This was my first Katie Holt book and I hope to read more in the future. If you are a book lover and really find joy in the art of writing, this one is for you. Oh, and did I mention the banter? Imagine working with your enemy on something so steamy. YES YES YES. Give me more, please.

This book is being slept on and more people need to be screaming from the rooftops about it!!!! The romance is INCREDIBLE. I love how we are getting the MMC’s POV through the writing. That is insanely creative and it just feels so intimate and romantic. Absolutely adored this and will def be looking out for more work from this author.

This book is SUCH an easy, cosy read - it was nearly impossible to put down! ☕✨

The story follows two college students studying literature and creative writing: Aiden, who writes broody literary fiction, and Rosie, a passionate romance writer. They clash constantly, to the point that their exasperated professor forces them to collaborate on a novel.

What makes this book so fun is how their dynamic evolves—not just in real life but through the characters they create. As they pour their emotions into their writing, we get to see them open up on the page before they do in person. There's even a very well-written spicy scene 🔥 they co-write (a bit of bookception happening here, but trust me, it works!), and it was incredible!

I absolutely loved their chemistry 💫 and the bookish, meta storytelling. Watching them navigate their differences while crafting a novel together was such a unique and enjoyable experience. If you love romance with a literary twist, this one’s a must-read! ❤️📖

Tropes you’ll find:
🎓 Academic rivals to lovers
⚡ Opposites attract
🛏️ One bed
🔥 Slow-burn with an open-door payoff
💘 He falls first

Not In My Book by Katie Holt is a novel about Rosie who is a writer and is forced to write a novel with her arch nemesis. While writing with Aiden they both begin to care about each other.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc.

"Not in My Book" by Katie Holt is an engaging read that offers a unique perspective on its subject matter. The narrative is crafted with a clear and concise writing style, making it accessible to a wide range of readers. Holt's ability to weave together different themes and characters is commendable, providing depth to the storyline. While some readers might find certain plot developments predictable, the overall structure and pacing keep the story moving forward. The characters are well-developed, although some may feel more relatable than others. Overall, "Not in My Book" is a solid addition to its genre, offering both entertainment and thought-provoking moments for its audience.

Oh I love a cheesy romance and this one had all the elements of two writers battling it out. I didn’t buy into all the chemistry and their story but still a fun read

4.25

This was cute and I really enjoyed it! This book follows two rivals turn lovers who are forced to work on writing a book together to avoid being kicked out of their writing workshop class. They are 2 master students who write very different genres of literature and attend NYU. Their writing mentor Ida was lovely and a great addition to the story however I HATED her involvement in their fall out.
Aiden, and his stupid pretty peacoat, is a real jerk in the beginning of this book. He STAYS a jerk for a really long time. But with time we learned he was a jerk with a background and trauma. It didn't justify his behavior but it certainly offered some explanation. He really perpetuated the stereotype of a boy bullying a girl meaning he LIIIIIKKKKKEEESSS her *eyeroll*. Unfortunately, he really grew in me. Deep down he was a dumb guy that didn't know how to love. He had a lot to prove to himself and his father's and at times he really let that affect him.
Rosie is a ball of light and joy and culture. She has a sweet southern accent that I was just darling. Her family is a mash of southern hospitality and Peruvian culture. The author really gave us such an enjoyable peak into both sides of her and it was lovely to meet her family. To be so surround by love and support is the dream. It's no surprise she's such a romantic soul with two parents who love each other so deeply. Rosie really deserves so much more than the hand she was dealt. She's a master student in NYU struggling to make ends meet.

This really was a story about two characters in their own world. I loved all the side characters but at the end of the day it was Rosie and Aiden. My only fault with this book was how often it was mentioned that they hate one another in the beginning. Rosie expressed this sentiment VERY frequently and I could have done with a little less. It certainly cemented the idea that they HATED each other but after the millionth time, it was a bit redundant and flat.
They began writing their book while still hating each other. A ROMANCE book that Aiden had many choice words about. I loved reading little excerpts from the book and thought it was a great reflection of his they really felt. It was QUITE a surprise to find out Aiden had a DIRTY mouth in bed seeing him write a scene that way was already uncharacteristic but then he SPOKE that way. Really a 'talk you through it' kinda guy if you know what I mean.
The 'third act break up' always annoys me but I know it's such a necessary plot point. What happened to Rosie made me truly mad for her. When she expressed why what Aiden did upset her, HE lost his cool and was NOT nice. A real flashback to his original self. That man had a lot to make up for. Sometimes men need to learn how to use their words to express themselves. Rich when the man at fault is a writer of all things. I know he was being defensive, which I understand, but he could have told Rosie from the start why he did what he did and what he did to try sbd rectify it. I understand being nervous and it never feeling like the right time. Thankfully the situation was quickly resolved. Ida pissed me off though. Her contribution was NOT cool and she also did not fully understand why Rosie felt the way she did (Rosie was VERY justified).
In the end I loved the characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an Advance Reader Copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

- My favorite scene is where she writes his name when writing a kiss scene instead of the characters name. that was diabolical is a good way. I did not expect that. HOT
- Grumpy sunshine
- He has a dirty mouth
- Forced proximity
- Enemies (more (academic) rivals than enemies) to lovers
- New York setting
- He falls first
- SHE DEFENDS HIM AGAINST HIS FAMILY

“I love you. In light and dark, in romance and litfic. In this lifetime and the next.”

