I enjoyed listening to Riley and Becca’s story, set both in Ireland and Scotland, both for the story and the narration. It’s a well-written romance centered around writing, loss and facing past grievances. Funny at times, touching at others and entertaining overall.

Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the free audiobook copy! My review will be completely honest and my own opinions.

Since this is an audiobook, I want to start by applauding the narration! Joy McAvoy did an excellent job with this story, she was really well chosen for it. She fully performed the book and the emotions really came thru.

Now with the actual story. We have Becca, who is a teacher and an aspiring author. We meet her at a point in her life where everything seems to be going wrong, from losing her best friend, finding out she’d been keeping secrets from her, and seeing the ex she had a not-so-amicable break up with some years back, on top of her struggling to find inspiration for her children’s novel. Her sort of pen pal, Riley, who is a published romance author, invites her to Ireland for a “writers’ retreat” over the summer holidays to try and work together on their respective novels that they are both having a hard time with. Turns out Riley is not a gentle romance-writing, yoga-practicing single mother, but a very hot, very tall irishman. When she discovers this, she’s torn between staying or not, but decides in the end to stay and see where it goes, and so their story begins.

What I liked most about this book:

- Becca is extremely relatable in how she navigates life and all the hardship thrown at her, and she is absolutely HILARIOUS, and I mean laugh out loud funny. Her interactions with Riley and the side characters, especially Ivy, Riley’s daughter, are so entertaining. Her development throughout the story is very believable as she navigates grief and betrayal, but also learning to accept the good that comes in her life, however small

- The setting of a small irish town was delightful

- I loved the romance element, it was portrayed as a very real and raw relationship. The obstacles the two of them had to overcome felt like something that could really happen in real life, again relatable and believable! Riley and Becca really went through it, but they got out victorious in the end

- THE EPILOGUE!!! if you read this and think “well this could be better”, the epilogue just lands everything perfectly

Obviously, Riley is also a great character, but I did feel like he was completely oblivious to Becca’s feelings and how he was hurting her, and for a romance author it was a bit meh.

Now, the things that I didn’t like about it:

- First and foremost, this has to do with my personal preferences, but there is “other woman drama”, which I don’t want to say more about since it might be a spoiler

- I felt as though miscommunication was the driving force of the book in a way that I couldn’t find myself enjoying. There were very many plot twists (naturally, giving the title), but they mainly happened due to poor or missed communication between the main characters

- Although I liked Becca as a character, she sometimes felt a bit childish and bratty, even at her current age, not just in the flashbacks, and I especially want to mention her attitude at the funeral toward Drew, like yes you ended it on bad terms but it’s your best friend’s funeral?? there was no need for her to react that way. The first few chapters really made it hard to carry on listening as Becca came across as unlikeable at first.

- The story sometimes dragged, with certain interactions or description feeling unnecessary to the story. This is advertised as a romance, but it did feel a bit like lit-fic, with the actual romance often taking a back seat. Towards the end, the proposition from Drew and the health scare felt unnecessary to the story, as if the author haphazardly added some extra things to milk out more plot twists. I think the storyline could’ve been approached differently to reach the same result

Regardless of all criticism for the story, I did enjoy the book and its narration! I would recommend to look out for trigger warnings, since there are some themes in there that could be disturbing to some readers.

3.5 stars final rating

Plot Twist is a sweet romance that I was quickly swept up in! While it definitely would’ve taken me a little bit longer to get over my shock (and embarrassment!) at Riley being a man, Riley was so charming that I can’t entirely fault Becca for getting over it so quickly. I absolutely adored all the side characters that appeared during Becca’s stay in the Irish countryside, and there honestly wasn’t even a moment of this where I was bored or eager to be done. My only complaint is that I wasn’t crazy about some of the flashbacks. Some of them just felt like they were distracting me from the main romance. All-in-all, this was a solid 4-star read for me!

Special shoutout to the narrator who did a phenomenal job with this one! I listen to at least one audiobook every week, and I will most definitely be seeking out more books narrated by Joy McAvoy.

Additionally, thank you to NetGalley and Headline for allowing me the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

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.

This was a cute one but it took me awhile to get through it as I wasn’t really drawn in. The main characters weren’t my favorites and I didn’t really feel a connection to them. I listened to the audiobook and loved the narrator with her different accents! I didn’t love this one but it certainly wasn’t bad, just not a memorable one for me.

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.

5⭐ (audio) I listen to tons of audiobooks, and as long as a narrator doesn't pull me out of the story, I'm generally happy. Joy McAvoy, however does an amazing job with this story, her accents brought this book to life. Definitely 5⭐ narration from me!

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. 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.

