I love celebrities, real and fictional, so this has a lot of my favorite tropes. I loved that our protagonists are older, both in their late thirties -- it allows them both to have established senses of self and careers outside of each other. It also made the events of the story a lot less cringey than I think it would be if they were younger. Nothing here is life changing or revolutionary - the plot is low stakes, the prose is forgettable. But it was a fun, quick read that I was able to finish in more or less an afternoon on the beach.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this eARC and the opportunity!

Readers who liked The Idea of You but had concerns about the age-gap will love Big Fan! In the novel retired boyband member, Charlie 🎤🎸, and politcal strategist, Maya 🗞📈, feel like they're on an even playing field. Despite the novel's short page count their flirtation and eventual romance never feels rushed. The pair feel grounded despite the novel's fanfic-like premise which is a huge accomplishment!

My only complaint is that I wish we would have gotten one or two more chapters and an epilogue to wrap things up a bit more. While the book doesn't feel incomplete, I would have enjoyed seeing a bit more from Charlie and Maya as they found their footing.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you to Alexandra Romanoff, Authors Equity, and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 🥰

THANK YOU!!! This was honestly so refreshing. Somehow the shortness of the book didn't stray away from any of the romance tropes, it really captured everything super well compared to other 300+ page novels. It could have been corny but immediately no, it was actually really nice seeing the development of the relationship and actual smart and communicative MMC. Thank you so much for having this out there and showing how well a romance book can be written.

Maya is a DC political strategist who, despite getting her candidate elected as President, is struggling to find work because her well-connected husband was caught bonking an intern. Charlie, is the former leader of Mischief, a boyband whom teenage Maya was co-founder of their fan forum. When Charlie asks Maya to help him launch a solo album sparks fly, but is Maya prepared to ignore them while she tries her own comeback in DC circles?

This was such a delightful novella. While its subject matter - former fan falls in love with teenage boyband crush - could easily be cringy parasocial fan fiction, what makes Big Fan stand out is its well-paced and plotted character development. Charlie was so delightful and thoughtful. Maya was also fun to watch as she reacquaints herself with her go-getting teenage self. I really loved that they had lovely banter and communicated with each other maturely. Charlie knew what he wanted and was clear about it with Maya, who was still fighting her heart and head.

I do think this could've done with an epilogue as it felt like the it ended too quickly. But honestly, this was just a lovely easy read and maybe I am just greedy for more. I hope to read longer fiction from this author.

Thanks to Authors Equity and NetGalley for the ARC.

"Big Fan" is a captivating novella that perfectly inaugurates the 831 Stories journey, curated by Claire and Erica, who undoubtedly have the best taste. This delightful story blends the world of high-stakes politics and the glitz of a comeback music career, creating a unique and engaging narrative.

The story follows Maya, a talented political strategist grappling with the fallout from her ex-husband's scandalous affair. As she attempts to restart her career and personal life, she unexpectedly meets her teenage crush, Charlie, the lead singer of a once-famous boy band. Charlie, looking to reignite his music career, seeks Maya's expertise, sparking a connection that is both professional and deeply personal.

Maya and Charlie's dynamic reminded me of the charming interplay between Sally and Noah in "Romantic Comedy," another favorite of mine. The banter and simmering tension between these mature, intelligent, and likable characters make for a refreshing romance. The novella's fast pace kept me engaged, although it did sacrifice some of the sexual tension that typically builds in longer romances.

One of the standout aspects of "Big Fan" is its portrayal of mature characters navigating new beginnings in their late thirties. Both Maya and Charlie are on journeys of self-discovery, learning to prioritize their own needs and ambitions over external pressures. This maturity, combined with the sexy and sophisticated narrative, makes the story incredibly relatable and enjoyable.

The novella also shines in its depiction of fandom culture. Romanoff masterfully captures the excitement and dedication of fans, adding a layer of realism to Maya and Charlie's relationship. The subplot involving Maya's past as a fan club president and Charlie's comeback tour is both nostalgic and heartwarming, enhancing the overall appeal of the story.

