4.25 Stars

Okay, this was super cute! I loved all the clever bookish trope references and the fun influencer focus. What really made this shine was how relatable it felt – whether you're Korean-American, college-aged, or a fellow perfectionist, there's so much to connect with. It truly grounded the story!

The audiobook, narrated by Shannon Tso and Eric Yang, was amazing; they absolutely brought the characters to life. Definitely a must-read if you're looking for a charming, real, and funny contemporary romance!

Thank you to Harlequin Audio for the ALC in exchange for a honest review!

Thank you for the ALC NetGalley & Harlequin Audio in exchange for an honest review 🎧

I loved the structure of this book where each chapter began with a trope that in most cases directly aligned with the content in the chapter. The dating challenge was fun and I enjoyed the shout outs to BDB. Aiden was a great book boyfriend and ofc he falls first and unfortunately had to work overtime getting around Irene's inner saboteur. Irene had realistic character growth by the end and I was happy with the resolution to the conflict.

The narration was done well by both leads, except for the sister's voice being done in an annoying voice - weird tone and I couldn't take anything said by her seriously.

Overall a cute coming of age love story.

This was very cute!! At time a little *too* unrealistic (for example, the fmc is in her early twenties and is already being sponsored by a dating app?)
I loved the Irene was bookish and all the romance book talk was adorable!

this truly is ✨the✨ book for romance readers and book content creators

Susan encapsulates what its like to be a romance reader and book content creator so perfectly, and if you have a book focused page - you need to pick this book up immediately!! It’s genuinely one of the cutest books ive ever read.

the use of the tropes, all of the insanely cute moments between Irene and Aidan, the found family in her new friend group and her character development!!! it was just all so so good.

I also had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook of this book, and the narrators were fantastic!

Thank you to HTP books and HarperCollins for giving me an ALC of this book!

Thank you Harlequin Audio for a free ALC of this book

Trope salad and I ATE THIS UP. It was cheesy but I’m a millennial and I love charcuterie boards.

Irene and Aiden were so cute. Irene feels like your relatable Asian America sister, and Aiden will make you swoon.

I want to start off by saying this book is rated YA and I think it should be considered NA. Do I think that some YA readers are mature enough to handle some of the content in the book, yes - but not all and there is definitely some content some readers or parents of readers might not be okay if they are exposed to. As far as spice - I would probably say 2 chili peppers. There is on page intimacy and descriptions of things happening, but no on page sex. However, the characters do have sex - it's not assumed, they talk about it.

This book could be something you enjoy if you like enemies/rivals to lovers, fake dating, rom-coms, college romance, good banter, and books about reading or loving books.

This book had a lot of positive check marks for me - I loved Aiden as a character, and honestly wished we had more of his POV in the book. While Irene wasn't my favorite character, I think that she played her role well. She was the grumpy to Aiden's sunshine, the black cat to his golden retriever. This made for a good dynamic between the 2 - their banter was fun, it's a rivals to lovers and he even states how when people fake date it's always because one of the 2 is actually interested. Not to mention it's a rom-com so you know it's gonna have an HEA.

I think the thing I enjoyed about Irene the most was that she ended up being an unreliable narrator. When she described her life and how she felt in her family it was easy to believe that's how it actually was. But towards the end of the book you see her parents in a different light, and it really made me empathize with her. It's so easy to think or feel some type of way, or see the world a certain way, but when we take a step back to get rid of the miscommunication it's not always the way it seems.

I loved that each chapter was titled with a trope, it kinda gave you an idea of what we were going to see in the chapter and then it came as less of a surprise.

Side Note: I want to read the book that Aiden wrote - just saying.

This is so cute! I love the narration, the characters, the bookish references and the. tropes on tropes. It's charming and I devoured it in less than a day.

🌸✨ when I tell you I LOVED The Romance Rivalry and I cannot stop grinning!! This book is like a warm hug wrapped in banter, bookish chaos, and the sweetest enemies-to-lovers slow burn ever. Irene Park is the ultimate book nerd icon, and watching her try to turn romance tropes into real life? HILARIOUS. And don’t even get me started on Aiden Jeon the academic rival energy?? The tension?? The fake dating??? I was kicking my feet and squealing every other page.

This book has everything: book blog wars, swoony moments, awkward but adorable college firsts, and pop culture references that made me feel completely seen. The chemistry is top tier, the emotional payoff is so worth it, and the message? Chef’s kiss. It’s not just about falling in love it’s about learning to write your own story (even if it’s messy and trope-defying).

Perfect for anyone who loves books about books, characters who are disasters in the best way, and stories that make your heart do little somersaults. I already want to re-read it. 💕📚🎬💖 #books #reading #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #audiobook #romancebooks

Competitive romance review bloggers Irene Park and Aiden Jeon end up at the same college, are paired on a semester-long English assignment, and then go head-to-head in a trope-tracking dating contest; Irene tells Aiden if she falls in love first, he has to quit all social media. He agrees, even though he’s on scholarship, and his blogging (do we still call it blogging?) brings in much-needed income. Aiden and Irene go on a number of dates with other people, but keep meeting up to compare notes, with their roommates keeping score. And then it turns out their roommates are secretly dating–and secretly rooting for Aiden and Irene.

Each chapter is headed by the name of a trope, which hints at the action to come, and a review with relevant trope or theme (by each of them!) precedes the storyline–it’s very cleverly put together. Group texts between the four friends add to the narrative and modernize the setting. Fans of the romance genre will love all the tropes, and the allusions to many other romance novels.

