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The Romance Rivalry

An Enemies-to-Lovers Fake Dating Bookish College Rom-Com
Pages
246
Published
2025
Language
English

Synopsis

USA TODAY BEST SELLER! She’s read every romance…except her own. “Clever and delightful; a standout in the genre.” – ⭐KIRKUS STARRED REVIEW “A must-have flirtation-via-tropes tale with all the swooning and joy readers want in a love story.” – ⭐SCHOOL & LIBRARY JOURNAL STARRED REVIEW “Susan Lee has written an ode to all romance readers. It’s the kind of book I’ve been wanting to read for decades: a love letter to love stories and an instant favorite!”–Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis Irene Park loves romance novels—so much so she’s made a career of them as an online book reviewer with a massive following. But Irene’s real life dating story? Non-existent. So when she starts her freshman year of college, she sets her sights on finding true love using the one thing she really understands…romance book tropes. If only it were that easy. Enter Aiden Jeon, Irene’s online book review rival and biggest nemesis. When Aiden challenges her to see who can find love-by-trope first, he becomes the one person standing in her way to getting everything she wants both professionally and personally, too. So when the competition takes an unexpected turn, forcing the two of them to have to partner in the ultimate trope, fake dating, Irene is not prepared for everything she believed about romance, and Aiden, to flip on its head. As Irene tackles the challenges of college life, struggles to figure out what she really wants for herself, all while trying to win the race for love, Irene realizes the answers may not be found in a romance novel. Happily Ever Afters seem so easy on page. But for Irene to find her ultimate HEA, she’ll have to get her nose out of the book and become the main character of her own story. Perfect for fans of: 📚 Enemies to Lovers 💘 Fake Dating 🏫 College Rom-Coms 💬 Banter for Days 🎥 A+ Pop Culture References ✨ Books about loving books

About the author

S
Susan Lee

Susan Lee is the author of the YA romantic comedies Seoulmates and The Name Drop. A graduate of UC San Diego, she built a career as an HR executive before turning to writing. The Romance Rivalry, her adult debut, is a USA Today bestseller blending K-drama-style romance with familiar rom-com tropes.

Characters

Irene ParkProtagonist

A romance book reviewer trying to find real love using book tropes.

Aiden JeonProtagonist

Irene's online review rival, who becomes her fake-dating partner.

All characters in The Romance Rivalry