Romantic Hero

by Kirsty Greenwood

A heartbroken romance novelist is forced to address her writer's block when the villainous cowboy character from her books shows up in the real world, desperately in need of his own Happily Ever After. . . from the bestselling author of GMA book club pick The Love of My Afterlife.

Gertie Bickerstaff writes happily-ever-afters for a living. . . . Or she did, until her own love life fell apart. Now her ex is thriving, her deadline is looming, and she can’t write a single word.

The last thing Gertie needs is more drama—like waking up to find a confused and rugged cowboy on her sofa. And not just any cowboy, but River Oakley, the villain from her unfinished novel. Somehow very real . . . and very shirtless.

River wants to go home. Gertie wants her life back. So they strike a deal: he’ll use his cunning ways to help her win back her ex, she’ll finish the novel, and, surely, he’ll return to whatever world he rode in from.

But as River Oakley proves to be so much more than just the bad guy, Gertie has to choose: the ending she thought she wanted . . . or the plot twist she never saw coming.

Genres: Romance, Magical Realism, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Fantasy, Rom Com, Adult

384 pages, Paperback

First published June 16, 2026

About the author

Kirsty Greenwood is a top ten bestselling author of funny, fearless and fast-paced romantic comedies about extraordinary love.

When she's not writing books she composes musicals, cooks new recipes with varying success, walks the blustery hills where she lives, buys too much glittery eyeshadow, sings to her dog, kisses her husband and reads all of the books she can get her grabby hands on.

If you want to find out about Kirsty's new releases and discounted books you can sign up to the newsletter here: www.kirstygreenwood.com/newsletter

Kirsty Instagrams at @kirsty_greenwood and can be found on Facebook at KirstyGreenwoodBooks. Say hi! She loves a natter.

Reviews

[ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

kirsty greenwood always writes SUCH FUN STORIES. i loved this so much. her humour is always so fabulous and i love how british her stories are, it adds another layer of home to me. this one was incredibly entertaining, silly, and endearing. LOVED!

[Liana Gold · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 4.25 ⭐️ Waking up to find a very hot, shirtless, rugged cowboy --no less a villain from an unfinished novel--on the sofa?? SIGN ME UP. IM READY.

This books a GEM and you should add this to your summer reading list! I was laughing out loud so many times, I found the humor here completely up my alley--incredibly British and very hilarious and the banter..SO FUN!

Gertie Bickerstaff is a romance writer currently working on her final novel but is experiencing a complete writers block. She's quiet, a people pleaser and an introvert at heart. She's just been dumped by Henry, her ex-boyfriend, a complete WEASEL but she doesn't see that..not yet. After a 'manifestation ceremony' by her very quirky, funny older neighbor--Ms. Casablanca, she wakes up the following morning with a HOT COWBOY, Riley Oakley, sitting on her sofa. He is not just a cowboy, he's actually a villain from her unfinished novel..and very shirtless, indeed. Frazzled, Gertie thinks this is a big fat joke! She's even more shocked when he introduces himself--How can this be?? River is just as confused as Gertie and he desperately wants to go back home. The pair basically strikes up a plan that would help Gertie with her writers block and help get River get back home. Little do they know what's in store for both of them!

Gertie honey you need to SOW YOUR WILD OATS. She's a softie who doesn't know how to stand up for herself. She's a hopeless romantic, never fully healed from a grieving event (I won't give it away!) and yet again is brokenhearted. She's desperate to finish her novel but that writing block is not doing her any good! On top of that, she's reeling to get Henry back! Yuck girl, YUCK! She's shrinking until the moment River Oakley arrives! And when he comes, her entire world changes and those changes heal her from inside out. I loved her arc and growth. She started of as a meek character and bloomed into a woman who embraced her assertiveness.

I have always adored cowboy romances and River Oakley is the perfect embodiment of charming, dreamy, broody (hot headed) cowboy! River is a very WELL written character that you're going to fall in love with. He's gruff and grumpy, with a hard exterior and quick, sharpened wit. Underneath his impervious exterior, he is loyal, respectful and just knows how to use his charm to get what he wants. He's honestly perfect for Gertie and exactly the type of a man she needs. Their tension and chemistry was naturally organic and sweet. It never felt pushy or over-the-top. He's just so charismatic, I loved him for her. He helped her love herself again. He's given her that boost of confidence that she kind of lost when she was with the weasel (Henry) and leaned in the right places to help her get back in the right mindset.

