Romantic Hero, Kirsty Greenwood (Review by Kristie Reyes)

Rating: 5.0/5 Stars

I really enjoyed this one!! Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood was such a fun, cozy surprise for me! It’s one of those rom-coms that feels light and silly on the surface but actually has a lot of heart and depth underneath. The magical realism element, where a fictional cowboy literally shows up in the real world, adds such a fun twist and leads to so many funny, chaotic moments!! I feel like this book had me feeling literally all the emotions from laughing to crying and everything in between!
Gertie, the FMC, is dealing with heartbreak after a bad breakup, intense writer’s block, and the pressure of an upcoming deadline and also grief from the passing of her sister and how that made her parents estranged from her. At the start, she’s very much a people pleaser. She avoids conflict, doubts herself, and holds onto what’s comfortable, even when it’s not good for her. Watching her grow throughout the story was one of my favorite parts!! As she faces her grief over her sister’s death and starts to stand up for herself, she slowly becomes stronger and more confident!!
Then there’s River, the MMC and fictional cowboy who comes to life, and honestly, I really loved him! He’s bold, a little gruff, and completely out of place in Gertie’s world, which makes for some hilarious fish out of water moments. But underneath that rough exterior, he’s thoughtful, loyal, and surprisingly emotionally aware and super supportive! What I loved most is how he truly sees Gertie. He challenges her, supports her, and encourages her to stop shrinking herself for others. Their chemistry feels natural, and the fake dating trope slowly turning into something real is done in such a sweet, satisfying way, that I even forgot they were fake dating at one point because they were just so cute together!
Beyond the romance, this book also touches on deeper themes like grief, self worth, learning to let go of the wrong people, this book has such a big theme of acceptance and determination for me. It balances humor with emotional moments really well, and I did not expect to feel so much by the end but I was REALLY emotional. If you love character growth, fun banter, and romances that make you feel all the things, this is worth checking out!