I found this to be a very realistic portrayal of adjusting to college, from bonding with a roommate to time management to making time for dating. The familial expectations defy ethnicity, while paying homage to the Korean-American experience. I did think Irene’s siblings huge successes as influencer (older sister) and athlete (younger brother) were a little far-fetched. As a YA novel, I was surprised by the f-bombs, yet the intimacy was completely behind closed doors.

Narrators Shannon Tyo and Eric Yang perfectly conveyed all the nuances of the writing; I loved that we got Aiden’s writing, from reviews to his romance novel manuscript, in his voice. This was a fun and frustrating listen–I really just wanted Irene to stop resisting.

I received a free advance listener’s review copy of the audiobook for #TheRomanceRivalry via #NetGalley, courtesy of #Harlequin, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was a really cute story. I was lucky enough to get an arc of the audiobook from netgalley. This was my first novel by Susan Lee, and I loved it so much! I was listening to it at work before the store opened and I laughed out loud and cried! The narrators were fantastic and embodied the characters really well! 100% will look into more books by Susan Lee!

rounded up 4.5 stars

Irene is a book influencer who's made a career out of it. She loves reviewing romance books but has never been in love. Now that Irene is in college, her goal is to find love by using romance tropes. Aiden is also a book influencer who aspires to be a writer. Aiden and Irene decide to make it a competition of who will find love by trope first. They ultimately end up in a fake dating situation.

This was a cute YA/new adult romance. The concept of using romance tropes as a guide to find love was fun. My favorite part was the fake dating between the two MCs. Aiden's character growth was the best because she was annoying a majority of the book, but by the end of the story, she was likable. I wish we got more of Aiden's POV. I feel that the narration was perfect for the characters. I would be listening to more of their work.

First, I want to say that the narrators are great. Easy to listen to and engaging.
That said... I was underwhelmed by this book. It has all of the makings of something I'd like. Two Korean American protagonists, a fun hook, takes place in college. But unfortunately the romance in in particular, the fmc did not resonate with me. The middle was hard to get through and didn't do enough emotional work for the payoff. It was clever and the side characters were fun.

4.5 ⭐️
🌶️

I received the opportunity to listen to this book through NetGalley. Chefs kiss 💋 to the audio. I loved the dual narration, I loved the enthusiasm for the book through the narration. It was perfection.

The story itself is really cute. I love that it takes all of the elements of romance books, and it incorporates this throughout the entire story. The book is sweet and incredibly entertaining. The book is lighthearted enough to be something you can sit down and read in one sitting. I listened to this book in one day.

What I really love is that the book embrace the fact that you cannot always be perfect and life is hard sometimes. It really hits home with being true to yourself, trusting those around you and asking for help when you need it.

This also makes Susan an auto buy author for me !

Thanks to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for an advanced copy!

I've read a few of Susan Lee's books that I've enjoyed in the past, so I was excited about this one! I loved the college setting and the characters. I loved how Irene and Aiden both love romance books so much. The book touched on how romance is such a popular genre nowadays, but it is still looked down on as not "real reading," which I agree is an important topic. I also loved how the chapters were named after well-known romance tropes and how the tropes played into the story. I would definitely recommend!

When I say I connected to this character on a real level even though I am 40 and she is 18. She is a middle child, hard in herself, romance loving, socially awkward nerd. I was this girl and I am still this girl so this story hit hard. I also struggled in college because everything I thought I wanted or needed to be wasn’t as easy to fulfill when I started to see what the world had to offer. Needless to say I love this story and the growth she undertakes throughout the story. I full heartedly believe that college is where you grow into yourself and the book highlights this perfectly. Also, her love of Zsadist is perfect and I loved the tropes romance storyline.
The narrators were great and felt like the characters which always make the story feel real.

Not gonna lie, originally dnf when I first got the audio but decided to try it again and I’m so glad I did! I absolutely loved this, the banter, the quest to find herself/love, college friendships and a competition using romance tropes.

Irene would rather be reading.
While her classmates are slow dancing under disco lights at after-prom, she’s at home, happily curled up with her latest book. As a dedicated high school book reviewer with a loyal online following, Irene dreams of a future in publishing—editing, academia, maybe even a little romance (in theory, of course).
But college at Brighton University throws her the ultimate plot twist: her biggest online rival, the maddeningly charming @AidenTheGuyReadsRomance, is not only real... he’s a fellow student. And somehow, he's her project partner.
Their assignment? A semester-long experiment in love—going on dates with different guys, each inspired by popular romance tropes. Enemies to lovers, fake dating, only one bed... Irene thought she'd just be analyzing fictional chemistry—not testing it in real life.
As sparks fly and deadlines close in, Irene has to figure out whether this rivalry is worth clinging to—or if her own love story has been waiting to be written all along.

This novel is SO CUTE! All of our favorite tropes are used to bring two adorable romance writers together. This is a love letter to those who love romance and want to be seen and appreciated for who they are.

A fun, fast, read perfect for those who want a novel made of sunshine.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review!

The Romance Rivalry is an easy and enjoyable listen.

I think a lot of young women can relate to Irene and her determination to be seen and valued.

Those who love to read and gush about the romance genre, give this YA novel a go.

A cute fun romance read!! I enjoyed this so much. Having anxiety and being in the review game I felt a strong connection to Irene. Her and Aiden’s dynamic is adorable and so cute. I liked all the tropes they managed to cross off their lists and how the relationship evolved. So cute!