I love a novel where the MCs are writers, so I had to check this one out.

Mo Denton has poured her heart into writing a modern retelling of her favorite feminist classic, The Proud and the Lost, but the project can’t move forward without approval from the author’s estate (a hurdle no adaptation has ever cleared). To complicate things, Wes Spencer, the estate’s agent, is working on his own version of the book and has little incentive to champion Mo’s. When Estelle Morgan, the original author’s daughter, invites both writers to pitch their projects during a weekend at her home, Mo and Wes find themselves not just in competition but unexpectedly drawn to one another. As sparks fly, secrets threaten to derail their connection, leaving both their futures and the fate of the book, hanging in the balance.

I was originally drawn to this book because in the description it says for fans of Emily Henry and Ali Hazelwood, two authors I enjoy. It also said steamy rivals to lovers romance, and I was sold. After finishing the book, I enjoyed it just fine, but I do feel like I was set up for there to be spice in this book, but it was definitely a closed door type of situation. If you're looking for a spicy contemporary romance, this is not it.

I did enjoy Mo and Wes's relationship, seeing them come from two very different backgrounds and working on finding common ground. They are obviously fans of each other's work when they read each other's adaptations, and I really wasn't sure whose book was going to be chosen at the end.

I listened to this book on audio, and I definitely enjoyed the narrators!

Thank you NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for this ALC.

Rivals to lovers, rivals with benefits. Both are authors, rich boy x Midwest girl

This was a cute story about co-authors who fall in love from a distance with one another and are eventually thrown together in a competition where they have to decide their feelings for one another and compete for whose book gets to be published. Absolutely adorable, funny, and full of romance.

I was super intrigued by the premise of this novel, with two competing writers both with their own separate approaches to adapting the classic novel and making it their own. I also love that there was bisexual representation in this title with the MMC! However, it fell a bit flat for me unfortunately. With the rivals to lovers trope in the title of the story, I expected more tension and ultimately more chemistry when sparks did fly, and I just didn’t really feel the chemistry between them unfortunately. I also didn’t love the nepo baby MMC, and the way the tension built up but was then a closed door scene/fade to black moment, without much of a transition into it, didn’t really work for me.

That being said, the narrators did a great job and the audiobook production quality was very good! I definitely recommend checking this one out on audio if you’re interested in reading it, as I do think the narrators help bring the story to life more so than would be the case if it was just on the page.

Thank you to Netgalley and Spotify for the ALC!

The narration performance is excellent, and the writing is wonderful. There were so many beautiful moments of insight and delightful prose that would stop me in my tracks—I would liken the style to Emily Henry, and loved it.

This had so much potential on the page, but ultimately there were a few structural issues and narrative choices that felt misaligned with the story—especially the closed door spice scenes. I read both open and closed door and love both, but this book seemed to build up reader expectations and direct the narrative tension to open door, only to fade to black. It left me feeling confused and like I was missing something, and over time I found myself disconnecting from the characters.

I would definitely read another title from this author as there is so much promise, but this didn’t quite deliver for me.

It's a story within a story about retelling another story. Two rival authors are competing for the honor of adapting a classic, and of course, they fall in love ❤️

It was cute! I have no qualms about the writing. Estelle and Gary were adorable! I just couldn't bring myself to love it like I wanted to.

I do love this narrator though!

I really wanted to like this book but it was not a good fit for me. The concept drew me in but I didn’t connect with the characters. It didn’t feel relatable.

J'ai écouté ce livre d'une traite sur un trajet en voiture et ce fut très agréable. J'ai trouvé l'audio très bien réalisé déjà et c'était un plaisir de l'écouter.
En ce qui concerne l'histoire, j'ai vraiment beaucoup aimé le concept et suivre les deux personnages principaux qui passent peu à peu de la position de rivaux à amants. Ils se rapprochent par leur amour de la littérature. J'ai trouvé le personnage masculin incroyable et j'avoue que j'aimerais bien avoir un homme comme ça dans ma vie.
Concernant la fin, j'ai peut-être trouvé les choses un peu faciles mais c'est quand même une lecture que je recommande à tous !

I really enjoyed the witty banter and rivalry between the characters that allowed us to witness the character growth with them both personally, and in their relationship as it progressed. The male narrator on this book is AMAZING & kept me riveted to the audio. Highly recommend for fans of enemies to lovers romance books. Hoping to see many more books in the future from this new romance author!

Elise Wayland's RIVALS TO LOVERS had its moments. The story is entertaining enough and decent enough to pass the time. I think it's great that the MMC is bisexual as its always good to have more diverse representation. At some points, it didn't feel like the subplots interwove with the main storyline as well as I wanted things to come together. That being said, it was still enjoyable. The narrators did a good job.

This audiobook was fun, but it reminded me very much of Lily Chu's Drop Dead. That being said, I'd very much enjoyed that title so it was good to read something with similar vibes. The secondary characters were lovely and added emotion to the story. I made it well-rounded and not just focused on the romance. As is often the case with rivals to lovers, I absolutely loved the banter between Mo and Wes! I'm also a sucker for 'he falls first AND hard' which means I was very much on board with reading Wes' POV. Also, speaking of Wes, I'm giving half a star for the bi-rep alone. We need more of it and this was very well done in this book. All and all, this was a fun read!

Such a cute and fun read! This story felt fresh and unique

Mo and Wes are both authors competing to adapt a book, which leads to a weekend full of tension, banter, and eventually… feelings. I love a good rivals-to-lovers story, and this one delivered, but might have been a little too insta-lovey for me.

I really loved how Mo and Wes shared careers. . It feels like they related a lot to one another and made their connection feel more real. It was a super easy and enjoyable read, the perfect palette cleanser!

I adored the Lord of the Rings references, but what really stole my heart? The side romance between Gary and Estelle. It was so unexpectedly sweet it actually made me emotional. Estelle’s daughters, though? Not a big fan…

I listened to the audiobook, and the dual narration was so well done. Both narrators really brought Mo and Wes to life and captured the emotion in all the right moments. It really made the story hit harder.

Add this to your TBR if you love:
✨ rivals to lovers
✨ he falls first
✨ dual POV
✨ insight into the publishing world
✨ LGBTQ+ rep

Thank you to Spotify Books and NetGalley for the ALC! This is my honest review.

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁:

I think the concept of this one is fun, two competing writers for one chance. I liked seeing all the rep this book has from addressing nepotism, woman having to work harder for the same opportunities and so much more. It was definitely one of those books that brings the real life factor into the romance and I enjoy the depth it lends to the story. I did find the romance between the characters a little off, seemed a little forced. But I still enjoyed it and if anything it was more realistic type of romance. Can we please take a moment for how cute this cover is!

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:

Maureen aka Mo works in catering in NYC, but she is also an inspiring author. She just turned in an adaptation of a very popular novel and her editor thinks it’s the next big hit. The only problem is the estate of “The Proud and the Lost” must approve her novel before it can be published.

So when the estate sends an invite to her to review her manuscript she rearranged her schedule and crossed her fingers this would be the open door she needed.

Wes, the agent who represents the estate also was working on an adaptation of this book. He will be competing against Mo as only one adaptation would be allowed. But Wes has a secret connection to Mo and he knows she will be tough competition. May the best book win and hopefully it will be his.

𝙁𝙖𝙫 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚:

“Sex could be good in the moment, like ice cream, but there were few ice cream cones she stayed up at night thinking about.”

𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅:

* Rivals to Lovers
* Romance Author by Night & Caterer by Day
* He’s Literary Agent for the Estate
* Two Authors - Two Manuscripts- One Book Offer
* Perkins the Hedgehog
* Manhattan NYC
* Dual POV w/ Spice

🎀🦔📚🎀🦔📚🎀🦔📚🎀

3.5 stars

3,5 ⭐️

“Unspoken: how lucky that Gary had been with her. Although it hadn’t really been luck. It had been love.”

The quote is not related to the main characters in this book but came from the same story and I thought it deserved a little extra attention because I think it’s beautiful.

This story follows Mo and Wes. They are both writers. Both writers who wrote an adaptation for their favorite book. Which just so happened to be the same book. Now the question is, whos adaptation will be chosen? And what are they willing to give to have it be theirs?

