This was a great slow-burn rivals to lovers with alll the angst! They definitely felt they lacked a bit of chemistry & tension in the beginning but that slowly changes as the story progressed. I really did love their dynamic & their interactions felt genuinely real which I appreciated so so much! Overall this was a great read with great writing, characters and plot!

I loved it. From start to finish. I'm not usually an enemies to lovers fan, but this read really sold me with its chemistry! I found it very easy to fall in love with these characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not in my Book is one of the best books that I've read this year - it's phenomenal. The fact that Katie Holt is a debut author? It just blows me away!

It's an incredibly written New York City based enemies-to-lovers novel with forced proximity. Rosie and Aiden are some of my favorite characters that I've read about and I absolutely loved their chemistry - it was off the charts and I absolutely loved their banter. The fact that it is a book about people writing books? It just is everything I didn't even know I needed.

I also love the fact that this book showcased an academic setting; it showed the benefits of having an amazing female mentor, and what an incredible bond the two of them had.

I truly think that this one needs to be on everyones TBR's - if you love romance, if you love the tropes, then you absolutely need to read this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

Academic rivals, sort of enemies to lovers, forced to work together for a class project? sign me up. As soon as I read the description of this book I knew it was going to be right up my alley, and I was soooooo right.

Rosie comes from Tennessee, a humble peruvian-american hoping to make it as a romance writer in New York. She's taking some courses at NYU where she meets Aiden, the literary fiction writer, romance-skeptic, very handsome guy who critics her work up until the very finest detail. It all comes to a halt when they're forced to pair up and write a novel combining their two genders. They start working on their book, spending a lot of time together, getting to know each other and realizing they're not as bad as they previously thought, and soon, the romance on the pages starts to blend with reality and they both have a hard time trying to figure out which are their feelings and which are their characters, but things take a small twist when a carrier-changing opportunity gets between them.

We even had a glimpse of the novel they were writing as a team at the end of each chapter, and I loved to see the parallel between the character in their book and themselves, they were really writing down their story in a way. Even though sometimes I felt like Rosie and Aiden's behavior was not fitting for people their age, and seemed sort of immature sometimes, I really liked how they were able to get over their past experiences and let themselves enjoy this chapter of their lives together, no matter the setbacks thrown their way.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Yes, this is an enemies to lovers romance, but it's also the added bonus of a book within a book. Rosie and Aiden are classmates and aspiring writers - except they hate everything the other person writes, and they make sure their class critiques make that clear. Then, they're required to write a book together. So, you get to see how Rosie and Aiden navigate this and also the story unfolding in the words they write. This was a unique spin on the trope, and I liked how the layers built on the relationship - Both definitely draw you in! Thanks to NetGalley for the look at this December 2024 release.

What an absolute banger!!!! Katie Holt, I will forever be a fan of anything you write!

Thanks for making me giggle, squeal and feel like I am falling in love with Aiden and Rosie at the same time

This novel was for the soft-hearted romantics, much like myself. I loved this ARC, I had so much fun reading it.
The story was so well written that I felt a genuine sense of understanding and connection with Rosie, our FMC, despite having very little in common with her character.

The characters were funny, relatable, and well rounded. Every character, no matter how small their role, added something to this novel.

The tension and angst in this book is thrilling, the slow burn keeps the reader on edge until finally exploding. I was so impressed by Katie Holt’s ability to write steamy scenes - which had me blushing - when the characters weren’t even in the same building. The spicy scenes were perfectly written and it didn’t feel overdone, seeing Rosie’s insecurities and Aiden’s caring side come out during such intimate scenes was a fine line to walk, scenes can be ruined if this is done poorly. However, Katie Holt absolutely nails the balance between human intimacy and sexual intimacy whilst keeping the reader engaged and maintaining the energy of the scene.

The way in which this story has been written is totally new to me and I absolutely devoured it. The excerpts at the end of each chapter were a great way for us to not only keep track of what our characters are writing but how specifically our MMC is feeling, seeing as we do not get a chapter from his POV.

This love story is one for the ages, just as Rosie would have wanted.

This is a charming enemies-to-lovers romance brimming with witty banter and heartfelt moments. Rosie, a passionate romance writer, and Aiden, a cynical literary fiction author, are forced to co-write a novel after constant clashes in their NYU writing workshop. Their manuscript mirrors their emotions, so they navigate their differences and undeniable attraction. Rosie’s optimism contrasts beautifully with Aiden’s reserved nature, creating a dynamic that keeps readers hooked. The book-within-a-book concept adds depth, though some moments with Aiden felt slightly out of character. This slow-burn romance delivers humor, tension, and a satisfying journey. A delightful debut from Katie Holt, perfect for fans of opposites attract and forced proximity tropes.

Not in My Book was very reminiscent of The Hating Game in the best way. The tension between Aiden and Rosie was extremely believable. I loved the way Katie interwove Max and Hunter's story with Aiden and Rosie's because it allowed their relationship to build in a different way. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves enemies to lovers. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫(3.5)

Merry Christmas! It feels fitting to write this review during the holiday season because my favorite moments in this romance take place amidst the festivities. The holiday backdrop perfectly complements the butterflies of first touches, first kisses, and the thrill of falling in love the characters experience 🥰

Rosie, a hopeless romantic, and Aiden, a brooding literary writer, clash in a New York workshop until they're forced to co-write a novel that blends their very different styles. As their steamy manuscript blurs the line between fiction and reality, their rivalry ignites into something more. Can they craft a love story worthy of a happy ending, or will their partnership crumble before they reach 'The End'?

