I was delighted to see there was another book in the Bromance Book Club series. This time it's Noah (the tech guy) and Alexis (who runs the Toe Beans cafe). As with the other books in the series, Noah is a (very reluctant) recruit to the book club. As always, the scenes where the guys are together are very funny.
The emotional themes in this book run quite deep. Grief being the main one. Seeing Alexis, who is a quiet but strong person, being rent apart by grief, guilt and hope was very moving. I love Alexis.
There is a 'big miss'in the story, but the other characters call them out on it and make them talk to each other.
I really enjoyed this book. Alexis is definitely my favourite heroine from the group.
I'm told the next book is about The Russian, who is my favourite of the guys, so I'm looking forward to that one!
I got a review copy from Netgalley. This is my honest review

Crazy Stupid Bromance, The Bromance Book Club returns with an unforgettable friends-to-lovers rom-com!, Lyssa Kay Adams

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Women's Fiction

Ah, no.... Women's Fiction, again. An outdated, no-place-for-in-2020 category I hate. Yet it still keeps creeping in. Why alienate half your potential readers. And the irony of labeling this Women's Fiction when the premise is about a group of guys reading romance * roll eyes.

Anyway, somehow I missed book two, I thought things had changed from what I last remembered ;-) Now the Bromance Book Club is coming to the rescue once more. Can the guys wave the magic wand, do the Fairy Godfather stuff for Noah and Alexis.

I love this concept, a group of guys, very diverse from the burly taciturn The Russian ( who has incredibly sensitive moments!) to hipster Noah. I can just imagine them getting down to plot devices, analysing how and why they work in real life....
This book had such a lot going on though, Alexis and Noah friends to lovers maybe romance, Alexis past issues, her cafe that's become a survivors haven, and of course the prejudices that brings out in a neighbour. There's always one isn't there. Then a real bombshell gets dropped into Alexis life and I wasn't sure how I felt. It gave me some things to think about. I think, as Alexis did, that maybe I would have made that decision as I didn't want that on my conscience, and yet you then can't help wondering, do they like her for who she is or what she is? Tough one and so hard on her just when she doesn't need more.
I got cross at both of them at points though, they seemed to be pushing forward, then stepping back. Aggravating even though it was part of who they were.

The stars: Beefcake – fab cat, and terror extraordinaire. Toebeans – what is with that name? Mack and the wedding planning, he was a real Groomzilla. When they all went for a bachelor party massage, that had me in stitches. Emergency texts to find out naked or underpants? The cucumber one of the lads used on eyes and then another wondered what they did with the carrot.....

Another great read, my only criticism was that there seemed at times to be so much, maybe too much, going on. The issues with Alexis father was a lot to add in a story already packed with events.
Hint of the next book looks like it might be The Russian taking pointe place. I hope so, he's on the face one guy but through the books has shown us another side altogether.

Stars: Four, a fun read, has me sniggering, tears down my face in parts, the tears for an entirely different reason altogether.

ARC supplied by Netgalley and publisher

3.5/5

When I read the first instalment of TBBC I was after something light and cute and got exactly that. When I requested this one I was actually entirely unaware a second instalment already existed so had to go read that sharpish and hated it. So this one really could have gone either way. But! I think this is my fave out of the three? It's probably to do with Liv being almost entirely uninvolved? But also a lil computer nerd and a cat-cafe owner?? Yes please.

Unfortunately my problems with the first and the second were largely present in this one - the men are ridiculous preachy feminists, they just say rote platitudes constantly and put all the blame on the men? Nothing ever sounds organic when they're speaking about feminism. The Russian remains a caricature of a person. The women are written to be strong but are very often insanely naive. And as much as the romance portion was cute (and it was!), Adams seems to be a fan of a miscommunication trope to add some drama (my least fave), and the peripheral storyline just tried to do too much and failed (in this case, family drama).

Like I said, this one's probably my fave of the three, but I think I'm done with this series. If you were a fan of the other two I'm pretty sure you'll love this one, It was sweet and fun and fast-paced and is perfect for a light read.

Big thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Headline Eternal for the advance copy - this one's due to be released in the UK on the 27/10/20

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review - thanks as always to Netgalley for sending this to me!

Crazy, Stupid Bromance is the third book in the Bromance Book Club series, which follows a group of men who use romance novels to help them unlearn toxic masculinity and navigate their relationships with the women they love. This book follows former hacktivist Noah and cat-cafe owner Alexis, a pair of best friends who secretly harbour romantic feelings for one another.

