Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

This book is the ultimate enemies to lovers. The author builds the disdain between the two characters immediately. Both of the main characters, Rosie and Aiden, are aspiring writers trying to make it in New York City. They find themselves in the same writing workshop sharing a mentor. As they hurl insults back and forth hitting way below the belt, they risk getting kicked out of the class. In order to stay in the program, they are forced to write a book together. The problem is Rosie is a romance and wistful believer in all things love. Aiden is a realist dedicated to literary fiction. Forced proximity and attempting to merge vastly different viewpoints becomes the catalyst for their blossoming friendship.
As they alternate writing chapters for their shared novel, they start to lay out their hidden truths. Perhaps it is always easier to hide behind the words of a character to express our truths.
As their book unfolds, the lines between Aiden and Rosie and the characters of their novel blur and then eventually merge. The feeling that have developed are splayed out in the pages of their book. We learn the Aiden, who is usually so reserved, is a very dirty talker in the bedroom. I loved the spice, but his bedroom voice seems misaligned with his personality.
Once Aiden and Rosie's mutual hatred for each other dissolved, the author seemed to lose their footing. The third act breakup felt forced and was so petty for these two characters who had matured so much in their communication. I loved the first 75% of the book, but the ending felt rushed and fell flat for me.

I would recommend if you like enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and opposites attract.

On

A book within a book, which I think is every book addicts dream! It very much had Beach Read vibes, minus the beach and set in NY instead. The characters Rosie and Aiden are lovable but very humanly flawed. It made the journey that much better. There were times I laughed out loud, times when I truly felt angry or sad, but overall it was such a fun read. Literally, I put the book down because I was trying to delay the end. I will be following this author in the future and can't wait to see what others stories she might have to tell.

Not in My Book' by Katie Holt is a love story between two NYU students who are both pursuing careers as writers. Rosie, who is passionate and lofty, comes from a tight-knit family in Tennessee. Rosie leaves home to pursue her dream of becoming a romance writer in New York after leaving a toxic relationship. Aiden Huntington is tall, gorgeous, but obnoxious and distant. Aiden holds many secrets. He dreams of becoming a fictional writer and is quite talented.

What makes Aiden and Rosie enemies? Aiden believes that love and romance belong to fairytales. His patience with Rosie's romance writing is short. In their Writing Workshop class, Aiden and Rosie frequently battle each other. Every step of the way, Aiden criticizes Rosie's writing. Rosie has had enough of Aiden's cruel insults after a semester of them. Their professor reaches her breaking point with these two students. Their professor calls Rosie and Aiden into her office and tells them that she is kicking them out of class. It is only after pleading with the professor that she agrees to let them stay. Using both of their genres, they must co-write a novel.

The two decide to alternate chapters, with Rosie beginning with the first. It doesn't take long for Rosie and Aiden to find themselves becoming characters. It is soon impossible to ignore physical attraction. Despite her desire to hate Aiden, Rosie is deeply attracted to him, and she wants to know the real Aiden more than ever. The same is true for Aiden as well. It allows them to express just how they feel about one another as they write their novel together.

In spite of her belief in true love, Rosie has experienced a toxic relationship in the past, leading to hurt and reservations. It's not the case for Aiden. A messy divorce between his parents when he was quite young taught him that love was not real. It will take time and patience for these hurts to heal.

As all of this is going on, Rosie is also writing something for a highly prestigious scholarship opportunity. Rosie's life and ability to get through school would be changed if she received this award. She asked Aiden if he planned to apply. How would their relationship change if they both applied. Does the competition threaten to separate them?

This book is filled with so many layers.

It gets pretty steamy in the novel. It contains X-rated content.

It would ruin the book if I shared too much more.

It is important for me to state that I am not a reader of romance novels. The author does a great job weaving together all of the events, characters, backgrounds, etc. to make the story flow smoothly. This book keeps you guessing what will happen, which is always wonderful. The worst kind of storyline is one that is predictable. This is the author's first novel. I would say she did a fantastic job!

"𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐩 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐈 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬."

What a lovely debut. The concept was so cute, enemies writing a book together? Shut up. I'm obsessed. This book deserves to be on your tbr!