4⭐ This book deals with some trauma (see the blurb), so readers take care of yourselves! This was entertaining, but felt that the 'plot twist' was already out of the bag, so it didn't feel like one! The characters were entertaining and I enjoyed the story. The audio version of this definitely enhanced the story for me!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced audio copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

The characters well well written and the plotline was quite funny n interesting in its own way. I had a great time reading this. Plus, in audiobook format the narrator did an amazing job, I wasn't bored even for a second while listening to this.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook in return for an honest review. I was expecting a lighthearted rom com book so I was pleasantly surprised as the story developed and became so much more. The story deals largely with the topic of grief and also a cancer scare and its repercussions. I really liked all the characters especially Ivy and I’d love to go and stay at Belinda Cottage. Becca was such an honest and relatable character that I really liked and found myself really rooting for a good outcome. Highly recommended.

This was such a sweet and easy read which shocked me as it covered so many triggering subjects such as grief and addiction.
I would firstly in my opinion say this was women's lit with an element of romance rather than a romance.
I would definitely say this sits more in the realm of Beth O'Leary than Emily Henry.
The love story for me was the love within the female friendship the main plot is surrounded by. It was a beautiful tale of the beauty and angst of female relationships throughout adulthood.
What I loved about this so much is that in this cosy romantic environment the reality of life followed Becca at every avenue ,she couldn't escape reality by running away to an idyllic environment. People ,events and just life in general tried to knock her so many times and through it all she continued. She is an inspiring character and the entire story is inspiring.
I listened to the audiobook which was solo narration and the narrator did a great job in the roles of male,female and child characters.

Thank you to Headline Audio and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I devoured this!! Such a feel good, cute romance, I loved it! Becca and Riley have been penpals for a while, and when Becca’s best friend passes away she escaped to Ireland for a writers retreat with Riley. Such an easy read and great for any romance lovers.

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!

Becca’s life is falling apart. Her best friend has just passed away and her ex-boyfriend is at the funeral. To take a much-needed break, she decides to go on a writer’s retreat to Ireland on an invitation from her friend Kiley - a romance writer she met at an online writer’s forum. That’s when she realises Kiley is a man. And a six-foot-something drop-dead gorgeous man, at that.

Plot Twist is a very fun story. It delves into difficult topics, like grief, and how love and friendship can help you heal from loss and pain. It’s an incredible debut by Breea Keenan, whom I will be keeping an eye out for, for sure.

The audiobook narrator is brilliant, and I am obsessed with her accent.

The book came out on the 28th of March, so it’s available now! I’m really grateful to NetGalley, Breea Keenan, and Headline Audio for giving me the chance to fall in love with Becca and Riley.

Plot Twist
Breea Keenan
Narrator Joy McAvoy

This debut novel deserves all the stars! I loved every phenomenal word spoken by the outstanding narrator Joy McAvoy as she brought the author’s, Breea Keenan, words to life.

Becca’s life is falling apart. Her best friend has sadly passed away and who shows up at the funeral? Her ex boyfriend! Why is he there?

Having also lost her job, Becca, a budding writer, is invited to stay with Riley - a romance writer she met in an authors forum and whom she’s bonded with through texts talking about everything from Pap tests to writers block. Becca agrees.

Upon showing up to Riley’s to focus on her writing and the future she finds out Riley is a 6 foot man! A ruggedly handsome man with a young daughter.

The story of Becca and Riley shows how love and friendship can mend a broken heart. It shows everyone can have a happily ever after even when healing from pain and loss.

You don’t want to miss this one! I’m secretly hoping for another book with Becca and Riley. If that can’t happen, then I’m 1000% certain I’ll check out the next novel by Breea Keenan. As I said, this novel and audiobook deserves all the stars! The book came out Thursday March 28th making it available now!

I’m so appreciative NetGalley, Breea Keenan, and Headline Audio granted me the opportunity to fall in love with this story in exchange for a review.

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.
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.

This was a nice story but for me it didn’t really keep my attention. It flowed nicely but for me it just lacked something.

Even though this book has a few tough subjects within the plot, this is a feel good book. The main characters are lovable and you really route for them in life. Although sad things happen, it doesn't effect the feel good factor in the book. I blitzed through this in a day and loved it!
4*

Thank you NetGalley, Headline Audio and Breea Keenan for a EARC in exchange for an honest review.

Plot Twist is such a fun, cute romance and I devoured it! I loved the two main characters and their banter. Two writers, working together to gain inspiration and motivation to push through their novels.

I found it really easy to like Becca and right from the start it had me giggling!

A great mix of friendship, found family and the perfect rom com for me!

Highly recommend!!

I really enjoyed this book… it was light and engaging. And exactly what I needed at the time. So much so I devoured it really quickly…

It is not literary genius but it was the right side of cheesy and romantic. And definitely nice “reading”. An audiobook can make or break on the narrator’s voice. And hers was perfect for the story. (I will never understand how someone could change between Scottish and Irish accent in the same breath though. Incredible.)

There were parts that were a bit rushed, but all in all I thought it was a nice and safe book that I enjoyed. I’d absolutely read another by the same author.

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.