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Romantic Hero
A heartbroken romance novelist is forced to address her writer's block when the villainous cowboy character from her books shows up in the real world, desperately in need of his own Happily Ever After. . . from the bestselling author of GMA book club pick The Love of My Afterlife.
Gertie Bickerstaff writes happily-ever-afters for a living. . . . Or she did, until her own love life fell apart. Now her ex is thriving, her deadline is looming, and she can’t write a single word.
The last thing Gertie needs is more drama—like waking up to find a confused and rugged cowboy on her sofa. And not just any cowboy, but River Oakley, the villain from her unfinished novel. Somehow very real . . . and very shirtless.
River wants to go home. Gertie wants her life back. So they strike a deal: he’ll use his cunning ways to help her win back her ex, she’ll finish the novel, and, surely, he’ll return to whatever world he rode in from.
But as River Oakley proves to be so much more than just the bad guy, Gertie has to choose: the ending she thought she wanted . . . or the plot twist she never saw coming.
Gertie Bickerstaff writes happily-ever-afters for a living. . . . Or she did, until her own love life fell apart. Now her ex is thriving, her deadline is looming, and she can’t write a single word.
The last thing Gertie needs is more drama—like waking up to find a confused and rugged cowboy on her sofa. And not just any cowboy, but River Oakley, the villain from her unfinished novel. Somehow very real . . . and very shirtless.
River wants to go home. Gertie wants her life back. So they strike a deal: he’ll use his cunning ways to help her win back her ex, she’ll finish the novel, and, surely, he’ll return to whatever world he rode in from.
But as River Oakley proves to be so much more than just the bad guy, Gertie has to choose: the ending she thought she wanted . . . or the plot twist she never saw coming.
368 pages, Paperback
First published June 16, 2026
About the author
Kirsty Greenwood
17 books2,430 followersKirsty Greenwood is a top ten bestselling author of funny, fearless and fast-paced romantic comedies about extraordinary love.
When she's not writing books she composes musicals, cooks new recipes with varying success, walks the blustery hills where she lives, buys too much glittery eyeshadow, sings to her dog, kisses her husband and reads all of the books she can get her grabby hands on.
If you want to find out about Kirsty's new releases and discounted books you can sign up to the newsletter here: www.kirstygreenwood.com/newsletter
Kirsty Instagrams at @kirsty_greenwood and can be found on Facebook at KirstyGreenwoodBooks. Say hi! She loves a natter.
When she's not writing books she composes musicals, cooks new recipes with varying success, walks the blustery hills where she lives, buys too much glittery eyeshadow, sings to her dog, kisses her husband and reads all of the books she can get her grabby hands on.
If you want to find out about Kirsty's new releases and discounted books you can sign up to the newsletter here: www.kirstygreenwood.com/newsletter
Kirsty Instagrams at @kirsty_greenwood and can be found on Facebook at KirstyGreenwoodBooks. Say hi! She loves a natter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 741 reviews
June 3, 2026
kirsty greenwood always writes SUCH FUN STORIES. i loved this so much. her humour is always so fabulous and i love how british her stories are, it adds another layer of home to me. this one was incredibly entertaining, silly, and endearing. LOVED!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️ 4.25 ⭐️ Waking up to find a very hot, shirtless, rugged cowboy --no less a villain from an unfinished novel--on the sofa?? SIGN ME UP. IM READY.
This books a GEM and you should add this to your summer reading list! I was laughing out loud so many times, I found the humor here completely up my alley--incredibly British and very hilarious and the banter..SO FUN!
Gertie Bickerstaff is a romance writer currently working on her final novel but is experiencing a complete writers block. She's quiet, a people pleaser and an introvert at heart. She's just been dumped by Henry, her ex-boyfriend, a complete WEASEL but she doesn't see that..not yet. After a 'manifestation ceremony' by her very quirky, funny older neighbor--Ms. Casablanca, she wakes up the following morning with a HOT COWBOY, Riley Oakley, sitting on her sofa. He is not just a cowboy, he's actually a villain from her unfinished novel..and very shirtless, indeed. Frazzled, Gertie thinks this is a big fat joke! She's even more shocked when he introduces himself--How can this be?? River is just as confused as Gertie and he desperately wants to go back home. The pair basically strikes up a plan that would help Gertie with her writers block and help get River get back home. Little do they know what's in store for both of them!
Gertie honey you need to SOW YOUR WILD OATS. She's a softie who doesn't know how to stand up for herself. She's a hopeless romantic, never fully healed from a grieving event (I won't give it away!) and yet again is brokenhearted. She's desperate to finish her novel but that writing block is not doing her any good! On top of that, she's reeling to get Henry back! Yuck girl, YUCK! She's shrinking until the moment River Oakley arrives! And when he comes, her entire world changes and those changes heal her from inside out. I loved her arc and growth. She started of as a meek character and bloomed into a woman who embraced her assertiveness.
I have always adored cowboy romances and River Oakley is the perfect embodiment of charming, dreamy, broody (hot headed) cowboy! River is a very WELL written character that you're going to fall in love with. He's gruff and grumpy, with a hard exterior and quick, sharpened wit. Underneath his impervious exterior, he is loyal, respectful and just knows how to use his charm to get what he wants. He's honestly perfect for Gertie and exactly the type of a man she needs. Their tension and chemistry was naturally organic and sweet. It never felt pushy or over-the-top. He's just so charismatic, I loved him for her. He helped her love herself again. He's given her that boost of confidence that she kind of lost when she was with the weasel (Henry) and leaned in the right places to help her get back in the right mindset.
SAVE A HORSE, RIDE A COWBOY.
The point of the story is: ladies don't be with men who make you feel small! Be with someone who looks at you with pride and makes you feel big. Someone who makes you shine in a room full of people.
This book is featured as an add-on on BOTM! Here’s a link to get it just for $5: https://www.mybotm.com/bgnrjn6qk0o
Cancel the membership at no cost to you. I love BOTM! One great perk is that you can get new releases before publication date.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and the author, Kristy Greenwood for an early ARC.
Publication date: June 16, 2026
This books a GEM and you should add this to your summer reading list! I was laughing out loud so many times, I found the humor here completely up my alley--incredibly British and very hilarious and the banter..SO FUN!
Gertie Bickerstaff is a romance writer currently working on her final novel but is experiencing a complete writers block. She's quiet, a people pleaser and an introvert at heart. She's just been dumped by Henry, her ex-boyfriend, a complete WEASEL but she doesn't see that..not yet. After a 'manifestation ceremony' by her very quirky, funny older neighbor--Ms. Casablanca, she wakes up the following morning with a HOT COWBOY, Riley Oakley, sitting on her sofa. He is not just a cowboy, he's actually a villain from her unfinished novel..and very shirtless, indeed. Frazzled, Gertie thinks this is a big fat joke! She's even more shocked when he introduces himself--How can this be?? River is just as confused as Gertie and he desperately wants to go back home. The pair basically strikes up a plan that would help Gertie with her writers block and help get River get back home. Little do they know what's in store for both of them!
Gertie honey you need to SOW YOUR WILD OATS. She's a softie who doesn't know how to stand up for herself. She's a hopeless romantic, never fully healed from a grieving event (I won't give it away!) and yet again is brokenhearted. She's desperate to finish her novel but that writing block is not doing her any good! On top of that, she's reeling to get Henry back! Yuck girl, YUCK! She's shrinking until the moment River Oakley arrives! And when he comes, her entire world changes and those changes heal her from inside out. I loved her arc and growth. She started of as a meek character and bloomed into a woman who embraced her assertiveness.
I have always adored cowboy romances and River Oakley is the perfect embodiment of charming, dreamy, broody (hot headed) cowboy! River is a very WELL written character that you're going to fall in love with. He's gruff and grumpy, with a hard exterior and quick, sharpened wit. Underneath his impervious exterior, he is loyal, respectful and just knows how to use his charm to get what he wants. He's honestly perfect for Gertie and exactly the type of a man she needs. Their tension and chemistry was naturally organic and sweet. It never felt pushy or over-the-top. He's just so charismatic, I loved him for her. He helped her love herself again. He's given her that boost of confidence that she kind of lost when she was with the weasel (Henry) and leaned in the right places to help her get back in the right mindset.
SAVE A HORSE, RIDE A COWBOY.
The point of the story is: ladies don't be with men who make you feel small! Be with someone who looks at you with pride and makes you feel big. Someone who makes you shine in a room full of people.
This book is featured as an add-on on BOTM! Here’s a link to get it just for $5: https://www.mybotm.com/bgnrjn6qk0o
Cancel the membership at no cost to you. I love BOTM! One great perk is that you can get new releases before publication date.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and the author, Kristy Greenwood for an early ARC.
