Wow. I loved this book. I loved it was a book in a book. The enemies to lovers was done so well. I loved the banter. It made me laugh it made me cry. I love opposites attract. Rosie is a romance cheerful writer to Aidan’s stern sad fiction. When they are forced to write together the story writes it self.

5 🌟 Easily my new favorite rom-com. From now on, this will be the book I use to convince everyone that romance is a phenomenal genre. Witty banter, tension, steamy open-door romance, funny friends and loving family, practically every rom-com trope and reference without feeling overdone... I could go on. The main characters were so relatable in their endearing qualities and flaws that I was sad for it to end. I'm already planning the re-read.

Thanks to Alcove Press and Katie Holt for the ARC e-read in exchange for my honest review.

This book delivered what it needed to!
I was hooked start to finish. It was almost reminiscent and took me back to the books that made me fall in love with the romance genre. I loved it!
Rosie and Adam are both students in a writing class and they both just know how to get on each others nerves. At the same time, they push each other to strive for better. Anyways, as things fall into place, they are forced to write a book together and this is where the magic truly starts. They live the romance they are writing and it was tantalising!
The enemies to lovers does have elements that do remind me of other books in the genre I have loved: the roughest draft (two people writing a romance book together) and the hating game/spanish love deception (workplace romance). It takes all of the good bits and crafts it into an even better book on its own. Katie Holt knocked it out of the park.
I really enjoyed this book if you can’t tell!

<I> Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review <i>
#NotinMyBook #NetGalley

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

Not in my book... was unique but felt familiar... the work place feel of the hating game and book lovers... a book in a book. But sometimes felt like the book I was reading was repeating as they were writing the same things they lived. I cheer them on and then got a eh vibe at the end.. over all I did enjoy this book.

3.5 stars for me. Great job. I always enjoy a story within a story vibe.

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a sucker for an enemies-to-lovers romance book, and this was was not an exception.

The first half of the book was a bit slow, but as soon as it sped up it was pretty good, considering it is a debut novel.

The similarities with Beach Read and The Hating Game is unquestionable, but what is special to this book is definitely the "book within a book" trope. I was so invested in both of the plots.

For some reason the ending felt a bit meh for me, maybe because I was quite mad with Aiden and Ida. It almost felt like they had done that to me, and not Rosie. That shows you how much invested I was while reading it.

A book within a book? The tropes in this book were done so well and I absolutely loved this cute romance. This was just such a fun read and I read it SO quick! Took be right out of my book slump. This was a debut novel well done- soooo good!!

I loved this story nearly all the way to the end. Aiden and Rosie are so adorable and their banter had me laughing. The only thing I didn't like was the jump at the end. The fact that Aiden didn't offer to help Rosie either by having her move in with him initially after they got back together or help with her costs after winning the money he didn't need? Maybe I'm spoiled by my other book boyfriends, but I was a little disappointed in Aiden!

Katie Holt's "Not In My Book" is an absolute gem that had me hooked from the first page! This enemies-to-lovers romance is everything I crave in a book: witty banter, palpable tension, and characters that leap off the page.
Rosie is a breath of fresh air—a Peruvian American romance writer with dreams bigger than her Tennessee hometown. Her journey to New York City is one we can all relate to, and her passion for her craft is infectious. But the real fireworks start when she's thrown into a class with Aiden Huntington, her ex-crush turned literary nemesis.
Their antagonistic dynamic is electric, and Holt masterfully navigates their transition from verbal sparring to something much, much steamier. And let me tell you, those spicy scenes? Perfection. They're not just gratuitous; they're a natural evolution of Rosie and Aiden's complex relationship, exploring their vulnerabilities and desires through their cowritten novel.
What I loved most was how Holt weaves in themes of cultural identity, the value of different writing genres, and the cutthroat nature of the publishing world. It adds depth to a story that's already rich with emotion and sizzling chemistry.
I literally couldn't put this book down. I stayed up way too late, ignored chores, and may have skipped a meal or two because I HAD to know how Rosie and Aiden's story ended. "Not In My Book" is a triumph, and Katie Holt is officially my new auto-buy author! Copy

This was such a fun read, and super impressed to see that this is from a debut author! I found the beginning a bit slow, but it felt like the author found their stride as the book continued.

The conflict and eventual resolution felt a little rushed for me, but overall I really enjoyed this book! Reminded me a lot of Beach Ready by Emily Henry in all the best ways.

Love love love!!

The shared doc was everything!! When they were forced to write a steamy scene together I about lost my mind. In the best way, obviously.

This was amazing. I can’t wait to recommend it to others. Thank you for allowing me early access! 💙

started out strong (especially for a debut) but ultimately fizzled out for me by the end. the book within a book gimmick got old pretty fast once it just started reflecting exactly what we just saw the characters already doing on their dates in real life.

Rosie moves to New York to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. In her writing workshop, she finds her old crush who doesn't respect Rosie's romance genre and they constantly butt heads. After getting tired of their constant head butting, their instructor forces them to write a novel together. While working together, they begin to explore their attraction to each other. An enemies to lovers romance that fights to prove that romance novels are deserving of respect.

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

This was a cute story! I liked the premise and was so captivated by the MC’s novel reflecting their real life feelings and actions while they were co-writing. That was super unique storytelling to me. I enjoyed reading the scenes where rosie and aiden were together- like during Christmas. I also love a book with some banter, so that was great. The conflict and resolution were a bit weak to me and the FMC acted a little childish at some points for my taste. At times I was a tiny bit bored as well, but overall a solid 3⭐️ book that I enjoyed reading!

Thank you to netgalley and alcove press for letting me read this.

I absolutely adored Not in my Book. It’s a rivals to friends to lovers with a bit of fake dating and all the joys of romance in New York. I adored Aiden and Rosie so much as individuals and as a couple. They both grew together as a couple as well in their writing and their experiences, which I absolutely loved.

The way the author didn’t shy away from the realities of love was a favorite of mine. She highlighted the fears and insecurities that come up in new love in a realistic way. Although this felt like the perfect New York Christmas romcom it was also really realistic and not too frivolous.

Such a well written story that had me hooked and desperately needing to know what was going to happen next. I loved that we got to see the characters emotions through the book they were co-writing. This felt like a unique twist on a classic academic rivalry story.

There were so many scenes I absolutely needed more of, but I loved that they wrote a kiss and spicy scene together! I cried a little when Aiden pulled out the locket for Rosie. And the ending had me in tears because it felt so picturesque romantic but also something anyone would want from their person.

"Not in My Book" is a quick, fun read featuring forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and a splash of fake dating. I loved that the female main character is Peruvian, which added a unique cultural dimension to the story. Watching the characters' relationship evolve alongside the book they were writing together was delightful. The author did a great job with side characters, giving them their own personalities and subplots.

However, I struggled to connect with the initial animosity between the main characters, making the start a bit rocky. While their relationship developed throughout the book, it sometimes felt flat, making it hard to root for them through the ups and downs. The final twist came later than expected, and the characters' reactions seemed disproportionate.

Despite these points, it was still an enjoyable read, perfect for a relaxing escape. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves rom-com romances, especially those who appreciate a story with heart, just like the Peruvian heroine.

A very well written story with a simply addictive storyline, Holt’s characters are relatable and loveable, sweet and sexy. I loved it.

Thanks to NetGalley I received an advanced electronic copy of the book to read and provide a review.

3.5 stars rounded up because I’m feeling generous.

This was a cute and easy enemies to lovers set in academia (NYU!) read! There were parts that were incredibly engaging and magical like everything that happened around Christmas and Rosie’s family. However, there were other parts that were predictable and annoying like the reason for the third act break. 🙄

With all that said, I’m excited to see what comes next for Katie Holt. I loved her writing style and spicy scenes.

Not in My Book was an enjoyable enemies-to-lovers romance!

Rosie and Aiden seem like the typical romantic heroine and hero, but they are different. Rosie's character is very relatable, especially with her romantic viewpoint and positive outlook. Aiden is the opposite, basically. But, he is a more realistic book boyfriend, given the way he dislikes romance.

I enjoyed how this book depicted the struggle of reality versus fiction. As readers, we sometimes desire those relationships we read about. But, this book addresses that discrepancy between what we read and what we live. I thought it was unique how the events of their own book mirrored the events and emotions occurring between the characters.

I did struggle a bit to understand the conflict between the characters, especially since it seemed like there was character growth but it wasn't shown during some pivotal moments. However, the book was still a fun and entertaining read!

Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

NEW COMFORT BOOK ALERT!!!

In this fun, enemies to lovers romance, we follow Rosie who is a hopeless romantic and has dreams of being a published romance author. Rosie is working on her MFA at NYU where she meets Aiden Huntington, who is a literary fiction writer who hates romance. When Rosie and Aiden are in the same creative writing workshop, all Aiden and Rosie seem to do is bicker and fight over each other's writing styles. When their Professor, Ida, is fed up with them and threatens to kick them out of her class, her only other solution for them is to co-write a book together as their end of year projects. The catch is Aiden has to learn to write romance, and Rosie needs to find a way to not write a HEA. This forces them to change their writing styles while also makes them work together and actually learn about each other.

This book was a book within a book! I can genuinely say I have never read anything like it and it was hard for me to put down at times. Rosie and Aiden at the beginning of the book absolutely despise each other meaning their banter and arguments were so good and so funny. As the story progresses, we actually get to see their growth in them becoming each other's best friends to then falling in love. I hate when romances write their characters attraction to each other as surface level, but Rosie and Aiden genuinely have lots of deep conversations with each other in person and through their writing. They even base their book characters on each other so when they write their own chapters, they are actually pulling from their real interactions throughout the book which was so cute and fun to read.

*THEY EVEN WROTE A SPICY SCENE IN THEIR BOOK TOGETHER AND THE TENSION??!! WAS OFF THE CHARTS*

Thank you Netgalley and Alcove Press for the arc!

UNEXPECTEDLY FUN READ

I got a lot of insight about the process to write a novel in their club (fun!). I enjoy how both characters interact through their story and I can feel the confusion in the middle, and I like how it ended.
The conflict was a bit weak for me. I felt like both characters aren't supposed to be deeply influenced by the event for too long. But in the end I'm happy I got the hea. Love this!