What do you think?
Rate this book
Love on the Vine #3
Isn't He Romantic?
Not yet published
Expected 22 Sep 26USA Today bestselling author Adib Khorram presents an all-new steamy, swoony fake dating romance.
379 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 8, 2026
About the author
Adib Khorram
14 books1,999 followersADIB KHORRAM is the author of DARIUS THE GREAT IS NOT OKAY, which earned the William C. Morris Debut Award, the Asian/Pacific American Award for Young Adult Literature, and a Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor, as well as a multitude of other honors and accolades. His followup, DARIUS THE GREAT DESERVES BETTER, received three starred reviews, was an Indie Bestseller, and received a Stonewall Honor. His debut picture book, SEVEN SPECIAL SOMETHINGS: A NOWRUZ STORY was released in 2021. When he isn’t writing, you can find him learning to do a Lutz jump, practicing his handstands, or steeping a cup of oolong. He lives in Kansas City, Missouri, where people don’t usually talk about themselves in the third person. You can find him on Twitter (@adibkhorram), Instagram (@adibkhorram), or on the web at adibkhorram.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
June 14, 2026
Ugh! Some men are terribly child-like... they break up with you, then realize they made a mistake, and they insert themselves into your life in many unwelcome ways. That's what happens in the third installment of Love on the Vine, a series written by Adib Khorram. We loved Arya as a side character in supporting books but when he takes centerstage here, all the better. Except he can be a little full of himself! Hot scenes in the vineyard. Silly scenes when faking a relationship. Love how the parents interact. But some moms don't how how to temper their control! Will there be a 4th?
August 17, 2026
Thank you so much Forever pub for the digital copy to review!
I am Adib's biggest fan and self proclaimed bestie (I have the book signatures to prove it!!) and this book just solidifies, yet again, that he is one of the best writers of queer, adult fiction. His characters are always well fleshed out (hehe), have their own problems and hangups, and they go THROUGH it to be together. But he always brings the banter and the sweetness and rounds out the books with as much banging as possible and honestly, what more could you ask for?? Not much in my opinion. This one has spicy time within 10% and I was *here* for it!!
Oh Arya, my sweet summer child, I love how oblivious he was the entire book. I think he protested *too much* when he was thinking he didn't do commitment. Sweet, sweet Ben. My little angel baby chicken nugget. Thinking he could have a one night stand with Arya and *then* fake date him????????? PLEASE he was so gone from the minute he met Arya and he knew it. The fake dating in this one was so real and cute, and I loved seeing our friends from the other two books in this series weigh in. OH and f*cking Todd even got his HEA ... or HFN... either way..
Adib writes men who are in their late 30s and early 40s. Men who are a little self conscious about their age and bodies. Men who also are confident in their sex lives and know what they want and deserve. It's such a gift to be able to read characters who are my age or older still finding and having love. Plus, Adib is funny, charming, and the best type of human.
I'm lucky to read his words. Definitely recommend picking this one up!
I am Adib's biggest fan and self proclaimed bestie (I have the book signatures to prove it!!) and this book just solidifies, yet again, that he is one of the best writers of queer, adult fiction. His characters are always well fleshed out (hehe), have their own problems and hangups, and they go THROUGH it to be together. But he always brings the banter and the sweetness and rounds out the books with as much banging as possible and honestly, what more could you ask for?? Not much in my opinion. This one has spicy time within 10% and I was *here* for it!!
Oh Arya, my sweet summer child, I love how oblivious he was the entire book. I think he protested *too much* when he was thinking he didn't do commitment. Sweet, sweet Ben. My little angel baby chicken nugget. Thinking he could have a one night stand with Arya and *then* fake date him????????? PLEASE he was so gone from the minute he met Arya and he knew it. The fake dating in this one was so real and cute, and I loved seeing our friends from the other two books in this series weigh in. OH and f*cking Todd even got his HEA ... or HFN... either way..
Adib writes men who are in their late 30s and early 40s. Men who are a little self conscious about their age and bodies. Men who also are confident in their sex lives and know what they want and deserve. It's such a gift to be able to read characters who are my age or older still finding and having love. Plus, Adib is funny, charming, and the best type of human.
I'm lucky to read his words. Definitely recommend picking this one up!
Want to Read
July 2, 2026I'm so deeply attached to this series and I'm lowkey sad it's ending but I'm excited to read it. Thank you Netgalley and Forever for the arc
September 3, 2026
”Being with someone means choosing them, over and over, in a million different ways.”
This book was so much fun! I’m sure how many times I actually laughed out loud or snorted at something said or something happening! Like not knowing whether to salute or simply stare in awe at the sight of an eagle being backlit by the sun in a Grand Ballroom… Lol!
This was my first read by this author—I know this is the third in a trilogy featuring three best friends as the MCs, but this book hadn’t actually come up on my radar until I’d been offered a widget from Forever and couldn’t resist checking it out! And am I glad I decided to chance it because I really did enjoy this book! I loved the characters, the romance, and especially loved the hilarious moments sprinkled throughout the story! 🥰
The characters. This book is centered on Arya and Ben, both having very different takes on relationships, but still somehow each finding their way to each other. The romance. From the beginning, it’s obvious, their attraction to each other, that is, but they’re also very sweet and considerate towards each other, and I loved seeing their relationship grow. And the hilarious moments?? Not even counting the eagle moment I mentioned earlier, there were plenty of moments that had me chuckling!
This book was all-around entertaining and I really did enjoy reading it! Now I’ll definitely have to make sure and add the previous two books to my TBR!
Recommended if you’re a fan of queer romances, comedy, and awesome friendships/relationships!
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via Netgalley for giving me this copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book was so much fun! I’m sure how many times I actually laughed out loud or snorted at something said or something happening! Like not knowing whether to salute or simply stare in awe at the sight of an eagle being backlit by the sun in a Grand Ballroom… Lol!
This was my first read by this author—I know this is the third in a trilogy featuring three best friends as the MCs, but this book hadn’t actually come up on my radar until I’d been offered a widget from Forever and couldn’t resist checking it out! And am I glad I decided to chance it because I really did enjoy this book! I loved the characters, the romance, and especially loved the hilarious moments sprinkled throughout the story! 🥰
The characters. This book is centered on Arya and Ben, both having very different takes on relationships, but still somehow each finding their way to each other. The romance. From the beginning, it’s obvious, their attraction to each other, that is, but they’re also very sweet and considerate towards each other, and I loved seeing their relationship grow. And the hilarious moments?? Not even counting the eagle moment I mentioned earlier, there were plenty of moments that had me chuckling!
This book was all-around entertaining and I really did enjoy reading it! Now I’ll definitely have to make sure and add the previous two books to my TBR!
Recommended if you’re a fan of queer romances, comedy, and awesome friendships/relationships!
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via Netgalley for giving me this copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 8, 2026
Another perfect story in Adib Khorram’s Love on the Vine series! This trilogy has been such an amazing treat this year!
Ben and Arya's meet-cute had me hooked right away. I loved the instant connection these two had. Arya is an event planner and has an event at Ben's parents' vineyard. They bump into each other at the end and don't know who the other is.
I was so curious how Adib would write Arya's story. Arya has always been the self-proclaimed slut of the friend group who never wants a commitment. But diving into the emotional 'why' behind that mindset made my heart melt. And he's so gone for Ben, and I LOVED IT.
Ben's story was surprisingly engaging. He is desperate to get away from his parents and their expectations and the ex-boyfriend who thinks they will inevitably get back together. Ben, being the people-pleaser that he is (can relate), instead of having hard conversations with his parents or ex-boyfriend, just flees California for Missouri.
But guess who is also in Missouri? The cute event planner he kissed back in California at his parents' vineyard! There is also some forced proximity and some fake dating thrown into the mix, and that is always fun!
This book was so lovely; I loved all the swoony romantic moments between these two. And the friendship of all the guys is the found family that my heart loves.
Thank you, Forever and NetGalley, for this eARC.
Ben and Arya's meet-cute had me hooked right away. I loved the instant connection these two had. Arya is an event planner and has an event at Ben's parents' vineyard. They bump into each other at the end and don't know who the other is.
I was so curious how Adib would write Arya's story. Arya has always been the self-proclaimed slut of the friend group who never wants a commitment. But diving into the emotional 'why' behind that mindset made my heart melt. And he's so gone for Ben, and I LOVED IT.
