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Romantic Hero

Not yet published
Expected 16 Jun 26

Win a free print copy of this book!

17 days and 05:11:56

10 copies available
Canada only
Rate this book
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.

368 pages, Paperback

Expected publication June 2, 2026

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About the author

Kirsty Greenwood

19 books2,311 followers
Kirsty 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.

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5 stars
172 (48%)
4 stars
148 (41%)
3 stars
31 (8%)
2 stars
5 (1%)
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1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 273 reviews
Profile Image for ♥︎ Heather ⚔ (Semi-Hiatus-attempting return).
1,056 reviews5,275 followers
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★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Profile Image for DianaRose.
1,068 reviews350 followers
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
May 9, 2026
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
Profile Image for TheConnieFox.
518 reviews
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!
Profile Image for Whitney Erwin.
334 reviews90 followers
May 8, 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.
Profile Image for jenny reads a lot.
783 reviews1,174 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
April 29, 2026
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. 😑


| IG | TikTok |

Thank you Berkley for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for ahmeeka.
196 reviews
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!
Profile Image for BookishKB.
1,221 reviews329 followers
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.
Profile Image for Anna (annasbookstacks).
740 reviews419 followers
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!!
Profile Image for Bree Doby.
463 reviews8 followers
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!!!
Profile Image for MacKenzie Markiewicz.
80 reviews1,236 followers
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
Profile Image for Angela.
90 reviews2 followers
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.
Profile Image for Martina.
386 reviews104 followers
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!
Profile Image for Katie McNeely.
66 reviews
January 1, 2026
Kristy Greenwood take all of my money I trust your books with my life. Kristy did it again ya’ll.
Profile Image for Brooke ✌︎㋡.
362 reviews25 followers
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!

Profile Image for bella (pageswithbella).
158 reviews13 followers
May 15, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ Thank you netgalley and berkeley for the ARC! I’m not usually a fan of magical realism but i really enjoyed this one. It was fun to read and the banter was witty and very cute. I went into this book completely blind and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it and found myself laughing out loud. Both characters were entertaining but i especially related a lot to Gertie and was so proud of the person she became at the end. there was some life lessons that i learned in this book that added to the complexity of the story. river and squish’s relationship had me giggling too! 😂 such a good book, def add to your tbr’s!!
Profile Image for Maddi Harwood.
265 reviews272 followers
April 26, 2026
(ARC) 4⭐️ SOLID magical realism read. Very cute and exactly what you’d expect from the genre, with a bit of a twist. The plot was a lot of fun, and I’d definitely recommend it if you enjoy magical realism.

“A romance novelist Gertie Bickerstaff is suffering from a massive case of writer's block. Desperate to fix her life and meet her looming deadline, she performs a manifestation ceremony with her eccentric neighbor.
The next morning, she wakes up to find River Oakley, the rugged, shirtless cowboy villain from her unfinished novel sitting on her sofa”
Profile Image for noémie - goldenliterature.
125 reviews18 followers
January 13, 2026
5/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️

ARC review:

romantic hero was an absolute joy from start to finish. kirsty greenwood has such a unique way of writing, and this book perfectly balances absurd humor with real emotional depth. after loving the love of my afterlife, i was so excited to read this, and it did not disappoint. gertie is a romance novelist trying to finish the final book in her series while dealing with heartbreak and writer’s block. when she wakes up to find river oakley, the antagonist from her novels, sitting in her living room, the story takes off in the most unexpected and delightful way. what follows is absurd, hilarious, and surprisingly emotional. the beginning had me laughing out loud, but the second half took a deeper turn, exploring self-worth, people-pleasing, grief, and learning to take up space. following gertie’s journey was emotional and deeply satisfying, and i loved how river challenged her, supported her, and made her feel truly seen and loved. this book made me laugh, cry, and fall completely in love. it was heartfelt, funny, and just beautiful.

read if you like:
- magical realism
- absurd hilarious situations
- emotional journey
- a heartbroken romance novelist who believes in HEA
- a flirty, womanizer cowboy who doesn't believe in love
- fake dating
- only one bed
Profile Image for danyella ꕥ.
181 reviews55 followers
May 19, 2026
"Romance novels bring contentment and joy... and... courage to so many people. They never get the respect they actually deserve."

What are you doing if a tall, hot, broody fictional cowboy suddenly appears on your living room couch? Well that's the exact scenario our MC Gertie is in. This was such a charming magical romance. The banter and chemistry between our two MCs is so good.

Kirsty Greenwood's writing style is genuinely very comforting. She gives her characters lovely, relatable growth and development arcs. It means a lot because one of the themes introduced is that while it is fun to have a potential love interest, you are the main character in your story. Not any one else.

Can't wait to read more from this author. Her books are perfect for fans of Ashley Poston! Thank you net galley for the e-arc!!
Profile Image for callistoscalling.
1,087 reviews42 followers
January 10, 2026
Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy; all thoughts are my own.