I've followed this series religiously since its onset, and the first book, The Bromance Book club, is one of my favourite romance novels of all time. The second book, Undercover Bromance, didn't work so well for me. I found the characters more difficult to connect to and felt that there was a pretty huge disparity in tone from the first book, which was a rom-com. Book 2 tackles themes of sexual assault and harrassment, and while it did this well, it felt very much at odds with the lightheartedness I'd come to expect from the series. Book 3, however, did a great job of balancing the serious elements of the story - organ donation, grief and the Me Too movement - with the fun side of the story, and the vibe was a lot more cohesive. I felt like we got to really get to grips with these characters’ struggles and insecurities, and the friends to lovers aspects meant that they already had this level of closeness and were able to lean on each other in times of need. They were a team throughout, and it was great to see.

Speaking of friends to lovers - as a general rule, this trope isn't my jam. I find it pretty bland most of the time (unless it's sapphic. Sapphic friends to lovers hits different.) This book, though, was a shining example of how good this trope can be when it's done well. I loved how perfectly these characters gelled together - you really got the sense that they fit perfectly, with this amazing connection that leapt off the page. It was like they were an established couple from the onset, but with added yearning and a sprinkle of sexual tension. It’s a vibe I was totally here for.

One thing that did take me by surprise about this book was how intensely it hit me in the feels. While I am physically incapable of watching a movie without being reduced to tears, books very rarely make me cry, but when we got to the book’s grand gesture - a staple of the romance genre that this series, in a very charmingly meta way, likes to make a big fanfare of - I was astonished to find myself tearing up. Yep, this book made me cry like a baby, folks. In the immortal words of the Russian (who’s getting his own book! Yes!!!) “We always run for grand gesture.” And apparently, my NOSE always runs for the grand gesture too. Sorry - TMI.

Even without the grand gesture, though, this book has a lot of emotion packed into its pages. It has friendship, recovery from trauma, long-lost family, and more. It was a rollercoaster, but one that left me with an amazing glowy feeling afterwards. It had all of the heart and escapism that I crave in a romance, especially with the world being like it is, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

Being the insufferable perfectionist that I am, I had a few tiny gripes with the story - a couple of secondary characters who rubbed me up the wrong way, that sort of thing - but they were so minor that I’m honestly struggling to remember what they were. For the most time I had a great time reading. My faith in this series has been restored, and I can’t wait to read the Russian’s book next year!

The Bromance Bookclub are some of Nashville's very scrummy menfolk who believe romance novels hold the key to all relationships. This is the third in the series so far and this time focuses on Noah (the cyber dude we met in book 2) and Alexis (who we also met in book 2 when he helped her, Liv and Jessica against the town baddie.) Noah and Alexis have been best friends since they met but both secretly long for more. With the help of the bromance bookclub will they get their happily ever after?
First off I have to say I have loved all three of these books and the Russian is undoubtedly my favourite (roll on book 4!!)
I loved that there was still a fair whack of Mack in this book because he is brilliant and I just didn't feel like I really knew Noah as quickly as I felt that with Mack and Gavin in the previous novels.
There was enough steamy stuff to keep steam fans involved without being too much for those who like thir romances to be purer.
There are 2 little issues I spotted and I don't know if its edited badly just on the ARC (I will find out when my pre-review I ordered back in March downloads on the 27th!) I have sent screenshots to Lyssa on instagram just in case she checks her messages from fans (not likely Bianca you cyber fan!) However it was not enough to make me rate any less than a 5 star and I would give it more if I could.
This story had me going from laughter (the Russian and Beefcake - star!) To tears and back again. I love a book that can do that so seamlessly. There were some serious issues in this book which I think Lyssa is very good at entwining with the romance while not losing focus on the seriousness of the real issues she raises.
Great book.

This series of books is brilliant, they are the perfect mix between romance and comedy.

The relationships between the characters are so entertaining, especially Alexis and Noah, they are so free and real together. It had me laughing for the majority of the book, and I really appreciated the depth of the male characters, very original and thought out.

Lyssa has clearly taken a lot of time to get her characters full rounded which i appreciated, her writing is brilliant and very detailed. I'm really looking forward to the next one.

I haven't read the other books in this series but it didn't really matter. I still enjoyed it. A nice fun read.

This book wasn’t for me. I didn’t feel involved with the characters, and felt their relationship was kind of boring. I think people who are looking for a typical romance will love this book however

Having never been much of a romance reader, lockdown led me to look for more lighthearted reads and Lyssa Kay Adams' Bromance series was one I discovered along the way. Having read the first two I was looking forward to this, the latest in the series and wasn't disappointed.

The focus this time is on Noah and Alexis, and their journey from friends to lovers. What Adams has done brilliantly in this series is introduce you to a great set of characters from the start and it is therefore so much fun to get to know them better as they become the focus of subsequent books. The supporting case and the men's book club provide much of the humour - there was also a more emotional element to this book as Noah and Alexis both deal with family issues which gave this book some unexpected depth.

