealing with grief, some bad language, moving on
As soon as I heard the title of Plot Twist, I was immediately curious. I use assistive technolgy to write books and short stories, and I have always loved words. I knew I just had to request the audiobook. I am so glad I have a copy, as the story is true-to-life, haunting and exciting all at the same time.
I really liked Becca, and her and Rea's backstory, and how they met as well as their friendship. I felt for Becca and the circumstances that led to her taking a break from life. How she met Riley was realistic, and, if I'm honest, I was just as keen as Riley's little girl for them to meet. I really felt part of Becca's journey, literal and spiritual.
I enjoyed witnessing the growth and change in all the characters, and loved the flashbacks to ten years ago, as they really gave more insight into Becca and Rea's friendship and life.
Breea Keenan is a very good writer, and she is a new-to-me author. Plot twist is a heartfelt, immersive story I will never forget, not just because these are the kinds of books I love, but because I could identify with the characters. I loved the writer jargon thrown in, and understand it because of my own projects. This made me feel even closer to the characters and story.
I couldn't get through Plot Twist fast enough: I felt I HAD to know what was going to happen.
The narrator, Joy McAvoy, was brilliant, and I think she was the perfect fit for this book. Plot Twist made me laugh, cry, hold my breath in anticipation, and root for Becca and Riley.
Thanks to Breea Keenan and Headline Accent for my audiobook in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
5 stars
As soon as I heard the title of Plot Twist, I was immediately curious. I use assistive technolgy to write books and short stories, and I have always loved words. I knew I just had to request the audiobook. I am so glad I have a copy, as the story is true-to-life, haunting and exciting all at the same time.
I really liked Becca, and her and Rea's backstory, and how they met as well as their friendship. I felt for Becca and the circumstances that led to her taking a break from life. How she met Riley was realistic, and, if I'm honest, I was just as keen as Riley's little girl for them to meet. I really felt part of Becca's journey, literal and spiritual.
I enjoyed witnessing the growth and change in all the characters, and loved the flashbacks to ten years ago, as they really gave more insight into Becca and Rea's friendship and life.
Breea Keenan is a very good writer, and she is a new-to-me author. Plot twist is a heartfelt, immersive story I will never forget, not just because these are the kinds of books I love, but because I could identify with the characters. I loved the writer jargon thrown in, and understand it because of my own projects. This made me feel even closer to the characters and story.
I couldn't get through Plot Twist fast enough: I felt I HAD to know what was going to happen.
The narrator, Joy McAvoy, was brilliant, and I think she was the perfect fit for this book. Plot Twist made me laugh, cry, hold my breath in anticipation, and root for Becca and Riley.
Thanks to Breea Keenan and Headline Accent for my audiobook in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
5 stars
Read
December 1, 2023I was initially drawn to this one given the comparison of authors (Emily Henry and Catherine Walsh), the setting (I can never resist Ireland or Scotland), and the cover art - which again had similar vibes to those authors I enjoy.
I would classify this read as women’s fiction with a romantic tilt. There is definitely a romance element, but the story itself is really about Becca’s personal growth as she works through grief, loss, and forgiveness.
While I think the premise was a good one, there were some interesting characters, and the author has a good voice / style - the execution of this story didn’t quite come together for me.
The flashbacks threw off the pacing for me a bit, and felt like they slowed the story down and threw me when they popped up. (As an aside on that it really made me question Becca given the events and timeline why this would be a relevant issue.)
I needed more proof and on page connection of Becca and Riley. As it was, I wasn’t fully convinced which made it hard to be invested in them.
On the other side, as I mentioned I think the authors style / voice was good and easy to read. Initially I was pulled right in. The story had some fun, light moments which balanced well with the heavier themes. I loved the setting and there was some good banter present too.
While this wasn’t a perfect fit for me, I think this book will definitely find its audience and was a decent debut. I’ll be interested to see what the author writes next and to try her next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an early copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own and freely offered.
July 23, 2024
Actual rating: 3,5
Let’s start this review saying how I loved that this book was set in Ireland. It was truly refreshing to read about a Scottish woman who goes to live temporarily in Ireland, especially when most stories that I read nowadays are set in the USA or in London.
Becca was a great character, and I was really into her story, I was very emotional about the whole grief that she goes through and her difficult feelings of discovering a secret from someone that she loves, misses and is grieving about. I do think this, and her character development was the highlight of the book. Saying that, I think this book could be easily market it as a literary fiction because the romance part wasn’t quite there. Becca and Riley’s friendship was really well developed and so is Becca’s friendship with Bridget and the other people around town, and it would have been great if the story had intended to do this. However, I think Becca and Riley’s romance lacked chemistry, so it took me awhile to get into the story because I wasn’t convinced about them as a couple. Once I realised that I was more connected to the other elements of the book, I stopped setting expectations for the romance and enjoyed the story.
