Any Trope but You
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Overview
A Library Journal starred debut and one of Amazon's Best Romance Books of 2025, Any Trope but You is the snarky, swoony rom-com that has readers and critics alike completely obsessed.
Margot Bradley has built a career writing Happily Ever Afters she doesn't believe in. Privately, she's been writing alternate endings for her own characters — ones that swap wedding bells for divorce papers and the occasional slashed tire. When that secret document gets hacked and released to the public, her career implodes overnight. Dropped by her publisher and canceled by her readers, Margot needs a plan.
She decides to reinvent herself by trading romance for murder. The fictional kind. Probably. Her sister Savannah, who Margot has long been supporting through a chronic illness, books her a six-week stay at a remote resort in Alaska to write her first murder mystery. It sounds like exactly the fresh start she needs — until Margot is chased by a moose and launches herself into the arms of the resort's very handsome proprietor. She immediately suspects she's stumbled into the plot of a romance novel.
Dr. Forrest Wakefield did not plan to become a glorified bellhop. He left behind his dream career as a cancer researcher to quietly care for his ailing father at the family resort. Life has narrowed considerably, and his puzzle-loving mind is going stir-crazy — until Margot arrives and turns everything upside down. But Forrest knows better than to let someone in, especially someone with a checkout date.
As the Alaskan nights grow long and one unlikely romantic trope after another seems to conspire against them, both Margot and Forrest are forced to examine exactly what — and who — they're afraid to lose.
"Lavine turns many of the common romance novel tropes on their heads in this stunning debut. Top-notch banter will have readers laughing out loud as they root for Margot to finally achieve her own happily-ever-after." — Library Journal, starred review, Romance Debut of the Month, Best Books of 2025
Reviews and Author Praise
"This debut romance is beautifully written, nicely balancing humor and heat with realistic drama and conflict."
— Kirkus Reviews
"This is a fantastic debut rom-com, and a love letter to the tropes we romance readers love...This book is snarky and swoony in equal measure, and even though it takes place in Alaska, don't worry: the smoldering chemistry more than makes up for the cold and snow. And I have two words: sauna scene. You're welcome."
— Amazon, Best Romance Books of 2025
"Lavine turns many of the common romance novel tropes on their heads in this stunning debut. Top-notch banter will have readers laughing out loud as they root for Margot to finally achieve her own happily-ever-after."
— Library Journal, starred review, Romance Debut of the Month, Stellar Selections, Best Books of 2025
"A love letter to 'romancelandia' and the tropes it celebrates."
— LibraryReads Top Ten Books for April 2025
"In Lavine's often humorous, sometimes heart-wrenching debut, a jaded romance author navigates a slew of rom-com tropes...It's sweet to watch the leads bond over their mutual understanding of caretaking and sacrifice. Readers will have no trouble rooting for this pair's happy ending."
— Publishers Weekly
Topics and Key Themes
Narrative Tropes
Forced Proximity
Grumpy/Sunshine
Slow Burn
Opposites Attract
Meta Romance / Trope-Aware Heroine
Key Themes
Cynicism versus belief — a jaded romance author is forced to live the love story she stopped believing in.
Career implosion as catalyst — public scandal strips everything away, making room for an unexpected fresh start.
Caretaking and sacrifice — both leads have quietly shelved their dreams to care for the people they love.
Snowy isolation as emotional pressure — six weeks in remote Alaska collapses defenses faster than either expected.
Checkout date as the real villain — a built-in goodbye makes falling feel reckless for both of them.
Who is this book for?
Primary Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3/5: Spicy
Open-door romance with balance. You’ll find some on-page intimacy with moderate detail, woven into the story. A sweet spot for readers who enjoy both emotional depth and a bit of steam.
Fans of Emily Henry's witty, meta-aware romantic comedies will enjoy the enemies-to-lovers slow burn, snowy Alaskan setting, and emotionally layered characters navigating fear of love and loss.
About the Author
Victoria Lavine is a debut romance author whose work blends humor, heart, and emotionally grounded characters. With no prior titles to her name, she arrives as a fresh voice in contemporary romance, bringing a sharp wit and a talent for layered, relatable protagonists navigating love alongside real-world pressures. Her writing draws on themes of reinvention, family loyalty, and the tension between self-protection and vulnerability. Further details about her background, location, and personal life are not publicly available at this time.
Similar Authors
Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez, Tarah DeWitt
Reader FAQs
Any Trope but You shares Emily Henry's witty, self-aware style and emotionally layered characters, but leans more heavily into meta-humor — the heroine is a romance author actively resisting the tropes unfolding around her. The banter is sharper and the setup more comedic.
Any Trope but You is written for an adult audience. It carries a moderate spice level and deals with adult themes including public scandal, chronic illness, and grief. It is best suited to readers 18 and older.
The book includes references to chronic illness, a character setting aside a medical career due to a parent's declining health, and a public career-ending scandal. Readers sensitive to themes of caregiving, loss of professional identity, or family sacrifice should be aware of these elements.
Any Trope but You is a slow burn. The two leads spend six weeks together in remote Alaska, and the story builds tension gradually through banter, forced proximity, and mutual emotional guardedness rather than rushing toward resolution.
The distinguishing element is its meta-awareness. The heroine is a romance novelist who recognizes every trope as it happens and resists falling into them. This self-referential layer adds comedic friction that most setting-driven rom-coms do not attempt.
Info
ISBN: 9781668079270
Published Date: April 1, 2025
Publisher: Atria Books
Language: English
Page Count: 326
Size: 8.25" l x 5.25" w x 1.00" h
Category
Fiction