Ultimately it is a clever, fun and entertaining read that is perfect if you're in search of something lighthearted - I look forward to the next in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was my favourite of the series so far. It was the loveliest friends-to-more story with a strong serious theme to underpin the comedy and banter. Noah and Alexis worked so well as a main couple rather than the side characters we’ve seen them as before.

What I enjoyed was that there was no speed in their feelings or relationship development as they’d been doing all that best friend building for the last year. I don’t want to spoil the foundational story but it was emotional and struck more than one gut punch. Despite that, the rom-com elements were kindle-highlighting gold.

The maine coon Beefcake was a low-key sensation, I love when there is pet-personality in a story. Beefcake had personality and more, perfect for October because he was pretty evil.

"Noah jogged down the stairs, leaping just in time off the bottom step ton avoid an assassination attempt by Beefcake. The f****** cat hated him. He liked to make himself known in the shadiest way possible."

Alexis’ family was something, a real push and pull of hate and love. But found-family was everything, none more than the Bromance Book Club. The book featured this time ‘Coming Home’, I’m so tempted to read it after its life lessons!

There’s something about this series that keeps me coming back for more. I find the premise for the series and the characters endearing and funny and I’ll be more than happy to read a book four.

Thank you to Headline Eternal for the early review copy.

Crazy Stupid Bromance is the third installment in Lyssa Kay Adams' Bromance Book Club series. The underlying theme of the book is the same, one of the wider group of friends, with the Bromance Book Club at it's centre, is having relationship trouble, so Mack and the BBC step in to help.

This time, it's Noah, computer genius, and all around nice guy who needs help, he is stuck in the friend zone but crazy in love with his best friend Alexis - you may remember her as a friend to Liv, one of the main characters from the second novel. Noah is, of course, reluctant to let the BBC help him, because he is happy to stay in the friend zone, as long as it means he can still have Alexis in his life, even if its just as friends,

Unfortunately, Crazy Stupid Bromance is my least favorite of the three books so far. I couldn't connect to Alexis at all, she was either flighty or horny, there was no real in between. I struggled as well because I felt like this book only really had the two characters, though there were other things happening in the background, it was very much spotlight on Alexis or Noah...and I have to admit, I love the side characters in this series, so it was a bit of a let down in that aspect for me - maybe because Noah was on the fringes of the group anyway, it made sense to do it this way.

The second storyline for Alexis was good, I felt it was portrayed well, thought she could have acted a bit more like a grown up at times rather than a petulant teenager, but hey, that's just me - and as mentioned before, she isn't my favourite character. Noah's background storyline was good too, I liked his relationship with him mum, though it was tough to read the parts with Marsh.

I rated CSB 3* - thank you to Headline and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

~ 4.5 stars ~

I adored this latest installment to the Bromance Book Club series, which has quickly became one of my favourite romance series.

This was a seriously sexy friends-to-lovers read. Alexis and Noah are friends straddling the awkward line of just friends or something more, but neither want to ruin a relationship they've both come to depend and rely on.

The sexual tension that was built up between the two main characters was immaculate. The characters were flawed and had their own issues and watching them overcome their issues and being honest about it, was very refreshing.

It's rare to find a read which seamlessly blends drama in the plot with great chemistry. The pace, the plot and the dialogue was all so well written and balanced that I devoured this book.

Everything which I loved in the previous books (bromance book club meetings, well developed main characters, funny and supportive side characters and scenes so adorable they made my cheeks hurt from smiling so much) were all in the book and made it one of my favourite romance reads of the year so far.

If you like stories that feature characters who feel real, some sexy scenes and memorable characters, this may be a read for you. I'm already looking forward to the next book and hope that it's either Colton or The Russian.

Another one to the Bromance Book Club series, but this time with Noah and Alexis! Loved seeing their transition from friends to lovers and revisiting the other characters. It's definitely one of my favorite reads of the year. Thanks Lyssa and can't wait to read about The Russian! P.S - I feel like The Russian stole the show in this book and he was hilarious!

Having read the other two books in the series, this didn’t disappoint. Loved all the characters and their interactions!

Noah is being driven crazy by his friend Mack who is in full-on groomzilla mode organising his wedding to Live (let's just take a moment to reflect on how wonderful it is that he's doing all the organising). Alongside making paper flowers, dance routines and seating plans, he is getting flack about his 'friendship' with Alexis. She is just a friend, who has been through so much that he doesn't want to change things and possibly lose her.

Alexis has had a troubled few years. Between losing her mom to cancer, the sexual harassment scandal with a famous chef and opening her cat cafe / safe place for sexual abuse victims. Luckily she has had Noah in her life for the past 18 months. A good friend who is there to support her throughout the highs and lows but overstepping that line in the sand might make her lose that friendship and she's not sure she can do that.

Both dealing with past revelations, the guilt, the anger and the loss that comes with that. Will it bring them closer together or push each other away? Can Noah learn about romance and women as part of Mack's Bromance Book Club?

One that will have you laughing out loud (the spa scene especially) and reaching for the tissues too.

I snort-laughed my way through this book right until the end ... then I bawled. This book had it all. It’s definitely my favourite of the series. It was beautifully written and touched on a number of very heavy subjects but I think they were dealt with sensitively and honestly.
Having met Noah and Alexis in the previous book I thought I had an idea of what their story was going to be like, but boy was I totally wrong. This book had so much heart. Seeing them both struggling with their past demons, thinking they are all in the past, but no, just like any well devised plot that the guys might read in their book club, it’s not over until they admit the truth to themselves and then have the ‘big gesture’. I loved every minute of this. I giggled, I swooned, I laughed out loud and I wiped tears from eyes. Simply beautiful. I’m really hoping the Russians story is next.

With every book I read from Lyssa, I like them and her writing more and more and I gave this book five stars! Crazy Stupid Bromance features the friends to lovers trope which usually isn't my favourite but I was obsessed with it in this! Alexis and Noah were so good together and I was really rooting for them since the last book if I remember right! They both have feelings for each other but don't want to talk to each other about them because they are best friends and don't want to mess that up. You can feel every emotion come alive from the page which is a huge credit to Lyssa's writing as I read a tonne of romance books and that doesn't happen all that often.

This is the third book in the series and while you can read them all as a standalone, I would recommend reading them in order as it really adds to the plot of further books. I love all of the characters in these books so I love the extra glimpses you get of them with each new book. With each book, the bromance book club is reading a book that helps with their real-life issues and in this one, I loved the small glimpses you got of it. It didn't overpower the actual plot of the book at all and that was an issue I had with the first book in the series.

Alexis is the owner of a cat cafe that you get to see in the previous book and I loved all of the cat content in this book! It was so much fun. And there are some truly laugh out loud moments in this book to do with a cat as well as some with the guys from the book club. Alongside the incredible romance, you follow Alexis' journey with her family and it was something I really related to. The topic of kidney donation was discussed heavily and I thought it was really well done, Alexis is such a selfless character and I would love to be more like her. Noah also has things he is dealing with and I love how they had each other for these issues.

I've adored this series from the first page, and Crazy Stupid Bromance is a stunning addition to the line up.

Lyssa Kay Adams is very good at making each of her stories unique, in a genre when often it's easy to just repeat the same basic story. This third installment is less funny than the others (although it definitely still has its moments!) and more emotional and poignant. The romance is still sexy and sweet though, and I loved it from beginning to end.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

So Alexis has a little Cafe where she also runs a little program for sexually harrassed women to open up to each other. She's also in a constant hope that someday her nonexistent father will come for her.

And the brilliant hacking dude Noah has a crush on Alexis, and their relationship is build on this understanding that they're there for each other as friends and nothing else had popped into their minds.

Well obviously that's about to change soon as their friends Liv and Mack are getting married and the Bromance Book Club is calling Noah to put his unrequited feelings into action. The guys begin meddling into Noah and Alexis until they end up naked for each other! There's some crazy wedding stuff and utterly bonkers stuff that the guys do that will tear you up. And Alexis has a devilish cat that is already killing birds and secretly plotting to castrate Noah in his sleep.

Overall it's a fun read. Quick and easy romance with cheesy plot lines, silly quarrels and dramatic makeup and utterly hot sex. So yeah, all you need from a romantic comedy is here.

Noah, a former hacktivist turned IT consultant, has been in love with his best friend Alexis, who runs a cat café, practically since they met. But Alexis was sexually harassed by her former boss and Noah is sensitive to her current fragility. The only problem is, he's in danger of being friend-zoned.

Then one day, a customer Alexis thought could be a fellow victim of harassment turns out to have a more shocking story - she says she is Alexis' sister, from the father Alexis never met. And the kicker? Her father needs a kidney donor!

I loved the first Bromance Book Club novel and enjoyed the second but I have to say I feel the series is on a downward trajectory for me. Noah and Alexis were both in love with each other (or at least madly pashing on each other) but too scared to make a move. Then when one of them makes a move they immediately retract and the other one gets upset, then they don't talk, rinse and repeat.

Friends to lovers can often be a tricky proposition, the protagonists can come across as a bit wet, oblivious to the other person's feelings and dismissive when others try to point out the blindingly obvious and I'm afraid for me Noah and Alexis fell into this category.

Overall it was a fun read but I didn't get the feels in the same way I did with the first book and I didn't think this had the humour of the second book.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.