Enjoyed this book and the background in to a literary education. It pulled me in and had me reading “just another chapter” much too late into the night.

3.5 ⭐️

This was definitely Hating Game x Beach Read so I was glad it was sold accurately to me. What I will say I loved both of those books desperately so I think my standards were a little high.

To get my main negative out of the way first, I felt the two MCs in this book felt young and less mature than they are and that is the stark difference when compared to those other two books. Nonetheless, as a debut this was full of heart, great ideas and good romance.

Otherwise, I enjoyed this. Cozy, funny, rewarding. I like the enemies to lovers element, done well and relatively natural progression and I’m of course a lover of he falls first, too.

“I know you prefer what’s in your book and I pretend I don’t want to be like them, but I do”

I do think the writers/readers in romance trope is a touch over done but ultimately I still enjoy it because I know that the author wrote it from their perspective in a way and I think that’s cute.

I didn’t love the third act but I do get what the author was trying to do, overall I’d consider reading from this author again.

I loved this story so much. There was great banter between the main characters and it was a classic enemies to friends to lovers. I really enjoyed the mirroring that was happening in the storyline. The way that Rosie and Aiden’s story they had to write together was loosely based off of what was happening between them in real life made for a fun and interesting version of a dual POV. This was a slow burn and the tension was beautifully built through the story. As in every romance, there was a third act breakup, but the way that the breakup is resolved by Aiden lit up my heart. I loved the happily ever after and appreciated the wrap up and look at the future that was provided in the epilogue.

I wanted to like this so much more. The premise sounded promising: enemies to lovers, classmates/colleagues, dual writing, romance fiction, nyc. However, the female lead was just so annoying the entire time. I appreciate and understood they were in grad school so still figuring out life and figuring out their emotions and maturity. However, it felt like it was her way or the highway. Aiden compromised a lot, tried new things (like writing romance) and opens up and is vulnerable. But it felt like Rosie never grew as a person during it. Also the third act breakup/conflict was weak and needed some better conceptualizing.

Okay this book is perfect! Enemies to lovers perfection! I loved it and listened to the audiobook in less than 24 hours! It is now one of my fav enemies to lovers books! The tension and banter between the MCs (who are forced to work together on a book!) was the best! I loved how we got the MMC’s POV through what he was writing for the book they were working on- so unique! Also, there is one so in scene that will forever live rent free in my mind! Also also- there is a pretty swoon worthy scene in the bookstore that I loved!! Highly recommend reading this bone! Can’t wait for the author’s next book!

The feedback is for the full novel released, the time to download the galley had passed.

So… it’s like a 3.5 because of the last quarter of the book but the start is a 5 star. This book was a masterclass in hate to love till the couple happened in the book. The ending was a bit predictable and the book was realistic. I wanted a swept of the feet, princess diaries ending but alas. Rosie’s friendship with her little group was super cute and precious! It was fun reading from the female lead’s perspective but the male lead fell flat when the “relationship” started to blossom. He was the typical romance hero. The start of the novel made me hopeful that he would be a bit more realistic. I liked the backstories of the characters though, well thought out and kept me hooked!

Loved the concept of the book couple and the real life couple intermingling throughout the novel. Really good for a debut! A little on the longer side though, it’s like when you like a couple in a book and want more of them and get it but you end up feeling like get to it peeps. If there was grand ending then that slow drag would have been worth it but alas. Loved the start of the book connecting to the end of the written book within the novel, clever title.

Also, the writing style was fun to read and flowed really well. Would 100% pick up another book from this author. I really wish I could give it a 4 or 5 but the male lead was cringey before the book ended, felt like a guy written by a female author. Just like how you can tell sometimes the I’m not like the other girl characters are written by a male writer.

This is such a good light read! With summer just around the corner, this is one of those books that is perfect for a quick breezy beach read!

The characters were cute, sometimes presumptuous- and it’s one of my favourite tropes! It also had a decent slow burn and the banter was on point! If you’re looking for something cute, fun and sexy… pick this up!

ARC received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book was such a delight. As an enemies-to-lovers fanatic, I can't help but love the dynamic between Rosie and Aiden. I think it was such a fun plot that the book they were writing followed their own story (and that they wrote a steamy scene first). I think their chemistry was really obvious, and I liked that even though they were opposites (grumpy x sunshine), they complemented each other well.

I wasn't a huge fan of what Aiden said to Rosie at the end. I think it seemed out of character, even if he was mad, after all of the character development he had done. But that's a small note. I do wish we had gotten to see more about his relationship with his Mom and all, but I understand the need for succinctness.

This was my first Katie Holt book and I hope to read more in the future. If you are a book lover and really find joy in the art of writing, this one is for you. Oh, and did I mention the banter? Imagine working with your enemy on something so steamy. YES YES YES. Give me more, please.

This book is being slept on and more people need to be screaming from the rooftops about it!!!! The romance is INCREDIBLE. I love how we are getting the MMC’s POV through the writing. That is insanely creative and it just feels so intimate and romantic. Absolutely adored this and will def be looking out for more work from this author.

This book is SUCH an easy, cosy read - it was nearly impossible to put down! ☕✨

The story follows two college students studying literature and creative writing: Aiden, who writes broody literary fiction, and Rosie, a passionate romance writer. They clash constantly, to the point that their exasperated professor forces them to collaborate on a novel.

What makes this book so fun is how their dynamic evolves—not just in real life but through the characters they create. As they pour their emotions into their writing, we get to see them open up on the page before they do in person. There's even a very well-written spicy scene 🔥 they co-write (a bit of bookception happening here, but trust me, it works!), and it was incredible!

I absolutely loved their chemistry 💫 and the bookish, meta storytelling. Watching them navigate their differences while crafting a novel together was such a unique and enjoyable experience. If you love romance with a literary twist, this one’s a must-read! ❤️📖

Tropes you’ll find:
🎓 Academic rivals to lovers
⚡ Opposites attract
🛏️ One bed
🔥 Slow-burn with an open-door payoff
💘 He falls first

Not In My Book by Katie Holt is a novel about Rosie who is a writer and is forced to write a novel with her arch nemesis. While writing with Aiden they both begin to care about each other.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc.

"Not in My Book" by Katie Holt is an engaging read that offers a unique perspective on its subject matter. The narrative is crafted with a clear and concise writing style, making it accessible to a wide range of readers. Holt's ability to weave together different themes and characters is commendable, providing depth to the storyline. While some readers might find certain plot developments predictable, the overall structure and pacing keep the story moving forward. The characters are well-developed, although some may feel more relatable than others. Overall, "Not in My Book" is a solid addition to its genre, offering both entertainment and thought-provoking moments for its audience.

Oh I love a cheesy romance and this one had all the elements of two writers battling it out. I didn’t buy into all the chemistry and their story but still a fun read

4.25

This was cute and I really enjoyed it! This book follows two rivals turn lovers who are forced to work on writing a book together to avoid being kicked out of their writing workshop class. They are 2 master students who write very different genres of literature and attend NYU. Their writing mentor Ida was lovely and a great addition to the story however I HATED her involvement in their fall out.
Aiden, and his stupid pretty peacoat, is a real jerk in the beginning of this book. He STAYS a jerk for a really long time. But with time we learned he was a jerk with a background and trauma. It didn't justify his behavior but it certainly offered some explanation. He really perpetuated the stereotype of a boy bullying a girl meaning he LIIIIIKKKKKEEESSS her *eyeroll*. Unfortunately, he really grew in me. Deep down he was a dumb guy that didn't know how to love. He had a lot to prove to himself and his father's and at times he really let that affect him.
Rosie is a ball of light and joy and culture. She has a sweet southern accent that I was just darling. Her family is a mash of southern hospitality and Peruvian culture. The author really gave us such an enjoyable peak into both sides of her and it was lovely to meet her family. To be so surround by love and support is the dream. It's no surprise she's such a romantic soul with two parents who love each other so deeply. Rosie really deserves so much more than the hand she was dealt. She's a master student in NYU struggling to make ends meet.

This really was a story about two characters in their own world. I loved all the side characters but at the end of the day it was Rosie and Aiden. My only fault with this book was how often it was mentioned that they hate one another in the beginning. Rosie expressed this sentiment VERY frequently and I could have done with a little less. It certainly cemented the idea that they HATED each other but after the millionth time, it was a bit redundant and flat.
They began writing their book while still hating each other. A ROMANCE book that Aiden had many choice words about. I loved reading little excerpts from the book and thought it was a great reflection of his they really felt. It was QUITE a surprise to find out Aiden had a DIRTY mouth in bed seeing him write a scene that way was already uncharacteristic but then he SPOKE that way. Really a 'talk you through it' kinda guy if you know what I mean.
The 'third act break up' always annoys me but I know it's such a necessary plot point. What happened to Rosie made me truly mad for her. When she expressed why what Aiden did upset her, HE lost his cool and was NOT nice. A real flashback to his original self. That man had a lot to make up for. Sometimes men need to learn how to use their words to express themselves. Rich when the man at fault is a writer of all things. I know he was being defensive, which I understand, but he could have told Rosie from the start why he did what he did and what he did to try sbd rectify it. I understand being nervous and it never feeling like the right time. Thankfully the situation was quickly resolved. Ida pissed me off though. Her contribution was NOT cool and she also did not fully understand why Rosie felt the way she did (Rosie was VERY justified).
In the end I loved the characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an Advance Reader Copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

- My favorite scene is where she writes his name when writing a kiss scene instead of the characters name. that was diabolical is a good way. I did not expect that. HOT
- Grumpy sunshine
- He has a dirty mouth
- Forced proximity
- Enemies (more (academic) rivals than enemies) to lovers
- New York setting
- He falls first
- SHE DEFENDS HIM AGAINST HIS FAMILY

“I love you. In light and dark, in romance and litfic. In this lifetime and the next.”

“I just … wanted to be loved so badly that I thought being hurt was part of the deal.”

" The truth was I liked her no matter what she did, or what she said."

“There hasn’t been a second where I wasn’t wondering what you were thinking and if it was of me.”

“I know you prefer what’s in your books, and I pretend I don’t want to be like them, but I do. I want to be the person you picture when you’re reading and dreaming because you’re who I picture every single time.”

“I’m not yours anymore.”
“Fine. If you’re not mine, then know that I’m yours.”

“I’ll wait for you, Rosie. I swear it. I’m in it for the long haul. I want all your tomorrows. Every single one you’re willing to give me.”

”The entire time we were together all I could think was you were better than any dream, any piece of fiction I could ever write."

God for being a debut this was so good, I absolutely loved and ate this up. The pinning, the push and pull of i-like-you-but-being-mean-might- be- the -only-way-to-show-it. I loved how Aiden was grumpy but also shy and that he yearned for her so much and Rosie finally got the love she wanted.

I had a lot of fun with this one, and it's definitely helped pull me out of a reading slump!

As the description says, there are definitely a lot of shades of both The Hating Game and Beach Read in Not in My Book. But, seeing as how I also thoroughly enjoyed those other two stories, that only drew me in further. Not in My Book is classic rivals-to-lovers, so much so that it can get fairly predictable, but it hits all the classic notes of the trope so well that I enjoyed it all regardless.

I had a great time reading this. I always love a good academic rivals to lovers and this one HIT.

The setting of New York City was perfect for Rosie and Aiden. They feel like city folk even though Rosie is from the south. I thought their classroom arguments were great at creating tension between them and made their romance all the more rewarding. I also liked the format of the book and how it was like reading two books in one.

I loved how they would flirt with each other via their manuscript. This was something I had never seen done in a book before and it was done so well.

Overall, I really enjoyed everything about this. The characters were perfectly flawed and absolutely made for each other. I would definitely recommend!

4.5/5

SO GOOD!!

MY NEW FAVORITE BOOK!!!!

Aiden e Rosie are absolutely the owners of my literary heart now!!

Rosie’s dream of becoming a writer in New York gets complicated when she’s forced to co-write a novel with her ex-crush and longtime rival, Aiden. As their collaboration blurs the lines between competition and something more, they’ll have to figure out if their story ends on the page or in real life.

This book… this book is EXACTLY what a romance novel should be. Early reviews equate this to Beach Read meets The Hating Game, and that is a spot-on summary. The relationship is nuanced and dynamic, the character development is flawless, and each trope is perfectly executed. What made this book exceptionally special was the book within a book aspect - watching Rosie and Aiden fall in love over a Google Doc really did it for me. There was a good amount of spice, but it never took away from the plot. I cannot wait to read Holt’s next book!

5/5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.