Publication date: June 16, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!
while i did not cry as much as i did while reading the love of my afterlife, i felt a lot more complex emotions reading romantic hero.
this was such a beautiful magical realism romance — and i am especially proud of our fmc gertie; she really scared me for a second because of how much of a meek pushover she was, especially regarding that windbag henry, but boy did she really grow into herself!!
i loved river as the mmc — he was gruff and snarky but also really encouraged gertie to stick up for herself, and showed her how to be her own person. i loved that he never allowed her to put herself down and supported her, but was very clear in his communication when he felt wronged by her. not to mention he was sexyyy and made gertie feel just as sexy too😌🙂↕️
not to mention his letter to her😭 THAT’S when i cried…
overall i really enjoy kirsty greenwood’s writing and i am chomping for another book by her asap. i’ll have to dive into her backlist!!
not to mention there was an easter egg from the love of my afterlife😭🩵
——
beyond excited to dive into this next book by kirsty greenwood because the love of my afterlife completely rewired my brain
while i did not cry as much as i did while reading the love of my afterlife, i felt a lot more complex emotions reading romantic hero.
this was such a beautiful magical realism romance — and i am especially proud of our fmc gertie; she really scared me for a second because of how much of a meek pushover she was, especially regarding that windbag henry, but boy did she really grow into herself!!
i loved river as the mmc — he was gruff and snarky but also really encouraged gertie to stick up for herself, and showed her how to be her own person. i loved that he never allowed her to put herself down and supported her, but was very clear in his communication when he felt wronged by her. not to mention he was sexyyy and made gertie feel just as sexy too😌🙂↕️
not to mention his letter to her😭 THAT’S when i cried…
overall i really enjoy kirsty greenwood’s writing and i am chomping for another book by her asap. i’ll have to dive into her backlist!!
not to mention there was an easter egg from the love of my afterlife😭🩵
——
beyond excited to dive into this next book by kirsty greenwood because the love of my afterlife completely rewired my brain
April 30, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up! 🌟
Alright 👏🏻this is what I’m talking about! Loved loveddd! This book was exactly what I needed after not having a romance really hit in what feels like forever for me 😩
But lemme gush about this one!
Gertie is such a relatable, quirky, and lovable FMC- struggling with heartbreak, writer’s block, and a looming deadline.
Then, in a burst of magic, a little moon action and manifestations- boom her villainous cowboy character, River Oakley, literally shows up shirtless on her couch. From there, the story is equal parts funny, charming, and surprisingly heartfelt.
I laughed out loud multiple times, just cheesing at the banter, and even teared up. 🥹 The characters (including the cute dog!) are so endearing, and I loved how Greenwood wove the magical realism elements together so seamlessly. It’s sweet, funny, and full of heart.
Idk how else to explain it… it’s just one of those stories that feels like magic ✨
I wanted to squeeze this book and dance around the room with it. I wanted to hold hands and skip with it down the road.
Pure joy. Y’all should definitely add River Oakley to your TBR 💓
Highly recommend if you’re looking for something cute, quirky, and emotionally satisfying. 💖
Many thanks to my besties at Berkley Pub for the advanced digital copy - all thoughts are my own.
Pub Date - 06/17/26
💖Fictional Character Comes to Life
💛Fake Dating
💖Forced Proximity
💛One Bed
💖Opposites Attract
💛Fish Out of Water
💖Magical Realism
💛Grumpy / Protective MMC
💖Author FMC
💛Cowboy MMC
✴︎a˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Alright 👏🏻this is what I’m talking about! Loved loveddd! This book was exactly what I needed after not having a romance really hit in what feels like forever for me 😩
But lemme gush about this one!
Gertie is such a relatable, quirky, and lovable FMC- struggling with heartbreak, writer’s block, and a looming deadline.
Then, in a burst of magic, a little moon action and manifestations- boom her villainous cowboy character, River Oakley, literally shows up shirtless on her couch. From there, the story is equal parts funny, charming, and surprisingly heartfelt.
I laughed out loud multiple times, just cheesing at the banter, and even teared up. 🥹 The characters (including the cute dog!) are so endearing, and I loved how Greenwood wove the magical realism elements together so seamlessly. It’s sweet, funny, and full of heart.
Idk how else to explain it… it’s just one of those stories that feels like magic ✨
I wanted to squeeze this book and dance around the room with it. I wanted to hold hands and skip with it down the road.
Pure joy. Y’all should definitely add River Oakley to your TBR 💓
Highly recommend if you’re looking for something cute, quirky, and emotionally satisfying. 💖
Many thanks to my besties at Berkley Pub for the advanced digital copy - all thoughts are my own.
Pub Date - 06/17/26
💖Fictional Character Comes to Life
💛Fake Dating
💖Forced Proximity
💛One Bed
💖Opposites Attract
💛Fish Out of Water
💖Magical Realism
💛Grumpy / Protective MMC
💖Author FMC
💛Cowboy MMC
✴︎a˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
May 19, 2026
This meta romantic comedy was such an entertaining read! I absolutely loved that this came with magical realism. The characters were wonderful and very well developed, the plot was well thought out and executed, and the world-building was great. It felt very whimsical to read, even though the book had some heavy topics. It also made me cry! This rom-com was a huge hit for me!
It is about a woman named Gertie who gets writer's block and ends up living with the villain from her unfinished manuscript. He’s not just the villain in the story, but he’s also a cowboy! I’m not sure what I would do if that actually happened to me! The banter between these two really made me laugh! This book was both heartfelt and charming! I give this book a 4.5 star rating!
This really gave me the book “The Seven Year Slip” vibes. Thank you to NetGalley, author Kirsty Greenwood, and Berkley Publishing Group for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is set to be released on June 16, 2026!
It is about a woman named Gertie who gets writer's block and ends up living with the villain from her unfinished manuscript. He’s not just the villain in the story, but he’s also a cowboy! I’m not sure what I would do if that actually happened to me! The banter between these two really made me laugh! This book was both heartfelt and charming! I give this book a 4.5 star rating!
This really gave me the book “The Seven Year Slip” vibes. Thank you to NetGalley, author Kirsty Greenwood, and Berkley Publishing Group for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is set to be released on June 16, 2026!
May 24, 2026
This book was so FUN! I loved The Love of My Afterlife, it was a 5-star read for me, so I was super pumped to get my hands on Romantic Hero. I'm so happy it did not disappoint. Gertie is a writer of a popular book series, Bedlam Creek, and she is having major writer's block. Then, the swoony badboy cowboy, River Oakley, from her series shows up in her apartment. This makes for an entertaining, super unique storyline that was so enjoyable. I loved the magical realism added into the book, it was just the perfect amount for that whimsical feel without being too over the top. I cannot wait to read what Kirsty Greenwood writes next; she is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors!
Thank you, Berkley, and Net Galley, for a copy in return for my honest review.
Thank you, Berkley, and Net Galley, for a copy in return for my honest review.
June 29, 2026
This one snuck up on me..
At first I really didn’t vibe with the heroine. She was a doormat, people pleaser with low self esteem who is bending over backwards trying to get her ex back. But she grew a spine quickly so I kept reading.
The rest of the story was very cute with an interesting concept. I never know about magical realism, it is so often not done well and I don’t buy into the premise. But this one worked for me. It was silly over all, and obviously wouldn’t happen irl, but the author took me on a journey and I went happily.
This is a great summer book or a beach read. Low stakes, entertaining, sweet and slightly silly.
Thanks for the arc!
At first I really didn’t vibe with the heroine. She was a doormat, people pleaser with low self esteem who is bending over backwards trying to get her ex back. But she grew a spine quickly so I kept reading.
The rest of the story was very cute with an interesting concept. I never know about magical realism, it is so often not done well and I don’t buy into the premise. But this one worked for me. It was silly over all, and obviously wouldn’t happen irl, but the author took me on a journey and I went happily.
This is a great summer book or a beach read. Low stakes, entertaining, sweet and slightly silly.
Thanks for the arc!
June 21, 2026
4 Stars
One Liner: Funny and cute
Gertie Bickerstaff used to write happy-ever-after for a living, but with her love life falling apart, her career is at risk too! She doesn’t need more drama, except that it finds her in the form of a confused cowboy on her sofa. Turns out, he is River Oakley, the villain from her unfinished novel (the one with a looming deadline).
River wants to go home, and Gertie wants her life back. They make a deal. River helps her win her ex back, and she will finish the novel. However, life rarely accepts such deals without throwing a twist or few!
The story comes in Gertie’s first-person POV.
My Thoughts
While I didn’t love The Love of My Afterlife, I enjoyed it quite well. So, when this appeared in my inbox, I was happy to grab a copy and read it.
The book starts with quite an interesting scene, before it rewinds a little to establish the backstory. It sure was a fun beginning. The perfect hook, lol.
Despite the FMC’s situation, the narration is quirky and funny, which makes it hilarious rather than whiny or annoying. I really like how the tone balances the quirkiness with vulnerability and a sense of naivety.
And yes, she can sound absolutely pathetic, which is very much intentional. There will be many instances where you want to shake some sense and confidence into the FMC. I was hoping she wouldn’t let that douche ex walk all over her.