SAVE A HORSE, RIDE A COWBOY.

The point of the story is: ladies don't be with men who make you feel small! Be with someone who looks at you with pride and makes you feel big. Someone who makes you shine in a room full of people.


This book is featured as an add-on on BOTM! Here’s a link to get it just for $5: https://www.mybotm.com/bgnrjn6qk0o
Cancel the membership at no cost to you. I love BOTM! One great perk is that you can get new releases before publication date.



Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and the author, Kristy Greenwood for an early ARC.

Publication date: June 16, 2026

[DianaRose · Rating 5 out of 5]

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!

while i did not cry as much as i did while reading the love of my afterlife, i felt a lot more complex emotions reading romantic hero.

this was such a beautiful magical realism romance — and i am especially proud of our fmc gertie; she really scared me for a second because of how much of a meek pushover she was, especially regarding that windbag henry, but boy did she really grow into herself!!

i loved river as the mmc — he was gruff and snarky but also really encouraged gertie to stick up for herself, and showed her how to be her own person. i loved that he never allowed her to put herself down and supported her, but was very clear in his communication when he felt wronged by her. not to mention he was sexyyy and made gertie feel just as sexy too😌🙂‍↕️

not to mention his letter to her😭 THAT’S when i cried…

overall i really enjoy kirsty greenwood’s writing and i am chomping for another book by her asap. i’ll have to dive into her backlist!!

not to mention there was an easter egg from the love of my afterlife😭🩵

——

beyond excited to dive into this next book by kirsty greenwood because the love of my afterlife completely rewired my brain

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (Semi-Hiatus-attempting return) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up! 🌟

Alright 👏🏻this is what I’m talking about! Loved loveddd! This book was exactly what I needed after not having a romance really hit in what feels like forever for me 😩

But lemme gush about this one!

Gertie is such a relatable, quirky, and lovable FMC- struggling with heartbreak, writer’s block, and a looming deadline.

Then, in a burst of magic, a little moon action and manifestations- boom her villainous cowboy character, River Oakley, literally shows up shirtless on her couch. From there, the story is equal parts funny, charming, and surprisingly heartfelt.

I laughed out loud multiple times, just cheesing at the banter, and even teared up. 🥹 The characters (including the cute dog!) are so endearing, and I loved how Greenwood wove the magical realism elements together so seamlessly. It’s sweet, funny, and full of heart.

Idk how else to explain it… it’s just one of those stories that feels like magic ✨

I wanted to squeeze this book and dance around the room with it. I wanted to hold hands and skip with it down the road.

Pure joy. Y’all should definitely add River Oakley to your TBR 💓

Highly recommend if you’re looking for something cute, quirky, and emotionally satisfying. 💖

Many thanks to my besties at Berkley Pub for the advanced digital copy - all thoughts are my own.

Pub Date - 06/17/26

💖Fictional Character Comes to Life
💛Fake Dating
💖Forced Proximity
💛One Bed
💖Opposites Attract
💛Fish Out of Water
💖Magical Realism
💛Grumpy / Protective MMC
💖Author FMC
💛Cowboy MMC

✴︎a˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

One thing you should know about me from the start: I’m really not into cowboy-themed anything, much less books, so it’s a testament to Kirsty Greenwood’s writing chops that I’d put that aside to read a book whose MMC River Oakley is a bona fide Stetson-wearing, ranch owning Texas cowboy! Did I say I don’t like cowboys? I’m willing to re-evaluate.

So who is this guy that lassoed my attention so well? For starters, he’s the fictional creation of this book’s FMC: London author Gertie Bickerstaff who wrote him as a side character and villain in her popular Bedlam Creek romance series. Yep … saddle up. Yet another book character has escaped their pages! To be fair, it wasn’t his fault.

It started with the love of Gertie’s life, Henry, unexpectedly asking that they press pause on their relationship, leading to the usual emotional fallout and a wicked case of writer’s block for Gertie, whose final book in the series is due in a couple weeks.

