I adored this book!

Rivals to lovers? SAY NO MORE! IM HOOKED!
I loved how theres POC represemtation and Rosie is such an incredible character, I relate to her sm its insane.
AND AIDEN. HOW COULD YOU NOT FALL FOR HIM?!

this book made me laugh, giggle and kick my feet uncontrollably and I loved every second of it!

This reminded me a lot of Emily Henry who I adore so fans of her would love this!

This was okay. I really liked the banter throughout! I did find that I had more complaints than I did praises though. I didn’t love the execution of the book within a books as it was essentially just a recap of what we just read, and the coauthors voices weren’t distinct enough to tell them apart. Aiden was supposed to be this brilliant litfic author and Rosie was supposed to be a super talented romance author…. But it all just read like an alternate version of the book I was currently reading. Every single side character only existed as a way for Rosie to talk about Aiden. They had no other purpose (minus one romance between two of the sides, but even that was usually only mentioned in comparison to Rosie and Aiden).The entire conflict at the end was way too frustrating to be honest. They completely reverted back to their immature selves, and lacked communication the whole way through to only blow up in their faces at the end. And then they write nice pages to each other, again being too afraid to say what they mean in person. It just wasn’t believable enough for me, though I do think this will be enjoyable to many others and would still recommend it! Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for this free eARC in exchange for an honest review which has already been posted to Goodreads.

I devoured this book! For this being a debut book for Katie Holt all I have to say is WOW.

The book is about 2 classmates Rosie and Aiden who are sworn enemies in their graduate writing class. Everything comes to a head when they are forced to work together on a project in order to stay in class.

This is a TRUE enemies to lovers. The spice was awesome I loved the plot and the growth of Rosie and Aiden’s relationship.

I am so excited for what is to come for Katie and is now an automatic buy for me!

Thank you so much for the early access of an eARC for an honest review!

Enemies to Lovers, slow burn, and reading the book they writing within the book? Sign me up. This was a great love story about a love story being created, and all the small moments behind the scenes. I loved seeing how Rosie and Aiden were able to move from Enemies to friends to lovers, while reading the parallel with Max and Aiden in the book.

Also loved all the Christmas moments in this book! While it’s not specifically a holiday book it makes me think that the December release date will be absolutely perfect!

Thanks NetGalley for getting to read this one early!

Excellent dialogue, chemistry build and execution. The meta nature of the book is hard to pull off, and it's mostly done very well, but there are some unrealistic moments.

I would also say the final conflict was very weak - the book ended on a whisper rather than a bang.

Academic Rivals to Lovers? Yes, Please!

Two writers who can't stand each other, stuck in a class together, and giving each other mean feedback—what could possibly go wrong? Or maybe, what could go right? In "Not in My Book" by Katie Holt, Rosie and Aiden are post-grad students at NYU, each with strong opinions on what makes a story great. Rosie loves romance, while Aiden is a hardcore lit fic fan who doesn’t believe in happy endings. When they're forced to write a book together—a romantic story without a happy ending—sparks start to fly.

You'll Love This If You're Into:
✢ Academic rivals to lovers
✢ Grumpy x sunshine dynamics
✢ Epistolary Elements
✢ Slow burn romance with incredible angst

Characters: ★★★★☆
Plot Progression: ★★★★☆
Writing Style: ★★★★☆
Memorability: ★★★★☆
Spice: 🌶️🌶️ open door
Overall: ★★★★☆
Thoughts: REALLY LIKED IT

𝒔𝒐 𝒍𝒆𝒕'𝒔 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕...
"Not in My Book" is a dive into the world of academic rivals. The book shines with its witty banter and the electric chemistry between Rosie and Aiden, two characters who are as different as night and day. Rosie’s passion for romance and Aiden’s disdain for anything sentimental create a dynamic that's both humorous and touching.

The setting at NYU, with the backdrop of changing seasons, adds a charming layer to the story, making the characters' journey feel as vibrant and alive as the city itself. The chapter where they collaborate on a steamy scene over the phone? Absolutely sizzling! Yet, despite their fiery exchanges, the story never loses sight of the characters’ deeper emotions, offering moments of vulnerability that are beautifully handled.

The book's unique premise—where we get glimpses of the manuscript Rosie and Aiden are writing together—provides an extra layer of enjoyment. These bits not only serve to deepen our understanding of the characters but also add a meta-narrative that’s both clever and engaging.

While the story does have some predictable moments, and the third act breakup felt a tad forced (AND IN THE LAST TEN PERCENT NO LESS), the overall journey is heartfelt.

For fans of academic rivals to lovers, "Not in My Book" is a must-read.

Rosie is my new favorite book character. I can’t explain enough how much I resonate with her love for books and although I’m not as romantic as her I relate to her views so much. I cannot believe that this is Katie Holt's debut novel! I literally absorbed chapter after chapter and there were no dull moments, which is important for me because of my attention span.

