Member Reviews

Thank you RB media for this amazing audiobook! I loved this story soooo much

Rosie is a romance writer—she loves reading, writing, and living romance. Always happy and chasing her New York dream 🗽, her life takes a turn because of Aiden. Aiden, the fiction writer in her class, seems to hate romance, especially hers. He’s always critiquing her work, stern with everyone, but particularly mean to her.

Rosie decides to stand up for herself and voice her thoughts about his sad fiction. Their arguments quickly become the highlight of the class and a sort of foreplay neither Rosie nor Aiden can stop, until they’re forced to write a romance together—without a happy ending. 📚

I was super excited to start this book; I absolutely love the enemies-to-lovers trope, especially when they’re forced to work together. This book is really entertaining, and I loved how Rosie and Aiden started to communicate through their inconvenient assignment.

I appreciated that we never get Aiden’s direct POV, but we can understand him fully through the character Hunter.

The third-act breakup? I saw it coming a mile away and knew why and how it would happen, but the author executed it so perfectly that I cried. I felt so much for both Rosie and Aiden—it was just perfect. 😢

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This was such a cute story! Very cute enemies to lovers story with some stubborn and feisty main characters. I liked the premise of this book a lot with how the writing of their book mixed with their own stories. A quick read with some steam. Thanks Netgalley for the audiobook ARC, the narration was well done too! Congrats to Katie Holt for a great debut novel!

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Ohhhhh my gosh! Why didn’t anyone tell me that this book would make me feel this much!! 100/10 recommend this book! I wasn’t sure about the accent of the FMC when she’s walking to another character but i honestly don’t care that’s how much I loved this!!

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I have just one problem with this book: Katie Holt is a debut author, so I don’t get to bring everything surrounding her for the next month. Like, how is she a debut author when this book is so fucking good?! I’m literally in awe.

This book reminds me a bit of “Beach Read’ but wholly its own & original as hell. I love the creative liberties the author takes, and I’m deeply in love with Aiden Huntington.

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4.75 ⭐️

First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this audiobook. 😊

I've been wanting to read this book for a while, and I was not disappointed. The story was incredibly realistic and captivating, to the extent that I found myself unable to stop listening. 🎧 It was one of those books that had me exclaiming aloud, engaging in conversations with the characters, and urging them to take action. JUST GO ON AND KISS HER ALREADY!!!🔥

The slow-burn progression from enemies to lovers was well written, and just when I believed the happy ending had been reached, I realized that I was only halfway through the book!

Rosie and Aiden have such an intense relationship, and the only part that I did not like (and why I docked 1/4 star) is during the sex scenes when he was calling her a "good girl." I don't know, maybe it's the feminist in me, but it just feels a bit condescending and derogatory. I personally do not like being called that, but that's just me. I also thought it didn't seem to fit with the story or Aiden's personality either.

The narration as well is probably one of the best I've listened to recently. I really liked her inflections and how she made the reader actively listen.

What did others think? Did you love it as much as me!? I'm definitely going to put this on my Christmas wishlist to buy, though!

#enemiestolovers #bookstagram #booklover #bookreview #audiobook #ARC #NotinMyBook #NetGalley

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What a fun listen!!! This book definitely gave me those "Hating Games" and "Beach Read" vibes that were promised in the blurb! The chemistry, the banter, the romance—it all just clicked. I would absolutely recommend this to all my romance reader friends.

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Loved this one so much!!! A fantastic debut novel!! I feel in love with the characters and read this in under 48 hours because it captivated my attention so quickly!

I am always a fan of any book that is a love letter to the romance genre! Rosie was a sweet character who stood firmly for what she felt strongly about! Aiden’s backstory is going to make you weepy! I loved watching Rosie + Aiden’s relationship flourish and grow as they are forced to be near each other!

Supportive friends, academic rivals to lovers, banter, and forced proximity!

Give me a 10 Things I Hate About You vibe at the end!!!

Thankful to NetGally, Alcove Press, Katie Holt, and Dreamscape Productions for the advanced copy!

