I really enjoyed this romance! It felt fresh and new while paying homage to all the things we love about romance.

I LOVED the book within a book thing that was happening and how we were reading a book about two people writing a book.

I loved the main characters. I loved the development of the romance. As someone who isn’t the biggest fan of enemies to lovers, I thought that this book handled the transition well.

Overall, 10/10 romance.

Not in My Book is an academic rivals to lovers romcom. It's got some meta book in a book action and romance that gave me whiplash. Rosie and Aiden (or Max and Hunter as portrayed in the book they're cowriting) hate each other... Or do they???

I liked this book well enough, but I was having trouble believing in the romance. Aiden was sort of an asshole and his reasoning we later learn about, didn't really feel justified. On the contrary Rosie was a stubborn FMC with sky high expectations. They went from enemies, to friends, to something more, back to friends, to lovers, to broken up, to finally back together (there's that whip lash I was talking about). The pacing of all this felt pretty bizarre too. From one chapter to the next it would go from Christmas to the end of spring semester. And the third act conflict was really jarring...

Aiden got the fellowship over Rosie, but he didn't even tell her that he'd applied, GASP! How is the appropriate response (after, admittedly Aiden was a huge jerk, again for reasons unjustified) for Rosie to move home and quit school..? Idk girl, maybe you're just not that great a writer, or like Aiden pointed out the Lit-Mag doesn't really accept romances, but god forbid she writes something other than romance.

I realize that seemed pretty harsh, but I did have a good time reading this, I was just frustrated after reading the ending and had to rant. After reading the epilogue I guess Rosie has me convinced by their happily ever after.

How could I not give this book 5 stars? I mean, first of all, is a book within a book. The protagonists, Rosie and Aiden are in the same writing workshop. They hate each other and find any opportunity to berate each other. Until their teacher decides to have them work together, writing a novel. Rosie is a romance writer, Aiden hates romance so their assignment is to have the characters of their own book to fall in love but not having their HEA.

This is a single POV and I hate them, but in this one, we get to read excerpts from the book Rosie and Aiden are writing, and we get a glimpse in Aiden's mind, the way he sees Rosie and what he feels about her.

I loved this book so much and their fights, their confrontations and basically everything they did. The way their love story bloomed alongside Hunter and Maxine's was beautiful to read. When they started writing together, deciding to put aside their animosity, was honestly very interesting to read. And the chapters when they were writing intimate scenes between their characters was fantastic.

Ultimately is the constant fight about romantic novels, that are not seen as the great and wonderful emotional train that they are. People need to read more romantice in their lives.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for sharing this meaningful romance novel’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts. And don't forget to pick up this book when it comes out on December 10th.

What a fun read! Loved Rosie and Aiden and loved the romcom! Oh and the premise of writers and more just made it even more awesome! Can't wait for more!

This was a really cute story and a fun read! Glad I was given the chance to read it early and I will be recommending it to my friends and family.

Omg!!! This book was the cutest romcom ever. You literally root for Rosie and Aiden from start to finish. I love how it’s a book set up to feel like you’re reading a book someone is writing. It’s so cute how they find ways to tell each other how they feel through their own characters development. One of the best reads of the year for me.

This was so cute!!! The characters and the development and chemistry was too tier!! I would recommend this one

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was cute but too dramatic for me. The lack of communication and maturity level of the MC’s was frustrating to read.

Okay I am screaming, shouting, yelling to anyone who will listen to me about Rosie and Aiden!!!! This story has some of the most fun banter I’ve ever read, a plot that jumps off the page with life, and most importantly a LOVE STORY! This story really just blew me away. The pieces of Max and Hunter’s story that was scattered throughout the book was riveting. I was so captivated by this that my husband had to bring me back to the real world to tell me what time it was and remind me that I have to go to work. I am so looking forward to reading more from this author.

Enemies-to-lovers fan, prepare to fall in love with your next obsession! Not in My Book by Katie Holt is sure to steal your heart, make you cry, and leave you laughing (and swooning) simultaneously!

