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How The Plot Thickens: A Small Town Romantic Comedy
When you see a shooting star, wish on it.
Writing has always been my escape, my passion, and my dream. People loving my stories was supposed to be the most fulfilling part of my career, but with my latest release being a critical disaster, I began to wonder if my books were worth reading at all. Are bad reviews really bad if they tell the truth?
"She writes sex like she's never experienced it before."
Maybe I was a fraud for writing steamy romance novels when my love life was at its best, lukewarm. Using your imagination apparently doesn't count for much when you're still a virgin. So on one drunken night, when I caught a shooting star, I wished for the men I had written to step off their pages.
I didn't expect them to start showing up in my small town. I definitely didn't expect to have a swoon-worthy meet-cute with a very real, non-fictional man, and nothing could have prepared me for Xander Cross. The unhinged assassin from the dark romance I wrote when I was sixteen who vowed to take the life of any man who touched me. Now that I knew what it meant for love to be written in the stars, would I become the hero of my story, or would I let chaos consume my reality?
How The Plot Thickens is a speculative, small-town romance with magical elements from the author of the highly rated Golden Peaks Country Club series. Joanna Kimber adds a light-hearted addition to her catalog with this parodical rom-com that playfully teases the tropes we all know and love while highlighting the parts that make romance special.
Writing has always been my escape, my passion, and my dream. People loving my stories was supposed to be the most fulfilling part of my career, but with my latest release being a critical disaster, I began to wonder if my books were worth reading at all. Are bad reviews really bad if they tell the truth?
"She writes sex like she's never experienced it before."
Maybe I was a fraud for writing steamy romance novels when my love life was at its best, lukewarm. Using your imagination apparently doesn't count for much when you're still a virgin. So on one drunken night, when I caught a shooting star, I wished for the men I had written to step off their pages.
I didn't expect them to start showing up in my small town. I definitely didn't expect to have a swoon-worthy meet-cute with a very real, non-fictional man, and nothing could have prepared me for Xander Cross. The unhinged assassin from the dark romance I wrote when I was sixteen who vowed to take the life of any man who touched me. Now that I knew what it meant for love to be written in the stars, would I become the hero of my story, or would I let chaos consume my reality?
How The Plot Thickens is a speculative, small-town romance with magical elements from the author of the highly rated Golden Peaks Country Club series. Joanna Kimber adds a light-hearted addition to her catalog with this parodical rom-com that playfully teases the tropes we all know and love while highlighting the parts that make romance special.
- GenresRomance
Kindle Edition
Published February 25, 2025
20 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
March 1, 2025
The female lead in this book is written to be so insufferably insecure that really didn’t want to see her character arc through
February 2, 2025
Thank you so much Author Joanna Kimber, for the beautiful opportunity to delve into an ARC of your new upcoming
Comedy Romance Novel🌸✍️🪐✨
“How The Plot Thickens”
4.8⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨Read!!! I devour this book up from chapter to chapter, I'm literally still blushing from ear to ear, do to the author's brilliant creation of lovable and charming/adoring main characters, whose enchanting tale had me laughing out loud and head over heels for their sweet love, affection, and devotion and hot tension with a plot that kept me engaged and guessing throughout it all hooking me more into the book and setting a new profound standard for myself with each new passing chapter🩷
I was completely obsessed with this book the way the suspense was driving me crazy i was craving page for page especially with the way I absolutely drawn to the way Joanna Kimber, skillfully incorporated the blend of small-town romance that will grip you instantly! An engaging opposites-attract banter, and an attractive gifted nerdy male lead with a gift for words and affection🥹The author's depiction of the talented female writer is equally well-done🩷making the result of this book a compelling narrative that's impossible to put down🩷✨
“How The Plot Thickens,” features two beautiful lovely black lead characters that will leave giggling and kicking your feet back and forth for days🫶🏼
(✨Eden Rose🌹And Cairo Reynolds🔭✨)
The Author begins her tale when-
Eden's a writer with a wish: her fictional crushes made real. Suddenly, they're showing up in her hometown! One by one, they begin to emerge in her quaint town. The experiment immerse herself in the kind of love she's always written about, surrender to its beauty, and craft the masterpiece she's been destined to create.. Two things she hasn't factored in - the possibility of falling in love with someone who actually exists, and the psycho assassin from her teenage dark romance novel, who's sworn to eliminate any guy who touches her.
And tho find out how this beauty unfolds you will have to read it ASAP!! But Joanna Kimber, doesn’t just delivers us a amazing plot she also passionately writes her two main characters beautifully as well🌸
Eden my girlie✨exudes authenticity and compassion, with a quiet yet understatedly charismatic presence that also radiates a captivating energy that draws you in with her narrative as she expertly blends emotional nuance into every instant, exhibiting outstanding resilience and vulnerability!! With Attributes beaming through her dedication to creating immersive stories and romance novels of her perfect dreams! and the same depth of emotion she invests in her love of reading and writing, she directs towards her beautiful love of her life-Cairo🥹Loving him without any conditions and consistently demonstrating a kind and compassionate heart towards him!! always expressing her love through various thoughtful gestures that will warm your heart, most of all with the care and protection she gives him always placing his happiness and love above all🥹❤️
Cairo my lover boy💋✨Is a highly professional gifted software engineer with a remarkable determination and love for it! The author's writing is characterized by an unshakeable devotion to his Twinkle-AKA-Eden, resulting in a richly textured and deeply satisfying exploration of love that lingers with readers long after the final pages🥹
The way he shows up for Eden in her most toughest times, providing solace and support, reveals so much about his heart. He secures his place as a truly remarkable book boyfriend with his captivating blend of courage always being the first to protect her and provide her endless protectionism and emotional depth profoundly!! imprinting a permanent memory that makes you obsess over this incredible couple🥹🩵
Pre-order
“How The Plot Thickens”
Releasing February 25th 2025
Asap for a love story of romance that will capture your hearts in seconds🥹🩷
And you can do just that by visiting the author’s beautiful social Media @joannakimberwrites on IG and also get the chance the check out amazing teasers/character artwork and aesthetics of this lovely book🤩
Comedy Romance Novel🌸✍️🪐✨
“How The Plot Thickens”
4.8⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨Read!!! I devour this book up from chapter to chapter, I'm literally still blushing from ear to ear, do to the author's brilliant creation of lovable and charming/adoring main characters, whose enchanting tale had me laughing out loud and head over heels for their sweet love, affection, and devotion and hot tension with a plot that kept me engaged and guessing throughout it all hooking me more into the book and setting a new profound standard for myself with each new passing chapter🩷
I was completely obsessed with this book the way the suspense was driving me crazy i was craving page for page especially with the way I absolutely drawn to the way Joanna Kimber, skillfully incorporated the blend of small-town romance that will grip you instantly! An engaging opposites-attract banter, and an attractive gifted nerdy male lead with a gift for words and affection🥹The author's depiction of the talented female writer is equally well-done🩷making the result of this book a compelling narrative that's impossible to put down🩷✨
“How The Plot Thickens,” features two beautiful lovely black lead characters that will leave giggling and kicking your feet back and forth for days🫶🏼
(✨Eden Rose🌹And Cairo Reynolds🔭✨)
The Author begins her tale when-
Eden's a writer with a wish: her fictional crushes made real. Suddenly, they're showing up in her hometown! One by one, they begin to emerge in her quaint town. The experiment immerse herself in the kind of love she's always written about, surrender to its beauty, and craft the masterpiece she's been destined to create.. Two things she hasn't factored in - the possibility of falling in love with someone who actually exists, and the psycho assassin from her teenage dark romance novel, who's sworn to eliminate any guy who touches her.
