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Too Many Tropes For One Love Story: A Novel
When romance-book-junkie Willow runs away to Berlin and moves in with Lukas, a grumpy hockey player and her brother's best friend, she is determined to make this the start of her happily ever after. She's read enough love stories to know they should be a perfect match – yet Lukas isn't the one giving her butterflies.
Lukas does not believe in romance – not after secretly pining after his best friend for years. It's time to finally move on, but Rowan's flirty teasing isn't helping. So, when Rowan brings a date to game night, Lukas runs with a mix-up and proclaims he's dating Willow.
Between fake dating and battling real emotions for other people, Lukas and Willow get caught up in one too many tropes. With friendships, sibling bonds, and a hockey career at risk, they must decide if they want to keep up the act or dare to go off script for the people they truly want.
Filled with humor, beloved tropes and heartwarming characters, this new adult hockey romcom takes you to the heart of Berlin and a friend group that feels like family. The perfect read for everyone looking for a non-spicy queer hockey romance and a new favorite comfort-read.
Lukas does not believe in romance – not after secretly pining after his best friend for years. It's time to finally move on, but Rowan's flirty teasing isn't helping. So, when Rowan brings a date to game night, Lukas runs with a mix-up and proclaims he's dating Willow.
Between fake dating and battling real emotions for other people, Lukas and Willow get caught up in one too many tropes. With friendships, sibling bonds, and a hockey career at risk, they must decide if they want to keep up the act or dare to go off script for the people they truly want.
Filled with humor, beloved tropes and heartwarming characters, this new adult hockey romcom takes you to the heart of Berlin and a friend group that feels like family. The perfect read for everyone looking for a non-spicy queer hockey romance and a new favorite comfort-read.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 26, 2026
About the author
Charlott M. Elliston
1 book1 followerBorn an raised in Germany Charlott M. Elliston got to live in and travel to places all over the world. No matter how short the trip, she will bring her laptop to write (or do some dreaded editing). When her screen time has gotten out of hand, she’s going to too many concerts, bookstores and hockey games.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 10, 2026
This was the perfect book to get me out of a slump. So many tropes, likable characters who were unapologetically queer, the pacing and a plot that kept me engaged the entire time, the hockey!, the found family group dynamics - such as great read! If you’re looking for a feel-good story featuring two HEAs, please pick this one up!
Review of advance copy received from Author
What happens when fake dating doesn't lead to falling in love between the fake couple?
I went into this book excited for a queer hockey romance, and I was heavily rewarded! (by not just 1, but 2!). And let me take a moment to rave about the found family in this book! I love them all - their group of 6 is everything you could ever dream of. From the core 4 moving together when Lukas signed to a hockey team a few hours away from home, to their easy acceptance of new members, to how much they love each other, this is the group of friends everyone dreams of!
Willow moves to Germany to be near her older brother, but when she finds out that she'll be moving in with her brother's best friend, she can't stop thinking about her potential HEA. Roommates to lovers, brother's best friend, hockey player MMC, grumpy x sunshine, this could be her true love. But there are no butterflies, no matter how hard she tries. They're just... not there. But she does feel them with his linemate, Sky.
Lukas cannot say no to his best friend, Rowan, even when that means sharing his space with Rowan's little sister. Hopelessly in love with his best friend for the past 6 years, Lukas hurts every time Rowan talks about another partner, though it's clear they're only for a night or two. Their bond is so close, but it's always hurting him. He's decided he needs to take some space and get over his unrequited love.
But when Rowan ends up with a date at game night, a fake dating scheme comes into play. It's going to be short, just a little blip before they break it off and are just friends again. But it spirals out of control.
The fake dating complicates everything, but also is what brings everyone their hard-earned HEA. As one of my favorite tropes, I loved how this was done! The reasoning made sense, them sticking with it had a reason, and I loved seeing what happens when you actually do have to break up because there is no real love there, just friendship.
With the dual POV, I enjoyed watching half of each couple figure things out. We were in the dark a bit, though the feelings were clear through actions.
Very enjoyable, very (unapologetically) queer! With a non-binary hockey player and characters who date people regardless of gender (with no discussions of labels), no homophobia or transphobia, this is a feel-good queer romance with some plot and a lot of character growth! I would consider this a slow burn, so sit down and prepare to go through it for a hot minute before you see the love growing!
This book features a queer M/F fake couple, an M/M couple, and a F/enby couple.
