Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing the ARC.

I was immediately intrigued by this book's premise - touted as Beach Read meets The Hating Game (two of my favorite books), I was immediately drawn into the caustic back and forth between Rosie and Aiden. I could definitely see the parallels between the two aforementioned books, but this book did not feel like a rehashing of the same stories to me, in that Rosie and Aiden felt like brand new characters put into a seemingly impossible situation. I greatly enjoyed Holt's characterizations of the two, from their pent up hostility and frustration towards each other and the semi-slow melt that was their friendship into relationship. These two are the very definition of "opposites attract" but in a very good way.

I really enjoyed the banter between the two and the little tidbits of the book they were writing at the end of every chapter. I loved the scenes between the two of them writing together, interjecting with their own thoughts and feelings, and dialogue that they could commit to the page, but not have the courage to say out loud. It was an interesting way for the reader to gain insight into Aiden's head without it necessarily becoming a dual POV book.

The only criticism I have regarding this book is the amount of dirty talk that Aiden participates in. The book paints him as this stoic, reserved guy, and while I don't necessarily disagree with the "it's always the quiet ones" sentiment, he never struck me as much of a character who would say "baby" at the end of every sentence or talk out loud about everything that is happening during their intimate moments. Even the author comments on it vicariously by saying that "romance readers eat it up" which can be true, but I definitely find myself operating more on the side of it making sense for the character, which I don't feel it did in this case. But if that's your thing and it doesn't bother you, then you'll likely not have the same issues I did.

Overall, a solid debut from Holt. I am really looking forward to reading more of her work.

A fenomenal debut from Katie Holt about two opposites who find solace in their own words.

Rosie, a romance writer, needs to work with Aiden, a literary fiction writer and romance hater, or else they will be expelled from their workshop class. With the stakes so high, their blending genres also start to blend confessions and feelings, turning things into a lot more than just writing a book.

I was so excited to have the opportunity to read this book from the start because the mix of rivals-to-lovers with forced proximity is always something I love reading. And this story did NOT disappoint.

It's got hate, love, friendship, supporting best friends family, spice (explicit scenes, so careful with that!), all tied together with a HEA!

The writing is great and the chapters are not too big, which makes it all the more easy to read and entertaining. Honestly, this is such a good book and it will have you hooked from the start.

With festivities right around the corner, it's a great book to get cozy with and maybe even gift to a friend!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this and all the best of luck!

(Free ARC from NetGalley and Alcove Press that I chose to review after reading - Cross-posted on Goodreads on December 8th, 2024)

I thought this was so cute. I loved the enemies to lovers trope, the connection to books and writing. I thought it was unique and fun and really well done. I liked both characters and how much they grew as individuals and as a couple throughout the story. I liked the supporting cast of characters and hope to learn more about them one day. I thought that the chemistry and banter were done incredibly well. Rosie and Aiden are enemies. They are often found in a verbal battle during the NYU workshop. Until they take it too far and their professor makes them write a book together. Slowly, they use their book to share their real feelings and attraction. Will they move past their argumentative past and towards a happy ever after, just like the characters in their story? I just overall truly enjoyed this book - an adorable read for the chilly weather!
Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

Not In My Book is deliciously good, funny and angsty in equal measure. It has so many things I love in a romance:  

☀️enemies/rivals to friends to lovers
☀️exasperated grump and chaotic but fierce sunshine 
☀️ brooding MMC with daddy issues is really a simp
☀️positively crackling tension and perfect pacing 
☀️literal laugh out loud banter
☀️”epistolary” communication through their novel  
☀️supportive friend group with a hilarious group chat

Rosie, an aspiring romance novelist, and Aiden, a litfic writer, amuse and terrify their classmates as they bicker their way through NYU’s graduate creative writing program. Finally, their professor issues an ultimatum, drop the class or work together. The assignment: co-write a romance with every element EXCEPT the HEA. As the writing process brings them closer together, their characters fall for each other…and so do they. But when a new opportunity tests their truce and newfound trust, how will their story end?

This is a lovely and smart take on the new trend of meta romances. It is truly perfect how their novel is a catalyst and vehicle for relationship milestones, from their first phone call to first kiss to the way it enables honest, emotionally vulnerable (and s*xy!) communication. NIMB is also maybe the only romance I’ve read where they discuss his dirty talk after the fact. She’s so frank and he’s a bit mortified, it’s amazing😂. Holt’s writing is often superb, particularly the humor. We too often call just anything a romcom, but this book is laugh out loud funny. 

I’m mostly over the “I was mean because I like you” trope, but it works here because they’re both so animated by it, enjoying the fighting and secretly impressed by the other’s insults. It makes their eventual protectiveness of each other more meaningful. Rosie is so dramatic and snarky, I love it. And Holt threads the needle deftly when signaling Aiden’s pining beneath the aloof critiques. We see that he secretly cares but Rosie doesn’t seem oblivious. 

NIMB reminded me over and over again that we love these perennial romance tropes for a reason— when they’re done well they are so good. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

I devoured this book!!! I loved Rosie and Aiden, the enemies-to-lovers, the slow burn, the wintery New York setting... everything was perfect.

Rosie and Aiden take a writing class together, but can't seem to agree on what good writing and constructive criticism looks like. When their teacher tells them that the only way to stay in the class is to work together to write a book, they're forced to spend more time together. But writing a romantic story, with someone who dislikes the genre, might not be as easy as it usually is for Rosie.

The building tension in this story was addictive, I couldn't put it down. Everything about this book drew me in and made me unable to stop thinking about it. A fabulous debut novel, I look forward to see what comes next for Katie Holt.

Rosie and Aiden are enemies in the same NYU writing program. When they are forced to work together to continue in the program, they come to learn to work together and love one another.

I loved the connections to Rosie’s Peruvian culture, the descriptions of NYC throughout the seasons, the unique combinations of the book the main characters are writing together and the main story, and the overall support of the friends and most of the family around them. The call outs to other enemies to lovers stories were fun as well (10 Things I Hate About You and The Hating Game stand out).

I didn’t love the dirty talk- it didn’t quite match the characters in my mind, but for those who enjoy it, it was well done. I also felt anxious about the HEA based on the story line that sort of took me out of enjoying the romance. I felt like I was constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop.

A great read overall! A lovely debut novel. I recommend it!

Pure romance! This book follows 2 writers who are sworn enemies due to harsh criticism during their writers workshop. They are forced to work together and end up falling in love through writing. Their story was romantic, both secretly like each other and navigating through tough times and working together through the difficult times.

I feel in love with both characters, and absolutely loved the Latin representation. The seasonal aspects of the book was a good break between the chapters. I loved seeing how their writers workshop characters and their real life romance intertwined with each other.

Enemies to lovers
Grumpyxsunshine

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishing house for allowing me to read and review this book.

“I had the time of my life making you mad but loving you has been so much better.”
I absolutely fell in love with Aiden and Rosie. This the was the first time in awhile where I went into a book not reading the synopsis and this book was such an amazing surprise to me.

Aiden and Rosie are in grad school at NYU, enrolled in a creative writing course and they are total opposites. Aiden is a literary fiction writer while Rosie is a romance writer. They spend every single class bickering. So when they get stuck writing a book together that has a mix of both of their genres it’s clear the bickering won’t stop.
“Aiden rolled his eyes at “meet cute.” The same way he did at “happily ever after” and “puppies and sunshine.”

Aiden and Rosie were perfectly imperfect for each other and such a fun duo to read about. I loved their banter and the tension between the two was perfect!! I am obsessed with the times they wrote chapters together and all that came with that.

Thank you @readinromance for the ARC!
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥: “Use your words, baby, you’re a writer, aren’t you?”

A fun enemies to lovers romance. An interesting switch between the characters and the book they are writing that gives more insight into their true thoughts and feelings than their story and thoughts do.

NOT IN MY BOOK – Katie Holt
Alcove Press
ISBN: 978-1639109753
December 10, 2024
Contemporary Romance

New York City – Present Day

Rosie left her home in Tennessee for New York City to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a published romance author. She has enrolled in New York University’s graduate creative writing program and so far, has enjoyed it, except for one person. From the time Rosie met Aiden, he has been critical of her writing. He makes it clear that he doesn’t think romance writing is literary writing. It comes to a head one day in class when they start arguing. Their professor and mentor, Ida, calls them into the office. She informs them that they have to get along and she orders them to work on a book together. It must be a romance but without a happily ever after. Rosie can only write HEA while Aiden can’t write romance. It will be interesting to see if they can succeed or end up killing each other. But the more they are around each other (reluctantly), the more they get to know each other. Will a romance bloom between them?

NOT IN MY BOOK revolves around two agonistic people who think the other writes trash. Rosie grew up reading romance books and it has been her goal to get published. She poured her savings into coming to New York to enroll in NYU. Things have been going smoothly. She attends her classes, writes, and works part-time at a restaurant. But Aiden, who only writes that literary stuff where there is no romance and someone ends up dead at the end, infuriates Rosie. They are required to write chapters and read them out loud in front of the class, where they are then critiqued. Aiden always gives negative critiques. Once they are forced to work together, their relationship is stilted. She thinks he is stuck up, while he thinks she has her head in the clouds. They soon discover that there is more to the other than they ever expected.

NOT IN MY BOOK is told from Rosie’s point of view. She is a Peruvian American and big on families. Aiden doesn’t get along with his father, who wants his only child to give up on the writing nonsense and join him in the family business. They are definitely opposite attracts, and they continue to fight from time to time, which leads to some lively banter between them. Readers will soon be sympathetic to both. Writing romance is Rosie’s dream, while Aiden wants to prove to his father that he can succeed in the literary world. Spending time together draws them closer, as does an attraction. They seem so different from each other, but it takes seeing the other in a different light to realize they are alike in so many ways. They want to be successful writers. Will they find love together? Most of this tale gives tidbits of the book they are writing. Will it become a finished book, one that has a happy ending after all?

An intriguing tale that focuses on Rosie and Aiden with their antagonistic attitude toward each other that soon shifts to romantic feelings. Don’t miss what happens in NOT IN MY BOOK.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

phenomenal and UNFORGETTABLE debut from katie holt! this book perfectly captures the essence of falling in love and the characters are so complex and feel so REAL. not in my book is easily one of my top reads of the year, if not all time. its been a long time since a book was able to make me feel something and throughout the entire book all I felt were butterflies and that tingly feeling in my fingers you get when a book is hurting sooo good. like have you ever cried during a spicy scene??? because that is exactly what I did and it wasn’t even a sad scene, I was just so touched (no pun intended) and katie has such a way with her words that all the characters feelings felt so visceral. banter was off the charts too - I literally kicking my feet, laughing out loud, and dropping my jaw.

this book was such a beautiful love letter to NYC. i felt like it perfectly captured both the chaos and magic of the city - something that I feel like can be challenging in books! I also loved the unique story line of the main characters writing a book together and us as readers getting to see that book play out.

favorite quotes:
“we hurled insults back and forth, but how much of them did we really mean?”

“still, if this was all I ever got from aiden, I’d be okay with that. just sweaty palm pressed against each other and taking up too much space in the tight aisles of a bookstore”

tropes:
✍🏻 rivals to lovers/enemies to lovers
🗽 slow burn
☕️ grumpy x sunshine
📚 forced proximity
🇵🇪 peruvian heroine
🛏️ only one bed
💻 banter as their love/hate language
❤️ a man that only sees & thinks of the woman he loves!!!!

I loved the enemies banter, the lovers love, but the third act break up reason was so childish to me. Absolutely loved the first 82% of this book. I was “protect Aiden at all cost”. It got a little repetitive toward the end because of the format style. They are co writing a book and what they’ve said in person, they say in the book or something close to it.