And tho find out how this beauty unfolds you will have to read it ASAP!! But Joanna Kimber, doesn’t just delivers us a amazing plot she also passionately writes her two main characters beautifully as well🌸
Eden my girlie✨exudes authenticity and compassion, with a quiet yet understatedly charismatic presence that also radiates a captivating energy that draws you in with her narrative as she expertly blends emotional nuance into every instant, exhibiting outstanding resilience and vulnerability!! With Attributes beaming through her dedication to creating immersive stories and romance novels of her perfect dreams! and the same depth of emotion she invests in her love of reading and writing, she directs towards her beautiful love of her life-Cairo🥹Loving him without any conditions and consistently demonstrating a kind and compassionate heart towards him!! always expressing her love through various thoughtful gestures that will warm your heart, most of all with the care and protection she gives him always placing his happiness and love above all🥹❤️
Cairo my lover boy💋✨Is a highly professional gifted software engineer with a remarkable determination and love for it! The author's writing is characterized by an unshakeable devotion to his Twinkle-AKA-Eden, resulting in a richly textured and deeply satisfying exploration of love that lingers with readers long after the final pages🥹
The way he shows up for Eden in her most toughest times, providing solace and support, reveals so much about his heart. He secures his place as a truly remarkable book boyfriend with his captivating blend of courage always being the first to protect her and provide her endless protectionism and emotional depth profoundly!! imprinting a permanent memory that makes you obsess over this incredible couple🥹🩵
Pre-order
“How The Plot Thickens”
Releasing February 25th 2025
Asap for a love story of romance that will capture your hearts in seconds🥹🩷
And you can do just that by visiting the author’s beautiful social Media @joannakimberwrites on IG and also get the chance the check out amazing teasers/character artwork and aesthetics of this lovely book🤩
March 4, 2025
ARC REVIEW
How the Plot Thickens follows our lovely Eden, who is a romance author whose last book was not so hot. One night she makes a wish on a star for her fictional characters to come to life so she can truly understand the love she has been trying to portray in her stories. As her book boyfriends come to fruition so does Cairo, the real-life book boyfriend of the year!! Cairo is sweet, charming, a gentle-man and all a girl could truly want.
This book was different from Hide Away and Dry Cry but it definitely DID NOT disappoint. How the Plot Thickens is fun and lighthearted with a mix of suspense and magical realism. I really enjoyed the premise of the story, it was a nice change of pace. On top of the love story of Eden and Cairo, we got to see Eden go through several personal journeys with family and friends and with her relationship to her own writing. Overally I will continue to recommend Ms Kimber's work and I think the romance girlies will really enjoy this book!!
How the Plot Thickens follows our lovely Eden, who is a romance author whose last book was not so hot. One night she makes a wish on a star for her fictional characters to come to life so she can truly understand the love she has been trying to portray in her stories. As her book boyfriends come to fruition so does Cairo, the real-life book boyfriend of the year!! Cairo is sweet, charming, a gentle-man and all a girl could truly want.
This book was different from Hide Away and Dry Cry but it definitely DID NOT disappoint. How the Plot Thickens is fun and lighthearted with a mix of suspense and magical realism. I really enjoyed the premise of the story, it was a nice change of pace. On top of the love story of Eden and Cairo, we got to see Eden go through several personal journeys with family and friends and with her relationship to her own writing. Overally I will continue to recommend Ms Kimber's work and I think the romance girlies will really enjoy this book!!
March 4, 2025
This book was cute! It was honestly not well written and I definitely had to skip through so much, but the potential was there. Idk I just feel like some stuff was just so underdeveloped and it had me wanting to scream at the FMC for being so dumb. Like she was so insecure over a friend that wasn’t even really her friend??? Like ok yes, but also no. Idk like I understand but at the same time she hasn’t even talked to this friend forever but wanting to invite her over and stuff? That just confused me. Honestly I thought the whole book boyfriends coming to life was cute and made me giggle. Overall this ARC was a wild ride, but the potential was there.
February 26, 2025
Eden, a romance writer, begins to question her career after receiving negative feedback on her latest book. How can she write about love when she’s never truly experienced it herself? One drunken night, she makes a wish for the men she’s written about. And as we all know, be careful what you wish for. I found myself cheering for Eden to overcome her self-doubt, both in her career and in her personal life, as she takes a leap of faith and finally experiences love. And let me tell you, Cairo definitely delivered!
This was my first book by Joanna Kimber, and it certainly won’t be my last. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it turned out to be so much more than just a light-hearted read. With a mix of darker elements, a perfect balance of romance, and just the right amount of spice, I was completely hooked. The magical realism was seamlessly woven into the narrative, adding an extra layer of intrigue. If you’re looking for a rom-com with suspense, magical realism, and a touch of nerdiness, this is definitely the book for you!
Thank you @joannakimberwrites for gifting me with your ARC!
This was my first book by Joanna Kimber, and it certainly won’t be my last. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it turned out to be so much more than just a light-hearted read. With a mix of darker elements, a perfect balance of romance, and just the right amount of spice, I was completely hooked. The magical realism was seamlessly woven into the narrative, adding an extra layer of intrigue. If you’re looking for a rom-com with suspense, magical realism, and a touch of nerdiness, this is definitely the book for you!
Thank you @joannakimberwrites for gifting me with your ARC!
September 18, 2025
I did not realize going into the book it was intended as a playful parody of romance novels. so I was def like .. damn this girl just going right with the flow huh? ... then it clicked and honestly the actual romance story happening alongside the parody storyline was *chefs kiss* 💋 (yes I use that phrase specifically.) the FMC has a fairly short space if pages to grow a whole lot and honestly it was done in a relatively believable way. realizing the world as you saw it at 16 is not the same once that frontal love develops ain't easy. Kimber did a really good job at lightheartedly poking fun at my favorite genre (and the one I write) while making you fall just as hard for the MMC as any romantasy book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2025
We’ve all had those moments where we wish our favorite book boyfriends could come to life, right? Well, How the Plot Thickens by Joanna Kimber takes that fantasy and flips it into something equally thrilling and terrifying.
This small-town romance follows Eden, a struggling author who has spent years watching her best friend, Lindsey, effortlessly climb the literary ladder while she’s stuck publishing under a pen name, with only one real success to her name. When a brutal critic calls her out for writing romance without firsthand experience, Eden is mortified because, well… they’re right.
But then something impossible happens. And that’s where things get very interesting.
What starts as a seemingly magical, too-good-to-be-true moment soon spirals into chaos. Without spoiling anything, let’s just say that not every character was meant to step off the pages of a book, and Eden quickly finds herself in a reality far more dangerous than she ever imagined.
One of the things I loved most about this book was its unique premise. We’ve all imagined what it would be like if fictional characters were real, but Kimber doesn’t just play with that idea—she takes it to unexpected places. The mix of lighthearted, magical moments and darker, suspenseful twists kept me completely hooked. I really want to keep this review spoiler-free, but that’s so hard because there were so many moments that had me internally screaming. But let me just mention a few that made me go “WHATTTTTTTT” louder than any book has in a long time.
First up: Jacob. His introduction? Chef’s kiss. He gave me total “straight out of a romance novel” butterflies, and I thought he was going to be the book boyfriend moment of the story. But then things progressed and… oh my Shylaaaa (trust me, you’ll get it when you read the book).
Then there’s Lou. Oh boy, Lou. Listen, I don’t mind a clingy guy who adores his girl, but when you’re throwing out cheesy pick-up lines before you’ve even won her over? No. Just… no.
And then enters Xander Cross. If Zade Meadows, Tristan Caine, and Christian Harper had a lovechild, it would be him. Mostly Zade Meadows though—you’ll know why when you read it. At first, he was intriguing, giving those classic “touch her and you die” vibes, which I understood later that it’s not always healthy.
The other two fictional characters weren’t impactful enough to have their own paragraphs about my opinions here,
The last two fictional characters weren’t quite as impactful for me, so let me just skip to the main male protagonist, Cairo, the actual main male lead. And let me tell you—this man is it. He’s got the perfect mix of nerdy sweetness and quiet strength that just makes me want to squeeze him in cute aggression. Manifesting the part where he gives Eden a gift because ugh, perfection.
