I officially read this book in 12-hours. I was immediately hooked by Kat and Nathan's enemy/friends/co-authors/lovers dynamic. The two of their chemistry was engaging from the beginning with this looming event in their past. Part of me wanted the broad strokes of their rift earlier in the book, I was getting a little put off by all the references to this VAGUE DRAMATIC THING. So much "dramatic" pressure was put on this past that unless they were covering up a murder, didn't feel like it would be able to live up to expectations. I did enjoy getting to piece together the little details of what transpired.

I loved the growth we saw from Kat throughout this process (although I wish Nathan had more development potential) and how the romance was such a subtle thread pulled through this story. I loved them together even when they were fighting and at their worst.

Also, how deep is a book by co-authors about co-authors veiling their feelings in their writing? It made me chuckle a bit but definitely added some good gravitas to the sections where Kat and Nathan reflect on their co-writing process and how their a best together. This will be great for readers who love books about books and writing (reminded me a bit of Beach Read in this writing process between two people).

This was...really hard for me. It was full of people being cruel to themselves and each other for reasons I never understood. It was beautifully written but it made me feel so, so heavy and sad in a frustrating, unnecessary way. I understand that this may be sweepingly romantic to some, but to me, there were no healthy relationships to be found. Literary fiction feels like a more apt description for this one than romance.

I truly love Emily Wibberly and Austin Siegemund- Broka’s writing style. Their YA books are some of my absolute favorites. Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite work for me. It was something about the flashbacks and the actual conflict of the book.

Katrina and Nathan wrote a best seller years ago and had a falling out. Something happened and we don’t know what. It seemed like they would never write again, especially since Katrina had ‘retired’ but they are. We get scenes into the past to see how their relationship was before this falling out and then the present chapters showing us how it’s going. This format has really worked for me in other books, but surprisingly it didn’t work for me in this one. I struggled to stay interested in what was going on. It was more meh/okay for the actual story but the writing was truly great so I’ll go with a 3.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this advance review copy—all opinions are my own!

Be still my heart. This was lovely. Effortlessly readable prose, an engaging, just-right-amount-of-angsty storyline, compelling love interests with deeply human fears and vulnerabilities, THE ROUGHEST DRAFT was a satisfying, emotional read that I devoured in a day.

Nathan and Katrina's dynamic felt wonderfully real, their collaborative creative process realistically fraught with differences of opinion and conflict. The many ways in which they disagreed and were dissimilar, contrasted to their fundamental connection that made them seem in small but profound ways deeply similar, made for a fulfilling romantic pairing. With moving, incisive commentary on life, writing, and love, THE ROUGHEST DRAFT had me highlighting passages that both touched and challenged me.

The time it takes for Katrina and Nathan to be open about their feelings, to make decisive choices and be brave, may be difficult for some to hold out for, but to me, there is profound beauty and honesty in taking the page time to let characters struggle their way toward vulnerability. The wait makes the ultimate arrival of their bravery, their choice to take a risk with each other, that much more rewarding. Especially given the fact that we see both of them (albeit at different points in the timeline) entrenched and trying to respectfully, compassionately extricate themselves from other relationships, the pacing of their romance felt spot on.

Perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Sally Rooney, THE ROUGHEST DRAFT is out January 25 and sure to be a hit with many!

Thank you for Netgalley and Berkeley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

When two estranged writing partners — Katrina Freeling and Nathan Van Huysen — are forced to reunite for the last book on their publishing contract, they’ll discover even the roughest of drafts can be the start of a great love story.

I absolutely inhaled this book. Each of the characters were fully formed and realized with their emotions feeling true throughout. The emotional arcs for both Nathan and Katrina, whose perspectives are volleyed back and forth between alternating chapters, made sense and had me rushing to the end. Only to be sad when it was over.

I will definitely be rereading this one. Thank you for putting it out into the universe.

WOW WOW WOW

I was not sure what to expect with this one, but I really enjoyed this one. The writing is gorgeous (perhaps Wibbroka's best so far?) and I fell into the character's longing and pining. I was truly sucked into this world and I loved exploring these characters' emotions throughout the story.

I will say there were a few things that I did not like, the whole reveal was not as explosive as I would've liked, Katrina is in a relationship at the start, it could have had more romance on page. It really is not the perfect story. But, wow I love a book where characters are stuck together and have to work through feelings and this is a perfect example of that.

I am definitely interested in Wibbroka writing more in the adult romance space.

It’s been four years since Katrina and Nathan finished their bestselling novel(which I want to read by the way!) everyone is wondering why the twosome stopped talking, and anxious for another book by them. Nathan is on board to write another, but Katrina won’t give in until their agent/her fiancé essentially guilts her into it. Now she an Nathan are stuck writing together and the tensions are high. An they write another bestseller while halting each others guts?

I kind of loved finding out that the authors of this book were a married writing duo! I had no idea until I read the acknowledgments! This book was so good. You could feel the angry tension as well as the sexual tension from page one, which made me wonder if the two would ever come clean with their feelings. Christ was pretty much the worst ever, I hated him so much and wanted Kat to stick up for herself instead of letting him force her into writing another book. If you liked Beach Read this is a great read!

Katrina Freeling and Nathan Van Huysen met at a writing workshop in upstate New York and the perfect writing partnership is formed. Together they encourage, challenge and push each other to do their best work. Their first book does well and their second is considered a masterpiece. But now they haven’t spoken for four years. Nathan’s book written alone hasn’t sold well. They still have a contract to complete one more book together. Nathan needs this to be a success so he can get another book deal. Katrina hasn’t written a word in four years but her fiancé and agent is over extended and needs the money the book will generate. So Katrina and Nathan return to the house in Florida where they wrote before.

This is a story lovers of writing will love. It is full of moods and tone as it jumps back and forth from present time to four years ago. It celebrates writing and the creative process. Each chapter leads you to the edge building up to a final reveal. Told from both very distinctive POVs you feel Katrina’s anger and Nathan’s desire to just write. But if you are looking for a rom-com or complex story this isn’t going to be your book. When you step back this is story that can be summed up in a few lines. And the reveal isn’t surprising. There are only a couple of side characters so the focus is really the main couple. I really enjoyed reading this book. I was emotionally invested. I was a little disappointed the reveal wasn’t something more after so much build up but I’m not sure what I expected. It didn’t leave me with all my questions answered but I was happy that the two didn’t waste more time apart. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for eARC in exchange for a honest review.

So, I'm really of two minds about this book. On the one hand, I loved the focus on the creative process and the the setup with an estranged writing team getting back together to write a follow up to the best-selling book they wrote years ago. I also liked the structure of the book, the back and forth, with a slow revelation of information about Katrina and Nathan's personal and professional relationship history, going all the way back to when they first met at a writing retreat as young fiction writers. But on the other hand, I felt uncomfortable reading about some elements of their relationship that felt a lot like two people having an unhealthy emotional affair. Even that plotline, which I didn't like, was handled well writing-wise, and I did appreciate that Katrina and Nathan are writers to the core, in everything that they do.

Emily Henry's Beach Read and People We Meet On Vacation are among my favorite romance books, The Roughest Draft reminded me of both of those books but sadly it didn't hook me in as much as they did. I had trouble with the writing. It didn't flow. There were beautiful pieces and quotes here and there but mostly it felt overwritten and long-winded. It made me wonder how these two author's write their books. Did the male author write Nathan's POV while the female author write Katrina's? the other way around? or did they work on it at the same time as Nathan and Katrina did?

I like the mystery behind Nathan and Katrina's fall out four years ago and how it was revealed slowly, bit by bit but when finally everything was out in the open I was disappointed. Because that fall out could have been prevented if they had a proper conversation.

We were told how strong Nathan and Katrina's bond was and how well they knew each other but I just couldn't always feel the chemistry between them. My favorite scenes were when Nathan and Katrina were writing these romantic, intimate scenes between their book characters, Those scenes somehow felt more charged than the interactions between Nathan and Katrina.

loved this book at 2nd chance romance. I liked Kat and Nathan both writing a book together and falling in love. I loved that they came back again to finish the 2nd book . I loved that they put so much of themselves into the book. loved it.

When Katrina and Nathan met at a workshop, they instantly knew they would be friends. As soon as Nathan heard Katrina read an excerpt she had written, he made it a goal to get her to write with him. This was all well and good, until they holed up in a house to write their best selling book, Only Once.
When the book opens, Nathan is struggling to publish a bestseller on his own, and Katrina has retired. The two of them don't talk after what went down four years ago, but they have one more book under contract to write together. Katrina's agent/fiance wants her to get back out there and write so he can represent another best seller. Nathan's agent told him unless he writes this book with Katrina, the publisher doesn't want anything else from only him.
This book switches back and forth from present to past, weaving a story for us and bringing to light why these two have fallen apart. It was clear to me that it had to do with some sort of relationship drama, but I also loved the banter and tension between them. They are so clearly in tune with one another that you are rooting for them even as they trade jabs.
When they finally let their guards down and admit the truth out loud, and they are able to talk about what happend all those years ago, they can finally understand the other's point of view. They always communicated through the pages of their books, but you can't hide behind a story and have the fairy tale without the messy parts.
I absolutely loved Nathan and Katrina and felt for them. Thank you to Berkley, Netgalley and the authors for an early copy.

The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
This seems like it's marketed as a rom com but there was little comedy or romance. I loved the concept of this book - two former best selling co-writers who hate each other are reuniting to write one more book together. The two don't do press together and there are rumored fights and affairs. This started out so strong and I was loving the beginning but then it took a big nose dive. It became so wordy and melodramatic and I felt like things could have been avoided if they just talked to each other. The problem didn't feel like a problem, it never led to a big reveal, and I just didn't have that feeling where I was excited to pick it up to keep going. It felt like a book that was in the mid 400 pages but it's a hundred pages less.

3.5 stars
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
I will admit the idea of authors having to come together after having a terrible blow-up to complete a contract piqued my interest. They have one last book that must be written and it has been three years since they have been under one roof. There was a history of a relationship and it was torn apart due to something we do not know.

What was stunning was the way these authors put their words together. Each a craftsperson. It is a study of raw feelings expressed and the freedom to actually confront with nothing really to lose.

An interesting read about feelings, the way we, as humans behave, and what makes us tick.

I try my best to finish books, even if they don't resonate with me. I tried really hard with this book but I couldn't do it. The writing felt a bit overdone and I was very challenged to connect with the characters (well, except Chris; I immediately didn't like him). I kept reading hoping I could learn to root for Nathan, or find some common ground with Katrina but I just never clicked with either of them and ultimately, wasn't curious enough to know what happened to tear them apart and what would finally bring them back together. I know some people loved it but it just wasn't the book for me.

It seems like there have been a lot of books out there right now about writers. I'm totally digging it. Each time I read one, it inspires me more to get back out there to do some writing of my own. The Roughest Draft was the latest book that tackled writers' writing, and it was right at the top of my favorites yet.

The book follows Katrina Freeling and Nathan Van Huysen, coauthors of a bestselling book that topped the charts three years ago. Following the completion of the book, they had a falling out and hadn't spoken in years. They are brought back together to compete their contract for one more book and fly to Florida to write, in the same location they wrote their bestseller.

The Roughest Draft is more than two former writing partners coming together to write another book, and truly captures the feelings and emotions of the characters. As I read, I felt as if I was a fly on the wall and watching their relationship redevelop.

A very wonderful read.
4.5/5 stars

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Upon the publishing of their book, Only Once, Nathan Van Huysen and Katrina Freeling are no longer talking. They don’t do press together, and Nathan was even quoted as saying Katrina’s genius was not worth working with her. So, what happened between these writing partners? There were rumors of fights and affairs, Nathan was married after all, but they never reveal what happened. Now, four years later, they’re under contract to write another book, so they need to work through their past to work together again.
As this book is part of the romance genre, it was pretty predictable that the characters had feelings for each other and would likely be together by the end. Despite that, the story was creative and well-written. Each chapter changes perspective from Nathan to Katrina, and some chapters include flashbacks from their previous writing experience. The only things I didn’t particularly like about the book were that even with the flashbacks, and the agreement that they would be cordial to each other during the writing process, the characters seem to quickly jump from dislike to adoration for one another. Also, while there was technically no cheating in the book, the situations were a little to close for comfort for my taste.

I am an absolute sucker for a novel featuring authors or any aspect of the traditional publishing industry, actually. But even with a trope I adore, this novel was beyond good. It's a contemporary romance, not a romcom, although it was definitely not a heavy book. The book follows two former bestselling co-writers drafting a new book after not speaking for four years. I loved the metaphor the real co-authors of this novel made between the process of writing and real love: the rough draft of early love, the ongoing revisions of figuring out what works and what doesn't etc. except unlike in books, the HEA that real couples strive for is the opportunity to keep revising always (or forever - the authors disagree on this term at one point...) For fans of Emily Henry, I very highly recommend this beautiful book.

4.5 stars.

This book sucked me on. The romance, the writing style, the realness of the characters, loved,loved, loved.

When I saw the cover I was thinking more of a lighthearted, fun read, but it definitely had a more serious tone to it, which was a pleasant surprise.

The only thing keeping this from a 5 star for me is that the reason for the split was kept from the reader for so long which almost makes it feel like a miscommunication trope but between the reader and author (it’s not done poorly by any means, just a personal preference)

Overall, I am sooo happy to have been given an arc of this book. I expect this one to blow up. Loved it

Katrina Freeling and Nathan Van Huysen haven’t spoken in four years, since they put the finishing touches on their bestselling novel. Now, to fulfill their contract, they’ve been thrown back together to write one final book. What could go wrong?

Is it just me or does anyone get major Beach Read by Emily Henry vibes? Isn’t it weird how books and movies that are similar tend to come out around the same time? Think Friends with Benefits and No Strings Attached. Regardless, I really enjoyed Beach Read and after reading two are three books in a row that weren’t great, I was excited to pick up something light and romancey. Which spoiler, this one isn’t as light and fluffy as I thought it would be. It’s way more of a contemporary fiction read centered around a romance, than an actual romance read.

Honestly, I liked the way this was setup especially since the story was much more about them overcoming their own fears, growing as individuals, and grasping their internal motivations rather than being just about their budding romance. Though this is a story of two people coming together, it’s way more about how we protect ourselves from pain, while at the same time not letting fear rule our decisions and lives.

I really enjoyed the dual perspectives we get as we get both Katrina and Nathan’s POVs throughout the entire book. We also see not just their present, but the ‘bad thing’ that tore them apart four years ago is presented in flashbacks, from both of their perspectives. It adds an extra level of depth when you can seamlessly transition between these and for me really added to the story.

Our authors Emily and Austin are married, which I actually didn’t know until writing this review, but you can really feel the love and attraction between the main characters. I’m going to credit the fact they were writing from personal experience (ie writing romances with your partner) with truly giving this story such a realistic feeling.

While Katrina did get on my nerve at times, like girl loosen up and just let your heart decide for once, both characters were flawed enough to be relatable and likeable.

Even though this is being categorized as a Romance, I’d put it more into the Contemporary Fiction genre. It has wonderfully lyrical prose, it’s real, it’s raw, and I’d read another from this duo.


The Roughest Draft comes out January 18, 2022. Huge thank you to Berkley Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof_books.