My review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📌 Thank you, NetGalley, Alcove Press, and Katie Holt for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

•This book is set to be published on December 10, 2024.

This book follows Rosie and Aiden, who are both part of NYU’s writing program. The thing with these two main characters is that Aiden is a writer who doesn’t like romance (writing, reading, etc.), or so he says. On the other hand, Rosie is a hopeless romantic. Both of these main characters love to hurl verbal insults at each other during their writing workshop, which results in them having to co-write a novel together that blends both of their preferred genres. The dynamic between them is electric, with witty banter that had me laughing out loud and rooting for their unlikely partnership.

Long story short, I fell in love with the characters and the concept of this book! The way their contrasting personalities clash yet complement each other creates a tension that kept me invested. I also love the quotes that this book contains. I mean, the excerpts Aiden and Rosie wrote as Hunter and Maxine were meaningful to their story, adding layers of depth and emotion that resonated long after I finished reading.

The reason I rated it the way I did is because I couldn’t wrap my head around the breakup that occurs in the book. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Aside from that, it delivered a HEA, which I can say with certainty did not disappoint. The resolution felt satisfying, and it was heartwarming to see how the characters had grown and evolved through their experiences. Overall, “Not in My Book” is a charming read that blends humor, romance, and the struggles of creative collaboration, making it an amazing read!

This story nails the electric tension and chemistry between Rosie and Aiden. The idea of these total opposites co-writing a novel gives the classic enemies-to-lovers trope a fresh twist - turning their romance into a journey of understanding and embracing their differences.

The humor is spot-on - I couldn’t help but crack up at their witty banter. Of course, it’s got the inevitable third-act breakup and the frustrating miscommunication, but hey, that’s romance for you, right?

The slow burn of their romance is the kind of torture I’m totally here for, and let me tell you, when things heat up... total fireworks. The chapter where their writing session turns steamy? Both clever and hot.

This novel is a standout, showcasing Holt’s knack for mixing humor, heart, and heat in a contemporary romance and I can’t wait to read more of her stories!

A huge shoutout to @netgalley , @alcovepress , and Katie Holt for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and the author for this arc!

This was an enjoyable and cute read I'd recommend to anyone looking for something light and romantic. The banter was great and I feel the plot was well-developed. The pacing was just right - not too slow or fast, which helped keep my interest. I loved how the author included pieces of their joint novel at the end! It allowed for a dual POV and more insight into their feelings/thoughts. I give this 4 stars and 2 spice. If you're not into spice, the scenes are easy to skip because they don't add much to the storyline.

Overall, highly recommend this book and I look forward to what the author, Katie Holt, writes next!

I loved a lot about this book! Holt's writing is fun to read, and Rosie was fantastic! I want to be her friend. I also adored the (very vocal) spicy scenes! That being said, I had a little trouble connecting to Aiden, and the ending felt a bit rushed. Definitely looking forward to whatever Holt puts out next!

It was so easy to feel the emotions of the characters in this book. There was a sense of tension to the dialogues that made me feel as if they were taking place right in front of me. The description of the setting made me feel like I was there. The characters were so vivid and relatable. The writing was captivating and kept me engaged until the very end. I was left feeling a sense of satisfaction and closure. It was a story that I will never forget. Overall, it was a great read. I highly recommend this romance book to anyone who enjoys a good story.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Katie Holt, and the publishers for sending me an ARC of the book.

Not in My Book by Katie Holt was a FANTASTIC debut novel. I literally couldn't put this down. There was so much detail and complexity to the main characters that I got swept away in their love story. The writing was smart, sharp, and the dialogue was realistic. I highly recommend this fun read! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this free advanced reader's copy. All opinions are my own.