Overall, it was very nice, and I think it’s a great book for those who love books about books with a small-town charm.
Thanks to NetGalley UK and Headline for sending me this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Let’s start this review saying how I loved that this book was set in Ireland. It was truly refreshing to read about a Scottish woman who goes to live temporarily in Ireland, especially when most stories that I read nowadays are set in the USA or in London.
Becca was a great character, and I was really into her story, I was very emotional about the whole grief that she goes through and her difficult feelings of discovering a secret from someone that she loves, misses and is grieving about. I do think this, and her character development was the highlight of the book. Saying that, I think this book could be easily market it as a literary fiction because the romance part wasn’t quite there. Becca and Riley’s friendship was really well developed and so is Becca’s friendship with Bridget and the other people around town, and it would have been great if the story had intended to do this. However, I think Becca and Riley’s romance lacked chemistry, so it took me awhile to get into the story because I wasn’t convinced about them as a couple. Once I realised that I was more connected to the other elements of the book, I stopped setting expectations for the romance and enjoyed the story.
Overall, it was very nice, and I think it’s a great book for those who love books about books with a small-town charm.
Thanks to NetGalley UK and Headline for sending me this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 29, 2023
3.75 stars
I love it when we get books that are about writers. It is always so much fun to see two writers' fall in love which is why I went into Plot Twist with considerable expectations. I'd say it was a pretty decent read in terms of the romance and the bonding between two main leads. By pretty decent in this case, I mean it was average; like it was good but it was nothing special. I do feel there are certain things that could have been removed or reduced and the book would have been the same. Such as the flashback scenes. There were an unusually large number of flashback chapters and a couple of them could have been cut down, especially the ones towards the middle of the book. In terms of the romance, I do feel there were some things lacking. I would have definitely appreciated more scenes of Becca and Riley together; like they had such good banter with each other and I could see the chemistry between them, however something still felt lacking to me. That might just be because of the multiple storylines that were also happening, that made things a little convulated, especially towards the end.
All in all, at least for me, Plot Twist is a one-time read, but I am sure there are people who are going to love this book.
Thank you Headline Accent for providing me with an e-ARC through Netgalley!
I love it when we get books that are about writers. It is always so much fun to see two writers' fall in love which is why I went into Plot Twist with considerable expectations. I'd say it was a pretty decent read in terms of the romance and the bonding between two main leads. By pretty decent in this case, I mean it was average; like it was good but it was nothing special. I do feel there are certain things that could have been removed or reduced and the book would have been the same. Such as the flashback scenes. There were an unusually large number of flashback chapters and a couple of them could have been cut down, especially the ones towards the middle of the book. In terms of the romance, I do feel there were some things lacking. I would have definitely appreciated more scenes of Becca and Riley together; like they had such good banter with each other and I could see the chemistry between them, however something still felt lacking to me. That might just be because of the multiple storylines that were also happening, that made things a little convulated, especially towards the end.
All in all, at least for me, Plot Twist is a one-time read, but I am sure there are people who are going to love this book.
Thank you Headline Accent for providing me with an e-ARC through Netgalley!
April 10, 2025
Cute easy read that I flew through.
I liked the links to Ireland and Scotland a lot.
But goodness me, I could not keep up with all the story lines, tropes, plots, and more!
Spoilers ahead.
This book covered:
- death of a bestest friend
- who was in a relationship with the ex
- who was a possible cheater btw
- who made a move on the FMC still, like the grave is barely dug come on
- close friend to whom the FMC escapes, who is not a woman but a man (=MMC)
- who has a child with no mother in the picture
- who stealthily and secretly contacts the child and pops up in various spots
- and actually kidnaps the child
- oh and that mother was a drug addict
- who tries to scare off the FMC
- while the FMC and MMC have fallen for each other
- but do not talk so like five levels of miscommunication
- with another love rival on the horizon of course
- this all while the sister and sister in law try to adopt
- and are successful
- and bring home twins (really??)
- ending with a cancer scare
- that was the cause of death for a parent
- all this with the FMC needing to grow a spine and the MMC needing to grow a pair
Anyway. Somehow still enjoyable.
But perhaps next time not say “yes� to the question of “which of these twenty tropes would work well in my book?� ;)
Rounded up to 3 stars.
I liked the links to Ireland and Scotland a lot.