Now, while I really enjoyed this book, a few things didn’t quite work for me. First, the misunderstandings between Eden, Lindsey, and her mother dragged on a little too long for my liking. Don’t get me wrong, I totally get why Eden was mad at them, and she had every right to be. But I wish she had confronted them sooner instead of holding onto the resentment for years.
Then there’s the insta-love between Eden and Cairo. I know, I know, the author provided a solid justification for why things moved so quickly, but personally, I’m just not a fan of insta-love in general. I love a slow burn, and I would’ve loved to see more buildup between them.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Overall, How the Plot Thickens absolutely lives up to its title. It hooked me from the very first chapter and kept me flipping pages late into the night. Even though the insta-love and prolonged miscommunication weren’t my favorite elements, the originality, suspense, and character dynamics more than made up for it. If you love small-town romances with a plot that keeps thickening, you need to read this book!
This small-town romance follows Eden, a struggling author who has spent years watching her best friend, Lindsey, effortlessly climb the literary ladder while she’s stuck publishing under a pen name, with only one real success to her name. When a brutal critic calls her out for writing romance without firsthand experience, Eden is mortified because, well… they’re right.
But then something impossible happens. And that’s where things get very interesting.
What starts as a seemingly magical, too-good-to-be-true moment soon spirals into chaos. Without spoiling anything, let’s just say that not every character was meant to step off the pages of a book, and Eden quickly finds herself in a reality far more dangerous than she ever imagined.
One of the things I loved most about this book was its unique premise. We’ve all imagined what it would be like if fictional characters were real, but Kimber doesn’t just play with that idea—she takes it to unexpected places. The mix of lighthearted, magical moments and darker, suspenseful twists kept me completely hooked. I really want to keep this review spoiler-free, but that’s so hard because there were so many moments that had me internally screaming. But let me just mention a few that made me go “WHATTTTTTTT” louder than any book has in a long time.
First up: Jacob. His introduction? Chef’s kiss. He gave me total “straight out of a romance novel” butterflies, and I thought he was going to be the book boyfriend moment of the story. But then things progressed and… oh my Shylaaaa (trust me, you’ll get it when you read the book).
Then there’s Lou. Oh boy, Lou. Listen, I don’t mind a clingy guy who adores his girl, but when you’re throwing out cheesy pick-up lines before you’ve even won her over? No. Just… no.
And then enters Xander Cross. If Zade Meadows, Tristan Caine, and Christian Harper had a lovechild, it would be him. Mostly Zade Meadows though—you’ll know why when you read it. At first, he was intriguing, giving those classic “touch her and you die” vibes, which I understood later that it’s not always healthy.
The other two fictional characters weren’t impactful enough to have their own paragraphs about my opinions here,
The last two fictional characters weren’t quite as impactful for me, so let me just skip to the main male protagonist, Cairo, the actual main male lead. And let me tell you—this man is it. He’s got the perfect mix of nerdy sweetness and quiet strength that just makes me want to squeeze him in cute aggression. Manifesting the part where he gives Eden a gift because ugh, perfection.
Now, while I really enjoyed this book, a few things didn’t quite work for me. First, the misunderstandings between Eden, Lindsey, and her mother dragged on a little too long for my liking. Don’t get me wrong, I totally get why Eden was mad at them, and she had every right to be. But I wish she had confronted them sooner instead of holding onto the resentment for years.
Then there’s the insta-love between Eden and Cairo. I know, I know, the author provided a solid justification for why things moved so quickly, but personally, I’m just not a fan of insta-love in general. I love a slow burn, and I would’ve loved to see more buildup between them.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Overall, How the Plot Thickens absolutely lives up to its title. It hooked me from the very first chapter and kept me flipping pages late into the night. Even though the insta-love and prolonged miscommunication weren’t my favorite elements, the originality, suspense, and character dynamics more than made up for it. If you love small-town romances with a plot that keeps thickening, you need to read this book!
February 25, 2025
*𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 4.5 ⭐
*𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥: 3.0 🌶️
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂
Sometimes in life, we hope and wish and pray for something else, something better than what we have now, but the amazing thing about life is, everything happens in its own time; sometimes, when you least expect it, your life might just turn around for the better.
Eden Rose was so sick and tired of living in her small town, Crescent Bay. She had big hopes, dreams, and aspirations. She wanted to be an award-winning author and had been working on her craft since childhood. Now, people purchase her books just to hate on her and she has more negative reviews than she can count. She’s a virgin who has never experienced real love, she has a horrible relationship with her mom, and now, her ex-best friend is in town ready to steal the little shine Eden has left.
So, what does she do? After a drunken night, Eden wishes, upon a shooting star, that the men she has been writing about in her books, come to life. Maybe then, she thinks, she will finally have a bit of romance in her life. But you know what they say, be careful what you wish for because you just might not like what happens when you’re wish comes true.
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐬 was a really good read. Having read and enjoyed Kimber’s previous books, I knew that I would enjoy this one and I am so happy to report that I absolutely did.
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐬 was different from Kimber’s other romance novels. To me, it was more fun, and lighthearted. I really enjoyed the premise of the story and found it was such a cute and unique idea. I really enjoyed the magical aspect of the story and loved that it included some thrill and mystery; it was not just romance.
Now, don’t get me wrong all romance readers have wished that their book boyfriends could come to life but what we learn from this book is that, what may work in a romance novel (especially in a dark romance), will definitely not work in real life. I just want to say that Xander was crazy about Butterfly/Eden/Lauren and his crazy antics had me at the edge of my seat wondering when he would show up and what craziness he would bring with him.
As far as Eden and Cairo goes, my goodness! I loved these two! Cairo was a swoon-worthy gentleman that made me believe in love again. I just loved how he loved Eden and showed her that she does not need to conjure up a romantic partner because they do exist in real life. He was so protective of her and encouraged her in every aspect of her life. Through 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐬, Kimber demonstrates that there are men out there ready to love and cherish you and give you your heart’s desire!
Cairo is definitely a book boyfriend I would not mind coming to life! I also really loved Eden and Cairo’s chemistry. It was palpable, and I guys, I have to say this…I am so happy our girl Eden finally got to get her groove on; Cairo knew exactly what she needed and gave it to her! Lol. Don’t let the cover fool you, this one is SPICY!!
I don’t want to say much more for fear of spoiling the book but 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐬 was fun, cute, lighthearted, with wonderful characters that will make you laugh, swoon, and leave you a little apprehensive and fearful (I’m looking at you Xander). Overall, it was a quick read for me, and I think it would be a perfect cozy weekend romance read. I would definitely recommend 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐬!
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
* 𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 & 𝑺𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝑳𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒂 5.0 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒆
*𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥: 3.0 🌶️
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂
Sometimes in life, we hope and wish and pray for something else, something better than what we have now, but the amazing thing about life is, everything happens in its own time; sometimes, when you least expect it, your life might just turn around for the better.
Eden Rose was so sick and tired of living in her small town, Crescent Bay. She had big hopes, dreams, and aspirations. She wanted to be an award-winning author and had been working on her craft since childhood. Now, people purchase her books just to hate on her and she has more negative reviews than she can count. She’s a virgin who has never experienced real love, she has a horrible relationship with her mom, and now, her ex-best friend is in town ready to steal the little shine Eden has left.
So, what does she do? After a drunken night, Eden wishes, upon a shooting star, that the men she has been writing about in her books, come to life. Maybe then, she thinks, she will finally have a bit of romance in her life. But you know what they say, be careful what you wish for because you just might not like what happens when you’re wish comes true.
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐬 was a really good read. Having read and enjoyed Kimber’s previous books, I knew that I would enjoy this one and I am so happy to report that I absolutely did.
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐬 was different from Kimber’s other romance novels. To me, it was more fun, and lighthearted. I really enjoyed the premise of the story and found it was such a cute and unique idea. I really enjoyed the magical aspect of the story and loved that it included some thrill and mystery; it was not just romance.
Now, don’t get me wrong all romance readers have wished that their book boyfriends could come to life but what we learn from this book is that, what may work in a romance novel (especially in a dark romance), will definitely not work in real life. I just want to say that Xander was crazy about Butterfly/Eden/Lauren and his crazy antics had me at the edge of my seat wondering when he would show up and what craziness he would bring with him.
As far as Eden and Cairo goes, my goodness! I loved these two! Cairo was a swoon-worthy gentleman that made me believe in love again. I just loved how he loved Eden and showed her that she does not need to conjure up a romantic partner because they do exist in real life. He was so protective of her and encouraged her in every aspect of her life. Through 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐬, Kimber demonstrates that there are men out there ready to love and cherish you and give you your heart’s desire!
Cairo is definitely a book boyfriend I would not mind coming to life! I also really loved Eden and Cairo’s chemistry. It was palpable, and I guys, I have to say this…I am so happy our girl Eden finally got to get her groove on; Cairo knew exactly what she needed and gave it to her! Lol. Don’t let the cover fool you, this one is SPICY!!
I don’t want to say much more for fear of spoiling the book but 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐬 was fun, cute, lighthearted, with wonderful characters that will make you laugh, swoon, and leave you a little apprehensive and fearful (I’m looking at you Xander). Overall, it was a quick read for me, and I think it would be a perfect cozy weekend romance read. I would definitely recommend 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐬!
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
* 𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 & 𝑺𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝑳𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒂 5.0 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒆
February 26, 2025
3.75/5
This book was truly unlike anything else I’ve read before. At no point did I know what was going to happen next and I couldn’t put it down.
This book was a rom com at heart, but it also had heavy elements of magical realism (or sci-fi?) and women’s fiction. We follow Eden, a romance author and librarian, as she deals with tons of negative reviews of her latest release. The problem? People think she writes romance like someone who’s never been in love, and spicy scenes like someone who’s never had sex. The truth? They’re not wrong on either account.
While wine drunk one night, she wishes her MMCs were real – and the next day, she meets one of them. As Eden realizes her wish has come true, she’s reminded of one of her MMCs that she wrote about when she was 16 – a morally gray assassin who vows to *end* any other man that touches her. And to make matters worse, she starts to fall for a real guy. Amidst all of this, Eden grapples with how to navigate complex relationships with both her former best friend and her mother.
This was such a fast and fun read, but it packed a pretty good emotional punch, too. I really enjoyed the love story that was woven in (Cairo is TRULY a top tier book boyfriend). On top of the love story, we got to see Eden go through several personal journeys with other loved ones and with her relationship to her own writing.
Eden is flawed and human, with doubts and fears. She jumps to conclusions and gets defensive to protect herself, but she grows throughout the book. I loved that we got to see her start to regain her confidence and stand up for herself, but also be put in her place when she was in the wrong.
What I didn’t love: The characters fell for each other VERY quickly. With this book having kind of a mystical/magical feel to it, that didn’t feel SUPER out of place, but it did kind of bug me. Our main character also wasn’t easy to root for right at the beginning - coming off pretty judgy and bitter until about 8% of the way in. I think it’s worth getting past, but something to note.
All in all, I recommend this for a quick and easy read with a little bit of everything. Thank you to the author for this ARC!
This book was truly unlike anything else I’ve read before. At no point did I know what was going to happen next and I couldn’t put it down.
This book was a rom com at heart, but it also had heavy elements of magical realism (or sci-fi?) and women’s fiction. We follow Eden, a romance author and librarian, as she deals with tons of negative reviews of her latest release. The problem? People think she writes romance like someone who’s never been in love, and spicy scenes like someone who’s never had sex. The truth? They’re not wrong on either account.
While wine drunk one night, she wishes her MMCs were real – and the next day, she meets one of them. As Eden realizes her wish has come true, she’s reminded of one of her MMCs that she wrote about when she was 16 – a morally gray assassin who vows to *end* any other man that touches her. And to make matters worse, she starts to fall for a real guy. Amidst all of this, Eden grapples with how to navigate complex relationships with both her former best friend and her mother.
This was such a fast and fun read, but it packed a pretty good emotional punch, too. I really enjoyed the love story that was woven in (Cairo is TRULY a top tier book boyfriend). On top of the love story, we got to see Eden go through several personal journeys with other loved ones and with her relationship to her own writing.
Eden is flawed and human, with doubts and fears. She jumps to conclusions and gets defensive to protect herself, but she grows throughout the book. I loved that we got to see her start to regain her confidence and stand up for herself, but also be put in her place when she was in the wrong.
What I didn’t love: The characters fell for each other VERY quickly. With this book having kind of a mystical/magical feel to it, that didn’t feel SUPER out of place, but it did kind of bug me. Our main character also wasn’t easy to root for right at the beginning - coming off pretty judgy and bitter until about 8% of the way in. I think it’s worth getting past, but something to note.
All in all, I recommend this for a quick and easy read with a little bit of everything. Thank you to the author for this ARC!
February 25, 2025
Eden has dedicated her spare time to writing romance novels that she hopes will take off. Unfortunately for her, she's aptly called out in reviews as someone who's never experienced that romance for herself. Set up with another host of disaster reviews flooding in, she makes a wish on a shooting star to finally be able to experience the men she's written about in real life. Unbeknownst to her, that little bit of magic came true and set off a catastrophic series of events that lead her to exactly where she's meant to be.
*****
This was such an expected novel. It was quirky, hilarious and sweet, with a side of humility and compassion that I wasn't expecting from such a weird and wonderful plot. There are points where you need to suspend some additional believability around logic, especially when her best friend just accepts that yes of course her book boyfriends have come to life, and are wandering around their small town. It had me chuckling but also engrossed in the whimsy, and burning through this one in a couple of whirlwind hours.
I really enjoyed how Eden's interactions with her own characters highlighted how far she had strayed in her writing to be marketable. Instead of writing men she would actually enjoy and find swoon-worthy. I was laughing at every reference to her 16 year old self clearly needing therapy and less access to inappropriate dark romance books as she came across another scene with Xander. I also genuinely enjoyed how overblown her characters were in their own tropes, counteracting how Cairo treated her, and the feelings it evoked.
We also get to to see growth in Eden from her own isolation of people around her, and how she's unknowingly perpetuated it in her life. Which was unexpected but also added depth to her character as a whole. Overall this was a refreshing and lighthearted romance, with darker elements as well as times of emotional reflection that kept it engaging throughout.
*****
Thank you to Good Girls PR for the digital ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*****
This was such an expected novel. It was quirky, hilarious and sweet, with a side of humility and compassion that I wasn't expecting from such a weird and wonderful plot. There are points where you need to suspend some additional believability around logic, especially when her best friend just accepts that yes of course her book boyfriends have come to life, and are wandering around their small town. It had me chuckling but also engrossed in the whimsy, and burning through this one in a couple of whirlwind hours.
I really enjoyed how Eden's interactions with her own characters highlighted how far she had strayed in her writing to be marketable. Instead of writing men she would actually enjoy and find swoon-worthy. I was laughing at every reference to her 16 year old self clearly needing therapy and less access to inappropriate dark romance books as she came across another scene with Xander. I also genuinely enjoyed how overblown her characters were in their own tropes, counteracting how Cairo treated her, and the feelings it evoked.
We also get to to see growth in Eden from her own isolation of people around her, and how she's unknowingly perpetuated it in her life. Which was unexpected but also added depth to her character as a whole. Overall this was a refreshing and lighthearted romance, with darker elements as well as times of emotional reflection that kept it engaging throughout.
*****
Thank you to Good Girls PR for the digital ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 24, 2025
Thank you to Good Girl's PR for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review💖
This book had an interesting premise, and didn't disappoint in its execution. It takes the question "what would happen if the characters I wrote came to life" and explored that creatively.
When Eden wishes to experience the type of love she writes about, this wish on a falling star results in the men from her books coming to life. The fast paced series of "meet cutes" with these characters makes you feel just as overwhelmed by the situation as she is. Since Eden writes to market and not based on what she wants to write, the plot gets you thinking about the types of men that are featured in romance novels (cinnamon rolls, guys with trust issues due to past trauma, clingy male leads, and that one dark romance male lead that became a real threat to Eden's safety but whose actions had me cackling the whole book).