Luckily, the pacing was great, so I could finally stop when she showed some spine. Phew! It allowed me a good night’s sleep. However, % wise, maybe the wait felt a little long, but it made sense too.
The magic realism part is actually interesting. I like the explanation, even if it terrifies me a little (being an author can be risky at times). If only my manifestation rituals worked half as well!
The MMC is, of course, a good guy. Cocky, but kind, and exactly what is needed to balance the FMC’s situation. He brings out the ‘worst’ in her, which is actually her spine she pretended didn’t exist.
There is only one interesting side character. I mean, many others come and go, but the neighbor was the best. The agent was nice (in an I'm trying not to freak out way) as well.
The road to the ending is something romance readers should guess well enough. The message is delivered, and the HEA provided, with the mischievous little dog (crossbreed of a Pug and Chihuahua) wrapped in a nice bow. ;) And oh, there is a little spice, like 1.5 max.
To summarize, Romantic Hero is a lighthearted read that still touches on some heavy themes without overwhelming the reader. No idea if the portrayal of a Texan cowboy is accurate!
My thanks to Isabella Levin, NetGalley, and Random House UK, Cornerstone (Penguin) for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #RomanticHero
One Liner: Funny and cute
Gertie Bickerstaff used to write happy-ever-after for a living, but with her love life falling apart, her career is at risk too! She doesn’t need more drama, except that it finds her in the form of a confused cowboy on her sofa. Turns out, he is River Oakley, the villain from her unfinished novel (the one with a looming deadline).
River wants to go home, and Gertie wants her life back. They make a deal. River helps her win her ex back, and she will finish the novel. However, life rarely accepts such deals without throwing a twist or few!
The story comes in Gertie’s first-person POV.
My Thoughts
While I didn’t love The Love of My Afterlife, I enjoyed it quite well. So, when this appeared in my inbox, I was happy to grab a copy and read it.
The book starts with quite an interesting scene, before it rewinds a little to establish the backstory. It sure was a fun beginning. The perfect hook, lol.
Despite the FMC’s situation, the narration is quirky and funny, which makes it hilarious rather than whiny or annoying. I really like how the tone balances the quirkiness with vulnerability and a sense of naivety.
And yes, she can sound absolutely pathetic, which is very much intentional. There will be many instances where you want to shake some sense and confidence into the FMC. I was hoping she wouldn’t let that douche ex walk all over her.
Luckily, the pacing was great, so I could finally stop when she showed some spine. Phew! It allowed me a good night’s sleep. However, % wise, maybe the wait felt a little long, but it made sense too.
The magic realism part is actually interesting. I like the explanation, even if it terrifies me a little (being an author can be risky at times). If only my manifestation rituals worked half as well!
The MMC is, of course, a good guy. Cocky, but kind, and exactly what is needed to balance the FMC’s situation. He brings out the ‘worst’ in her, which is actually her spine she pretended didn’t exist.
There is only one interesting side character. I mean, many others come and go, but the neighbor was the best. The agent was nice (in an I'm trying not to freak out way) as well.
The road to the ending is something romance readers should guess well enough. The message is delivered, and the HEA provided, with the mischievous little dog (crossbreed of a Pug and Chihuahua) wrapped in a nice bow. ;) And oh, there is a little spice, like 1.5 max.
To summarize, Romantic Hero is a lighthearted read that still touches on some heavy themes without overwhelming the reader. No idea if the portrayal of a Texan cowboy is accurate!
My thanks to Isabella Levin, NetGalley, and Random House UK, Cornerstone (Penguin) for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #RomanticHero
June 27, 2026
A laugh-out-loud, hilarious book.
The banter between the main characters is chef's kiss, the situations they get into absolutely funny, sweet, swoony, and the quirky secondary characters like Mrs Casablancas (Mrs C) and her small dog Squish, a chug, a mixed between a chihuahua an a pug.
Gertie Bickerstaff is a romance writer.
But to be a good one you need to be a true believer, totally in love with love.
Her boyfriend of almost three and a half years, Henry Irving, left her because he was "bored "with their relationship.
And since then she spends her days trying to write, and nights crying and getting drunk with cocktails.
She's got writer's block and the deadline for the final book of her Bedlam Creek Series is looming close and she keeps dodging her agent Bridget.
Mrs C, her friend and neighbour, who used to be a Chemical Engineering professor, has had enough.
She decides Gertie is in need of a manifestation ceremony.
Lets just say it has to be a full moon, the use of ridiculous outfits, under the stars, the wishes written in a piece of paper to be burned in the necessary candles, and all the help is appreciated. God, Budha, Godesses, Lady D and so forth. The more the merrier!
The next day a strange man, a rugged cowboy, gorgeous, six foot-four, is on her sofa!
She's naked because she hasn't been doing her laundry, and he averts his eyes until she is more or less decent, and asks were he his and how he got there.
From Texas to London?
That's a very good question!
He looks like one of her characters in the series, River Oakley, the villain of the story, a womanizer, but when he says his name is the same, she thinks she's hallucinating.
Mrs C suddenly appears and she can see him too and Squish is immediately in love with him!
Gertie says that he is a fictional character, not a real person, she wrote him!
Tells everything about him, about the town, about other characters.
River talks about the towns around her fictional one, other characters, events and places she never wrote in the books.
If she invented him how does she not know everything he knows too?
River says that maybe both their worlds are real, like a parallel universe!
Yeah, sure!!
She tries another manifestation ceremony, with no results, and River thinks that fate or whatever brought him to London to help Gertie get together again with her ex Henry, who treats her badly, like she was nothing, stepping on her and her romance novels because she is a people pleasing person!
He develops a plan to make Henry so jealous and realize what a treasure he has lost, at a birthday in the country of a writer's friend of Henry and Gertie.
Operation Windbag is on the move!
A fake dating, more like a f**ing dating River says, Gertie buying all the necessary cothes for her and him, because he just has jeans and his stetson.
River kind of casts a spelll over everyone who comes into his orbit and doesn't know how annoying it is.
But she can't help being fascinated by it!
He's more than a big cowboy handsome hunk, with a great torso, and for him she's the most beautiful woman he ever saw, and he affectionately calls her Owl because of her round glasses!
See where this is going?
Operation Windbag does not have the result they were expecting because Henry was already involved with someone else, but the chemistry, the sparks between them can not be denied!
They return home and because her phone had a plunge in the pool during the weekend, Bridget is there with Mrs C and when she looks at River she cant help saying "Not again!", because 20 years ago she had a client with writer's block who went through what Gertie and River are experiencing, and tells them what Gertie has to do!
River is there for her and he even learns how to do the perfect cup of tea!
Of course at this point neither one wants to part, not after disvovering how compatible they are in every senses!
He needs to get back to where he came from and she can't go with him and suddenly abandon all her life!
There's a one year later epilogue that is the perfect ending for this story!!!
❤️❤️
The banter between the main characters is chef's kiss, the situations they get into absolutely funny, sweet, swoony, and the quirky secondary characters like Mrs Casablancas (Mrs C) and her small dog Squish, a chug, a mixed between a chihuahua an a pug.
Gertie Bickerstaff is a romance writer.
But to be a good one you need to be a true believer, totally in love with love.
Her boyfriend of almost three and a half years, Henry Irving, left her because he was "bored "with their relationship.
And since then she spends her days trying to write, and nights crying and getting drunk with cocktails.
She's got writer's block and the deadline for the final book of her Bedlam Creek Series is looming close and she keeps dodging her agent Bridget.
Mrs C, her friend and neighbour, who used to be a Chemical Engineering professor, has had enough.
She decides Gertie is in need of a manifestation ceremony.
Lets just say it has to be a full moon, the use of ridiculous outfits, under the stars, the wishes written in a piece of paper to be burned in the necessary candles, and all the help is appreciated. God, Budha, Godesses, Lady D and so forth. The more the merrier!
The next day a strange man, a rugged cowboy, gorgeous, six foot-four, is on her sofa!
She's naked because she hasn't been doing her laundry, and he averts his eyes until she is more or less decent, and asks were he his and how he got there.
From Texas to London?
That's a very good question!
He looks like one of her characters in the series, River Oakley, the villain of the story, a womanizer, but when he says his name is the same, she thinks she's hallucinating.
Mrs C suddenly appears and she can see him too and Squish is immediately in love with him!
Gertie says that he is a fictional character, not a real person, she wrote him!
Tells everything about him, about the town, about other characters.
River talks about the towns around her fictional one, other characters, events and places she never wrote in the books.
If she invented him how does she not know everything he knows too?
River says that maybe both their worlds are real, like a parallel universe!
Yeah, sure!!
She tries another manifestation ceremony, with no results, and River thinks that fate or whatever brought him to London to help Gertie get together again with her ex Henry, who treats her badly, like she was nothing, stepping on her and her romance novels because she is a people pleasing person!
He develops a plan to make Henry so jealous and realize what a treasure he has lost, at a birthday in the country of a writer's friend of Henry and Gertie.
Operation Windbag is on the move!
A fake dating, more like a f**ing dating River says, Gertie buying all the necessary cothes for her and him, because he just has jeans and his stetson.
River kind of casts a spelll over everyone who comes into his orbit and doesn't know how annoying it is.
But she can't help being fascinated by it!
He's more than a big cowboy handsome hunk, with a great torso, and for him she's the most beautiful woman he ever saw, and he affectionately calls her Owl because of her round glasses!
See where this is going?
Operation Windbag does not have the result they were expecting because Henry was already involved with someone else, but the chemistry, the sparks between them can not be denied!
They return home and because her phone had a plunge in the pool during the weekend, Bridget is there with Mrs C and when she looks at River she cant help saying "Not again!", because 20 years ago she had a client with writer's block who went through what Gertie and River are experiencing, and tells them what Gertie has to do!
River is there for her and he even learns how to do the perfect cup of tea!
Of course at this point neither one wants to part, not after disvovering how compatible they are in every senses!
He needs to get back to where he came from and she can't go with him and suddenly abandon all her life!
There's a one year later epilogue that is the perfect ending for this story!!!
❤️❤️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Henry sucks. River is a caricature of a cowboy, which fine given the narrative, but biscuits and grits are not a thing, it’s way too hot in central Texas for a cowboy to not know how to swim, and I know it might be shocking but a cowboy from a town an hour outside of a major US city, would know what a small dog is.
If I wasn’t a Texas resident who spent a big chunk of my adult life an hour away from the fictional town the MMC is from I might have enjoyed this more. As of now I’m just annoyed. This is why I’m always apprehensive to read books set in places I’ve lived written by authors who have not lived there. 😑
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Thank you Berkley for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
If I wasn’t a Texas resident who spent a big chunk of my adult life an hour away from the fictional town the MMC is from I might have enjoyed this more. As of now I’m just annoyed. This is why I’m always apprehensive to read books set in places I’ve lived written by authors who have not lived there. 😑
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Thank you Berkley for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
February 22, 2026
[arc review] I so badly wanted to enjoy this and I’m annoyed at myself for not liking it!
romantic hero follows gertie. the main focus of the book is how she’s navigating a breakup, and finding herself in a writing slump because of it. in comes river—the book boyfriend she created herself, except he’s fallen out of the pages of her book and is very real.
I really wanted to enjoy this but I didn’t enjoy how gertie was pining after her shitty ex for most of the book. I wanted to empathise for her, I really did—but it got to a point where I wanted to give her a good shake and tell her to get up. I understand it’s a plot point, but it served its purpose and went far too into the book.
it’s a cute romance nonetheless, with a different spin on magical realism to what I’m used to. I just found myself not engaged because the fmc felt whiny and didn’t really care to put herself first for once, and only did so at an unreasonable part of the book.
thank you cornerstone / random house UK for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review!
romantic hero follows gertie. the main focus of the book is how she’s navigating a breakup, and finding herself in a writing slump because of it. in comes river—the book boyfriend she created herself, except he’s fallen out of the pages of her book and is very real.
I really wanted to enjoy this but I didn’t enjoy how gertie was pining after her shitty ex for most of the book. I wanted to empathise for her, I really did—but it got to a point where I wanted to give her a good shake and tell her to get up. I understand it’s a plot point, but it served its purpose and went far too into the book.
it’s a cute romance nonetheless, with a different spin on magical realism to what I’m used to. I just found myself not engaged because the fmc felt whiny and didn’t really care to put herself first for once, and only did so at an unreasonable part of the book.
thank you cornerstone / random house UK for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review!
![Profile Image for Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1746468325i/66224803._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
June 8, 2026
Six star read of the year 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
However many universes there out there, I know that in every single one of them my heart belongs to you.
Never thought I would be a cowboy girl, but look at me!
If you are familiar with Isekai stories (and if you are, please let us be friends!) then you know that there’s nothing better than waking up in your favorite book.
But let’s make it a bit different.
What if not you are waking up in another world, one of your characters wakes up in yours!
And you would think it’s your main character, but no, the villain wakes up on your sofa, befuzzled and rather confused, but still insanely hot.
Of course everything happens and you result to fake dating him to get your ex back, who is actually not as perfect as you thought, but four years of a relationship tend makes you think that.
Not only was this absolutely perfect and entertaining and cute and all, I had so so so much fun reading it.
Not only did I start it just a few hours after getting it in my mailbox, I also finished it in under 24 hours!
It’s filled with funny banter, exceptional chemistry, funny lovely side characters (like a dog called squish) and it has endometriosis rep!
And not only is it funny, it’s also sad and takes on grief, people pleasing and living for yourself and not some other half you maybe found.
It was, like I said, perfect.
Also:
Welcome River to my collection of book boyfriends.
However many universes there out there, I know that in every single one of them my heart belongs to you.
Never thought I would be a cowboy girl, but look at me!
If you are familiar with Isekai stories (and if you are, please let us be friends!) then you know that there’s nothing better than waking up in your favorite book.
But let’s make it a bit different.
What if not you are waking up in another world, one of your characters wakes up in yours!
And you would think it’s your main character, but no, the villain wakes up on your sofa, befuzzled and rather confused, but still insanely hot.
Of course everything happens and you result to fake dating him to get your ex back, who is actually not as perfect as you thought, but four years of a relationship tend makes you think that.
Not only was this absolutely perfect and entertaining and cute and all, I had so so so much fun reading it.
Not only did I start it just a few hours after getting it in my mailbox, I also finished it in under 24 hours!
It’s filled with funny banter, exceptional chemistry, funny lovely side characters (like a dog called squish) and it has endometriosis rep!
And not only is it funny, it’s also sad and takes on grief, people pleasing and living for yourself and not some other half you maybe found.
It was, like I said, perfect.
Also:
Welcome River to my collection of book boyfriends.
June 21, 2026
2.5/5 rounded up.
I'm very sorry to say I did not love this one as much as I wish I had (and thought I would). A cute magical romcom with a unique plot, and some fun scenes, but it just didn't click for me.
I LOVED the Love of My Afterlife by this author and I think the major differences I found was that despite the outlandish plot, the characters felt a bit more realistic. I didn't connect to either character, and they fell a little flat for me (other than River being a hot cowboy). To me, the chemistry was a bit lacking between the two, but that could have just been because I didn't truly feel connected to either of them.
It's also possible given I don't love cowboy romances that maybe this just wasn't the read for me - at the end of the day it was fast paced, light-hearted, filled with fun side characters, and I'm still excited to see what's next for this author!
Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I'm very sorry to say I did not love this one as much as I wish I had (and thought I would). A cute magical romcom with a unique plot, and some fun scenes, but it just didn't click for me.
I LOVED the Love of My Afterlife by this author and I think the major differences I found was that despite the outlandish plot, the characters felt a bit more realistic. I didn't connect to either character, and they fell a little flat for me (other than River being a hot cowboy). To me, the chemistry was a bit lacking between the two, but that could have just been because I didn't truly feel connected to either of them.
It's also possible given I don't love cowboy romances that maybe this just wasn't the read for me - at the end of the day it was fast paced, light-hearted, filled with fun side characters, and I'm still excited to see what's next for this author!
Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 26, 2026
I was so excited for Romantic Hero. The premise had everything I love in a rom-com: a heartbroken romance author with writer's block accidentally brings her fictional cowboy villain to life. It sounded funny, unique, and full of potential. I was expecting magical mayhem, great banter, and a love letter to the romance genre.
This was also my third magical realism romance of the year, so my expectations were pretty high going in. It's quickly becoming one of my favorite romance subgenres, and this premise felt like such a fresh take on it.
Gertie Bickerstaff used to make a living writing swoony happily-ever-afters, until her own love story completely fell apart. Now she's stuck with a brutal case of writer's block, an ex who's moved on without a problem, and a looming deadline she can't seem to meet.
As if things couldn't get any weirder, she wakes up one morning to find a rugged, very shirtless cowboy sleeping on her couch. Except he isn't just some random stranger, he's River Oakley, the villain from the romance novel she hasn't even finished writing.
River has one goal: get back to his own world. Gertie just wants to get her life back on track. So they make a deal. He'll help her win back her ex, she'll finish the book, and hopefully writing his ending will send him home.
The only problem? River turns out to be nothing like the villain she created. The more time they spend together, the harder it becomes for Gertie to separate fiction from reality, and she starts questioning whether the happy ending she'd planned is actually the one she wants.
While reading the story, I found myself thinking, Hmm... this feels like the complete opposite of A Novel Story by Ashley Poston.
In A Novel Story, the FMC accidentally ends up inside the fictional small town from her favorite romance series after she'd been left stranded at the altar. She's literally transported into the world she's spent years escaping into.
