3.5 ⭐

ARC Review.

I loved the premise of this book, two people in love with the same book having the opportunity to write an adaptation about it was perfect. I do wish we had some chapters included from the original book so we as readers could see how both characters had adapted the story.

I will say although this is an enemies to lovers they were lovers a lot sooner into this book than I thought they would be. I would have also loved to have seen more of Estelle's and Gary's relationship so that we got to fall in love with that as well.

The story gets an extra half star because the ending was a lot stronger for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This story takes you on a book journey with two aspiring authors Mo and Wes who end up vying for approval for their own adaptations of a famous book and only one book will be published. Mo and Wes are complete opposites in many ways and as the rivalry grows so does their attraction to each other. This story has a little bit of everything as we learn whose book will adapted. It was well written and kept me invested however I did find the beginning a little slow but still thoroughly enjoyed it!

As you can probably tell by now I’m a huge enemies to lovers fan, and an even more huge fan of books that are actually enemies to lovers which this was!

While it was slow in some parts towards the middle it really sped up pacing wise. If anything my only critique was that the conflict seemed to be resolved a little too fast for my liking. But again that’s a personal opinion so if you don’t mind that you’ll love the book!

would like to firstly say thank you to netgalley and the publisher for sending me the e-arc copy of this book.

a sweet fluffy romance is always a must for me, and i really did enjoy this book.

It did take me a little long to get hooked but i believe this was not the books fault but mine as i am heavily into fantasy reads at the moment.

I enjoyed the story, and the fact both of them was writers and could almost understand each others love languages in the end.

Rivals to lovers is the first romance novel of author Rachel Mans McKenny who writes under the pseudonym of Elise Wayland. The story is about two aspiring authors, Mo and Wes, who are competing for the chance to publish their adaptation of a classic novel.

I always think it's kinda dorky how many authors make their main characters an aspiring author and usually it is not really integral to the story. However this plot with our rival authors was well-thought out and very entertaining. The prose was (like Mo's) quiet and soft. I found it a refreshing one for a romance book.
The main characters were generally really likeable. Wes is unlike a typical MMC of a Romance and I immediately liked him immensely. He is really a Soft Boi and must be protected. Unfortunately for me, around the 70/75% I disagreed with and disliked how the FMC behaved and it gave me a bit of an ick. I still really enjoyed reading this book.

Rated 3.5 stars.
Thank you Alcove Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

Admittedly, this book took a few chapters for me to get into, but once it really got going, I loved the characters and the story. The story was unique—two authors competing for the rights to publish a retelling of a Great Gatsby era book, but surprise surprise they are attracted to each other and fall for each other.

As far as the romance for this book goes, I did really like how it developed—they truly started as rivals and then moved onto friends, and later lovers, and I loved how each of these stages went. I thought that Mo and Wes’s relationship and rapport was very natural, although it had a few bumps in the road. They really embodied the whole “yes I like your body, but also your mind. A lot”. Which I loved.

Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Now, I struggled to get through this book. I don’t know if it’s just because I didn’t connect to the characters or the storyline or what, but it took me far longer than I thought to read this book. Unfortunately I didn’t feel the need to pick up the book during my free time until maybe the last 60 or so pages. I’m a big rivals/enemies to lovers trope reader which drew me to read the book and I just felt like there weren’t enough ups and downs that comes with being rivals. The ending was very cute with the “romantic-gesture” ordeal which gave it the bonus star making it a 3/5 instead of the initial 2/5 I was going to give it.

Elsie Wayland's "Rivals to Lovers" delivers a charming, take on the classic trope, Rivals to Lovers, but with a delightful bookish twist. The central conflict revolves around Wes and Mo, vying for the coveted adaptation rights to the classic, "The Proud and the Lost." There's love, loss, and lots of banter along the way, but can Mo and Wes put their competition aside to see where their relationship will take them?

What elevates this novel beyond a simple rivals-to-lovers story is the genuine passion Wayland imbues into her characters' discussions about literature. It's clear the author has a deep affection for the world of books, and this shines through in the characters' shared knowledge and enthusiasm. These moments of witty banter are where the story truly sparkles, showcasing the characters' depth.

Ultimately, "Rivals to Lovers" is a pleasant and entertaining read, particularly for those who appreciate a good dose of bookish banter. The dynamic between Wes and Mo is engaging, and their shared passion for "The Proud and the Lost" creates a dynamic foundation for their relationship.

A sweet and satisfying romance story.

I love a story set in the world of books and writing. I found this - as most romance novels - predicatable. But I loved the end and I enjoyed the journey to get there.

Both writers, Mo and Wes will fight for the rights for the adaptation they wrote a few years ago.,
This book starts with a good premise but in my opinion felt a little bit too slow.. I couldn’t connect with the characters and the characters and plot felt flat ..

Thanks to author, Alcove Press and NetGalley for this Arc

Thank you, Netgalley, for this book in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not certain if it was because I just got done with a book series that was amazing and had me ready for more, but this book did not do it for me. I really like the enemies to lovers trope, but this one took a while to finish, and even then, I had to force myself to read it.

Wes and Mo, I feel weren't rivals for too long, and the story just kind of dragged on. It felt more like Mo was just constantly angry with Wes for something or another, and Wes was just trying to get in her good graces again after doing something to upset her.

I enjoyed this title about two smart writers in competition of having their manuscript about the same topic published. It was full of banter, mystery, romance, and more. Wayland has a way with words! It moved at a pace to my liking and I blew through this story. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A cute enemies to lovers book! The two main characters are writing a witty retelling of the same classic story and the results are dramatic, entertaining, and engaging.

Sometimes you come across someone that you continue to cross paths with even when it is uncomfortable. This story shows that happening and how the transformation of the characters progresses with the story.

Rounding up from a 2.5 stars because I liked the premise and I think it showed a lot of promise.
Part of the main reason I didn’t love this book might be just personal preference.
I’m not super into third person, it feels impersonal and I have a hard time getting into the characters and the book feels a lot longer than I think it needs to be.

I expected a lot more rivalry, but by the time they got together, we still had 70% of the book left and I was kind of like what the heck are we gonna be reading now they’ve already stopped being rivals and so it just kind of felt a book about how to adult struggled to talk to each other for hundreds of pages.

I think I would call this more of a modern romance, not necessarily a romcom because I didn’t really find myself laughing out loud.

3.5/5

I felt the need to round up my rating for this debut author and (although not necessarily my all-time favorite) this multi-faceted love story. As a bookish person and avid book lover, I found the book world setting lovely. Publishers, editors, agents, short-stories, submissions with acceptance and rejections, it was all very fascinating and woven in to the story very well. The power dynamics that were lightly discussed, but applicable and poignant in multiple ways was also very enjoyable. I thought the entire time, “this is a perfect book club book for those who love literature and romance.” Truly, this book had several themes, issues, and conflicts that could be explored and discussed at length that would make this enjoyable for any reader to read on their own, but especially with a group.

I wouldn’t say this book was laugh out loud funny, but the banter was wonderful and did having me audibly laughing. Very Emily Henry vibes in that way, while the prose was distinctly this authors own voice. The love story was not contrived, but very natural and felt effortless. Not something grand or over the top with emotion, but uniquely its own and simple like so many love stories are in their reality. There was LGBTQIA+ inclusion and discussion if that is something you prefer and look for in a book. Personally, that’s not something I need, nor look for, but I do understand readers appreciate this.

Wes, for me, was ironically relatable. Neurotic, type A, socially capable and sought out, yet found the complexities of socialization and emoting difficult and exhausting. So many things to juggle. So much nuance. Mo, was exactly the character I would aspire to be. Self-proclaimed type AB, confident and comfortable from life experience, and respectfully confrontational out of necessity, but so good at it. Isn’t it too much to be confident, quippy, and emotionally capable of approaching life or is that all purely fictional?

I will say, I probably would have given this a four anyways without rounding up, had it been written in first person. I love a first person, dual POV romance. Third person just isn’t for me. But I am happy I spent my free time reading this and will likely read more of her work, should the descriptions strike my fancy.

Thank you Elise Wayland, Alcove Press, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

TLDR: perfect book club book. Promising debut author vibes. So much literary goodness. Third person. Dual POV.

This book gave me all the easy cheesy feels of a good rom-com.
From the wonderful storyline to the funny banter between the main characters there was so much to enjoy about this book.
Both characters were super easy to connect with and I really enjoyed their sense of humour throughout.
The book is exactly what it says on the tin, rivals to lovers and I thoroughly enjoyed watching their relationship blossom.
There was a bit of spice thrown in which honestly just added to the story, Wes just made me melt, I’m a sucker for a guy who knows what he wants.
There was however a fair bit of miscommunication which is not my favourite but was fine and worked within the storyline.
The only reason I gave it four stars and not five was because of the perspective, it was third person but following both the MMC and MFC seperately.
Personally I find it much easier to immerse myself in the world when it’s first person, but that’s a total preference thing.
Overall, a very enjoyable experience which had me smiling at my kindle way too much!

Thank you NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
This was different, and I enjoyed the fact that both main characters were writers. And rivals. But I felt like they weren’t hating each other enough, they started liking each other way too soon for me.
I also enjoyed the writing style, except at some points, or maybe it was just Wes that I didn’t enjoy too much.

Good building of the characters at the beginning of the book but I just couldn't gel with the main characters and I wasn't excited to turn the pages.

As the author states in the acknowledgements, this book is truly a must-read for those who love literature. It serves as a heartfelt tribute to classic works, blending a charming romance with an intriguing exploration of human nature.

Maureen "Mo" Denton and Wesley Spencer are in competition, each offering their own take on the classic novel The Proud and the Lost. They are invited to present portions of their manuscripts to the author’s daughter and her children. During their weekend visit, the rivalry between them evolves into something deeper, and they must navigate various challenges if they hope to make it work.

Several aspects of the story stand out in a positive way. I particularly enjoyed Mo's journey as she learns to embrace her desires for both love and ambition, and how she comes to realize that aiming for big career goals doesn’t have to conflict with her personal life. Additionally, the nods to classic literature and English literature courses were a delightful touch.

However, some elements didn't quite resonate with me. Wes’s inner dialogue delves a bit too much into the physical side of their relationship for my liking. While I’m not opposed to explicit scenes or desires, the way Wes's thoughts were phrased and the timing of these moments made me feel uneasy. Also, a few plot developments that seemed important were glossed over in lengthy descriptive passages, missing the emotional depth I expected from the characters' reactions.

On the whole, I enjoyed the writing style, and the characters' growth throughout the story was rewarding. It’s an enjoyable, quick read, and I would recommend it to anyone who appreciates contemporary romance with a classic literature twist.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing the eARC in exchange for an honest review!