With her literary agent Bridget growing more nervous by the day, Gertie has nothing to lose when her quirky neighbor Mrs. Casablancas suggests a ‘manifestation ceremony’ to ask the powers-that-be (some of whom are quite funny) to grant them their wishes. Let’s just say that what Gertie wished for and what she got wasn’t what she had in mind, but perhaps fate knows what she needs more than she does!

River Oakley could charm the skin off a rattlesnake without even trying hard. He’s just the kind of guy who commands attention even when he’s not asking for it. To Gertie’s surprise, he’s also not the one-dimensional bad boy she wrote him to be. Furthermore, he insists that he’s real and he knows things about Bedlam Creek that she never wrote. How could this be?

I’ll leave you to discover the rest of this delightful story, because it really is a gem. It was an immersive read with my Kindle and the audio, dual narrated by Taj Atwal and Jared Zeus, whose deep Texas drawl has clued me in on the appeal of this whole cowboy thing!

In all seriousness, though, River really is such a funny, sweet, sincere, occasionally grumpy, but always genuine guy and it was so fun to spend time in his world. I haven’t talked about her much yet, but Gertie … awkward, insecure, smart, witty, kind-hearted Gertie, who’s as likely to have one foot on the ground and one in her mouth is such a great character as well. Watching her dynamic with River was the highlight of this wonderful book! I also have to mention Mrs. Casablancas and her dog Squish who added some extra ‘zany’ to the mix.

This is one of the funniest, cutest rom-coms I’ve read in a long time. I’m sure I must’ve looked odd to the people who passed me while I laughed at what I was listening to. If you need proof, read the prologue and tell me you can get through that with a straight face!

If you enjoy a charming story that features opposites attract, fake dating, magical realism, book characters in the real world, a terrific personal growth arc, and a surprisingly tender and thoughtful thread about healing from past wounds, look no further. This is sure to put the "giddy" in your giddy up!

★★★★★

Thanks to Berkley Publishing, NetGalley and author Kirsty Greenwood for the digital ARC to honestly review and my library/Libby for the audio. It’s out now.

[TheConnieFox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This meta romantic comedy was such an entertaining read! I absolutely loved that this came with magical realism. The characters were wonderful and very well developed, the plot was well thought out and executed, and the world-building was great. It felt very whimsical to read, even though the book had some heavy topics. It also made me cry! This rom-com was a huge hit for me!

It is about a woman named Gertie who gets writer's block and ends up living with the villain from her unfinished manuscript. He’s not just the villain in the story, but he’s also a cowboy! I’m not sure what I would do if that actually happened to me! The banter between these two really made me laugh! This book was both heartfelt and charming! I give this book a 4.5 star rating!

This really gave me the book “The Seven Year Slip” vibes. Thank you to NetGalley, author Kirsty Greenwood, and Berkley Publishing Group for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is set to be released on June 16, 2026!

[aira]

this book looks so fun 🤩

[Whitney Erwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so FUN! I loved The Love of My Afterlife, it was a 5-star read for me, so I was super pumped to get my hands on Romantic Hero. I'm so happy it did not disappoint. Gertie is a writer of a popular book series, Bedlam Creek, and she is having major writer's block. Then, the swoony badboy cowboy, River Oakley, from her series shows up in her apartment. This makes for an entertaining, super unique storyline that was so enjoyable. I loved the magical realism added into the book, it was just the perfect amount for that whimsical feel without being too over the top. I cannot wait to read what Kirsty Greenwood writes next; she is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors!

Thank you, Berkley, and Net Galley, for a copy in return for my honest review.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one snuck up on me..

At first I really didn’t vibe with the heroine. She was a doormat, people pleaser with low self esteem who is bending over backwards trying to get her ex back. But she grew a spine quickly so I kept reading.

The rest of the story was very cute with an interesting concept. I never know about magical realism, it is so often not done well and I don’t buy into the premise. But this one worked for me. It was silly over all, and obviously wouldn’t happen irl, but the author took me on a journey and I went happily.

This is a great summer book or a beach read. Low stakes, entertaining, sweet and slightly silly.











Thanks for the arc!

