This book was a bit of a surprise. I was expecting a typical romantic comedy, but it had a unique twist - the romance between writers and their books. The main character was a bit self-absorbed, which made it hard to root for them at times. But the protagonist was surprisingly clever and calculated, which made them a refreshing change. The book also explored the theme of women’s friendships, showing how it can be difficult to support others without comparing yourself to them. The way these characters manipulated each other was a masterclass in writing and acting. I’m definitely going to check out more books from this author.

Couldn’t get into the book. I loved the cover and the story concept was very interesting but the main character was just awful and irritating. I couldn’t stand her or her overuse of parenthesis.

*DNF at 25%

I was excited to read this book, but just really struggled to get into the story. I kept trying to pick it back up, but found that I was just not interested. I did not love the writing style and was frustrated by the premise of books written by AI being accepted by book people. Obviously lots of others enjoyed, just not for me.

*dnf
I don't think I'm the target audience for this book. Didn't love the writing style and the obscene amount of pop culture references in just the first few pages alone made it difficult to get into. I think the premise of the story sounds really interesting though and it seems that a lot of people enjoyed it

Just not for me

Romantic Friction has a fresh, timely premise with plenty of drama and sharp humor. The clash between a seasoned author and an AI-assisted newcomer makes for an interesting (and chaotic) ride. The industry talk is engaging but sometimes overshadows the emotional beats, making it feel more like a debate than a deep character-driven story. Still, it’s an entertaining read with some great moments—especially if you love behind-the-scenes publishing drama.

really good, as expected. i loved the thought put into it and the characters were really detailed and intricate, though at points the main event gets a little bit too overthetop and the discussion of AI I felt could have used more. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

This book is timely, full of heart and made me protective of authors, both fictional in this book, and real. AI is a scary threat to several industries and the idea of it taking a sprinkle of a story here, a sprinkle from another there, is infuriating and frightening all in the same breath. While AI doesn’t have *heart*, will readers care if the story is still good? For me, I hope not. But for others, perhaps so. It’s a terrifying thought. This book made me think, it made me angry and it also made me laugh. I enjoyed the MC narrative, her dry quick humor speaking to the reader and her interaction with others.

This book had an interesting concept, but the ending tore apart the initial setup for me. I think the plot raised some interesting dialogue and questions about using AI, especially in the literary world. However, I’m still not sure of the point the author was trying to make. The way that the readers embraced having an AI copy of a popular book series didn’t seem realistic to me. I liked that the main character had to wrestle with her distrust of others and that the ending helped her find a community of friends. I’d like to read some of the author’s other books to get a better understanding of her thoughts!

Romantic Friction is a delightful mix of chemistry and heart, offering a captivating love story with plenty of emotional depth. The characters are beautifully developed, and the romance unfolds in a refreshingly authentic way. A charming read for anyone who enjoys a passionate and heartfelt journey.

This book might have been marketed as Romance but for me it was more of a literary fiction as the book mainly deals with the question- if a person uses AI to write a book using another author's writing style, who will be called as a real writer or could that person call the AI generated work as their own??

I feel the characters could have given me a lot more than they give but this book revolved around all things AI diving into the question of current AI use and ethics and that is the only thing I liked about the book.

Lori Gold's latest is SO TIMELY! What happens when you use AI to copy another writer's works? This book asks such poignant questions about the value of art and the way AI now intersects with it. I was blown away!

A fun, frothy and kind of silly book about the book publishing world and what happens with AI--so it is very timely as well. My only critique is that I had a bit of a hard time telling some of the author characters apart.

I thought the plot sounded fascinating and in theory it was. I don’t believe main characters have to be likable but I do think they should be vulnerable at some point. The story got confusing and convoluted and though I do like the wrap up…did I? Thank you NetGalley for this arc.

Sofie Wilde, una autora de fantasía romántica, que está por publicar su décima y última novela, pero su éxito se ve amenazado por Hartley West, una escritora debutante que asegura haber usado IA para crear su obra, la cual resulta sorprendentemente similar a la de Sofie.

A medida que la controversia crece, Sofie lucha por su carrera y por el futuro de la creatividad humana frente a la tecnología. Este libro explora la fricción entre autores tradicionales y los nuevos métodos impulsados por IA, llevando al lector a un vertiginoso torbellino de intriga y humor ácido que destapa los secretos de la industria editorial.

Aunque la novela ofrece una reflexión sobre la originalidad y la ética en la era digital, a veces se siente más como un juego de suspenso que un análisis profundo. Los personajes son atractivos, aunque algunos, como Hartley, podrían haber sido más desarrollados. A pesar de ciertos momentos forzados, la obra sigue siendo entretenida y ofrece una visión única de un debate contemporáneo.


Gracias NetGalley por el ARC a cambio de una honesta opinión.

