REVIEW: Not in My Book by Katie Holt

REVIEW:

Not in My Book was a pleasant surprise--I went in totally blind, not knowing anything other than it looked like it would be a romcom. As you can see in the synopsis, we learn that Rosie and Aiden are taking a writing workshop and are mortal enemies. They're almost the caricature of enemies--narrowed eyes and sneering words--lots of zingers exchanged between them and you could just tell that all of that animosity was going to add up to some hot stuff later. It totally did. But in order to get there Rosie and Aiden had to be forced together, which happened thanks to their poor behavior and their exasperated professor. They were forced to co-write a novel together, despite the fact that they didn't write the same genres (and he actually detested romance, which is what she wrote). So in order to pass the class, they begrudgingly started writing and that's where the fun really began. As readers we got to see bits and pieces of their novel layered on top of their story--a fun addition--and got to see how much they mirrored each other.  We got to see Rosie and Aiden's love story mimicked in their shared writing; they got to know each other through the writing and because of their writing. 

I really enjoyed the set up of the story, as well as the story of Rosie taking a risk and moving to NYC to live her dream. I also appreciated that her move there wasn't easy and yet she was so determined that she pushed through as best as she could. If there was anything that didn't work as well as the other parts, it was the big break up scene-their blow up was so big and Rosie's decisions because of it were so hasty that I found it a smidge unbelievable. That being said, it wasn't a dealbreaker and I am looking forward to all the things Katie Holt writes next. 

 

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SYNOPSIS: 

The Hating Game meets Beach Read in this sexy and hilarious contemporary romance from a debut Peruvian-Tennessean voice.

Rosie, an idealistic and passionate Peruvian-American who has grown up without strong ties to her culture, leaves her Tennessee hometown to pursue her dream of making it in New York as a writer. But her plan is derailed when she ends up in class with her arch-nemesis and ex-crush, Aiden Huntington—an obnoxious, surly, and gorgeous literary fiction writer who doesn’t have much patience for the romance genre, or for Rosie.

Rosie and Aiden regularly go to verbal battle in workshop until their professor reaches her breaking point. She allows them to stay in her class on one condition: they must co-write a novel that blends their genres.

The reluctant writing duo can’t help but put pieces of themselves into their accidentally steamy novel, and as they slowly get to know each other, they try to put their differences aside. Meanwhile, their manuscript-in-progress provides an outlet for them to confess their feelings—and explore their attraction toward each other.

When Rosie and Aiden find themselves competing against each other for a potentially career-changing opportunity, the flames of old rivalry reignite, and their once-in-a-lifetime love story is once again at risk of being shelved—unless they can find a way to end the book on their own terms.