I waited until I was on vacation to read this and I am so glad I did because I could not put this book down. I love a good enemies to lovers book and ‘Not in My Book’ got me line, hook, and sinker. Rosie is a true by form romance author and Aiden is anti romance anything and when they are forced to write a book together we see their true characteristics. This trope was done so well I am sitting here giggling and kicking my feet waiting for these two to get together. I also love when we are able to see past lives of characters and why Aiden hates romance so much. These characters are also relatable and I think Katie Holt knocked it out of the park and I can’t wait for what she has in store for us next.

i finished this book in one day. the plot hooked me, reminding me a bit of ‘beach read’ but still being completely unique. i think that having rosie and aiden write a book together exposed a lot about their characters and it was a really interesting way to learn about them, even if i sometimes felt like the excerpts from their book were a little too long. the rivals to lovers trope is one of my favourites and i was happy to see it done well. another aspect i always enjoy is reading about people who love books as well which we clearly had in ‘not in my book’ with two writers as well as book lovers falling in love. i mean they were book shopping together and he payed for her books- literally the dream. overall, i would for sure recommend this book!

The first few chapters were giving me three star vibes but then something just clicked and I was hooked! Like, staying up way too late because I wasn't able to put it down!! That insistent need to see these characters get together!! I even found myself reading on my lunch break, which I never do (because I don't get to take breaks really 😆 but I made it happen for this book)

The way these two characters evolved, incredible! Their definitely enemies with banter that grow the more their "together". And man oh man is the slow burn "enemies to lovers" off the charts in this one. It's so steamy in a way that is different and refreshing, I dare to call it "book" sex? Once you read it, you'll know what I mean. One of the best scenes I've read, It's so deliciously good!

On top of this growing relationship, there's this beautiful vulnerability to it. These two characters are proud but yet hurt from different aspects in their life and I loved watching them grow and change around each other. Not just for each other, but for themselves. The plot was so much fun, being a romance lover at heart.

My one small beef with the book, was the third act break up. I wish there was a bit more to it, however, it did feel right for the characters. Especially knowing where they started.

The blurb doesn’t lie - this debut romance is the perfect mix between The Hating Game (one of my all-time favorites) and Beach Read.

This book follows two MFA students: Rosie, an idealistic romance writer, and Aiden, a serious, anti-romance literary fiction writer. The two constantly clash during their writer’s workshop so to remedy their relationship, they are assigned to write a novel together that blends their two genres. I love enemies-to-lovers and their rivalry delivered the perfect level of angst - at times Aiden was so critical of her writing I genuinely did not know how they could recover.

I loved how much this is reminiscent of The Hating Game, yet it completely stood on its own because of how unique the novel-writing aspect was. Eventually, Aiden and Rosie explore their relationship and mutual pining through writing the novel and snippets of their chapters are scattered throughout the book, making it such a unique reading experience.

This book has all of the ingredients for a perfect cozy read: holidays in NYC, bookstore dates (ft. the iconic Strand bookstore), bookish chats, writing in coffee shops, academia.

Rosie’s sunshine-and-rainbows personality was so likeable, and I really appreciated how the details on her life, friends, and family were fully fleshed out. I personally felt conflicted about Aiden’s character. While I grew to like many of his traits overall, I couldn’t move past the way he initially critiqued the romance genre. Openly judging romance novels is pretty icky, but learning more about his background did provide clarity on his distaste for the genre. However, after all his character growth throughout the book and his changing attitudes on romance, he still managed to say harsh things about romance novels during the third-act fight, which took me out of it a little bit.

Overall I thought this was such a refreshing and unique romance coming from a debut author, Katie Holt, I will definitely be excited to read more of her future work.

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

This is a truly brilliant romance and, unusually, a piece of meta-fiction. Rosie has come to New York in pursuit of a dream -- she wants to be a romance writer. She's barely hanging on between her bar-tending job and only taking classes part time, but she's in the NYU Master's Program in creative writing. Aiden, the cute guy in her writing class, is strictly a Literary Fiction writer, with no space for romance. His critiques of her writing are more like attacks, until they find themselves screaming at each other in class...

So what will happen when they are assigned to write a romance novel together?

Extremely well rounded and believable characters grace this highly entertaining (and steamy) enemies to lovers romance -- but will it be the first romance ever without the Happily Ever After?

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Net Galley and Alcove Press for letting me review this book in egalley in exchange for my honest review.

#NotInMyBook #AlcovePress #NetGalley #EnemiesToLovers #Writing

Loved this! I couldn't get enough of Rosie and Aiden. I was basically kicking my feet with silly little butterflies flying around in my chest. This enemies to lovers was magnificent. The banter between these two was pure gold! But once things started getting a little steamy between the two I was here for it! Even the side characters were amazing.

