Any Trope But You - by Victoria Lavine (Paperback)

About the Book

"Beloved romance author Margot Bradley has a dark secret: she doesn't believe in Happily Ever Afters. Not for herself, not for her readers, and not even for her characters, for whom she secretly writes alternate endings that swap weddings and babies for divorce papers and the occasional slashed tire. When her Happily Never After document is hacked and released to the public, she finds herself canceled by her readers and dropped by her publisher. Desperate to find a way to continue supporting her chronically ill sister Savannah, Margot decides to trade meet-cutes for murder. The fictional kind--probably. But when Savannah books Margot a six-week stay in a remote Alaskan resort to pen her first murder mystery, Margot finds herself running from a moose and leaping into the arms of the handsome proprietor, making her fear she's just landed in a romance novel instead"--

Book Synopsis

A bestselling romance author flees to Alaska to reinvent herself and write her first murder mystery, but the rugged resort proprietor soon has her fearing she's living in a rom-com plot instead in this earnestly spectacular debut by a stunning new voice.

Beloved romance author Margot Bradley has a dark secret: she doesn't believe in Happily Ever Afters. Not for herself, not for her readers, and not even for her characters, for whom she secretly writes alternate endings that swap weddings and babies for divorce papers and the occasional slashed tire. When her Happily Never After document is hacked and released to the public, she finds herself canceled by her readers and dropped by her publisher.

Desperate to find a way to continue supporting her chronically ill sister, Savannah, Margot decides to trade meet-cutes for murder. The fictional kind. Probably. But when Savannah books Margot a six-week stay in a remote Alaskan resort to pen her first murder mystery, Margot finds herself running from a moose and leaping into the arms of the handsome proprietor, making her fear she's just landed in a romance novel instead.

The last thing Dr. Forrest Wakefield ever expected was to leave his dream job as a cancer researcher to become a glorified bellhop. What he's really doing at his family's resort is caring for his stubborn, ailing father, and his puzzle-loving mind is slowly freezing over--until Margot shows up. But Forrest doesn't have any room in his life for another person he could lose, especially one with a checkout date.

As long snowy nights and one unlikely trope after another draw Margot and Forrest together, they'll each have to learn to overcome their fears and set their aside assumptions before Margot leaves--or risk becoming a Happily Never After story themselves.

Review Quotes

"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

"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

"Victoria Lavine's debut, the smart, sexy rom-com Any Trope but You, is a witty send-up of common romance motifs and a sweet tribute to the power of second chances...While Lavine's narrative has plenty of heat (including a very sweaty sauna scene), she also plumbs Margot's backstory with sensitivity and depth...With appealing characters, witty banter, and plenty of Alaskan touches (including a moose named Bullwinkle), Any Trope but You is a spicy confection for avid romance fans."--Shelf Awareness

"Fans of Emily Henry's Beach Read, prepare to be wooed by Victoria Lavine's debut book, which follows romance writer Margot Bradley as she attempts to reinvent herself as a murder-mystery novelist...As the title hints, Any Trope But You is a swoon-worthy celebration of the most beloved tropes in the rom-com genre, from the enemies-to-lovers plot to a forced proximity situation."--Harper's Bazaar, 25 Best Books Coming Out This Spring

"There are few things as good as a romance about cynical romance writers, and this one adds a wink and a nod to today's "trope"-based romance culture, too!"--Paste Magazine, The Most Anticipated Romance Books of 2025

"This debut romance is beautifully written, nicely balancing humor and heat with realistic drama and conflict...Margot and Forrest's roles as caretakers to their relatives ground the story in deeper emotion and lead to refreshing attitude shifts and insights for the characters."--Kirkus

"This is a sharp debut novel that spicy romance readers will eat up. First, there is an abundance of classic romance tropes to entertain you. Second, the main characters have substance and "real life issues" beyond their physical spark, from caretaking duties to grief and career setbacks. Beyond that, the Alaskan resort setting adds charm and coziness."--The Literary Lifestyle

"I got fully sucked into this book....if you like Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez, it's very much in that vein without being derivative...I loved it...this author has a very big year in store."--Bad on Paper

"Any Trope But You is a love letter to the romance genre and to the concept of Happily Ever Afters. Victoria Lavine manages to incorporate so many beloved tropes while telling a story that feels totally fresh and original, and she writes characters with such depth that I might have momentarily forgotten I could not request Margot Bradley's books from my local library. Plus, it may be set in frigid, snowy Alaska, but make no mistake--this book is HOT!!! A truly charming debut that had me smiling, blushing, and wishing for my own pet moose."--Sarah Adler, USA Today bestselling author of Mrs. Nash's Ashes and Happy Medium

"Any Trope But You is my favorite brand of romance--Hallmark storyline with the passion turned up to the nth degree. I loved how thoughtful and relatable Margot was, and Forrest had me ready to book my own trip to Alaska to find a man like him. Readers are in for such a treat!"--Etta Easton, author of The Kiss Countdown

"If you loved Emily Henry's Beach Read but wished it was snowier, Any Trope But You is your book! I came for the grumpy lumberjack and stayed for the cast of loveable characters! The only part of this book that isn't hot is the Alaskan setting!"--Kate Robb, author of This Spells Love

"Lush, cozy, sweet, and incredibly sexy--Lavine's debut is like a mug of decadent hot chocolate that you've developed feelings for."--Laura Piper Lee, Author of Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair and Zoe Brennan, First Crush

"Victoria Lavine writes the kind of effervescent, whip-smart prose romance readers crave. Starring loveable leads whose chemistry is equal parts electric and tender, Any Trope But You is a perfectly cozy and big-hearted romance that I know I'll return to again and again."--Ellie Palmer, author of Four Weekends and a Funeral

"Heartfelt and warm, Any Trope but You is an absolute delight and a romance lover's dream! I fell for these characters and their soft-hearted love and care for one another. A beautiful love story and a reminder that we are all deserving of our own Happily Ever Afters!"--Naina Kumar, USA Today bestselling author of Say You'll Be Mine

"Incredibly clever, deeply relatable, and sparkling with the full spectrum of emotions, ANY TROPE BUT YOU is everything I love in a romance. Victoria Lavine is your next auto-buy author."--Tarah DeWitt, USA Today bestselling author of Savor It and Funny Feelings

"Snowy, sparkling, full of witty banter and cozy vibes, I absolutely loved this book. The characters leap off the page to meet you, the antics are delightful, and it is extremely big-hearted. I read it in one huge gulp and had a great time."--Laura Wood, author of Under Your Spell

"Any Trope but You is truly a breath of fresh air. Touching, heartfelt and swoon-worthy with crackling banter and mastery of romantic and comedic timing, Victoria Lavine tells a story of love, failure, longing, and family against a snowy, cozy landscape. Brilliant and effervescent, with imperfect characters who live and truly learn, Lavine poetically twists tropes in a way that will have you melting through to the very end."--Peyton Corinne, author of TikTok sensation Unsteady

About the Author

Victoria Lavine's love of romance novels started in high school with a crate of old bodice rippers and a wink from her local librarian. Now, she writes her own Happily Ever Afters when she's not enjoying the great state of Maine with her husband and daughter, taking orders from her two cats, or coming up with excellent reasons to make her next latte.