Ben's story was surprisingly engaging. He is desperate to get away from his parents and their expectations and the ex-boyfriend who thinks they will inevitably get back together. Ben, being the people-pleaser that he is (can relate), instead of having hard conversations with his parents or ex-boyfriend, just flees California for Missouri.
But guess who is also in Missouri? The cute event planner he kissed back in California at his parents' vineyard! There is also some forced proximity and some fake dating thrown into the mix, and that is always fun!
This book was so lovely; I loved all the swoony romantic moments between these two. And the friendship of all the guys is the found family that my heart loves.
Thank you, Forever and NetGalley, for this eARC.
June 22, 2026
I have loved revisiting this universe by Adib Khorram, and I'm definitely a fan of this stories.
Commitment-phobe Arya prefers no-strings hookups, but turning 40 soon has him rethinking that habit, especially once his latest one-night stand, Ben, a cellist, turns out to be the new chair of a charity event Arya's company is organizing. Ben is trying to rebuild his life in Kansas City, and working closely with the man who ghosted him only complicates things further. When Ben's ex shows up, hoping to rekindle their romance, Ben panics and claims he's already moved on with Arya. Arya goes along with the ruse in exchange for Ben's help securing a major client, but their fake relationship starts to feel very real.
I'm always a sucker for a fake dating story, and this one delivers. Adib Khorram writes such in-depth characters, and I love watching the MMCs work through their shortcomings and actually grow instead of just magically figuring everything out by the end. Arya and Ben both have real baggage they're dragging around, and it was satisfying to watch them face it instead of dodging it. The spice in this book is excellent, too. I also loved getting a peek into the characters' lives from the previous books again. It felt less like a standalone (although it totally is!) and more like a continuation of a longer story about these three queer best friends, which made the whole thing feel even more special.
Thank you, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), for this eARC!
Commitment-phobe Arya prefers no-strings hookups, but turning 40 soon has him rethinking that habit, especially once his latest one-night stand, Ben, a cellist, turns out to be the new chair of a charity event Arya's company is organizing. Ben is trying to rebuild his life in Kansas City, and working closely with the man who ghosted him only complicates things further. When Ben's ex shows up, hoping to rekindle their romance, Ben panics and claims he's already moved on with Arya. Arya goes along with the ruse in exchange for Ben's help securing a major client, but their fake relationship starts to feel very real.
I'm always a sucker for a fake dating story, and this one delivers. Adib Khorram writes such in-depth characters, and I love watching the MMCs work through their shortcomings and actually grow instead of just magically figuring everything out by the end. Arya and Ben both have real baggage they're dragging around, and it was satisfying to watch them face it instead of dodging it. The spice in this book is excellent, too. I also loved getting a peek into the characters' lives from the previous books again. It felt less like a standalone (although it totally is!) and more like a continuation of a longer story about these three queer best friends, which made the whole thing feel even more special.
Thank you, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), for this eARC!
May 29, 2026
I’m so sad to see this series end but what a way to end it!! I really enjoyed getting to see a side of Arya who hadn’t been visible in the other books and as a fellow ADHD with daddy-issues baddie it was very relatable. I loved the found family in the story between the main friend group and couples, the kickball team, Ben’s fellow orchestra members, and all the cute dog moments.
I really enjoyed Ben and Arya’s relationship. I think it was interesting to see how Arya, who across the first two books has been set up as the slut of the friend group, navigates being in a relationship with someone who doesn’t enjoy penetrative sex. I thought they handled this really well in their relationship (especially compared to how things with Ben and his ex ended). And this book was still veerryyyyyyyy spicy even without it!
I hope to see more adult romances from Adib in the future!! Thank you Forever and NetGalley for an ARC of Isn’t He Romantic!!
I really enjoyed Ben and Arya’s relationship. I think it was interesting to see how Arya, who across the first two books has been set up as the slut of the friend group, navigates being in a relationship with someone who doesn’t enjoy penetrative sex. I thought they handled this really well in their relationship (especially compared to how things with Ben and his ex ended). And this book was still veerryyyyyyyy spicy even without it!
I hope to see more adult romances from Adib in the future!! Thank you Forever and NetGalley for an ARC of Isn’t He Romantic!!
July 10, 2026
Love this friend group and their matches! Finally, Arya gets his chance to shine. From a steamy start in the vineyard to fake dating to learning how to love each other, Arya and Ben kept me guessing. Add in Adib’s love of food, wine and his city and it’s a great read!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As I've said about every book in this series, Khorram writes about kind people being kind to each other. Read these books for fantastic depictions of food and wine, as well as loving, supportive friendships, and explicit consent and safer intimate practices, without a lot of conflict. That said, I was happy to see that the MCs of this book Ben and Arya were a little bit more of a mess than the others!
Arya is the self-proclaimed "slut" of the friendship group, never settling down. He is also partner in a event planning company, and is out in CA organzing a party at a vinyard, when he gets the classic "can I kiss you as cover" from Ben, classical cellist and son of the owners. Ben is trying to escape a conversation with his ex Justin, who works for his parents and is trying to win him back after a breakup. Anyhoo, after a magical night together Arya bounces and that's that. Or it *would* be if - OOP - Ben didn't move to KC for a symphony job!
So there's a lot of fun tropes going on here, a little forced proximity because Ben is tasked with repping the symphony at weekly planning meetings for their big gala, a little fake dating because the ex moves to KC in a bid to get Ben back and Arya agrees to cover, lots of mommy and daddy issues from both, and side characters behaving badly all over the place.
Naturally fake dating turns to (say it with me) real feelings. Which, refreshingly, they both admit and transition smoothly to a real relationship. Khorram excels at writing clear communication between partners, as well as taking responsibility and sincere apologies for issues. Which makes the way the men deal with the problem characters of the book so much more frustrating.
The two antagonists of the book, Ben's ex and Arya's business partner really needed to be called on their behavior much earlier. Justin is flat out stalking Ben, and he never sets a firm boundary, and Arya's partner is engaging in distructive behavior that is jeopardizing their company, and the first many times he causes large problems Arya is just like, well, I tried to talk to him about it but he got mad, so I guess that's that!
There were a few writing things that kept this from being five stars from me. Khorram is a very funny writer, with super charming turns of phrase and delicious emotional honesty. At times, I felt like he hammered home themes and ideas in a way that felt like he worried the reader wouldn't pick up on it. We can tell that Arya doesn't do relationships because of the poor modeling of his parents, we don't need him to think and explicitly say it repeatedly. We get that Ben thinks from a musical pov because of his profession, and the first few times it happened it was really cool, until every thought and emotion was compared to an instument or specific piece. Arya refers to himself as a "slut" constantly, both internally and in dialog, yes we get it. A little less in all these instances would be more.
All in all a nice wrap-up of what has been a very enjoyable series. I learned a lot about Persian culture and food and wine. I learned maybe too much about the logisitics and details of intimacy when I would have been happy to handwave some of that and just get to the good parts, but I imagine other readers will appreciate the practical knowledge. I do love how Khorram represents and normalizes almost every iteration of the queer community in an inclusive way.
Thank you to Hachette and Forever for the arc.
Arya is the self-proclaimed "slut" of the friendship group, never settling down. He is also partner in a event planning company, and is out in CA organzing a party at a vinyard, when he gets the classic "can I kiss you as cover" from Ben, classical cellist and son of the owners. Ben is trying to escape a conversation with his ex Justin, who works for his parents and is trying to win him back after a breakup. Anyhoo, after a magical night together Arya bounces and that's that. Or it *would* be if - OOP - Ben didn't move to KC for a symphony job!
So there's a lot of fun tropes going on here, a little forced proximity because Ben is tasked with repping the symphony at weekly planning meetings for their big gala, a little fake dating because the ex moves to KC in a bid to get Ben back and Arya agrees to cover, lots of mommy and daddy issues from both, and side characters behaving badly all over the place.
Naturally fake dating turns to (say it with me) real feelings. Which, refreshingly, they both admit and transition smoothly to a real relationship. Khorram excels at writing clear communication between partners, as well as taking responsibility and sincere apologies for issues. Which makes the way the men deal with the problem characters of the book so much more frustrating.
The two antagonists of the book, Ben's ex and Arya's business partner really needed to be called on their behavior much earlier. Justin is flat out stalking Ben, and he never sets a firm boundary, and Arya's partner is engaging in distructive behavior that is jeopardizing their company, and the first many times he causes large problems Arya is just like, well, I tried to talk to him about it but he got mad, so I guess that's that!