"Big Fan" is a breath of fresh air in the romance genre. It's a quick read that manages to create a compelling world, rich character dynamics, and a satisfying blend of political intrigue and Hollywood romance. Romanoff's ability to infuse the narrative with tension, yearning, and difficult choices in just 160 pages is commendable.

Overall, "Big Fan" is a delightful read that offers a perfect escape. It's a testament to Romanoff's talent and the curatorial prowess of 831 Stories. I eagerly anticipate what Romanoff has in store next and highly recommend this novella to anyone looking for a smart, sexy, and mature romance. Thank you to 831 Stories and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this gem.

I’m a big fan of this book! I wish it was longer, I would have loved to see more of them but I definitely and enjoyed the build up.

In Big Fan we follow Maya, a political strategist, who has just gone through a scandal with her ex husband and her teenage crush, Charlie. We watch Maya navigate starting over late in her career and how to choose herself over her work.

This book felt so mature and sexy. I loved that they were both restarting themselves in their late thirties and didn’t have it all figured out. Really loved the quote that the world doesn’t end when you think it will.

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this novella. I had first heard about it on Bad on Papers Podcast, and was immediately intrigued by the publishing agency and then the story. This was a PERFECT novella (probably the best one I've read). I have to say it, but they were better than the Novellas published by amazon this year by some of the most famous romance authors. Also, in the 160 pages, Romanoff created connection, difficult choices, tension, and yearning that made me want more! I also loved how it combined two unlikely industry (politics and boy bands).

Maya, a famous political campaign adviser, has just been put through the ringer. Her husband (also a famous politician), has just cheated on her with an intern and it was the talk of the town. Maya throws herself back into her work immediately as a must needed distraction, when she receives a phone call one day from a random number. The call was from Charlie, the main singer of a boy band (think NSYNC), which coincidentally Maya was the fan club president of. Charlie wants her to begin to help advise him on his new album/comeback tour. She agrees as long as he helps her with her current campaign. They agree to help one another and begin spending a lot of time together despite the distance and problems that keep coming between them They quickly begin to see if this connection they felt will allow them to embark on a lasting relationship.

3 ⭐️. What a fun, breezy romantic read. I really enjoyed how developed and dynamic these characters were in only ~150 pages. Definitely gave me big "Romantic Comedy" and "The Idea of You" vibes.

thank you to Netgalley & 831 Stories for an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely short romance to get you out of your reading slump. Sort of like a cheesy fanfiction but for mature adults with jobs who still fantasize about their favorite boyband member.

A fairly straightforward, well-written romance. It could have used an extra 50 pages or so of relationship building—it went by so fast it was hard to be very invested in the central relationship. Dual POV might have helped.

Gets a lot (but not all) of the DC details right.

Interested to read more from this author and 831 stories.

This was the breath of fresh air I needed. A MC that’s smart, capable and with a grounded world and background that doesn’t feel like an exposition dump? A LI that’s believable and charming and yet so completely enthralled with the MC in a realistic way? I was immediately gripped by the world that was created and the set up is so delicious; combining the high stakes political game of DC with a dash of Hollywood secret romance makes this feel like it was created in a lab specifically for me.

My only complaint is how sudden the ending is. I despise the romance-genre convention of giving a one chapter epilogue that ties up every loose end and leaves absolutely no mystery to what will come but I had to do a triple take when I realized that it ended. It’s only a complaint, because of how much more I wanted. Even the typical “third act breakup” didn’t feel contrived and so much of what’s in here feels real to a person who has actually been in fandom spaces before (the following alone of fans uncovering someone’s identity in real time was masterful).

This was such a great quick read. I loved every minute and look forward to whatever Romanoff has next.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an eARC.