📖 Book Review 📖 I am sure that every writer hopes their stories are so vivid that they jump off the pages…maybe just not literally right onto their couch. Gertie is a romance writer afflicted with recent heartbreak and a major case of writer’s block; and unfortunately deadlines do not wait for our personal grievances to work out. And so the show, or in this case, book series, must go on. But when a shirtless cowboy from her novel appears on the couch, it must all be a farce…

Perpetual people pleaser Gertie is challenged when this bold man in boots pushes her out of her comfort zone in this charming tale sprinkled with humor and magical realism. Kirsty Greenwood delivers top level comedic gold that is delicately layered with heavier topics as Gertie and her cowboy River Oakley face their personal demons, creating a beautifully balanced story. Romantic Hero is one heartfelt story, whisking the reader along an enchanting journey of hope and self-love.

Profile Image for Alice Joy.
76 reviews4 followers
March 29, 2026
4.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟 just like The Love Of My Afterlife, this is fun and silly with an amazing cast of characters and the perfect amount of magical realism! I really enjoyed this book, only dropped a tiny bit of a star because I wanted a little bit more romantic tension and giddy longing.
Profile Image for Lauren.
187 reviews4 followers
January 12, 2026
Days into 2026 and I think I’ve already read my favorite romance book of the year.
3 reviews1 follower
January 6, 2026
Kirsty Greenwood has done it again 🥹😭 brilliant, heartwarming, and so much fun. I can’t recommend this book enough! Out June 2, 2026.

Thank you to Berkeley Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Gertie Bickerstaff is an author battling writer’s block after a recent heartbreak, with the final book in her Texas romance series due in just two weeks! Desperate and stuck, she turns to an extreme solution: a manifestation ceremony with her neighbor, hoping to heal her heart, finish her book, and win back her love.

When she wakes up to find River Oakley, the villain from her novels, alive and standing in her flat, things take a wildly unexpected turn. Together, they must figure out how to send him back to the pages where he belongs and maybe fix Gertie’s love life along the way.

This story was such a joy to read. Another slam dunk by Kirsty. The characters felt incredibly real, the adventure was delightful, and the book beautifully explores grief, finding your voice, and healing•••with plenty of laughs and an unforgettable dog named Squish 😂
Profile Image for Ashleigh Louise.
154 reviews26 followers
February 18, 2026
Romantic Hero follows Gertie Bickerstaff, a romance author who is struggling to meet her deadline after a breakup. After performing a manifestation ceremony to get rid of her writer's block and get her ex back, she wakes 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. River wants to go home, and Gertie wants her life back. So they strike a deal: he’ll help her win back her ex, and she’ll finish her novel, and hopefully he’ll return to his own world. 

I adored The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood, so as soon as I saw that Romantic Hero was available on NetGalley, I had to request it! 

Kirsty Greenwood has a gift for writing hilarious, swoony romances with lovable characters and fun magical realism. The parallel universe aspect of this story was really interesting, and it was so funny to read about a rugged Texan cowboy experiencing England and all of its oddities for the first time. 

Speaking of rugged Texan cowboys, I adored River Oakley so much. He is the definition of more than meets the eye, and I loved seeing him soften over time. He had such great character development, and it was so entertaining seeing him discover Beyoncé and custard creams! I loved the way he supported Gertie and encouraged her to stop being such a pushover and to become her own person.

I also really enjoyed Gertie’s character (although I cannot get over her name or the nickname River has for her?!), and it was so satisfying seeing her grow a backbone, especially when it came to her ex, Henry. She was struggling both with processing and feeling guilt over her sister’s death, and the portrayal of grief was done well. 

There were also several side characters I enjoyed, especially the eccentric Mrs Casablancas and her lovable (but naughty!) dog Squish. It was also lovely to see Aled the librarian from The Love of My Afterlife make a cameo!

Gertie and River had such a great strangers-to-friends-to-lovers romance, with fantastic chemistry and tension. From what I remember, there was slightly more spice than in The Love of My Afterlife, but it was not excessive and was well written. 

The ending had me absolutely bawling (I’m a sucker for letters to each other!), and I loved where the characters ended up; their ending felt earned.

The only reason this wasn’t quite a five-star read for me is that one of the characters does something in the third act that felt very out of character and like it was added in for drama’s sake. I also felt like Gertie’s relationship with her parents was glossed over, and we didn’t get any kind of resolution there. The parallel universe hopping also felt a little too easy, but seeing as this is a romance book and not a sci-fi book, I can let that slide!

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with this book. If you’re looking for a fun, slightly silly (but in a good way!) romance with lovable characters and emotional depth, I would 100% recommend Romantic Hero. Kirsty Greenwood is now an auto-buy author for me, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for providing me with an eARC. This review is being left voluntarily, and all opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Jeanette.
269 reviews
May 15, 2026
ARC REVIEW- ROMANTIC HERO
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️.5

Tropes:
🩷Magical Realism
💜Grumpy x Sunshine
💚Forced Proximity
🩵Fake Dating
🧡Grumpy Cowboy MMC
___________________________
Thanks to Kirsty Greenwood, Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the ARC! I received an advance copy of the book and am leaving an honest review. All opinions are my own.
___________________________
Wow. What a ride this book was. This is the first book by Kirsty Greenwood I’ve read but it definitely won’t be the last. I’ve had The Love of My Afterlife on my TBR for a while but just HAD to read this one, a grumpy cowboy from a romance author’s book come to life?? YESS SIR.