Here, it's flipped on its head. Instead of the heroine finding herself inside a fictional world, the fictional cowboy crashes into the real one. And rather than the FMC searching for her happily ever after, she's suddenly responsible for helping him find his. It's such a clever reversal of the whole "fiction meets reality" trope, and I loved how it turned the concept on its head.
Sadly, none of it worked for me.
The opening was honestly fantastic. River suddenly appearing in Gertie's living room had me hooked immediately, and for the first 20% or so, I couldn't stop reading. The setup was fun, the pacing was steady, and I loved the idea of a fictional character coming alive.
Then the book completely lost its momentum.
Instead of leaning into the fun, fish-out-of-water concept, the story slows down to focus almost entirely on Gertie's everyday life, her grief, and her writer's block. It became repetitive very quickly, and I kept waiting for the magic and comedy from the beginning to come back. Unfortunately, it never really did.
My biggest issue, though, was Gertie.
I don't mind flawed heroines, especially when they're starting from a bad place. That's usually what makes watching them grow so satisfying. But Gertie spends almost the entire book obsessing over her ex and feeling sorry for herself without taking much control of her own life. Every time I thought she was finally going to stand up for herself, she'd fall right back into the same cycle. It was exhausting to be in her head.
And that's where I think the single point-of-view really hurt the book.
River was easily the more interesting character, but because we never get inside his head, he never feels fully developed. He's literally a fictional cowboy who's suddenly living in the real world, and I kept wishing we could experience everything through his perspective. Imagine him trying to understand phones, modern life, or the fact that the woman who created him is standing right in front of him. There was so much comedy and emotion that could've come from that.
Instead, everything is filtered through Gertie's perspective, which means River often feels more like a plot device than an actual love interest. I never felt like I truly got to know him, and because I wasn't connecting with Gertie either, the romance just didn't land for me.
That's probably what frustrated me the most about this book. The concept is genuinely brilliant. It has all the ingredients for a memorable romantic comedy, but the execution never lived up to the premise. The pacing drags, the emotional beats don't hit as hard as they should, and the supporting cast doesn't add much to the story.
By around the 35% mark, I started skimming. I still wanted to know how everything would end because the premise was so clever, but I just couldn't stay invested enough to read every page. Even skimming, the story felt long. The ending also didn't completely work for me because Gertie's character growth felt rushed after spending most of the book stuck in the same place.
One thing I really liked was how self-aware this book is. It throws in a lot of meta references to romance novels, writing, tropes, and the relationship between authors and their characters. If you love books that know exactly what they're doing and constantly poke fun at the genre, you'll probably have a great time with those moments.
Honestly, I found that to be one of the most interesting parts of the book. It made the premise feel a lot more original than the typical "fictional character comes to life" trope. I just wish the story had spent more time exploring that idea instead of circling back to Gertie's repetitive thoughts over and over again.
This was my first Kirsty Greenwood book, and unfortunately, it wasn't the best introduction. I can absolutely see why people are drawn to her ideas because this premise is incredibly creative, but for me, a great concept wasn't enough to carry the story. I needed stronger characters, better pacing, and, most of all, something to keep me engaged.
Overall, this ended up being a disappointing read. I loved the idea far more than I loved the actual book, and I couldn't help feeling like River deserved a much better story.
This was also my third magical realism romance of the year, so my expectations were pretty high going in. It's quickly becoming one of my favorite romance subgenres, and this premise felt like such a fresh take on it.
Gertie Bickerstaff used to make a living writing swoony happily-ever-afters, until her own love story completely fell apart. Now she's stuck with a brutal case of writer's block, an ex who's moved on without a problem, and a looming deadline she can't seem to meet.
As if things couldn't get any weirder, she wakes up one morning to find a rugged, very shirtless cowboy sleeping on her couch. Except he isn't just some random stranger, he's River Oakley, the villain from the romance novel she hasn't even finished writing.
River has one goal: get back to his own world. Gertie just wants to get her life back on track. So they make a deal. He'll help her win back her ex, she'll finish the book, and hopefully writing his ending will send him home.
The only problem? River turns out to be nothing like the villain she created. The more time they spend together, the harder it becomes for Gertie to separate fiction from reality, and she starts questioning whether the happy ending she'd planned is actually the one she wants.
While reading the story, I found myself thinking, Hmm... this feels like the complete opposite of A Novel Story by Ashley Poston.
In A Novel Story, the FMC accidentally ends up inside the fictional small town from her favorite romance series after she'd been left stranded at the altar. She's literally transported into the world she's spent years escaping into.
Here, it's flipped on its head. Instead of the heroine finding herself inside a fictional world, the fictional cowboy crashes into the real one. And rather than the FMC searching for her happily ever after, she's suddenly responsible for helping him find his. It's such a clever reversal of the whole "fiction meets reality" trope, and I loved how it turned the concept on its head.
Sadly, none of it worked for me.
The opening was honestly fantastic. River suddenly appearing in Gertie's living room had me hooked immediately, and for the first 20% or so, I couldn't stop reading. The setup was fun, the pacing was steady, and I loved the idea of a fictional character coming alive.
Then the book completely lost its momentum.
Instead of leaning into the fun, fish-out-of-water concept, the story slows down to focus almost entirely on Gertie's everyday life, her grief, and her writer's block. It became repetitive very quickly, and I kept waiting for the magic and comedy from the beginning to come back. Unfortunately, it never really did.
My biggest issue, though, was Gertie.
I don't mind flawed heroines, especially when they're starting from a bad place. That's usually what makes watching them grow so satisfying. But Gertie spends almost the entire book obsessing over her ex and feeling sorry for herself without taking much control of her own life. Every time I thought she was finally going to stand up for herself, she'd fall right back into the same cycle. It was exhausting to be in her head.
And that's where I think the single point-of-view really hurt the book.
River was easily the more interesting character, but because we never get inside his head, he never feels fully developed. He's literally a fictional cowboy who's suddenly living in the real world, and I kept wishing we could experience everything through his perspective. Imagine him trying to understand phones, modern life, or the fact that the woman who created him is standing right in front of him. There was so much comedy and emotion that could've come from that.
Instead, everything is filtered through Gertie's perspective, which means River often feels more like a plot device than an actual love interest. I never felt like I truly got to know him, and because I wasn't connecting with Gertie either, the romance just didn't land for me.
That's probably what frustrated me the most about this book. The concept is genuinely brilliant. It has all the ingredients for a memorable romantic comedy, but the execution never lived up to the premise. The pacing drags, the emotional beats don't hit as hard as they should, and the supporting cast doesn't add much to the story.
By around the 35% mark, I started skimming. I still wanted to know how everything would end because the premise was so clever, but I just couldn't stay invested enough to read every page. Even skimming, the story felt long. The ending also didn't completely work for me because Gertie's character growth felt rushed after spending most of the book stuck in the same place.
One thing I really liked was how self-aware this book is. It throws in a lot of meta references to romance novels, writing, tropes, and the relationship between authors and their characters. If you love books that know exactly what they're doing and constantly poke fun at the genre, you'll probably have a great time with those moments.
Honestly, I found that to be one of the most interesting parts of the book. It made the premise feel a lot more original than the typical "fictional character comes to life" trope. I just wish the story had spent more time exploring that idea instead of circling back to Gertie's repetitive thoughts over and over again.
This was my first Kirsty Greenwood book, and unfortunately, it wasn't the best introduction. I can absolutely see why people are drawn to her ideas because this premise is incredibly creative, but for me, a great concept wasn't enough to carry the story. I needed stronger characters, better pacing, and, most of all, something to keep me engaged.
Overall, this ended up being a disappointing read. I loved the idea far more than I loved the actual book, and I couldn't help feeling like River deserved a much better story.
March 4, 2026
🤠 Bookish Thoughts
✨💖 Gertie & River foreverrr 💖✨
Ugh, I loved this book. I had a feeling I would since I loved The Love of My Afterlife, but this one really delivered. It’s such a cozy, funny romcom with just a little bit of magical realism mixed in.
Gertie absolutely needed River to show up and shake up her very prim and proper life with his cowboy maverick attitude. Just the idea of River being dropped into Gertie’s social circles is funny enough. Watching him casually break every social rule while somehow still charming everyone around him was hilarious. Him and his damn hat 🤠
What I loved most though is how River really sees Gertie. After being with that loser Henry, she desperately needed someone to see her, value her, and actually want her. I also loved that he helped her process her sister's death. She really needed that.
The ending had me a little nervous for a minute, but it ended up being one of my favorite endings. I closed the book very happy.
Also lowkey… I would absolutely read a book about Cassidy and the Bedlam Creek crew.
💫What to Expect
• Author FMC
• Cowboy MMC
• Fake dating
• Forced proximity
• Magical realism
• Villain gets the girl
_ _ _
⭐ Final Score: 5 Stars
📅 Pub Date: June 16, 2026
📝 Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
✨💖 Gertie & River foreverrr 💖✨
Ugh, I loved this book. I had a feeling I would since I loved The Love of My Afterlife, but this one really delivered. It’s such a cozy, funny romcom with just a little bit of magical realism mixed in.