There were a few writing things that kept this from being five stars from me. Khorram is a very funny writer, with super charming turns of phrase and delicious emotional honesty. At times, I felt like he hammered home themes and ideas in a way that felt like he worried the reader wouldn't pick up on it. We can tell that Arya doesn't do relationships because of the poor modeling of his parents, we don't need him to think and explicitly say it repeatedly. We get that Ben thinks from a musical pov because of his profession, and the first few times it happened it was really cool, until every thought and emotion was compared to an instument or specific piece. Arya refers to himself as a "slut" constantly, both internally and in dialog, yes we get it. A little less in all these instances would be more.
All in all a nice wrap-up of what has been a very enjoyable series. I learned a lot about Persian culture and food and wine. I learned maybe too much about the logisitics and details of intimacy when I would have been happy to handwave some of that and just get to the good parts, but I imagine other readers will appreciate the practical knowledge. I do love how Khorram represents and normalizes almost every iteration of the queer community in an inclusive way.
Thank you to Hachette and Forever for the arc.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARYA FINALLY GOT HIS BOOK! 😭🙌
After reading It Had To Be Him, I was fully prepared for Arya, so I was ridiculously excited to finally get his story, and it was just so freaking good!
🎻 fake dating
💘 one night stand to something more
🏳️🌈 MM romance
✨ turning 40 and questioning everything
🌆 Kansas City romance tourism propaganda (seriously)
Fake dating is probably my favorite romance trope, and Adib did such a great job with it here. It never felt overly tropey or forced, but instead felt natural and believable as Arya and Ben slowly got closer. The setup worked so well here, and I was definitely all in on them.
The chemistry was THERE immediately! We get that one night stand right at the beginning, and the tension between Ben and Arya never lets up after that. I loved watching them navigate their complicated feelings while pretending everything was fake. Ugh, this trope is just mu favorite and it worked so well here!
Arya has always been a bit of a lovable manwhore, so seeing him go from one and done hookups to catching actual feelings was SO much fun. There was something really satisfying about watching someone who had spent so long avoiding love realize that maybe he wanted something more after all.
Ben was also such a sweetheart, and I really loved him with Arya! They balanced each other well, and I was rooting for them almost immediately. They were just adorable.
And Kansas City, oh how I love thee now. This book somehow accomplished the impossible and made me want to visit! I have never had an interest in this city before (yes, even with Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift and the Chiefs) but between the community, the events, and all the local details, the city felt so vibrant and alive and I am actually really interested in someday visiting!
If I had one tiny critique, it would just be that I wanted MORE time with these characters because I enjoyed them so much. I will miss them immensely!
But actually... my BIG critique would be the cover. And if I am being so honest... this cover and I were not friends. 😂 It is just not visually appealing, but the good news is that the actual book is infinitely more charming, romantic, and fun than the cover led me to believe. I say if you are on the fence due to the cover (and I can see why), give this and the other two books in the series a chance anyway because they are worth it!
I have really enjoyed this series, even though I somehow skipped book one, and now I absolutely need to go back and read it ASAP. If Adib Khorram continues writing in this world, I will be first in line. And if not, then I will happily read whatever they write next.
Thank you to NetGalley, Adib Khorram, and Forever for the eARC of this book.
After reading It Had To Be Him, I was fully prepared for Arya, so I was ridiculously excited to finally get his story, and it was just so freaking good!
🎻 fake dating
💘 one night stand to something more
🏳️🌈 MM romance
✨ turning 40 and questioning everything
🌆 Kansas City romance tourism propaganda (seriously)
Fake dating is probably my favorite romance trope, and Adib did such a great job with it here. It never felt overly tropey or forced, but instead felt natural and believable as Arya and Ben slowly got closer. The setup worked so well here, and I was definitely all in on them.
The chemistry was THERE immediately! We get that one night stand right at the beginning, and the tension between Ben and Arya never lets up after that. I loved watching them navigate their complicated feelings while pretending everything was fake. Ugh, this trope is just mu favorite and it worked so well here!
Arya has always been a bit of a lovable manwhore, so seeing him go from one and done hookups to catching actual feelings was SO much fun. There was something really satisfying about watching someone who had spent so long avoiding love realize that maybe he wanted something more after all.
Ben was also such a sweetheart, and I really loved him with Arya! They balanced each other well, and I was rooting for them almost immediately. They were just adorable.
And Kansas City, oh how I love thee now. This book somehow accomplished the impossible and made me want to visit! I have never had an interest in this city before (yes, even with Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift and the Chiefs) but between the community, the events, and all the local details, the city felt so vibrant and alive and I am actually really interested in someday visiting!
If I had one tiny critique, it would just be that I wanted MORE time with these characters because I enjoyed them so much. I will miss them immensely!
But actually... my BIG critique would be the cover. And if I am being so honest... this cover and I were not friends. 😂 It is just not visually appealing, but the good news is that the actual book is infinitely more charming, romantic, and fun than the cover led me to believe. I say if you are on the fence due to the cover (and I can see why), give this and the other two books in the series a chance anyway because they are worth it!
I have really enjoyed this series, even though I somehow skipped book one, and now I absolutely need to go back and read it ASAP. If Adib Khorram continues writing in this world, I will be first in line. And if not, then I will happily read whatever they write next.
Thank you to NetGalley, Adib Khorram, and Forever for the eARC of this book.
August 9, 2026
Adib Khorram’s Isn’t He Romantic? came along with me this weekend, and apparently fake dating between two men pushing forty was exactly the kind of romantic chaos I needed. Thank you to Forever for the gifted advance copy. Why is it that the people who insist they’re perfectly happy being single are always the most entertaining ones to watch fall ridiculously hard?
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Arya has spent years happily living by his one-and-done rule. Relationships? Absolutely not. Feelings? Even worse. Then he meets Ben at a vineyard, and what should have been one fun night becomes slightly inconvenient when Ben turns up back in Kansas City.
And even more inconvenient when Arya agrees to pretend to be his boyfriend.
You know where this is going. Arya and Ben make rules. Very sensible rules. Rules that obviously have absolutely no chance of surviving these two.
I really liked them together. Ben is a cellist starting over after a relationship that clearly needed to stay in his rearview mirror, while Arya is approaching forty and beginning to wonder whether the life he’s always claimed to want still fits him. Watching Arya realize that maybe he isn’t quite as immune to love as he thought was probably my favorite part.
There’s plenty of heat here, but what surprised me was how sweet their relationship became. They actually talk about what they want, what they’re comfortable with, and what intimacy looks like for them instead of assuming there’s only one way a relationship is supposed to work. And underneath all the flirting are two men carrying some pretty complicated family baggage.
I also loved being back with this friend group. The friendships, Iranian culture, food, wine, Kansas City, and one very lovable dog made the whole story feel bigger than just Arya and Ben.
Did everything work for me? Not quite. Ben’s ex seriously tested my patience, and a couple of the outside conflicts had me wanting to grab these grown men by the shoulders and say, “Please deal with this already.” 😂
Still, Arya falling in love after spending years convinced he wasn’t relationship material? Yep. That got me.
What’s one romance trope you know exactly how it will end…and happily read every single time?
#IsntHeRomantic #AdibKhorram #LoveOnTheVine #QueerRomance #MMRomance #FakeDating #RomanceBooks
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Arya has spent years happily living by his one-and-done rule. Relationships? Absolutely not. Feelings? Even worse. Then he meets Ben at a vineyard, and what should have been one fun night becomes slightly inconvenient when Ben turns up back in Kansas City.
And even more inconvenient when Arya agrees to pretend to be his boyfriend.
You know where this is going. Arya and Ben make rules. Very sensible rules. Rules that obviously have absolutely no chance of surviving these two.
I really liked them together. Ben is a cellist starting over after a relationship that clearly needed to stay in his rearview mirror, while Arya is approaching forty and beginning to wonder whether the life he’s always claimed to want still fits him. Watching Arya realize that maybe he isn’t quite as immune to love as he thought was probably my favorite part.
There’s plenty of heat here, but what surprised me was how sweet their relationship became. They actually talk about what they want, what they’re comfortable with, and what intimacy looks like for them instead of assuming there’s only one way a relationship is supposed to work. And underneath all the flirting are two men carrying some pretty complicated family baggage.
I also loved being back with this friend group. The friendships, Iranian culture, food, wine, Kansas City, and one very lovable dog made the whole story feel bigger than just Arya and Ben.
Did everything work for me? Not quite. Ben’s ex seriously tested my patience, and a couple of the outside conflicts had me wanting to grab these grown men by the shoulders and say, “Please deal with this already.” 😂
Still, Arya falling in love after spending years convinced he wasn’t relationship material? Yep. That got me.
What’s one romance trope you know exactly how it will end…and happily read every single time?
#IsntHeRomantic #AdibKhorram #LoveOnTheVine #QueerRomance #MMRomance #FakeDating #RomanceBooks
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
For a couple of years, Helena Greer has been telling anyone who will listen that we should read Adib Khorram. I knew she was right. It just took a bit for one of his arcs to get into my hands. Isn’t He Romantic is the third in his Love on the Vine series, and while I’m looking forward to reading the first two books when I have a chance, it’s enough of a stand alone that I didn’t feel like I was missing information. I really enjoyed Arya and Ben’s relationship as it moved from one night stand to fake dating to real relationship to break up and finally, commitment. I reveled in the skill with which Khorram wrote his book.
Isn’t He Romantic uses the one night stand and the fake dating really well to illustrate both the strength of the connection between the two men and the internal barriers to their relationship. Ben’s ex boyfriend, Justin, has decided their breakup is temporary, driving Ben to approach Arya for a kiss that leads to mutual pleasuring. When Justin follows him from California to Kansas City, Ben and Arya agree to fake a relationship. Because their lives intersect at so many points, faking a relationship means actually spending time together. They are so charming together, and so very horny for each other.
One of the reasons I love the fake dating trope is because it gives the characters reasons to lie to themselves and for us, the readers, to find the truths they are hiding from themselves. Ben and Arya want to touch each other, and when they do, their bodies relax. Their bodies tell the truth that they are each other’s safe person. It’s in their kisses, sure, but also in the hand they reach out to offer support.
I also love a well done third act breakup. Arya and Ben didn’t get into a relationship in the first place for good reasons of their own. Those dynamics lead to a breakup that has to happen in order for them to choose each other intentionally. Ben needs someone who will act him fully, and Arya needs to know he can choose someone for the long term.
I loved this and I can’t wait to read the first two books in the series.
I received this as an advance reader copy from Forever and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.
Isn’t He Romantic uses the one night stand and the fake dating really well to illustrate both the strength of the connection between the two men and the internal barriers to their relationship. Ben’s ex boyfriend, Justin, has decided their breakup is temporary, driving Ben to approach Arya for a kiss that leads to mutual pleasuring. When Justin follows him from California to Kansas City, Ben and Arya agree to fake a relationship. Because their lives intersect at so many points, faking a relationship means actually spending time together. They are so charming together, and so very horny for each other.
One of the reasons I love the fake dating trope is because it gives the characters reasons to lie to themselves and for us, the readers, to find the truths they are hiding from themselves. Ben and Arya want to touch each other, and when they do, their bodies relax. Their bodies tell the truth that they are each other’s safe person. It’s in their kisses, sure, but also in the hand they reach out to offer support.
I also love a well done third act breakup. Arya and Ben didn’t get into a relationship in the first place for good reasons of their own. Those dynamics lead to a breakup that has to happen in order for them to choose each other intentionally. Ben needs someone who will act him fully, and Arya needs to know he can choose someone for the long term.
I loved this and I can’t wait to read the first two books in the series.
I received this as an advance reader copy from Forever and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Forever and NetGalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. Another perfect story in Adib Khorram’s Love on the Vine series! And this time it’s Arya’s story, which I have been waiting for since book 1! Arya had always been content with his life and role as a self proclaimed “slut” never wanting anything more. So when a cute guy walks up to him and asks him to kiss him, he doesn’t hesitate to do so. Even if they are at a venue where he just threw a party, it’s over so it’s not a big deal right? And when that leads to hand jobs in a vineyard well Arya’s not going to turn that down. Ben broke up with his ex Justin two months ago but Justin won’t stop trying to get back together. It doesn’t help that Justin works for his parent’s vineyard. So when he sees a hot guy he finds the perfect opportunity to get his ex off his back. And when they talk Ben feels a connection but in the morning he’s gone, just ghosted Ben. So yeah Arya’s an asshole too. Back in Kansas City Arya’s company is working on a Ball with the Philharmonic only to realize Ben is on the committee. He just moved to Kansas City to be part of the symphony. Now they’ll have to work closely together, can you say awkward. Things get more complicated when Ben’s ex shows up and starts to try and be in Ben’s life again so he lies that he’s in a relationship with Arya. He begs Arya to pretend, which could work for Arya as thing aren’t going well at work and he needs to land a new client which Ben can help with. So the too start a fake relationship and have rules. But slowly they bend and break those rules and soon it doesn’t feel so fake. But can they make anything real actually work? I’m a huge fan of fake dating so I was thrilled to read this! Arya and Ben are so sweet and I loved them together! A charming story that had me feeling all my feels with plenty of steamy moments as well! I loved seeing Farzan and David and Ramin and Noah again as well, and Jake of course! Plus in this one we get Simon, I love a good doggie character! Heartwarming with a little bit of heartbreak as well! This is a must read for queer romance lovers!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I requested and received an eARC of
Isn't He Romantic?
by Adib Khorram via NetGalley. After Ben uses Arya to deter a his ex, he never expects to see his kissing partner again. Especially after being ghosted. And moving to Kansas City. But as it turns out, Arya also lives in Kansas City. As the two find themselves thrown together in both a professional and personal together, Ben's ex arrives on the scene in a bid to win him back. Ben and Arya agree to fake a relationship to hold him at bay, but as the lines start to blur, they'll have to decide it's time to upgrade from a fake relationship to a real one.
I. love. Adib. Khorram. Isn't He Romantic? starts off with a bang and when I tell you how much I loved the first chapter of this book (and what followed), I am not exaggerating. It was hot, fun, and immediately pulled me into the story. There were so many terrific elements at play in this book, including two really fabulous protagonists. There’s a special place in my heart for Arya and he may be my favorite of the friend group at the core of the Love on the Vine series! I appreciated his attitude toward sex and how it contrasted with Ben’s experiences. I also really enjoyed the depth his struggles with his family and his job brought to the story. Ben was equally interesting and I couldn’t help but be annoyed over Justin on his behalf.
One of the things that I loved most about Isn’t He Romantic? was the inclusion of side representation. This isn’t something we see enough of in the MM romance genre, so I was very tickled to see this in Khorram’s latest book. All of the anxieties that come with being a side are present in this romance, and it added an extra layer of depth to the story. It also allowed Ben and Arya to explore other forms of intimacy in a spectacularly sexy way. The pacing in this book was great, I was delighted to see more of Ramin and Farzan, and by the time I reached the end Arya and Ben had stolen my heart and solidified my love for them numerous times. Khorram’s latest book has the perfect amount of spice, heart, and humor. I can’t wait to reread this series and spend time his characters again!
I. love. Adib. Khorram. Isn't He Romantic? starts off with a bang and when I tell you how much I loved the first chapter of this book (and what followed), I am not exaggerating. It was hot, fun, and immediately pulled me into the story. There were so many terrific elements at play in this book, including two really fabulous protagonists. There’s a special place in my heart for Arya and he may be my favorite of the friend group at the core of the Love on the Vine series! I appreciated his attitude toward sex and how it contrasted with Ben’s experiences. I also really enjoyed the depth his struggles with his family and his job brought to the story. Ben was equally interesting and I couldn’t help but be annoyed over Justin on his behalf.
One of the things that I loved most about Isn’t He Romantic? was the inclusion of side representation. This isn’t something we see enough of in the MM romance genre, so I was very tickled to see this in Khorram’s latest book. All of the anxieties that come with being a side are present in this romance, and it added an extra layer of depth to the story. It also allowed Ben and Arya to explore other forms of intimacy in a spectacularly sexy way. The pacing in this book was great, I was delighted to see more of Ramin and Farzan, and by the time I reached the end Arya and Ben had stolen my heart and solidified my love for them numerous times. Khorram’s latest book has the perfect amount of spice, heart, and humor. I can’t wait to reread this series and spend time his characters again!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I love Adib Khorram's writing and have been loving this series so much. Watching each member of the Three Must-o-teers fall in love has been really fun, each story in The Wine Pairings series being wholly different to match each of these best friends perfectly, while holding elements of similarity throughout that binds them through heritage, Iranian-American culture, and a love of good wine.
I was very interested to see how Arya's story would play out as the self proclaimed slut of the group and the man that swore he'd never settle down! I think this pairing works really well for him.
I really love Ben and Arya together, and I appreciate that they both have a lot of things to work on before it works. Fake dating is always a fun trope and, as always, it's not really all that fake, is it?
I also appreciated the inclusion of Ben being a Side! I've never read that in MM romance before and I loved the exploration of sex without anal penetration and how easily Arya turns to explore new things with Ben instead of hoping he'll eventually want what he doesn't.
Ben's ex is awful. Absolutely terrible. I disliked his character so much, and how long he remains in the picture after being told no many times. I also struggled with the central conflict including him. That was not for me, although I get why it happens and how it works for Ben's personal development. But ugh!
One small complaint I had while reading was the constant music metaphors and descriptors we get in Ben's POV. It was a lot and felt almost like stereotyping musicians. This is solely because I have a music degree and spent over a decade of my life immersed in the Classical Music world, but it was too much for me. The Classical Music world isn't really like that, in my experience. I also question Ben's favourite piece of classical music being Holst's The Planets, but that's also just me being picky lol.
Anyway, I enjoyed this! Overall good and some really funny moments. It's not my favourite in the series but I think it's a really perfect end for this series and I'll miss being immersed in it!
I was very interested to see how Arya's story would play out as the self proclaimed slut of the group and the man that swore he'd never settle down! I think this pairing works really well for him.
I really love Ben and Arya together, and I appreciate that they both have a lot of things to work on before it works. Fake dating is always a fun trope and, as always, it's not really all that fake, is it?
I also appreciated the inclusion of Ben being a Side! I've never read that in MM romance before and I loved the exploration of sex without anal penetration and how easily Arya turns to explore new things with Ben instead of hoping he'll eventually want what he doesn't.
Ben's ex is awful. Absolutely terrible. I disliked his character so much, and how long he remains in the picture after being told no many times. I also struggled with the central conflict including him. That was not for me, although I get why it happens and how it works for Ben's personal development. But ugh!
One small complaint I had while reading was the constant music metaphors and descriptors we get in Ben's POV. It was a lot and felt almost like stereotyping musicians. This is solely because I have a music degree and spent over a decade of my life immersed in the Classical Music world, but it was too much for me. The Classical Music world isn't really like that, in my experience. I also question Ben's favourite piece of classical music being Holst's The Planets, but that's also just me being picky lol.
Anyway, I enjoyed this! Overall good and some really funny moments. It's not my favourite in the series but I think it's a really perfect end for this series and I'll miss being immersed in it!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The third book in the Love on the Vine series, it’s Arya’s turn to find love (as unlikely as he thinks such a thing is)
He's not a relationship guy, a complicated family situation and genuine enjoyment of putting himself out there both at fault. But with his fortieth birthday closing in, being the last of his close friends to couple up is weighing on him
We also have Ben - staying at his parent's California winery until his new orchestra position across the country starts. Extra awkward as his ex Justin works there (and he and Ben’s own parents are incessantly pushing for them to reunite)
Enter Arya - traveling for a business event, he finds himself on the other side of Ben's desperate ‘Quick! Kiss me to prove to my ex I’ve moved on’ plea
Fire chemistry escaletes things, but with Arya not being local and Ben soon to move anyway, one great night is all they expect
When Ben discovers after repeated chance meetings he's moved to Arya's hometown, and then his bothersome ex follows (not by chance) it seems like Ben and Arya need to do some extended pretending
I might have suggested persuing a restraining order against the ex, but a fake relationship scheme is more entertaining
And I do love this trope and all the assorted ones that come with
Just for practice, Get it out of our system, No feelings allowed, oh no! Feelings! etc
You just know things are going to get a fun sort of messy building up to actually communication
A warning for plot points related to alcohol abuse, career issues with instability from Arya’s boss/mentor/business partner complicates life further
This had a third act breakup I was relieved to see. Like, I would have lost respect for the characters if they'd not taken a step back.
And I’ll freely admit I picked a side on this one - I already had a soft spot for Arya and while I like Ben, there were choices I needed him to own
Of course, I still wanted them to work things out, and in the romance HEA rule I trust
And, even if it ended a little abruptly, I was happy with where they characters ended up
Thanks to Forever for the arc!
He's not a relationship guy, a complicated family situation and genuine enjoyment of putting himself out there both at fault. But with his fortieth birthday closing in, being the last of his close friends to couple up is weighing on him
We also have Ben - staying at his parent's California winery until his new orchestra position across the country starts. Extra awkward as his ex Justin works there (and he and Ben’s own parents are incessantly pushing for them to reunite)
Enter Arya - traveling for a business event, he finds himself on the other side of Ben's desperate ‘Quick! Kiss me to prove to my ex I’ve moved on’ plea
Fire chemistry escaletes things, but with Arya not being local and Ben soon to move anyway, one great night is all they expect
When Ben discovers after repeated chance meetings he's moved to Arya's hometown, and then his bothersome ex follows (not by chance) it seems like Ben and Arya need to do some extended pretending
I might have suggested persuing a restraining order against the ex, but a fake relationship scheme is more entertaining
And I do love this trope and all the assorted ones that come with
Just for practice, Get it out of our system, No feelings allowed, oh no! Feelings! etc
You just know things are going to get a fun sort of messy building up to actually communication
A warning for plot points related to alcohol abuse, career issues with instability from Arya’s boss/mentor/business partner complicates life further
This had a third act breakup I was relieved to see. Like, I would have lost respect for the characters if they'd not taken a step back.
And I’ll freely admit I picked a side on this one - I already had a soft spot for Arya and while I like Ben, there were choices I needed him to own
Of course, I still wanted them to work things out, and in the romance HEA rule I trust
And, even if it ended a little abruptly, I was happy with where they characters ended up
Thanks to Forever for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
🌶️🌶️🌶️ moderate
Arya is a bit of a player. He’s never been able to see himself settling down, but now that his 40th birthday is coming up, he’s maybe rethinking that strategy. He never expected that his one-night hookup, Ben, would move to KC. Or that Ben would be a client of Arya’s company. Ben moved to KC to play cello in the local symphony, and also maybe to avoid his ex-boyfriend. When the ex also moves to KC, Ben’s only option is to start fake dating Arya. But as the lines between friend, client, and hookup start to blur, can Arya salvage his professionalism?
The thing about Adib Khorram is that he’s absolutely brilliant. This is the third book in a companion series, and no prior knowledge of the other two books is required (though it’s a nice touch!). The vibe between Ben and Arya is absolutely electric, from their one-night stand to their long-term (professional/personal) relationship, they have such great banter and some honest, real conversations about expectations for gay men. It’s absolutely refreshing to see two men of color (and two third culture kids at that!) as the romantic leads. I may be slightly biased because I loved the cameos of Ramin, Noah, and Jake from book 2, but this book can absolutely stand on its own as a monumental text in the MM romance industry. There’s just so much representation that I’ve never read before, and I absolutely commend Adib Khorram for spearheading the conversation. I can’t wait for you to fall in love with this book!
Reviewed as part of an #ARC from #NetGalley.
Read this book if you:
🍷 love drinking wine while listening to classical music
🤓 are a fan of the Slutty Little Glasses™ microtrope
🏸 love KC almost as much as the author… or at least stand on the CORRECT side of the Missouri/Kansas rivalry
Follow me on Instagram for more book reviews!
🌶️🌶️🌶️ moderate
Arya is a bit of a player. He’s never been able to see himself settling down, but now that his 40th birthday is coming up, he’s maybe rethinking that strategy. He never expected that his one-night hookup, Ben, would move to KC. Or that Ben would be a client of Arya’s company. Ben moved to KC to play cello in the local symphony, and also maybe to avoid his ex-boyfriend. When the ex also moves to KC, Ben’s only option is to start fake dating Arya. But as the lines between friend, client, and hookup start to blur, can Arya salvage his professionalism?