Aiden is your average love cynic and Rosie is the over the top romantic. Both are writers in grad school with the same class and they bicker A LOT. They're forced to work on a project together where walls are shed and confessions are made.

Other than the two MCs, Logan had to be my favorite. He always said something dumb that had me laughing. Alexa was a close second. This book was so vivid in its details about New York I swear it was like I was reliving my years in the city. It was pretty spot on.

The spice.....chefs kiss! Although some of the things that were said were a bit cringe worthy. 🤷‍♀️

I have to say though, the small insights into Aiden's head through the book they were writing at the end of each chapter was magical. The book was mainly through Rosie's POV but those small glimpses always made my heart race. I was greedy for them.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The characters and plot development, the angst, and the tension are all wonderfully done! I loved the co-writing (and reading their excerpts) and how it was as if we got another inside peak into their thoughts/feelings.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Thank you so much for this ARC, I really appreciate it!

I found this book rather hard to keep going with, it took me several times of picking it up again after DNFing it as I really wanted to finish it as it is an ARC.

The problem I had is that the very start didn't grab me at all. I always love to be sucked in from the very start and even though the romance in this book was a slow burn I don't think that the pacing should have reflected that.
I found the characters really hard to relate to/ root for as they felt very one dimensional.
I really wanted to like this book and I can totally see others loving it but I just didn't feel like there was enough depth there for me personally.

I love the book. My first by the author. Swoon worthy dialogues and storyline. Rosie and Aiden are both perfect for each other. Delightful banter and fights between them is the highlight for me. Unique idea of co-writing a book within the book, and we get to read the excerpts from their written story, which shows us their feelings. It's fun, relaxing, and enjoyable. Definitely recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

I was excited to read Not In My Book by Katie Holt. The description seemed great and drew me in. The characters and their backgrounds had a lot of potential. I was interested in the Tennesseean/Peruvian/New Yorker perspective from the main character.

However, when I actually started reading there were several things about the book that made me almost put it down and not finish. Considering that I was reading a galley copy for review, though, I felt like I had to finish.

For one, Rosie and Aiden’s constant, MEAN bickering in the book was almost too much to take, especially in the beginning. It was honestly really hard to like the characters at all for almost half of the book.

There are also several inconsistencies and plot holes (which hopefully will be fixed with more editing). For one, the book bounces back between the actual story and the book that Aiden and Rosie are writing together, which is honestly pretty frustrating. There is no way that no one in their writer’s workshop wouldn’t comment on the similarities between Rosie/Aiden and Max/Hunter, and yet no one ever does.

Then, perhaps my biggest issue (setting aside my opinions that the “spicier” scenes in books don’t need to be QUITE so spicy), was the romantic scenes in the book. They seemed inconsistent with the characters as they had been written thus far, which to me just made them feel a little icky.

Not In My Book had potential, but it honestly just fell flat for me.

Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC!  

I’m not a huge fan of romance so it took me by surprise how much I liked this book. The dialogue was pretty funny, I enjoyed the characters and the build up was incredible.
I loved the writing, the way it would make the reader picture the scenery so vividly, you’d think they’d been there. I also enjoyed the way the characters differentiate from each other without clashing, making you root for them even more.

However, I didn’t think the third act break up was necessary, but it’s quite a theme in romance novels, so I can see why the author would make that decision. Despite the tension, I’d label them more as rivals rather than enemies, even though it doesn’t take anything from the plot.

In conclusion, if you are looking for a lighthearted contemporary romance, this is the book for you.

I liked this more than I thought I would!!
It was a slow burn but burn it did.
Got the arc from NetGalley!!

I rate this book 2.5 stars

Before anything else, I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC copy.

Not in My Book by Katie Holt is about a Peruvian-American woman who goes to New York City to pursue her dreams of becoming a writer. But she didn't expect to find herself forced to co-write a book with her literary fiction nemesis, the brooding and talented Aiden Huntington.

It has enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and grumpy and sunshine tropes plus it's also sort of a book within a book. The forced co-writing scenario and the characters' contrasting writing styles offer an interesting twist. I enjoyed the funny moments but sadly, I didn't enjoy the book as a whole as much as I thought I would.

