The Bromance Book Club

The Bromance Book Club series by Lyssa Kay Adams incorporates and examines various romance tropes, with each installment focusing on a different theme and relationship dynamic. The book club was initially formed as a way for men to become more emotionally aware and vulnerable by reading romance novels. This unique approach challenges the stereotype that romance novels are only for women and shows the male characters gaining insight into their partners’ emotions and desires. This aspect highlights the theme of dismantling toxic masculinity—or expectations of traditional masculinity that grow harmful—while promoting healthier relationships. The first book, The Bromance Book Club, introduces a group of men who secretly read romance novels to improve their relationships. It sets the stage for the rest of the series, which follows different book club members as they navigate their own romantic struggles.

The first novel centers around the “marriage in trouble” trope, with Gavin Scott trying to win back his wife, Thea, after their marriage crumbles. Gavin turns to a Regency novel, Courting the Countess, for guidance, and the fictional book is a vital tool throughout the story.