not in my book was the perfect enemies to lovers, academic rivals and all round rom-com !

plot ―୨୧⋆ ˚ the plot was well paced and i never had to work through the book. i thought the writing of the book together really added something to the plot and the reading experience as we got glimpses of Aiden’s POV which made the book feel fresh and unique!
i did feel the third-act breakup was a little bit frustrating and seemed to be thrown in there for some conflict. however with that being said i’ve not read a romance third-act breakup in awhile i was all there for the yearning, the pining and the apologies !

characters ―୨୧⋆ ˚ overall, i absolutely adored the characters and Holt did an impeccable job of bringing them to life with their hatred, truce and eventual love! it felt realistic, and i felt so attached to the characters by the end of the book!

with all that being said , i did feel like there were some plot holes by the end of the book that was kind of skipped over in the epilogue to give us the HEA.. but that is probably my only critique of the book!

overall, as Holt’s debut novel she has already firmly cemented herself as an instant-buy and must read author for me!

**

I absolutely loved *Not in My Book*! The romance between Rosie and Aiden was beautifully written, filled with tension, humor, and passion. The dynamic between the two characters was incredible, especially with the added twist of them being writers from completely different genres. Watching them work together on a novel while navigating their personal rivalry and chemistry was so engaging.

The setting, with Rosie chasing her dream in New York, added depth to the story, and the fact that they were forced to collaborate as co-writers created the perfect backdrop for their evolving relationship. Their journey from antagonists to co-authors and beyond was captivating, and the way their romance paralleled the writing process made it even more special.

It was a great read overall, and I especially loved the way the author portrayed the creative challenges of blending two writing styles—romance and literary fiction. The way this novel brought their personal and professional worlds together was just amazing! Highly recommend for anyone who loves a good, slow-burn romance with a unique plot!

I absolutely devoured this book!!

I went into this with a preconception that I would enjoy this the same as any other romance book but I can actually say this is one of my favourite romances of the year so far!!

Here are some things I loved and ate up in this book-

•First of all for a debut novel the writing is beautiful and so lyrical at times. Some scenes and dialogue had me kicking my feet and this book was so well written in my opinion.

•I LOVED both characters and side characters, and even though the book was short I felt connected to them.

•This book was set in NYC at Christmas and the way it was described was so cosy and really made you feel as if you were there with them.

•The actual plot had me hooked! I loved the cowriting of the novel and loved how their feelings were shared in this way. It had me eager to know the ending to both this book and the novel within it the whole way through.

•If you’re a swiftie you’ll love the references!!

Thank you so much for allowing me to read this early, I will definitely be recommending to my viewers on TikTok and telling my friends about this book!

Academic rivals-to-lovers + slow-burn enjoyers: assemble!

« There hasn’t been a second where I wasn’t wondering what you were thinking and if it was of me. »


When I read a rivals-to-lovers book, I'm always a little worried, because the line between an imperfect character and a truly toxic one is quite fine. Katie Holt has succeeded in achieving this challenge, because except for one moment (which can be explained later on) I didn't feel that way at all.

The story is set at university. Our two main characters take the same writing course, in which students submit their chapters for critique by others. To say the least, our two characters don't hold back and have very strong ideas.

Not in my book is living proof that romance never stops reinventing itself, using clichés in the most delightful of ways. The chemistry and tension between the characters is insane. On several occasions, I found myself smiling and almost wiggling my feet like someone falling in love for the first time.


« I’ll wait for you, Rosie. I swear it. I’m in it for the long haul. I want all your tomorrows. Every single one you’re willing to give me.»



I can't say too much without spoiling the surprise and joy of discovery, but the author has managed to introduce and feed her romance in such an original way, I loved it! The romance is built brick by brick, even though it's clear from the start that Rosie is not immune to Aiden's charm. It's been so long since I've felt so emotionally invested in a romance; I absolutely swooned.

Much more than a romance, I appreciated the strong messages about the place of romance in the literary world, because it's a vision I share, and I think romance has so much to offer. This is a debut novel, but one thing's for sure, I'm already looking forward to reading her next novels, as I can feel the «auto-buy Author» potential here.

«I want to be the person you picture when you’re reading and dreaming because you’re who i picture every single time. i love you. in light and dark, in romance and lit fic. in this lifetime and the next.»


The author has such an original way of inserting Aiden's point of view, it was refreshing because personally I'm a part of the dual-POV team through and through. And I wasn't frustrated thanks to that.

I also liked the fact that parts of the novel were written during the book, which was really interesting to have some bits of!

My only regret is that after the first stage of the romance, the pace is sometimes rather uneven, which sometimes made me lose interest in the romance.

A fresh take on an office style romance. The tension builds from the beginning - she loves romance, he hates it, so of course the angst is off the charts!

The characters are brilliant, you fall instantly and root for the moment they snap.

The plot: wholly unique.
She loves romance, he hates it = they have to write a book together.
I loved how the chapters they wrote reflected their own love story and so much of the dialogue and actions were blurred between fiction and reality. It felt like two love stories and I ate it up.

Aiden is a walking green flag. For someone who hates romance, he was the perfect gentleman and I was blushing over the smallest things he did and said.

This book made me snort out loud with laughter. THAT’S how good the dialogue is. It didn’t feel forced, it was perfect. A great blend of comedy and rivalry.

Rosie… I saw so much of myself in her. I related to some of her struggles and she made me feel seen and not alone. A book is always more impactful when one can relate to a character on a deeper level.

Needless to say, this is my new favourite romance book and I urge everyone to read this masterpiece.

I was suspicious when I saw the description compare this to beach read as it’s one of my favourite books. But this certainly delivered! It’s not quite as perfect but I was definitely not disappointed.

Wow, this is Katie Holt’s debut novel and has she certainly come into the literary world with a bang. This is perfect enemies to lovers, slow burn. The characters are perfectly crafted to be liked. Our male main character Aiden, is mysterious until the female main character, Rosie unpeels his layers. None of the characters felt two dimensional. The witty banter and back and forth was really engaging to read, I found my self laughing out loud or giggling along with the taunting. I really enjoyed the structure, once they were forced to work together and we see their characters act things out and then it translates into their reality you would expect this to feel repetitive and boring, but Katie Holt manages to craft it so that they feel like two completely separate events. The characters are diverse, and all the romcom girlies are going to eat this up.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.
4 stars book from me. Loved the plot and the storytelling in Not In My Book and relatable, likable characters,. Loved every single second reading it.

I really enjoyed this! It was exactly what I needed to read after a string of incredibly depressing fantasy books.

Overall, I really did have a fun time with this. Rosie and Aidan are my romantically repressed babies and I loved watching them grow together. I'm not entirely sure if this counts as enemies to lovers as Aidan admits that he was only being mean because he liked her and thought she was so talented she could handle the intense criticism of her work. This was the weakest part of the romance for me.

The excerpts from Aidan and Rosie's cowritten romance book at the end of each chapter sometimes hit for me and sometimes missed. Considering how talented they were these excerpts felt quite dry, especially compared to the actual book itself which had a writing style I really enjoyed. I did love the scene where they were writing a spicy scene together - I think the concept of working on the scene together on their separate laptops was a great way of drawing out the tension between them. The concept of Aidan's love confession being the end of their book was stronger conceptually than in conception.

Otherwise, I loved the cast of characters, the pacing moved quickly and I flew through this one. Thanks so much to Transworld and netgalley for the arc. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

After finishing this book, one thought stood out clearly: I absolutely adore it!
This novel stands out for its originality, even though it follows classic romance tropes of two headstrong, contrasting personalities. It weaves in some of my favorite themes—enemies to lovers, forced closeness, and opposites attracting—while infusing it with a Southern flair, Peruvian authenticity, and festive cheer. The New York setting, which feels like it was tailor-made for love (romantic park strolls, whimsical Christmas décor, elegant restaurants, sipping frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity!), somehow manages to outshine even Paris as the ultimate romantic destination.
Although the plot adheres to familiar formulas, I didn’t mind at all. It's like a weekly indulgence that lifts my spirits! (We could use more stories like this! Don’t listen to those brooding, real-world Aidens—they’re a temporary balm for the soul, helping us stay afloat when life gets rough.) The execution of beloved tropes, the slow-burn romance, authentic family dynamics, and witty writing class banter between Rosie and Aiden were spot-on!
The ending was especially heartwarming! I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did, but Max and Hunter’s chapters were so close to flawless!
As for the plot: Rosie, a hopeful and bold woman in her twenties with Peruvian American roots, leaves her life in Tennessee behind to chase her dream of becoming a romance novelist in New York. In a writing class, she crosses paths with Aiden Huntington—a tall, handsome man with piercing green eyes—who loathes romance and quickly becomes her harshest critic. Despite her initial crush on him, their interactions escalate into heated confrontations, making him her arch-enemy.
Their constant bickering disrupts the class so much that their instructor forces them to collaborate on a joint project blending romance and literary fiction. As they begrudgingly spend more time together, they begin creating characters based on themselves, inadvertently exploring their real emotions. The tension between them evolves, and the boundaries they built start to crumble as undeniable chemistry grows. Will they be able to finish their collaborative book without any major fallout—or will they embrace a happily-ever-after, not just in fiction but in real life too?
Both are hesitant to risk their hearts, but what if taking that leap is the only way to find your true match?
In conclusion: I had a great time with this book! Some of the characters’ stubbornness irritated me, but ultimately, I’m giving it 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5!) because of Maxine and Hunter!
Big thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing this digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.