Relative Fiction

Entertaining romance with well developed characters. I enjoyed the friends-to-lovers/ second-chance-at love themes. I thought that Thomas and Julia were relatable characters and liked that the book wasn't just about their relationship, but also brought in family and work issues that they had to work through and resolve. A bit too much clinical description of the sex scenes for my taste, but overall, a fun beach or vacation read.

Beyond excited to check this one out! So happy it’s part of the Read Now program. Will be sharing more thoughts and a full review soon. I can relate to Thomas so much as I also cared for my parents for many years. I love a good friendship “Love Rosie ” type of romance and that’s what we seem to get when his friend Julia enters the picture. I think the issues they are both dealing wit ph are super relatable and I can’t wait to read how it all plays out if their dreams are realized as well as rekindling their relationship.

I really liked this book and couldn’t put it down! It is a wonderful story about best friends and how we look back on those relationships years down the road. The characters were lovable and quickly won my heart. There is spice in this book so be prepared for that if you pick it up, however, I don’t feel that it over powered the story. Overall, I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to read a book that feels like a hallmark movie with a side of spice.

This book is passionate and keeps you wanting more, Thomas and Julia’s relationship is filled with happiness, hope and so much more, this book is filled with every type of emotion

This was a good book! I enjoyed both the male and female leads! I like that there were flashbacks included in the book and just overall a fast and fun read! X

this book gave me the feels. i was drawn by the title of the book and then i was sucked in completely. really liked this and want to find more of her books.

I love a good love story with second chaNces. I think everyone can relate in some way with this book. The characters had a good chemistry and had me wanted to read more. I found that I did not want to put the book down.
Thank you Net Galley for approving a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Thomas and Julia both followed the dreams they thought they wanted, a decision that tore them apart as teenagers. Now, twelve years later, they reconnect during a tumultuous time for both of them, only to discover that the feelings they had for (and hid from) each other are still there.

I'm honestly surprised this is a debut novel because it feels polished, well-structured, not too wordy or prone to diving off into irrelevancies. It's told in dual third-person POV, so we get both characters' thoughts; I liked how Julia rediscovers what really makes her happy after years of taking on others' interests, and how Thomas realises that he might need to rethink his priorities. Through it all is the theme of writing, as this is what initially brings the two of them back together, and I enjoyed the glimpse into the world of fan fiction. Hopefully this debut novel leads to more good things for this author.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance review copy. All opinions are my own.

This was an enjoyable romance! I love second chance romances and this one had all the great elements of one: a would be teenaged romance, miscommunication to drive a wedge, returning home after tragedy. I enjoyed the characters and really wanted to see them come together. Also, the spicy scenes were a great addition ! Nice and hot.

-second chance
-coming home
-overcoming trauma
-writing

Release day: 4/12

I’m a bit of a cynic, and although I enjoy romance novels they generally elicit a few eye rolls from me as I read. However, I have to give Relative Fiction zero eye rolls and 4.5 stars. I could feel the chemistry between the main characters, and I felt like I knew them. The plot was realistic, the characters were likeable and complex, and I was rooting for both mains the entire time. I loved this book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 , 🌶️🌶️

Dual POV
Second chance romance
friends to strangers to friends to lovers
Small town romance
Bisexual representation

ate up the first 40% of this book, it was funny, lighthearted and loved watching Julia & Thomas go from strangers to friends (if you have read from love and other words their friendship reminded me a bit of Elliot and Macy). They had such a strong connection with a complicated past which left them out of touch for 10+ years. & I loved that they were both aspiring authors and rooting each other on! I did find myself a little bored with the story line from 40-70% in the book and then it really picked up again and the ending was a whirlwind of emotions! & towards the end of the book I was a little upset in the shift of Julias character, blaming Thomas for things they had an equal part in. I do love that it ended on a happy note and they were about to talk it through!
I think Thomas character growth was done so well! & I really enjoyed Julia’s friend, Susan (the very supportive, I’m here if you need me friend).