The vibes:
- Writers
- Enemies-to-lovers / Rivals-to-lovers
- Forced proximity
- Grumpy x Sunshine

Holy wow! This book has easily become one of my favorite romance books ever. The banter was amazing, the tension incredible! one of the the best slow burns I have ever read. Aiden and Rosie are beautiful and Katie Holt is a definite auto buy author now. 5 stars! Amazing!

Rosie and Aiden’s banter crackles like a well-stoked fireplace. Their snarky exchanges and accidental touches create a delightful tension—the kind that keeps readers turning pages late into the night. I love when characters spark off each other, revealing hidden layers beneath their witty repartee.

The idea of blending steamy romance scenes with existential musings is like mixing unexpected ingredients in a recipe. It’s intriguing! As Rosie and Aiden co-write their novel, I’m curious to see how their contrasting styles collide and harmonize. It’s like watching a quirky dance—two partners stepping on each other’s toes yet somehow finding rhythm.

Rosie and Aiden’s shared love for mismatched socks is endearing. It’s those little quirks that make characters relatable. Who hasn’t worn a polka-dot sock with a striped one, secretly reveling in the rebellion against symmetry? Their sock drawer becomes a metaphor—a place where oddities find companionship.

In summary, “Not in My Book” promises a blend of romance, humor, and unexpected twists. It’s like sipping a cup of chai—warm, comforting, and just the right amount of spicy.

This book was amazing! I absolutely fell in love with both Rosie and Aiden and I inhaled this book in a couple of days. This was enemies to lovers at its finest and gave me Book Lovers vibes with how the chemistry and the banter was presented between these two characters. Would highly recommend if you enjoy enemies to lovers and book within a book tropes.

4.⭐️

ARC kindly provided by publisher via NetGally in exchange for an honest review.

oh my goodness, this is absolutely a rivals to lovers DREAM 🫶🏼 i cannot believe i haven’t seen anyone else talking about this. such a cute and fun read! i loved the excerpt at the end of each chapter, it was a unique touch! The only downside is of course the 3rd act breakup, although i love romance books i rarely agree with that being a good plot point. All romance readers should absolutely pick this up, it was SO good

“the last thing i ever expected was for aiden’s laugh to make me feel like the drive home after a long day.”

“if you’re not mine, then know that i’m yours.”

i was so excited to read this ARC and i’m so grateful i received a copy!
not in my book was so well written, following aiden and rosie while they grapple with the task of co-writing their own book together, following hunter and max. i loved that hunter and max’s story essentially followed aiden’s and rosie’s, i devoured this in one sitting.

- academic rivals/enemies to lovers
- forced proximity
- banter banter banter

i cannot wait to read more of katie holt’s work after this!

Not in My Book is a delightful romantic comedy. The two main characters are in the same writing workshop. Rosie is a romance writer and Aiden is a literary fiction writer, so there is lots of fun banter about books, reading, literary genres, tropes, and the writing process.

What I loved about the book: the humor, especially the dialogue and texts between Rosie and her friends; the New York City setting which the author brings to life; the enemies to lovers trope; the story that the two main characters write together that reflects their real feelings toward each other; Rosie’s loving and noisy family.

My only complaint is that a couple of the sex scenes and the incidents that temporarily drive Aiden and Rosie apart are a bit repetitive. However, these are only minor detractions. I could not put the book down and really enjoyed reading it.

”People say there’s a thin line between love and hate. But it wasn’t that thin when it came to Hunter.—Excerpt from Untitled by Rosie Maxwell and Aiden Huntington”

He’s an arrogant pretentious literary snob.
She’s a hopeless romance writer with rose colored glasses.

Aiden and Rosie have been rivals since the day they met in their first NYU masters class. Once he found out she was a romance writer, all bets were off. They faced off any chance of they got. but, this time they’d pushed it too far. Their workshop professor, Ida, has had it. They’re either out of the class or they have the option of writing a romance to literary fiction book together. Rosie’s got everything to lose. She’s just trying to stay afloat in the city after moving here from Tennessee. She really can’t lose this class! She agrees for the both of them.

As their out of class meetings turn friendly-ish (and date-ish) their characters (that are definitely not each other) and feelings begin spilling onto the page.

