Audiobook Review: Crazy Stupid Bromance (Bromance Book Club #3)

Author: Lyssa Kay Adams

Narrator: Andrew Eiden

Audiobook Length: 9 hours 50 minutes

A hacktivist and a cat café owner decode the friend zone in this romantic comedy from the author of Undercover Bromance.

Alexis Carlisle and her cat café, ToeBeans, have shot to fame after she came forward as a victim of a celebrity chef’s sexual harassment. When a new customer approaches to confide in her, the last thing Alexis expects is for the woman to claim they’re sisters. Unsure what to do, Alexis turns to the only man she trusts—her best friend, Noah Logan.

Computer genius Noah left his rebellious teenage hacker past behind to become a computer security expert. Now he only uses his old skills for the right cause. But Noah’s got a secret: He’s madly in love with Alexis. When she asks for his help, he wonders if the timing will ever be right to confess his crush.

Noah’s pals in The Bromance Book Club are more than willing to share their beloved “manuals” to help him go from bud to boyfriend. But he must decide if telling the truth is worth risking the best friendship he’s ever had.

[Click here for trigger warnings]

Crazy Stupid Bromance is the third novel in the Bromance Book Club series, which features a new couple located in Nashville in each story. I do love how the stories all tie together as the couples from the previous novels are featured in some way while also including characters that will eventually be featured in their own novels. Alexis Carlisle, Liv’s friend, and former co-worker was one of the many sexual assault victims of Peyton Royce, which was a storyline in the previous novel. While the details her journey and becoming a survivor were featured in that novel, readers can still understand and relate by reading this novel as a standalone.

Alexis has been friends with Noah Logan, a member of the Bromance Book Club, for about a year when this story takes place. While each has secret feelings for the other, circumstances provide obstacles to take the next step. After the events of the previous novel, Alexis runs her own cat café, Toe Beans that was featured briefly in the last novel and a location that now also hosts meetings for support groups to share their stories. When things seem slightly simpler with Noah and Alexis hanging out, life gets further complicated for Alexis when her half-sister shows up in need of a request.

Noah and Alexis clearly share inner romantic feelings and have great chemistry together, but they each are dealing with their own inner struggles. They also are great friends, so there is always that inner fear that the other will reject them and the friendship will be affected. As the couple work through their many obstacles, their relationship continues to grow. I enjoyed the Book Club continuing to help their friend in need during each novel and how their current reads help them work through ideas to find solutions. Alexis goes through a lot dealing with her past and it was nice to see how Noah was there for her.

Overall, this was a very sweet addition to the story. Alexis was a difficult character to fully connect with as she bordered on being a doormat rather than being kind and compassionate. Because of this, I wish there were a little more exploration into this part of her character as it does not seem that this trait was directly dealt with and instead was dealt with as needed for the plot. While there is some exploration and complexity to the characters, I just wanted more from everything. It was still well worth the read and I loved Noah and Alexis together. I greatly look forward to reading the next novel in the series soon!