The thing about Adib Khorram is that he’s absolutely brilliant. This is the third book in a companion series, and no prior knowledge of the other two books is required (though it’s a nice touch!). The vibe between Ben and Arya is absolutely electric, from their one-night stand to their long-term (professional/personal) relationship, they have such great banter and some honest, real conversations about expectations for gay men. It’s absolutely refreshing to see two men of color (and two third culture kids at that!) as the romantic leads. I may be slightly biased because I loved the cameos of Ramin, Noah, and Jake from book 2, but this book can absolutely stand on its own as a monumental text in the MM romance industry. There’s just so much representation that I’ve never read before, and I absolutely commend Adib Khorram for spearheading the conversation. I can’t wait for you to fall in love with this book!
Reviewed as part of an #ARC from #NetGalley.
Read this book if you:
🍷 love drinking wine while listening to classical music
🤓 are a fan of the Slutty Little Glasses™ microtrope
🏸 love KC almost as much as the author… or at least stand on the CORRECT side of the Missouri/Kansas rivalry
Follow me on Instagram for more book reviews!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Isn't He Romantic? is a tremendous third installment in the Love on the Vine series. Once again Adib Khorram tells an excellent character driven story, and fills it with love, found family, and great food and drinks. Also this series is basically a love letter to Kansas City, and some how has made me add it to this list of places I want to visit.
Arya is a partner in an event planning firm, and when he is onsite at an event at a vineyard in California, he breaks his number one rule of never getting romantic with a client. While at the vineyard, he runs into Ben, who requests they kiss so Ben can avoid interacting with his ex. The kiss turns to more, and Arya and Ben spend the night together, even though Ben's parents own the vineyard. Luckily, since Arya lives in Kansas City he'll never see Ben again. Cut to Ben moves to Kansas City and is playing in the Kansas City Philharmonic, which happen to be the next clients Arya is working with to plan an event.
Having loved the previous two books in the series, I was delighted to dive into this book. Although the first part had a few "what are the chances?" moments, ultimately I grew to really love and enjoy Ben and Arya's relationship. I really liked how this relationship had Arya grapple with some of his self imposed identity, such as never being the relationship guy. I also liked how the conversations and conflicts felt real and lived in, not just there to provide conflict in the book.
It was great to continue to see the friendship between Arya, Ramin, and Farzan. I love how these men are there and supportive of each other. I have loved seeing their group evolve with the addition of David, then Noah and Jake, and now Ben.
Tropes
* One Night Stand Turned More
* Fake Dating
* Found Family
* Forced Proximity
* ADHD Rep
4.5 stars
Arya is a partner in an event planning firm, and when he is onsite at an event at a vineyard in California, he breaks his number one rule of never getting romantic with a client. While at the vineyard, he runs into Ben, who requests they kiss so Ben can avoid interacting with his ex. The kiss turns to more, and Arya and Ben spend the night together, even though Ben's parents own the vineyard. Luckily, since Arya lives in Kansas City he'll never see Ben again. Cut to Ben moves to Kansas City and is playing in the Kansas City Philharmonic, which happen to be the next clients Arya is working with to plan an event.
Having loved the previous two books in the series, I was delighted to dive into this book. Although the first part had a few "what are the chances?" moments, ultimately I grew to really love and enjoy Ben and Arya's relationship. I really liked how this relationship had Arya grapple with some of his self imposed identity, such as never being the relationship guy. I also liked how the conversations and conflicts felt real and lived in, not just there to provide conflict in the book.
It was great to continue to see the friendship between Arya, Ramin, and Farzan. I love how these men are there and supportive of each other. I have loved seeing their group evolve with the addition of David, then Noah and Jake, and now Ben.
Tropes
* One Night Stand Turned More
* Fake Dating
* Found Family
* Forced Proximity
* ADHD Rep
4.5 stars
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Cheers, queers!
Arya's been loving his no-attachment relationship style but when he was asked by a stranger, Ben, for a kiss to make his ex jealous, he grabbed the chance. What they didn't expect was they lived in the same city, in the same circle, and to continue their fake dating across the country.
I have been looking forward to read this book so even though I have more than a month to read this, I prioritized this among my other ARCs. No regrets.
The whole plot was so endearing. I love me some fake dating trope, and it was entertaining!
Both characters are in their 40s or almost 40s, and they both have some trauma, working on themselves and have great career and it was refreshing to see. Ben, a professional cellist, moved across the world to get away from his ex but also he fell in love with the city. He found his home, great set of friends, and another family in Arya. While Arya's a go-getter, smart and witty person who even though he got a no-string mindset in terms of relationship, he slowly became open to it with Ben.
One thing I did appreciate was when feelings got real, they talked, they were vulnerable with each other and put in the work and efforts to make their relationship work. However, one thing I also hated was how they assumed things and made decisions for the sake of their relationship instead of talking with one another. So it's a 50/50 on the communication side, but rather me dwelling on the negative, I opt to love the flaws because I really did love this book. I love the found family aspects to this, and a lot of queer representation in the book.
I won't be reading the previous books but I love meeting a new author who brings fresh perspective in books.
Arya's been loving his no-attachment relationship style but when he was asked by a stranger, Ben, for a kiss to make his ex jealous, he grabbed the chance. What they didn't expect was they lived in the same city, in the same circle, and to continue their fake dating across the country.
I have been looking forward to read this book so even though I have more than a month to read this, I prioritized this among my other ARCs. No regrets.
The whole plot was so endearing. I love me some fake dating trope, and it was entertaining!
Both characters are in their 40s or almost 40s, and they both have some trauma, working on themselves and have great career and it was refreshing to see. Ben, a professional cellist, moved across the world to get away from his ex but also he fell in love with the city. He found his home, great set of friends, and another family in Arya. While Arya's a go-getter, smart and witty person who even though he got a no-string mindset in terms of relationship, he slowly became open to it with Ben.
One thing I did appreciate was when feelings got real, they talked, they were vulnerable with each other and put in the work and efforts to make their relationship work. However, one thing I also hated was how they assumed things and made decisions for the sake of their relationship instead of talking with one another. So it's a 50/50 on the communication side, but rather me dwelling on the negative, I opt to love the flaws because I really did love this book. I love the found family aspects to this, and a lot of queer representation in the book.
I won't be reading the previous books but I love meeting a new author who brings fresh perspective in books.
June 29, 2026
This is the third book in the Love on the Vine series, and it features the third best friend of the group - Arya. While in Napa for a business opportunity, Arya comes across Ben, a professional musician who catches his eye and sparks interest in a one night stand. Ben, taking a break before starting with a new orchestra and desperately avoiding an ex, finds Arya fascinating and is bummed when he wakes up to an empty bed the next morning. Fast forward a few weeks and the two meet again in Kansas City where they both are now living. While their initial encounters are awkward, the two come to agreement to help each other out by fake dating. The trope plays out exactly as one would expect with some love, some miscommunication, some groveling, and more.
One thing I appreciated about this book was how both Arya's and Ben's parents played key roles in how their stories played out. Ben's parents were seemingly obsessed with his ex which made him dig even harder into the fake dating premise, while Arya's parents' dysfunctional and adulterous relationship colored his view on love and marriage. Both characters experiences were important to understanding how their story played out and the insecurities both characters held.
Note; Readers don't "have to" read the first two books in the series before this one, but I would recommend the first one for a little bit of context. The characters in the second book are strongly featured here as well, but Noah and Ramin have a bit less of a core impact to me.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.
One thing I appreciated about this book was how both Arya's and Ben's parents played key roles in how their stories played out. Ben's parents were seemingly obsessed with his ex which made him dig even harder into the fake dating premise, while Arya's parents' dysfunctional and adulterous relationship colored his view on love and marriage. Both characters experiences were important to understanding how their story played out and the insecurities both characters held.
Note; Readers don't "have to" read the first two books in the series before this one, but I would recommend the first one for a little bit of context. The characters in the second book are strongly featured here as well, but Noah and Ramin have a bit less of a core impact to me.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Forever for providing a digital ARC to review.
Isn't He Romantic is an open door contemporary MM romance and the third book of the Love on the Vine series by Adib Khorram.
Arya is a 39 year old events professional from Kansas City who loves his life. He has two best friends, a rewarding career, and is happily single. Imagine his surprise when he enters a planning meeting for a symphony gala and sees Ben, a one night stand he met in a vineyard in California.
Ben is starting fresh in a new city after a bad breakup, but unfortunately it seems his ex has followed him to Kansas City. After reconnecting with Arya, they hatch a plan to fake date in order to help each other out. Ben needs his ex off his back and Arya needs introductions to some of Ben's wealthy connections.