Romantic Friction es una novela que combina misterio, sátira y una reflexión profunda sobre la industria editorial, todo mientras cuestiona el impacto de la inteligencia artificial en el mundo de la literatura. La historia sigue a Sofie Wilde, una autora de fantasía romántica que está por alcanzar el hito de su carrera con la publicación de su décima y última entrega. Sin embargo, su éxito se ve amenazado por Hartley West, una autora debutante que afirma haber escrito su novela con ayuda de la IA, y cuyo trabajo resulta sorprendentemente similar al de Sofie.

A medida que la polémica crece, Sofie se ve envuelta en una batalla no solo por su carrera, sino por el futuro de la creatividad humana frente al avance tecnológico.
Romantic Friction explora la tensión entre autores tradicionales y los nuevos métodos impulsados por la IA, llevando a los lectores a un vertiginoso torbellino de intriga, conspiraciones, y un toque de humor ácido que pone en evidencia los entresijos de la industria editorial.

La novela ofrece una reflexión interesante sobre la originalidad, la creatividad y la ética en la era digital, aunque a veces se siente más como un juego de suspenso con giros sensacionalistas que como un análisis profundo del tema. Los personajes son atractivos, aunque algunos, como Hartley, podrían haberse desarrollado más. A pesar de algunos momentos forzados y la falta de una evolución más compleja en la trama, la obra sigue siendo entretenida y ofrece una mirada única a un debate actual.

Si eres un amante de los libros y te intriga el mundo editorial y el futuro de la literatura, *Romantic Friction* es una lectura que te mantendrá intrigado, aunque no todo el mundo pueda disfrutar de su estilo extravagante y a veces exagerado.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Romantic Friction has an interesting premise, but I personally struggled to connect with it. I found Sofie, one of the main characters, particularly off-putting, which made it hard for me to stay engaged. Neither Sofie nor Hartley really won me over, and that kept me from fully enjoying the story. However, readers who love a good frenemies dynamic might find this book right up their alley. The tension between the characters creates plenty of drama, and their back-and-forth banter will appeal to those who enjoy sharp, snarky dialogue. While it wasn’t for me, I think fans of messy, complicated relationships will enjoy the ride.

I really enjoyed getting to read this, it uses the premise perfectly and was engaged with what was going on in this world. Lori Gold was able to create a strong story and characters and loved the mystery element. The characters worked overall in this universe and was engaged with what was happening with the plot. It uses the mystery element perfectly and was hooked from the start.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing this book, with my honest review below.

I really enjoyed reading RomanticFriction was a super cute read. I entirely used to want to be an author until I realized how difficult it is to make a buck off the work that authors pour their entire lives into. This book helped solidify my decision to just stick to the reading 😂

Sophie Wilde did in fact make it in the writing world but worked her ass off for it. Then, a super fan basically shows how AI can take anything published and write it better. Similar…but better and who organized the AI work rose to instant popularity!

Throughout, Sophie reacts and takes action. That was the fun part. Very interesting read and I recommend!

Let me set the scene: a bestselling romantasy author, a suspiciously similar book, and an AI scandal that has the entire publishing industry clutching its pearls. Toss in a possible murder, a kidnapping, frenemies, and... alien worms... and you have Romantic Friction, a novel that reads like a publishing tell-all wrapped in a whodunit, with a dash of satire and a wink at the very industry it dissects. Lori Gold has written something truly original - equal parts mystery, satire, and industry roast.

The literary world is intrigued when Hartley says that her book, eerily similar to Sofie's, was AI-generated (also... how depressing). This forces Sofie into a reluctant battle not just for her career, but for the soul of publishing itself. What I found most disturbing what the terrifying possibility that readers might not actually care if their favorite books are written by a machine.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC!

The book offers an interesting premise as Sophie fights against the rise of AI-generated fiction, and more and more people accept AI’s presence in our lives. A lot of humor, suspense, and insight into the publishing world make this book a fun read. I really enjoyed the debate the novel tackles about creativity, originality, and the impact of technology on art. Sofie’s desperation and rage seem relatable, even as her actions veer into the over-the-top category. Hartley is an intriguing foil to Sofie as she argues that AI is just another artistic tool in our evolving societal toolkit. However, her character seems underdeveloped and more like a symbol of change than a lifelike character.

The novel is engaging, but I wasn’t as invested in it as I hoped. The pacing drags in places, and the side characters blur together without identifying features or attitudes. The humor is sharp but feels forced at times. The conflict plays out predictably but in a way that doesn’t show any character evolution. And while the book discusses a timely debate, it doesn’t dive deep enough into the ethical dilemmas of AI. Instead, it relies on an overdramatized, sensationalized approach.

Overall, Romantic Friction is well-written and discusses a very relevant issue in the publishing world, but the over-the-topness of it all wasn’t my cup of tea. If you like books about discussions on AI with a bit of a thriller vibe, this book might be for you.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.