Short and entertaining story.
This book is for all the fanfic readers, someone please make this into a movie.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was refreshing to see author portray fmc independent, smart and talented. Someone who has more than one braincell(iykyk).

the novella of my fangirl dreams!!

the boy band references made my one direction heart skip a beat and the (semi) forbidden relationship aspect was very fun! all around a very cute, sexy, short story!!

special thanks to NetGalley and 831 Stories for providing me with an ARC of this book!

While professionally recovering from the aftermath of her ex-husband’s affair, Maya, a political consultant, gets a surprise request from Charlie, a former member of a boy band for whom Maya ran a fan club as a teenager. When trying to negotiate a professional relationship, Maya and Charlie unexpectedly start to negotiate a different kind of relationship. Big Fan has a lot of heart and some great big ideas (more people should want UBI programs) that I think will be important for readers to know about in our current political environment. I was surprised by the length—I always want books I like to go on longer but I think this could be a few chapters longer. This is a quick read for anyone who needs a light, smart romance but only has an afternoon or needs an immediate pick me up after their Idea of You hangover.

- [ Witty, humorous in the dark kind of a woman scorned and in the upper echelons of a career could possibly fathom. Something that every feminist strives for, yet hates when it’s arrived, but thanks god they came armed with an arsenal of politically correct jabs that reinforce a strong kill, regardless of who died a social death first.
- Within the first two chapters I knew that Maya is, by far, the only fictional (debatable) champion that I will bet all of my money on in the ring.
- Every millennials dream come true on getting attention from their childhood boy band crush
-Big Fan would be a great fit for someone who's in the mood to read something inspiring, light-hearted, emotional, funny, reflective, hopeful, and/or relaxing.
-Fast-paced and character driven
-Diverse characters

First and foremost, I need to directly ask the author what their Wattpad username is. Because as a former fanfic writer myself, I know one when I see one. This was a lot of fun! My ex-fangirl heart loved this ex-fangirl-turned-lover story about a political strategist getting a real shot at love with her former teenage idol. It was short and sweet, Red White and Royal Blue meets Funny You Should Ask (two of my favorite contemporary romance novels). Fan/celebrity romance stories are understandably unhinged, but I eat them up every single time. I just wish it was a bit longer, would’ve loved to see the romance bud a little more.

Love how this book breaks free of the romance monotony without being ridiculous or too cheesy. My biggest complaint is simply the topical references, which can quickly age a book in my opinion. Otherwise really enjoyed!

I heard about this book on the Bad on Paper podcast and ANY book that is compared to The Idea of You gets a read from me automatically. This is a super short book, only about 180 pages, about Maya, a political strategist trying to calm her life down after a high profile divorce. When her high school boy band celebrity crush reaches out to her for help on his comeback album, things get steamy. Basically, TIOY without the age gap, and a third of the length. Short books are sometimes good but I feel like this really could have benefitted from more pages, as the romance didn't feel very deep and I knew more about the political campaign in the book than the actual characters...but fun nonetheless.

I am not typically a fan of romance books so take this review with a grain of salt but… I was not a fan of Big Fan. The plot sounded like a more mature version of fan fiction but came off more like regular fan fiction. The plot was very high level and we didn’t learn much about any of the character. It was a very quick read but not one I’ll be going back for.

The writing is the book was great. I just wanted more of it. Maya is a political consultant who was in the center of a recent scandal. Her now ex husband cheated on her with a campaign intern (on a senator’s desk no less). Maya is turning it around though. She is working for a cause she believes in with a new candidate (kudos to Ms Romanoff for the compelling argument for universal basic income). But then a childhood crush, Charlie appears in her life. She was the president of a fan club for his boy band when they were both in their teens. He is staging a comeback and wants her help. She has to stay out of the spotlight to be a good political operative. The journey to get to the HEA is compelling. But it arrives with very little space for how this could be a lasting relationship. Perhaps the characters are too rooted in reality. I desperately wanted an epilogue. (I read an ARC, so maybe there is one there now). But all and all a fun read, I just wanted a little more