This book is truly The Hating Game meets Beach Read. The tension between Rosie and Aiden is so palpable that I see myself agreeing with Jess and Alexa most of the time. I was surprised how smoothly Rosie and Aiden were able to transition form haters to friends to lovers. I also cannot get enough of the romantic gestures, the inner monologues and the communication that transpired through their writing. It was amazing to see how a simple project brought the two together that's why the end broke me much more than I anticipated. All I can say is I'm totally on Rosie's side. It was a total douchebag move coming from Aiden and to be honest? his apology felt flat. I can't really put him in a high pedestal after his outburst saying Rosie is 'just jealous'. In any relationship, that's just plain ugly. Rosie respected Aiden as a writer and even trusted him to check her work, yet all she'll get was a 'you're just jealous'? So yeah that's the only thing that put me off but everything went ok so it's a guaranteed HEA.

PS. The hot scenes are just flaming wow.

Two writers who can’t stand each other, in class together, giving each other mean feedback- recipe for disaster or success?

She writes romance, he hates romance. He writes sad stories and doesn’t believe in HEAs. But, then they are forced to write a book together that is both romantic, yet doesn’t have a happy ending and the sparks start sparking.

First off, I love that they aren’t super young. I was nervous until I realized they were both post-grads. Second- the chapter where they are writing the spicy scene together over the phone!? GET OUT OF HERE 🥵

I did feel like we rushed a little bit to get to the ending, but overall it was a really fun ride with these enemies to lovers!

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy!

4⭐️- Rosie and Aiden’s story is true rivals to lovers, slow burn, incredible angst, and 🌶️🔥🌶️. I absolutely loved the setting of books within books, grad school at NYU with the changing seasons. Not in My Book is a must-read for any romance lover.

My only critique is that it was a bit predictable, but I still couldn’t put it down!

Thank you to Net Galley, Katie Holt, and Alcove Press for this ARC!

THIS BOOK WAS A RICH CUP OF HOT COCO ON A CRISP NOVEMBER EVENING!!!! i loved it so so so much! rosie and aiden are in a writing class and they hate each other so their professor makes them write a novel together for their final assignment and WOW not only was the novel itself - but the novel rosie and aiden were writing amazing! i was giggling screaming crying the entire time and this has been one of the best arcs this year!

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rivals to lovers may be my new favorite genre. This book kept my attention and was very welll written, especially for a debut novel. It features a slow burn romance involving opposites attract with plenty of humor and some angst thrown in. I’ll definitely read the next book by this author.

4.5 stars!!! Thank you, NetGalley, Alcove Press, and Katie Holt, for this ARC!
This book was so cute I loved the relationship between the two main characters I thought they were so cute and adorable and just really great characters overall!! When I realized that this book was the authors first book I was a little hesitant but IM SO GLAD I READ THIS ITS SO GOOD!!! I loved the plot in this book them writing a book together was probably the cutest thing ever. I do want to say that them writing a book in a book i did have to get use to just cause i was a little confused at some points just trying to remember what was written in the chapter before!!! Also this book was so much spicier then i would have thought it was by the cover, I don't read much spice but this was pretty easy to just skim the spicy parts. Im really excited to see what else Katie writes this book was amazing!!


Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for the opportunity to read this. All thoughts are my own

4.5⭐️ Thank you, NetGalley, Alcove Press, and Katie Holt, for this ARC!

Initial thoughts: I absolutely love a book set in NYC, especially one with a timeline separated by the seasons. Pacing the story over a whole year makes it feel like we get more time with the characters, even if the book isn’t longer than one set over a week. It just adds depth and a sense of real-life progression. I also adore books about book lovers or anyone in the book world—very You’ve Got Mail vibes.

I truly cannot believe this is Katie Holt’s debut novel. She writes about books like someone who has been a lifelong lover of them. While I don’t want to assume everything Rosie said and experienced reflects Katie’s own thoughts, it gives the book a personal touch knowing that both Katie and Rosie are Peruvian-American.

Aiden gave major Gus vibes in the best way possible, but I’d argue he took the rivals-to-lovers trope even more intensely than Gus did. It was sweet to see Aiden’s layers peeled back throughout each chapter and season. He is a character many people can resonate with, dealing with grief and loss and figuring out how to live in the aftermath.

The side characters were also fantastic. Logan was hilarious, and the sweet relationship between Jess and Tyler was top-notch. Alexa added her own charm and humor to the mix.

One aspect I didn’t love was the conflict at the end of the book—it felt predictable and was handled in a very immature way. I know they are still in their 20s, but I can’t imagine such a fallout from a conflict like that.