But goodness me, I could not keep up with all the story lines, tropes, plots, and more!
Spoilers ahead.
This book covered:
- death of a bestest friend
- who was in a relationship with the ex
- who was a possible cheater btw
- who made a move on the FMC still, like the grave is barely dug come on
- close friend to whom the FMC escapes, who is not a woman but a man (=MMC)
- who has a child with no mother in the picture
- who stealthily and secretly contacts the child and pops up in various spots
- and actually kidnaps the child
- oh and that mother was a drug addict
- who tries to scare off the FMC
- while the FMC and MMC have fallen for each other
- but do not talk so like five levels of miscommunication
- with another love rival on the horizon of course
- this all while the sister and sister in law try to adopt
- and are successful
- and bring home twins (really??)
- ending with a cancer scare
- that was the cause of death for a parent
- all this with the FMC needing to grow a spine and the MMC needing to grow a pair
Anyway. Somehow still enjoyable.
But perhaps next time not say “yes� to the question of “which of these twenty tropes would work well in my book?� ;)
Rounded up to 3 stars.
March 20, 2024
I'm absolutely pumped to share my thoughts on this incredible audio journey. Right from the start, it whisked me off to the stunning landscapes of Scotland and Ireland, fueling my sense of adventure and wanderlust.
The main characters totally won me over with their authenticity and charm. Their friendship was portrayed so genuinely that I felt like I was right there with them, experiencing every moment. It wasn't just about the storyline; it was about the deep connection they shared, which was the heart and soul of the narrative.
Throughout the audio experience, I was taken on a wild rollercoaster of emotions, from moments of pure excitement to heartfelt introspection. Each chapter unfolded with such care and precision, keeping me hooked and eager for more.
What really hit home for me was how they showcased friendship as the foundation of all relationships. It was beautifully depicted, serving as a reminder of the importance of having a solid support system in both personal and professional spheres.
This audio journey was an absolute gem, blending adventure, friendship, and heartfelt moments seamlessly. It left a lasting impression on me, inspiring me to cherish the beauty of human connection and the magic of true friendship. I can't recommend it enough to anyone craving an unforgettable escape into a world of wonder and companionship.
The main characters totally won me over with their authenticity and charm. Their friendship was portrayed so genuinely that I felt like I was right there with them, experiencing every moment. It wasn't just about the storyline; it was about the deep connection they shared, which was the heart and soul of the narrative.
Throughout the audio experience, I was taken on a wild rollercoaster of emotions, from moments of pure excitement to heartfelt introspection. Each chapter unfolded with such care and precision, keeping me hooked and eager for more.
What really hit home for me was how they showcased friendship as the foundation of all relationships. It was beautifully depicted, serving as a reminder of the importance of having a solid support system in both personal and professional spheres.
This audio journey was an absolute gem, blending adventure, friendship, and heartfelt moments seamlessly. It left a lasting impression on me, inspiring me to cherish the beauty of human connection and the magic of true friendship. I can't recommend it enough to anyone craving an unforgettable escape into a world of wonder and companionship.
April 1, 2024
This didn't hit the spot for me. I couldn't really connect with the characters
Plot Twist follows our main character, Becca, right after the death of her best friend, Rae, and her discovery that Rae had been in a relationship with Becca's ex for quite a long time without telling her. To escape her complicated life in the aftermath of her friend's death, Becca, then, accepts another friend's invitation to go spend the summer in Ireland in a sort of writers' retreat. When she gets there, though, she finds out that her online writer friend Riley, who she had talking to for months is actually not a woman, but a very beautiful man.
I really liked the premise of this book, but I didn't think it managed to deal well with either the grief aspect of this novel or its romance. I couldn't connect with Becca and the other characters. I didn't feel like the author gave us readers enough room to do that. I also couldn't feel the emotion behind Becca and Riley's relationship. It truly felt more like a friendship with some added comments about how everyone in his town wanted him.
What I did love was Joy McAvoy's narration of the audiobook version Plot Twist. I felt like it really added another dimension to the story.
Thank you to Headline Accent and NetGalley for this ALC!
Plot Twist follows our main character, Becca, right after the death of her best friend, Rae, and her discovery that Rae had been in a relationship with Becca's ex for quite a long time without telling her. To escape her complicated life in the aftermath of her friend's death, Becca, then, accepts another friend's invitation to go spend the summer in Ireland in a sort of writers' retreat. When she gets there, though, she finds out that her online writer friend Riley, who she had talking to for months is actually not a woman, but a very beautiful man.