The concept of this romance is sharp and creative. A story within a story brings a unique layer of romantic tension, especially when the "real-life" characters can’t stand each other but are tasked with writing an enemies-to-lovers romance together. Watching their co-written novel come to life—including Aiden’s perspective as Hunter—added depth to the narrative. I loved the innovation and vision behind this premise.

That said, books about writing often highlight the flaws in the writing itself, and this one was no exception. Whenever the characters discussed tropes and quality writing, it became impossible not to notice the issues in the book. There were quite a few. While the premise was promising, the writing felt overly forced, which kept me from fully enjoying the story. Their ending was underwhelming so that also contributed to my overall experience.

If the concept intrigues you, I still think it’s worth giving this book a try! With a smoother execution, it could have been a 5⭐️ read for me.

Thank you @alcovepress @netgally for the eARC 🤍

Perfect for you if you like:
Drama-driven romances
Creative take on story-within-a-story
Aspiring authors

Similar to:
Beg, Borrow or Steely Sarah Adams
Beach Read by Emily Henry
Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

⛔️chapters 17, 24, 26, & 27 contain explicit romance scenes (open door)
⚠️explicit language, previous death of parent, strained relationship with father

This is a very cute romance story about 2 people who are opposites while co-writing a book.
The book was easy to read and I wished it was longer as I absolutely loved it. I loved their bickering so much and there was a lot of chemistry between them.
I definitely would read this book again

really enjoyed the vivid descriptions of NYC at Christmas and the fully fleshed out side characters

third act conflict was predictable and felt rushed, but still enjoyable

This was a fun read! Not incredibly memorable for me, but one that I enjoyed in the moment. It’s a lighthearted enemies to lovers that contains plenty of verbal sparring, spice, and reflective family moments.

Not in My Book follows Rosie and Aiden—two young adults trying to make it as writers of very different genres (romance and literary fiction) in a competitive New York City collegiate writing workshop. When the two can’t stop butting heads during class, the professor decides the only way for the two not to be kicked out is for them to work together to write a book for the workshop.

A delightful added feature is the little snippets of the “book” the characters are writing being included with the larger story!

Thank you to Katie Holt, Alcove Press, RBMedia, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

This was a really solid debut! I had a great time reading this enemies to lovers romance set in the world of writing. It was heartfelt and the banter was super fun -- plus I enjoyed the aspect of them writing a romance novel together. Though, to be fair, I found myself getting a bit frustrated that the story they were 'writing' was SO clearly about them...but in any case it was a fun debut and I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for future novels.

NB: I was kindly sent a copy by the publisher via Netgalley. Thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for making this happen. All thoughts expressed are my own.

I absolutely loved this book! Any book about books is always a fun read. I loved how this was an enemies to lovers, but not really, maybe more rivals to enemies with a secret crush. I especially liked the Latina main character. It is so special to read a book where you can actually see yourself being portrayed. The storyline kept me wanting to keep reading, I especially loved the chapters ending with a little blurb from the book they were reading. I've already recommended this book to a few friends. What an excellent debut for Katie Holt, I look forward to reading more from her. Read this if you love books about books, secret crushes and Latina representation. This one is 4.5/5 stars for me, rounded up to 5. Thank you to Alcove Press for this eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. I listened to the audiobook and thought it was great. It was compared to Beach Read, and I guess I see it a little in the sense that they are both writers and have to write a book together blending their respective genres. They do get a little annoying, and there IS a third act break up, but I still liked it. I totally recommend this fun read.

I adore this book. It's pure romance gold with almost all of my favorite tropes: enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and he falls first. I'm a total Rosie and Aiden fangirl.

This is one of the best angsty, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers books I have read for a long time.

I adored the plot, the mirroring of Rosie and Aiden's fictional characters to themselves, and their ability to write the things they could never say to each other. I loved it all.

This resonated with how I feel as a romance reader (and sometimes writer) in so many ways, and it was so difficult to narrow down a favourite quote because there were so many to choose from.

Yes, reading fantastic romances makes us crave grand gestures and proclamations, but it also makes us yearn for the small moments that make every day better, and this book captures it all.

Not In My Book is a hilarious, slow-burn romance that’s equal parts enemies-to-lovers banter and swoon-worthy moments, including the best apology. Aiden is everything. The swoon-worthy story within a story is a nice way to glance into each character's POV, and it's perfect for a beach read (or curling up in front of the fire on a winter weekend, honestly!).

This was so cute!!

I loved the concept of two academic rivals who are forced to write a book together, especially when they don't write the same genre.

There's so much chemistry, tension, banter, fun dialogue and it's just really well written. It's single POV but I feel like you do get inside the MMCs head through the character he's writing in their story. I love how it all tied together.

There is a third act conflict but honestly it makes sense, and while it does circle back to how they acted towards each other at the beginning, there's growth and the resolution felt fitting for their relationship.