Gertie absolutely needed River to show up and shake up her very prim and proper life with his cowboy maverick attitude. Just the idea of River being dropped into Gertie’s social circles is funny enough. Watching him casually break every social rule while somehow still charming everyone around him was hilarious. Him and his damn hat 🤠
What I loved most though is how River really sees Gertie. After being with that loser Henry, she desperately needed someone to see her, value her, and actually want her. I also loved that he helped her process her sister's death. She really needed that.
The ending had me a little nervous for a minute, but it ended up being one of my favorite endings. I closed the book very happy.
Also lowkey… I would absolutely read a book about Cassidy and the Bedlam Creek crew.
💫What to Expect
• Author FMC
• Cowboy MMC
• Fake dating
• Forced proximity
• Magical realism
• Villain gets the girl
_ _ _
⭐ Final Score: 5 Stars
📅 Pub Date: June 16, 2026
📝 Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
June 26, 2026
This was so fun, flirty, and cool! Love the characters, the story, the pacing - everything! Omg!
May 8, 2026
This was sooo fun!! Literally read it in less than a day bc I couldn’t stop reading. It was fast paced and entertaining from the first chapter, and I just had to know how things were going to unfold. This book is perfect for fans of Ashley Poston’s A Novel Love Story, which I loved. I loved the premise of a fictional character coming to life but with a twist. I thought the reason for River “coming to life” was really fun and unique. I really enjoyed both main characters and thought the side characters were so fun and added a lot to the story. I thought Gertie was a fun fmc and I really enjoyed her character development. I loveddd River and thought he was such a sweetheart. This book was funny and witty while also dealing with heavier topics like grief and healing which I loved. I enjoyed the writing and how fast paced it was; I was seriously hooked. I was really happy with how the story resolved and just overall thought this was a very sweet, fun time. Definitely recommend for my magical realism fans. Thank you to the publisher for the arc!!
May 22, 2026
5⭐️ 3🌶️
Ahhhh! This was just so freaking delightful! Chock full of all the best rom-com vibes and witty British humor! I couldn’t get enough of Gertie and River. I loved watching them fall for one another, despite their better judgment. It was positively swoon-worthy! The cast of supporting characters were also oh so charming. I adored every single one. I loved the added magical elements that Kirsty ingrains in this novel and cannot wait to read more from her!
Thank you Berkley for the advanced copy!
Ahhhh! This was just so freaking delightful! Chock full of all the best rom-com vibes and witty British humor! I couldn’t get enough of Gertie and River. I loved watching them fall for one another, despite their better judgment. It was positively swoon-worthy! The cast of supporting characters were also oh so charming. I adored every single one. I loved the added magical elements that Kirsty ingrains in this novel and cannot wait to read more from her!
Thank you Berkley for the advanced copy!
June 26, 2026
4,5 ⭐
Дуже щемка і зворушлива історія, яка змусила мене сміятися і сумувати разом із головною героїнею. Зловила себе на думці, що в дечому схожа на Ґерті, тому краще зрозуміла її поведінку й мотивацію. Я рада, що вона усвідомила необхідність допомоги і відкрилася світу.
Трошки було питань в кінці, але загалом мені дуже сподобалося.
Дуже щемка і зворушлива історія, яка змусила мене сміятися і сумувати разом із головною героїнею. Зловила себе на думці, що в дечому схожа на Ґерті, тому краще зрозуміла її поведінку й мотивацію. Я рада, що вона усвідомила необхідність допомоги і відкрилася світу.
Трошки було питань в кінці, але загалом мені дуже сподобалося.
December 25, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐ — A wildly charming, reality-bending romance full of humor, heart, and swoony surprises 🤠📚💖
Romantic Hero is a clever, hilarious, and surprisingly emotional rom-com that plays with the idea of fiction coming to life in the most delightful way. Kirsty Greenwood delivers a story packed with laugh-out-loud moments, swoony surprises, and a genuinely heartfelt journey about healing after heartbreak.
Gertie Bickerstaff is a romance writer who no longer believes in her own happily-ever-afters 💔✍️. Reeling from a breakup, drowning in writer’s block, and staring down a brutal deadline, she’s already at her limit—until she wakes up to find a very real, very confused, and very shirtless cowboy on her couch 🤠🔥. River Oakley, the villain from her unfinished novel, is somehow alive in the real world, and the chaos that follows is pure romantic-comedy gold.
Their deal—to use River to help Gertie win back her ex while she finishes his story—sets up a deliciously messy, emotionally charged situation 💥❤️. What makes it shine is how River slowly proves that he’s far more than just a fictional bad guy. Beneath the bravado is vulnerability, loyalty, and a longing for his own happily ever after that’s impossible not to root for.
The story balances absurdity and emotional depth beautifully. There’s humor in every chapter, but also genuine reflection on heartbreak, self-worth, and the danger of clinging to the wrong ending just because it feels familiar 🥺📖. Watching Gertie question everything she thought she wanted is both funny and quietly powerful.
A witty, swoon-worthy rom-com about rewriting your own story and choosing the love you never expected 🤠💞✨. Romantic Hero is perfect for readers who love fictional-meets-real chaos, heartfelt humor, and happily-ever-afters with a twist.
Romantic Hero is a clever, hilarious, and surprisingly emotional rom-com that plays with the idea of fiction coming to life in the most delightful way. Kirsty Greenwood delivers a story packed with laugh-out-loud moments, swoony surprises, and a genuinely heartfelt journey about healing after heartbreak.
Gertie Bickerstaff is a romance writer who no longer believes in her own happily-ever-afters 💔✍️. Reeling from a breakup, drowning in writer’s block, and staring down a brutal deadline, she’s already at her limit—until she wakes up to find a very real, very confused, and very shirtless cowboy on her couch 🤠🔥. River Oakley, the villain from her unfinished novel, is somehow alive in the real world, and the chaos that follows is pure romantic-comedy gold.
Their deal—to use River to help Gertie win back her ex while she finishes his story—sets up a deliciously messy, emotionally charged situation 💥❤️. What makes it shine is how River slowly proves that he’s far more than just a fictional bad guy. Beneath the bravado is vulnerability, loyalty, and a longing for his own happily ever after that’s impossible not to root for.
The story balances absurdity and emotional depth beautifully. There’s humor in every chapter, but also genuine reflection on heartbreak, self-worth, and the danger of clinging to the wrong ending just because it feels familiar 🥺📖. Watching Gertie question everything she thought she wanted is both funny and quietly powerful.
A witty, swoon-worthy rom-com about rewriting your own story and choosing the love you never expected 🤠💞✨. Romantic Hero is perfect for readers who love fictional-meets-real chaos, heartfelt humor, and happily-ever-afters with a twist.
May 6, 2026
I had really high expectations going into Romantic Hero by Kristy Greenwood, especially because I absolutely loved The Love of My Afterlife, but unfortunately, this one was more of a miss for me.
The story follows Gertie, a romance novelist struggling with writer’s block after a painful breakup. Her life gets even more complicated when River Oakley, a cowboy from one of her unfinished books, suddenly appears in her real world. Desperate to fix her writing and her love life, she strikes a deal with him, he’ll help her win back her ex, and she’ll finish his story so he can return home. Of course, things don’t go exactly as planned.
While the premise is fun and the magical realism element is creative, the execution didn’t fully work for me. A lot of the book felt like it focused more on Gertie’s breakup and her ex than on the romance or the contention between the love interest. I felt like Gertie was still hung up on her ex for most of the book. Because of that, the story felt a bit uneven and didn’t flow as smoothly as I wanted it to.
I also struggled to connect with the romance. I wasn’t fully invested in River as a love interest, and I didn’t feel super drawn into their dynamic together. At times, I found myself a bit bored and waiting for things to pick up.
Overall, it had an interesting concept and some entertaining moments, but it didn’t quite come together for me the way I hoped it would.
Rating: 3⭐️ Thank you Berkley Romance & Netgalley for the advance copy
The story follows Gertie, a romance novelist struggling with writer’s block after a painful breakup. Her life gets even more complicated when River Oakley, a cowboy from one of her unfinished books, suddenly appears in her real world. Desperate to fix her writing and her love life, she strikes a deal with him, he’ll help her win back her ex, and she’ll finish his story so he can return home. Of course, things don’t go exactly as planned.
While the premise is fun and the magical realism element is creative, the execution didn’t fully work for me. A lot of the book felt like it focused more on Gertie’s breakup and her ex than on the romance or the contention between the love interest. I felt like Gertie was still hung up on her ex for most of the book. Because of that, the story felt a bit uneven and didn’t flow as smoothly as I wanted it to.
I also struggled to connect with the romance. I wasn’t fully invested in River as a love interest, and I didn’t feel super drawn into their dynamic together. At times, I found myself a bit bored and waiting for things to pick up.
Overall, it had an interesting concept and some entertaining moments, but it didn’t quite come together for me the way I hoped it would.