“My heart was pounding. He had copied this evening almost verbatim, but the romantic in me couldn’t tell the difference between the lines of reality and fiction.”

Their untitled book is like a confessional of all the things they can’t say to each other as they’re beginning to see each other in a new light. Getting to know each other changes things. It’s amazing how just a different perspective can change the whole attitude of a scene.

“I probably do need to lower my expectations.”
Aiden immediately shook his head. “No, Rosie. You don’t have to lower your expectations. You deserve more than your highest one. Any guy you’re with should be falling over himself to make you happy.”

I laughed, clapped my hands, swooned, sweated a little (I wasn’t expecting the spice and dirty talk), yelled a little at each main character and felt all the feelings of they each felt about wanting to be loved and worthy of love.

“You were worth every bit of the wait, Aiden.”

I couldn’t get enough of all the excerpts of their book throughout each chapter. Especially them writing together. The only thing I would have changed would to make the conflict happen sooner (like before 90%) and change MFC’s response to that conflict (I’m trying not to give anything away here). For her being such a strong independent woman, it just felt out of character for her.

Will I still be recommending this book, absolutely! It’s a great quick, romantic-comedy, tension-filled (little spicy) read. I devoured this in a day and a half…and stayed up way too late in the night trying to finish it. My husband woke up and literally said to me, “You’re still reading.” I just needed to know how it ended.

Thank you NetGalley, Alcove Press and Katie Holt for letting me read Not In My Book in exchange for an honest review.

Amazing debut novel!
Not in My Book is perfect for fans of literary humor and rivals to lovers who are forced to work together!

Aiden Huntington would be the perfect man. He's gorgeous, everyone in their Writing Workshop hangs on his every opinion, and he is a devastating writer to boot. The only problem is... he can't stand Rosie. So what if she writes Romance, a genre that he clearly deems to be beneath him? His unfair notes and surly opinion only fuel Rosie's fire as she works to prove that the Romance genre is equal to its counterparts. But when their rivalry ignites, and they are forced to try and write a book together, will either of them survive their differing opinions on what makes great literature, or their undeniable attraction to each other?

The angst in this book was wonderful. I enjoyed that they truly were rivals and didn't just immediately show their cards to one another. Watching their relationship develop via their book characters was so sweet, and then spicy, and honesty just so introverted-writer coded that I ate it up! Rosie and Aiden are grumpy x sunshine done extremely well. They brought out new sides of each other, and helped the other heal just by being themselves.
The Peruvian rep was also refreshing to see. I loved Rosie's mixed heritage, her family was so adorable, and Aiden warming right up to it was precious.

I would highly recommend Not in My Book to anyone who is in the mood for literary humor, enemies/rivals to lovers, grumpy x sunshine, BIPOC rep, and beautiful, scenic descriptions of New York City.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the chance to review!

I absolutely loved this book. Katie writes in a cute and interesting way, making it easy to fall in love with the characters and the plot. I Found the book super original, it isn't the typical enemies to lovers. It's a peculiar one. I loved Rosie and I think she's the nicest ever. When I started reading I didn't really have any expectations, but I fell in love with the book as soon as I started reading it. Aiden and I have a love-hate relationship. I started by hating him, but now I just love him. I have to make some compliments to the author for writing and creating such a good book. Can't wait for you guys to read it when it comes out!

Received an eArc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Not in My Book follows Rosie, an MFA student and romance writer. Not everyone appreciates the genre like she does, especially not Aiden, a guy she used to have a crush on until his abhorrence for romance became clear. However, their animosity bubbles over in class until they are left with an ultimatum: write a book together that has both romance and a LitFic ending (read: tragic ending), or get kicked out of the class. However it can be hard not to insert yourself into your writing, and bringing the two characters closer together might end up bringing them closer together, too.

This book was a fun and rompy read. It took me a bit to get into the story, but then I was sucked in. I don’t often get second-hand embarrassment at books, but I have to say I did with this book. During the writing critics, I felt so bad/awkward for their classmates! However, I still overall enjoyed the book. There is a third act conflict which I didn’t love how it was handled, but it didn’t impact my overall enjoyment by too much. 4/5 stars

This book was amazing and I devoured this book in just a few sittings! I loved the character development and how the story progressed.

