The Bromance Book Club

The Bromance Book Club gathers at Gavin’s house while they watch his daughters. The men soon launch into a debate about the unrealistic portrayals of romance in the media. Amidst the conversation, Vlad, dealing with gastrointestinal issues, heads to the basement to use the bathroom. Meanwhile, Mack rummages through the fridge and eats Liv’s takeout.

Each man brings a bag of romance novels, shifting the discussion to Gavin’s progress with Thea. They urge Gavin to open up, not only with Thea but also with them. Gavin resists at first but suddenly blurts out that Thea had been faking her orgasms. Mack immediately apologizes for his constant sex jokes, sensing the moment’s seriousness. Gavin continues with brutal honesty, admitting that he reacted poorly to the revelation and stopped communicating with Thea altogether.

The club members reprimand Gavin for how he handled the situation, highlighting his overreaction and the fact that he had failed to notice Thea’s dissatisfaction in the first place. Mack suggests that Thea’s inability to orgasm is a symptom of deeper issues in their relationship.

As the conversation grows more intense, headlights flash through the curtains, throwing the group into a panic. They scramble to hide their romance novels in and under the couch as Thea and Liv enter. Liv, furious, confronts the men for eating her leftovers. She heads to the basement, only to come back up, gagging from the smell. Gavin quickly ushers the book club out of the house.

Gavin retrieves the hidden books and heads to Thea’s room. He casually asks about her day and suggests they read together outside by the fire on the patio. As they sit together, an undeniable moment of sexual tension arises, which Gavin acknowledges. Thea, sensing the shift, changes the mood, and Gavin takes the opportunity to apologize for prioritizing his career over spending time with her and the girls.

In turn, Thea opens up about her strained relationship with her mother, admitting that they have not spoken in months. She reveals her fear that her mother would gloat about the problems in their marriage and confesses that her mother had deliberately gotten pregnant to force her father into marriage. Gavin says that Thea’s pregnancy was the best thing that ever happened to him, and he feels like he was the one who trapped her into marriage. Their conversation leads to a kiss, and the moment intensifies until Butter, the dog, suddenly barks at something outside, interrupting them.

Thea decides to head to bed, and she declines when Gavin offers to join her. Sensing her hesitation, Gavin asks if they are moving too fast. Thea admits she is scared, and Gavin confesses that he is scared, too.

Irena worries over Benedict, who has been absent for 10 days without sending any word home. She wanders the library late at night to distract herself, unexpectedly finding Benedict waiting for her. He selects a book for her and asks her to read to him, hoping to forget the burdens of the past few days. Irena presses him to explain what happened, but Benedict refuses to share. Frustrated, she leaves, telling him they cannot rebuild their relationship without trust.

In response, Benedict finally opens up, revealing that Rosendale, a close friend and father figure, died. He explains that he once went two years without seeing his biological father; instead, Rosendale and his wife took him in and raised him. Benedict confesses that his relationship with his biological parents was strained and distant, and Benedict seldom saw either of them. He expresses how much he missed Irena and, with a plea for connection, asks her to touch him. They share an intimate moment.

Thea is painting the logo for Alexis’s café when Liv walks in and starts questioning her. Thea has been avoiding Liv, whose sharp intuition makes her uncomfortable, especially as she grapples with her shifting feelings toward Gavin. She is also anxious about the upcoming team Christmas party and sharing a hotel room with Gavin afterward. Liv attributes Thea’s mood to sexual frustration, and Thea reluctantly agrees. However, the lighthearted conversation takes a serious turn when Thea confesses that she is considering reconciling with Gavin. Liv insists that Thea is just a game to Gavin and storms out.

Meanwhile, Gavin becomes aroused while reading a sex scene in Courting the Countess and vows to apply Benedict’s methods if he ever gets the chance with Thea. When Thea enters and initiates an aggressive seduction, Gavin echoes Benedict’s words, encouraging Thea to be open and honest about her needs. Although they make love, Thea still cannot reach orgasm despite Gavin’s efforts. Gavin asks how he can help, and Thea snaps that she does not know. Gavin inquires about Thea’s past sexual experiences, making the situation more uncomfortable.

Gavin pleads for openness and honesty, but Thea says that they have not been honest with each other in a long time. Gavin blurts out that he wishes he could go back to a time before he felt like all their sexual encounters were born out of pity. The conversation spirals further as Gavin tries to apologize, but the damage is done, and Gavin storms out.

Gavin heads to the baseball field, using the time alone to vent his frustrations about Thea. He imagines Benedict’s voice questioning his motivations as he hits ball after ball. At that moment, Gavin realizes that he, too, had been faking it—pretending their marriage was fine when he knew it was not. He admits to himself that he is still pretending, trying to fix their marriage without addressing the deeper issues that have driven them apart. With this new awareness, Gavin returns home and finds Thea still awake.

Gavin opens up to her, despite her reluctance. Gavin confesses that in high school, when he mustered the courage to ask out his crush, she publicly mocked him. Later, she even circulated a list naming him as the person most in need of “pity sex.” Gavin reveals that being a late bloomer left him insecure about his abilities in the bedroom. He has always felt like he loved Thea more than she loved him and that without the pregnancy, she never would have married him.

The two share a deep, lingering kiss, but Gavin silently acknowledges that this is not the right time to take things further. Instead, they choose to read together.

Thea and Gavin exchange soft kisses and cuddles as they wake up early. They relax in bed, and Thea asks Gavin how he knew when she had reached an orgasm. Gavin explains the sensations he noticed and admits he longs to share that experience again. Their intimacy deepens, and their daughters climb into bed, interrupting the moment. They all snuggle up, and soon, the entire family drifts back to sleep.

Later, Thea gets a text from Liv, who tells her that she’s staying with Alexis and won’t be able to watch the girls for the Legends’ Christmas party.