I look forward to reading more books from this author!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Two best friends reconcile again after years of separation. Julia back to her hometown after bad break up and Thomas just come back to take care of his ill father. Back in school Julia and Thomas always together, best frindes, have same dream to be a writers then lofe happends. Thomas always has feeling to Julia, he think that change after years not met her but it is still there. They spend time together, watch movie and Julia try to write again, going to party, open up about each other fear and weakness. The drama was good.

Thank you to NetGalley for provide this book, it is pleasure to review this book.

#RelativeFiction #AlainaRose #BooksGoSocial #NetGalley #ARC

I thoroughly enjoyed this contemporary romance. A second chance romance between old high school sweethearts, writing, and a little bit of spice! I very much appreciated a chance to read this ARC!

I adored this Second Chance Romance. I could see this being a hallmark movie. Which I would watch on repeat!! I loved this!!
I just reviewed Relative Fiction by Alaina Rose. #RelativeFiction #NetGalley
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It was a sweet light-hearted read perfect for someone who’s just starting out to read romance novels. I believe if I’d read this book when I was a teen I would’ve loved it more. But even as an experienced romance reader I enjoyed it nonetheless.
The best thing about this book for me was the author’s language. This is a debut novel, and while I thought the plot could do with certain improvements and development, the language was brilliant. Descriptions of feelings, surroundings, relationships, intimate moments, and romance didn’t fail to warm my heart and make me all fuzzy inside. Characters’ back stories were great and I sympathised with Julia and Thomas a lot throughout the book.
What put me off a little was how quickly the plot developed. As a reader I almost felt like I didn’t have time to have a breather and process what was happening. Another unnatural thing for me was the characters’ families, who were made into these villains just to “make life harder” for the characters. I understood the dynamic the author wanted to show, but it was just a bit too aggressive sometimes.
However, besides a few things that didn’t sit well with me, I enjoyed the overall story, and I thought it was very good for a debut novel. Pick this book up if you want a fast light-hearted small-town romance with a cheeky “teenage crush finally growing into something more” plot line. It has a pinch of heavier topics of self-discovery and grief processing aspects which add great dimension to the story. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t interested in the author’s next work. It’s exciting to see how the writing develops, which I’m most definitely sure it will. Thank your for this journey, Alaina. Especially for Thomas and Julia’s first kiss and staircase scenes. They were top notch amazing!

Some of the tropes for Relative Fiction are:

* Ex-Best Friends to lovers
* Open door
* Dual POV
* Second Chance Romance
* On page texts
* Both MCs are writers
* Bisexual representation

Some trigger warnings are:

* Lung cancer
* Loss of a parent
* Grief
* Cheating
* Mental health

I loved that they both were writers! I wish we would have seen more of their writing on page but it didn’t take away from the overall story at all!

I loved that there was consent in this book. You see a lot of books that are non-consensual and while I’ve read a few of them and loved them.. I do appreciate the consent!

Can we talk about the character development & growth? Both Julia & Thomas have made mistakes but through it all they both grow & move forward. This made me feel more connected to them because it felt real life. They weren’t perfect.. they had flaws & made mistakes just like all of us.

Also huge thanks to Alaina for representing both bisexuality and mental health in this book!

4.5 stars!

Think Love & Other Words meets Every Summer After but the main drama that separates teen Julia & Thomas from their adult versions is truly not even on the scale. I liked seeing Julia & Thomas reunite and learn about each other as adults and through that connection really find themselves again. I enjoyed the dual POV but Julia’s decisions were hard to get behind as she was the cause of both “betrayals”. Their mutual love of movies and smut/romance books was fun & relatable.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC

I can't believe this is a debut novel! There are lots of things I enjoyed about this ex best friends to lovers story. I think the biggest thing is the character development. Throughout the book we get to know Julia and Thomas so well, along with their relationships with their family and friends, which makes all their emotions, thoughts, and actions believable. It even helps explain the third act break up, which can always be hard to read, but was necessary in this case to set up the perfect, heart warming reconciliation.

Also, the pining and then subsequent spice was perfection! The emotional connection in those scenes made them even more enjoyable to read!