Eden's journey of self discovery, reconnection with her former friend and her openness to Cairo's love were a joy to read. She goes from a jaded, cynical, extremely closed off person to a confident writer, someone who is willing to listen to other people's version of events, and becomes vulnerable enough to fall in love. Besides her relationship with Cairo and how that progressed (in a way that was really sweet) despite the constant danger of the dark romance stalker/ serial killer she wrote, I liked the subplot of Eden rekindling her friendship with Lindsey, and her deeper understanding of both her mom and Lin's perspectives of the breakdown of their relationships with Eden. It showed a growth and maturity to Eden's character, and provided more dimension to these characters.
My only issue with this book is that the conflict was wrapped up too comically (considering the buildup and danger for most of the book) and some of the romantic development between Eden and Cairo was told instead of shown to us (making me less invested in the love that they felt for each other).
This book had an interesting premise, and didn't disappoint in its execution. It takes the question "what would happen if the characters I wrote came to life" and explored that creatively.
When Eden wishes to experience the type of love she writes about, this wish on a falling star results in the men from her books coming to life. The fast paced series of "meet cutes" with these characters makes you feel just as overwhelmed by the situation as she is. Since Eden writes to market and not based on what she wants to write, the plot gets you thinking about the types of men that are featured in romance novels (cinnamon rolls, guys with trust issues due to past trauma, clingy male leads, and that one dark romance male lead that became a real threat to Eden's safety but whose actions had me cackling the whole book).
Eden's journey of self discovery, reconnection with her former friend and her openness to Cairo's love were a joy to read. She goes from a jaded, cynical, extremely closed off person to a confident writer, someone who is willing to listen to other people's version of events, and becomes vulnerable enough to fall in love. Besides her relationship with Cairo and how that progressed (in a way that was really sweet) despite the constant danger of the dark romance stalker/ serial killer she wrote, I liked the subplot of Eden rekindling her friendship with Lindsey, and her deeper understanding of both her mom and Lin's perspectives of the breakdown of their relationships with Eden. It showed a growth and maturity to Eden's character, and provided more dimension to these characters.
My only issue with this book is that the conflict was wrapped up too comically (considering the buildup and danger for most of the book) and some of the romantic development between Eden and Cairo was told instead of shown to us (making me less invested in the love that they felt for each other).
January 22, 2025
Our female main character is Eden, a struggling romance author whose career doesn’t quite match her aspirations. The heart of the story dives deep into her personal struggles, including her complicated relationships with her mother and her former best friend, however, the plot of the story begins when Eden is faced with the question, how can a romance writer create authentic love stories when she has never experienced love herself?
One drunken night, Eden makes a wish upon a star: she longs for her fictional characters to come to life so she can truly understand the love she has been trying to portray. To her astonishment, the very next day, one of her book boyfriends appears, followed closely by Cairo, a charming (and real life) man who becomes her love interest. As Eden navigates this surreal new reality, she grapples with the challenge of sending her characters back to the fourth-dimensional world from which they came.
The plot thickens when one of her creations—a deadly assassin—kidnaps her and threatens her burgeoning romance. The stakes escalate dramatically as he begins to eliminate her other book boyfriends, forcing Eden to reveal her sudden and strange reality to the man she has fallen in love with.
I approached this novel with no expectations, initially perceiving it as the story of a young woman grappling with jealousy over her best friend's success in the publishing world. But as the narrative unfolded and the characters from her books began to materialize out of thin air, my curiosity was piqued. The arrival of the assassin brought a thrilling twist that transformed my reading experience.
While the beginning may not immediately grab the reader's attention, the story quickly gains momentum, culminating in an exhilarating conclusion that far exceeded my initial thoughts. This book is a delightful mix of romance and suspense, ultimately proving to be a captivating read that stays with you long after the last page.
One drunken night, Eden makes a wish upon a star: she longs for her fictional characters to come to life so she can truly understand the love she has been trying to portray. To her astonishment, the very next day, one of her book boyfriends appears, followed closely by Cairo, a charming (and real life) man who becomes her love interest. As Eden navigates this surreal new reality, she grapples with the challenge of sending her characters back to the fourth-dimensional world from which they came.
The plot thickens when one of her creations—a deadly assassin—kidnaps her and threatens her burgeoning romance. The stakes escalate dramatically as he begins to eliminate her other book boyfriends, forcing Eden to reveal her sudden and strange reality to the man she has fallen in love with.
I approached this novel with no expectations, initially perceiving it as the story of a young woman grappling with jealousy over her best friend's success in the publishing world. But as the narrative unfolded and the characters from her books began to materialize out of thin air, my curiosity was piqued. The arrival of the assassin brought a thrilling twist that transformed my reading experience.
While the beginning may not immediately grab the reader's attention, the story quickly gains momentum, culminating in an exhilarating conclusion that far exceeded my initial thoughts. This book is a delightful mix of romance and suspense, ultimately proving to be a captivating read that stays with you long after the last page.
February 24, 2025
This is my third book by Joanna Kimber, having previously read Dry Cry and Hide Away, I found How The Plot Thickens to be a completely different experience. While her other books have a more emotional and grounded tone, this one leans into a playful, lighthearted style with a fun, speculative twist. That being said, there are still darker elements woven throughout, especially when it comes to the character of Xander Cross.
The premise itself is such a unique and creative take on romance—a writer, struggling with self-doubt after harsh criticism of her work, drunkenly wishes for her fictional heroes to step off the page… and then they do. I really enjoyed following Eden’s journey, especially as she grappled with the unexpected consequences of her wish. I found myself rooting for her the entire time, hoping she would not only find love but also rediscover confidence in herself and her writing. While some aspects of the story felt a bit far-fetched, Eden’s character made them feel more believable—her emotions, struggles, and reactions kept the story grounded even amidst the fantasy elements.
I’m really happy to have received an advance copy of this book because it was such a fun and engaging read. Joanna Kimber continues to impress me with her ability to craft compelling stories, and she’s quickly becoming one of my go-to, must-read authors. I give this book a solid 4 stars—if you’re looking for something fresh, imaginative, and entertaining, How The Plot Thickens is a great choice. It’s the perfect palate cleanser and an enjoyable escape into a whimsical yet heartfelt romance.
Thank you Joanna Kimber for the advanced reader copy (e-book).
The premise itself is such a unique and creative take on romance—a writer, struggling with self-doubt after harsh criticism of her work, drunkenly wishes for her fictional heroes to step off the page… and then they do. I really enjoyed following Eden’s journey, especially as she grappled with the unexpected consequences of her wish. I found myself rooting for her the entire time, hoping she would not only find love but also rediscover confidence in herself and her writing. While some aspects of the story felt a bit far-fetched, Eden’s character made them feel more believable—her emotions, struggles, and reactions kept the story grounded even amidst the fantasy elements.
I’m really happy to have received an advance copy of this book because it was such a fun and engaging read. Joanna Kimber continues to impress me with her ability to craft compelling stories, and she’s quickly becoming one of my go-to, must-read authors. I give this book a solid 4 stars—if you’re looking for something fresh, imaginative, and entertaining, How The Plot Thickens is a great choice. It’s the perfect palate cleanser and an enjoyable escape into a whimsical yet heartfelt romance.
Thank you Joanna Kimber for the advanced reader copy (e-book).
February 19, 2025
How the Plot Thickens - Joanna Kimber
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 4 stars
🌶 - Spice Level
Eden just finished writing and releasing her 5th romance novel, and it's being 💩 on. She's in a slump because she's never had s€x or been in a real romantic love relationship. She makes a wish on a star to meet her characters to find love or write better. Be careful what you wish for because they come to life, including a villain.
Cairo and Eden meet in the middle of the chaos, and he's like a breath of fresh air. She doesn't want him to get k1lled, so that's a major part of trying to have a secret relationship with him. This starts very cutesy, but it takes that villian turn, and I was here for it all. This does have more plot with almost no spice. So if you're looking for more closed doors, this is just strattling the line. I did like that Cairo was more sure of himself even if he was nerdy with being an app developer. I liked seeing Eden realize her characters needed more real life, and she didn't need to follow the trends.