[Cristina Neves · Rating 5 out of 5]

A laugh-out-loud, hilarious book.
The banter between the main characters is chef's kiss, the situations they get into absolutely funny, sweet, swoony, and the quirky secondary characters like Mrs Casablancas (Mrs C) and her small dog Squish, a chug, a mixed between a chihuahua an a pug.

Gertie Bickerstaff is a romance writer.
But to be a good one you need to be a true believer, totally in love with love.
Her boyfriend of almost three and a half years, Henry Irving, left her because he was "bored "with their relationship.
And since then she spends her days trying to write, and nights crying and getting drunk with cocktails.
She's got writer's block and the deadline for the final book of her Bedlam Creek Series is looming close and she keeps dodging her agent Bridget.

Mrs C, her friend and neighbour, who used to be a Chemical Engineering professor, has had enough.
She decides Gertie is in need of a manifestation ceremony.
Lets just say it has to be a full moon, the use of ridiculous outfits, under the stars, the wishes written in a piece of paper to be burned in the necessary candles, and all the help is appreciated. God, Budha, Godesses, Lady D and so forth. The more the merrier!

The next day a strange man, a rugged cowboy, gorgeous, six foot-four, is on her sofa!
She's naked because she hasn't been doing her laundry, and he averts his eyes until she is more or less decent, and asks were he his and how he got there.
From Texas to London?
That's a very good question!

He looks like one of her characters in the series, River Oakley, the villain of the story, a womanizer, but when he says his name is the same, she thinks she's hallucinating.
Mrs C suddenly appears and she can see him too and Squish is immediately in love with him!
Gertie says that he is a fictional character, not a real person, she wrote him!
Tells everything about him, about the town, about other characters.
River talks about the towns around her fictional one, other characters, events and places she never wrote in the books.
If she invented him how does she not know everything he knows too?
River says that maybe both their worlds are real, like a parallel universe!
Yeah, sure!!

She tries another manifestation ceremony, with no results, and River thinks that fate or whatever brought him to London to help Gertie get together again with her ex Henry, who treats her badly, like she was nothing, stepping on her and her romance novels because she is a people pleasing person!
He develops a plan to make Henry so jealous and realize what a treasure he has lost, at a birthday in the country of a writer's friend of Henry and Gertie.
Operation Windbag is on the move!
A fake dating, more like a f**ing dating River says, Gertie buying all the necessary cothes for her and him, because he just has jeans and his stetson.

River kind of casts a spelll over everyone who comes into his orbit and doesn't know how annoying it is.
But she can't help being fascinated by it!
He's more than a big cowboy handsome hunk, with a great torso, and for him she's the most beautiful woman he ever saw, and he affectionately calls her Owl because of her round glasses!
See where this is going?

Operation Windbag does not have the result they were expecting because Henry was already involved with someone else, but the chemistry, the sparks between them can not be denied!

They return home and because her phone had a plunge in the pool during the weekend, Bridget is there with Mrs C and when she looks at River she cant help saying "Not again!", because 20 years ago she had a client with writer's block who went through what Gertie and River are experiencing, and tells them what Gertie has to do!

River is there for her and he even learns how to do the perfect cup of tea!
Of course at this point neither one wants to part, not after disvovering how compatible they are in every senses!
He needs to get back to where he came from and she can't go with him and suddenly abandon all her life!

There's a one year later epilogue that is the perfect ending for this story!!!
❤️❤️

[Srivalli Rekha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

One Liner: Funny and cute

Gertie Bickerstaff used to write happy-ever-after for a living, but with her love life falling apart, her career is at risk too! She doesn’t need more drama, except that it finds her in the form of a confused cowboy on her sofa. Turns out, he is River Oakley, the villain from her unfinished novel (the one with a looming deadline).

River wants to go home, and Gertie wants her life back. They make a deal. River helps her win her ex back, and she will finish the novel. However, life rarely accepts such deals without throwing a twist or few!

The story comes in Gertie’s first-person POV.

My Thoughts

While I didn’t love The Love of My Afterlife, I enjoyed it quite well. So, when this appeared in my inbox, I was happy to grab a copy and read it.

The book starts with quite an interesting scene, before it rewinds a little to establish the backstory. It sure was a fun beginning. The perfect hook, lol.

Despite the FMC’s situation, the narration is quirky and funny, which makes it hilarious rather than whiny or annoying. I really like how the tone balances the quirkiness with vulnerability and a sense of naivety.

And yes, she can sound absolutely pathetic, which is very much intentional. There will be many instances where you want to shake some sense and confidence into the FMC. I was hoping she wouldn’t let that douche ex walk all over her.

Luckily, the pacing was great, so I could finally stop when she showed some spine. Phew! It allowed me a good night’s sleep. However, % wise, maybe the wait felt a little long, but it made sense too.

The magic realism part is actually interesting. I like the explanation, even if it terrifies me a little (being an author can be risky at times). If only my manifestation rituals worked half as well!

The MMC is, of course, a good guy. Cocky, but kind, and exactly what is needed to balance the FMC’s situation. He brings out the ‘worst’ in her, which is actually her spine she pretended didn’t exist.

There is only one interesting side character. I mean, many others come and go, but the neighbor was the best. The agent was nice (in an I'm trying not to freak out way) as well.

The road to the ending is something romance readers should guess well enough. The message is delivered, and the HEA provided, with the mischievous little dog (crossbreed of a Pug and Chihuahua) wrapped in a nice bow. ;) And oh, there is a little spice, like 1.5 max.

To summarize, Romantic Hero is a lighthearted read that still touches on some heavy themes without overwhelming the reader. No idea if the portrayal of a Texan cowboy is accurate!

My thanks to Isabella Levin, NetGalley, and Random House UK, Cornerstone (Penguin) for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

#NetGalley #RomanticHero

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Henry sucks. River is a caricature of a cowboy, which fine given the narrative, but biscuits and grits are not a thing, it’s way too hot in central Texas for a cowboy to not know how to swim, and I know it might be shocking but a cowboy from a town an hour outside of a major US city, would know what a small dog is.

If I wasn’t a Texas resident who spent a big chunk of my adult life an hour away from the fictional town the MMC is from I might have enjoyed this more. As of now I’m just annoyed. This is why I’m always apprehensive to read books set in places I’ve lived written by authors who have not lived there. 😑


| IG | TikTok |

Thank you Berkley for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

[ahmeeka · Rating 2 out of 5]

[arc review] I so badly wanted to enjoy this and I’m annoyed at myself for not liking it!

romantic hero follows gertie. the main focus of the book is how she’s navigating a breakup, and finding herself in a writing slump because of it. in comes river—the book boyfriend she created herself, except he’s fallen out of the pages of her book and is very real.

I really wanted to enjoy this but I didn’t enjoy how gertie was pining after her shitty ex for most of the book. I wanted to empathise for her, I really did—but it got to a point where I wanted to give her a good shake and tell her to get up. I understand it’s a plot point, but it served its purpose and went far too into the book.

it’s a cute romance nonetheless, with a different spin on magical realism to what I’m used to. I just found myself not engaged because the fmc felt whiny and didn’t really care to put herself first for once, and only did so at an unreasonable part of the book.

thank you cornerstone / random house UK for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Brogan Tate · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a charming, hilarious and perfect summer read about a romance author whose character from her book series shows up on her sofa! The magical realism is fun and done really well, whilst touching on grief, heartbreak, found family, and independence.

It’s been a while since a book made me laugh out loud; the British banter and humour were right up my street and made me love this so much! Gertie as a character isn’t my favourite; I wanted her to move on from her ex a bit more quickly, but I did enjoy her character development.

The spice is sooo brilliant; River the Cowboy is proper swoony and does such sweet gestures for Gertie. I love how the ending wrapped nicely; I closed it feeling like I’d received a big warm hug!

Brogan’s Book Club - July ☀️

[Jono Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Sometimes all it takes to be brave is to have the company of another person trying to be brave alongside you.”

∞⭐ -- This was perfect. A seamless blend of heart, humor, emotion, and romance that had me kicking my feet and giggling one moment and tearing up the next. It’s not enough that the romance between Gertie and River is absolutely swoon-worthy, Greenwood also shifts effortlessly between laugh-out-loud funny and deeply emotional. This book had just as many moments that made me cackle as it did moments where I felt like I could sob.