Rating: 3⭐️ Thank you Berkley Romance & Netgalley for the advance copy
February 3, 2026
4.25⭐️! kirsty greenwood does it again and delivers a magical romance! my main gripe is the main character’s name being gertie bickerstaff (lol) & her needing to throw hands way quicker and more often than she did. but who knows maybe she grows into herself eventually ;)
thank you netgalley & berkley publishing group for the arc!!!
thank you netgalley & berkley publishing group for the arc!!!
January 1, 2026
Kristy Greenwood take all of my money I trust your books with my life. Kristy did it again ya’ll.
June 20, 2026
Gertie Bickerstaff writes happy endings for a living, which becomes a problem when her own runs out of road. Four weeks after her boyfriend Henry announces he feels emotionally apathetic and wheels a pre-packed suitcase out of their tiny Bloomsbury studio, she is wailing in the bath every night, drinking her way through Stanley Tucci's lockdown cocktail recipes, and staring at a final novel she cannot write. Her Bedlam Creek series is due in seventeen days. Her characters have gone quiet. Then her eccentric neighbour Mrs Casablancas talks her into a rooftop manifestation ceremony, and the next morning River Oakley, the shirtless cowboy villain from Gertie's own unfinished book, is sitting on her couch asking where the sweet hell he is.
That is the engine of Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood, and it runs on a deliciously simple deal. River wants to go home. Gertie wants Henry back and her novel finished. So they agree to fake a romance hot enough to make the ex jealous, on the theory that magic this strange must have something to do with love.
Gertie, and the Quiet Tragedy of Being a Sidekick
Greenwood writes Gertie in first person, present tense, and the voice is the whole game. Gertie describes herself as a born sidekick. She was her late sister Josie's devoted shadow, then Henry's, and she liked it that way. Two, she reasons, is better than one. The cleverest thing the book does is treat that belief as both lovable and a little dangerous. Gertie has folded herself so neatly into other people's stories that she has misplaced her own. Watching her work out whether she is even allowed to be the lead in her own life gives all the comedy a spine.
River Oakley Refuses to Be a Cardboard Bad Guy
On the page of Gertie's novels, River is a moustache-twirling obstacle who keeps his half-sister Cassidy off the family ranch. In her living room he is something else: tired, dryly funny, weighed down by promises he made to a dead father. He calls Gertie Owl. He learns about Beyonce. The slow reveal that the villain was never really the villain, just a man flattened by an author who needed an obstacle, is one of the smartest ideas in Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood, and it lets the book ask a sneaky question about how writers treat the people they invent.
Grief Wearing a Stetson
For all the cocktails and cowboy jokes, the real subject here is loss. Josie's death sits underneath every scene, and Gertie's repeated, failed attempts to reach her sister's grave are some of the most honest pages in the book. Greenwood understands that grief and avoidance are roommates, and she lets Gertie be a coward about it for a long time without ever once judging her. When River starts gently coaxing her toward bravery, it never tips into therapy-speak. It feels like one stuck person recognising another, which is a far harder thing to write than a one-liner.
Where It Wobbles: An Honest Critique
No book earns universal love, and this one has a handful of soft spots worth naming plainly:
The win-back-the-ex engine is a familiar one. The make-him-jealous operation is a tried machine, and readers who have met it before will see most of its gears turning.
The outcome is rarely in doubt. River's decency is telegraphed early, so the central choice carries a little less suspense than the blurb's promised plot twist.
The middle drifts into montage. A run of bonding set-pieces, shopping trips and a swimming lesson and a karaoke moment, charms without pushing the deadline tension forward.
The magic keeps its own rules vague. How River arrived and how he might leave stays deliberately hand-wavy, which suits the fairytale tone but may bother readers who like their fantasy logic tightened.
Some of the comedy is broad. A running gag built on Mrs Casablancas misusing a certain phrase is very funny once and a touch thin by the fourth go.
What Lands, and Lands Well
Set against that, the wins are plentiful, and they are the kind that keep you reading past your bedtime:
The voice. Gertie is reliably funny, and the jokes do emotional work rather than just decorating the page.
The supporting cast. Mrs Casablancas, spherical and serene and convinced of her own magic, plus Squish the chihuahua-pug cross, walk off with every scene they enter.
The chemistry. The slow burn is patient and properly earned, full of near-misses that actually ache.
The theme. The idea that you can be the romantic lead of your own story rather than the helper in someone else's gives the froth genuine weight.
The Writing Style, Up Close
Greenwood's prose is brisk, intimate and stuffed with pop-culture shorthand, from Moonstruck posters to Boyz II Men to Florence Pugh. It reads like a clever friend telling you a story over wine, forever looping back to laugh at herself. If you have read her before, Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood will feel like coming home. If you have not, it makes a very generous front door into her work.
The Final Word
Who Should Read It
Pick this up if you want a funny, big-hearted summer read that still has something to say. Skip it only if you need your romance plots unpredictable down to the last page or your fantasy systems fully wired.
Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood is a comfort read with more going on beneath the brim of its hat than the premise lets on. It is predictable in the places romance is meant to be predictable, and surprising in the place that counts, which is how much it finds to say about grief, bravery, and giving yourself permission to be the main character. Come for the shirtless cowboy. Stay for the woman learning to write her own happy ending.
That is the engine of Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood, and it runs on a deliciously simple deal. River wants to go home. Gertie wants Henry back and her novel finished. So they agree to fake a romance hot enough to make the ex jealous, on the theory that magic this strange must have something to do with love.
Gertie, and the Quiet Tragedy of Being a Sidekick
Greenwood writes Gertie in first person, present tense, and the voice is the whole game. Gertie describes herself as a born sidekick. She was her late sister Josie's devoted shadow, then Henry's, and she liked it that way. Two, she reasons, is better than one. The cleverest thing the book does is treat that belief as both lovable and a little dangerous. Gertie has folded herself so neatly into other people's stories that she has misplaced her own. Watching her work out whether she is even allowed to be the lead in her own life gives all the comedy a spine.
River Oakley Refuses to Be a Cardboard Bad Guy
On the page of Gertie's novels, River is a moustache-twirling obstacle who keeps his half-sister Cassidy off the family ranch. In her living room he is something else: tired, dryly funny, weighed down by promises he made to a dead father. He calls Gertie Owl. He learns about Beyonce. The slow reveal that the villain was never really the villain, just a man flattened by an author who needed an obstacle, is one of the smartest ideas in Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood, and it lets the book ask a sneaky question about how writers treat the people they invent.
Grief Wearing a Stetson
For all the cocktails and cowboy jokes, the real subject here is loss. Josie's death sits underneath every scene, and Gertie's repeated, failed attempts to reach her sister's grave are some of the most honest pages in the book. Greenwood understands that grief and avoidance are roommates, and she lets Gertie be a coward about it for a long time without ever once judging her. When River starts gently coaxing her toward bravery, it never tips into therapy-speak. It feels like one stuck person recognising another, which is a far harder thing to write than a one-liner.
Where It Wobbles: An Honest Critique
No book earns universal love, and this one has a handful of soft spots worth naming plainly:
The win-back-the-ex engine is a familiar one. The make-him-jealous operation is a tried machine, and readers who have met it before will see most of its gears turning.
The outcome is rarely in doubt. River's decency is telegraphed early, so the central choice carries a little less suspense than the blurb's promised plot twist.
The middle drifts into montage. A run of bonding set-pieces, shopping trips and a swimming lesson and a karaoke moment, charms without pushing the deadline tension forward.
The magic keeps its own rules vague. How River arrived and how he might leave stays deliberately hand-wavy, which suits the fairytale tone but may bother readers who like their fantasy logic tightened.
Some of the comedy is broad. A running gag built on Mrs Casablancas misusing a certain phrase is very funny once and a touch thin by the fourth go.
What Lands, and Lands Well
Set against that, the wins are plentiful, and they are the kind that keep you reading past your bedtime:
The voice. Gertie is reliably funny, and the jokes do emotional work rather than just decorating the page.
The supporting cast. Mrs Casablancas, spherical and serene and convinced of her own magic, plus Squish the chihuahua-pug cross, walk off with every scene they enter.
The chemistry. The slow burn is patient and properly earned, full of near-misses that actually ache.
The theme. The idea that you can be the romantic lead of your own story rather than the helper in someone else's gives the froth genuine weight.
The Writing Style, Up Close
Greenwood's prose is brisk, intimate and stuffed with pop-culture shorthand, from Moonstruck posters to Boyz II Men to Florence Pugh. It reads like a clever friend telling you a story over wine, forever looping back to laugh at herself. If you have read her before, Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood will feel like coming home. If you have not, it makes a very generous front door into her work.
The Final Word
Who Should Read It
Pick this up if you want a funny, big-hearted summer read that still has something to say. Skip it only if you need your romance plots unpredictable down to the last page or your fantasy systems fully wired.
Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood is a comfort read with more going on beneath the brim of its hat than the premise lets on. It is predictable in the places romance is meant to be predictable, and surprising in the place that counts, which is how much it finds to say about grief, bravery, and giving yourself permission to be the main character. Come for the shirtless cowboy. Stay for the woman learning to write her own happy ending.
June 23, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Kristy Greenwood for the ARC of Romantic Hero! This book is available now.
The story follows Gertie, a romance author who has just been dumped by the long-term boyfriend she thought she would marry. The heartbreak leaves her with a serious case of writer’s block just as the deadline for the final book in her small-town Texas romance series is approaching.
In a moment of desperation, Gertie performs a manifestation ceremony, hoping it will spark her creativity and maybe even bring back her ex. Instead, a broody cowboy suddenly appears in her house. As it turns out, he’s none other than River Oakley, the villainous brother of the main character from her own book.
If you’re looking for your next magical realism rom-com, look no further! Think Life-Size meets Enchanted but with a cowboy instead of Giselle.
I loved Gertie’s character in this story. Who doesn’t love a post-breakup redemption arc where the heroine rediscovers herself and realizes she deserves better? And honestly, what better way to get over a jerk of an ex than with a hot cowboy?
Romantic Hero is a fun, charming, and heartfelt read filled with humor, romance, and a little bit of magic.
The story follows Gertie, a romance author who has just been dumped by the long-term boyfriend she thought she would marry. The heartbreak leaves her with a serious case of writer’s block just as the deadline for the final book in her small-town Texas romance series is approaching.
In a moment of desperation, Gertie performs a manifestation ceremony, hoping it will spark her creativity and maybe even bring back her ex. Instead, a broody cowboy suddenly appears in her house. As it turns out, he’s none other than River Oakley, the villainous brother of the main character from her own book.
If you’re looking for your next magical realism rom-com, look no further! Think Life-Size meets Enchanted but with a cowboy instead of Giselle.
I loved Gertie’s character in this story. Who doesn’t love a post-breakup redemption arc where the heroine rediscovers herself and realizes she deserves better? And honestly, what better way to get over a jerk of an ex than with a hot cowboy?
Romantic Hero is a fun, charming, and heartfelt read filled with humor, romance, and a little bit of magic.
June 18, 2026
Gertie Bickerstaff is a well known romance author, think Lyla Sage, and is having quite the writers block. After performing a manifestation ceremony so she can have some guidance on finishing her latest book, with her eccentric neighbor, Ms. Casablanca, she wakes up the next day to find one of her own main characters sleeping on her couch. River Oakley, to be exact. And he is absolutely breathtaking.
Wow, I loved this book so much! It features a touch of magical realism, tons of chemistry, and characters dealing with the effects of a tragic backstory, all wrapped up in a fast-paced, hilarious romp of a rom-com. It has all the fun tropes that keep me coming back to the romance genre (even after I give up on more than I'd like to).
What I really loved most about Romantic Hero is that it’s a love letter to romance books, and to reading in general. Critics and book awards simply do not give enough attention to this genre. Just because these books are fun and don't take themselves too seriously doesn't mean they aren't quality reading.
This is easily one of my favorite romance books of the year so far. I will definitely be diving into her backlist now!
Wow, I loved this book so much! It features a touch of magical realism, tons of chemistry, and characters dealing with the effects of a tragic backstory, all wrapped up in a fast-paced, hilarious romp of a rom-com. It has all the fun tropes that keep me coming back to the romance genre (even after I give up on more than I'd like to).
What I really loved most about Romantic Hero is that it’s a love letter to romance books, and to reading in general. Critics and book awards simply do not give enough attention to this genre. Just because these books are fun and don't take themselves too seriously doesn't mean they aren't quality reading.
This is easily one of my favorite romance books of the year so far. I will definitely be diving into her backlist now!
June 19, 2026
So I’ve never heard of the term “meta” romance until Tropesick, but it’s when books break the fourth wall and realize they are characters in the story. I love this concept! This book was a warm hug, and I found myself laughing through it and just genuinely being happy while reading it. It was cute, quirky, romantic, and just an all around wonderful reading experience. I loved Love of my Afterlife, and I’m equally obsessed with this book as well. Definitely grab this!
June 8, 2026
I enjoyed reading this one!! We all love us some magical realism every now and then. ✨️
February 2, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the gifted ARC!
Love of My Afterlife was one of my top reads in 2024 and I was beyond excited to get the opportunity to read an ARC of Romantic Hero. It was also my first Berkley approval on NetGalley so that makes this one even more special!
Once I saw that this was magical realism, I said sign me up! This was everything I wanted A Novel Love Story to be. Gertie is an author, who after her longtime boyfriend wants to put their relationship on a break, ends up sad and with writer’s block. Enter River, the villain side character from Gertie’s unfinished romance series. Every single character in this book was a blast, from her hilarious neighbor to an adorable loving dog.
I was so nervous about how this would all play out; there were so many different options Kirsty could have gone with. I am so happy to say the ending was EVERYTHING I WANTED and more. I am also not afraid to admit that I may have read this with a margarita and I may have cried at the end, but that was definitely the tequila talking 🤣
It’s really hard to get across just how much I loved this without spoiling anything. Love of My Afterlife is still my number 1 but this was a very close second!
Love of My Afterlife was one of my top reads in 2024 and I was beyond excited to get the opportunity to read an ARC of Romantic Hero. It was also my first Berkley approval on NetGalley so that makes this one even more special!
Once I saw that this was magical realism, I said sign me up! This was everything I wanted A Novel Love Story to be. Gertie is an author, who after her longtime boyfriend wants to put their relationship on a break, ends up sad and with writer’s block. Enter River, the villain side character from Gertie’s unfinished romance series. Every single character in this book was a blast, from her hilarious neighbor to an adorable loving dog.
I was so nervous about how this would all play out; there were so many different options Kirsty could have gone with. I am so happy to say the ending was EVERYTHING I WANTED and more. I am also not afraid to admit that I may have read this with a margarita and I may have cried at the end, but that was definitely the tequila talking 🤣
It’s really hard to get across just how much I loved this without spoiling anything. Love of My Afterlife is still my number 1 but this was a very close second!
May 5, 2026
Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood
Ugh! If you’re looking for a good, slightly spicy magical realism romance, you have got to grab this one! Gertie is a struggling author with one of the worst writer’s block known to man. The man she thought was the love of her life leaves her and she has one book left to write in her Bedlam Creek series but is completely blocked due to heartache.
Her sweet and quirky neighbor, Mrs. Casablancas has JUST the idea to help her and says it’s time for a manifestation ceremony! Gertie is like ok sure why not? Better than spending every single night crying in her bathtub. What does she have to lose right?
Gertie indeed did NOT lose anything because to her surprise, the lead bad boy in her Bedlam Creek series, the hot and rugged River Oakley, shows up in her living room! Cowboy hat and all! 🤠🥵 How did he get there? Was he actually manifested? Gotta read it to find out!
River Oakley, after some shock of kind of figuring out where the heck he is, becomes friends and then more with Gertie and starts helping her find herself and get over the narcissistic ex that never deserved her in the first place. It was nice watching how River helped Gertie discover herself and realize she was way more than the person her ex placed in a box AND finish her HEA!
Just read this! It’s magical and whimsical and sweet all wrapped in a very cute little bow for you!
“I’m going to work those good manners right out of you.” 🚒🔥
Tropes ✨
🪐Parallel Universe Magical Vibes
🤠Hot cowboy vibes
🩷She finds herself
🪄Magical realism (so whimsical)
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review!
Ugh! If you’re looking for a good, slightly spicy magical realism romance, you have got to grab this one! Gertie is a struggling author with one of the worst writer’s block known to man. The man she thought was the love of her life leaves her and she has one book left to write in her Bedlam Creek series but is completely blocked due to heartache.
Her sweet and quirky neighbor, Mrs. Casablancas has JUST the idea to help her and says it’s time for a manifestation ceremony! Gertie is like ok sure why not? Better than spending every single night crying in her bathtub. What does she have to lose right?
Gertie indeed did NOT lose anything because to her surprise, the lead bad boy in her Bedlam Creek series, the hot and rugged River Oakley, shows up in her living room! Cowboy hat and all! 🤠🥵 How did he get there? Was he actually manifested? Gotta read it to find out!
River Oakley, after some shock of kind of figuring out where the heck he is, becomes friends and then more with Gertie and starts helping her find herself and get over the narcissistic ex that never deserved her in the first place. It was nice watching how River helped Gertie discover herself and realize she was way more than the person her ex placed in a box AND finish her HEA!
Just read this! It’s magical and whimsical and sweet all wrapped in a very cute little bow for you!
“I’m going to work those good manners right out of you.” 🚒🔥
Tropes ✨
🪐Parallel Universe Magical Vibes
🤠Hot cowboy vibes
🩷She finds herself
🪄Magical realism (so whimsical)
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review!
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