When I saw that Alexandra Romanoff was coming out with another novella, “Square Waves”, I had to get my hands on it! “Big Fan” was one of my favorite books of 2024 and I couldn’t wait to see how Cassidy’s story would unfold. I loved following Cassidy on her path of self discovery after the trauma that went through. To read about a character with such relatable flaws was refreshing.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed this follow-up to Big Fan! Cassidy’s struggle to move on from the scandal in the previous book was portrayed so well, making it easy to empathize with her. I’m always a fan of the enemies to lovers trope, and this book definitely delivered on that front—full of tension, banter, and heart.

Square Waves is a strong sequel with plenty of emotion and romance. Fans of Big Fan will love it!

Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sometimes books find you at just the right time, and that was this book. This is also my third book from 831 Stories (and the second by this author), and I have loved each one. Square Waves is the one that I have loved the most. This is the story of Cassidy who is back to her hometown to figure out life after years in DC. She's not sure what's next, and then she runs into a blast from her (high school) past Leon. "High school never ends" as they say, so part of the story is figuring out back then, but also their current reality - both individually and within a relationship. What I loved the most about this was that it was a romance, AND even more than that, it was Cassidy's story. She had a lot of "stuff" to navigate, and I loved the way this part of the story was told. Her emotional struggles and realizations were real and relatable, and it's why I was so drawn into this one. It was wonderful writing, and it's one of my favorite romances of the year. Thanks to NetGalley for the look at this June 2025 release!

Square Waves is a heartfelt and reflective romance that follows Cassidy, a young woman who is navigating the aftermath of being involved in a political sex scandal. This is a beautiful story of second chances, navigating trauma, and hope. I LOVED it! There is so much substance for such a short story. Romanoff is definitely a new auto-read author for me! Thank you so much to 831 Stories and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book is the perfect novella—steamy yet full of depth, vulnerability, and thoughtfulness. I tore through it in no time, and it’s an easy five-star read.

New 831 Stories fav! So much depth and feeling packed into a small package. And so sexy! I really liked how much Cass develops as a character and how her romantic relationship benefits from that growth as a result. The romance may be the impetus for the self-reflection, but it’s not the sole driving force. Great!!!

i have never heard of the phrase "square waves" before but apparently it's a dangerous phenomenon whereby 2 wave systems come together to create a grid on water. i don't think this novella does a great job explaining what "square waves" are either but after searching it up for myself, cass and leon's (the protagonists in square waves) dynamic sure fits with what i found. with all these 831 stories, i just want to know the characters a little better but as someone who lives in berkeley and is from the bay area, the bay of it all made me more forgiving of the choices cass and leon make.

Another absolute banger of a romance from Alexandra Romanoff - I adored her first 831 Stories novel, Big Fan, and Square Waves proved to be even more compelling. We get both a second chance romance that is also high school enemies/rivals to lovers and our FMC, Cassidy "Gen Z's Monica Lewinsky." working to find herself six years after the scandal that broke apart her whole life. After being voluntold to take a sabbatical from her job at a DC nonprofit, Cassidy goes back to Berkeley to house sit for her parents. While there, she intends to soul search, but instead spends her days working with her best friend Willa as she opens up her art studio. All the while, she can't get out of Leon, her high school enemy/rival's, orbit.

The romance is an absolute delight - both Cassidy and Leon are trying their hardest to show how much they've changed since high school, while still falling into the same familiar traps. But, I really connected with Cassidy's burn out and how hard she was working to figure out who she was outside of her job and everything she'd worked so hard for. I still am blown away at how connected and invested I was in the story in a mere 160 pages.

I can't wait for you to read it, thanks so much to NetGalley and to 831 Stories for the advanced copy.

I have been anticipating Cassidy’s story since reading Big Fan and can finally say it was everything I hoped it would be! Cassidy returns home on a hiatus from work after years of coping with the scandal that ruined Cassidy’s career. A one-night stand with her high school rival turns into more when they are stuck helping a friend open her art studio.

Cassidy made this book a standout with her resilience and approach to helping others. She didn’t let what happened to her ruin her life and instead put in meaningful time with her friends. I also liked how we see her learning through therapy and applying herself to guide other young adults with tough experiences like hers.

The romance between Cassidy and Leon was sizzling from their first reunion, and didn’t let up throughout the book. They learn from each other that their preconceived notions from the past were false, and they had wanted to impress the other the whole time. They both had walls to break down, personal growth through finding new interests, and showed that it’s not too late to start over.

The pacing of every single 831 book I’ve read had been so on point, both with the romance and plot. Even though it’s a short book, it manages to pack a punch and hold interest until the very end. Cassidy’s story is fully fleshed out and comes to a satisfying conclusion but still leaves me wanting more from Alexandra!

Thank you to Netgalley and 831 Stories for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this short story! While it takes place over only three weeks, there is good character development and and I just adored Leon and Cassidy as well the Berkley setting. There is great spice that fits perfectly with the plot line and i devoured this book in a single day!

I loved how Romanoff captures the sheer vulnerability of rebuilding, not just reputations, but self-worth. The writing is crisp, the emotional beats hit hard, and the romance is layered with enough tension and tenderness to keep you hooked. If you’re a fan of complex characters, perfectly executed enemies-to-lovers, and stories that celebrate growth, this one is an absolute must-read.

This is my formal request for more books about high school nemeses, who reconnect years later and find out that there's more to each other than meets the eye! Seriously, I loved the premise of SQUARE WAVES, and it really delivered overall. I have yet to read BIG FAN, but that didn't make me any less invested in Cassidy's story. Her and Leon were so great together (their chemistry practically jumped off the page!), but I also appreciated the exploration of other themes beyond the romance—the perils of perfectionism and how perfectionism manifests in different ways for different people, recovering from burnout, the fallout from a very public scandal, and most of all, figuring out what you want out of life, and how that might change over time. I enjoyed following Cassidy's journey, and felt like even in a relatively short time, I really got to know her, Leon, and their whole world! Having the story take place mainly over 3 weeks was also a good choice pacing-wise, and had me quickly turning pages to see what would happen next.

If there's one thing I wanted more of, I would have loved to see even more moments between Cassidy and Leon. I felt like the ending in particular could have been drawn out a little bit, and we could have gotten more of their time together. Otherwise, I would recommend SQUARE WAVES, especially for romance fans who love the rivals-to-lovers and/or second-chance romance tropes! I can't wait to see what 831 Stories has in store next. Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC.

This was a really nice and quick read to get lost in. I didn’t read the first companion book but didn’t feel lost at any point. The story pulled you in and I enjoyed the exploration into the ramifications of a public fallout. However, I felt like the pacing was too quick at some points; notably, the ending. An additional 50 or so pages might have wrapped it up a bit better.

JUSTICE FOR CASSIDY!!! I actually liked this sequel even more than BIG FAN (and I quite enjoyed BIG FAN). I have some very uninteresting questions about timelines, but what I loved is the classic chaos x spreadsheet pairing of Leon and Cassidy, a hot slacker Asian love interest, and a subplot about loving yourself as much as coming to terms with always being in love with your high school nemesis. 10/10 no notes.

My biggest complaint about Square Waves is that I wanted it to be longer. I wanted more moments with each characters, individually, and together. Even the side characters were amazing.

Going into this novella, I wasn’t expecting much depth... mainly was craving just a cute romance - but Alexandra Romanoff completely surprised me. In such a short span, she brought these two incredibly relatable characters to life with so much depth.

Leon and Cassidy are both stuck, but in different ways. Cassidy is recovering from the trauma of having a deeply personal part of her life exposed to the public and is suffering from a burnout - with her job, but also her feelings. Leon is a perfectionist and a “fixer”—sometimes to the point of being incapable of finishing a task. These two characters have been rivals since high school, and their undeniable attraction pulls them together in the steamiest way. That attraction turns into friendship, which then evolves into something even more intimate, vulnerable, and real.

One of the things I loved most about this book was how well it captured the struggles of adulthood. How hard it can be to admit when we feel stuck in our careers, our choices, or just in life. The author did an incredible job showing how those fears can manifest in different ways, whether through pettiness, jealousy, or even pushing people away. Cassidy was frustrating in this way, her reaction and comments sometimes feeling harsh or cruel. It was very real, too.

I would have happily spent even more time with these characters. Square Waves is short but was so wonderful. This is the perfect read for anyone who loves rivals-to-lovers with heart, heat, and needs a little quick read to get them out of a slump.

This was a really good character driven romance. I wanted a little more in depth backstory on Cassidy's affair with the married politician, but the writing really supported her hesitation towards a new relationship. All the mentions of her and Leon's highschool personas felt a little heavy handed because it was highschool lol none of us knew what the hell we were doing or who we were back then. Of course the romance and spice were hand in hand equally delightful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alexandra Romanoff for the opportunity to read an ARC of Square Waves.

This heartfelt and beautifully written romance follows Cassidy as she navigates the aftermath of a public scandal involving a politician. Haunted by the bullying and harassment that followed, she’s determined to rebuild her life on her own terms. Enter Leon—her former high school rival, now someone far more complex than she remembers. Though their past is filled with animosity, they soon discover they have more in common than they ever expected.

Alexandra Romanoff crafts a deeply emotional and compelling love story about resilience, redemption, and the unexpected ways people can heal together. Cass and Leon’s journey is both tender and hard-earned, making their romance all the more satisfying. Their chemistry crackles, their banter is sharp, and their growth—both individually and as a couple—feels authentic and rewarding.

With engaging writing, relatable characters, and a story that balances emotional depth with a slow-burn connection, Square Waves is a must-read for fans of second-chance and enemies-to-lovers romances. Highly recommended!

** A copy of Square Waves was provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review **

Square Waves is a fitting companion novella to Big Fan. In it, we follow Cassidy and Leon as they deal with personal baggage, past misunderstandings, miscommunication, tension and growth. This is a novel of second chances - for Cass and Leon together and individually too. Like Big Fan, this novella is more than just the romance, it tackles heavier topics such as perfectionism, cyberbullying, career goals, and responses to traumatic events.

Two solid novellas from Alexandra Romanoff, can't wait for her next!

Thanks to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was the easiest five-star rating I’ve given this month!

The story follows Cassidy, who we first met in Big Fan as Maya’s ex-husband’s mistress (ugh, I hate that word). Anyway! This is Cassidy and Leon’s story—a high school enemies-to-lovers short story packed with tension, spice, and second chances.

Since Big Fan was my book club’s first pick, I was already intrigued by Cassidy’s character and curious about her backstory. I loved seeing her arc and development here! This was such a quick, enjoyable read, and while it touches on a serious topic like cyberbullying, it only skims the surface rather than delving deep.

More than just a romance, Square Waves is about second chances—not just in love, but in life, career, and most importantly, with yourself.

Highly recommend for fans of Big Fan and anyone who loves a little spice with their redemption arcs!

The "other woman" from the author's prior book heads home for a much needed/work ordered break and runs into her high school rival on night one. I loved the growth from the FMC and her relationship with the MMC. I was shocked how much we delved into their relationship in such a short novel. Would have loved to read even more of them!