I think the best romances, especially magical realism, stay as grounded as possible in reality. By using grief as the emotional foundation, Greenwood pulls off a near-impossible feat, creating a magical romance that feels completely authentic. It’s whimsical without ever losing sight of what makes us human, and somehow manages to feel both incredibly specific and universally relatable.

[Shantha (ShanthasBookEra) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A heartbroken romance novelist is forced to address her writer's block when the villainous cowboy character from her books shows up in the real world, desperately in need of his own Happily Ever After. . . from the bestselling author of GMA book club pick The Love of My Afterlife."

Gertie has hit rock bottom in her love life and being hounded by her agent when a handsome shirtless cowboy suddenly appears on her couch. River Oakley is the villain from her unfinished novel. She needs inspiration to write it as he wants to go home. Can they help each other have the happy ending each of them wants?

This was such a fun and refreshing romcom with characters who feel deeply and are fully fleshed out. I love the concept of a book boyfriend coming to life and this is very close to that. Entertaining and addictive. Highly recommend.

The audiobook performance by Jared Zeus and Amy James Kelly (8 hours 24 minutes) brings these characters to the real world so they feel like friends.

Many thanks to PRH Audio for the gifted advance listening copy. All opinions are my own. 🎧

[Adi · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5 rounded up.

I'm very sorry to say I did not love this one as much as I wish I had (and thought I would). A cute magical romcom with a unique plot, and some fun scenes, but it just didn't click for me.

I LOVED the Love of My Afterlife by this author and I think the major differences I found was that despite the outlandish plot, the characters felt a bit more realistic. I didn't connect to either character, and they fell a little flat for me (other than River being a hot cowboy). To me, the chemistry was a bit lacking between the two, but that could have just been because I didn't truly feel connected to either of them.

It's also possible given I don't love cowboy romances that maybe this just wasn't the read for me - at the end of the day it was fast paced, light-hearted, filled with fun side characters, and I'm still excited to see what's next for this author!

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Six star read of the year 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

However many universes there out there, I know that in every single one of them my heart belongs to you.

Never thought I would be a cowboy girl, but look at me!

If you are familiar with Isekai stories (and if you are, please let us be friends!) then you know that there’s nothing better than waking up in your favorite book.
But let’s make it a bit different.
What if not you are waking up in another world, one of your characters wakes up in yours!
And you would think it’s your main character, but no, the villain wakes up on your sofa, befuzzled and rather confused, but still insanely hot.
Of course everything happens and you result to fake dating him to get your ex back, who is actually not as perfect as you thought, but four years of a relationship tend makes you think that.

Not only was this absolutely perfect and entertaining and cute and all, I had so so so much fun reading it.
Not only did I start it just a few hours after getting it in my mailbox, I also finished it in under 24 hours!

It’s filled with funny banter, exceptional chemistry, funny lovely side characters (like a dog called squish) and it has endometriosis rep!
And not only is it funny, it’s also sad and takes on grief, people pleasing and living for yourself and not some other half you maybe found.
It was, like I said, perfect.

Also:
Welcome River to my collection of book boyfriends.

[lali ✰]

gertie is so insufferable that there's no coming back from how annoyed I'm right now

DNF'd at 30%

[Katie Beasley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this book! I really enjoyed Love of My Afterlife, but this one knocked it out of the park in my opinion. I loved the characters. I loved the setting. And of course I loved the twist on magical realism. This felt very original to me. I loved our FMC Gertie. She was on a break with the *love of her life* and ends up finding true connection and herself with a character from her book series that she is trying to complete. Not just any character though- River is villain of sorts. I loved the hilarity and insanity of a writer waking up to one of characters being real. I loved the fact that even though she *made him up*, she didn't know a lot about him. I loved watching them click. The fake dating. The long, lingering looks. I think part of the reason that River and Gertie worked was because they were completely themselves with each other from the beginning. I also loved how opposite these two were- we had an English woman who was a ridiculous people pleaser falling for a cowboy who could care less what people thought of him. And River- omg RIVER. His transformation was SO FUN to watch. He was the man who would NEVER get tied down as he said and by the end of this book he was legit pining for Gertie and waiting around for her to find him again. He just transformed after he embraced his feelings for her.

Gertie can't believe Henry has broken up with her. Rather how he has put their relationship on a break of sorts. So of course she will do a woo woo ceremony with her neighbor and wish for the gods to help her get Henry back and also finish writing her book series which is past deadline at this point. She is willing to do anything at this point. But imagine her surprise when she finds a character from her novel shirtless in her living room. Not just any character either but River Oakley, the villain of her stories. How could this possibly have happened? And when they try to send him back it fails. And that's when Gertie realizes he is here to help her. River decides they should fake date around Henry. Get him good and jealous. See what happens then. But the longer they fake date, the more Gertie realizes she never felt this tingly sensation that she feels around River with Henry. Henry was rather boring in fact. River makes her feel alive. He makes her FEEL. Wanted. Seen. Desired. Special. All of a sudden the words are pouring out of Gertie. The words to finish her final Oakley book. What they realize quickly though is that one she types The End, River will be sent back. And they have connected in a way that Gertie has never known. She understands why people are all about the spice now. She understands what it means to be in love. But this isn't his world. And she has to trust the universe that somehow SOMEWAY they will end up together if they are supposed to be...right??

I found myself laughing and basically smiling the entire time I was reading this book. River was just so striking and different from Gertie. Gertie had gotten to a point where she had lost who she was. She had molded herself to Henry and the world at large, but being with River helped her grow her confidence back. It helped her realize she can have a man in her life while keeping true to her identity. I loved the angst in this one too. How we went from fake dating. To fake kissing. To so so much more and wondering who was going to acknowledge how far off they were from where they started first. I loved the ending too and how the HEA was amazing but that it took a little bit of time to get there. I HIGHLY recommend this one for a super fun not run of the mill romance with some hints of magic!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished this first thing this morning and was super tempted to just slap five stars on it, because I'm so happy that I found another romance author that works for my brain. Which means, they actually know how to write. Like, the actual SKILL of it. THE CRAFT. Kirsty Greenwood can write! She knows how to pace a book. She knows how to write characters who are funny in funny situations without making them absurd or cringy. She has an ear for dialogue. She created Squish the dog! Her characters have juicy emotional arcs without it being overbearing or overshadowing the silly fun of the story. She inserted a fun, unique speculative element into the story that I've never seen before! But most importantly, she knows how to write character, period. I can tell because their personalities didn't disappear when they had sex, and they didn't overblow their feelings and go melodramatic, and that made me feel the feelings even harder, because they were so relatable.

And again, this is a rom-com that is ACTUALLY FUNNY.

This woman understands NUANCE.

Also, petition for the US to change it from "piggyback rides" to "donkey rides," because it makes SO much more sense. Who tf wants to ride a pig.

Anyway, getting my grubby raccoon hands on Love of My Afterlife ASAP.

[4.5 stars, rounding down for now, but just know I might bump it up any second]

[BookishKB · Rating 5 out of 5]

🤠 Bookish Thoughts

✨💖 Gertie & River foreverrr 💖✨

Ugh, I loved this book. I had a feeling I would since I loved The Love of My Afterlife, but this one really delivered. It’s such a cozy, funny romcom with just a little bit of magical realism mixed in.

Gertie absolutely needed River to show up and shake up her very prim and proper life with his cowboy maverick attitude. Just the idea of River being dropped into Gertie’s social circles is funny enough. Watching him casually break every social rule while somehow still charming everyone around him was hilarious. Him and his damn hat 🤠

What I loved most though is how River really sees Gertie. After being with that loser Henry, she desperately needed someone to see her, value her, and actually want her. I also loved that he helped her process her sister's death. She really needed that.

The ending had me a little nervous for a minute, but it ended up being one of my favorite endings. I closed the book very happy.

Also lowkey… I would absolutely read a book about Cassidy and the Bedlam Creek crew.

💫What to Expect
• Author FMC
• Cowboy MMC
• Fake dating
• Forced proximity
• Magical realism
• Villain gets the girl
_ _ _
⭐ Final Score: 5 Stars
📅 Pub Date: June 16, 2026
📝 Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Ariadna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3'75🌟

[Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle" Laird · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kirsty Greenwood can do no wrong! Love of my Afterlife was my favourite book of hers, but I think it's now been pipped!
This was amazing. A magical touch but with books and writing at the front. And I LOVE books about books. And with the signature humour we know and love from Greenwood. This was magical!