Rosie and Aiden hate each other. As graduate students in NYU’s creative writing program, their bickering during workshops is infamous. Why? Aiden is a pretentious literary fiction writer and doesn’t believe in happy endings. Rosie writes romance and would rather die than see her favorite characters unhappy. The only thing they can agree on is their dislike for each other. When a disastrous argument almost gets them kicked out of the program, their advisor proposes a solution; write a novel together and they can stay. Rosie forces Aiden to write a romance based on their rivalry while Aiden ensures that their novel will have a tragic ending. But as the stakes ramp up on the page, the two are left wondering if their chemistry is anything but fictional. 

Not in My Book has every trope romance readers have come to love done to perfection. One bed? Check. Enemies-to-friends-to-lovers-to-etc? Check. Grand gestures and adorable dates? Check. Sexually charged co-writing? CHECK. But more than that, this novel captures what it means to love writing and to yearn for love. Aiden and Rosie are far from perfect, yet being together makes them both better people. It was so easy to root for them (even when they weren’t) and the vulnerability they constantly exhibited made them feel real. 

Strong female friendships and group dynamics elevated this novel above others in the genre. While Rosie was certainly swept off her feet (sometimes in a violent way and sometimes in a grand romantic gesture sort of way), she was grounded by her friends and her close bond with her sister. Family dynamics were also expertly explored throughout the story, as was Rosie’s Peruvian-Tennessee heritage. The romance was amazing (and certainly the central storyline), and I appreciated how layered the characters were. Rosie would have existed without Aiden and vice versa; their personalities didn’t rely on each other.

Not in My Book is a romance that staunchly defends romance readers and writers. Rosie is the writer in the room fighting for her romance books to be treated with the same literary merit as comedy, fantasy, or contemporary fiction, which I loved. Romance doesn’t get the respect it deserves as an art form. More stories like this one are crucial to redefining what the genre can do. 

If you’re a romance fan (or even if you’re not), you will love Not in My Book. Katie Holst is certainly an author to watch and I look forward to seeing what else she has in store!

"Not in My Book" by Katie Holt is an entertaining enemies-to-lovers romance featuring a fiery dynamic between two aspiring writers. Rosie, a romance novelist obsessed with Taylor Swift, and Aiden, a brooding literary fiction writer, distrupt their graduate writing seminar with their bickering and below-the-belt critiques of each other's work. As punishment, they are forced to co-write a novel to bridge their differences. Rosie is a determined Peruvian-American trying to make it in New York City, while Aiden is a grumpy, handsome rich kid who has a serious disdain for romance. Through the “book within a book” of their co-written story, we see a glimpse into their evolving feelings. However, I did find that sometimes the parallels between the two narratives felt a bit repetitive and had some continuity issues.

That said, Holt delivers a fresh take on familiar romance tropes, and the supporting characters add depth to the story—especially Rosie’s charming family and her tight-knit group of friends. The New York setting and the competitive world of grad school provide an interesting backdrop for their rivalry and eventual connection.

Overall, *Not in My Book* is a fun and spicy debut that will satisfy romance lovers looking for a mix of humor and heart. While not without its slow moments, it’s a promising start for Katie Holt, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for her next release.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

This book was so much fun! We follow Rosie and Aiden who are academic rivals both in a writting college course. They butt heads so much that their professor makes them collaborate and write a book together. Of course the book they write is also an enemies to lovers and they can't help but put their real life thoughts and feelings into the book, even when things become more with them. The first kiss and sex scenes that they have to write together was probably the hottest thing ever. It was a little slow in the middle when they finally get together before the 3rd act breakup. But overall this was such a fun story, especially for fans of romance readers.

Such a good read! A real slow burn rivals to lovers that's is so easy to get into and will keep your attention till the last page.