I really liked the premise of this book, but I didn't think it managed to deal well with either the grief aspect of this novel or its romance. I couldn't connect with Becca and the other characters. I didn't feel like the author gave us readers enough room to do that. I also couldn't feel the emotion behind Becca and Riley's relationship. It truly felt more like a friendship with some added comments about how everyone in his town wanted him.
What I did love was Joy McAvoy's narration of the audiobook version Plot Twist. I felt like it really added another dimension to the story.
Thank you to Headline Accent and NetGalley for this ALC!
April 16, 2024
I whizzed through this book, I absolutely loved the narration!
Becca, a Glaswegian school teacher who dreams of writing children’s books, takes an impromptu trip to Ireland to spend time with Riley, a romance writer that Becca has become fast-friends with online, after the sudden death of Becca’s best friend.
It felt cozy and wholesome and yet there was plenty of drama keeping me engaged. I enjoyed exploring the deeper topics of this story including grief and single parenthood juxtaposed with a cozy setting and host of characters.
While the romance was sweet and it certainly had me routing for the couple I felt the romantic tension was lacking slightly.
I would recommend this quick and easy book to contemporary romance lovers who are not looking for spice. Please check trigger warnings before reading!
I would read more work from both the author and narrator!
My main gripe with this book was where was the plot twist?!
Becca, a Glaswegian school teacher who dreams of writing children’s books, takes an impromptu trip to Ireland to spend time with Riley, a romance writer that Becca has become fast-friends with online, after the sudden death of Becca’s best friend.
It felt cozy and wholesome and yet there was plenty of drama keeping me engaged. I enjoyed exploring the deeper topics of this story including grief and single parenthood juxtaposed with a cozy setting and host of characters.
While the romance was sweet and it certainly had me routing for the couple I felt the romantic tension was lacking slightly.
I would recommend this quick and easy book to contemporary romance lovers who are not looking for spice. Please check trigger warnings before reading!
I would read more work from both the author and narrator!
My main gripe with this book was where was the plot twist?!
March 28, 2024
Rating 3.5 but rounding it up to 4
Plot Twist was a cute romance that was easy and fun to read. From an entertaining beginning, we follow Becca Taylor as she discovers her best friend is dead and not only that but she'd also been keeping a big secret. As she finds herself spiralling, Becca's writer friend, Riley O'Connell, suggests she visits Ireland. Becca agrees and goes to stay with Riley. However, she's in for a shock when Riley turns out to be a very handsome Irishman. The plot was entertaining, if a little predictable at times, but this was balanced by the plot twists throughout. Some were great fun, others gave me whiplash! haha.
I listened to the audiobook version of Plot Twist and thoroughly enjoyed the narration from Joy McAvoy. It was the perfect pick-me-up after a migraine. Thank you for getting me through it!
Thank you Netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Plot Twist was a cute romance that was easy and fun to read. From an entertaining beginning, we follow Becca Taylor as she discovers her best friend is dead and not only that but she'd also been keeping a big secret. As she finds herself spiralling, Becca's writer friend, Riley O'Connell, suggests she visits Ireland. Becca agrees and goes to stay with Riley. However, she's in for a shock when Riley turns out to be a very handsome Irishman. The plot was entertaining, if a little predictable at times, but this was balanced by the plot twists throughout. Some were great fun, others gave me whiplash! haha.
I listened to the audiobook version of Plot Twist and thoroughly enjoyed the narration from Joy McAvoy. It was the perfect pick-me-up after a migraine. Thank you for getting me through it!
Thank you Netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2024
A cute story with some lovely characters - and some rather far-fetched stereotypes (hot, skinny yoga teacher, I'm looking at you...)
Overall I enjoyed this and was engaged until the end. It was refreshing to read a book set in Scotland and Ireland rather than England, although ultimately the setting was not hugely relevant to the story. The writing definitely left something to be desired - in particular the pacing, some of the dialogue, and the plausibility of the MCs' relationship - but it was significantly better than the average in this genre (albeit not a high bar for me). I think the title is a bit inappropriate, given the vast majority of the plot was entirely predictable.
I received an arc from the publisher via NetGalley, with thanks. The above is my honest, unbiased review.
Overall I enjoyed this and was engaged until the end. It was refreshing to read a book set in Scotland and Ireland rather than England, although ultimately the setting was not hugely relevant to the story. The writing definitely left something to be desired - in particular the pacing, some of the dialogue, and the plausibility of the MCs' relationship - but it was significantly better than the average in this genre (albeit not a high bar for me). I think the title is a bit inappropriate, given the vast majority of the plot was entirely predictable.
I received an arc from the publisher via NetGalley, with thanks. The above is my honest, unbiased review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.