This book is super cute. People who enjoy reading romance novels are going to love this book because it has so many tropes and the Irene is an online book reviewer of romance books. And even though Irene lives for romance books, she’s never experienced it for herself. When she arrives at college, Irene decides to change that by using romance tropes to find her HEA.

This book is a love letter to the romance genre, and felt like a warm hug. Irene and Aiden are rival social media romance book reviewers, and end up in the same literature class their freshman year of college. Their competition to be the first to find love-by-trope is interspersed with snippets of reviews of different books. One of my favorite closed door romances!

This book is so much fun!
I loved the exploration of romance tropes and the relationship between Irene and Aiden is great!
I enjoyed getting to know them through their competition and social media posts.
The narrators for the audiobook are wonderful and they brought the characters to life.
I will definitely be recommending this book to teen readers!

3.5 raised to a 4!

This was a unique and fun romance; Susan Lee did a great job with The Romance Rivalry! I loved that our main characters of Irene and Aiden lived out common romance tropes in order to see who could be the first to find love-by-trope! This was a very easy and fun romp through your love-to-hate, hate-to-love tropes that was a great reading palate cleanser. I binged this book in one day, and let the audio run while running around, and easily got swept away into Irene and Aiden's romance rivalry competition and eventual love story! The dual narrators did an excellent job of narrating for Irene and Aiden, and again, I was easily swept away into the romance narrative; I will be seeking out other audio books that they've narrated!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the early advanced audiobook copy of this book, and the chance to read and review it! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

this one is for the bookstagram girlies
romance bookstagrammers irene and aiden decide to spend their freshman year of college trying to fall in love with people the only way they know how - through romance tropes!
This was such a fun read! Ali Hazelwood has not stopped singing this book's praises, so I knew I had to read it. I am so glad I did!
There's something so amazing about reading about someone falling in love for the FIRST TIME!
This book manages to be fun while also addressing the things so many of us struggle with, especially the first year of college. The pressure to not disappoint parents, feeling overwhelmed by class work, and the overall struggle of being on your own for the first time.
*some* of the tropes included in this book are:
- Rivals to lovers
- First love
- Fake datings
- Bookstagrammers
- College romance
- He falls first
Thank you to NetGalley and HaperCollins for the ALC in exchange for my honest review of the book! Definitely check this one out!

I don't think this was my kind of book, it was a good story and I will recommend it to other YA or teenage parents.

A cute college age YA that feels like a celebration of romance readers everywhere.

Lighthearted and easy to fly through, the story feels a bit twee at times and doesn't quite hit all the marks for me, but it is bound to delight a plethora of readers.

The Romance Rivalry had me grinning from ear to ear! It’s a college set novel about two rival book influencers who engage in a dating competition based on romance tropes to determine who is better suited to land a major paid sponsorship opportunity. Author Susan Lee pens a celebration of the romance genre and all of us readers who enjoy a happily ever after!

I was excited to read a story about online book reviewers (being one myself) and related to Irene’s passion for reading. The outpouring of love for the romance genre and its beloved tropes was beautiful and the vibrant online community was accurately represented. Irene and Aiden were a lovely pair of main characters and I delighted in watching them fight their feelings despite feeling their spark from the moment they connected IRL.

The one aspect of the book I didn’t gel with was the miscommunication that led to the third act breakup. It felt like Irene and Aiden understood each other so well beforehand and the reasoning behind their brief separation felt juvenile. I get that they’re supposed to be around 18, but for two people who adore and analyze romance novels, I would expect them to be more forthcoming with their feelings.

Another note, this book definitely reads more NA than young adult, especially when it comes to the romantic scenes. That was not a deterrent for me, but I was surprised to see some open door foreplay sequences before it faded to black. In my opinion, it worked because these moments do feel earned and befitting of two college-age characters, but it’s something I’d like to mention since it’s technically marked as YA.

I read The Romance Rivalry via audiobook and had such a fun time! Narrator Shannon Tyo who voices Irene performs the majority of the novel (as it’s mainly from Irene’s POV) and I thought she did a wonderful job bringing Irene’s spunky personality to life. Eric Yang narrates Aiden’s interludes and I enjoyed having another voice to differentiate between the two main characters. I would absolutely recommend the audiobook and loved how the overall tone of adoration was portrayed.

Thank you Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the ALC!

ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ || THE ROMANCE RIVALRY [thank you to @epicreads + @storygramtours for my #gifted copy! And Harlequin Audio for my #gifted ALC!]

Title: The Romance Rivalry
Author: Susan Lee
Genre: YA Romance
Format: audio
Star Rating: ★★★☆☆
Narrator: Shannon Tyo + Eric Yang
Narration: ★★★★☆

ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
This book was a lot of fun at the beginning! I always find it interesting when I read a book about a bookstagrammer for my bookstagram - because it’s curious to see my hobby from another POV. Add in that both of the love interests are book influencers fighting for the same sponsorships and I’m hooked!

However, about halfway through the book, this one lost me. The conflict was riddled with miscommunication (and I know they’re 18 so they are immature, but there is a line if you expect me to believe they also fall in love) and there was some “open door” foreplay leading to a fade-to-black scene. I don’t mind reading spice in my romance novels, but I tend to not expect it in the ones I read that are marketed as YA - so reader be warned.

The humor, the friendships, and the mixed college experiences were all a joy to read about! I just found myself not really caring about the couple by the end.

🎧 The narrators were really good and I think captured Aiden and Irene perfectly! I especially loved the “dual narration” of them both reading their characters book review captions from Instagram!

ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
College Romance
Books about Books
Books about Influencers
Diverse MCs
Enemies-to-Lovers
Fake Dating

ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟꜱ:
GR: 3.96⭐️
# of Hours: 8 hours, 3 minutes
Pub Date: May 13, 2025

*4.25 Stars*

I had a lot of funny with this one. The main character was all over the place in the best way and I really enjoyed getting to know her and seeing her evolve through the story. I also really liked the side characters and the love interest. I found the love interest a little obnoxious at first but it soon faded away. I really just enjoyed this story. It was quite unserious but in a good way and still approached deeper subjects. I really enjoyed the whole reviewer of it all and I really flew through this. I really liked the narrator too. I could not stop reading. I'm not sure how much how of this I will remember in a few months but I would definitely recommend it!

Let me start with what I liked: the premise of this book is absolutely adorable. As a reader and reviewer, I’m deeply familiar with romance tropes, so the idea of someone trying to use those tropes to fall in love? That’s hilarious and genuinely clever. I’ve definitely had moments mid-mock argument with my husband where I’ve said, “Oh, so this is our enemies-to-lovers arc?” So conceptually, I was totally on board.

I really enjoyed Aiden, the male main character. He was layered, relatable, and someone I found myself rooting for. His personal struggles added real depth, and the way he fought for love was incredibly endearing. I also loved the supporting characters—Jeannette and Charles were both solid, supportive presences that made the story warmer and more grounded.

Now onto the more critical side, and fair warning: SPOILERS AHEAD.

I didn’t love Irene, the female lead. I didn’t hate her, but I struggled to connect with her. She often felt very “woe is me,” despite being a wildly successful book reviewer with over a million followers and paid sponsorships… after just one year. That’s huge! But she focused so much on what she wasn’t getting that it started to feel out of touch. Rather than celebrating her achievements, she mostly seemed dissatisfied—and honestly, a bit self-important.

She came across as someone who believed she was above others simply because she didn’t fit in, which made it hard to sympathize with her. More frustratingly, I felt like she didn’t fight for Aiden the way he fought for her. Her “grand gesture” was fixing something she had broken, which didn’t exactly scream selfless. She seemed to stumble into getting everything she wanted without much personal growth or effort, and that left me a little cold.

That said, this was still a fun, cute read with a clever premise that will resonate with anyone in the bookish world. It had its moments of humor and heart, and I loved the themes of friendship and resilience. Aiden carried the story for me—he was absolutely the heart of it—and I walked away respecting him more than anyone else in the book.

I just wish the emotional payoff, especially for Irene’s arc, had been more satisfying.
.

I gobbled this college romance between two Korean American young adults up so fast!! Rival romance reviewers Irene and Aiden are paired up on an English assignment and compete to find real love using different romance tropes. Fun, flirty and full of great mental health rep/struggles as Irene has to learn to believe in herself and overcome negative thinking. Plus it has to be said that Aiden is the absolute swooniest guy and let's be honest - any guy who isn't afraid to admit he loves reading romance is a win for me! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review. This is easily my new fav from Susan Lee!!

This was such a fun YA romcom with loveable characters and great banter. I loved that each chapter was based on a different trope and I think anyone who loves romances is going to love this one. The narrator was just ok for me but overall I enjoyed the audiobook and will recommend it.

My legs were in perpetual kicking motion while reading this. It was SO sweet and hit me right in my romance loving heart!

Irene Park loves romance novels—so much so she's made a career of them as an online book reviewer with a massive following. But Irene's real life dating story? Non-existent. So when she starts her freshman year of college, she sets her sights on finding true love. If only it were that easy. Enter Aiden Jeon, Irene's online book review rival and biggest nemesis.

