Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing Isn’t He Romantic by Adib Khorram. I’ve read and enjoyed a YA book by this author in the past, but this was my first time reading one of his adult romance books. Did I love this one enough to want to go back and read the other interconnected standalones in this series? Read on to find out!

To deter his ex, a lovelorn cellist starts a fake relationship with his one-night stand in this steamy, swoony fake dating romance from USA Today bestselling author Adib Khorram.

Arya’s always been a “one-and-done” man when it comes to romance—but with his friends all pairing up and the big 4-0 creeping ever closer, he’s starting to question his life choices. Especially when he discovers his latest hookup is the new committee chair for the charity ball Arya’s company is planning.

Ben’s plan to start over in Kansas City isn’t going so great. And having to spend lots of time with the one-night stand who ghosted him isn’t helping. Worse yet, when his ex-boyfriend shows up looking for a reunion, a panicked Ben claims he’s already moved on—with Arya.

Torn between staying professional and helping the man he can’t forget, Arya agrees to give Ben a hand, in exchange for Ben’s help landing a big client. But when the lines start to blur, they’ll have to decide if it’s time to change their tunes about love.

***Thank you to Forever for providing an advanced copy of the book via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

I absolutely adored Isn’t He Romantic and never wanted to put it down. The writing just felt so authentic, as if the author was telling a story about his life. A lot of the romance I read is great escapism with compelling love stories, but it also often feels quite detached from reality a lot of the time. This story seemed like it could have been about random people plucked out of any friend group, which I enjoyed. I was invested from the very first chapter, and it was a down-to-earth story with characters that I quickly came to care about.

I’m a sucker for a good fake dating story, and Isn’t He Romantic delivered a great one. The characters had immediate chemistry and a great connection. Thankfully, it never felt like instalove, though. Each of them had their reasons to keep their distance despite the sparks flying, and it allowed their dynamic to gradually shift into something deeper as they got to know one another better. I often hate third act breakups, but the one in this story made sense for these characters even if it did involve the dreaded miscommunication trope. Honestly, I saw it coming a mile away, and it would have been weird for the story not to go in that direction given their particular hangups. It also helped that the crash out leading up to the breakup was hilariously MORTIFYING. lol.

Some of the things that surprised me (in a good way) about Isn’t He Romantic were the world-building and representation. I’ve never visited Kansas City, and it isn’t a place I’ve ever considered visiting. The author’s love for the city jumped off the page, and he included so many cool descriptions of places that I felt like I was on a guided tour of all the best spots in the city. The story felt grounded by the love for the setting, and I liked that Kansas City became more than just a backdrop with the story feeling like a love letter to the place and community. My attitude about the city was changed by my reading experience, which I never expected, and now I wouldn’t balk at the idea of a visit. As for the representation, I was pleasantly surprised by the main characters being 40ish. The story tackled a lot of themes and feelings associated with that time in life, which I appreciated. The side and uncut rep was also great, and I really liked how they were both integrated into the sex and relationship dynamic. Of course, I also appreciated that one of the MCs was Iranian American. With everything going on in the world right now, stories centering people of that heritage are more important to tell than ever.

A romance really hinges on it characters, and Isn’t He Romantic had some complex leads that I wanted to learn more about. Arya was a self-professed slut that didn’t do feelings. On the surface, he seemed pretty shallow, but the reasons for his aversion to romantic attachments became apparent as the story unfolded. His home life was dramatic, and his parents were not a great model of romantic success. He also did everything possible to avoid asking others for help because he didn’t want to be a burden. That being said, he quietly cared so much about his work and his friends, all while doing everything he could to make their lives better without asking for anything in return. Ben, on the other hand, just got out of a really rough breakup with a guy who was now determined to win him back. He was also starting over in a new city where he didn’t know anyone. He struggled with having difficult conversations with people and generally avoided conflict if possible. That led to him inventing a relationship with Arya to try to get rid of his ex’s pursuit in a roundabout way. Needless to say, all of these issues severely complicated the growing relationship between the two men, and I really liked how the author ended up addressing it all.

All in all, Isn’t He Romantic was a really great read. I’ll definitely be picking up the other interconnected standalones that came earlier in the series. I adored those characters in this book, as well, and I’m curious to see how they ended up together. Everything considered, I rate this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

There you have it! My thoughts on Isn’t He Romantic by Adib Khorram. Have you read any of this author’s books before? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments!