I loved this enemies to lovers romance and thought it was well done. The story fit the form (novella) well.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, I loved this short novel. I feel like if I say too much than it will give away too much. It's a fast and steamy read that I never wanted to end.

This story follows Cassidy as she navigates her life post political scandal. She runs into Leon , a childhood friend turned enemy, while back in her hometown. They have some sparks, but ultimately find themselves falling back in their bickering ways. After some prodding from a mutual connection, they strike up an unlikely friendship that builds into something more.

While I do believe this book has some wonderful romantic elements, it read more as a fiction. Cassidy is in a deeply relatable period of self exploration, feeling overwhelmed with the possibility that lay ahead for her.

There was something comforting in the knowledge that everyone feels just as confused about the sheer abundance of choices we face in adult life.

Genuinely a wonderful book, there is so much done in such a short period of time. There is so much development and depth that can be seen on page. This definitely strayed away from the romance genre more than I expected, but it was enjoyable as a piece of fiction.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

Great read! Just like the other 831 stories, this book felt like a breezy, readable romance, but with realistic, flawed characters. The perfect week night after-work escape for the discerning romance reader. Fans of Chelsea Fagan and Anabel Monaghan will love this.

I love to see justice for my girl Cassidy!!
I devoured Alexandra Romanoff’s Big Fan and went into Square Waves with high expectations & she did not disappoint.
This felt like a love letter to being 28 — as someone at that exact age, this book felt loaded and incredibly accurate.
I think this story will resinate with anyone who’s felt burnt out, learning to get over regrets and has spent years striving to have things together… or appear so.
Also, I absolutely adored Cassidy and Leon! Could read an entire novel about them.


Thank you to NetGalley and 831 stories for an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

I started this book skeptical and I ended it torn. 22 is old enough. There’s so much privilege in falling and “failing” but then being handed success and saving graces, again & again.

I think…I was born into a world that has little patience for my mistakes, and that has shaped me in a way that makes me pretty inflexible when it comes to issues caused for anyone who was actively and intentionally bringing harm to someone else.

I know everyone has their traumas. And on a grand scale, of course the world is unkind. Evil, even. But so was she (not evil, but unkjnd) — still judgmental, regretting getting caught but continually referring to the past as choosing love & trusting the wrong person— a gullible take in this day and age.

We’ve seen these stories, the media circulates them like a spin cycle. I don’t look that closely because it doesn’t interest me, but my POV is the same — shame on these men for abusing their power and preying on younger women in a clearly unequal dynamic; yet, there isn’t much room to act shocked or surprised when you start a relationship with a married man. Note: I’m not condoning the bullying—the world would be better if everyone minded their own business.

There is also something about California that doesn’t agree with me. The references to California culture, plus Cassie’s bitchy flirtation and refusal to embrace a guy who made himself vulnerable and put her first, plus the self pitying…it didn’t do it for me. If you can’t figure yourself out, then don’t use someone along the way. It took her a little too late to offer that kindness.

As much as I wanted to get into their story, because it is a classic one and he seems like a gentle soul, I couldn’t properly picture her. Consequently, I also couldn’t picture him.

Interestingly enough, Willa was the only character who stuck out to me and imprinted clearly on my mind.

Still I’m glad I tried to read something different…that’s what a lot of the 831 stories are for me & I appreciate the different perspectives I experience through each book.

I received an ARC from #NetGalley

Big thank you to the publisher, 831 Stories, and NetGalley for the e-ARC of Square Waves! I’m really grateful I got to read this one early.

This book honestly caught me off guard in the best way. Alexandra Romanoff’s writing is stunning and so lyrical and vivid, it felt like the story was washing over me in waves (no pun intended). It’s quiet and emotional, but there’s such a strong undercurrent of tension and reflection that kept me hooked. The way it explores memory, identity, and the people we carry with us felt incredibly personal.

The only reason it’s not a full five stars for me is that the middle slowed down a bit but the writing more than made up for it. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for whatever Romanoff does next. 4.5 stars

I enjoyed this book and found myself eager to get back to it after putting it down, but ultimately I feel that it suffered from its length and I found myself wanting more. It was a good story of somebody regaining her footing after burnout, but the romance and the male lead both ended up feeling underdeveloped to me.

I devoured Square Waves in one sitting. I loved that this book was set in the same world as Big Fan, but a story all its own. The characters were all so lovable, even with their flaws. The way that the author made me fall in love with these characters in such a short book was masterful. The spice level was also just perfect!

This was my first 831 Stories novel but won’t be my last! I really enjoyed this story..it was heartfelt and spicy! I appreciated the characters and even though was a shorter story, it was was well thought out and a great read!

Hooks you from the beginning! Was really rooting for the FMC and her emotional journey throughout the novel was well-done. Very quick, engaging read - looking forward to more from Romanoff!

Square Waves follows Cassidy as she takes a short sabbatical from her nonprofit advocacy job in DC, back at home in Berkeley where she reconnects with old high school friends, as well as high school nemesis Leon. Cassidy still carries the scars and baggage of being remembered for her role in a DC political sex scandal years earlier as a campaign intern, and she’s struggling with where she wants to go next in life.

Turns out Cassidy and Leon have insane chemistry, but they find it hard to overcome old assumptions and misunderstandings, and the book follows the ups and downs of them trying to get past the old hurts. It ends of a hopeful note where the two give each other a real chance.

I found this a bit tougher to read than Big Fan, which I loved as a really fun fangirl meets her old crush rom-com romp, and I totally appreciate that this is an entirely different type of book. I was really rooting for Cassidy and really wanted her to give herself the grace that everyone keeps trying to tell her she deserves and needs. Because the book has Cassidy and Leon go through a bunch of arguments and retreading of old misunderstandings, I kind of wanted some perspective from Leon’s POV, or to just get a bit more depth from his character, because we do spend so much time in Cassidy’s head and her feelings.

I am confused as to how a book can be this short and have SO MUCH DEPTH?! 831 is really crushing it and I can’t wait to read more

Thank you to NetGalley and 831 stories for this ARC! Cassidy returns home to determine what’s next after a political scandal forced her to change career directions and empower other victims of cyber bullying. Once there, her childhood nemesis Leon becomes a one night stand turned accidental coworker at her best friend’s art gallery. For a short story, this was filled with context and the evolution of the relationship felt organic and real.

As Cassidy tries to escape the reputation that has followed her around her life in DC, she goes back to to her hometown to recalibrate and figure out if she is content in the life she has made for herself. As she reunites with old friends, and frenemies, she begins to reassess her priorities and what she wants for her future. And of course if her old high school frenemy that she hooked up with on her first night home is maybe more than just a one night fling.

Since her mention in Big Fan also by Alexandra Romanoff, I was intrigued by Cassidy's character. I was hopeful for her story, and it delivered with its classic small town romance charm. Adding nuance and depth to the romance, Cassidy's role as the scorned "other woman" in anti-bullying campaigns led to interesting conversations about our judgmental society and the double standard of men and women in politics.

Thank you NetGally & 831 stories for the ARC copy!
What a short sweet romance for summer. I loved the setting and the history the two characters had. For the book being shorter, I really believed in there connection $ thought the struggles they had from their past were well explained and made sense for why they disliked each other at the start of the book. I didn't love the 3rd act break up but overall it was a great read and I loved the ending!

This may be my favorite 831 story after big fan. It was such a fun read. Did anyone who grew up in the 90s not picture Cassidy as Monica Lewinsky. I appreciated that this was years after the “scandal” and gave the perspective of how it felt to have to retell her story for the public over and over again. And as always I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers.

Alexandra Romanoff did it again! Such a fun spicy love story that was everything I wanted it to be and more. I loved the new perspective from Cassidy’s POV after ‘Big Fan’, and I have said this before and I’ll say it again- these 831 Universe easter eggs are just truly the best! What kept it from a 5 star was just that I hoped it would have had maybe another 50 pages to develop the ending a tiny bit more.

HUGE thanks to NetGalley, 831 stories (once again knocked it out of the park, love every single book they put out), and to Alexandra for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review

Cassidy returns home to Berkeley many years after weathering a political scandal in DC. She is forced to do some soul-searching, reevaluating her career, her life in DC, and her happiness. On her first night back in town, she runs into her old high school rival, Leon, and they quickly start to wonder if anything has changed in the 10 years since they last saw each other. Was there ever a reason to hate each other, or were they just teenagers who didn’t know how to communicate? Cassidy works on bettering herself after facing the scandal that made her a household name and grapples with its aftermath.

Yes, this was a short book, but I really needed 45-60 more pages to fully seal the deal—it just felt very rushed. This will not be my last book from 831. I'm excited to check out some of their other titles.

Thank you, Jesus, for the accuracy in Bay Area geography and cultural references.

Thank you to NetGalley and 831 for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy!

I've enjoyed all the 831 Stories I've read and really enjoyed Cassidy and Leon's story too. The balance of both of them growing through their struggles with identity, perfection, comparison, and identity resonated with me and their love for each other was so tender. Cassidy was hard to like for the majority of the story to me, but I came to care about her finding her way and finding more peace in her own skin/with her own path forward. I'll continue to read 831 Stories as quickly as they come out. Short, fun, and pack a punch? What's to say no to?!