I thought the book was very fun! It took me a little bit to get into but once it gets going it’s very easy to read and quick to finish! I felt like it was very insta lovey. I am really not a big insta-love fan, so unfortunately that lowered my rating a little bit. I really liked the idea and the setting of the story though! The male main character is bi and there is a lot of lgbtq representation in this book which I always appreciate!! I also really liked the way it’s definitely a modern day book, but gives the vibe of like bridgerton, little women, pride and prejudice, that kind of stuff. That’s definitely not the way it’s set out but that’s how I felt reading it! It was overal just a very fun and easy book to read! It’s a perfect palette cleanser after finishing up a series or a big book.

I also really really liked the little side romance. As you can probably tell by the quote in the beginning of this review, I feel like those characters really for well together and share a love so pure that it melted my heart! Just for them I would reread the whole book!

Solid 3 star read for me.

I really liked the aspect of the two MCs being rivals when trying to compete to get a novel adaption. I all for books with bookish plots. I think the author did a great job immersing the readers into the publishing and book aspect of the story, as sometimes it can be tough to do. The banter between the two MCs was great and was able really bring an impact with the dual POV that the author used.

The romance was cute but there was so much back and forth and the pacing of the plot at times felt off. There was a little uneven pacing, but ended up being mor of a faster paced romcom even with the uneven pacing of the plot.

The Audiobook was narrated by Patti Murin and Grayson Owens was really well done. They keep the reader engaged and coming back for more banter and back and forth. They really did the book justice! I would pick up the audiobook on this one as the narrators bring the banter.

Thank you NetGalley for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

“Rivals to Lovers” hits that sweet spot between snappy banter and slow-burn tenderness. Elise Wayland keeps the stakes clear and the friction fun, letting the rivalry fuel the chemistry without tipping into mean. The back-and-forth is quick, the internal monologues feel honest, and the payoff lands right where you want it. I liked how the characters challenge each other in ways that actually matter, not just for a cute premise. It’s competitive, a little messy, and ultimately very warm.

The audiobook makes it even better. Patti Murin brings a bright, expressive energy to the heroine, nailing both the quips and the vulnerable moments. Grayson Owens balances her with a grounded, slightly gruff charm that softens as the walls come down. They keep the dialogue crisp and the tension humming, and their timing sells the flirting. Chapter handoffs are smooth, side characters are distinct without feeling cartoony, and there’s no distracting production stuff to pull you out.

Pacing is brisk, with just enough quiet beats to let the feelings breathe. The rivals setup feels earned, not just a label, and the resolution respects both characters’ ambitions. Spice sits in that “open-door but tasteful” lane, more about connection than shock value. If you like smart contemporary romance with banter, competence, and a satisfying emotional arc, this is an easy recommend. The audio is the way to go.

“A little competition never hurt anyone.”

I have been on a real thriller kick as of late so a nice shift to romance was in order. This book has dual narrators adding so much more to the rivalry and chemistry between the two main characters. It is laugh out loud funny and the enemies-to-lovers trope is done well resulting in some, ahem, spicy content. 🌶️ 🥵

“Would you do me the honor of blurbing my book?” 😂😂

Thank you to Netgalley and Spotify for the gifted audiobook.

Although I typically love books about book lovers, this one was a little harder for me. The whole plot centers around a retelling of a classic novel; however, the novel is not in existence - almost like the author had to make up two stories. Several of the pieces felt like it could be referencing a book akin to the Great Gatsby, but I would have preferred their writing adaptations of an actual classic. However, in their conversations, there were quite a few references to other classics such as Lord of the Rings. Yet, I don’t agree with many of the literary conclusions that were drawn. Overall, I knew what would happen. It was good, not great. I did enjoy the character’s banter.

Thank you NetGalley for the read

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“Ms. Fizzle Flair…”

“It was easier to accept the mutability of the heart than to let himself be hurt.”

“That was the sign of a good book, he thought about it when he put it down.”

This book was very cute! the only thing I hated about it was that it was third person narration which got confusing at times. but I love the way he flew out to her to tell her his news since she was still mad at him.

I’d recommend this book to a friend, but I didn’t find it particularly exciting. It’s a decent romance with some thoughtful insights into LGBTQ themes. The storyline was cute, and the narrator did a great job bringing the characters and situations to life with distinct voices.

I tried to get into the story multiple times, but the third person pov makes it extremely hard to get and stay connected to the characters. I had to DNF unfortunately.