Temi’s first novel has been passed on and she’s lost her job as a junior ghostwriter at a publishing company. And now she’s told her literary agent a tiny white lie about how much of her second book she’s actually written.
So when she’s offered the chance to ghost write a memoir for a celebrity of Nigerian descent, she takes it. Then she finds out the client is reality TV star Wale, who has been leaving broken hearts in his wake, not least Temi who he dumped to go on the Love Island-like show, The Villa.
Set in the book world, tick. With a reality TV link, tick tick. This well-written multilayered story was a really enjoyable read about a second chance at love - no need for a re-write here. Temi was a likeable character and she shared great chemistry and banter with her ex.

Temi & Wale were a couple for six months until they broke up because he had applied and has been accepted to join the hot reality The Vila . Now after the reality has ended and with Wale reputation been as the playboy he needs to fix his image so he will write his memoirs and the best person is Temi who is a writer . Temi has a dream to publise her book Wildest Dreams but she always get rejected so she does ghostwriting instead . When her agent tell her about a new job she does not reveal her that it is her ex because she really needs the money and she also is unemployed .
While working together to write about his life she realises that she didn't really knew him and the she falling in love with him all over again . Will they be able to forgive the secret they kept from each other so they can finally have their happy end ?
I received this book from netgalley , the author and the publicer as an ARC . Thank you . All thoughts and opinions are my own .

This was such an enjoyable read, Temi frustrated me at times, but so thought the overall storyline and character development was great!

This book was so great! I loved the representation od poc and plus suze fmc <3 I loved how the characters were written and there were often times when the author really surprised me!
The romance part is so cute and relatable, I enjoyed reading it very much.

This book follows Temi and Wale.

They met, got together, and then he dumped her to go on The Villa, the reality TV show akin to the Love Island.

Temi is a writer, struggling to get published. Her novel, Wildest Dreams, has been rejected numerous times. Her agent, Mayee, puts Temi’s name forward to ghostwrite a short memoir for a celebrity.

As the pay is good and Temi really needs the money, she agrees to do it.

Who is the celebrity? Wale. Temi’s ex.

As Temi starts to write Wale’s memoir, she discovers a new side to him: gentler and honest. Can the two of them put aside their differences for the sake of the story?

You’ll have to read this one for yourselves to find out.

I enjoyed this one! I immediately liked Temi and her passion for her ‘baby’, Wildest Dreams. She was very driven to have it published, however, the plot was quite niche, so no wonder there weren’t many takers!

I wasn’t that keen on Wale to start with, as he was trying to be a typical macho, shallow man going on a reality TV show. However, as the story progressed, I realised that there was depth to his character.

This is a lovely feel good book. I definitely recommend it. Many thanks to Penguin for my NetGalley widget.

I really enjoyed Lizzie’s last book and would definitely recommend The Re-write to anyone who’s in the mood for a charming will they/won’t they romance. Temi and Wale are lovely characters and really enjoyed the positivity of Temi’s attitude to her body and looks - it was really refreshing. It’s one of those books that will happily entertain while sneaking in some serious issues which stay with you. I raced through it and I’m sure many others will too.

The Re-Write started off slowly and I struggled through the first half. It thankfully picked up pace and I found the second part to be much more engaging.

Temi and Wale are together for six months until Wale walks away from the relationship to be on the singles reality show, 'The Villa'. Struggling author Temi is heartbroken and throws herself into her writing. After a book rejection, Temi takes up an offer as a ghost-writer - writing a memoir for a celebrity; only this celebrity turns out to be Wale.

I liked Wale's character development. He is initially portrayed as a slick playboy, but that persona slowly sheds away to reveal a very caring and selfless person.

A little quibble - after so many references to all the different glasses that Temi wore; her glasses aren't anywhere to be seen on the cover of this book.

I just finished The Re-Write by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn, and I have to say, I really enjoyed it! I didn’t read Blackburn’s first novel, but this one definitely hooked me. Her writing style is so easy to get into—it’s fast-paced, light, and just makes you want to keep turning the pages.

