Rivals to Lovers is a charming enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy featuring two New York-based authors, Maureen (Mo) and Wes, who find themselves in fierce competition to adapt a beloved novel. Despite the rivalry, sparks fly almost immediately, launching them into a whirlwind romance.

Mo and Wes are undeniably adorable together. While Wes may come off a bit prickly at first, he quickly redeems himself, revealing a softer side that balances well with Mo’s vibrant personality. The dual POV format adds depth to their relationship, allowing readers to connect with both characters as their story unfolds.

While the story starts off a bit gently, it builds into a heartfelt and satisfying romance that feels both genuine and charming. The pacing allows readers to settle into Mo and Wes’s world, and the overall tone is light, uplifting, and perfect for anyone in the mood for a bookish romcom with plenty of heart.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for sending me this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a beautiful ode to books, literature in general, and the lasting, long-reaching effects of a well-written story. Mo and Wes had beautiful ways of approaching the same story, bringing their unique spin on it. I also appreciated the story-within-a-story aspect, similar to Great Big Beautiful Life! I think this book will be a hit for many a book lover.

This was an interesting read! I enjoyed the premise and character development. It reminded me of Emily Henry’s latest book about competing authors.

Romances based around books are extra fun to read!

Maureen “Mo” Denton is an aspiring author living in New York, working in the event space to make ends meet. Wes Spencer is also an aspiring author, currently working as a literary agent with endless connections in the industry thanks to his famous mother. When Mo & Wes end up with competing manuscripts for an adaption of a classic novel, they are instant rivals. Mo is intimidated by his familial connections, & Wes is intimidated by how great of a writer she is. However, as they get to know one another, it turns out they have way more in common than just this competition - & are instantly attracted to one another. Can two rivals ever become something more?

This book was so good! The premise was very unique, & the characters were all so memorable & lovable. I definitely recommend, & I’ll be looking for more books from this author! 🫶🏻

I can't resist a romance set in the literary world! I loved the rivals to lovers theme, and the genuine passion both Mo and Wes had not only for the source material, but for each other's books. It was intriguing to see two versions of the same story, both unique and still honoring the source material. This was an excellent read.

This was a really interesting read with a different premise than most romances. Two writers competing to adapt the same classic novel are forced to spend the weekend together with the daughter of the original author to see who will come out on top.I love a dual character perspective, and this one was perfectly balanced and executed with no repeated information between chapters. I'm also always in awe of someone who can come up with an entire concept for a book, AND THEN come up with another entire concept for the book within that book. That hurts my brain just to think about it.

Thank you for the opportunity to review!! Wes’ internal monologue and thoughts made me giggle! I really enjoyed the main characters and their banter. Mo had great character development and that was a bonus because in the beginning I thought I was going to dislike her. I wish the side characters had a little more pull in the story because they were fun! I wish there had been more romantic development and not a quick jump to I love you. Overall the plot of the story was great for me! 3.5 rounded up

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the way this book managed to be both fun and deal with deeper issues.

Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for this eARC.

While I enjoyed parts of this story, I did feel like the overall story was not for me. I did not feel the 'rivals' part of this story and they were barely together before all the confessions of love, so it felt more instalove to me.

I also figured out that I do not enjoy third person narration. The writing was fine, but I found myself not really invested in the story or the characters.
The whole 'book within a book' plot was interesting and I would have liked to read more about the writing weekend and the Hill house.
The constant nepo baby talk did not have me wanting to empathize at all with the MMC and I just could not get behind the FMC either.

Overall, this was a quick, easy read, but left me wanting more depth- there was a lot of telling us instead of showing us how the characters felt about each other and I just need more for a relatable romance book.

Partway through this book, I realised I was curious as to how the plot would pan out, but not absolutely drawn in. A little further on, I concluded that this was down to the third-person narrative. I don’t have a strong preference for either first or third person usually, but in this case third person left me feeling somewhat detached from the whole story. Was the author trying to emulate, at least a little, the style of the 1920s-era novel that Mo and Wes are both adapting? If so, it led to a lot of telling-not-showing that might have worked in a first-person voice but made for long-winded explanatory paragraphs here. Having said that, the style and pace did seem to improve as the plot developed, and the cast of characters is rounded and nuanced and realistically flawed (particularly Wes, with his desire to do the right thing but so often going about it in the wrong way). I did enjoy how the plot eventually panned out, but I was left with the impression of a book that wanted to tackle a lot of issues and couldn’t quite decide what it wanted to be (and definitely did not reflect its frothy cartoon pink cover!).

I really enjoyed the story between Maureen and Wes. I did want a little more tension between them, but the descriptions and conversations were amazing. I loved that they were both a little broken even though they were extremely different, but were able to make each other whole. Will definitely be reading more from this author!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 stars)

Huge thanks to Elise Wayland and Alcove Press for the ARC via NetGalley! 💌

Rivals to Lovers is a light, bookish romcom featuring two rival writers Mo and Wes competing for the same literary adaptation in NYC. What starts as a professional rivalry quickly turns into something more tender and complicated.

The banter is fun, the literary premise is a delight, and the dual POV works well. While the romance felt a little rushed and the heat level was on the mild side, the story still had enough charm to keep me engaged from start to finish.

Perfect for fans of rivals-to-lovers and cozy contemporary romance with a creative twist. 📚✨

I went into Rivals to Lovers with high hopes and it delivered in some ways but fell short in others. I had to wait for a good while to actually pick up this book because I have been in one of the worst reading slumps of my life. I did however pick this up this past weekend and I liked it. It was cute.

I thoroughly enjoyed the plot of this book, a writing competition between two authors fighting to adapt the same novel felt fresh and clever but also cozy and familiar, IDK it makes sense in my head. The two main characters share smart, witty banter that sparks chemistry, which I felt really pulled me in as a reader in a lot of scenes. I also LOVED the LGBTQ+ representation through Wes' (the MMC) sexuality, I felt like it truly added visibility that felt real for the storyline.

What kind of fell short for me was the rivals to lovers' plot...I wanted more rivals; they got to the lovers' part a little too quickly for my liking. The pacing of the romance felt a little off because of that and drop-off of the rivalry diluted what could have been more satisfying tension. It felt more like a "hey we're both competing for this and we both want it to lovers" than "Rivals to Lovers."

Overall though it was cute and fun and was a great pallet cleanser. I am glad I waited till I could pick up physical books again!

There is so much to love about this debut romance novel by Elise Wayland! Publishing insights, callbacks to 1920s tragic romance (a la Edith Warton and F Scott Fitzgerald), supportive rivalry, loving family and friend side characters, and a lot of fun Midwest connections (the main character is from Iowa, where part of the book takes place- with real places described!). Mo and Wes are rivals to gain the rights to publish their novels based on a classic novel, and they need approval from the original author’s estate to do so. I loved that despite being rivals, they both wanted to see each other succeed. Wes is bisexual and very open about it, and the novel overall is inclusive to a range of identities. The ending is perfect and very sweet. I loved it!

Thank you to Alcove and NetGalley for the advance read copy! The book is out Aug 12, 2025!

Loved this book!!

Especially how much it relates to us as readers.

Loved the banter between Mo & Wes especially the witty remarks.

Rivals to Lovers has a clever setup, a literary showdown with a dash of romantic tension, and Mo’s passion for storytelling is easy to root for. The banter between her and Wes is fun, and there’s definite chemistry, but the pacing lags in parts, and the stakes never feel as high as the premise promises. Still, it’s a cozy, bookish romance with enough heart to keep you reading, even if it doesn’t fully deliver on the drama or depth.

This was a fun rivals to lovers story! Different backgrounds reimagining the same book with a connection only one of them knew about!? Mo and Wes both needed to get out of their own way but in the end this was fun read

I want to thank Elise Wayland, Alcove Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC, and that’s my honest review.

I like books on books, but I really don’t like when they get too self- condescenting.
Rivals to Lovers lost me at the umpteenth definition of FMC as a "genius".
When I read a book, I don't want to witness the author's hollow fantasies of being celebrated by the entire literary community, as well as by the public. I want a story that entertaints me and characters I can love.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have any of them.

The premise was intriguing but it turned quite boring in no time. How can I consider the main characters as rivals if the MMC is her greatest supporter since chapter 2?

It's even difficult to empathize with the characters and their problems, which seem like those of spoiled kids.

I really want ed to like this book, but in the end I was really disappointed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Each character was interesting and clever. This was such a fun premise, and I think it turned out really well.

Thank you Netgalley and Alcove Press for the ARC!

Rivals to Lovers is such a sweet story! I really liked the writing theme throughout. It was fun getting a glimpse into the world of authors and seeing how that shared passion brought Wes and Mo closer!

Their relationship was adorable to follow. I loved watching them go from rivals to friends, and eventually something more! It was a slow, gentle build with so many little moments that made me smile. Once they started being honest about their feelings, it felt so sincere and real.

One of the things I appreciated most was how the romance developed. It wasn’t rushed, and the way they communicated felt really meaningful. I especially liked how their love for writing played into the way they expressed themselves; it made their connection feel even more special.

That said, it did take me a bit to get into. The pacing at the beginning was on the slower side, and I’m not usually a big fan of third person POV, so it took some time to really connect. But once I got into it, I was glad I stuck with it.

The ending was so sweet and brought back that light, romcom energy I’d been hoping for! If you’re in the mood for a soft, writer-themed rivals to lovers story, this one is definitely worth checking out!