For starters, there were a lot of grammatical errors and typos throughout which was a bit distracting and made me wonder if an editor or proofreader has gone through this book. There are also spicy scenes about 50% in and onwards which I felt was too much for my taste, but that's just me. Readers who enjoy spice in their books may enjoy this one though.

The story confuses me in some parts. One was when the FMC mentioned in Chapter 12 that she's been doing everything she can to make it possible to be home for Christmas, but a few chapters back she mentioned she didn't want to take up the weekend shift at her job no matter how much it paid because of the chaotic environment. There was also the one about the author Maggie Frantel in Chapter 15, she knew the author passed away a few years back, but a few pages in that chapter, she mentioned she didn't know the author passed.

Another one that confuses me is the nature of their fictional characters' occupation. It sounds like it's a corporate job at Durgis agency with the conferences and presentations, but it can also be publishing, if it's in publishing, then why did the fictional male character mention something about
his characters not getting their Happily Ever Afters? Are they fiction writers in the corporate world?

The FMC (Rosie) came off as overbearing and didn't know how to respect boundaries which irritated me a bit.

I really thought I was going to have to DNF this book, but I didn't.

Overall, "Not in My Book" is a novel with a promising premise. Readers who enjoy enemies-to-lovers tropes and a lighthearted read will find entertainment here. However, those seeking a more polished story with well-developed characters might want to look elsewhere.

3.75 ⭐️

A true rivals to lovers, slow burn romance with such a fun twist!

Not in My Book follows Aiden and Rosie, two classmates in a creative writing workshop, who couldn’t disagree more. When their professor finally decides she’s had enough, she pairs these two up to write a novel together. Rosie is a die hard romance lover and reader. While Aiden could not think less of romance and chooses to end his stories in grief.
As Rosie and Aiden work closely on the book together, they start to bond and their novel turns into a sort of love letter between the two.

The beginning of this book started off so strong! I loved Rosie so much. She is the sweetest little southern bell but when you come at her writing or her genre she’ll be quick to bite your head off. I loved how the novel they’re writing together becomes a safe place for them to share with each other how they really feel and be honest about what their relationship is turning into.

I basically annotated this whole book because there were some real swoon-worthy moments and lines. However, around 65% in I was growing tired of the will they, won’t they theme. And I did find that their conflict and ending were a bit predictable. Additionally, the spice leading up to them getting together (not a spoiler, it’s a romance novel of course there’s gonna be a HEA) was HOT. But once they actually got together, it was a little cringey. And the overuse of “baby” was just not doing it for me.

Overall, I really enjoyed the writing and the characters. I would definitely read something else by this author in the future.

Here’s a few of my favorite (non-spoiling quotes):

banter sample: ““Oh, c’mon,” I huffed. Aiden barreled on. “I’m writing for an audience that cares about more than overdone tropes and unrealistic men.” “Well, at least my book won’t be a coaster for some deadbeat fortyyear-old who thinks Matt Rife is some sort of God,” I bit out. “No, your book will be a coaster for a bored cat lady’s vibrator.” I snorted. “Your wife’s vibrator because you couldn’t please a woman to save your life!” “At least I’ll be married!” “At least—” “Enough,” Ida snapped.” 🤭

“His gaze was intense. We dared the other to back down, but neither one of us would. His jaw ticked. "Perfect. So, we're not writing about each other." "I guess not." "No reason to read in between the lines then, huh?" "None at all," I answered sweetly. "Then I guess I'll see you in the next chapter."

defending us romance lovers: “Then I read Ida Abarough’s article “Why We All Should Read Romance,” and my long lost confidence in writing romance was suddenly regained. She eloquently expressed why women read romance and how it showed women taking control in their lives while still being desired instead of wholly objectified. And how it had expanded to include different gender identities and become a safe space for people of color. No matter how bad life got in the romance novels, there would be a happily ever after that proved nothing was unfixable.”

such beautiful writing: “I ignored the glass of my own shattered heart as I cut myself trying to put hers back together.”

“The line between reality and fiction was almost as big as the one between love and hate, but I was desperate to convince myself it was thinner.”

“The truth was Maxine was so deep under my skin, it was like she had become my veins, not leaving a single part of me untouched.”

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!