As a fan of Erica Cerulo and Claire Mazur’s podcast and IG account – A Thing or Two – I was intrigued when I learned they were launching a romantic fiction imprint and company. I say “company,” because I think their goal is to celebrate the genre beyond publishing new romance novels, and I’m curious to see what that will look like.

Following the huge successes of Taylor Swift and Beyonce, and the adaptation of Robinne Lee’s The Idea of You, it feels like the time is ripe to embrace women’s fandoms. 831 Stories is eager to strike the “guilty” from guilty pleasure romance reading and their design-forward covers are part of that effort.

831 Stories’ first publication is Alexandra Romanoff’s novel Big Fan, and at the risk of being corny, I am a big fan of Big Fan. It’s a celebrity romance between a disgraced political strategist and a retired boy-band artist. And at 176 pages, it was long enough to get to know the main characters and short enough to read in a single day. Both characters are likeable and together they have chemistry. The story’s obstacles are refreshingly believable without being high angst. I loved that the female main character, Maya, is a career woman in her 30s (and is actually a UBI nerd), and that it was her work organizing the first fan club for Charlie’s band as a teenager that led her to eventually pursue a career as a DC strategist. (Hooray for embracing girls’ fandoms).

I was having a rough weekend, and Big Fan was the perfect pick-me-up. Highly recommend this charming contemporary romance! And huge thanks to 831 Stories, Authors Equity, and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy! Big Fan is out 9/10.

This was just okay for me - I think the fact that it was a novella detracted a little. I wanted more information on lots of extra plots and there wasn't time to get into the meat of it!

This book was serving c u n t in the best way possible. I freaking inhaled it and loved every word. The author really did this for all of us who have a favorite member of 1D and are rewatching Scandal to feel alive. Five freaking stars!!!!🌟

I loved this and wished it were a bit longer! I would seriously be up for another edition of the story between Maya and Charlie because it was GOOD! I devoured this in just a few hours and it definitely had the perfect pacing. Give this one a try and SWOON!!!

Big Fan comes out next week on September 10, 2024, and you can purchase HERE!

When I was fourteen, Mischief made the world feel worth living in. I would stare out the windows of my middle school and daydream about meeting them, and how, when I did, everything would change. I'd go on tour and see the world.

Become friends with fashion designers and get dressed in fabulous clothes. Mischief was proof that something bigger and more important than eighth-grade formal existed, and eventually I'd get to be a part of it. I used to think my life would really start the day Charlie Blake knew my name.

And now he does, which is funny, because up until fairly recently, I was pretty sure my life was over.

I couldn't get into Big Fan. The biggest problem I had was the romance. It just didn't feel well developed. I didn't connect with Charlie and Maya's relationship. I felt like their relationship was missing pivotal romantic elements such as chemistry and tension. I did think Maya's occupation and world was interesting to read about. Like other reviewers, I agree that this book felt a little unfinished. Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC.

Enjoyable and fun, Big Fan manages to pack a lot into a short number of pages. It's imperfect: Charlie seems too quickly infatuated with Maya and there isn't much time for the romance to build (again, short number of pages); it's been marketed as similar to The Idea of You, for obvious reasons, and some of the similarities are a little too close for comfort, a little too alike, but such is the world of sorta One Direction fan fiction romance. Maya was such a compelling character, with depth and baggage and a unique perspective, so being in her head was interesting.

Oh how I really enjoyed this one! Maya is a political consultant trying to rebrand herself after a scandal of her ex-husband’s making and a former boy handed, Charlie, who is putting out solo music and trying to put himself back out there. This was a quick book so the romance developed quickly and I would have liked a bit more time with that but I enjoyed every second of Charlie time. I enjoyed seeing both working on finding the confidence to develop both professionally and personally and this was fun and sexy and easy and I wish it could have been longer Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the earc!

This was so fun and sexy! I read it over an afternoon and it was a great palette cleanser after some heavier books. Highly recommend if you enjoy the normal person/famous person romance genre.

Does the thought of a spicy Huma Abedin//Harry Styles fanfic novella sound fun to you? If so, run, do not walk, to pick up this new romance.