While Arya and Ben find themselves growing closer than expected, miscommunication, complicated family and work dynamics, substance abuse and personal insecurities threaten to ruin the first real relationship Arya has allowed himself to pursue in over a decade.
As a fan of the previous two books in the series, I was really looking forward to Arya's book. Khorram did an excellent job to tying up the series and giving Arya some depth. I'm sad to see the series end but look forward to whatever Khorram has in store next!
4/5 stars
Isn't He Romantic is an open door contemporary MM romance and the third book of the Love on the Vine series by Adib Khorram.
Arya is a 39 year old events professional from Kansas City who loves his life. He has two best friends, a rewarding career, and is happily single. Imagine his surprise when he enters a planning meeting for a symphony gala and sees Ben, a one night stand he met in a vineyard in California.
Ben is starting fresh in a new city after a bad breakup, but unfortunately it seems his ex has followed him to Kansas City. After reconnecting with Arya, they hatch a plan to fake date in order to help each other out. Ben needs his ex off his back and Arya needs introductions to some of Ben's wealthy connections.
While Arya and Ben find themselves growing closer than expected, miscommunication, complicated family and work dynamics, substance abuse and personal insecurities threaten to ruin the first real relationship Arya has allowed himself to pursue in over a decade.
As a fan of the previous two books in the series, I was really looking forward to Arya's book. Khorram did an excellent job to tying up the series and giving Arya some depth. I'm sad to see the series end but look forward to whatever Khorram has in store next!
4/5 stars
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
happiness is a new adib khorram novel to fall in love with!! i am so in love with his writing and these characters!!
this book starts out with a bang (literally 🙂↕️) and keeps you engaged and laughing the whole time. it made me remember why i love fake dating romances so much, the way adib writes the subtle shifts from fake to real is just SO good. i truly dont think anyone writes lines blurring and the process falling as well as he does, it never feels abrupt or off paced.
i have never been to kansas city but this series has truly made me yearn to visit this lil slice of the city full of happiness, Iranian culture and a safe space for queer people!! the food, the wine, the people — how descriptive and well loved this community is is truly one of my favorite parts of this series, i feel like im there with the characters and i just love seeing how it brings them all together.
i have been so excited for arya to get his book, in interconnected series i just love getting to watch the “slutty friend” finally succumb to cupids arrow and ben just could not have been more perfect for him!!!
adib has an auto buy/reader in me for life and im so excited to have had the chance to read this right before i meet him this weekend in tx!!!
this book starts out with a bang (literally 🙂↕️) and keeps you engaged and laughing the whole time. it made me remember why i love fake dating romances so much, the way adib writes the subtle shifts from fake to real is just SO good. i truly dont think anyone writes lines blurring and the process falling as well as he does, it never feels abrupt or off paced.
i have never been to kansas city but this series has truly made me yearn to visit this lil slice of the city full of happiness, Iranian culture and a safe space for queer people!! the food, the wine, the people — how descriptive and well loved this community is is truly one of my favorite parts of this series, i feel like im there with the characters and i just love seeing how it brings them all together.
i have been so excited for arya to get his book, in interconnected series i just love getting to watch the “slutty friend” finally succumb to cupids arrow and ben just could not have been more perfect for him!!!
adib has an auto buy/reader in me for life and im so excited to have had the chance to read this right before i meet him this weekend in tx!!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Pub Date 22 Sept 2026
Thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Isn't He Romantic? is the third book in Adib Khorram's Love on the Vine Series. However, you do not need to read the other books to enjoy this one! Last year I read book two and it was in my top books of the year. I haven't read book one and I probably won't as the synopsis doesn't interest me. But that has not impacted my enjoyment of books two or three!
While I really liked Isn't He Romantic? it was not as good as book two. This one lands around a 4, but I could be swayed up or down .25.
I found this one to be somewhat repetitive in terms of themes and phrases ("slutty little glasses" and the long slutty history of one character).
I also did not care for the third act conflict. It felt very out of place based on what we had learned about one of our main characters.
With all that said, I loved the various forms of representation, the emphasis on arts (in this case the philharmonic), the chemistry, the jokes, etc, etc.
Khorram really brought Kansas City to life. I had no interest in visiting the city before reading this, but I would now (well, once the situation in the US changes).
Thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Isn't He Romantic? is the third book in Adib Khorram's Love on the Vine Series. However, you do not need to read the other books to enjoy this one! Last year I read book two and it was in my top books of the year. I haven't read book one and I probably won't as the synopsis doesn't interest me. But that has not impacted my enjoyment of books two or three!
While I really liked Isn't He Romantic? it was not as good as book two. This one lands around a 4, but I could be swayed up or down .25.
I found this one to be somewhat repetitive in terms of themes and phrases ("slutty little glasses" and the long slutty history of one character).
I also did not care for the third act conflict. It felt very out of place based on what we had learned about one of our main characters.
With all that said, I loved the various forms of representation, the emphasis on arts (in this case the philharmonic), the chemistry, the jokes, etc, etc.
Khorram really brought Kansas City to life. I had no interest in visiting the city before reading this, but I would now (well, once the situation in the US changes).
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I love queer books about older queer people, it's so important to me to see our people getting there, so this was a delight for me!
Fake dating, a little bit of miscommunication, complicated exes, family dynamics and work partners... And Arya and Ben are in the middle, going towards each other in a race against time.
The beginning is a bit slow, I recognize it's the buildup for the second part, but I wish it was a bit faster regardless. I enjoyed the writing a lot despite that, though, especially how their sex life was brought up, it was very natural. It's my first book by Adib Khorram and I truly can't wait to read more by him!
The second part was practically perfect, those two had so many feelings and so much love between the two and also a healthy amount of fear because of their personal baggage, I was kicking my feet and enjoying the tension mixed in with their sweet chemistry.
We need more books with older queer people living their lives and trying to better themselves for themselves and loved ones. It's never too late to break a pattern, start again or end cycles and this book does that very well.
Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Fake dating, a little bit of miscommunication, complicated exes, family dynamics and work partners... And Arya and Ben are in the middle, going towards each other in a race against time.
The beginning is a bit slow, I recognize it's the buildup for the second part, but I wish it was a bit faster regardless. I enjoyed the writing a lot despite that, though, especially how their sex life was brought up, it was very natural. It's my first book by Adib Khorram and I truly can't wait to read more by him!
The second part was practically perfect, those two had so many feelings and so much love between the two and also a healthy amount of fear because of their personal baggage, I was kicking my feet and enjoying the tension mixed in with their sweet chemistry.
We need more books with older queer people living their lives and trying to better themselves for themselves and loved ones. It's never too late to break a pattern, start again or end cycles and this book does that very well.
Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Queer fake dating! Older protagonists! Wonderful friendships! This was such a great book following Arya and Ben pretending to date so Ben’s ex thinks he has moved on. There’s excellent chemistry between Arya and Ben, both as friends and then later romantically. I also appreciated how much there is going on outside the romance. Like with Arya’s family and job, Ben being new in town, and the both of them working on charity ball together.
I love steamy romances, but I can get bored if the scenes end up all feeling very cookie cutter. That definitely didn’t happen here. Ben is a side, so Adib Khorram writes a lot of varied sex scenes that don’t simply end with them having anal sex. The scenes all felt unique to the characters and their personalities, and featured some acts that I don’t think I’ve seen before in a book, which was cool.
Overall I had a great time reading this book, and the Love on the Vine series as a whole. They’re all full of terrific characters, important friendships, mouth-watering descriptions of food and wine, and of course queer romance. Definitely check this one out!
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I love steamy romances, but I can get bored if the scenes end up all feeling very cookie cutter. That definitely didn’t happen here. Ben is a side, so Adib Khorram writes a lot of varied sex scenes that don’t simply end with them having anal sex. The scenes all felt unique to the characters and their personalities, and featured some acts that I don’t think I’ve seen before in a book, which was cool.
Overall I had a great time reading this book, and the Love on the Vine series as a whole. They’re all full of terrific characters, important friendships, mouth-watering descriptions of food and wine, and of course queer romance. Definitely check this one out!
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
September 6, 2026
I received an advance copy of this book courtesy of the publisher. All thoughts are my own.
I read and loved It Had to Be Him last year, so coming back to this world felt like visiting old friends. The bad news is that Isn't He Romantic closes out the series. The good news is that I still haven't read the first book, so I still have one more trip back to these characters ahead of me.
This one follows Arya, who has always kept things strictly casual when it comes to romance. Then he has a one-night stand with a guy named Ben when he's out of town. He thinks he'll never see him again, but then Ben turns out to be the new chair of a charity event Arya's company is planning, and now they have to work together. Then, Ben's ex shows up wanting to reconcile. Ben panics and claims he's already moved on with Arya, so now they're fake-dating while trying to keep things professional. Arya plays along in exchange for Ben's help landing a big client, so long as they agree not to catch feelings. Easy enough.
Every rom-com beat is hit, and none of it is surprising. But honestly? Who cares. The characters are fantastic, the banter is hilarious, and the feelings felt real. Plus, the whole thing is unapologetically and authentically gay. Everything feels real and natural, and I love that.
I'm sad this series is over, but I'm already looking forward to whatever Khorram writes next. If you like your rom-coms fun and gay as hell, this series belongs on your list.
I read and loved It Had to Be Him last year, so coming back to this world felt like visiting old friends. The bad news is that Isn't He Romantic closes out the series. The good news is that I still haven't read the first book, so I still have one more trip back to these characters ahead of me.
This one follows Arya, who has always kept things strictly casual when it comes to romance. Then he has a one-night stand with a guy named Ben when he's out of town. He thinks he'll never see him again, but then Ben turns out to be the new chair of a charity event Arya's company is planning, and now they have to work together. Then, Ben's ex shows up wanting to reconcile. Ben panics and claims he's already moved on with Arya, so now they're fake-dating while trying to keep things professional. Arya plays along in exchange for Ben's help landing a big client, so long as they agree not to catch feelings. Easy enough.
Every rom-com beat is hit, and none of it is surprising. But honestly? Who cares. The characters are fantastic, the banter is hilarious, and the feelings felt real. Plus, the whole thing is unapologetically and authentically gay. Everything feels real and natural, and I love that.
I'm sad this series is over, but I'm already looking forward to whatever Khorram writes next. If you like your rom-coms fun and gay as hell, this series belongs on your list.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I love It Had To Be Him so it pains me to give this one a 3, but it was nowhere near on the same level as that one.
Isn’t He Romantic is a dual POV between Arya and Ben, whose paths cross by chance. They have a one night stand and Arya ghosts Ben, leaving before he wakes up the next morning with no note and no explanation.
Ben soon moves to Kansas City for a new start and joins the philharmonic there (he’s a cellist). They’re taking part in a big ball, which, as fate would have it, Arya is planning with his event company. The two of them keep getting thrown into each other’s orbit, especially after Ben’s ex, Justin, shows up trying to win him back, and Ben lies and says that he and Arya are seeing each other. Arya agrees and the two begin a fake relationship but as we all know, it doesn’t stay fake for very long.
The leads from the past two books in the series show up quite a bit in this one, and as someone who was particularly invested in Ramin and Noah, it was really nice to see them again. I did like Arya and Ben together, but I don’t think they had the same level of chemistry, and I think the story as a whole was weaker.
That being said, I did still enjoy it! A fitting end to the series.
Isn’t He Romantic is a dual POV between Arya and Ben, whose paths cross by chance. They have a one night stand and Arya ghosts Ben, leaving before he wakes up the next morning with no note and no explanation.
Ben soon moves to Kansas City for a new start and joins the philharmonic there (he’s a cellist). They’re taking part in a big ball, which, as fate would have it, Arya is planning with his event company. The two of them keep getting thrown into each other’s orbit, especially after Ben’s ex, Justin, shows up trying to win him back, and Ben lies and says that he and Arya are seeing each other. Arya agrees and the two begin a fake relationship but as we all know, it doesn’t stay fake for very long.
The leads from the past two books in the series show up quite a bit in this one, and as someone who was particularly invested in Ramin and Noah, it was really nice to see them again. I did like Arya and Ben together, but I don’t think they had the same level of chemistry, and I think the story as a whole was weaker.
That being said, I did still enjoy it! A fitting end to the series.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
After getting glimpses at Arya in the previous books, it was nice to get to know him properly in this story while seeing characters and relarionships we already knew. As someone who turned 39 this year, I connected with everything both Arya and Ben went through with being forty and having a fortieth birthday approaching. I also really connected with Arya's struggles with his ADHD.
The transition from strangers hooking up to fake dating to real feelings forming was well done and felt natural. Justin was a little too dramatically done for my taste, and honestly, I felt he got off a little too easily. I honestly couldn't see why Ben's parents loved him so much.
I really enjoyed the snippets of Iranian culture we got to see through Arya's eyes and the descriptions of all the food made me hungry!
This was a great wrap-up to this series and I can't wait to see what this author writes next!
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for an early copy.
(As a side note, I dislike that Arya is so light-skinned on the current cover when it's stated explicitly several times in the book that he has darker skin. It's a minor thing, but the inconsistency bugs me.)
The transition from strangers hooking up to fake dating to real feelings forming was well done and felt natural. Justin was a little too dramatically done for my taste, and honestly, I felt he got off a little too easily. I honestly couldn't see why Ben's parents loved him so much.
I really enjoyed the snippets of Iranian culture we got to see through Arya's eyes and the descriptions of all the food made me hungry!
This was a great wrap-up to this series and I can't wait to see what this author writes next!
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for an early copy.
(As a side note, I dislike that Arya is so light-skinned on the current cover when it's stated explicitly several times in the book that he has darker skin. It's a minor thing, but the inconsistency bugs me.)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
KO. In combat sports like boxing or mixed martial arts (MMA), this is known commonly as a 'knockout'.
That's what this Author accomplished with the last of a trio of truly wonderful books.
Transporting the Reader back to Kansas City, the Reader renews their acquaintance with sharply dressed, self deprecating Arya. Cities away from his hometown, an uncomfortable situation prods Ben into interacting with Arya. The story unfolds from a dual perspective. It mixes in forced proximity with a sweetness that the Reader will savor akin to the wine from Ben's parents vineyards.
It's the 21 century but the lack of multicultural 'main' characters is conspicuously absent on bookshelves, especially in the romance genre. Arya's Persian identity is not an afterthought nor is Ben's Chinese one. The familiar dishes, customs, and yes, even a reference to Iran's cultural stance is discussed.
The Author's latest read delivers with emotional depth in his characters and delighting the reappearance of familiar ones. That said, this easily can be read as a standalone but the entire series will make for a richer experience.
That's what this Author accomplished with the last of a trio of truly wonderful books.
Transporting the Reader back to Kansas City, the Reader renews their acquaintance with sharply dressed, self deprecating Arya. Cities away from his hometown, an uncomfortable situation prods Ben into interacting with Arya. The story unfolds from a dual perspective. It mixes in forced proximity with a sweetness that the Reader will savor akin to the wine from Ben's parents vineyards.
It's the 21 century but the lack of multicultural 'main' characters is conspicuously absent on bookshelves, especially in the romance genre. Arya's Persian identity is not an afterthought nor is Ben's Chinese one. The familiar dishes, customs, and yes, even a reference to Iran's cultural stance is discussed.
The Author's latest read delivers with emotional depth in his characters and delighting the reappearance of familiar ones. That said, this easily can be read as a standalone but the entire series will make for a richer experience.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
e-ARC: 4⭐️ I really enjoyed this book, particularly its characters and the growth we saw in them over the arc of the story. Not only the MCs, but the full cast of supporting characters as well created such a wonderful community and the friendships were so fun to read along with the main romance. I will definitely have to go back now and read the 2nd book in this series, I hadn’t realized I missed it and look forward to getting to know those characters also, as they were such great friends to Arya through this story (but you can absolutely enjoy this story without having read the first two)
Adib Khorram always amazes me with his ability to write romance with such a realness, not shying away from the awkward and human moments that are often left out of stories. Combined with the way he creates diverse and inclusive characters and community, I’ve never been let down by the representation in any of his books — and this was no different.
and of course, thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) & Netgalley for the e-ARC !
Adib Khorram always amazes me with his ability to write romance with such a realness, not shying away from the awkward and human moments that are often left out of stories. Combined with the way he creates diverse and inclusive characters and community, I’ve never been let down by the representation in any of his books — and this was no different.
and of course, thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) & Netgalley for the e-ARC !
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews