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.

This was a fun romp that used commentary about the publishing process. For readers who feel strongly about the adoption of machine constructs in the creation of art, and the learning process of such constructs, this book will be a big hit. It's fun, has a few ridiculously entertaining and at the same time crazy plot points. Combine this with a protagonist who has many shades to her personality (which I did not figure out, which was good for a change), it kept me reading just another chapter. A nice adventure that is based on some timely discourse.

Full review to come.

What a unique story, and I mean that in the best way!!

Can you use AI to write a story based on someone else’s work and call it your own? This was an absolute blast to read. I truly found myself unable to put it down, with the little twists along the way!

Romantic Friction - follows THE Sophie Wilde, and the up and coming Hartley West. The novel poses the interesting question - can you use AI to write a novel, based on someone else's writing style and call it your own (art)?

The novel follows Sophie Wilde and her group of fellow authors as they navigate this new path. What is really writing? What is truly a person's art? How important are editors? Will AI change the entire publishing world forever? Could AI in the future just write novels (even without the assistance of a person prompting them)?

The convention was unique, and I could see that being something that authors strive to be (the keynote, especially over a new up and coming author who used AI). However, the story did take a turn after that, which made it interesting, and added more friction to the story.

Thank you NetGalley and MIRA publishing for my ARC.

This read made me appreciate authors/writers more🫶🏽 I had fun experiencing the emotions of the characters and reading the backstage work Authors do to give us readers these amazing reads. Sofie is so relatable and funny, and a bit anti-social (which I can relate to😂)

With AI being such a big topic in the book world, I really was interested in this element of the book! It gave this story a great added layer and I enjoyed it.

I love this! The author skewing modern day authors and the Current controversy about using AI to write their novels like cowards. Absolutely loved it and the message Lori was sending.

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

Romantic Friction was a mix of different genres and ideas coming together, giving the reader a mystery to work through but also posing questions about authors and AI in writing as well as tearing down the publishing industry as much as possible. It’s unlike any other book I’ve read recently and I found it both fascinating and like I was eavesdropping on a savage gossip session.

Sofie Wilde is our guide through the story, a bestselling romantasy author of a highly popular series, she’s about to reach some career milestones with the release of her last book in a series and is eager to start crossing into other genres. All that is shot when a newcomer author, Hartley West, is given a platform inadvertently by Sofie herself, claiming her novel which is eerily similar to Sofie’s series was written by AI. I’d like to think in the ‘real world’ this would be summarily torn down, but in this fictional one Hartley is disproving that readers would care all that much about an AI takeover. That means Sofie, her frenemies, and indeed all other authors have a lot to worry about if Hartley continues her rise to the top - at their expense. Initially this is how the story starts but we have plenty of twists, with kidnapping and maybe even murder on the horizon, eccentric characters and alien worms, and plenty of behind the scene savage takes on the publishing industry as a whole - and the state of AI.

I enjoyed this for its differences and for the questions it posed as well as the frankly fun adventure it was all wrapped up in. If you’re a bookworm and are curious about an inside take on the book world, I think you’d find this endlessly fascinating. And if you’re not especially but like unique stories, this should be a good time.

The premise is compelling and thought provoking! A bestselling author feels her livelihood is threatened by a new self-published author whose writing feels eerily similar to her own.

Ultimately, I found this to be a bit too frantic and found the romantic subplot to be confusing and potentially detracting from the interesting central storyline and face-off between two authors. Still, I appreciated the conversations the story raises about the evolving technology, artificial intelligence, and future of publishing.

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

This was such an interesting concept and I think it was executed really well as well! Definitely brought up some interesting conversation starters as it relates to AI and would make a really good pick for a book club! I really enjoyed the writing, story and characters! Bravo! Will definitely be reading more by this author in the future!

Ohhh, loved this book about writers and the challenges that AI brings to them in the publishing world. The author is very insightful and the book entertained me. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This story follows an author who used AI to write a book in the style of another author (and the backlash of that).

As an artist and human being with basic human decency, I am incredibly anti-AI. This book is a massive discussion on AI, the ethics of it and what it means to the creative fields to use AI. If that interests you at all, I would recommend you check this book out.

I did wish that the characters gave me a bit more, they weren't that interesting or engaging to me.

And this definitely reads very literary fiction, so keep that in mind if that's not a tone you particularly enjoy.

I can definitely see there being a big audience for this book, even if it's not exactly my thing.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

Dnf 51% in. This was a really fascinating concept but about 40% in the story goes in a direction I just found so silly.

Also, this is a story of a debut author using AI to write a book and readers seem ok with it and from being in the book community, I know for a fact most if not all readers are just ok with it. A book site like Goodreads just got roasted and toasted for using AI and it was all collectively looked upon as bad.