Not in My Book

DEBUT Peruvian American Rosie, born and raised in Tennessee, has just moved to New York City to pursue her dreams of becoming a published romance author. Part of that process is taking creative writing classes at NYU, and her current class is taught by her favorite romance writer. Unfortunately, Rosie’s archnemesis Aiden is also taking the class. Aiden gives Rosie the toughest of critiques, he’s rude, and he thinks anything other than literary fiction, his genre of choice, is trash. Every class becomes a battle between Aiden and Rosie until, finally, their professor has had enough. She assigns Rosie and Aiden to cowrite a novel that blends their genres; if they don’t pull it off, they’ll both be kicked out of the class. In chapters alternating between Rosie’s and Aiden’s perspectives, an enemies-to-lovers romance becomes something deeper: a way for Rosie and Aiden to share their thoughts and feelings. Their chemistry is palpable, and their journey from hate to love reads as believably as their backstories are revealed. The novel is also atmospheric, beautifully conveying the appeal of bustling of NYC.