The story follows Temi and Wale, who meet and start dating in London. Everything seems to be going well until Wale suddenly dumps Temi to go on a reality TV show called Love Villa. Ouch, right? Instead of wallowing, Temi dives into her dream of becoming a writer. She’s close to a book deal, but things don’t quite work out, and she ends up taking a gig ghostwriting a celebrity autobiography. And, of course, that celebrity turns out to be none other than Wale. Cue all the tension and complicated feelings!

One thing I loved about the book was how it switches between the past and the present. It gives you such a good understanding of how Temi and Wale’s relationship got to where it is. You see their playful beginning, the heartbreak, and then their awkward reunion as they work together on Wale’s memoir.

At first, Wale is painted as the classic “bad guy”—the reality TV star who broke Temi’s heart. But as Temi writes his story, you start to see the real Wale. He’s actually this kind-hearted, soft guy who cares deeply about his work as a caregiver and his charity. As the timelines come together, all the pieces start fitting perfectly, and you realize there’s so much more to him than the reality star.

I loved the chemistry between Temi and Wale. As they work together, you can feel the tension and that spark reigniting. It really felt like they brought out the best in each other, and I was rooting for them the whole way through.

I also appreciated how realistic the book felt. Blackburn weaves in things that are so relevant today, like reality TV culture, social media pressure, and how influencers can struggle under the weight of public attention. It felt very true to life.

I later found out that Blackburn worked for Carers UK, which made the parts about Wale being a caregiver and his work with a foundation even more meaningful. It’s brilliant how she blended these serious topics into what is, on the surface, a rom-com. She also touches on important issues like discrimination, harassment, and alcoholism, which adds depth to the story.

If you’re looking for a rom-com with heart and substance, The Re-Write is definitely worth picking up!

A fun, charming, breezy read that I absolutely sped through. Temi is a struggling writer who accidentally takes a job to ghost-write her ex boyfriend's memoir. It was great fun unpicking the misunderstandings between the two love interests and to watch Temi grow.

Enjoyed this light hearted second chance romance. It was a sweet, fun, light hearted read and anyone looking to read something funny, should pick this up!

This was a fun, fast paced second chance romance. I really liked Temi and Wale and how they found each other again and how their second chance evolved. Although it made sense for there to be something that Temi withheld from Wale it was still a mildly frustrating plot point, however I liked how it led to showing a lot of character growth, especially from Wale. Overall, I enjoyed this book

A modern second-chance romance for fans of Love Island (like myself!). And if you like to read books about writers/authors, this is one for you. Even though I personally wouldn't read a memoir by someone that had just been on the latest season of Love Island, the book followed various scenarios and hiccups to keep things interesting. A wholesome romance with little to no spice (if you're wondering) that makes for a perfect weekend read.

This was a fun, light-hearted read on the whole while also addressing some harder topics. A very well-written and unique take on a rom-com, this was an easy read with some great characters.

Temi, an aspiring author, is devastated when boyfriend Wale dumps her to go on a reality tv dating show and her book keeps getting rejected. She is then offered the chance to ghost write a celebrity memoir which she accepts, only to find the celebrity is Wale. Will she manage to separate the past and reconnect with her ex to write the book?

This was a really fun, uplifting romcom, which also explores current, serious subjects. I enjoy books about books, romance and reality TV, so this seemed like the perfect read. I really liked Temi as a character and how she was celebrated for not being the typical protagonist. Wale also grew on me and I found myself rooting for them both by the end. The connection and dramas between them felt authentic I enjoyed watching them develop on a deeper level.

The author’s writing style was good and the story flowed well, while I found learning more about different cultures engrossing. This is definitely worth a read if you are looking for an original, multi layered and rewarding romance. I didn’t realise until after I picked this up that this author also wrote Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband, which is a book I was interesting in reading before. I will certainly be adding it to the TBR pile now. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Having had a slow couple of reading months, I sped through this one! Once again, Lizzie Damilola Blackburn has created a host of characters who are all multifaceted and very real and her narrative will draw you in and keep your attention from start to finish.
Set in a world of publishing, social media and reality TV, this is the story of Temi and Wale, ex-lovers who find themselves working together. Will they be able to keep the relationship professional or will their love be rekindled?
This book will move you, make you laugh, and leave you wanting more.