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This debut novel was an academic rivalry with slow burn spice, dramatics, and a satisfying HEA. I found that the further I got into the story, the more smooth and comfortable the writing felt. By the end, it seemed that the author had really found more of their voice. I did find the added excerpts to be a bit disjointed and confusing at first, but I think that a) that’s the nature of framework storytelling and b) had I been looking at a physical or digital book I wouldn’t have necessarily felt that same way. With that said, the narration was done really well and I felt that the voice actor’s performance added to the characters.

Congratulations to author Katie Holt on a fun debut novel.

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Thank you Netagalley and RB Media for my gifted ALC.

I love bookish banter and this Rivals-to-lovers story with two literary students was pretty fun!

Rosie loves all things Romance and Aiden writes literary fiction. They don't see eye-to-eye on anything and the arguing and critiques in the workshop had gotten so bad the Professor forces them to write a novel together or withdraw from the class. They agree on a cease-fire for the project and start going on "pretend dates" to help write the building of their character's relationship.

Rosie and Aiden share a Google doc to write the novel with a dual POV. As a joke Rosie named the MMC after Aiden in a way and Aiden named the FMC after Rosie in a way. It became a way for them to write their broken pieces into the story and a safe place to share why they did what they did. They wrote the spicy scene together over the document and it was... steamy (haha)!

The multicultural aspects were a fun part of the story and Rosie's family showing up unannounced was so fun!

I didn't love how Rosie handled a few situations, but overall for a debut novel - this was great!

The audio narrator did a good job!

Romance Content: It's Open-door - can't remember how many

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Thank you Netgalley and rb media for the free ALC. My opinions are being left voluntarily. I am loving all these mfa books and this was was so well done. I enjoyed the banter the enemies to friends to lovers. I felt that the mention of him buying seemed a tad too much and imbalance in power. Overall really good audiobook.

4.5/5☆

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Not in My Book was a very enjoyable audiobook. The narrator is easy to listen to.

This is a slow burn, enemies to lovers troupe because, it is not straight forward in that most predictable way. At first, I found the squabbling between Rosie and Aiden annoying but once I overlooked that I was invested in both of them as their story unfolded. I loved that their story was weaved through the writing of a book. There are some pretty spicy scenes which might not be for everyone. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley, Katie Holt and RB Media for the opportunity to preview this fun title and the opinions shared are my own.

Not in My Book is expected to be released on Dec. 10, 2024 just in time for holiday gift giving!

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4⭐️ This book was EVERYTHING. Think The Hating Game vibes mixed with the emotional depth of Beach Read and it totally delivered. Rosie and Aiden’s enemies to lovers chemistry is off the charts and I was hooked from their first snarky exchange in the writing workshop. The banter was hilarious. The tension was deliciously slow burn. And don’t even get me started on the steamy scenes sprinkled into their co-written novel. I may or may not have reread those parts.

Katie Holt perfectly balances humor, heart, and cultural exploration in this debut and I loved how Rosie’s Peruvian American identity added so much depth to her character. Aiden is your classic grumpy writer with hidden layers and honestly I fell for him right alongside Rosie.

If you’re into swoon worthy rom-coms with all the feels, Not in My Book is a must read. Huge thanks to RBmedia and Katie Holt for the advanced copy. I cannot wait for everyone to experience this gem when it releases December 10.

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Not in My Book was a delightful romance story and an even better audiobook experience. It took me some time to get used to Frankie Corzo's voice, but once I did, I discovered a new audiobook narrator I could return to!

The book blurb describes it as "The Hating Game meets Beach Read in this sexy and hilarious contemporary romance from a debut Peruvian-Tennessean voice" and I can confirm that it delivers on that premise. Perhaps the premise was Beach Read, as Emily Henry fans would understand, but the vibes were amazingly Book Lovers-esque. The best way to explain this to a layperson is that people with literary careers develop empathy for each other, and learning more about each other is paving the way for them to fall in love, with a happy ending guaranteed.