“I just … wanted to be loved so badly that I thought being hurt was part of the deal.”

" The truth was I liked her no matter what she did, or what she said."

“There hasn’t been a second where I wasn’t wondering what you were thinking and if it was of me.”

“I know you prefer what’s in your books, and I pretend I don’t want to be like them, but I do. I want to be the person you picture when you’re reading and dreaming because you’re who I picture every single time.”

“I’m not yours anymore.”
“Fine. If you’re not mine, then know that I’m yours.”

“I’ll wait for you, Rosie. I swear it. I’m in it for the long haul. I want all your tomorrows. Every single one you’re willing to give me.”

”The entire time we were together all I could think was you were better than any dream, any piece of fiction I could ever write."

God for being a debut this was so good, I absolutely loved and ate this up. The pinning, the push and pull of i-like-you-but-being-mean-might- be- the -only-way-to-show-it. I loved how Aiden was grumpy but also shy and that he yearned for her so much and Rosie finally got the love she wanted.

I had a lot of fun with this one, and it's definitely helped pull me out of a reading slump!

As the description says, there are definitely a lot of shades of both The Hating Game and Beach Read in Not in My Book. But, seeing as how I also thoroughly enjoyed those other two stories, that only drew me in further. Not in My Book is classic rivals-to-lovers, so much so that it can get fairly predictable, but it hits all the classic notes of the trope so well that I enjoyed it all regardless.

I had a great time reading this. I always love a good academic rivals to lovers and this one HIT.

The setting of New York City was perfect for Rosie and Aiden. They feel like city folk even though Rosie is from the south. I thought their classroom arguments were great at creating tension between them and made their romance all the more rewarding. I also liked the format of the book and how it was like reading two books in one.

I loved how they would flirt with each other via their manuscript. This was something I had never seen done in a book before and it was done so well.

Overall, I really enjoyed everything about this. The characters were perfectly flawed and absolutely made for each other. I would definitely recommend!

4.5/5

SO GOOD!!

MY NEW FAVORITE BOOK!!!!

Aiden e Rosie are absolutely the owners of my literary heart now!!

Rosie’s dream of becoming a writer in New York gets complicated when she’s forced to co-write a novel with her ex-crush and longtime rival, Aiden. As their collaboration blurs the lines between competition and something more, they’ll have to figure out if their story ends on the page or in real life.

This book… this book is EXACTLY what a romance novel should be. Early reviews equate this to Beach Read meets The Hating Game, and that is a spot-on summary. The relationship is nuanced and dynamic, the character development is flawless, and each trope is perfectly executed. What made this book exceptionally special was the book within a book aspect - watching Rosie and Aiden fall in love over a Google Doc really did it for me. There was a good amount of spice, but it never took away from the plot. I cannot wait to read Holt’s next book!

5/5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This one just wasn't for me. The main characters read too immature and I couldn't get on board with the level of pettiness they exhibited. I'm generally a fan of enemies-to-lovers but their antics were too young for me. But this may just be better suited to an audience in their 20s!

This book was a typical cutesy romance, which although I do enjoy, this book left me wanting more.

The plot had the potential to be quite strong, but it never really seemed to get going.

I do think that people would enjoy this book, but it wasn't for me.

I really enjoyed this debut novel from Holt! Some of my favorite tropes in one and I hope she continues writing romance novels.

This book was the cutest romance read. It had all of the tropes and was perfect for if you're looking for a classic comfort romance. So many classic romance books and movies were mentioned throughout the book that just added to the overall cuteness. I was giddy and smiling the whole time I was reading this book. Their banter was so cute, and had me laughing everytime! I also really liked the concept of a book within a book. It was a great way to see how they both felt even though it’s not a double pov which I also really liked!

I'd say this is more of a 3.5 if I had to think. This was a very cute and simple read in my opinion with nothing overtly wrong. I enjoyed the beginning and middle but the end felt a little rushed and thrown out, to me. This is kinda set in between a -- it was good and it was okay moment. I do recommend it because it could hit someone else's spot way more than mine maybe!

I'm rating this a solid 4 star! Really enjoyed it... it made me giggle, it made me laugh, it made me kick my feet in the air
so safe to say I really really enjoyed it
and I really connected to the FMC too

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

A book with a bookish title, count me in! Bookish pals, this is super cute and will speak the language of your book culture! While cute, please know that with that comes a lot of cliches, but that is to be expected with a romcom.

The male main character did take a bit to grow on me, and I was uncertain of whether I vibed with him even at half way through the story. However, the back half of the story is better than the beginning! Things become complicated for the characters. There is good banter. There is spice, on my own personal scale i give it 3/5. Despite those things I didn't feel the chemistry or connection between the main characters in their relationship.

I do recommend because it is cute and I do wonder if this was related to a reading slump.

3.5 stars

4 spicy scenes.
Dirty talk. He falls first. Enemies to lovers.

I liked that even though this book was a single pov from, we got insight from both pov through Aiden and Rosie's book. The words were addressed as Hunter and Max but were often shown as the events based on their lives and the feelings they aren't comfortable expressing.
The class assigned book seemed a little novice and basic writing.

I was given an ebook from Netgalley and publisher in exchange for my unbiased review.