Also, I loved all the rom-com and pop culture references! These days I like when characters are in their 30s and closer to my age, because it makes them more relatable and makes for some great references.

This book is a mixture of swoon, heart break, nostalgia, and humor and I loved it all! I read it in 2 sittings because I was so invested in Julia and Thomas's story.

I highly recommend! Preorder now, it's out April 12th! Also, follow @alainarosebooks on Instagram for the best memes!

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This is a wonderful steamy and swoony romance about second chances and revisiting the longing and yearning of the teen years. Thomas and Julia reconnect in their thirties, and navigate family tragedy, work and creative challenges and distance. It’s a bit sad and heartfelt and I loved both main characters, who get their HEA. New York has a strong sense of place for Thomas, which is bittersweet, when he returns to Starling Hills in Michigan - and Julia. The author is ambitious with many inclusive elements (not all of which are persuasively resolved) and she works hard to normalise Thomas’ bisexuality and anxiety. Reminded me of Emily Henry’s Beach Read. It’s a nicely open door. Strong recommend!

Thomas!! Julia! What sweet, deep, thoughtful characters. I couldn't help but root for them to find their HEA together, but also in their own lives. I was so drawn in by Julia's relatable struggle to make meaning of her life after her ex, and WOW was Thomas's story line powerful!

Overall, a thoughtful and romantic look at millennial ennui and the fulfillment of ever-evolving dreams. And the spice was spicy!!

I really loved this book and these characters. They were such real people, with relatable insecurities. I think the blurb needs to be redone a bit, as the focus of the blurb made me expect a lot more about their romcom research. While I did not think the story matched the blurb, I wholeheartedly loved this story, and would happily read more from this author.

I totally devoured Relative Fiction! It was a perfect combination of sweet second chance romance, spicy tension (many years in the making), and thoughtful self-discovery for both the main characters.

Julia and Thomas were best friends in high school, bonding over their mutual love of writing. They had a huge fight the last week of senior year and haven’t talked since. Now, 12 years later, Julia is trying to recover from the disastrous end of her engagement and is living at her parents’. Thomas is back in town from New York, helping his family deal with his father’s cancer diagnosis. Thomas reaches out to Julia and they end up meeting for drinks. It may be a little tense, but Thomas (a writer himself) challenges Julia to rekindle her own love for writing.

I loved the flashbacks to Thomas and Julia’s younger years and the use of dual POV in this book. I thought the slow burn tension was awesome - lots of innocent touches and “will they?” kind of moments.

No spoilers, but I loved the ending! I think my only complaint is how frustrated I got at the main conflict. It felt like a simple conversation could have saved them a lot of trouble, but that seems pretty common in the world of romance books!

Relative Fiction is a such fun romance with a lot of heart. If you like friends-to-lovers, second chance, dual POV, and a slow burn, I think you’d really enjoy it, too!

Thank you to Alaina Rose, BooksGoSocial, and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC to review.
Relative Fiction tells the story of Thomas and a Julie who both find reason to return to their home town of Starling Hills, rekindling an old friendship. The story is funny, engaging, and you will root for the characters along the way.

🍂Ex-friends to lovers
🍂Slow burn
🍂Small town romance
🍂Dual third-person POV
🍂Second chance

This book covers the story of two ex-best friends that reunite after 12 year. These relatable characters struggle with family pressures and are trying to find what makes them happy.

It was engaging, enjoyable, and a fast read romance that had me rooting for Julia and Thomas the whole time. I couldn’t put it down the first night, I was up until 2am. This novel touches on trauma, mental health, grief, and it is supported by some great family dynamics and friendships that provided many lighthearted and funny moments.

I also appreciated that Alaina had clear content warnings at the beginning of the book, here are some of them:
Loss of a loved one
Cheating
Cancer

If you enjoy a friends to lover trope with small town vibes and a bit of steam, I would highly recommend you pick this up.
Congratulations to Alaina on this debut novel!! I look forward to reading your future books.

Thank you to Alaina Rose, BooksGoSocial, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A fun second chance romance. Julia and Thom reconnect, but he is only in town temporarily so will it lead to heart break? Looking forward to more books from this author.

Thomas Callaghan’s return home to Starling Hills, Michigan is meant to be temporary. But he’s not ready to go back to New York City yet either—back to his three jobs, sky-high rent, and the dream he’s been running down since high school—because he’s home to care for his sick dad. Add on his tumultuous career as a romance author and crippling writer’s block and…maybe he’s ready to admit that he’s not quite happy anymore.

Enter his ex-best friend, Julia Ward, who he hasn’t spoken to in twelve years.

Julia’s stuck, her trust in herself shredded, and she’s left in proverbial and actual ruin by her cheating ex-fiancé. So she does the only thing she can do: throws herself into her corporate job. And unfortunately moves back in with her parents in Starling Hills. But seeing Thomas stirs up parts of her that she’s lost. Her fingers begin to yearn for the keyboard, like back when she wrote fan fiction and the two planned to study in New York City together and become writers.

One awkward get-together later and Thomas is desperate to rekindle their friendship, despite his lingering attraction to Julia and looming deadline for his next book. So they make a bet to see who can write 50,000 words first before Thomas returns to NYC, while studying romantic comedy films for inspiration in their writing…and in life.

As their deadline grows closer, they learn that happiness is relative and fleeting. But between the loss of a parent and career shake-ups, past secrets and new betrayals, they realize this could be their second chance and that their love is worth fighting for.

I really enjoyed the story. Will recommend to others.

GENERAL INFO

Year Pub: 4/12/23

Date read: 5/15/23

Format: Kindle

Source: e-ARC, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Page Count: 326

Setting: Starling Hills, Michigan and NYC

Genre: CR

Tropes: 2nd chance romance, bisexuality, friends to lovers

Standalone/Cliffhanger/Part of a Series: standalone

HEA/HFN ending: HEA

Epilogue Included: six months later

Character(s)POV Spoken: H/h Julia and Thomas-alternates between them

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Synopsis/Plot Summary:

Thomas Callaghan’s return home to Starling Hills, Michigan is meant to be temporary. But he’s not ready to go back to New York City yet because he’s home to care for his sick dad. He's also a romance author w/ writer’s block and…maybe he’s not quite happy in NYC anymore.

He hasn't spoken to his ex-best friend, Julia Ward in twelve years. She moves back home to Michigan with her parents after her fiancé cheated. She becomes a workaholic at her corporate job. When she sees Thomas, it stirs up memories of their childhood and dreams for the future. They planned to move to New York City together and become writers.

Rekindling their friendship and love for writing, they make a bet to see who can research and write 50,000 words first w/ a HEA.

M/F-M/M-M/M/F-etc: M/F, M/M

Contains Children: yes, H/h as teenagers.

Flashbacks: yes, Julia and Thomas as teens writing fanfiction together dreaming of NYC.

Overall Smex Rating: 5, a little too much for me

OW/OM/Exes: Julia's ex-fiancé Josh-together since she was 17 years old.

AUTHOR OVERVIEW
Alaina Rose
New or read before & any favorites: new author

CONTENT/TRIGGERS WARNING:
death of a parent, grief, cheating,

PERSONAL OVERVIEW

Overall Rating: 4*

Do You Recommend This Book: yes

Will You Re-read This Book: yes

Would You Read More Books By This Author: yes

Comments/Notes: I enjoyed Thomas and Julia's characters and how they slowly came back to each other after over a decade. They both had struggles to face in their personal and professional lives. Thomas had hard choices to make. His grief over his dad was written so well and I really connected with him. The side character Susan was great. Julia needed someone like her who could tell her like it is.

Came for the spice and got it. The story was a brave attempt at reconciling failed dreams and trauma/grief. Wished there was more focus on the writing challenge.

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! I couldn't stop reading! the characters are lovable, and I felt very connected to Thomas, especially his relationship with his father, because I'm going through the same thing with my mom, so I understand his grief. HOWEVER, I would have liked to see more of Thomas and his father's relationship and i was expecting a little bit more at the ending.

