Thank you Netgalley for the A.R.C. This was my first read by this author and I enjoyed it. Temi and Wale got a second chance at love after a devastating breakup. While both characters experienced a lot of growth by the end, I think Temi could have benefited from some therapy. The withholding information, especially about her book deal, was a little alarming but it created tension for the story. I loved the depiction of Wale and his journey of what defines a real man. This is not a topic that comes up often but it should. After Temi and Wale were able to work through their issues and forgive, a cute love story resulted. I will definitely read more books by this author. Anyone who enjoys a second chance romance will definitely enjoy this read.

Thank you NetGalley for the Arc.

The Rewrite by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn was such a good read! I really connected with the characters and loved how real their stories felt. The way Blackburn writes about love and family is so honest and refreshing. I especially appreciated the cultural vibes that added extra depth to the story.

It did slow down a bit in some parts, but honestly, the emotional moments more than made up for it. Overall, this was a solid, heartfelt romance that I’d definitely recommend if you like stories about second chances and personal growth.

This was a cute, well-written book. The background of their breakup gave such conflict in Temi and Wale’s new working relationship. However, misconceptions on both sides fueled these past and present issues. This was a great reconnection story. I recommend this as I read it in two days and couldn’t put it down!

When her boyfriend dumps her and goes on The Villa, a Love is Blind-type reality show, Temi writes a revenge novel about it in a few weeks. She never means for it to see the light of day, but when she can’t make progress on the novel she needs to write for her deadline, she turns it in and it gets snapped up immediately. Further complicating the issue is her ghostwriting job where she ends up writing her ex’s memoir! Hijinks ensue, and a pretty standard but fun plot follows. There are the usual miscommunications, this doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it is enjoyable and the friends and family characters are well done. One disappointment to me is that although the FMC is clearly and unapologetically plus-size, the cover does not reflect that.

Fun and engaging story about a young British-Nigerian writer who is asked to ghostwrite the celebrity memoir of her ex – known as the bad boy from the most recent reality tv dating show.

This contemporary romance is told from the first-person perspective of Temi, the female protagonist who shows what it means to be body positive, embracing her curvy/thick build and considering herself to be “hot”. The storyline follows a countdown of the writing goals she has set for herself (and her progress) with flashbacks to her romance with Wale, the male lead. The plot is well-paced with solid character development for both of them, as well as for several key supporting characters.

The story calls out toxic masculinity and the damage it can cause in relationships, highlights the curated nature of reality tv and social media content, and celebrates Black love with a feel-good second chance romance. Trust and open communication are important themes for Temi & Wale as they reconnect, but are also central in addressing issues in their relationships with friends and family.

This was my first book by this author, but I definitely enjoyed her writing style, so I plan to check out more of her work in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.
I read the first half and decided that there are other books I would
rather read.. Not terrible but meh.

The re-write explores a lot of heavy themes amidst the second chance romance between the characters. The characters will frustrate you because you will be invested in their success, and they seem to sabotage themselves at every turn. This is a beautiful story about how learning to love and understand yourself can help you open up to love.

Another example of a story that would not be a story if everyone just told the truth. It was infuriating. Also, why did our MC have to be 22? I resented how much pressure was put on this child to find love and have a book deal or bust.

The moral of the story is simply, you cannot build a relationship on lies - especially lying by ommison. We meet Temi, a 22 year old former ghost writer who recently quit her job to chase her dreams of getting a book deal. She was recently in a relationship with Wale, until she finds out he accepted a spot on a reality dating show (think Love Island) and never told her. They break up, he becomes a womanizing reality villain, is off the show, and then his agent requests Temi to ghost write his book. She takes the job - bc of course she does, and then we have a few hundred pages of Temi forgiving and falling back in love with Wale while LYING TO EVERYONE IN HER LIFE BY OMISSION.

Nobody learns anything. I would prefer a novel about Aunt Shirley and Uncle Les. They jumped off the page. I loved Blackburn’s first novel, so I’m looking forward to what else she comes up with.

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

This was just okay for me. The premise is fun—she’s stuck ghostwriting her ex’s memoir after he broke her heart by going on a reality dating show. There’s some nice growth as they finally talk through what actually went wrong between them. I liked the second chance vibe, but it didn’t totally hook me. A decent read, just not super memorable.

Read if you like:
•Second Chance
•Cute Meet-Cute
•Workplace Romance

I wanted to love this book so badly. I love the premise. I love books about writing. I love when people write about writing. I love second chance romance novels. I love Black love.

This one just didn’t quite scratch the itch.

The characters didn’t resonate with me, especially the main character. She felt immature and a bit confusing. I wanted to the redemption of second chances, of growth in the meantime, of love and growing together. It felt like this story was missing that.

Unfortunately, I DNF’d this book because I just couldn't get pulled into the story.

Folks who enjoy a second chance romance will probably enjoy this book. The writing was well-paced and I have a special place in my heart for main characters who are writers. I love the cultural references and always appreciate the opportunity to read about Black love.

“Maybe I was in love with the thought of being in love” whew I felt this sentence alone! This was a cute read that’s full of trials and tribulations however it’s written beautifully!