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
I went into this book excited for a queer hockey romance, and I was heavily rewarded! (by not just 1, but 2!). And let me take a moment to rave about the found family in this book! I love them all - their group of 6 is everything you could ever dream of. From the core 4 moving together when Lukas signed to a hockey team a few hours away from home, to their easy acceptance of new members, to how much they love each other, this is the group of friends everyone dreams of!
Willow moves to Germany to be near her older brother, but when she finds out that she'll be moving in with her brother's best friend, she can't stop thinking about her potential HEA. Roommates to lovers, brother's best friend, hockey player MMC, grumpy x sunshine, this could be her true love. But there are no butterflies, no matter how hard she tries. They're just... not there. But she does feel them with his linemate, Sky.
Lukas cannot say no to his best friend, Rowan, even when that means sharing his space with Rowan's little sister. Hopelessly in love with his best friend for the past 6 years, Lukas hurts every time Rowan talks about another partner, though it's clear they're only for a night or two. Their bond is so close, but it's always hurting him. He's decided he needs to take some space and get over his unrequited love.
But when Rowan ends up with a date at game night, a fake dating scheme comes into play. It's going to be short, just a little blip before they break it off and are just friends again. But it spirals out of control.
The fake dating complicates everything, but also is what brings everyone their hard-earned HEA. As one of my favorite tropes, I loved how this was done! The reasoning made sense, them sticking with it had a reason, and I loved seeing what happens when you actually do have to break up because there is no real love there, just friendship.
With the dual POV, I enjoyed watching half of each couple figure things out. We were in the dark a bit, though the feelings were clear through actions.
Very enjoyable, very (unapologetically) queer! With a non-binary hockey player and characters who date people regardless of gender (with no discussions of labels), no homophobia or transphobia, this is a feel-good queer romance with some plot and a lot of character growth! I would consider this a slow burn, so sit down and prepare to go through it for a hot minute before you see the love growing!
This book features a queer M/F fake couple, an M/M couple, and a F/enby couple.
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
July 26, 2026
I really enjoyed this book from beginning to end. By the second chapter, the plot twists already start kicking in and keep you hooked. What I liked most was that, although it uses several classic romance tropes, it gives them a different spin. The characters are easy to grow attached to them, both because of the friendships they build throughout the story and because of their individual backgrounds.
The friend group brings such a warm found-family feeling that makes you want to keep spending time with them even after finishing the book. As a migrant living in Germany, I found it especially comforting to see the warm welcome Willow receives from everyone around her. In general, I also thought the challenges of being a migrant in Germany were really accurate.
I really appreciated the queer representation and the cozy atmosphere of the story. It’s a sweet, funny, and emotional read, perfect for anyone who enjoys all kinds of romance, well-developed characters, and, my personal favorite, an ending that leaves you smiling.
P.S. Everyone needs a friend like Nesryn in their life!
The friend group brings such a warm found-family feeling that makes you want to keep spending time with them even after finishing the book. As a migrant living in Germany, I found it especially comforting to see the warm welcome Willow receives from everyone around her. In general, I also thought the challenges of being a migrant in Germany were really accurate.
I really appreciated the queer representation and the cozy atmosphere of the story. It’s a sweet, funny, and emotional read, perfect for anyone who enjoys all kinds of romance, well-developed characters, and, my personal favorite, an ending that leaves you smiling.
P.S. Everyone needs a friend like Nesryn in their life!
July 21, 2026
Lukas + Rowan & Willow + Skyler
-brothers best friend
-grumpy/sunshine
-fake dating
-roommates
-love story
-one bed
-plot twist
-slow burn
-no spice
this is exactly as it was titled…soooo many tropes!! but like it was soooo easy to follow & a great spin on our normal romance novels!! the idea that these typical cliche tropes are set up by a romance book lover to get her hea is lowkey too relatable 😂😂 but then such a fun take when they ALLLL go wrong!! plus the whole idea of zero homophobia was refreshing! & pair that up with a mens pro hockey coach who’s a WOMAN & the just clear & accepted nonbinary rep was amazing!! i loved it!!
-brothers best friend
-grumpy/sunshine
-fake dating
-roommates
-love story
-one bed
-plot twist
-slow burn
-no spice
this is exactly as it was titled…soooo many tropes!! but like it was soooo easy to follow & a great spin on our normal romance novels!! the idea that these typical cliche tropes are set up by a romance book lover to get her hea is lowkey too relatable 😂😂 but then such a fun take when they ALLLL go wrong!! plus the whole idea of zero homophobia was refreshing! & pair that up with a mens pro hockey coach who’s a WOMAN & the just clear & accepted nonbinary rep was amazing!! i loved it!!
April 9, 2026
Really sweet, funny and queer. Thoroughly enjoyed
April 18, 2026
Amazing book! I got hooked in the first 10 pages and finished it in less than two days and sacrificed a bit of sleep because I couldn’t stop reading- but that’s how you know it’s a good romance book right…. It made me go through all the emotions- from kicking my feet to wanting to scream at the pages. I really loved it. The story was so cute and fun and I really liked the self awareness. Can only recommend
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to Charlott Elliston for the honor of reading this book before publication!
I had such a great time with this sweet cozy romance. I absolutely love when a book subverts tropes and expectations, and that is done brilliantly here! A fake-dating story in which both characters are in love/falling for someone else and 'only' fall into friendship with each other. Sounds intriguing? You're absolutely correct.
Willow and Lukas are both extremely likable main characters. I loved Willow's journey of self-discovery. Nothing is more relatable than the urge to just run away from home when it feels like life is falling apart! I could relate to her struggles and urge to get a new perspective so much. Reading her let go of what she thought she is supposed to do and want was nothing short of cathartic.
Lukas is my autistic king (I have no idea if that was intended or not but I STAND BY IT) and honestly, for half the story, I just wanted to give him a hug. Oh, and smush his and Rowan's faces together because WAKE UP ALREADY YOU IDIOTS. Talk about yearning. He is such a sweet guy who only deserves the best.
Rowan, as both Willow's brother and Lukas's love interest, was another highlight. I loved reading how protective he is of Willow and the journey of character development he goes on even though he isn't a PoV character. He is as lovable as he is frustrating at times, and I rooted for him to find happiness from his first appearance. With Lukas, that is. Because they are fucking adoable together.
The absolute showstealer, though, was Sky. Easily the best non-binary rep I have come across in any book, and, as a genderqueer person, that means the world to me. From their first meet, I shipped Willow and Sky HARD and was almost worried Sky's chemistry with Willow would go nowhere--boy, did it go places. Those two had me giggling and kicking my feet. Someone get me a Sky hockey jersey NOW.
The friend group around the main four was so sweet and really well fleshed out. I felt like I was at the table with them during their weekly game nights. I wish I were. The friendship Lukas and Willow built in particular was nothing short of wholesome. I really didn't expect that going in, but what a pleasant surprise that was. More romance books deserve to have strong friendships at their core, and Charlott Elliston shows how it should be done.
I highly recommend Too Many Tropes to everyone looking for a cozy read. If you love slow burns and characters with a variety of meaningful relationships outside of the main romance, this is the book for you.
I had such a great time with this sweet cozy romance. I absolutely love when a book subverts tropes and expectations, and that is done brilliantly here! A fake-dating story in which both characters are in love/falling for someone else and 'only' fall into friendship with each other. Sounds intriguing? You're absolutely correct.
Willow and Lukas are both extremely likable main characters. I loved Willow's journey of self-discovery. Nothing is more relatable than the urge to just run away from home when it feels like life is falling apart! I could relate to her struggles and urge to get a new perspective so much. Reading her let go of what she thought she is supposed to do and want was nothing short of cathartic.
Lukas is my autistic king (I have no idea if that was intended or not but I STAND BY IT) and honestly, for half the story, I just wanted to give him a hug. Oh, and smush his and Rowan's faces together because WAKE UP ALREADY YOU IDIOTS. Talk about yearning. He is such a sweet guy who only deserves the best.
Rowan, as both Willow's brother and Lukas's love interest, was another highlight. I loved reading how protective he is of Willow and the journey of character development he goes on even though he isn't a PoV character. He is as lovable as he is frustrating at times, and I rooted for him to find happiness from his first appearance. With Lukas, that is. Because they are fucking adoable together.
The absolute showstealer, though, was Sky. Easily the best non-binary rep I have come across in any book, and, as a genderqueer person, that means the world to me. From their first meet, I shipped Willow and Sky HARD and was almost worried Sky's chemistry with Willow would go nowhere--boy, did it go places. Those two had me giggling and kicking my feet. Someone get me a Sky hockey jersey NOW.
The friend group around the main four was so sweet and really well fleshed out. I felt like I was at the table with them during their weekly game nights. I wish I were. The friendship Lukas and Willow built in particular was nothing short of wholesome. I really didn't expect that going in, but what a pleasant surprise that was. More romance books deserve to have strong friendships at their core, and Charlott Elliston shows how it should be done.
I highly recommend Too Many Tropes to everyone looking for a cozy read. If you love slow burns and characters with a variety of meaningful relationships outside of the main romance, this is the book for you.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews