REVIEW: The Love Plot by Samantha Young

The Love Plot by Samantha Young Star Shine Meadows is all about living the simple happy life, after all she has been raised by two hippies to reject society norms. However life as Star knows it takes a dramatic change when she comes face to face with grumpy veterinarian Rafe Whitman. What started out as a not so meet cute while Star was playing the role of Miranda from Brave for Rafe’s niece’s birthday party soon morphs into Star taking on a new character role for the Whitman family only this time Star will be playing the role of Rafe’s girlfriend. You see for all Rafe’s grumpy and sarcastic retorts he needs Star to help him get his mother and sister in-law of his back, and what better way to get them to stop throwing women his way than to get a girlfriend! But what happens when your fake boyfriend begins to feel like a very real boyfriend? Can Star look past the way she has been brought up and give a real relationship with Rafe a change?

I just adored this book; The Love Plot was the kind of book that you just could not help but love. This book was a great mix of sassy, cute and heartwarming. Young did a great job in combining the fake turned real and sunshine meets grump tropes to create such a brilliant romcom read.

Both main characters were amazing in their own rights but it was Star that really stole the show in my opinion. Star like her name states truly was a ray of light and happiness in a dark and mundane world. I just loved her character and the positive outlook that she always had, even when things were not going according to her plan Star was still optimistic. She leaned into her slightly quirky nature and embraced her oddness and this was one of the things that I really loved about her. More than anything I loved that she did not try to fake who she was, she embraced her hippie easy going vibe even when the Whitman’s looked down on her.

As for our hero Rafe, well at first he came across as rather rude and snotty, however the more we got to know him and the more Star got him to open up the easier it became to love him. Rafe redeemed himself pretty fast in the way he stood up for Star in front of his family and their friends and even when it came to defending her in front of her own father. For all the grumpy and grouchy exterior that Rafe puts up, he is actually a sweet guy that cares for his animals and the similar things in life. One of the things that I really loved about Rafe was the fact that he never pressured Star to settle down or give him an answer on their relationship before she was fully comfortable or ready.

The chemistry between Star and Rafe was pure fire. I loved the push and pull that flowed between them. Right from their first meeting there was a spark between them and this only grew more as they began to spend time together. I loved seeing these complete opposites go from fake dating to beginning to develop real feelings and an attraction for one another. They truly brought out the best in each other, I loved that Rafe actually not only listened to Star but actually heard her, and made her feel special and worthy of more than her parents had. And for our girl Star well I loved getting to see her grow and heal from all the unkindness of her past. Truly this couple just wormed their way into my heart, this was one of those slow burn romances that are worth the journey.

As far as secondary characters go this book has a few goodies! I loved Star’s three besties, this throuple was just golden. I loved how fiercely they loved and protected Star and that they were there to give her the push when she was getting to stuck in her own head. As for the Whitman’s well they took me a moment to warm up to, but in the end they came around. Though I will say that I loved Gigi, she was such a hoot, I really liked that she had been rooting Star and Rafe on from the very beginning.

The Love Plot is a total must read! This cute fake turned real romcom will worm its way in to your heart in no time at all!

Book Info:

Publication: August 29, 2023 | Berkley |

There’s a magnetic attraction when a happy-go-lucky gig worker agrees to a fake relationship with a rich, uptight New Yorker in this steamy romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young.

Star Shine Meadows is all about freedom, thanks to the hippie parents who raised her. Juggling her jobs as a professional costume character actor and a line sitter, she believes in no expectations, no stressful ambitions, and no-strings-attached relationships. So when she meets a birthday girl’s grumpy uncle while working a princess party, she can’t help but needle him. She’ll never see him again, and honestly, he’s pretty hot.

Rafe Whitman may be a veterinarian with a great bedside manner, but that doesn’t mean his patience extends to anyone with opposable thumbs. His family will not stop nagging him about finding “the one,” so when he runs into obnoxiously cheery Star again, he makes her an offer: He’ll pay her more than she would make doing her odd jobs if she’ll pretend to be his girlfriend at family gatherings. She can stop sitting in line waiting for someone else’s new phone, and he’ll get his family off his back.

When the tension between them heats to a breaking point, Star’s desire for “no strings” is tested against Rafe’s staunch stability. They say opposites attract, after all….