I don’t know if it was the narrator or just the tone of the book itself but it just wasn’t for me. The premise was interesting but the FMC’s attitude and overall demeanor didn’t sit right with me. I think ai stealing work is a valid concern, but if your attitude toward other authors is so bad you have no one on your side.. well it’s just not the kind of thing I wanted to continue reading.

This is one of those books that seems like it was written specifically for me. Reading this is the first time in a long time I felt the joy that I did when I first read The Bestseller by Olivia Goldsmith. That has always been my gold standard for soapy publishing books and this book not only meets that high bar but exceeds it in places. This is such a smart and intellectual book and if a man had written it we'd be talking about literary legacy and all of that. But it's fun and entertaining and one of those books you'll think about long after you finish reading it.

Romantic Friction by Lori Gold felt like a refreshing and clever take on the romance genre. Following Elle, a romance novelist grappling with writer's block, and Ethan, her no-nonsense editor, the story brims with witty banter, tension, and plenty of chemistry. The book's unique blend of humor and emotional depth kept me engaged, as Elle and Ethan navigate both their creative partnership and the undeniable spark between them. Gold masterfully explores themes of vulnerability, trust, and the challenges of balancing passion and professionalism. The meta aspect—romance blossoming amid the crafting of a romance novel—adds a fun, layered charm. If you enjoy sharp dialogue, a bit of spice, and characters who feel real and relatable,

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced reader copy.

When Sophie Wilde, a best selling romantasy author, finds herself upstaged by a self published writer Hartley West, she is annoyed. She becomes even more irate when she finds out that Hartley has used AI to write the book that is making others call her "the next Sophie Wilde." Sophie goes on an internet rant about the use of AI in creative writing pursuits and finds camaraderie with others writers who fear being replaced by AI and they work to take down authors like Hartley West.

The premise of this book sounded fun and funny. Unfortunately, it was neither. Sophie is immediately both unlikeable and uninteresting in her unlikeability. This was a book I just couldn't stick with.

Romantic Friction by Lori Gold follows Sofie Wilde, a bestselling fantasy romance author who’s final book of her popular series is about to be published and on top of that she’s headlining a big romance readers convention in Chicago. This is obviously a big deal for her and would’ve been an exciting next step in her career if it wasn’t for “the next Sofie Wilde” aka Hartley West.

Hartley is a self-published new author and the next big thing. They call her the next Sofie Wilde because she writes in the stype of Sofie, earily so. And that’s when Hartley confesses to having used AI to write her book. Instead of being flooded with animosity and scorn on social media, like Sofie expected, Hartley is being praised and admired. Unable to believe this Sofie loses it and goes on a rant that inadvertently goes viral which eventually leads to her slowly losing any support she had. She starts working together with a few of her fellow authors to take Hartley down.

I’ll start with the positive. I loved how the story was very much set in the book community world with reader conventions and book signings, which as a reader in the book community for quite a while it felt really familiar to me. I also liked the commentary in this book about people using AI and usuing other authors’ writing style to write books. It’s a very timely topic and personally I’m very much against using AI in this kind of way, even for creating book covers. I enjoyed thinking about creativity and how can we safeguard authors and the book community in general from AI.

Where I started to lose the story a bit was with the character of Sofie herself and when it all took a rather silly yet alarming turn, in a criminal kind of way. Sofie wasn’t a likable character at all. But I also don’t think she is supposed to be likable so I don’t feel super bad about not liking her. She did have some growth eventually but not enough for me to really enjoy reading about her. Also, the turn that the story took was rather unexpected. Even bothering on the criminal and I just couldn’t like this either. I think it could’ve been funny but it just didn’t feel that way for me. Obviousy I’m not saying what happened because I don’t want to spoil it for potential reader. I just didn’t feel it, but I’m sure other readers will.

I really loved the description of this book but it took a really long time for me to get into it and it felt a little unrealistic. I like the idea of an author being called out for AI so it is a good concept, however, this book just wasn't for me. Thank you for the opportunity.

Thank you, Harlequin and Lori Gold, for the ARC.

Romantic Friction by Lori Gold is a gripping look at the intersection of creativity and technology. The story follows Sophie Wilde, a successful romantic fiction author, and Hartley West, an up-and-coming writer who idolizes Sophie. In a desperate attempt to make a name for herself, Hartley uses AI to write her latest book, programming it to mimic Sophie’s unique voice. The book becomes a hit, but it quickly raises questions about originality, ethics, and what it means to be an author.

What I really liked about Romantic Friction was how Gold writes—it kept me hooked. She does a great job of showing the tension between Sophie and Hartley, and the whole storyline feels relevant, especially with how AI is starting to play a part in creative work. The relationship between the two characters felt real and made me think about how far people will go to succeed.

That said, a few moments felt a little over-the-top and unrealistic, which took me out of the story for a bit. While the characters and themes are solid, there were some parts that just seemed a bit ridiculous.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend.

I loved all the romance trope chapter titles!

I kept thing what the hell is going on! The whole time I was reading this. Something that can be a bad thing but with this book it was a good thing!

okay this book was interesting! unfortunately i don't think this book was for me, not really a fan of the plot, the use of AI, and the plot twist. the writing was decent and im looking forward to more by this author. thank you netgalley!!!

I went into this one blind, not reading the description, and it was not at all what I expected- in a really fun and surprising way!

Sofie Wilde is the reigning Romantasy Queen, releasing the last book in her overwhelming popular series, when rumblings about “the next Sofie Wilde” start making their way around the bookish social media community.

Hartley West is self publishing her first book and people are shocked and falling in love with her style, that feels so similar Sofie’s. When Hartley admits to using AI to mimic Sofie’s voice and a drunken rant of Sofie’s goes viral, everything starts changing for both women. People all over the publishing world are taking sides, some calling Harley a cheat, others saying she’s an innovator.

When Sofie and Harley end up at the same romance author’s convention, the tension erupts causing people from all over the industry to take sides and get involved.

This book is funny and thought provoking. I had just literally a few days ago had a big debate with my sister in law about AI use in publishing so this felt so timely. What a fun idea! And I loved that the characters were older-Sofie is approaching 50 which is an age that rarely gets written about.

I received this Advanced Readers Copy via NetGalley. It releases May 6, 2025.

I was not vibing with this book. I had no idea what was happening the entire time; it was very confusing. I felt like I was missing something or started in the middle of a book.

This is an ARC review. I want to thank Lori Gold and Harlequin Trade Publishing for allowing me the chance to read this book ahead of release day! However, I simply could not get into this book. It was hard to follow and I wasn’t able to connect with the characters. I DNF the book at the 25% mark. This is the first book in over a year I have DNF. I think my lack of connection had to do with the writing style. I truly loved the idea of the book and the blurb seemed like it would fit what I liked to read. Unfortunately, I think it had to do more of this books just wasn’t a good fit for me (maybe even just at this time).

I loved this! I orgonally picked it for the cover so I had no idea what to expect, but I quickly fell in love and coups put it down!

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.