This was a great original take on the romance genre - what if your ex went on a Love island type show, showed the world what a terrible person he was with his behaviour, came out and you ended up ghost-writing his memoir (through financial necessity, not choice) and realising that you didn't know him half as much as you thought you did. This scenario gave so many brilliant situations and dilemmas for the characters to work through.

The writing is totally on point. It's snappy, acerbic, witty, emotional and fully realistic. Although the setting is everyday life, there is a lovely lyrical quality to Lizzie Damilola Blackburn's words that gives each scene a technicolour glow. The cultural representations were a great insight to someone like myself, from a different background and never felt stereotypical or lazy.

This is definitely a story that can be enjoyed for its feel-good, will-they/won't they content but it also has things to say on a deeper level - about how social media representation is never the full story and we only ever know what people want us to know about them. It also touches on accountability and owning your decisions, making right where you need to, as well as family obligations as your parents and you age.

Something I particularly loved is the featuring of ghost-writing as a profession. It doesn't get much spotlight as most people who use them don't want anyone to know but it is such an amazing skill to be able to take someone's words, thoughts and very essence and use it to craft a story that sounds like them.

The rewrite is a beautifully told story about second chance romance. But mixed in is also a fierce plus sized black woman who knows her worth and won't take anything less. Her ex boyfriend who is scared to be vulnerable but shows the world that men can feel everything they need to feel and not be ashamed by it. And at the heart of this novel is an out pouring of love, life, culture, family, honesty and healing. I absolutely adored The Rewrite and it kept me hooked the whole way through. In fact it pulled me out of my reading slump which is high praise. I would reccomend this book to everyone and will look out for more books by this author. 5 star read!!!!

What if after you broke up, your ex joined a Love Island-esque tv show? And what if you were then hired to ghostwrite his memoir? And the more time you spent together, the more you realized you didn't actually know him all that well, and he's a much better person than you gave him credit for? But you hate-wrote a book inspired by him that's now being published?

An unputdownable how-will-they-fix-this kind of story, The Re-Write combines not one but two themes I love in a romance book: writing and reality tv. It works really well as a second chance romance, because once Temi and Wale start working together on his memoir, they slowly discover how little they actually knew each other before, they start opening up to each other more, and their trust and love build. Except there are still secrets between them that could ruin everything between them, which adds tension to the story. I did sometimes wish they'd just be honest with each other, but ultimately I loved how everything was resolved. I didn't expect to love Wale as a character, based on the way he was introduced, but the more I learned about him, the more I loved him.

Can't lie, I fell head over heels for Temi and Wale. I was worried about the premise, going back to a guy who dumped you to go on 'Love Villa' is diabolical. But as it all unfolds, their dynamic melted me. Temi is the embodiment of why leading with fear and people pleasing doesn't work. Seeing her growth over the course of this was lovely. I loved how much she backs herself in other ways. Most of all, I love that the core is that good things come if you're willing to be vulnerable. Will definitely be recommending.

Temi and Wale are dating and, Temi thinks, getting serious so it's a blow when Wale dumps her to go on reality tv show Love Villa. Temi picks herself up and throws herself into her writing, working towards her big break and getting a publishing deal. While waiting for a book deal, her agent gets her a ghost-writing job for a celebrity memoir and of course the celebrity in question is... Wale! The two have to start talking so that Temi can get the copy for the memoir and over several weeks the two start to get close again - but can Temi forgive Wale?

Great to get a peek behind the publishing curtain and getting a glimpse of what goes into ghostwriting a memoir and getting the voice of the person you're writing for. I am surprised that Wale's memoir wasn't given the title, "Let Me Tell You a Story..." given that Temi and Wale did some reminiscing about that phrase being something he said "all the time" - then never said again the whole rest of the novel!

That being said, I really enjoyed reading this sweet and funny second chance romance story. The modern setting in contemporary London and using reality TV as the reason for a split felt really fresh. It did make me wonder how many genuine relationships suffer when one of the couple gets the opportunity for fame and fortune.

Perfect for readers looking for a romance with flawed but lovable characters facing relatable challenges. Recommend to fans of the Brown Sisters series by Talia Hibbert!