Irene is ONE OF US!! An absolute romance lover who uses all the bookish lingo! Irene was such a lovable character whose character growth was a fun journey. Aiden Jeon is the ultimate book boyfriend. When he planned all those dates at places Irene has failed dates was SO good! He was so understanding and vulnerable I adored getting to know him. Their relationship was so cute! I love a good rivals to lovers and this one had such a sweet pay off.

I adored the chapter titles being different tropes. The narrator completely immersed me in the book. I loved listening to this book. Anyway im going to go read Susan Lee’s whole backlog now!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the opportunity to listen to The Romance Rivalry.

I absolutely devoured this book! Not only was it laugh-out-loud hilarious, but it was also so endearing and reminiscent of the college-era growing pains we go through, as we attempt to extricate our dreams from the aspirations of those around us.

The dialogue was hilarious, and I loved experiencing each trope with our main characters as they put themselves in increasingly funny situations. I really liked the extra touch of adding Aiden’s and Irene’s reviews to each chapter, just to highlight their different interpretations and perspectives.

It was refreshing to have such a realistic FMC, because I loved how her knowledge of romance book tropes allowed her to avoid the “normal” pitfalls of the genre. Even her frustrating moments I didn’t find as difficult to read (minimal hair pulling involved), mostly because I felt like her insecurities were well explained, but also painfully familiar and deeply human. In the end, I was happy to see Irene’s character growth in a way that felt natural and realistic. Good thing Aiden is so patient and understanding, and I liked how they complemented each other well.

I wish we could’ve seen a little more of her roommate’s romance, as I found her to be a very likable character (maybe a future spin-off?). I also felt like the sponsorship, while initially the main impetus, kind of petered out towards the end. I also had to knock off half a star for the sheer incredulity I felt with Aiden’s manuscript, and the fact that Irene had no scruples with showing it to their professor. I think I would’ve been mortified. It definitely broke the immersion for me, but I enjoyed the book overall.

For the narration, I really, really enjoyed Shannon Tyo’s depiction of all the characters and the emotion she conveyed just with her voice. I was a little confused why it wasn’t a more straightforward duet narration, because I liked Eric Yang as Aiden!

Overall, an incredibly fun and heart-warming story that was a love letter to romance readers everywhere. I will definitely be picking up Susan Lee’s future work!

This is a cute rivalry romance book set in college with two book reviewers who love all the romance tropes. I loved how Ms. Lee taught her readers about the different tropes, especially for those new to romance reading. There was a bit of spice and a lot of banter! The narrator did a good job as well and I was able to keep up quite well with any speed.

Susan Lee is an auto buy author for me at this point! I was once again kicking my feet and squealing in delight over this adorable romance.
The premise of two rival book influencers having a competition over who will fall in love first (when it's obvious he's already fallen) is just so delicious. I adored Aiden and Irene as individual characters, but their chemistry together is just as delightful!

I couldn't help sympathizing with Irene and her issues with people pleasing and never feeling like she's enough. UGH! That trait always hurts to read because it's so personal, and it's clear to the reader how she self sabotages because of it. But her character growth is lovely, and of course it all comes together in the end.

Experiencing this on audio was the way to go! The narrator adds so much charm and personality into her reading, although whenever we heard Aiden's voice actor make an appearance I couldn't help wishing he was able to just read all of his lines in the book.

This book was truly made for the people who love to read romances. It felt so fun and relatable. I would definitely be recommending this book to all romances book lovers!!

This book is SO ADORABLE! A book reviewer who's never been in love competes with her rival in a falling-in-love-by-trope competition, K-drama style. Each chapter is a popular romance trope that the two rivals face in their real and reading lives. The banter is witty, the college setting is perfect for an older YA and as a bookstagrammer I could relate to their lives as influencers (minus the big brand deals of course). Highly recommend this one to YA romance readers. You won’t be disappointed.

Really liked it was dual POV. Easy to follow a long and listen to at my preferred speed.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio

When Irene Park heads off to college, she's excited to finally be the Main Character of her own life: she's going to make friends, increase her online followers on her romance reviewer account, and fall in love. What she doesn't expect is to find herself at the same college as Aidan Jeon, Irene's online book reviewing nemesis. When the two are paired together for a long-term project their rivalry comes off-screen and they create a bet to see who can fall in love first.

This was a sweet YA romance where the main characters had a sufficient amount of angst and cluelessness for the story to work. There were definitely elements that didn't work (it was unrealistic to believe that Irene and Aidan would be paired up for an entire semester to, in essence, write a paper) but overall this was a solid story.

The Romance Rivalry came out on May 13, 2025.