⚠️ Please read trigger and content warnings ⚠️
Thank you, author, for the ARC!
Release Date: February 25, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 4 stars
🌶 - Spice Level
Eden just finished writing and releasing her 5th romance novel, and it's being 💩 on. She's in a slump because she's never had s€x or been in a real romantic love relationship. She makes a wish on a star to meet her characters to find love or write better. Be careful what you wish for because they come to life, including a villain.
Cairo and Eden meet in the middle of the chaos, and he's like a breath of fresh air. She doesn't want him to get k1lled, so that's a major part of trying to have a secret relationship with him. This starts very cutesy, but it takes that villian turn, and I was here for it all. This does have more plot with almost no spice. So if you're looking for more closed doors, this is just strattling the line. I did like that Cairo was more sure of himself even if he was nerdy with being an app developer. I liked seeing Eden realize her characters needed more real life, and she didn't need to follow the trends.
⚠️ Please read trigger and content warnings ⚠️
Thank you, author, for the ARC!
Release Date: February 25, 2025
February 20, 2025
📖 Small town
✨ Magical realism
📖 Virgin romance writer
✨ HEA
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️/5
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Virgin romance author Eden wonders if her latest critics are right. Are her characters coming off virgins and unaware of what real romance is? After a drunken night of commiserating, Eden wishes on a star that she lived in her books. And the next turn of events… well you’ll just have to read to find out.
Twists and turns. I gasped the first time a certain book character showed up! But I really enjoyed this unique twist on modern magic realism romance.
And there were so many beautiful moving pieces that came together. It ended up being a story of communication, forgiveness, grief, and most of all love. The journey of her friendship with her best friend? I was worried it was going to be two women pitted against each other and then became something else entirely, something beautiful.
Cairo is the perfect book boyfriend, too. The way he treats Eden?? Swoon.
Thank you Joanna Kimber and Good Girls PR for my advanced reader copy! This is my honest and unbiased review.
✨ Magical realism
📖 Virgin romance writer
✨ HEA
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️/5
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Virgin romance author Eden wonders if her latest critics are right. Are her characters coming off virgins and unaware of what real romance is? After a drunken night of commiserating, Eden wishes on a star that she lived in her books. And the next turn of events… well you’ll just have to read to find out.
Twists and turns. I gasped the first time a certain book character showed up! But I really enjoyed this unique twist on modern magic realism romance.
And there were so many beautiful moving pieces that came together. It ended up being a story of communication, forgiveness, grief, and most of all love. The journey of her friendship with her best friend? I was worried it was going to be two women pitted against each other and then became something else entirely, something beautiful.
Cairo is the perfect book boyfriend, too. The way he treats Eden?? Swoon.
Thank you Joanna Kimber and Good Girls PR for my advanced reader copy! This is my honest and unbiased review.
February 25, 2025
“𝕋𝕚𝕔𝕜𝕝𝕖𝕤. 𝔽𝕝𝕦𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤. 𝔼𝕝𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕚𝕥𝕪.”
I loved everything about this story it was fun, emotional dealing with old friendships and family matters and of coarse the romance was so sweet and everything rolled into one.
I fell in love with the concept of the men from her books coming to life and when you think you have the situation figured out Xander throws a wrench in everything.
Eden goes through a personal and professional growth throughout the story. And our non fictional man Cairo was perfect in every way.
If you are looking for something fun with a twist this it now one of the characters was a dark romance character and he acts on it so check your CWs
~~What to Expect~~
💫Small Town
💫Rom-Com
💫Virgin Romance Writer
💫Magical Realism *Wish Upon a Star*
💫Single POV
💫Strangers-Friends-Lovers
💫Nerdy MMC
~~Quotes~~
✨He looked at me like the stars he was so obsessed with lived inside my head
✨I don’t live in a world where you have a problem and I don’t do whatever’s necessary to fix it.
✨ Maybe we were always written in the stars. Maybe love was cosmic after all.
I loved everything about this story it was fun, emotional dealing with old friendships and family matters and of coarse the romance was so sweet and everything rolled into one.
I fell in love with the concept of the men from her books coming to life and when you think you have the situation figured out Xander throws a wrench in everything.
Eden goes through a personal and professional growth throughout the story. And our non fictional man Cairo was perfect in every way.
If you are looking for something fun with a twist this it now one of the characters was a dark romance character and he acts on it so check your CWs
~~What to Expect~~
💫Small Town
💫Rom-Com
💫Virgin Romance Writer
💫Magical Realism *Wish Upon a Star*
💫Single POV
💫Strangers-Friends-Lovers
💫Nerdy MMC
~~Quotes~~
✨He looked at me like the stars he was so obsessed with lived inside my head
✨I don’t live in a world where you have a problem and I don’t do whatever’s necessary to fix it.
✨ Maybe we were always written in the stars. Maybe love was cosmic after all.
February 27, 2025
How the Plot Thickens is a small town romance with a twist. Eden Rose (FMC) is an author who writes under a pseudonym. After a bad review on her latest book suggesting that her sex scenes were written like she’s never had sex (which spoiler/not spoiler: she is a virgin), she makes a wish on a shooting star to finally experience the love she tries to write about and brings all her male main characters to life—including the intelligent, highly competent assassin she wrote about when she was 16. What ensues is lots of chaos and shenanigans that upend Eden’s life.
While I love the premise, this book fell a little short for me. The pacing in the first half didn’t quite gel with me and side plots revolving her ex-best friend were not my favorite. However, I did enjoy Eden’s character development and Cairo (the MMC) was absolutely perfect for her. (Side note: as an astrology nerd I loved all the references to that too).
I’d recommend this book if you’re looking for something quick, light and fun to read
Thank you Good Girls PR and Joanna Kimber for the early copy!
While I love the premise, this book fell a little short for me. The pacing in the first half didn’t quite gel with me and side plots revolving her ex-best friend were not my favorite. However, I did enjoy Eden’s character development and Cairo (the MMC) was absolutely perfect for her. (Side note: as an astrology nerd I loved all the references to that too).
I’d recommend this book if you’re looking for something quick, light and fun to read
Thank you Good Girls PR and Joanna Kimber for the early copy!
March 4, 2025
Thank you to Good Girls PR Marketing for my advanced reader’s copy of How the Plot Thickens by Joanna Kimber.
This novel follows a romance author who isn't as successful as she’d like to be. She believes it’s because she has never truly experienced love. One night, she makes a wish on a shooting star for all of her books’ main male characters (MMCs) to come to life. Little does she know, she’s about to meet a man who isn’t from her books—while also dealing with the chaos of her first-ever MMC, an assassin, making things even more complicated.
Honestly, I found this book difficult to get through. The first half felt flat, and there wasn’t much that kept me engaged. The story picked up slightly in the second half, but it wasn’t until the last couple of chapters that I felt more invested. I understand why the author included certain side characters and relationships, particularly those involving the main female character, Eden, but I think some could have been cut—such as her relationship with her mother.
This novel follows a romance author who isn't as successful as she’d like to be. She believes it’s because she has never truly experienced love. One night, she makes a wish on a shooting star for all of her books’ main male characters (MMCs) to come to life. Little does she know, she’s about to meet a man who isn’t from her books—while also dealing with the chaos of her first-ever MMC, an assassin, making things even more complicated.
Honestly, I found this book difficult to get through. The first half felt flat, and there wasn’t much that kept me engaged. The story picked up slightly in the second half, but it wasn’t until the last couple of chapters that I felt more invested. I understand why the author included certain side characters and relationships, particularly those involving the main female character, Eden, but I think some could have been cut—such as her relationship with her mother.
March 9, 2025
E-Arc review
A unique thing I liked about the book was all the chapters had names for it which isn't much seen nowadays . The book even had a map with it .
This book was like the typical imagination of every reader who always wished that their fictional characters were real .