A love story told by writers ahhh be still my beating heart 💗
What a fantastic debut novel by Katie, what a unique storyline and she brought it to life so well, mixing their developing novel alongside their own developing friendship.
I didn’t immediately get hooked I must admit, that’s probably my own head space at the time though but I reached 35-40% last night and finished the rest by 3pm today.
I absolutely ate the rest up, Rosie is such a true romantic and Aiden was a complete disbeliever but underneath they were truly both covering up their own insecurities and fear of being hurt.
Being set in New York was a joy to read, part of the book was also set around Christmas and New Year 🌶️ so perfect for this time of year. I finished the book with a crackling for please and my Christmas lights twinkling and feeling so loved up for the both of them.
Please add this to your tbr, you will fall in love with the characters but also Katie’s style of writing.
Thank you NetGalley, Katie Holt and Alcove Press for this ARC, all opinions expressed are my own.

What a lovely book! A very nice story about two writers, completely grumpy&sunshine. I also liked the writing style very much. Although the "big" drama of the book was even very predictable, it didn't bother me and everything ended so beautifully and sweetly. In short, I read and enjoyed this book.

Tired of their constant bickering they get put together for a project, combining romance and literary fiction. As the two write and get to know each other the lines begin to blur.
This book is super unique, I’ve never read a book … within a book but I liked it once I’d gotten use to it. This book is the epitome of enemies to lovers and slow burn!

Not in My Book by Katie Holt is a captivating romance that seamlessly blends themes of self-discovery and love. The story follows a young woman torn between her passion for literature and the complexities of navigating real-world relationships. Holt skillfully explores the tension between fantasy and reality as the protagonist grapples with her feelings for a charming yet enigmatic love interest.

The “enemies to lovers” trope takes center stage, delivering delightful tension through sharp banter and a gradual, heartfelt evolution from animosity to affection. This dynamic is complemented by the protagonist’s “bookish heroine” persona, a relatable and inspiring character who learns to balance her literary dreams with her real-life aspirations.

Katie Holt has created a story that is equal parts entertaining and thought-provoking, encouraging readers to embrace their own journeys. Not in My Book is an excellent choice for fans of contemporary romance, humor, and stories about finding love in the most unexpected places. Highly recommended!

Thank you to the publishers for emailing me an early copy of this book! 😊 I really liked this one and it’s definitely one to put on your TBR if you’re a romance reader!!!
Enemies to lovers… but with the twist of they are assigned to co-write a romance novel together! A *chefs kiss* plot and I devoured this. It was fun to watch these characters fall in love as they bonded over writing. I also loved that each chapter contained little excepts from the novel they were writing. Rosie and Aiden made me want to write my own novel! I loved the banter… I loved their cute “research for the novel” dates… and dang it I want a man to take me to The Strand bookstore and buy me a stack of books he picked out for me! 🥺
This was such a cute book and different from other romances I’ve read! Highly recommend 😊

For a debut novel by Holt, this was fantastic!

This book had all the classic romance elements: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, he falls first, and a secret crush. It truly delivered the full package. You could feel the slow burn and the tension leading up to their developing romance. Both characters were likable, making the whole book incredibly enjoyable. I loved how they discovered each other’s strengths and vulnerabilities in such an unconventional way, which ultimately helped them realize they might not be so bad for each other after all.

The audiobook was decent as well, though I wish it had been more of a duet. Having a male narrator for Aiden would have made it even better and helped me picture him more vividly throughout the story.

Overall, this was a great read—definitely don’t miss it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC and advanced audio!

4.25 🌟 I was addicted to this book and couldn’t put it down! What I loved:

🔥 The slowburn tension
👩‍💻👨‍💻 How they were writing their own love story! AND THAT SCENE THAT THEY WRITE TOGETHER 🥵🌶️
💖 The romance and the vulnerability both characters have with each other - some of the things they say to each other little made me little heart ACHE!
🫶🏻 How Rosie stood up for Aiden to some of the people that have worn him down his whole life
😍 How Aiden listened so intently to everything Rosie said

Something’s I would want to change:
💔 The miscommunication/third act breakup - was it really necessary?!
😡 The way they argued with each other at the end and Rosie was so stubborn!

Honestly, I am so happy with this book and I’ll definitely be picking up a physical copy when it comes out! Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this ARC! Def want to read more from this author.

if softcore romance academia is a thing, it would be this book for me. As a debut this book hits all the right sports with perfect tropes and setting of the book. I just could not put down this book and was fully engrossed in it.