It has all the components of good romance books: it is replete with favourite tropes (enemies-to-friends, forced proximity, grumpy meets sunshine, friends to lovers, fake relationship, opposites attract...in gigantic or minuscule whiffs, but an abundance of tropes nonetheless. The tropes don't feel forced, though, which is great because Adrian and Rosie are just as strong as individual characters as they are as a couple.

The book has so much heart, so much humour, so many endearing characters — I find myself hoping Katie had just as much writing it as we had reading it.

What I see is a book that will delight readers, and avid consumers of the genre will find comfort in their favourite tropes, the fine balance between the familiarity and the novelty that comes with the storytelling for this audience.

I think Katie might well become my next favourite author of the genre!

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OMG, this book was an absolute delight and had me squealing, swooning, and grinning like a fool! 😍 Not in My Book by Katie Holt is hands down the feel-good romance of the year! Huge shoutout to the queen of witty banter herself, Katie Holt, RBmedia, and NetGalley for the audiobook ARC! Frankie Corzo’s narration? Chef’s kiss! 🎙️💋 Listening to this 10-hour-and-30-minute masterpiece felt like being wrapped in a cozy, heartwarming hug. Also, can we just appreciate the genius of those book excerpts at the end of each chapter? They added so much extra magic to the story! ✨ This gem releases on December 10, 2024, so set your alarms and grab your highlighters because you DO NOT want to miss out! 📅


✧ Enemies to Lovers 💘
✧ Forced Proximity 💗
✧ Opposites Attract ⚡
✧ Slow Burn 🔥
✧ Book Within a Book 📖
✧ Rivals to Lovers 🥊
✧ Fake Dating (yes, a thousand times YES) 💕
✧ It’s Always Been You 😭
✧ Writer Romance Vibes ✍️

Rosie and Aiden? Absolute PERFECTION. 💕 Rosie is your sunshine-y Peruvian-American romance writer, a die-hard Swiftie, and an all-around dreamer extraordinaire. 🌞 Meanwhile, Aiden? Oh, he’s the ultimate broody, grumpy, “romance is beneath me” literary fiction writer who had me swooning with his too-cool-for-love attitude. 🖤 Watching these two polar opposites butt heads and eventually fall HARD for each other? Pure serotonin. ✨ The tension? Off the charts. 📈 The banter? Sharp as a knife. ⚔️ The slow burn? Agonizing in the BEST way possible. 🔥🔥

And let’s talk about the New York winter setting. ❄️ It was like stepping into a magical, Hallmark-level dreamscape. From glittering holiday lights to cozy frozen hot chocolates at Serendipity, the entire vibe was nothing short of enchanting. 🏙️☃️ The way their co-writing project doubled as a battlefield for their feelings? BRILLIANT. Those steamy scenes they "accidentally" wrote together? 🫠🔥 Yeah, I had to pause just to scream into my pillow.

Bonus love: The “book within a book” twist with Maxine and Hunter? SO GOOD. 💕 Their story was a beautiful parallel to Rosie and Aiden’s, and every time they showed up, my heart did little happy dances. But let’s be honest, Rosie and Aiden’s dynamic was the true MVP here. 💖

FINAL VERDICT:
This book is EVERYTHING: heartfelt, hilarious, cozy, steamy, and utterly satisfying. If you’re a sucker for swoon-worthy romance, next-level banter, and characters who feel like your besties, RUN to add this to your TBR. 🏃‍♀️📚 Katie Holt, I’m officially your biggest fan, and I cannot wait to see what brilliance you give us next! 🙌 Thank you for this absolute gem! 💎💕

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3.75⭐️
I thought this was really unique of
Having two writing students have to team up and write a book together despite having very different genres that they write.
In all it’s a book within a book where they basically write their own story.

I listened to the audio ALC which I think made me enjoy it more so than had I read the physical book. It was very entertaining and I enjoyed listening to them fall in love.
It was very much a “hallmark” type story however like the ones on Netflix instead . You know the ones that have a little more “meat on the bone” type.

I did speed it up to 1.75x to listen quickly as there were parts that dragged a bit and were repetitive as well as predictable. But it held my attention and was enjoyable.