It is really a 2.5 out of 5 stars.
I am so so so sad. This was one of my most anticipated reads of this year and I was so let down.
I usually don't mind a main character that is flawed; however, my god she was insufferable.
Nothing about her made me feel like she deserved a redemption act. Wale was actually more likable and he didn't deserve the foolishness he experienced.

I think the Kojo plot could have been expounded on or left out all together. the way it is written it made it feel like they threw it in as an extra thought

Temi is a writer, struggling to get the novel she labored over and made with love for years published. Her agent tells her about applying for a ghostwriting job with a mystery celebrity, and also asks for a draft of the novel she was supposed to be writing but had barely worked on since she started it. But her agent doesn’t know that. When she shows up for the quick online interview with the mystery celebrity and his agent, it’s none other than her ex! Wale from hit reality tv show The Villa. With her novel not getting published any time soon, and the one she’s “been working on” not having her heart in it, she decided to accept the job to ghostwrite Wale’s memoir. As they get closer, and draft deadlines do too, she finds herself earning Wale’s trust back, but simultaneously finding herself risking it all to be published. This has a somewhat new adult feel to it, and Temi’s character is in her early to mid 20s about, but the narrative voice is strong, the author’s culture lines up with the culture of the characters and it feels like you are learning about Nigerian culture and family life in natural ways while reading. The relationships are believable and the interactions are as well. I could not help but feel that the reasons for the issues between Wale and Temi that led to their breakup were a bit trivial to begin with, and their problems almost felt childish to me, something easily resolved with some proper communication. I also couldn’t help but feel that Temi idolized Wale and put herself down when it came to the reason they broke up. It’s an enjoyable read, with likeable characters that you feel invested in and want to know what is going to happen.

Temi girl quit lying. I couldn’t take it I really wanted to like her and was rooting for her but I cringed at every choice she made.
I did like Wale and his growth throughout the book! His struggles were real and once he finally opened up I appreciated his character more.
I was really invested in the side couple Shona and Fonzo. I would for sure read their book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc for my honest review!

This lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers rom-com follows aspiring writer Temi, who unexpectedly ends up ghostwriting an autobiography for her reality TV star ex, Wale. The book touches on important themes like sexual assault, caregiving, & confidence which added depth to the story. I especially appreciated the rich representation of Nigerian culture—it was a lovely and authentic touch that I really enjoyed as a Nigerian.

The writing itself was engaging and well-paced, and I could absolutely see this being adapted into a fun, dramatic TV series or movie. That said, the story didn’t quite click for me personally. At times, it felt a bit juvenile, and I struggled to connect with Temi as the main character. She often overanalyzed situations, made frustrating choices, and came across as desperate to be with Wale—even though he was a good man for her. I found myself wanting to root for her more than I actually could because she always kept lying. But all in all, this was a pretty good book. I’d recommend it to people in their 20s who enjoy rom-coms.

Thank you to Penguin Books and NetGalley for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

"Eventually, I succumb. As always." This would be the theme for this entire story. Her succumbing, and at least she was honest with herself at one moment to realize it.

This is a second chance romance in which a woman who was broken up with by her boyfriend so he could go onto a dating reality show finds herself ghostwriting his memoir.

I'm not typically a fan of second chance romance, but I love a Black author and I love some good mess. The book started off amazingly and kept me hooked and wanting to know more. I loved the timing and felt the flashback chapters were strategically placed perfectly. I almost thought I would somehow become a fan of the MMC in the process, but then the miscommunication as well as the FMC's insecurity became so strong to the point where I couldn't take it anymore. Somehow the story transformed from the man trying to win the woman back to her trying to win him back and that ultimately disgusted me. I found myself screaming at the FMC to get a backbone and I was annoyed with all the excuses being made for a grown man who made such an inexcusable choice. He had his redeeming moments, but not enough for a second chance IMO. Your terrible past doesn't give you the right to treat someone terribly.

However, I do believe that everyone deserves to see themselves in fiction and someone out there can relate to all of this. I've seen it firsthand, even though it frustrates me to my core. At the end of the day, I believe people who enjoy second chance romances would enjoy this and, those who don't, could also find some amusement within the story.

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Viking Penguin, and Lizzie Damilola Blackburn for the advanced reader copy.

I love the character development. I found Temi’s deception maddening but appreciate the explanation behind her behavior and the growth over time for all of the characters. I loved this book.

This lovers to enemies to lovers story was sweet and it had some great moments about body positivity and feminist responses to dating in the patriarchy, I was rooting for Temi and less so for Wale. This was a fun, breezy read that would be great for fans of The Break Up or Something's Gotta Give.

Temi finds out her ex, who is possibly the love of her life, is the newest star on a reality show (think Love Island). She ends up becoming a ghost writer for his memoir and is trying to be as professional as possible when working with your ex. They finally become cordial when she gets a book deal on a book she angrily wrote about their relationship after she found out he went on 'The Villa'.

I really enjoyed this book! I liked the writing style. There were some parts that I skimmed through just because they weren't catching my interest. I liked how realistic this book was. I find with a lot of rom-coms they have a lot of cringy moments, but I didn't think that a single time while reading this.