This was an okayish read for me honestly. I felt the book had a lot of chasing which didn't do it for me . I was expecting a lot more from this book because the plot seemed interesting. The book could've been written better. At times I felt there were no connections between each chapter , suddenly some other plot was starting in the next chapter and it just didn't do it for me . The transition between chapters wasn't that smooth.
I loved the swoon-worthy dialogues by Cairo and I loved the gestures he did for Eden throughout the novel. Cairo solving problems for Eden was just on point . Eden being the independent girl always finally met someone who just did things for her without saying and I felt so happy reading that .
My final rating will be 3/5 .
A unique thing I liked about the book was all the chapters had names for it which isn't much seen nowadays . The book even had a map with it .
This book was like the typical imagination of every reader who always wished that their fictional characters were real .
This was an okayish read for me honestly. I felt the book had a lot of chasing which didn't do it for me . I was expecting a lot more from this book because the plot seemed interesting. The book could've been written better. At times I felt there were no connections between each chapter , suddenly some other plot was starting in the next chapter and it just didn't do it for me . The transition between chapters wasn't that smooth.
I loved the swoon-worthy dialogues by Cairo and I loved the gestures he did for Eden throughout the novel. Cairo solving problems for Eden was just on point . Eden being the independent girl always finally met someone who just did things for her without saying and I felt so happy reading that .
My final rating will be 3/5 .
January 22, 2025
4 🌟
So this is what it feels like to wish fictional men could come to life—what a ride! 😅 I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. Joanna Kimber weaves a story that’s as entertaining as it is engaging, keeping me hooked the whole way through.
The humor was an absolute highlight! There were moments that genuinely made me laugh out loud, and it was impossible not to smile while reading. The balance of romance, comedy, suspense, and heartfelt moments creates a well-rounded story that has a little bit of everything for everyone.
Honorable mention? Gram! She stole the show with her hilarious antics. I couldn’t stop laughing whenever she appeared on the page—easily one of my favorite characters.
Overall, if you’re looking for a suspenseful story mixed with romance and comedy, this is a cute and delightful read you won’t want to miss.
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙅𝙤𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖, 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾! 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙡𝙤𝙩 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙣𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙣 2/25—𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙨! 🗓️
So this is what it feels like to wish fictional men could come to life—what a ride! 😅 I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. Joanna Kimber weaves a story that’s as entertaining as it is engaging, keeping me hooked the whole way through.
The humor was an absolute highlight! There were moments that genuinely made me laugh out loud, and it was impossible not to smile while reading. The balance of romance, comedy, suspense, and heartfelt moments creates a well-rounded story that has a little bit of everything for everyone.
Honorable mention? Gram! She stole the show with her hilarious antics. I couldn’t stop laughing whenever she appeared on the page—easily one of my favorite characters.
Overall, if you’re looking for a suspenseful story mixed with romance and comedy, this is a cute and delightful read you won’t want to miss.
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙅𝙤𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖, 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾! 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙡𝙤𝙩 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙣𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙣 2/25—𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙨! 🗓️
March 14, 2025
This book was a fun, creative romance with a bit of magic tossed in.
Tropes:
Romance with a Sprinkle of Fantasy
Small Town
Author/Librarian x He's in Tech
He Falls First
Eden is feeling down on her luck. When she sees a shooting star and wishes on it that guys in the books she's written were real, she gets the shock of her life when she starts to run into them around town. She meets Cairo, a man in real life that rivals her book boyfriends, she has to keep him safe from her very frist, very dangerous book boyfriend.
The premise of this book was so fun! The twist of Eden's dark romance boyfriend who was based off of Assassins Creed was a funny and intense one. Cairo was so sweet and it was so fun to have someone so into Star Wars and she got into it as well. He's so encouraging to her, and was a fun surprise
🌶🌶
Thank you, Joanna and GGPR, for sending me a copy of this book!
Tropes:
Romance with a Sprinkle of Fantasy
Small Town
Author/Librarian x He's in Tech
He Falls First
Eden is feeling down on her luck. When she sees a shooting star and wishes on it that guys in the books she's written were real, she gets the shock of her life when she starts to run into them around town. She meets Cairo, a man in real life that rivals her book boyfriends, she has to keep him safe from her very frist, very dangerous book boyfriend.
The premise of this book was so fun! The twist of Eden's dark romance boyfriend who was based off of Assassins Creed was a funny and intense one. Cairo was so sweet and it was so fun to have someone so into Star Wars and she got into it as well. He's so encouraging to her, and was a fun surprise
🌶🌶
Thank you, Joanna and GGPR, for sending me a copy of this book!
Read
January 13, 2025I always used to joke about fictional men coming to life so I could date my “dream” man, but this put more into prospective what exactly that could mean and how it could actually not be “right.” The psychological aspects of this were fascinating from all the characters, even the fictional "fictional" ones. It touches upon grief, self-growth, relationships, and concepts/expectations of love. I wish the science aspects were more explained but for what it was used for and how it was used to evolve the characters and plot made sense. There was an open-endedness for the "happily ever-after" that felt like there could be more even though it was realistic and made sense. I also wanted a little more closure among some glossed over parts at the end that bothered me but overall, it was a different read than expected thanks to some twists.
January 19, 2025
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Have you ever wondered what would happen if the book boyfriends we love in our romances came to life? That’s what happens when librarian and self published author Eden wishes upon a star in her small town of Crescent Bay and the men she writes in her books come alive. The guy at the coffee shop, the British heartthrob and the sexy assassin she wrote when she was 16. But then Eden meets Cairo, who makes her realize book boyfriends are for books and love is close to home.
Joanna Kimber has written a funny, small town romance that keeps you engaged. It has a touch of magical realism that is not difficult to understand and the story flows naturally. I believe that Cairo is the new book boyfriend that everyone will fall in love with. I laughed, was swooning and invested the entire story. I definitely recommend 💯
Have you ever wondered what would happen if the book boyfriends we love in our romances came to life? That’s what happens when librarian and self published author Eden wishes upon a star in her small town of Crescent Bay and the men she writes in her books come alive. The guy at the coffee shop, the British heartthrob and the sexy assassin she wrote when she was 16. But then Eden meets Cairo, who makes her realize book boyfriends are for books and love is close to home.
Joanna Kimber has written a funny, small town romance that keeps you engaged. It has a touch of magical realism that is not difficult to understand and the story flows naturally. I believe that Cairo is the new book boyfriend that everyone will fall in love with. I laughed, was swooning and invested the entire story. I definitely recommend 💯
February 5, 2025
I could not put this book down! I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and characters in this book.
Eden, an author who is not feeling her most confident self after receiving some negative reviews on her latest book- is wishing all the men in her books could be real so she could experience a love like what you read in the books AND then the plot thickens. (LOL)
I really loved the fantasy mixed with reality element. The inner monologue of Eden had me cracking up and I couldn't wait to see what kind of crazy thing would happen next.
I loved how supportive and thoughtful Cairo was throughout the whole book and was always ready to hype up our girl Eden.
I enjoyed the complex relationships you see throughout the book with each character and I look forward to reading more of Joanna Kimber's books in the future!
Eden, an author who is not feeling her most confident self after receiving some negative reviews on her latest book- is wishing all the men in her books could be real so she could experience a love like what you read in the books AND then the plot thickens. (LOL)
I really loved the fantasy mixed with reality element. The inner monologue of Eden had me cracking up and I couldn't wait to see what kind of crazy thing would happen next.
I loved how supportive and thoughtful Cairo was throughout the whole book and was always ready to hype up our girl Eden.
I enjoyed the complex relationships you see throughout the book with each character and I look forward to reading more of Joanna Kimber's books in the future!
February 26, 2025
How the Plot Thickens: A Small Town Romantic Comedy
Joanna Kimber
I didn’t expect this small town romance to be this way. I can appreciate that Kimber tried something outside of her norm. Eden’s characters coming to life to infringe on her life is a recipe for chaos.