All in all, this is a wonderful romance novel written by a romance lover for romance lovers! Highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley, Alcove Press, and Katie Holt for the advanced reader copy of Not in My Book. This novel is a delightful, five-star read that will charm fans of rivals-to-lovers romances and those who enjoyed The Hating Game. Rosie, a passionate Peruvian American, heads to New York with dreams of literary glory but finds her ambitions tangled up with her archnemesis and ex-crush, Aiden Huntington. Aiden, with his surly demeanor and disdain for the romance genre, is the perfect foil to Rosie’s idealistic romance aspirations, leading to a delightful blend of tension and chemistry.

The premise of Rosie and Aiden being forced to cowrite a novel that merges their opposing genres is as fresh as it is engaging. Their steamy, reluctant collaboration turns into a captivating exploration of their simmering attraction and deep-seated feelings. The chemistry between the leads is electric, and their journey from fierce rivals to lovers is both heartwarming and entertaining. If you're a fan of witty banter, sizzling chemistry, and the classic rivals-to-lovers trope, Not in My Book is a must-read that delivers on all fronts.

I enjoyed this book and the all the characters. It was a little too steamy for my taste but i did love the ending. Thank you so much for the ARC of this book.

a 🔥 enemies to lovers with two opposites-attract leads who have to work on a book manuscript together

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

📖 what’s something you don’t want to see in your book? I’ll say cheating & mustaches 🤣.

Rosie is a romance novel lover & Aiden is a romance denouncer & when they’re paired together for a class assignment (bc their acrimony is too much for the class dynamic!), things do not go smoothly at first.

I wasn’t initially sure what to make of Katie Holt’s Not in My Book. The leads’ enemies to lovers relationship is intense & hair-trigger, for one thing, & that tumult rises between them at the beginning of the book & at the end, in the 3rd act break-up.

But this contemporary ended up really winning me over, & I loved the moments of vulnerability & steam between Rosalinda & Aiden, how they engage with each other’s families, & the friendship that ends up being so important to them both.

This isn’t a flawless romance for me but it is a romance with a lot of heart & I was definitely rooting for the leads to stop fighting so HARD already & channel that passion into something more productive for all of us 🤣.

4.25 ⭐️. Out 12/10.

(FYI: If epistolary elements are your jam, you might like the bits of Rosie & Aiden’s “fiction” that are sprinkled in the book. Sometimes I did, & sometimes I didn’t 😆.)

CWs: emotionally manipulative, toxic dad; previous death of mom; reference to dad cheating.

[ID: Jess is wearing an aqua & gray striped dress & sits on a porch near pink & purple flowers while holding the ebook.]

A roller-coaster of emotions. I laughed a lot and was surprised to find tears in my eyes a time or two. I caught on right away to Adrian’s shy feelings. I guessed most of the plot twists and hidden reveals sprinkled throughout associated with him but they made them no less enjoyable. I highly recommend this book.

I thank NetGalley and Katie Holt for a copy of the ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

# Not in My Book
# 7/26/2024 ~ 7/26/2024
# 5.0 / 5.0

A sweet and entertaining Academic Rivals story


"Not in My Book" by Katie Holt is a slow burn, Academic Rivals story about two authors in New York.

I went into „Not in My Book“ with little to no expectations and was surprised with a sweet and entertaining Academic Rivals story.

Oh dear! Cat and mouse is not at all a term for how Rosie and Aiden bicker and tear apart their literary works.

Rosie is a very direct person who can dish it out mercilessly with her sharp tongue.
She loves romance novels and her biggest dream is to be a romance author herself. That's why she moved from Tennessee to New York to study and realize her dream.

Aiden comes from a wealthy background and is in many ways the complete opposite of Rosie. His genre is literal fiction with sad endings and seems to have no love for romance novels.
My heart had no chance of not loving Aiden after I got to know him properly. He is just so thoughtful and so sweet.

I really liked the structure of the story. In order not to be thrown out of the university course, the two squabblers have to write a story together.

My little highlight were the text excerpts we got at the end/beginning of each chapter. The special thing about them is that Rosie and Adam communicate through them, telling us things that they could never say. We also get a little insight into Adam's thoughts, because "Not in my Book" is written from Rosie's point of view.

I give "Not in My Book" 4 out of 5 stars.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Oh, this book was GOOD! Want a dose of enemies to lovers? Check out NOT IN MY BOOK by Katie Holt

This book was full of slow burn goodness, with a heaping dash of angst and all the feels!

You can really feel the connection grow between Rosie and Aiden - I loved the brilliant supporting characters, the quick pace and the delicious spice.

READ FOR:
Enemies to lovers
Spicy romance
Opposites attract

Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC! Opinions are my own

I loved this and will now be waiting with bated breath for Katie Holt’s next work. Enemies to lovers fandom is getting fed with this tension-filled treat.