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so fun, flirty, and cool! Love the characters, the story, the pacing - everything! Omg!

[Frida Hemborg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magisk realism + Frida = ♥️

Alltid älskat att läsa böcker med detta temat, då det på ett sätt kapslar in precis den känslan jag får när jag läser en bok. Det känns som en bit magi sipprar in i verkligheten, och jag försvinner in i ett parallellt universum. Och vem av oss hade inte velat att detta skulle hända i verkligheten? Att en karaktär från er bok helt plötsligt sitter på soffan livs levande? Drömmen 😂 Det var en humoristisk romantisk berättelse, med mycket djup och känslor. Hur Gerties liv präglats av de personer hon klängt sig fast vid, hur detta hämmat henne att kliva ut och visa världen hennes rätta jag. Inte det tillrättalagda jaget utifrån vad hon tror folk vill att hon ska vara. Och det enda som krävdes för att detta skulle hända, var att en barbröstad, fiktiv cowboy skulle landa på soffan. Eller ja, hur fiktiv är han egentligen? 😏 Älskade handlingen kring hur Gertie skriver sina böcker, vad som egentligen ligger bakom hennes plötsliga skrivarglöd, men också skrivkrampen. Så jäkla påhittigt och roligt koncept. Gertie och River ihop var även de helt perfekta, deras interaktioner och samtal var underbara att följa. Vi bjuds ju också på flera andra härliga karaktärer, som tillförde de där lilla extra för att göra boken perfekt. Mrs. C, snälla gör en hatt till mig 🤭

Författaren vävde samman berättelsen på ett så skickligt vis, boken är liksom så medveten om sig själv. Bjuder på romcom klyschor till höger och vänster, men gör det till något äkta. Slutet var så perfekt så jag finner inga ord, skratta, fnissa, fick ont i magen, grät, ja allt. Underbart.

Nu ska jag leta upp ett hustak, ta på mig en kaftan, tända lite ljus och be till prinsessan Diana 😂🙏🏼

[Steph ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up.

Thank you to Evermore for sending me an ARC of this book.
I listened to the audiobook of this one and had a thoroughly good time. The plot of this one is giving The Lake House and The Seven Year Slip vibes and I absolutely love both the movie and book. This is my first Kirsty Greenwood book, and I loved her writing style, I'll definitely be picking more up from her. The British humour in here is fantastic and I loved the addition of the cowboy. The narrators were fantastic as well. Told in duet narration, really helped bring the story to life. Once I properly got going with this, I read it all in one sitting (from page 48 onwards).

[Anna (annasbookstacks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was sooo fun!! Literally read it in less than a day bc I couldn’t stop reading. It was fast paced and entertaining from the first chapter, and I just had to know how things were going to unfold. This book is perfect for fans of Ashley Poston’s A Novel Love Story, which I loved. I loved the premise of a fictional character coming to life but with a twist. I thought the reason for River “coming to life” was really fun and unique. I really enjoyed both main characters and thought the side characters were so fun and added a lot to the story. I thought Gertie was a fun fmc and I really enjoyed her character development. I loveddd River and thought he was such a sweetheart. This book was funny and witty while also dealing with heavier topics like grief and healing which I loved. I enjoyed the writing and how fast paced it was; I was seriously hooked. I was really happy with how the story resolved and just overall thought this was a very sweet, fun time. Definitely recommend for my magical realism fans. Thank you to the publisher for the arc!!

[lilly ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

[Allie | booked.with.allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️ 3🌶️
Ahhhh! This was just so freaking delightful! Chock full of all the best rom-com vibes and witty British humor! I couldn’t get enough of Gertie and River. I loved watching them fall for one another, despite their better judgment. It was positively swoon-worthy! The cast of supporting characters were also oh so charming. I adored every single one. I loved the added magical elements that Kirsty ingrains in this novel and cannot wait to read more from her!

Thank you Berkley for the advanced copy!