In addition to the magical realism component, I think there is a larger conversation being addressed which is public consumption. Or the ways in which the public express their points. Breaking the 4th wall when it comes to how readers express their dislikes in reviews. There is a vast difference between expressing dislikes and attacking the author personally.
Eden’s personal evolution as a character was my favorite part. She had to accept that her perspective could be flawed about certain circumstances.
#readandtellwithshantel #joannakimber #magicalrealism #romance
Joanna Kimber
I didn’t expect this small town romance to be this way. I can appreciate that Kimber tried something outside of her norm. Eden’s characters coming to life to infringe on her life is a recipe for chaos.
In addition to the magical realism component, I think there is a larger conversation being addressed which is public consumption. Or the ways in which the public express their points. Breaking the 4th wall when it comes to how readers express their dislikes in reviews. There is a vast difference between expressing dislikes and attacking the author personally.
Eden’s personal evolution as a character was my favorite part. She had to accept that her perspective could be flawed about certain circumstances.
#readandtellwithshantel #joannakimber #magicalrealism #romance
April 1, 2025
Thank you so much Author @joannakimberwrites and @goodgirlspr for this ARC. This was such a cute fun read with some good spice🌶! It definitely felt like a parody of rom com books and I loved it!
How the Plot Thickens takes readers on a whimsical and heartwarming journey with Eden, a romance author struggling after her last book didn’t quite hit the mark. In a moment of longing, she makes a wish upon a star—hoping to bring her fictional characters to life and truly experience the love she’s been trying to capture in her stories. But as her book boyfriends materialize, so does Cairo—the ultimate real-life book boyfriend. Sweet, charming, and effortlessly swoon-worthy, Cairo is everything a romance heroine (and reader) could want.
Overall, this was a fast and enjoyable read—perfect for a cozy weekend romance.
How the Plot Thickens takes readers on a whimsical and heartwarming journey with Eden, a romance author struggling after her last book didn’t quite hit the mark. In a moment of longing, she makes a wish upon a star—hoping to bring her fictional characters to life and truly experience the love she’s been trying to capture in her stories. But as her book boyfriends materialize, so does Cairo—the ultimate real-life book boyfriend. Sweet, charming, and effortlessly swoon-worthy, Cairo is everything a romance heroine (and reader) could want.
Overall, this was a fast and enjoyable read—perfect for a cozy weekend romance.
February 24, 2025
Eden is a writer who is facing a drought in her career and also in her love life. One day, she wishes on a shooting star for the characters which she has written about to come to life, and for her to experience love.
To her horror, her wish comes true and it includes a dark romance character, Xander. The plot is quite unique, incorporating different types of romance elements —from dark romance to meet-cutes to brooding, grumpy heroes.
There are a number of side plots too revolving around Eden’s reconciliation with her former best friend and with her mother. However, despite the attempts to be light-hearted, most of the scenes were not as funny as expected. The love story also lacked chemistry between her and the hero.
To her horror, her wish comes true and it includes a dark romance character, Xander. The plot is quite unique, incorporating different types of romance elements —from dark romance to meet-cutes to brooding, grumpy heroes.
There are a number of side plots too revolving around Eden’s reconciliation with her former best friend and with her mother. However, despite the attempts to be light-hearted, most of the scenes were not as funny as expected. The love story also lacked chemistry between her and the hero.
September 13, 2025
I absolutely LOVED this book. It was very lighthearted and a fun read. I love how we didn’t only explore a relationship with the mmc but the other people in her life. I felt as if I was experiencing Eden’s feelings myself the way they were so perfectly expressed. The fear, love, anxiety.. it was nailed to a t. I do wish we had a bit of resistance from Lindsey and Cairo when she told them about the characters for a touch of realism. The mentioning of their skin tone was a tad repetitive and as perfect as Cairo is, I think we glossed over the fact he bugged her phone. Other than that this book was everything. Seeing black women loved out loud in books unfortunately is something rare but this delivered. Definitely will continue to read and support this author!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2025
I give this 3.5 stars. It was cute and lighthearted. The FMC is a romance author who writes under a pen name and needs to change up her writing if she wants to be successful but the problem is she hasn’t been loved like she thinks love should be and when she makes a wish that she could be with the MMCs of her books things get a little out of hand. Through the book she meets her different characters and learns about love and it gives her a new perspective and opportunity to change what she writes. I thought this was a cute little story with adventure and life lessons. If you like magical aspects and a cute, fun, quick romance i recommend reading this one.
March 17, 2025
2.75⭐️
2🌶️
This was a mostly fun read, though it was a bit of a slow start and seemed to get a little confused about what kind of story it was at times.
I liked the idea of the magical/mystical elements with Eden wishing on a star and bringing her book boyfriends to life, but they kind of took over the story too much and we didn't get as much time as I would have liked to enjoy the actual romance that was developing between Eden and the IRL book boyfriend, Cairo.
Also, I was just not prepared for the detailed descriptions of unaliving that her dark romance book boyfriend Xander carried out against the other book boyfriends... 😬
I think my biggest issue with Eden was her dedication to despising her former BFF, Lindsey, for (seemingly) having the life that Eden had always wanted. I related to Eden in a lot of ways when it came to her friendship with Lindsey, but she really knew how to drag out the pity and that definitely wore on me. I've had friends like Lindsey who would steal the spotlight and seemed to make sure that what I wanted for myself, they would actually get before I could.
But then I got older and could see that there was more to things than my limited viewpoint. Circumstances outside of Eden's control and Eden's own choices had put her in the position she was in, and Lindsey couldn't be expected to do anything about that. Certainly not put her life on hold because Eden's wasn't going the way she wanted it to.
And also, Eden never told Lindsey how she felt at any point before they fell out of touch. The miscommunication/lack of communication trope in a romance novel is always going to annoy me, even if it's with a side character and not between the MCs, and this was more annoying because it took Eden a bunch of complaining and far too long to own up to her side of their friendship drifting apart and her resentment towards Lindsey.
The combination of the pacing, the story kind of getting lost in the magical elements and the book boyfriends storyline, and Eden's immaturity and self-pitying were what ultimately made this less enjoyable for me. It was an interesting premise, but the execution just wasn't there.
Thank you to the author for sending me an advanced copy of this book. The preceding are my honest thoughts and opinions.
2🌶️
This was a mostly fun read, though it was a bit of a slow start and seemed to get a little confused about what kind of story it was at times.
I liked the idea of the magical/mystical elements with Eden wishing on a star and bringing her book boyfriends to life, but they kind of took over the story too much and we didn't get as much time as I would have liked to enjoy the actual romance that was developing between Eden and the IRL book boyfriend, Cairo.
Also, I was just not prepared for the detailed descriptions of unaliving that her dark romance book boyfriend Xander carried out against the other book boyfriends... 😬
I think my biggest issue with Eden was her dedication to despising her former BFF, Lindsey, for (seemingly) having the life that Eden had always wanted. I related to Eden in a lot of ways when it came to her friendship with Lindsey, but she really knew how to drag out the pity and that definitely wore on me. I've had friends like Lindsey who would steal the spotlight and seemed to make sure that what I wanted for myself, they would actually get before I could.
But then I got older and could see that there was more to things than my limited viewpoint. Circumstances outside of Eden's control and Eden's own choices had put her in the position she was in, and Lindsey couldn't be expected to do anything about that. Certainly not put her life on hold because Eden's wasn't going the way she wanted it to.
And also, Eden never told Lindsey how she felt at any point before they fell out of touch. The miscommunication/lack of communication trope in a romance novel is always going to annoy me, even if it's with a side character and not between the MCs, and this was more annoying because it took Eden a bunch of complaining and far too long to own up to her side of their friendship drifting apart and her resentment towards Lindsey.
The combination of the pacing, the story kind of getting lost in the magical elements and the book boyfriends storyline, and Eden's immaturity and self-pitying were what ultimately made this less enjoyable for me. It was an interesting premise, but the execution just wasn't there.
Thank you to the author for sending me an advanced copy of this book. The preceding are my honest thoughts and opinions.
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