This novel was very unique in that it you get to experience the unfolding of two stories nested inside one another. I have never read anything similar to this and really enjoyed it. We had two rival novelist competing against each other until they are forced to co-write together and that novel becomes a safe space for them to communicate their feelings for each other. As an enemies-to-lovers romance, the angst was there. The banter was superb. The spicy bits were great. I was here for the dirty talk, lol. I appreciated that both characters were fleshed out and that created a connection between the characters as well as the reader. I wanted to see where this was going. I was unsure if this romance would have a happy ending and the suspense that created for me was great. Just an overall sweet novel. Great job!

This was a fun and entertaining read. Rosie and Aiden had a believable enemies-to-lovers dynamic, especially considering they were academic rivals. There were a few too many Taylor Swift references for my liking, but aside from that, this author's debut novel was a solid 8/10!

4 stars!!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Not in My Book was a heartwarming, witty, and perfectly paced read. Katie Holt masterfully crafted the ultimate feel-good rom-com by incorporating every well-loved trope imaginable (fake dating, grumpy/sunshine, one bed, New York charm, bookish characters, and Christmas cheer) in a way that strikes the sweet spot between realistic and Hallmark movie idealism. You truly want for nothing when reading this book! The dialogue between Rosie and Aiden will have you swooning. Every supporting character was lovable as well. A total slam dunk rivals to lovers story!! I’ll be thinking about this story and these characters for a while. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Grad students Aiden and Rosie come from different backgrounds and while she desperately struggles to survive in NYC as a part-time student and needs all the help she can get, he’s comfortable in his life as a full-time student while also teaching an undergrad class. But when they meet in workshop, all bets are off as Aiden sees romance as the bottom of the writing barrel and only has harsh critiques for Rosie’s work and their verbal encounters lead to having to write together which will soon change the mechanics of their relationship.
Unfortunately, this is another book that interested me by way of a promising blurb that, in my opinion, is highly misleading and doesn’t hold on the delivery. I was eager to read the academic rivals, enemies to lovers, opposites attract story, but good banter is not enough to hold a book together.
I found the characters lacked development and their relationship didn’t deliver even during the sexy times. I also didn’t care about the conflict that breaks them or the MC’s grand gesture and found a lot of holes in the plot and the story they were writing together.
For me, the one redeeming factor is the way the writer uses the characters’ book excerpts to start every chapter and the veiled feelings showed on those lines.

This is one of the best romance books I have read so far this year. I am actually shocked at how much fun I had reading this! This is the kind of book that makes you believe in higher standards and unconditional love all over again and I had the best time reading it - There is a third act break up, which I never enjoy when this happens and this book was no exception, but every other part of this book made it the perfect romance.

Thanks to Katie Holt, NetGalley, and the publishers for this digital arc!

Loved this book and felt that the enemies to lover really worked here. The tension kept me reading throughout the book.. The small parts of their book at the end of each chapter added to their story and their real feelings.

Enemies to lovers that are forced to work together? Absolutely. They also have to write a romance book? Yes, please.

Rosie and Aiden come from very different backgrounds. They are both interested in becoming writers but their taste in literature could not be more different.

Rosie loves romance books and she truly believes in the Happy Ever After. Aiden prefers literary fiction and he is, according to Rosie, obnoxious.

Their professor forces them to work together and so Rosie has to team up with her arch-nemesis but nothing will stop her. Her writing and this class are too important to her and she will not let her ex-crush, Adien, ruin it.

Rosie is in her mid twenties and is a passionate Peruvian-American with a great relationship with his family. I loved the banter between Rosie and Aiden. Their connection was palpable and Aiden is such a cutie. Even I could not help but fall in love with him.

I must warn you that this book is very addictive and you will fly through it. The chapters were really well paced and even though it is a slow burn romance, it has a great payoff. When things start to get steamy…trust me, it is HOT.

The author knew how to integrate romance tropes that inevitably come in an enemies to lovers story and I did enjoy the twists and turns.

The ending was a bit messy when it comes to the way the characters interacted with each other. But then again, relationships are messy. People change after certain experiences and so it is not completely impossible to see the characters make the decisions they made even though it felt a bit out of character at first.

What a great debut novel. I will be seated for her next novel for sure.