First thing first, I love the cover! Second, i cant believe it's Katie Holt debut, to be honest as this managed to captivate my attention from the 1st 2 chapters, It's good y'all!
A bit of synopsis, the MCs are rivals, they known each other from Grad school , then they graduated & now, are writers but in different genre. The tension between them is undeniable, with plenty of unresolved sexual tension simmering beneath their arguments (which i like!!) As they usually do in Rivals to lovers, of course it, will lead to forced proximity in terms of collaborating on a book. The way their relationship unfolds and Katie Holt’s writing makes it fun & hot. Cos they are writing romance together, when they start writing steamy scenes together, the chemistry between them just sizzles & let say is all good!
I LIKE THIS BOOK A LOT, and I'm so grateful. to be given a chance to review!
Thank you Net galley for the Arc, i believe i just met an author I'm excited to read more!

Thank you Alcove Press and Netgalley for the ARC!

Let me start out by saying I was in rough shape with all my recent reads falling flat. My goal was to put this one off until closer to the release date (December), but I was so antsy to read something good that I started this one and went into it blind. I'm so glad I did, this hit all the right buttons for me in a contemporary romance.

One of the big things I crave from a romance book is if it gave me heart flutters a few times. Aiden and Rosie's chemistry was so good that I got heart flutters for about 60% of the book.

I will say, Rosie was painfully immature (like sink into the earth after reading her dialogue immature). But as soon as she finally got over her pride, the book took off and I could not put it down. Stayed up till 4 am to finish it.

Aside from some insane (AND I MEAN INSANE) coincidences and parallels between my life and Rosie's life (no but for real, Katie Holt, do we know each other???) I give this book five full stars and I can't wait to read more from this author.

SPOILER:


KATIE GIRL A THIRD ACT BREAKUP AT 91%??? AND YOU PULLED IT OFF?? YOU MAD WOMAN. I LOVE IT.

This book is such a good rival to lovers with a a dash of slow burn. I became so invested in the relationship between Rosie and Aiden. They definitely made me swoon.

This was a great, swoon-worthy debut! Rosie and Aiden were compelling characters and the farther along I got the more hooked I was. I thought the character growth in this was excellent and the relationship was realistic. I also thought the romance was on point! I loved all of the "cliche" romantic activities the characters did in pursuit of research for their book (and after) and thought that them writing a romance novel that mirrored their own evolving relationship was an interesting plot device. Overall, a great read and I would recommend this to patrons looking for something fun, romantic and new!

I love reading debut authors who rock, and Katie Holt doesn’t disappoint. Rosie is Peruvian American and writes romance, and her nemesis in class is Aiden, a writer of literary fiction! They are both in writing class and can’t help but scrape against each other, though it’s obvious that there’s some underlying UST. When they go off the rails in class once more, their professor makes them write a book together. How can they though, when romance and literary fiction can feel like oil and water, just like these two? Well, a love story with a sad ending, of course. Rosie doesn’t want to at first, but the more time she spends with Aiden she starts to like him and when they start to write steamy scenes together, well, the chemistry goes through the roof.

I also love the cover, it so cute!

Wow! This book blew me away in a way romance hasn't been able to do for me in a while.

Rosie and Aiden are classmates at NYU in the MFA writing program. Rosie writes romance, and Aiden thinks romance is a lazy genre while he writes litfic. They bicker and fight constantly in class, until their professor has had enough. She gives them a choice, either drop the class or partner up to work on their writing project. This might be the most realistic version of forced proximity I've ever read!

The writing process forces them to see each other in a new light at every turn, which leads to friendship, and eventually romance. Each step they take is so natural, and Katie Holt's voice as an author is so much fun to read. Every element just works. From the fighting, to the friendship, to the spice, it all flowed together wonderfully.

I laughed. I gasped. I cried. I grinned like an idiot. I can't wait to read Katie Holt's next book!

This was a fun romance about two young authors who seem to hate each other from the start. Rosie and Aiden meet in grad school in a creative writing workshop. She writes romance, he thinks that’s a waste of time. He writes litfic, she finds that boring and sad. But their hatred of each other soon leads to sparks, and that leads to a lot more. I liked the premise, and I loved Rosie’s friends and family, but I would have liked more from Aiden’s life. The snippets from their book, woven into the chapters, was a fun idea. 4 ⭐️

I love an enemies to lovers storyline! Rosie and Aiden are both writers and for their final assignment, in their shared creative writing class, they have to write a book together. Grab some popcorn and get ready to enjoy all the banter! Good read!

Firstly, Not in My Book was such a fun read and a love letter to New York and to romance fans. While it played with some typical romance novel tropes (grumpy x sunshine, miscommunication, he falls first etc) it didn’t feel too cliche, and although I knew where the plot was going (Aiden winning the lit mag review was obvious from a mile away, but I never doubted that there’d be a HEA) this did not affect my enjoyment of the novel at all.

I loved the slow burn rivals/enemies to lovers premise between Rosie and Aiden and thought this was particularly well done. Their forced proximity under the guise of their shared writing project was realistic, and at times I just wanted to shake Rosie and make her see what everyone else in the novel saw - that Aiden was totally in love with her from the beginning and she was letting her insecurities get in the way of her happiness.

Overall, this was an easy, enjoyable romance with some well written spicy scenes that didn’t feel forced or gratuitous. I would definitely recommend this novel to romance readers and will be picking up any future novels by this writer.

I am obsessed! This was amazing from beginning to end and I will definitely be reading anything else Katie Holt writes. This was an excellent debut! I cannot wait to see what she writes next!

4.5 stars

Not in My Book had me completely engrossed. I loved how Rosie and Aiden grew from rivals, to being forced to write a book together, to tentative friends, while the attraction between them kept growing. The chemistry and tension were palpable between them, and falling for each other was inevitable. Not in My Book story was refreshing.

One little thing that I liked less was that I didn't really believe in Aiden's reason for <spoiler>keeping things to himself</spoiler>, which is why this is less than 5 stars. But other than that, I truly enjoyed this story.

An absolutely promising debut! I will definitely be reading more from the author.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Very cute read!!!!
The dialogue between Rosie and Aiden was great. I found myself laughing out loud while reading the book. I didn’t want to stop reading it.
Definitely recommend if you like romance, books set in NYC, and a fast/easy to read book that makes you laugh.

This is one of those times where I wish star ratings didn't exist. I fell in love with certain parts of "Not in My Book" & other parts I feel like the story could've done without. That being said, I don't actually know what to rate this.

"Not in My Book" has a couple of my favorite tropes; enemies to lovers and (slightly) academic rivals. Our so-called enemies, Rosie & Aiden, are both writers and for their final assignment, in their shared creative writing class, they have to write a book together.

I really did enjoy Rosie & Aiden being "enemies". Something about that push and pull tension just gets me.

Katie Holt actually puts the excerpts of their untitled book assignment in each chapter. I wonder how that's going to look like when it is printed. At first the format felt out of place, but I started to like them as I continued through the book. Basically, they are having conversations with each other through the characters (who are just copies of themselves). One of my favorite moments involve them writing a sex scene together. It was chef's kiss.

Now, even though I loved that scene (I am going to have to reread that again soon lol) I feel like we didn't need that many "spicy" moments. They weren't bad and it wasn't overly done its just for some reason I didn't expect it. This could've been a good adult novel without the smut. Like, it wasn't needed but I get it. Sometimes I feel like authors feel the need to convey to us, the readers, that the story is about adults by adding sex. However, I love fluffy, cute, and swoony romances too!

Lastly, I saw the ending conflict from a mile away. Very predictable and the argument was kind of stupid. However, the things Rosie & Aiden said to each other afterwards were really heartwarming and made me reflect on my own relationship.

So, yeah, I did like this book, and I just might pick it up when it releases. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I was super impressed with the writing in this book. Pretty much telling two love stories where one could feel like it was repeating itself but it didn’t actually feel like that. Part of me does wish that I had a little more insight to Ida’s reactions and thoughts throughout the book, but it was still done so well.

I usually prefer clean romance because I don’t want the spice to take over the entire book. I thought the spicy scenes in this book were very well done. They felt realistic and didn’t have to use intensity or gimmicks to make it stand out.

I plan to share this book with my Instagram audience early December, shortly before pub date.

Oh the angst! I loved this enemies to rivals to lovers plot line! It was a mild slow burn. I honestly felt invested in the characters and their romance arc. It felt very believable and real.

4.5 stars
I really, really enjoyed this! It felt so comforting. Think the hating game and beach read had a baby and the spanish love deception is its aunt - literally what else do you need?

Although I can see the ties between the books, I do feel like this one is its own - no one “owns” a trope :) - through the setting and characters.
I was so fond of Rosie, and I really looked up to her as well. For me, workshopping my writing is one of my greatest fears. But Rosie wants it, craves the criticism even, because she knows she is a wonderful writer. Aaron is actually hilarious, especially because I love dry humor.
I wanted to fondly roll my eyes at them, shake them a bit, because to everyone in their workshop class and to me as a reader, it was so obvious their feelings for each other! It made it somewhat humorous and also a wonderful way to relate to the world & feel you are apart of it.
I especially adored the focus on romance as a genre and a worthy one at that. Something that really bothers me is how many MFA programs turn their noses up at romance and fantasy, when they are wonderful genres. I love how Rosie stuck to her guns and fought for herself and the genre. Katie was so right in her descriptions of romance books - they are more than simply romance plots.

I’m not a huge fan of miscommunication tropes, especially because I do think they overreacted. However, the reasoning for why did make sense based on their past. That was really vague, but I don’t want to spoil anything! Additionally, I do feel like there were some loose threads at the end. I would have loved a bit more wrap up. Not gonna include the loose threads because I don’t want to give spoilers away!

Overall, what an amazing debut! Katie is also a fellow bookstagrammer, which I love. I wish her all the success in her future!

FIVE STARS!!

Not in My Book is full of banter and enemies to lovers and NYC icons and justice for romance readers! I adored this slow burn romance sooooo much. I literally couldn't put it down even when I had (lots of) other things I should have been doing (lol whoops).

Also I was gobbling when they were writing this book especially when they were writing at the same time>>>

I loved the plot twists, the humor, and the romance. I can't wait to see what Katie Holt writes next

I absolutely enjoyed every bit of this book! Meeting Rosie and Aiden really was a fascinating experience, as they were so meticulously crafted. The story itself was so good; I enjoyed every bit of it. It's nothing new, to be honest—she's a romantic girlie, and he's a cynic—but how well their personalities fit together! The banter was immaculate; I really laughed out loud after reading some scenes, and I empathized with both points of view, even though I relate more to Rosie.

What added much depth to the story, I feel, was the way Rosie and Aiden wrote their book based on the real-life relationship. This way, we were able to hear Aiden's point of view on some things that happened between him and Rosie, which I'm so grateful for, as it made Aiden more layered and complex. That blending of reality and fiction was absolutely a refreshing new experience for me, and I loved every bit of it. Moreover, when two writers could express whatever they are feeling through words? Please, that immediately sold this book for me! The academic rivals-to-lovers trope was handled so well here as well, so if you're looking for something like that, this book is definitely your choice.

I also want to add that I enjoyed getting to know Peruvian culture through Rosie, as I wasn't really familiar with it. Seeing how Rosie embraced it was absolutely astonishing!

Rosie is a romance writer who tends to romanticize her life and believes in love and grand gestures. At first, I really feared that she would be too much of a romantic; it scared me because it's hard for me to relate to overly romantic characters. However, Rosie turned out to be a perfect example of how to not overly romanticize girls like her. I really loved how well-balanced her character was, how compassionate and understanding she was towards Aiden and his struggles, and how she was feeling so much, but her emotions didn't feel overly dramatic. Her witty humor and relatable struggles make her so real and relatable, and I feel like getting to know Rosie and experiencing that moment of self-discovery with her was absolutely fantastic.

Her relationship with her family is something else that impressed me. She was struggling without seeing them, but she was also trying to build a life for herself and follow her dreams. I feel like it's so relatable for many people in their mid-20s who don't see their family so often. Seriously, this hit so close to home, and I even cried when her family showed up for her because she wasn't able to get to them.

If I had no issues with understanding Rosie, it took some time for me to understand Aiden. It's not that he was a bad character—no way. He was really good and complex, also well-balanced like Rosie, but I feel like at first, when they were not working on their book, it was hard to understand what he was feeling and why he was so mean to Rosie. Then his perspective started to pop up through the chapters that were written by him, and I really started to feel for him. Look, I don't need much—just give me a man who writes these beautiful love confessions, and I'm done for!

As a brooding literary fiction author, he initially presents a contrast to Rosie's romantic personality, and that contrast was so well-executed. Although they are so different, they are also similar in how they pursue life and see their futures, and I feel like that's why they worked well together. To be honest, I really would have wanted to see more of Aiden and his backstory. It was mentioned, of course, and I feel like he got a decent exploration of his past and how it affected his present, but by the end of this book, it somehow didn't feel like enough. Maybe dual POV would've worked better here, I really don't know, but I feel like Aiden still has something to say.

The romance between Rosie and Aiden was definitely the best part of this book. I was kind of scared that they would remind me too much of Gus and January, but Rosie and Aiden's bond felt very different and unique. At first, their relationship is competitive as they challenge each other in class and during their encounters about their book, but it soon becomes much more meaningful. Their chemistry is so present, filled with witty banter and moments where they open up to each other and get to know each other better. With them being poles apart, their chemistry was amazing—one of the most enjoyable I've ever read!

Rosie and Aiden's personalities complement and challenge each other, leading to moments of genuine understanding and growth between them. That growth happened very gradually and not out of nowhere, so my fears were long forgotten. I loved how they started opening up to each other and showing their vulnerabilities, slowly but consistently, even through their chapters. It was magical to watch them grow together and develop such a strong, unbreakable bond.

I really enjoyed this book! Rosie and Aiden were amazing as main characters, combined with a heartfelt story. This book resonated with me, and I would absolutely love to read another book with them as main characters because of how wholesome they both turned out. I also adored that this book once again proved how powerful storytelling is and how two people could get closer by writing a story that hits so close to the heart.

This is one of those books that would have gotten five stars if it weren’t for a few things that bothered me.

Rosie, a romantic at heart, and Aiden, a grumpy literary fiction writer, attend the same writing workshop. They usually criticize each other’s work mercilessly. After a particularly heated debate during class, they are punished by having to write a novel together.

The writing was great and I can’t wait to read more from this author, I devoured this book! It didn’t feel like a debut at all; the characters were lovable and realistic, the enemies to lovers beautifully executed. The chemistry and tension between Rosie and Aiden? Chef’s kiss! I adored the way they opened up to each other and slowly progressed from enemies to friends and then lovers. The fact that it wasn’t always smooth and easy made them more relatable and made me like them and the book even more.

What didn’t work for me was that because the romance they were writing was based on their own, they shared their most private moments with the whole class. They even included their first kiss in the book and read about it out loud for everyone to hear and judge 😭. Rosie also shared those and other details with her bestie, and that’s my pet peeve. I think some things should stay between two people; kiss and tell is cringe enough among teenagers, it’s an absolute no go with adults.

Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Not in my book was a sweet and funny read and if you love academic rivals to lovers you surely don't want to miss this one, because Rosie and Aiden are rivals who are forced to work together in a college writing workshop. I enjoyed the book but I was not completely obsessed if I need to be honest, even though it was entertaining! If you enjoyed Beach read, you need to give this one a chance. P.S. Rosie is a swiftie!! I loved this.