Gertie has just been dumped by her long term boyfriend. She has major writer’s block and is facing an impending deadline for her latest romance novel, the last in her cowboy/rancher series. She has a kooky neighbor who has her participate in a “manifestation ceremony” and next thing you know, her grumpy cowboy character from her series has shown up in her flat!

This book exceeded all my expectations. It had humor, heart, chemistry, tension and so much emotion. The characters leapt off the page and I pictured them so clearly in my mind. The writing, pacing and characters were so on point. I inhaled this book in one sitting.

I loved the banter between Gertie and River. Gertie had a lot of self reflection and self discovery to accomplish and River was so supportive of her. He went from being completely baffled by his circumstances to being annoyed with her to friendship to genuine love and care. He grew so much as a character and was able to let Gertie in.

I thought Mrs Casablancas was hilarious and she cracked me up whenever she was on page. Squish the dog was adorable and I loved how River grudgingly came to love him. And I couldn’t stop giggling at all the unanswered texts to Gertie’s phone from everyone after she dropped her phone in water.

This books needs to be enjoyed without being spoiled or giving too much away. But it’s so so good. Such a fun ride. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry. You’ll end the book wanting more. I can’t wait to reread.
Profile Image for Jamie Loves Books .
644 reviews122 followers
January 15, 2026
Kristy Greenwood does a really great job again creating a fun whimsical love story. I really enjoy Greenwood’s magical elements that she weaves into all of her stories. As a reader, you have to suspend disbelief and just roll with it, but that’s part of the charm.

Things that work really well in this book include the author trope with a character that comes to life. I also appreciated that it was more than just a silly fun romance. The story delved into deeper themes of grief and learning how to move on and forgive yourself. These emotional layers added real depth to what could have been a purely lighthearted tale.

The characters were truly loveable, which made up for some of the story’s other shortcomings. I enjoyed seeing both main characters grow and get out of their comfort zones throughout the book. Their development felt genuine and earned. The dynamic between the dog and River was really funny and sweet, adding another layer of charm to the story. Those moments provided some of the book’s most heartwarming and entertaining scenes.

However, the plot itself felt a little bit lacking. While the premise was intriguing, the actual story structure didn’t always deliver on its potential. The conflict felt underdeveloped at times, and some plot points seemed to resolve too easily or conveniently. I found myself wanting more complications or obstacles to keep the tension high throughout the story.

The pacing was also a bit all over the place. It felt like the last third of the book dragged quite a bit, and I found myself struggling to stay engaged. The story seemed to lose some of its momentum just when it should have been building toward the climax. While the beginning and middle sections moved along nicely with good energy and development, the end felt drawn out. Some scenes could have been tightened up or cut entirely to keep the narrative moving at a more consistent pace. Despite these issues with plot and pacing, the emotional payoff, loveable characters, and the unique premise still made it a worthwhile read overall.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 9, 2026
✨Magical Realism Romcom
✨Author with baggage and a deadline
✨Manifesting gone right
✨Fake dating
✨Cowboy in London
✨He's literally a character from her book

Gertie is in a pickle. Her heart is broken, and she can't finish her book. Her sweet neighbor suggests they do a manifestation ceremony on the roof to make things better. At the very least, try to get Gertie to stop wailing in the tub at night. Gertie has no faith that it will work but writes down her wishes.
WELLLL, it did work, not how Gertie had planned, though, because there is a SHIRTLESS COWBOY ON HER COUCH! River Oakley. RIVEROAKLEY?! The River from her novel?! The very one! Her villain is on her couch - very kindly asking where he is. He is quite nice to look at- but Gertie knows all too well what kind of character he is.
Gertie just wanted to lose her writers block so she could finish her book. Now, she also needs to figure out how to get River home. Maybe they can help each other in the meantime. If she can get her ex back, she can finish her novel and get River home. He’ll come along to a getaway party and help Gertie woo Henry back.

As long as there are no surprises in that one bedroom, they must share.
As long as River doesn't keep looking at her like that.
As long as everything goes according to plan, it’ll all be worth it.

I loved this book. I was reading it at night after everyone had gone to bed trying to keep my laughing to a minimum. It was so silly and funny and heartfelt. It dealt with some sad bits, big life decisions, and overcoming people pleasing. I loved the characters. They felt so real- almost like they’re alive in an alternate reality, and we just get to look in on them.
It is open door romance, but the descriptions are fairly mild. Semi-detailed.
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing group for allowing me to read to an early copy and give my honest opinion.


original post:
I loved, loooved this. It was such a fun book. It had humor and heartfelt moments. It delt with grief and overcoming being a people pleaser. It is open door, semi described.
Full review to come
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