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The Apparent Trap
Not yet published
Expected 1 Nov 26In a witty workplace romance from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ali Rosen, two coworkers meddle in an age-gap relationship, only to get caught up in an unexpected one of their own.
Ezzie Halevi’s life as a morning show producer is blissfully straightforward. But when sparks fly after accidentally introducing her widowed father to her show’s recently hired, much younger coanchor, Ezzie’s carefully curated routine starts to unravel. Worse, she discovers her dad’s new girlfriend is the estranged daughter of Lee Morgan, the charming chef who leads a weekly cooking segment. The same chef who ghosted Ezzie weeks earlier.
The only reasonable solution? Reluctantly join forces with Lee to break up his daughter and her father before anyone gets hurt.
So Ezzie and Lee begin a secret campaign to tank the burgeoning romance. But soon, their own chemistry starts overshadowing the comically inept schemes.
Except Lee is off-limits, and Ezzie is too entangled in her father’s life to risk either of their hearts. Yet beneath the plotting and regret lies something neither a second chance at love―and letting go of unspoken grief that’s kept them both stuck.
Ezzie Halevi’s life as a morning show producer is blissfully straightforward. But when sparks fly after accidentally introducing her widowed father to her show’s recently hired, much younger coanchor, Ezzie’s carefully curated routine starts to unravel. Worse, she discovers her dad’s new girlfriend is the estranged daughter of Lee Morgan, the charming chef who leads a weekly cooking segment. The same chef who ghosted Ezzie weeks earlier.
The only reasonable solution? Reluctantly join forces with Lee to break up his daughter and her father before anyone gets hurt.
So Ezzie and Lee begin a secret campaign to tank the burgeoning romance. But soon, their own chemistry starts overshadowing the comically inept schemes.
Except Lee is off-limits, and Ezzie is too entangled in her father’s life to risk either of their hearts. Yet beneath the plotting and regret lies something neither a second chance at love―and letting go of unspoken grief that’s kept them both stuck.
300 pages, Paperback
Expected publication November 3, 2026
About the author
Ali Rosen
10 books654 followersAli Rosen is a bestselling author of both cookbooks and novels, and is the Emmy and James Beard Award-nominated host of Potluck with Ali Rosen on NYC Life.
Her novels, which have been described as “swoonworthy romance reminiscent of a Nora Ephron movie,” are USA Today Bestselling, Kirkus Best of the Year and Amazon Editor picks. Her latest is The Slow Burn.
She is also the author of three cookbooks including the recently released 15 Minute Meals. She has frequently been featured on shows like NBC’s Today Show and ABC’s Good Morning America, and in publications including The New York Times, Bon Appetit, The Washington Post and New York Magazine. She is originally from Charleston, SC but now lives in New York City with her husband, three kids, and rescue dog.
Her novels, which have been described as “swoonworthy romance reminiscent of a Nora Ephron movie,” are USA Today Bestselling, Kirkus Best of the Year and Amazon Editor picks. Her latest is The Slow Burn.
She is also the author of three cookbooks including the recently released 15 Minute Meals. She has frequently been featured on shows like NBC’s Today Show and ABC’s Good Morning America, and in publications including The New York Times, Bon Appetit, The Washington Post and New York Magazine. She is originally from Charleston, SC but now lives in New York City with her husband, three kids, and rescue dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
After reading too many heavy or highbrow books, this jumped to the top of my list because I needed something light and funny. It didn't disappoint! But it also wasn't more than that.
Plot summary: Ezzie is a morning show producer, and she has spent the last 17 years grieving the death of her mother. She and her father have preserved a stoic way of life where they enjoy pizza and movie night and stay away from developing emotional bonds with others.
That's until Carmen gets hired as an anchor for the show. She's only 26, but when she meets Ezzie's 55 year old father, sparks fly.
Sparks have been flying at the same time for Ezzie when she meets food segment guy Lee at a bar, but it doesn't seem like he remembers her the next day. He has a connection to Carmen, and Ezzie rises above her heartbreak to scheme with Lee to break Carmen and her father apart - who wants to see them get hurt when they realize the romance can't be?
Now, obviously, the whole thing is completely contrived, but that's kind of the fun in it. There's good banter here, great pacing, strong dialogue. The grief is well explored.
What didn't work for me: I didn't see enough of Ezzie. I can't picture what she looks like, and I don't know much more about her than not moving past her mother's death and that she loves BLTs. The BLT thing was a bit much, actually.
There's a bit too much delving into her and Lee's feelings for each other throughout. And a certain, let's call it a bedroom scene, that was very cringey. Otherwise not too spicy, which suits me.
3.5 stars rounded up, because this was just what I needed right now.
Thank you to NetGalley, Montlake, and Ali Rosen for the opportunity to review an advanced copy.
Plot summary: Ezzie is a morning show producer, and she has spent the last 17 years grieving the death of her mother. She and her father have preserved a stoic way of life where they enjoy pizza and movie night and stay away from developing emotional bonds with others.
That's until Carmen gets hired as an anchor for the show. She's only 26, but when she meets Ezzie's 55 year old father, sparks fly.
Sparks have been flying at the same time for Ezzie when she meets food segment guy Lee at a bar, but it doesn't seem like he remembers her the next day. He has a connection to Carmen, and Ezzie rises above her heartbreak to scheme with Lee to break Carmen and her father apart - who wants to see them get hurt when they realize the romance can't be?
Now, obviously, the whole thing is completely contrived, but that's kind of the fun in it. There's good banter here, great pacing, strong dialogue. The grief is well explored.
What didn't work for me: I didn't see enough of Ezzie. I can't picture what she looks like, and I don't know much more about her than not moving past her mother's death and that she loves BLTs. The BLT thing was a bit much, actually.
There's a bit too much delving into her and Lee's feelings for each other throughout. And a certain, let's call it a bedroom scene, that was very cringey. Otherwise not too spicy, which suits me.
3.5 stars rounded up, because this was just what I needed right now.
Thank you to NetGalley, Montlake, and Ali Rosen for the opportunity to review an advanced copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
July 10, 2026This book was the perfect mix of The Ugly Truth,
Better Than the Movies
, and the double age-gap trope for me. The author completely captured my attention, so I'm definitely planning to read all her other books (before this, I had only read a short story).
Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2026
I was so excited for this book when I first learned about the premise- but in the actual execution I could not be more disappointed.
Ezzie is full of grief after losing her mother nearly a decade ago, she clings to her father, to their relationship, using him as a crutch so neither of them would have to move on with their lives. all of the sudden Ezzie's dad meets her much younger co-worker and the two get a little cozy. Ezzie, who has a very unhealthy attachment to her dad cannot fathom a disruption in her routine while daddio gets cozy with his new lady love (we're not going to talk about ethics when they're two consenting adults).
Thats when Dad's gf's father, Lee, who also happens to be an on screen chef that Ezzie also works very closely with, pops up and they devise a plan to break up daddio and lil girliepop. Ezzie and Lee have their own history, a tension that simmers that they know they can't act on.
Lee is a grump and knows that he can't cross this invisible boundary with Ezzie while her dad and his daughter are canoodling. Even though we can see very clearly he does harbor some affection toward her- he is maybe the only character I can truly tolerate.
Everything from the weird masturbation session, the daddy/daughter breakup, end love declaration- just did not work for me and I found myself skimming so much of the story that I can confidently say that I did not enjoy this one.
Ezzie is full of grief after losing her mother nearly a decade ago, she clings to her father, to their relationship, using him as a crutch so neither of them would have to move on with their lives. all of the sudden Ezzie's dad meets her much younger co-worker and the two get a little cozy. Ezzie, who has a very unhealthy attachment to her dad cannot fathom a disruption in her routine while daddio gets cozy with his new lady love (we're not going to talk about ethics when they're two consenting adults).
Thats when Dad's gf's father, Lee, who also happens to be an on screen chef that Ezzie also works very closely with, pops up and they devise a plan to break up daddio and lil girliepop. Ezzie and Lee have their own history, a tension that simmers that they know they can't act on.
Lee is a grump and knows that he can't cross this invisible boundary with Ezzie while her dad and his daughter are canoodling. Even though we can see very clearly he does harbor some affection toward her- he is maybe the only character I can truly tolerate.
Everything from the weird masturbation session, the daddy/daughter breakup, end love declaration- just did not work for me and I found myself skimming so much of the story that I can confidently say that I did not enjoy this one.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Ezzie & her dad have been each other’s whole world since her mom died many years ago. Ezzie, a morning show producer, has a lively new anchor who randomly meets her dad. Imagine her surprise when she goes into Carmen’s office and finds her dad there. Her dad has decided to get back into dating with her morning show anchor.
To complicate the matters, Carmen’s dad, who is not quite as old as Ezzie’s dad, also works for the show and Ezzie is not a fan. Also, Lee being Carmen’s dad is a secret and Carmen asks Ezzie not to share it.
Along the way, Lee & Ezzie decide to do a few small things to try and highlight how the age gap between Mark & Carmen could be problematic. And along the way, Lee & Ezzie start to develop feelings for one another.
There was also so much more beyond just the relationships: jobs, friendships and hard conversations, dealing with grief. And I think all those topics actually helped the book.
While this has had some great reviews and it wasn’t a bad book, I just didn’t love it. I had a hard time feeling invested in the relationships that were forming. The plot and romance just didn’t jive for me.
Thank you Net Galley, Ali Rosen, & Montlake for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion!
To complicate the matters, Carmen’s dad, who is not quite as old as Ezzie’s dad, also works for the show and Ezzie is not a fan. Also, Lee being Carmen’s dad is a secret and Carmen asks Ezzie not to share it.
Along the way, Lee & Ezzie decide to do a few small things to try and highlight how the age gap between Mark & Carmen could be problematic. And along the way, Lee & Ezzie start to develop feelings for one another.
There was also so much more beyond just the relationships: jobs, friendships and hard conversations, dealing with grief. And I think all those topics actually helped the book.
While this has had some great reviews and it wasn’t a bad book, I just didn’t love it. I had a hard time feeling invested in the relationships that were forming. The plot and romance just didn’t jive for me.
Thank you Net Galley, Ali Rosen, & Montlake for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion!
October 7, 2026
I feel like I always get pretty lucky with Amazon first Reads books… this one was a big hit for me! I wasn’t sure how it was going to go with there being two age gaps in this book, but it was a super cute and sweet romance! I loved the relationships and how the main romance story felt so real. Loved the banter and it had a perfect ending!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 rounded up to 5 The Apparent Trap was my first book by Ali Rosen, but it definitely won't be my last! This story follows Ezzie, a producer at a morning talk show. When we first meet Ezzie, she is uncharacteristically gussied up at a bar, and Lee, the chef who does the weekly cooking segments for the talk show, sits next to her not knowing who she is. Lee, for all of his dimples and charm, really blows it at the beginning. After telling Ezzie she would be unforgettable whether she was gussied up or dressed down, he vanishes without explanation and then doesn't appear to recognize her the next time they see each other at work. Ezzie is understandably hurt but determined not to let it affect her. Cue, finding out that Lee is the estranged father of her new coworker, Carmem, right around the same time Carmen meets Ezzie's dad, Mark, and the science nerd sparks fly leading to them starting a relationship. Yikes.
The beginning of the book didn't start out strong for me. It was a bit of a choppy whirlwind while setting up the story and I almost DNF'd a couple of times, but by the time I was about 20% in, everything had evened out, and I was invested in the story. Ezzie is an easy to like character, she reads like a real person, who has real doubts and dreams, and her responses to things didn't feel over the top or ridiculous. Lee frustrated me for the majority of the book, he sent mixed signals and struggled to stick with his decisions, but even that felt like watching a real human try to figure out how to show up better, which ultimately made me somewhat grudgingly like him.
Mark was sweet, and I am an unashamed fan of a good age gap romance in general, but I had a hard time with his relationship with Carmen. Mostly because it could have directly impacted Ezzie’s job if it went south, but also possibly because we were seeing it through Ezzie’s perspective as a daughter being icked out. It made sense for the story, but I was grossed out alongside Ezzie for sure.
What really made me like this story though was the way the author didn’t keep it perfectly light and fluffy. I expected shenanigans a la Parent Trap, but I did not expect the deeper layers that Ali Rosen was going to delve into with these characters. Ultimately, while there is a clear romance element, this is a story about so much more: grief; our relationships with the people we love; the ways we view ourselves and how we unconsciously build our lives around those perceptions; and breaking patterns and cycles that no longer serve us. These elements do not weigh the story down, however, just give it more depth and heart than it would have had if it only focused on the romance of it all.
The spice, while minimal and fade to black, was done well (although I will never look at the railing of a hotel roof quite the same!) and the romantic declarations were swoony rather than eye roll inducing for the most part. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a fair amount of 90’s references with their romance, characters with depth and a HEA that feels earned.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy. All thoughts and options are my own and freely given.
The beginning of the book didn't start out strong for me. It was a bit of a choppy whirlwind while setting up the story and I almost DNF'd a couple of times, but by the time I was about 20% in, everything had evened out, and I was invested in the story. Ezzie is an easy to like character, she reads like a real person, who has real doubts and dreams, and her responses to things didn't feel over the top or ridiculous. Lee frustrated me for the majority of the book, he sent mixed signals and struggled to stick with his decisions, but even that felt like watching a real human try to figure out how to show up better, which ultimately made me somewhat grudgingly like him.
Mark was sweet, and I am an unashamed fan of a good age gap romance in general, but I had a hard time with his relationship with Carmen. Mostly because it could have directly impacted Ezzie’s job if it went south, but also possibly because we were seeing it through Ezzie’s perspective as a daughter being icked out. It made sense for the story, but I was grossed out alongside Ezzie for sure.
What really made me like this story though was the way the author didn’t keep it perfectly light and fluffy. I expected shenanigans a la Parent Trap, but I did not expect the deeper layers that Ali Rosen was going to delve into with these characters. Ultimately, while there is a clear romance element, this is a story about so much more: grief; our relationships with the people we love; the ways we view ourselves and how we unconsciously build our lives around those perceptions; and breaking patterns and cycles that no longer serve us. These elements do not weigh the story down, however, just give it more depth and heart than it would have had if it only focused on the romance of it all.
The spice, while minimal and fade to black, was done well (although I will never look at the railing of a hotel roof quite the same!) and the romantic declarations were swoony rather than eye roll inducing for the most part. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a fair amount of 90’s references with their romance, characters with depth and a HEA that feels earned.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy. All thoughts and options are my own and freely given.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was lucky enough to read this ARC through Netgalley and let me just say, I am so glad I took the leap to read it. I have never read anything by Ali Rosen before so I went into this blind - not knowing her writing style, not knowing if she wrote more subdued romances with non-traditional HEAs or if she wrote feel good romances that make you happy all the time or if it was going to be a rollercoaster of emotion. For me, this was the perfect balance of feel good romance and emotions. There was absolutely wonderful banter between the FMC, Ezzie Halevi, and the MMC, Lee Morgan, that made me want to kick my feet a few times and some absolutely wonderful relationships between other characters. Georgia is one of those friends that you absolutely just need in your life and Ezzie's dad is just the most wholesome man.
I think one thing I absolutely loved about this book was that through Ezzie's own stream-of-conscious POV, we feel he ups and downs and she asks herself questions of her motivations for what she does. That in turn makes the reader turn to themselves and think about their motivations for living a certain way and become self-reflective in a way some rom-coms don't, but it wasn't in a way that could feel depressive or super heavy, at least for me.
Something else I also loved is that this felt realistic. After researching Ali Rosen, I discovered that this book is very true to her real life as she is a cookbook author and TV host as well as writer. You can absolutely tell that her experience made this book be relatable. So many books can be so out there that none of the events could ever take place. The events here absolutely could. The hijinks we see our characters get into aren't elaborate, crazy plans, but more what someone would think of doing if they were in the same situation as our characters. She also provides the recipes for some of the wonderful dishes she described at the end. I will absolutely be putting this BLT recipe to the test as well as the BLT mashed potatoes. If I like them as much as think I will, I will absolutely be recommending this recipe for the holidays!
Last, and almost certainly, my favorite part of this book - the yearning from our man Lee - *chef's kiss* - pun intended....its, for lack of a better term, Luminous...IYKYK ;).
I think one thing I absolutely loved about this book was that through Ezzie's own stream-of-conscious POV, we feel he ups and downs and she asks herself questions of her motivations for what she does. That in turn makes the reader turn to themselves and think about their motivations for living a certain way and become self-reflective in a way some rom-coms don't, but it wasn't in a way that could feel depressive or super heavy, at least for me.
Something else I also loved is that this felt realistic. After researching Ali Rosen, I discovered that this book is very true to her real life as she is a cookbook author and TV host as well as writer. You can absolutely tell that her experience made this book be relatable. So many books can be so out there that none of the events could ever take place. The events here absolutely could. The hijinks we see our characters get into aren't elaborate, crazy plans, but more what someone would think of doing if they were in the same situation as our characters. She also provides the recipes for some of the wonderful dishes she described at the end. I will absolutely be putting this BLT recipe to the test as well as the BLT mashed potatoes. If I like them as much as think I will, I will absolutely be recommending this recipe for the holidays!
Last, and almost certainly, my favorite part of this book - the yearning from our man Lee - *chef's kiss* - pun intended....its, for lack of a better term, Luminous...IYKYK ;).
Review of advance copy
All Amazon First Reads books are bad, in so much as I could tell, but this was the least bad I've read so far this year. The premise is, what if two women co-workers who barely like each other started dating each other's dads? Horrifying! I was intrigued by how someone was going to pull his off in a romance and it was a free read (and I'm in a reading slump) so why not.
The age gaps, if you would like to know, shake out like this: Lee is 42 and his daughter Carmen is 26. Mark is 55 and his daughter and main character, Ezzie, is 31. So the Mark x Carmen age gap is 29 years and the Lee x Ezzie age gap is 11 years. And if you don't want to read the book but need to know if they all get married and stay together in the weirdest combo ever, spoiler:
Ezzie and Mark have been each other's emotional support since Ezzie's mom died ten years before the book starts. A lot of the book is about Ezzie's grief and her working through it. Though there's not a ton of emotional depth to this, the book does tackle the sticky situation of Mark making Ezzie his stand-in partner after his wife died. That he then dates a woman younger than said child he made into a defacto partner is tidily side-stepped. When it is addressed, it's Ezzie that who does so: "I’ll always be his daughter, and we’ll always be uniquely bonded. But that’s not a partner. I’ve been a stand-in as a partner." One of the reasons she dislikes Mark and Carmen dating is because she has become superfluous in her own dynamic with her dad. When Mark's dating again, he forgets Ezzie exists, which hurts her. I actually had this same dynamic with my dad - being his best friend when he was single and being a ghost when he was in a couple - and, like Ezzie, the best thing you can do is just live your own life and extract yourself from the dynamic.
Carmen, Mark's 26 year old paramour and Lee's estranged daughter, of course, also has daddy issues. In fact, all of these characters have issues around partners and abandonment. Even Ezzie's best friend Georgia, who I rather liked, had issues because her grandma died when she was a teenager. The basic message of the story is that you need to work through your grief.
I am giving this book a bit too much credit because, while there are bits I thought were well-written (the entire trip to Sweden being the highlight of the book for me) a lot of it is awkward (examples below). Like it's almost good, but then isn't quite able to get there. I love romance novels, though I don't usually read contemporaries because I don't enjoy the humor or pop culture references in general as it tends toward the Millennial, so part of this is on me to be fair. This book had quite a few of them from the Golden Girls to Clueless to LEGO to the the Titan submarine and show TV Friends, a lot of the banter surrounding media, but that made sense for two characters who worked in television.
The main characterization of Ezzie, besides mourning her mother, is that she loves BLTs and eats them every single day ... because her mom used to make them for her to its still about her mom. Lee, a professional chef, makes BLTs throughout the story and ... let me check ... BLTs are mentioned 51 times in the book. The book is only 296 pages. Is it annoying that BLTs are mentioned every six pages on average? That's up to you, the reader, to decide. If you strip away the things that Ezzie has made into her personality because of her mom (the Titanic, BLTs) there's a lot less left of her. The book is very Titanic and BLT heavy - I don't need TWO mentions of the same Titanic documentary. I got it the first time.
There are also a lot of asides about said media properties and much of the banter is like, "You did NOT just make a [pop culture] reference!" The narration also does something that really pets me backwards which is starting dialogue or a scene and then interrupting it with a multiple page long flashback to explain something about the character. Like, "I open my mouth to reply. The last time I remember feeling this way I was eight, the snow drifts piled high on my way to school and the mittens ..." Please, authors, I beg of you to stop doing this.
The book is partial open door but only for Ezzie/Lee so you don't need to read any spice with Ezzie's dad (aka she's the narrator so OUR dad), thank goodness. There's no Lee POV chapter or anything either and the epilogue is only two months in the future so not a ton has changed.
One of the main points of conflict are both Carmen and Lee - who don't know Ezzie at all - asking her to keep secrets from her best friend Georgia. I don't know about you all but I don't know these people from Adam, if you're giving me gossip like our new co-worker is dating my dad and also that hot guy in the office who ghosted me at the bar is also HER dad, my best friend would be informed with a quickness. That Lee gets super mad at Ezzie at one point because of this is absurd. Not to mention that HR never seemingly gets informed of any of this even though Ezzie is like "well this will be an HR nightmare." Apparently not.
Here's some quotes to demonstrate what I mean when I say things are a bit clunky:
“Hi,” says a voice, startling me enough that I swallow the cherry with the stem still attached.
... so I'm pretty sure this isn't plausible ... how were you eating this cherry, with stem-in-mouth? And if you gasped SO hard that you inhaled it, stem and all, how were you able to recover so quickly? This is weird.
***
it would be a true life bucket list item to see the northern lights—the natural glowing light phenomenon that happens when charged solar particles collide with earth’s atmosphere
I don't need this explained to me but thank you. Please trust your readers to have either a grade school education or the ability to search for stuff online.
***
I inadvertently reach up to touch the top of my head—maybe to make sure it actually hasn’t exploded, or maybe to just poke myself enough to ensure I’m not in a nightmare.
I assure you that no one has ever done this gesture.
***
She’s smiling, and it’s hesitant, like warm caramel trying to soften ice cream.
Again, what? This is the strangest simile.
***
Georgia doubles over, and I can’t tell if she’s laughing or pretending to retch.
Again, it feels like those two things are different enough to be able to be told apart.
***
Oh, and this book isn't published yet, so maybe let's take the opportunity to delete this sentence: "He was robbed of the chance to fill in his daughter’s grooves and crevices with the parts of himself that fit her." WTF RED ALERT RUN AWAY!
Like I said, on the whole, I was fairly engaged. The book wasn't good, but it also wasn't bad. Still way better than the other free Amazon books I've read this year (all two of them). I think it has potential. Oh and it seems the author is a chef so there are recipes in the back, that's fun. Still better than anything I could have written.
The age gaps, if you would like to know, shake out like this: Lee is 42 and his daughter Carmen is 26. Mark is 55 and his daughter and main character, Ezzie, is 31. So the Mark x Carmen age gap is 29 years and the Lee x Ezzie age gap is 11 years. And if you don't want to read the book but need to know if they all get married and stay together in the weirdest combo ever, spoiler:
Ezzie and Mark have been each other's emotional support since Ezzie's mom died ten years before the book starts. A lot of the book is about Ezzie's grief and her working through it. Though there's not a ton of emotional depth to this, the book does tackle the sticky situation of Mark making Ezzie his stand-in partner after his wife died. That he then dates a woman younger than said child he made into a defacto partner is tidily side-stepped. When it is addressed, it's Ezzie that who does so: "I’ll always be his daughter, and we’ll always be uniquely bonded. But that’s not a partner. I’ve been a stand-in as a partner." One of the reasons she dislikes Mark and Carmen dating is because she has become superfluous in her own dynamic with her dad. When Mark's dating again, he forgets Ezzie exists, which hurts her. I actually had this same dynamic with my dad - being his best friend when he was single and being a ghost when he was in a couple - and, like Ezzie, the best thing you can do is just live your own life and extract yourself from the dynamic.
Carmen, Mark's 26 year old paramour and Lee's estranged daughter, of course, also has daddy issues. In fact, all of these characters have issues around partners and abandonment. Even Ezzie's best friend Georgia, who I rather liked, had issues because her grandma died when she was a teenager. The basic message of the story is that you need to work through your grief.
I am giving this book a bit too much credit because, while there are bits I thought were well-written (the entire trip to Sweden being the highlight of the book for me) a lot of it is awkward (examples below). Like it's almost good, but then isn't quite able to get there. I love romance novels, though I don't usually read contemporaries because I don't enjoy the humor or pop culture references in general as it tends toward the Millennial, so part of this is on me to be fair. This book had quite a few of them from the Golden Girls to Clueless to LEGO to the the Titan submarine and show TV Friends, a lot of the banter surrounding media, but that made sense for two characters who worked in television.
The main characterization of Ezzie, besides mourning her mother, is that she loves BLTs and eats them every single day ... because her mom used to make them for her to its still about her mom. Lee, a professional chef, makes BLTs throughout the story and ... let me check ... BLTs are mentioned 51 times in the book. The book is only 296 pages. Is it annoying that BLTs are mentioned every six pages on average? That's up to you, the reader, to decide. If you strip away the things that Ezzie has made into her personality because of her mom (the Titanic, BLTs) there's a lot less left of her. The book is very Titanic and BLT heavy - I don't need TWO mentions of the same Titanic documentary. I got it the first time.
There are also a lot of asides about said media properties and much of the banter is like, "You did NOT just make a [pop culture] reference!" The narration also does something that really pets me backwards which is starting dialogue or a scene and then interrupting it with a multiple page long flashback to explain something about the character. Like, "I open my mouth to reply. The last time I remember feeling this way I was eight, the snow drifts piled high on my way to school and the mittens ..." Please, authors, I beg of you to stop doing this.
The book is partial open door but only for Ezzie/Lee so you don't need to read any spice with Ezzie's dad (aka she's the narrator so OUR dad), thank goodness. There's no Lee POV chapter or anything either and the epilogue is only two months in the future so not a ton has changed.
One of the main points of conflict are both Carmen and Lee - who don't know Ezzie at all - asking her to keep secrets from her best friend Georgia. I don't know about you all but I don't know these people from Adam, if you're giving me gossip like our new co-worker is dating my dad and also that hot guy in the office who ghosted me at the bar is also HER dad, my best friend would be informed with a quickness. That Lee gets super mad at Ezzie at one point because of this is absurd. Not to mention that HR never seemingly gets informed of any of this even though Ezzie is like "well this will be an HR nightmare." Apparently not.
Here's some quotes to demonstrate what I mean when I say things are a bit clunky:
“Hi,” says a voice, startling me enough that I swallow the cherry with the stem still attached.
... so I'm pretty sure this isn't plausible ... how were you eating this cherry, with stem-in-mouth? And if you gasped SO hard that you inhaled it, stem and all, how were you able to recover so quickly? This is weird.
***
it would be a true life bucket list item to see the northern lights—the natural glowing light phenomenon that happens when charged solar particles collide with earth’s atmosphere
I don't need this explained to me but thank you. Please trust your readers to have either a grade school education or the ability to search for stuff online.
***
I inadvertently reach up to touch the top of my head—maybe to make sure it actually hasn’t exploded, or maybe to just poke myself enough to ensure I’m not in a nightmare.
I assure you that no one has ever done this gesture.
***
She’s smiling, and it’s hesitant, like warm caramel trying to soften ice cream.
Again, what? This is the strangest simile.
***
Georgia doubles over, and I can’t tell if she’s laughing or pretending to retch.
Again, it feels like those two things are different enough to be able to be told apart.
***
Oh, and this book isn't published yet, so maybe let's take the opportunity to delete this sentence: "He was robbed of the chance to fill in his daughter’s grooves and crevices with the parts of himself that fit her." WTF RED ALERT RUN AWAY!
Like I said, on the whole, I was fairly engaged. The book wasn't good, but it also wasn't bad. Still way better than the other free Amazon books I've read this year (all two of them). I think it has potential. Oh and it seems the author is a chef so there are recipes in the back, that's fun. Still better than anything I could have written.
May 26, 2026
I love Ali Rosen's books--and this one is no exception.
It was a little more out there in terms of premise, but she is so good at developing characters, interactions, challenges and romance--that I really enjoyed it too. I like that food plays a key role in her books (and that she includes recipes at the end!) and enjoyed the tv morning show setting and the trips to Sweden.
Many thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
It was a little more out there in terms of premise, but she is so good at developing characters, interactions, challenges and romance--that I really enjoyed it too. I like that food plays a key role in her books (and that she includes recipes at the end!) and enjoyed the tv morning show setting and the trips to Sweden.
Many thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
October 4, 2026
I love Ali's books and The Apparent Trap may be taking the title of favorite book of her's! Ezzie and Lee have an enchanting meeting in a bar until Lee gets up and ends up ghosting Ezzie. But Ezzie has to continue seeing him at her place of work since he is a chef contributor for the morning show she works on. Add in that his daughter Carmen is the new anchor Ezzie is assigned to be a producer for and she begins dating Ezzie's dad making the situation incredibly complicated.
There were so many times I wanted to go through the book to hug Ezzie as she is watching her father—her favorite person—fall in love with someone younger than her and leave her behind in the process. She was a very relatable character and I loved the growth journey she went on throughout the book and how she was able to help her father move on as well in the process. The chapters in Sweden made me want to book a trip there to not only see the Northern Lights, but to view the areas they were filming content at for the show because they all sounded amazing. It was a fantastic story about falling in love when that love may challenge things in your life, fighting for the ones that you love, and moving through grief.
Thank you to Montlake and Ali for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
There were so many times I wanted to go through the book to hug Ezzie as she is watching her father—her favorite person—fall in love with someone younger than her and leave her behind in the process. She was a very relatable character and I loved the growth journey she went on throughout the book and how she was able to help her father move on as well in the process. The chapters in Sweden made me want to book a trip there to not only see the Northern Lights, but to view the areas they were filming content at for the show because they all sounded amazing. It was a fantastic story about falling in love when that love may challenge things in your life, fighting for the ones that you love, and moving through grief.
Thank you to Montlake and Ali for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The premise for this one sounded so good but sadly, the execution just wasn't there. The double couple thing was difficult at times as you couldn't just focus on one love story so I struggled to really connect to any of the characters. I love a good romcom but with this one, the story just dragged.
October 8, 2026
The read wasn’t terrible but it also wasn’t great to me. The coworkers/friends liking each others dads arc was a little weird to me honestly. The read was still a good contemporary read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2026
Full review to come, but this might be my favorite Ali Rosen book yet - which is saying a lot because I’ve loved them all!
June 4, 2026
The perfect fall/winter feel-good read. So cozy and fresh. Ezzie and Lee have great chemistry and their scheming together is fun to read. I enjoyed the age gap component of this as it felt appropriate and real, Ezzie is in her 30s and Lee is in his 40s.
This was my first book by Ali Rosen and I will need to read her others!
This was my first book by Ali Rosen and I will need to read her others!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A chance meeting in a bar between two co-workers – one who knows who the other is and the other who hasn’t a clue – leads to a workplace romance that’s filled with angst, self-revelation, and a lot of fun.
TV morning show producer Ezzie Halevi’s new “talent” is a 26 year old co-anchor with a secret. Her dad is one of the network’s cooking stars, who also happens to be a guy Ezzie met in a bar, and had an immediate connection with, and then who ghosted her.
Trouble is, they all have to work together now, and the cook doesn’t even remember Ezzie.
Add into the mix Ezzie’s wonderful widower father, who falls headfirst for the new co-anchor ( and the feelings are mutual), and the tension rises to a slow simmer on the way to a boil.
When Ezzie and Lee – the chef – form a tentative alliance to break up this May/December romance, neither is prepared for the feelings that begin to develop between them.
Lee doesn’t want to do anything to jeopardize his growing relationship with a daughter he never knew he had, and Ezzie is unsure if breaking up her father and the co-anchor will lead to another broken heart for the man.
Told with the Ali Rosen wit and emotional insight she is known for as a writer, this story broke my heart and then put it back together again in a way I haven’t felt reading a book in quite a while.
The road to love is never easy, no matter what your age or situation is. Ms. Rosen makes the road a better challenge to travel, and at the end of that road is an HEA that is unexpected and downright beautiful.
5 stars from me. This story hit all my reading emotion buttons: great plot, characters I could root for, witty banter, and all the feels that go with falling in and out of love.
Brava.
TV morning show producer Ezzie Halevi’s new “talent” is a 26 year old co-anchor with a secret. Her dad is one of the network’s cooking stars, who also happens to be a guy Ezzie met in a bar, and had an immediate connection with, and then who ghosted her.
Trouble is, they all have to work together now, and the cook doesn’t even remember Ezzie.
Add into the mix Ezzie’s wonderful widower father, who falls headfirst for the new co-anchor ( and the feelings are mutual), and the tension rises to a slow simmer on the way to a boil.
When Ezzie and Lee – the chef – form a tentative alliance to break up this May/December romance, neither is prepared for the feelings that begin to develop between them.
Lee doesn’t want to do anything to jeopardize his growing relationship with a daughter he never knew he had, and Ezzie is unsure if breaking up her father and the co-anchor will lead to another broken heart for the man.
Told with the Ali Rosen wit and emotional insight she is known for as a writer, this story broke my heart and then put it back together again in a way I haven’t felt reading a book in quite a while.
The road to love is never easy, no matter what your age or situation is. Ms. Rosen makes the road a better challenge to travel, and at the end of that road is an HEA that is unexpected and downright beautiful.
5 stars from me. This story hit all my reading emotion buttons: great plot, characters I could root for, witty banter, and all the feels that go with falling in and out of love.
Brava.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I love Ali Rosen’s style of blending romance and women’s fiction into one book, so when I saw this available, I jumped at the chance to read it.
As expected, I loved Ezzie’s personal journey throughout the story. The grief she still carried from having lost her mom when she was a teenager and the slightly codependent relationship she formed with her father where heartbreaking to see, especially as that safe little world she built for herself feel apart and she had to face building a new, healthier way of coping. And Georgia was such a good friend - it made me sad for the two of them that they hadn’t talked through some of the harder topics earlier in their relationship.
That said, the romance side fell flat for me. I didn’t love the central focus of breaking her dad and coworker up over the age gap - as the book itself covers, the age gap wasn’t fundamentally the problem (but it was all that was discussed for two thirds of the book). And while there were moments it felt like Lee saw Ezzie (maybe even better than she saw herself), I never felt like the relationship was growing to be based on anything more than looks.
While not ultimately for me, it wasn’t a bad book by any means. I can imagine readers who are looking for a different take on age gap relationships, forced proximity contemporary romance coupled with a sweet character arc centered around grief and loss enjoying this one.
Thanks to Ali Rosen, Montlake, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
As expected, I loved Ezzie’s personal journey throughout the story. The grief she still carried from having lost her mom when she was a teenager and the slightly codependent relationship she formed with her father where heartbreaking to see, especially as that safe little world she built for herself feel apart and she had to face building a new, healthier way of coping. And Georgia was such a good friend - it made me sad for the two of them that they hadn’t talked through some of the harder topics earlier in their relationship.
That said, the romance side fell flat for me. I didn’t love the central focus of breaking her dad and coworker up over the age gap - as the book itself covers, the age gap wasn’t fundamentally the problem (but it was all that was discussed for two thirds of the book). And while there were moments it felt like Lee saw Ezzie (maybe even better than she saw herself), I never felt like the relationship was growing to be based on anything more than looks.
While not ultimately for me, it wasn’t a bad book by any means. I can imagine readers who are looking for a different take on age gap relationships, forced proximity contemporary romance coupled with a sweet character arc centered around grief and loss enjoying this one.
Thanks to Ali Rosen, Montlake, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an ARC of The Apparent Trap from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This one was a bit of a mixed bag for me.
I’ll be honest: it took me a long time to really get invested in the story. Around 25–45% in, I found myself struggling to connect with both the plot and the characters. The dynamic between the characters often felt awkward to me rather than emotionally compelling, and I never fully bought into the romance.
That said, the emotional themes surrounding grief were easily the strongest part of the novel for me. Ezzie’s struggle with the loss of her mother added genuine depth to her character and made some of her emotional conflicts feel very real and understandable. Those moments gave the story more emotional weight than the romance itself.
Ironically, I didn’t really start getting interested until much later in the book, once the emotional tension between the characters finally picked up. Even then, though, the pacing felt very slow to me, and by the end I still wasn’t fully invested in the relationship.
Overall, while I appreciated the exploration of grief, family dynamics, and identity, the romance and plot just didn’t fully work for me personally. I also have to admit that romance isn’t my go-to genre, so take my opinion with that grain of salt. If you enjoy very slow-burn romances with heavier emotional themes, this may work better for you than it did for me.
This one was a bit of a mixed bag for me.
I’ll be honest: it took me a long time to really get invested in the story. Around 25–45% in, I found myself struggling to connect with both the plot and the characters. The dynamic between the characters often felt awkward to me rather than emotionally compelling, and I never fully bought into the romance.
That said, the emotional themes surrounding grief were easily the strongest part of the novel for me. Ezzie’s struggle with the loss of her mother added genuine depth to her character and made some of her emotional conflicts feel very real and understandable. Those moments gave the story more emotional weight than the romance itself.
Ironically, I didn’t really start getting interested until much later in the book, once the emotional tension between the characters finally picked up. Even then, though, the pacing felt very slow to me, and by the end I still wasn’t fully invested in the relationship.
Overall, while I appreciated the exploration of grief, family dynamics, and identity, the romance and plot just didn’t fully work for me personally. I also have to admit that romance isn’t my go-to genre, so take my opinion with that grain of salt. If you enjoy very slow-burn romances with heavier emotional themes, this may work better for you than it did for me.
Review of advance copy received from Author
“Seriously. Don’t minimize that part, because being liked is a perfect thing. There’s a lot of people I love who I don’t like very much. Liking isn’t required for love. Liking is its own special category. So I’m not giving that word up, but it’s just not the only word I can use for you anymore.”
Ezzie loves her life as a morning show producer. When she gets a new coanchor, and her dad’s eyes fill with hearts upon meeting her, Ezzie is les than thrilled. Her coanchor Carmen is much too young for her dad, but the two have immediately hit it off. Not only that, but Carmens dad is Lee Morgan, the heartthrob throb chef. Lee is also not trhrilled and the two decide the only thing to do it work to break them up.
Ali Rosen just using my tattoo without even knowing I have it!! This line made me cry! My grandfather always told me, I love you & I like you. I have to love you, but I don’t have to like you! Ali writes the absolute best rom coms! You will laugh, you will cry (maybe,) you will swoon, and you will want a BLT, even if you don’t even like BLT’s. I found myself truly loving and wanting the best for all four of our main characters, even while not necessarily wanting certain people together. We also see a deeper side to some of the ways each character became who they are now, which I really loved diving into. This book was just such a delight, and I cannot wait to make my friends play romantic pursuit!
Ezzie loves her life as a morning show producer. When she gets a new coanchor, and her dad’s eyes fill with hearts upon meeting her, Ezzie is les than thrilled. Her coanchor Carmen is much too young for her dad, but the two have immediately hit it off. Not only that, but Carmens dad is Lee Morgan, the heartthrob throb chef. Lee is also not trhrilled and the two decide the only thing to do it work to break them up.
Ali Rosen just using my tattoo without even knowing I have it!! This line made me cry! My grandfather always told me, I love you & I like you. I have to love you, but I don’t have to like you! Ali writes the absolute best rom coms! You will laugh, you will cry (maybe,) you will swoon, and you will want a BLT, even if you don’t even like BLT’s. I found myself truly loving and wanting the best for all four of our main characters, even while not necessarily wanting certain people together. We also see a deeper side to some of the ways each character became who they are now, which I really loved diving into. This book was just such a delight, and I cannot wait to make my friends play romantic pursuit!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Please note that this book is also an Amazon 1st reads selection available if you would like to read this book a month early.
I really enjoyed this book. Ezzie and Lee work on set at a morning show, similar to GMA or the Today Show. Ezzie is a producer, and Lee does cooking segments as a celebrated chef who owns restaurants in the city. They have a meet cute which ends badly, and Ezzie is convinced that Leo doesn't remember or recognize her at work. Meanwhile, the show hired a new weather person, Carmen, who Ezzie is assigned to produce. Ezzie's widower dad, Mark visits her on set and then hits it off with Carmen. The age gap is more than Monica and Richard on Friends.
Ezzie lost her mother at 14 from cancer, and she has an easy close relationship with her dad. I am a little envious of that relationship, but not her mother being gone. Ezzie finds out her dad is dating Carmen. She finds out that Lee is Carmen's dad. There's all these secrets she has to keep while fighting an attraction to Lee. They try to reverse parent trap their dad/daughter.
This book was enjoyable, especially the trip to Sweden and the food. Ezzie is a relatable character. Once I got past the beginning where I was mad at Lee, I really enjoyed it. I would rate this book 4.5 stars. Available 11/1/26, or now via Amazon.
I really enjoyed this book. Ezzie and Lee work on set at a morning show, similar to GMA or the Today Show. Ezzie is a producer, and Lee does cooking segments as a celebrated chef who owns restaurants in the city. They have a meet cute which ends badly, and Ezzie is convinced that Leo doesn't remember or recognize her at work. Meanwhile, the show hired a new weather person, Carmen, who Ezzie is assigned to produce. Ezzie's widower dad, Mark visits her on set and then hits it off with Carmen. The age gap is more than Monica and Richard on Friends.
Ezzie lost her mother at 14 from cancer, and she has an easy close relationship with her dad. I am a little envious of that relationship, but not her mother being gone. Ezzie finds out her dad is dating Carmen. She finds out that Lee is Carmen's dad. There's all these secrets she has to keep while fighting an attraction to Lee. They try to reverse parent trap their dad/daughter.
This book was enjoyable, especially the trip to Sweden and the food. Ezzie is a relatable character. Once I got past the beginning where I was mad at Lee, I really enjoyed it. I would rate this book 4.5 stars. Available 11/1/26, or now via Amazon.
Review of advance copy
Advance copy via Amazon First Reads.
4.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up to 5.
I really enjoyed this book. Part of my enjoyment is derived from how well Ali Rosen handled so many of the elements that I've seen mishandled in recent books. All of the characters were competent. All of the characters acted their age. I wasn't forced to suspend too much disbelief in order to imagine these scenarios happening - some of the situations were silly but nobody acted ridiculous inside of those situations. The prose was clean and I liked all of the characters.
I actually feel like the character growth/therapy/dealing with our trauma angles were a bit heavy at points. It continued to go despite the fact that the point had been made, but not much. I also feel like I have a hard time picturing what any character looks like beyond specific attributes, but I have a very vivid imagination. This was a problem I could fix for myself.
The biggest compliment I can pay this book and this author, however, is that at a certain point in the book, the writing and the characterization were competent enough for me to trust that the book would land. I don't trust many authors to finish their works in a satisfying way and I am so pleased to have finally found an author who can write a fun rom-com that isn't rife with idiots and absurdity.
4.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up to 5.
I really enjoyed this book. Part of my enjoyment is derived from how well Ali Rosen handled so many of the elements that I've seen mishandled in recent books. All of the characters were competent. All of the characters acted their age. I wasn't forced to suspend too much disbelief in order to imagine these scenarios happening - some of the situations were silly but nobody acted ridiculous inside of those situations. The prose was clean and I liked all of the characters.
I actually feel like the character growth/therapy/dealing with our trauma angles were a bit heavy at points. It continued to go despite the fact that the point had been made, but not much. I also feel like I have a hard time picturing what any character looks like beyond specific attributes, but I have a very vivid imagination. This was a problem I could fix for myself.
The biggest compliment I can pay this book and this author, however, is that at a certain point in the book, the writing and the characterization were competent enough for me to trust that the book would land. I don't trust many authors to finish their works in a satisfying way and I am so pleased to have finally found an author who can write a fun rom-com that isn't rife with idiots and absurdity.
August 9, 2026
As a NY morning show tv producer, Ezzie Halevi is used to not being the center of attention and living behind the scenes . Though she tries to not be hard on herself regarding her looks, she’s not normally the first woman gaining attention from men in social settings. Which is why she’s flabbergasted when she catches the attention of handsome Lee Morgan at a bar - the chef who owns a bunch of restaurants and participates in cooking segments on morning tv. They have sizzling chemistry, only to be drastically cut short by Lee running out before it ever got going. Then a young new anchor with a link to Lee starts dating Ezzie’s father - all chaos breaks loose.
***Single POV
***Age gap romance
***Layers of Grief
***Fade to black/closed door
“Hes spinning circles around me without even being in the same room” - sigh, loved this.
Wooooweeee this chemistry from the beginning - it gave belly swoops and dips! I typically always love a Dual POV romance, but Ezzie’s single POV worked perfectly in this novel. The themes of grief, self love, opening your heart up to someone - this was a beautiful novel. Definitely my new favorite by Ali Rosen!
Thank you to Montlake and Netgalley for the ARC of this novel ; all opinions expressed are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Just finished The Apparent Trap and this was such a fun, messy adult romance in the best way. It had that mix of workplace chaos, family drama, and slow-building chemistry that makes you fly through a book.
The whole setup was honestly so entertaining — two people trying to break up their parent’s relationship while very obviously falling for each other themselves? The hypocrisy alone made some of the scenes so good.
Ezzie and Lee had really natural chemistry too. Their banter felt effortless, and I liked that their relationship developed through all the ridiculous scheming instead of just instant attraction.
What surprised me most was how emotional the story got underneath all the humour. Both characters are carrying grief and a lot of unresolved feelings, and the book handled that in a really genuine way without losing the lighter romcom feel.
Also Lee being a chef automatically made him more attractive, I don’t make the rules.
If you like:
✨ workplace romance
✨ forced proximity/team-ups
✨ messy family dynamics
✨ witty banter
✨ slightly chaotic adults catching feelings
✨ romcoms with emotional depth
then this is definitely worth picking up.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
The whole setup was honestly so entertaining — two people trying to break up their parent’s relationship while very obviously falling for each other themselves? The hypocrisy alone made some of the scenes so good.
Ezzie and Lee had really natural chemistry too. Their banter felt effortless, and I liked that their relationship developed through all the ridiculous scheming instead of just instant attraction.
What surprised me most was how emotional the story got underneath all the humour. Both characters are carrying grief and a lot of unresolved feelings, and the book handled that in a really genuine way without losing the lighter romcom feel.
Also Lee being a chef automatically made him more attractive, I don’t make the rules.
If you like:
✨ workplace romance
✨ forced proximity/team-ups
✨ messy family dynamics
✨ witty banter
✨ slightly chaotic adults catching feelings
✨ romcoms with emotional depth
then this is definitely worth picking up.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a 4.5/5 star quippy work romance.
The Apparent Trap follows Ezzie, an extremely competent and career-driven woman who may also be just a little emotionally stunted after losing her mom as a teenager. While she and her dad have an incredibly close relationship, when he starts branching out and moving forward in his own life, it highlights just how frozen in time both of them have been since that loss.
This was such a fun, quippy, and well-rounded romance. While there is romance, I actually felt like there was a stronger focus on personal growth, learning how to move on as an individual, acknowledging flaws, and navigating the relationships around us. The character dynamics felt authentic, and there was enough emotional depth without making the story feel overly heavy and the writing flowed really well.
Overall, this book feels like it is for anyone who just needs a low-stakes, feel-good read. It balances humor and heart really well and delivers the kind of story you can easily sink into and enjoy.
The Apparent Trap follows Ezzie, an extremely competent and career-driven woman who may also be just a little emotionally stunted after losing her mom as a teenager. While she and her dad have an incredibly close relationship, when he starts branching out and moving forward in his own life, it highlights just how frozen in time both of them have been since that loss.
This was such a fun, quippy, and well-rounded romance. While there is romance, I actually felt like there was a stronger focus on personal growth, learning how to move on as an individual, acknowledging flaws, and navigating the relationships around us. The character dynamics felt authentic, and there was enough emotional depth without making the story feel overly heavy and the writing flowed really well.
Overall, this book feels like it is for anyone who just needs a low-stakes, feel-good read. It balances humor and heart really well and delivers the kind of story you can easily sink into and enjoy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Ezzie and Lee have instant chemistry when they first meet, unfortunately he immediately ghosts her. Unbeknownst to Lee he is Ezzie's coworker at the morning show she produces, he is the chef in the cooking segment. He also happens to be the dad of the new anchor Carmen. When Ezzie's dad comes to visit her, sparks fly between him and Carmen and they develop a relationship with a 29 year age gap. This immediately makes both Ezzie and Lee uncomfortable, and together they decide to "Parent Trap" them. Now that Ezzie's dad is in relationship, she's realizing how dependent of each other they became after the death of her mother. There is alot of discussion about grief, and loneliness and I loved seeing Ezzie confront these issues and finally moving past the grief instead of staying stagnant. Lee was a big part of her overcoming this, and while they are working together to break apart her dad, and his daughter something more sparks between them.
thank you Netgalley and Montlake for the arc.
thank you Netgalley and Montlake for the arc.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.75/5
The Apparent Trap by Ali Rosen was such a fun, quick read.
I really loved Ezzie’s character. I found her so relatable and perfectly flawed for a lighthearted romantic comedy.
The romance between her and Lee was so cute. As someone who binged the entirety of The Pitt earlier this year, I loved that they had a similar vibe to Dr. Mohan and Dr. Abbot’s dynamic. I might have preferred seeing more of them together at the end, but I understand that it might have made the plot drag for a bit too long.
As much as I enjoyed the story and the characters, I struggled to connect with the writing and the plot pacing. I think that if I had loved those two aspects, my rating would have been much higher, but I found it a bit challenging to really get into the book every time I picked it up.
Although there were some things I didn’t love, I still had a fun time reading this novel and will definitely give this author another chance in the future.
Thank you so much to Ali Rosen, Montlake and NetGalley for the ARC!
The Apparent Trap by Ali Rosen was such a fun, quick read.
I really loved Ezzie’s character. I found her so relatable and perfectly flawed for a lighthearted romantic comedy.
The romance between her and Lee was so cute. As someone who binged the entirety of The Pitt earlier this year, I loved that they had a similar vibe to Dr. Mohan and Dr. Abbot’s dynamic. I might have preferred seeing more of them together at the end, but I understand that it might have made the plot drag for a bit too long.
As much as I enjoyed the story and the characters, I struggled to connect with the writing and the plot pacing. I think that if I had loved those two aspects, my rating would have been much higher, but I found it a bit challenging to really get into the book every time I picked it up.
Although there were some things I didn’t love, I still had a fun time reading this novel and will definitely give this author another chance in the future.
Thank you so much to Ali Rosen, Montlake and NetGalley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy of this book.
My favorite Ali Rosen book so far! Chapter 28, you had me absolutely giddy! When Ezzie stands up at her desk - LOL - a scene right out of a rom-com movie; when the subway passengers applaud (felt like I should too); the Dawson's Creek reference. Masterful writing there. Loved ALL of the characters, the maturity and communication shown by them, and the sense of community. There was such a great amount of character growth that you don't often find in romances. Yet this isn't only a romance - it's such an honest portrayal of grief and self-reflection, and of missing something you never had. Ezzie and Lee were chef's kiss perfect for each other. I liked both settings but especially the Sweden scenes - I could picture it so clearly. And it's a pretty good writer who can make me crave a BLT even though I don't like bacon. Or tomatoes. Or mayo. If you've never read Ali Rosen (and why haven't you??), this is a fantastic place to start.
My favorite Ali Rosen book so far! Chapter 28, you had me absolutely giddy! When Ezzie stands up at her desk - LOL - a scene right out of a rom-com movie; when the subway passengers applaud (felt like I should too); the Dawson's Creek reference. Masterful writing there. Loved ALL of the characters, the maturity and communication shown by them, and the sense of community. There was such a great amount of character growth that you don't often find in romances. Yet this isn't only a romance - it's such an honest portrayal of grief and self-reflection, and of missing something you never had. Ezzie and Lee were chef's kiss perfect for each other. I liked both settings but especially the Sweden scenes - I could picture it so clearly. And it's a pretty good writer who can make me crave a BLT even though I don't like bacon. Or tomatoes. Or mayo. If you've never read Ali Rosen (and why haven't you??), this is a fantastic place to start.
May 23, 2026
My god I could not love Ali Rosen more if I tried - this was such a fantastic book and had me hooked from the start. This is officially my favourite of hers at this point. Loved the writing, love the depth in the fully fleshed out characters, love the topics, very much a romance where romance isn’t the only plot point and I loved how realistic it makes it.
Finally, EZZIE IS IN HER THIRTIES! As someone who is the same age as Ezzie, I love nothing more than seeing FMC’s who are proper, full frontal lobe development, in their thirties adults and not just someone who is in their early twenties! I feel like it’s such a rarity in romance and it’s so refreshing.
Huge thanks to Netgalley, Ali Rosen & Montlake for the early access in exchange for my honest review!
Finally, EZZIE IS IN HER THIRTIES! As someone who is the same age as Ezzie, I love nothing more than seeing FMC’s who are proper, full frontal lobe development, in their thirties adults and not just someone who is in their early twenties! I feel like it’s such a rarity in romance and it’s so refreshing.
Huge thanks to Netgalley, Ali Rosen & Montlake for the early access in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.25/5
I did like this a bit more than the other book I've read from this author, but I don't know if this author is totally for me.
I liked the idea of this book, but it just didn't really hit for me. I liked the characters and their situation, I found that all interesting, but it just didn't have enough oomph for my taste. I just felt like I was always waiting to get hooked, to become fully invested.
There were just things that didn't work for me. I think their relationship needed more to it, more chemistry or something. I liked the characters individually, just not necessarily together. Some scenes weren't needed, were weird.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
I did like this a bit more than the other book I've read from this author, but I don't know if this author is totally for me.
I liked the idea of this book, but it just didn't really hit for me. I liked the characters and their situation, I found that all interesting, but it just didn't have enough oomph for my taste. I just felt like I was always waiting to get hooked, to become fully invested.
There were just things that didn't work for me. I think their relationship needed more to it, more chemistry or something. I liked the characters individually, just not necessarily together. Some scenes weren't needed, were weird.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Apparent Trap by Ali Rosen was such a fun and charming read! I went in expecting a light workplace romance, but it ended up having a lot more emotional depth than I anticipated. The banter between Ezzie and Lee was my favorite part because their chemistry felt so natural and funny! The fake scheming and matchmaking attempts were hilarious, but there were also some really sweet moments about grief, family, and moving forward. The romance built at a really satisfying pace, and I found myself rooting for the characters the entire time. If you like rom coms with humor, heart, and lovable chaos, this one is definitely worth picking up!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book unfortunately just didn't work for me. Perhaps it's my own fault for not reading the synopsis more carefully before delving in, but I found the plot point of Ezzie's dad dating her new, younger coworker quite off-putting and not very believable, considering Ezzie's close relationship with her dad. I wasn't able to get past this enough to become invested in Ezzie's own relationship. I also found the writing difficult to follow at times. Still, I'm very here for the Jewish representation, even if the book wasn't for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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