I still feel like this book is a great read! cant wait to read more of the author!

I loved this book! The authors writing is beautiful and I fell in love with the main characters. Such a sweet romance with a few spicy scenes that I enjoyed.

There is so much pining in this book I’m surprised they didn’t get a lost in a forest.
This book feels like it’s been written for a very specific generation from a very specific time period (and I love it).
The casually bisexual main character with no one making a big deal about it felt amazing.
My heart hurt from the beginning of this book until a good while into it, mainly because cheating is one of my big no, unforgivable things for various reasons. Julia manages to handle it so much better than I ever would, and there is one triumphant moment between her, and her ex-fiance that I will admit had me cheering out loud.

Thomas’ circumstances really got to me as well, and were extremely well written, as I am someone who knows what it’s like to worry about a parent to the extent it makes you feel a little bit ill.

The fact that their friendship was built around their love of writing, and the fandoms they found themselves in with nothing but support warms my heart. And that their friendship, and relationship begins to flourish because of that again made me so happy.

The heated moments were enough to make me blush, and I don’t do that very often.

Julia and Thomas get a second chance at love and happiness with this sweet and lighthearted read by a new-to-me author. They were friends back in high school and had both made plans together regarding their writing careers. Then everything fell apart and they grew distant from each other. Now, they are back, both having had some rough and challenging times and hoping to pick up the pieces of their lives. When they awkwardly meet again, Thomas wants a go at having their old friendship back. Is there a chance he can have something more with her?
This was an entertaining and sweet story of ex best friends reuniting again and finding the real spark between them. They were lovely characters and had good chemistry, and I enjoyed seeing them come together. A satisfying and enjoyable romance!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

I love a good love story with second chances. I think everyone can relate in some way with this book. The characters had a good chemistry and had me wanted to read more. I found that I did not want to put the book down.

"He felt the seismic shift, his deformed pieces slipping back into their original form. One word repeated on loop in his mind: hope."

Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am absolutely the target audience for this book. When you can get past adults acting like teenagers for about half a book simply because you're enjoying it so much... well, that's a pretty big deal. I loved following Thomas and Julia's love story. Whether it be because I have my own ideas of what I always wanted my love life to look like and they all seemed to be reflected here, or if I just love a good friends to lovers coming home story, the world may never know.

I love when your partner motivates you, and always wants to be next to you, and is completely and utterly in love with the idea of wanting to spend life beside you. I adored watching Thomas' crush turn into full blown love, watching Julia realize maybe not all guys suck. I love a good "we haven't seen each other in years and you look amazing" stare. I love when forced proximity turns into voluntary proximity with a side of "oh my god I love this person?"

This book had it all. Add to it the love shared by two writers and fleeting happiness and the acknowledgement that happy isn't the default and you have to work for it every day. I thought this book was so fun, so sweet, and I can't wait to buy myself a copy now that I know I love it as much as I did. I'm so thankful that I get to try books out and love them before getting my own copy and loving that even better.

Feeling as lucky as Thomas and Julia are to sit next to each other and write.

I really found myself enjoying this book a lot! Initially, i thought this would be at most a 3-star read but the story itself pushed it to a a 4-star! I laughed, I cried, my heart felt warm, it’s a homey book for me. I hope anyone who picks this book up enjoys it just as much as I did

Relative Fiction by Alania Rose is a book that makes you think about families and finding yourself. The way Rose writes keeps you interested, and the characters seem real. Sometimes the story moves a bit slowly, though. If you like stories that make you reflect on your family and who you are, you might enjoy reading this book.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Julia and Thomas. They have known each other for all their lives. They were best friends in high school. Thomas went to New York to write. Thomas’ dad is dying so he comes back home. He meets back up with Julia. They start dating. They each have issues but together they work them out and fall in love.

Thank you to netgalley for sending me this arc and allowing me to read it and review it.

I truly loved this book so very much. I really felt connected with all the characters, and i rarely say that. I recommended it to all my friends who read and they also agree with me. It really was a great read to enter 2023 with!!! Keep up the great work Alaina rose.