A review by docrobreads
Not in My Book by Katie Holt

emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 I almost forgot I was doing this one as a 25 in 2025 prediction rating. This is a new author, but I really liked the cover so I was optimistic! The first page opened with being sarcastic about living in the southern US, so I'm immediately on board. 😂 I was concerned that this might turn into one of those "I love her so much I have to be an asshole to stop from connecting with her," and that's going to annoy me. The MMC, by the end of the first chapter, seems like kind of a dickhead, and that level of meanness is hard to come back from. 😑 By 10%: okay here are the issues I have right now: 1) the author is determined to this be "true" enemies to lovers (I assume), but in doing so, she has made NEITHER MC root-worthy, and 2) so far, the books is so meta that it reads as though the author didn't even really try to come up with a concept. Seems very The Hating Game, though, I hope it turns around soon. By 25%, it's starting to pick up. It is very much a book-within-a-book, which I should have guessed from the title. It seems like we are going to get a sad back story for the MMC, which is going to "wave away" them being shitty to one another early on. While I think enemies to lovers works better in fantasy, I'm willing to let this cook. 😍 At 50%, now I am back IN. They have gotten to the point where the communication has led to some pretty adorable moments and I have said "oh shit!' once, awww'd twice, and giggled thrice. 😂 The author signaled the coming conflict pretty early, so I wasn't surprised by the third act breakup (and expected it because of the template the author was following), but I ended up having a good time. When I put the book down last night, I actually dreamed about the characters, and couldn't wait until my lunch break to be able to finish. This felt like a debut from an author who really loves romance and everything it stands for, and that is something I can get behind!💘