I am thankful to have gotten an audio ALC for free from Netgalley and Recorded Books to enjoy which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.
The title comes out on Dec 10, 2024
My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

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Not in My Book is a dynamic collaboration for Katie Holt’s debut novel, and narrator Frankie Corzo..
I listened to the audiobook over a period of two days and cheered each stage of the characters relationship. Rosie is a relatable, hardworking grad student in NYC, pinching every penny to make life work. I could relate to “always having money for romance books”! Aiden was the perfect match to counter Rosie’s romantic spirit. Their forced proximity to write a novel grew my desire to see how the two of them found their HEA, As they moved from enemies, to friends, and ending as lovers. The conflict to their HEA was built well, and I ended the book with laughter. Looking forward to more books by Holt in the future,.

#notinmybook
#netgallery

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It was a two for one romance, the MCs are forced to write a novel together after getting into one too many arguments class. They write characters slightly based on each other, which we get excerpts in the beginning of each chapter. Gives a lot of fictional life imitates art vibe.
Has everything that makes a great enemies to lovers story, banter, slow burn, witty and very angsty. It was extremely HOT when they individually wrote in the same document at the same time, that very spicy scene while also talking on the phone. Also that third act breakup really hurt deep so be prepared.It reminded me of Julie Soto’s “Forget Me Not”, the writer’s version.

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4.5⭐️ Coming December 10th! There is something special to me when I read a book where the main characters are authors. This had all the tension, banter, forced proximity, and so many swoon worthy moments. Loved the narration my @frankie.corzo. The tense moments were so well portrayed, and I couldn’t help be feel it all.

Rosie and Aiden can’t help but verbally battle at every turn in their writing workshop. Their professor has had enough and they are to the point of being kicked out of the class. Unless, they can write a book together. Their butting heads are the only problem. Rosie writes romance and Aiden writes fiction literature. While these two genres can go beautifully together, Rosie and Aiden will have to put some differences aside. As they write a chapter at a time, they slowly learn more about one another. Could Rosie still find that spark of attraction she had during Aiden’s first reading? Can Aiden learn to open up and be less harsh?

Thank you so much for the advance listener copy of Not in My Book @netgalley, @readinromance, and @r__bmedia

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Disclaimer: Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for approving me to listen to the advanced copy of the audiobook. All opinions my own.

Katie Holt!! You’re a debut author?!? My goodness this is such a good debut, also so good if it wasn’t a debut. I was hooked from the beginning to the end.

This book is enemies to lovers at its finest. Rosalinda and Aiden are MFA students in NYC and they don’t get along, BUT THEN they are assigned to write a romance book together. They flirt through their writing of the characters in their own book. Brilliant! Steamy! Sweet!

The blurb on this book doesn’t lie about being for fans of the Hating Game and Beach read. If you loved those, this is a book for you!

Spice alert: While this book has a great plot and great character development, it’s bringing the spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️.

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I wanted to love this, it came so highly recommended to me, but unfortunately it was just fine. I’m wondering if maybe it being in audio format made it not as enjoyable. I definitely struggled with the book excerpts of their writing. One, in audio it was really difficult to discern, especially with the names being so similar, what was in the book and what was happening. This would’ve been a much bigger issue if the book was that different, but the excerpts just felt redundant since they were using the same exact dialogue. The ending fell extremely flat for me as well. Aiden did not redeem himself in my eyes. As an avid romance reader, hearing the MMC constantly berate her about her writing was really disappointing. Every single time they argued, he jumped to insulting her work, and never once truly apologized for it. It was hard for me to believe he had any respect for her craft by the end of the book, I was just left thinking she deserved better.
Now let’s talk about what I liked. The concept of the book worked really well for me, and I genuinely enjoyed about 70% of the book excerpts the Christmas Eve scenes were really heartwarming. I really enjoyed the domestic parts of the book and them being together. I loved seeing them admit things to each other and be vulnerable in their writing, it’s not often we get a good look at the craft side, and what they’re actually working on, and I really enjoyed getting to see the different ways they learned to work together. Overall, I had a good time, but I wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way to recommend.

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