Maya is a “political strategist” (politicos, you must suspend disbelief in order to enjoy this book) fresh out of a marriage that ended when her ex-husband cheated on her with a campaign intern. Charlie is a retired boybander turned fashion designer ready to launch a solo career. And he’s decided Maya (who used to run the fandom dedicated to his former boyband) is the only one who can help him write this new chapter.

So cheesy. But it works! Really well! I read this in one day, wished it was twice as long, and immediately recommended it to three friends.

*Highly* recommend.

This dream of a book is short and sweet and I cannot recommend it enough. Politics and boy band crushes?? Say less. However, it’s also a look at the discomfort of fame and treatment of women and their interests. I can’t wait to read more from this new publication. Thank you NetGalley and 831 stories for this delightful story. Highly recommend pre ordering!

Novellas tend to leave me with complicated feelings and Big Fan is no exception. I really loved reading about Maya's job and her connection to Charlie, but I wish there had been more build-up to their happily ever after.

I totally get the comparisons of The Idea of You meets Scandal. I didn't like The Idea of You, mainly because the MFC was dating someone her daughter has a crush on and was closer in age to her daughter, so I appreciated that Maya and Charlie didn't have that specific complication.

Dialogue felt real, conflict was perfect and not overdone. Enjoyed watching both main characters feel their way through a transitional life period and find each other at the end.

3.5! I really liked Maya’s character and her DC political life, but the ending came so quickly and felt abrupt. Maybe that means I really enjoyed it?! The rumors are true — it’s if “The Idea of You” and “Scandal” had a baby. Thanks to the folks at Netgalley for the early copy!

Holy smokes. Finished this divine novella in one sitting. Famous person/normal person romance at its FINEST. Love love loved. I cannot wait to read more from this author and new imprint. OBSESSED!

Holy smokes. Finished this divine novella in one sitting. Famous person/normal person romance at its FINEST. Love love loved. I cannot wait to read more about Maya and Charlie and read more titles from this new imprint.

4.5 stars. a sexy lil novella with "The Idea of You" vibes. Instead of an age difference and complicated mother/daughter dynamics, it's the protagonist's ruined reputation and political career that gets in the way. Very mature, realistic writing. I couldn't put it down!

Obviously I'm a smidge biased because I beta read for this book, but I soooo adored this story about a political strategist and an ex-boyband member. It's fun, it's tender, it's sexy (above all else). Need the spinoff for the side characters ASAP.

I loved this book, and I'm so excited to see what this publisher does next. This was a perfect contemporary romance - a quick but engaging read that was exactly what I needed to help me break a reading slump.

Maya is a successful political consultant - or she was, until her marriage imploded. Now, even though her husband was the one who cheated, her relationship's very public dissolution has made politicians wary of working with her, for fear that her social life will distract from her message. When she manages to land a job on the campaign for the next governor of Massachusetts, she vows that she won't let anything distract her from her professional success.

There's just one problem: Charlie Blake, former member of boy band Mischief, is ready to return to the spotlight with a solo album, and he wants Maya to help him. After all, who better than the woman who cofounded his first fan club? When they meet to discuss the opportunity, the business meeting is overshadowed by the sparking connection between them -- but Maya is committed to maintaining professional and protecting her job. Can she resist the attraction, or will her career go up in flames?

The chemistry between these two is off the charts. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this book - it's well-paced, and the spice is just right. I did want to scream at everyone who held Maya to impossible standards, especially her boss - as a female candidate, I wanted her to realize how unfair she was being with her employees! But aside from that injustice, this was an absolutely perfect little gem of a book - truly a treat to read, start to finish.

I'm so excited about this new imprint and can't wait to see what they do next!

so cute so sexy -- loved this politically charged, fun romp! it was a quick read with lots of tension made for the ao3 girlies

Big Fan by Alexandra Romanoff is an adult romance novella which follows Maya, a DC political consultant fresh out of a messy divorce, and Charlie, the former boy-band member returning to music. We follow as their paths can't help but intertwine, but it might come at a cost to their careers. I loved following these two characters trying to figure it all out. I wish there was a little epilogue as it came to an end too quickly! I have enjoyed Alexandra Romanoff's previous works, written under Zan Romanoff, including Grace and the Fever. Romanoff puts her boy band knowledge to good use here again. I recommend this short and sweet novella.