Not in My Book by Katie Holt was an absolute joy to read. It was an enemies-to-lovers and had a vibe similar to The Hating Game. Rosalinda and Aiden are both in MFA programs and in a creative writing class together. Even though she thought he was
incredibly attractive when she first met him, Aiden is mean to Rosie every time he offers a critique. She LOVES romance and he acts as though it is beneath him. They are so disruptive during one class, that they are either kicked out or have to work on a short story together.
This was so, so sweet. As they get to know each other, their story evolves… they share sweet moments through their characters as well.

I adored this and actually wish that I could read it again for the first time. The spice was chef’s kiss!!

"Not In My Book" by Katie Holt is the contemporary romance that follows the academic rivalry turned enemies-to-lovers romance between Rosie and Aidan, who find themselves in the same literary workshop under the same professor. As they critique each other's work, their verbal sparring only intensifies. Eventually, their exasperated professor suggests they co-author a book together.
The premise of this story is not only intriguing but also incredibly strong. Watching Rosie & Aidan navigate their way through writing a romance that might take a surprising turn towards sad, sappy literary fiction is both entertaining & refreshing. The moment when their professor finally intervenes, forces them to work together is immensely satisfying after all the witty banter.

WHAT I LIKED:

One of the standout features of this book that I absolutely adored was the way the co-authors used book language to communicate with each other. It was like a literary dance of critiquing, backhanded compliments & expressing feelings through the written word. They rarely spoke face to face, opting instead for written communication, which I found oddly relatable and surprisingly comforting to read about.
And let's not forget about the steamy roleplay sexting scene - talk about turning up the heat! While this book may lean towards the softer side of romance, those spicy scenes were expertly crafted and left me fanning myself. The conflict resolution reading in the third act breakup was a unique twist that added an extra layer of fun to the story!

The character development in this book is, slightly above average. Rosie is your typical, slightly messy, slightly clumsy, run-of-the-mill romance protagonist, while Aiden is the brooding, bookish type who is easy on the eyes - pretty much what you'd expect.
But let's talk about the real stars of the show - the side characters. Jess, Tyler, Logan, IDA and especially Alexa stole the spotlight for me. I need more Alexa in my life, she was the ultimate cheerleader for Rosie. The family scenes were a riot too, adding some extra spice to the mix.
Now, don't get me wrong, the chemistry between Rosie and Aiden exists, but I didn't feel a deep connection to them individually. Maybe it's because we only see things from Rosie's perspective, which is a bit one-dimensional. The snippets of Aiden's POV from the Untitled Manuscript were a nice touch though. I found it intriguing was how the author teased readers by only providing Aidens point of view throughout the book. It kept me on the edge of my seat, eagerly awaiting the end of each chapter to see what Aiden thought of the latest situation. Although I appreciated the suspense, I couldn't help but crave more of Aiden's perspective.
The author definitely threw in every trope in the book & a whole cast of characters to boot. It's like a literary buffet of interess, passions, childhood anecdotes & tropes like forced proximity, one bed, fake dating, standing up against a parent..shall I go on?. This might have diluted the character development a bit, but hey, at least I didn't end up despising anyone. Rosie & Aiden were flawed but likable in their own ways, which is a win in my book.

SPECIAL MENTIONS

I absolutely adore how the author incorporated a variety of role-plays into this book. While the characters work on their book, they engage in platonic role-plays to really get into character, along with a steamy sexting session that added an extra layer of excitement. That aspect of the book was definitely my favorite!

The dynamic between the two main characters bonding over their love for books and exploring each other's literary preferences in a bookstore is incredibly charming. It's one of my favorite tropes, and it's executed so beautifully in this book. The scene where they connect in the bookstore is just perfect.

