WHOLE CHEST, THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST ROMANCES OF OUR TIME.

This is Emily Henry’s Beach Read and Daydream by Hannah Grace in one of the most heart achingly stunning romance stories I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading.

Two rivals, Rosie & Aidan, forced to work together on a love story that ends tragically. The tension feels similar to that of a dramione fanfic (re: manacled). They can’t stand one another and yet, there they are. The loathing turns to a love so powerful, it’s almost ancient. So raw it feels like a frayed nerve exposed to the elements, endlessly.

Their personal stories are fully realized, thoughtful and give their actions and reactions to one another a home base; a reason.

Read this if:
🌹 love books about books/writing
🌹 want a love story that gives deep bone aches
🌹 love banter/loathing/enemies-to-lovers style romance
🌹 epistolary romance
🌹 loved the yearning of dramione/reylo (it is not dramione/reylo)
🌹want to feel so much pain you nearly throw up
🌹want a male main character with a filthy mouth who also calls you his best friend (spice is about 3/5)
🌹beautiful Peruvian family Christmas times together
🌹romance set in New York City
🌹 the best use of the one bed trope and a google doc that i have ever seen in my entire life
🌹midsized female main character rep
🌹missing home and family and perusing big dreams

I will never get over how absolutely brilliant this book is. My favourite of 2024, and concerningly, for the rest of my life… (I’m only 30).

When Rosalinda “Rosie” Maxwell and Aiden Huntington can’t help but constantly disrupt their grad school writing workshop with their incessant bickering and disdain for each other, their professor gives them a choice. Learn to work together by co-writing a book with each other, meshing their preferences for romance and literary fiction, or be forced to drop the class entirely.
I enjoyed this book. The premise is quite meta - rival writers forced by their grad school professor to co-write a book within the book. I thought it was a fun format to close each chapter with an excerpt from their fictional work. As the story progresses, the excerpts follow the development of our main character’s relationship to each other. The tension build to the breaking point in this slow burn was right on the edge of painful. We know where we’re going to end up, but it’s going to hurt a little getting there, and I love that for us.
I also loved the peek at the author’s Peruvian by way of Tennessee heritage through Rosie’s family and holiday traditions. It’s a fun way to showcase her culture as we get to experience it alongside Aiden for the first time.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys snarky banter and a good enemies to lovers slow burn.
Thank you to NetGalley, Alcove Press, and Katie Holt for the opportunity to review this ARC.

With impeccable banter and a tension-filled rivals-to-lovers romance, Not in My Book was a great, fun romantic escape.

Rival writers Rosie and Aiden are forced to team up and write a book with a catch—it has to be a romance with a blend of both of their genres. But once the writing process begins and the strong feelings they have for each other simmers to the surface, they can’t help but write a bit of themselves into their work.

This story reminded me of Beach Read, with opposing writers writing in different genres, one of them being romance, with great banter and an overall sweet love story. It was so fun and endearing to see them fall in love through writing together, and I can’t wait to see what this author will write next!

3.75/5

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

This is an enemies to lovers romance novel about two writers; Rosie and Aaron who write romance and literary fiction respectively.
As in true enemies to lovers fashion, they disagree alot in class because of some unknown reason, and their professor decides to give them a project of writing a book together combining their different writing genres.
This project brings them closer together, and they realise that the beef they had was actually very stupid, especially on Aaron's part because his reason for disliking Rosie was absolutely absurd.
I loved how this book allowed them to express their feelings in the writing of the novel. I thought it was a really cute concept, and it made me become invested in the project they were writing.
This book would've been perfect if not for Aaron's pettiness and Rosie's immaturity sometimes. They couldn't communicate properly, so some of their fights felt really juvenile.
I enjoyed how Aaron supported Rosie and how he actually spoiled her a bit because my man actually did have a little bit of money. Anyways,

Here are some of my notes while reading this, enjoy:
rosie is obsessed with Christina Lauren LIKE ME!!
the excerpts made the book so much better
I enjoyed the commentary on how people who read literary fiction have this kind of snobby outlook on those who read and write romance.

Rosie, an idealistic and passionate Peruvian-American leaves her Tennessee hometown to pursue her dream of making it in New York as a writer. Yet when she finds herself in a class with her arch-nemesis, Aiden Huntington, a man who she has had a crush on until he tore her work to pieces, she reacts vehemently. When their professor reaches her breaking point, they must decide whether to leave the subject or agree to write together. The condition is, though, that they must co-write a novel that blends their genres, literary fiction and romance.
This was an amazing debut novel, told in the strong voice of Rosie. Whilst it may sound one-sided, the author has cleverly intertwined excerpts from their book in the voice of Aiden. Their emotions and feelings towards each other are cleverly played out through their characters, Maxine and Hunter, in their novel. This romance was so cleverly told, where I hung onto every word. Five plus stars!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was amazing. It is the perfect enemies to lovers trope and I loved reading about the two characters writing a book together. I loved the tension and the build-up to the romance, and I just wanted to keep reading. A fantastic debut novel!

4.5 stars

I absolutely loved this book! I had high hopes since I was obsessed with the cover. I’m so happy that I wasn’t disappointed. I bounced back between the e-ARC and audiobook and I really enjoyed the narration as well. You could clearly differentiate between different characters which is important in an audiobook for me.

The story has enemies to lovers, great banter but was also about much more than their love story. Rosalinda and Aiden made for such a cute pair! There were opposites who with a slow burn romance just clicked. I really loved the story and her writing. The story felt original to me. I am looking forward to reading whatever she writes next!

4.75⭐️
I loved this so much!! The banter was perfection and I loved our main characters so much 🥹. It was on track to being a 5⭐️ but the conflict & miscommunication in the last 10% frustrated me too much 🥲. Still would definitely recommend 💖

This book had my name written all over it! I wanted to love this one, but unfortunately, I just couldn't get into it. It felt way too meta and like it was just trying to hit a bunch of check marks on a trope list. It didn't hold my interest. I kept putting it down and it felt like it was being dragged along. It also wasn't super memorable. I may be writing this 2-3 weeks post-reading the book and I don't remember most of it. I didn't see the point of their "enemies" plot line. It felt very childish "he doesn't like what I like so I'm gonna act out"

Read if you like enemies to lovers and books about books. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

5/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️

Wow!!! It’s been a minute since I felt a romance book NEEDED to be 5 stars. When you devour romance books like I do they sometimes bleed together and become comfort reads but not ones that linger in your brain.

I LOVED how well paced the book was and how everything came together so well - the side characters, the main couple and overcoming their baggage, the chemistry.

I’m not usually a fan of enemies to lovers or romance books without dual POV but it’s done soooo well and the third act breakup and the other tropes are very realistic!! It all just works!

It also tickled me reading a book about authors who were writing scenes for their book. Really loved this and highly recommend adding to your TBR!!

Thank you Alcove Press for the copy of this book.
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Read if you like: enemies to lovers, books about books
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Rosie and Aiden are in the same writing seminar at NYU and they often fight in class. When their professor makes them co-write a book together, they start to spend more time with each other and start to realize they actually might like each other.
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This book was amazing. It is the perfect enemies to lovers trope and I loved reading about the two characters writing a book together. I loved the tension and the build-up to the romance, and I just wanted to keep reading. A fantastic debut novel!

Not in My Book by Katie Holt is a delightful romantic comedy that had me rooting for the main characters to fully embrace their undeniable chemistry right from the first page.

This romance only becomes more enjoyable as the story unfolds. Initially, I was curious about how the plot would develop, but as I dove deeper into the chapters, I found myself so invested in Aiden and Rosie's journey that I raced through the pages, quickly realizing I was enjoying the book far more than I had anticipated.

I particularly loved how the story the characters were crafting mirrored their own realities in several ways. Not only were they writing about each other, but they were also weaving their personal experiences into their characters. The unfolding love story reflected their relationship beautifully, complete with familiar tropes like enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and slow-burn romance. This added a humorous layer as they discussed these tropes within their narrative, all while playfully ignoring the fact that they were living them out in real life. The self-aware tone of the writing broke the fourth wall in a way that heightened my excitement about these themes.

Ultimately, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Aiden and Rosie captured my heart, and their romance kept me emotionally engaged throughout. If I had one small critique, it would be that some snippets of their story felt a bit repetitive, especially when they echoed Aiden and Rosie’s conversations almost verbatim. However, this minor detail didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to explore more works by this talented author.

Rivals to lovers PERFECTION. I adored the dynamic between our two main characters and how it evolved over the course of the story. Their rivalry and butting of heads during class and in their work sessions slowly transitioned into one of the best romances I've read in a while.

As a former creative writing student, I know what it's like to just absolutely clash with a classmate and their writing style - this had me wishing I was Rosie every second because then maybe I'd end up with an Aiden all for myself.

Well done, Katie Holt!

An enemies to lovers romance the story of Rosie and Aiden. They end up being forced to write together and then getting to know each other. i liked how the story was told from both points of view but also through the manuscript they were writing together.

This story follows a young woman attending NYU wanting to become a writer but she ends up partnered with her arch-nemesis. I really enjoyed this book. It was a great, fun read that is perfect for the romance readers. I loved the NYC setting and the Peruvian-Tennessee culture mix. The storyline was wonderful and I don’t think there was one point in this book where I was bored. I was instantly hooked into the story especially with how real it felt. This book is only told from Rosie’s pov.

Rosie is the FMC of the story who can’t afford to be at NYU and is looking to make needs met. I really enjoyed her character and seeing her grow not only with her writing but also with herself. She’s someone I can relate to which I loved. Then we have Aiden who is the MMC of the book and crtiques everything Rosie does with her writing. Once I knew more about him, I just loved his character. He’s protective and so caring. There are many other side characters and I have to say that they were the perfect amount involved with the book. The romance is enemies to lovers and forced proxmity. The tension and chemistry is there which was so well done which you can tell the author is a romance reader.

The ending was great and the epilogue was so cute. I really enjoyed the book and it’s one of my favorite reads of this year. So well written and there is nothing I would change about it. It’s perfect for those who love The Hating Game but want a college romance story.

*this arc was sent to me by the publisher to give a review in return*

Not in My Book by Katie Holt
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️|🌶🌶.5
I absolutely loved the premise! Both Rosie and Aiden are both hopeful writers taking the same writing workshops at NYU.. and they absolutely hate each other’s guts. For vastly different reasons, of course. Rosie loves romance and Aiden detests it. When they are forced to work on writing a romance novel together in their workshop, sparks and feelings fly out of control. What starts out as an initial jab at their own relationship, their novel is basically writing their own romance in real time. Both Rosie and Aiden have forms of trauma and issues with communication that they are working through which causes moments of tension, misunderstandings, and arguments that may be difficult for them to get past.
I absolutely loved that each chapter ended with snippets of the novel that they were writing and made underlying feelings known, progressing the plot of both novels and foreshadowing the tension. Overall, I loved it! The description of “The Hating Game meets Beach Read” is perfect and it makes sense because I loved both of those books as well!

Truly one of the most unique romance books I have read in quite some time. From the very beginning you are hooked on a true rival/enemy dynamic between Aiden and Rosie but watching their relationship transform as the story progressed was so special.

Katie Holt does such a fantastic job building personalities and mannerisms of all of the characters so it is really easy to envision interactions and dialogue.

Without spoiling much, I will say the FMC and MMC working together was such a beautiful catalyst for tearing down the emotional walls they both had built and oh man did it make for some amazing spice!! There is one chapter in particular that I don’t think I will ever stop thinking about….

By the end of the book I did still struggle to understand why the characters were true rivals in the beginning of the story and that is the only reason this was not a 5 star read for me!

Overall, highly recommend especially if you love books about books! Also this book does take place during Christmas time for a portion of it so it was the perfect book to read during the holiday season!

At NYU, rival writers Rosie and Aiden are forced to co-write a novel, blending their opposing genres. Their collaboration sparks an unexpected attraction, but professional competition threatens their burgeoning relationship.

This well-written book is rivals-to-lovers, not enemies to lovers. It’s entertaining, but ultimately, the deception and disrespect was too much for me. DNF ~85%. I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

5⭐️ Katie Holt we need more books asap.

Rosie moved to New York City, in hopes of chasing her dreams of becoming a romance writer. The biggest obstacle Rosie faces is her nemesis Aiden, who she regularly argues with during her writers class. Rosie and Aiden are forced to team up in order to stay in their class, and while working together, they find out they may not hate each other as much as they think they do.

If you are a romance reader, this book is a must read. I could not get this book finished fast enough because I had to know what was next in Rosie and Aiden‘s story. It definitely gave me betrayed vibes with having both authors, be writers, but it’s so different from be treated that I know anyone who loves romance will love this book.

This was an advanced read copy I received through Netgalley so it’s not going to be officially published until December 10, 2024! But this is my honest review!

Add this book to your to read list, I promise you won’t regret it! & then let me know what you thought!

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This book was so good! It had me kicking my feet, giggling, swooning, and blushing. It felt like a mix of Ali Hazelwood and Emily Henry, and I absolutely adored it! If academic rivals who can’t stand each other, but are forced to write a book together sounds like something you’d enjoy, this is the one for you. Rosie and Aiden can’t say what they want to say to each other, so they communicate through their characters. The tension, chemistry, banter, and verbal sparring were all top tier. Rosie is feisty and lovable. I adore how passionate she is about writing romance. And Aiden was everything you could ever want in a book boyfriend. He’s grumpy, overprotective, damaged, a little nerdy, and has a filthy mouth. I loved the “story within a story” aspect of the book, and would totally read the romance book Aiden and Rosie co-wrote. I was lucky enough to receive an ALC, and Frankie Corzo did such a good job with it! Her Southern accent and Spanish pronunciations brought Rosie to life, and it was a pleasure to listen to. I loved everything about this book and highly recommend it!
✍🏻
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
✍🏻
Read if you like:
▫️sassy Peruvian heroine
▫️rivals to friends to lovers
▫️they’re in writing classes together
▫️they hate each other
▫️fighting as flirting
▫️forced proximity
▫️slow burn
▫️opposites attract
▫️grumpy x sunshine
✍🏻
Thank you to Alcove Press, RB Media, Katie Holt, and NetGalley for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.