WHAT DIDN'T WORK

One of the main reasons why I gave this book a 3.5 rating is the injustice meted out to litfic. Let's talk about Aiden - the brooding, literary fiction-loving, peacoat wearing character that was supposed to be the dark & intense heartthrob of the story. The problem? We never actually see him indulging in any literary fiction or engaging in any stimulating conversations about the genre. Even when he's co-writing a book, there's no mention of how his love for literary fiction influences the story they're creating. It's like the author kept telling us Aiden is into literary fiction, but forgot to actually show us.
Another gripe I had with this book was its unnecessary length. I mean, come on, do we really need to hear about Mr. Rogers the brick four to five times? It's like beating a dead horse, or in this case, a dead brick. Sure, we get it, Aiden cares about her, but does it really add anything to the plot? Spoiler alert: nope. There are plenty elements in this book that held no consequence in the larger scheme of things & you are left wondering why you were told about them in the first place. This book could have used a good editor to trim the fat and keep things moving along. But hey, at least now I have a newfound appreciation for bricks. Further, the pacing of the book was a bit wonky, with stretches of slow buildup leading to a rushed ending. It was like a rollercoaster ride - some parts were thrilling, others were a bit of a snooze fest. Overall, while entertaining, the uneven pacing left me feeling a bit unsatisfied.
One thing that struck me about this book is the cozy, soft romance vibe it gave off from the start. Despite being enemies turned lovers in a contemporary NYU setting, their banter & fights were more like playful jabs than heart-stopping battles. It was like curling up with a warm blanket and a cup of tea while reading. So naturally, I was expecting a smooth, mature resolution to their conflicts, but alas, the dreaded third act breakup reared its ugly head. I held out hope that it would be different this time, but Aidens' flimsy excuse & Rosie's quick forgiveness felt out of character. Just because she's a romantic doesn't mean she should overlook everything he's done and suddenly declare him a prince charming.
One major gripe I have with modern enemies-to-lovers books is that the enemies part feels like an afterthought. Take "The Hating Game," "The Spanish Love Deception," and even the book I'm talking about now - they all lack a solid foundation for the animosity between the characters. It's like the author just threw in some conflict to spice things up, without giving it any real depth. Now, let me tell you, "Not In My Book" had so much potential. I mean, it had the makings of a great enemies-to-lovers story. But instead of exploring why these characters hated each other and how they overcame it, we got the tired old trope of "I never really hated you, it was all a big misunderstanding." I refuse to accept this as the new norm. That's not enemies-to-lovers, that's just miscommunication-to-lovers. And let me tell you, it's getting old fast. But hey, I will give credit where credit is due. This book does have its charms. It's a cute, quick read that will resonate with any romance lover out there. So, if you're in the mood for a light-hearted romance that doesn't delve too deep into the enemies part, then give this one a shot. Just don't expect any groundbreaking revelations about why these characters supposedly hated each other in the first place.

In sum, this book is basically academic rivals, enemies to unwilling co-authors, to friends, to best friends, to lovers, to breaking up because of misunderstanding, to lovers again. Katie Holt has crafted a story that is not only engaging but also cleverly written. Overall, the concept of a book within a book, written by two different authors with contrasting styles, was truly captivating. It was like a good attempt at a literary mashup that kept me hooked from start to finish.

ARC review: Not in My Book by Katie Holt.
Oh my goodness, this book is amazing, I’m literally blown away and so obsessed! I devoured this book in one sitting!! Not In My Book follows our main character Rosie who is a 26 year old student studying at NYU and her journey to becoming a writer. Rosie is smart, funny, and a true romantic at heart. This is a single POV book, with insights into the MMC’s POV. As Rosie and her academic rival reach a breaking point, their Professor forces her and her rival Aiden to co-write a book to complete their semester. This book has swoon worthy romance, academic rivals, a strong and fierce FMC. I am so excited to get my hands on a physical copy of this book when it comes out in Autumn 2024!

An easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for me!!!

I’m also so excited to see where Katie Holt goes next as I’m a firm fan of her writing and storytelling!

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Alcove Press for providing me with an ARC for an honest review!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Cute, breezy, and the classic enemies to lovers trope. I liked the ‘book within the book’ concept. The plot felt a bit rushed and thin at the end, but overall a fun read!

Generally, I didn't think this book was bad, but I did struggle with it a lot. In my opinion, the enemies-to-lovers part had zero substance and didn't make any sense. Therefore, it made the whole book lack authenticity and felt rather forced.
Furthermore, it was unnecessarily lengthy. During some parts I was sadly just bored.
The book has potential but unfortunately, it wasn't for me.