One classic novel. Two adaptations. A competition that shakes up everything.
Perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Ali Hazelwood, this steamy rivals-to-lovers romance set in Manhattan features two writers fighting to sell the adaptation of their favorite classic novel.
Mo Denton has been obsessed with the classic feminist novel The Proud and the Lost for as long as she can remember. When Mo puts everything she has into writing a modern adaptation of her all-time favorite book, her agent Yuri loves it—but can’t pitch it anywhere. The original author’s estate must approve any adaptation, and so far, it has never allowed one to go forward.
The agent who represents the estate—Wes Spencer—is also working on an updated version of the beloved story. Promoting Mo’s project would go against Wes’s own interests, and he’s reluctant to bring it to Estelle Morgan, the elderly daughter of the original novelist. But when Yuri contacts Estelle herself, Estelle invites Mo and Wes to her home for a weekend where they will pitch each book to her and let her decide whose book will be approved–and whose work will be destined for deletion.
Soon, Mo and Wes realize that they have more in common than just their love of the original book. As they grow closer and wait for the estate’s decision, will the secrets Wes is keeping ruin the bond between them, or can they find their way to a happy ending?
Perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Ali Hazelwood, this steamy rivals-to-lovers romance set in Manhattan features two writers fighting to sell the adaptation of their favorite classic novel.
Mo Denton has been obsessed with the classic feminist novel The Proud and the Lost for as long as she can remember. When Mo puts everything she has into writing a modern adaptation of her all-time favorite book, her agent Yuri loves it—but can’t pitch it anywhere. The original author’s estate must approve any adaptation, and so far, it has never allowed one to go forward.
The agent who represents the estate—Wes Spencer—is also working on an updated version of the beloved story. Promoting Mo’s project would go against Wes’s own interests, and he’s reluctant to bring it to Estelle Morgan, the elderly daughter of the original novelist. But when Yuri contacts Estelle herself, Estelle invites Mo and Wes to her home for a weekend where they will pitch each book to her and let her decide whose book will be approved–and whose work will be destined for deletion.
Soon, Mo and Wes realize that they have more in common than just their love of the original book. As they grow closer and wait for the estate’s decision, will the secrets Wes is keeping ruin the bond between them, or can they find their way to a happy ending?
Title: Rivals to Lovers
Author: Elise Wayland
Publisher: Alcove Press
Expected Publication Date: August 12, 2025
Review:
Thank you to Alcove Press and Edelweiss for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I'm all about books about bookish things. This one was really quite fun. Two potential authors reimagining a famous book and competing to see which one will get published all the while falling for each other.
Maureen "Mo" Denton was a well thought out character. This one had self-esteem issues written all over her. Never worthy of anything. She definitely grew and shed some of this throughout the book. I liked how she started to stand up for herself. Wes Spencer, on the other hand, didn't seem to have these issues. As a matter of fact, he was more cocky than I would have liked. His privilege definitely showed through. He took control of things, even when it was not his right to do so. He pissed me off more often than not, to be honest. He's lucky Mo was such a forgiving person. I would not have been as forgiving as she was with all the stupid mistakes he kept making.
I enjoyed the LGBTQ+ rep in the book but I didn't quite believe it when it came to Wes's character. It seemed too easy for him to be with Mo. The LBGTQ+ rep felt almost forced with him. It didn't seem like it was pertinent to his background, to be honest. There was not struggle and I honestly wonder why the author chose to make him bisexual for this story.
I liked the romance, though it did seem a bit forced to begin with. There's attraction but I didn't quite feel that chemistry at first. I prefer to see a bit of a slow burn but this one didn't land there. Later on it's definitely there but in the beginning I wasn't really sure where it came from except that they had a close proximity thing going on. The romance didn't quite fully land for me as I really needed a bit more tension between them before they got together. The book is called Rivals to Lovers but I didn't really see the rivals part of the plot. I think that build would have suited their situation better. But I was invested in seeing it progress and where it would end up.
As for the side characters, I really liked Estelle Morgan, the daughter of the author whose book was being reimagined. I do wish we had seen a bit more of her. I think interactions with the characters could have been developed more and her impact stronger. I hated her daughters so much. I wanted to punch them both.
The plot really did revolve mostly around the romance and how Wes and Mo worked out there issues. Yes, there was the competition of their books but that almost seemed more background noise and a reason for the two to be together and fall in love. I would call it a slow burn plot with a fast burn romance. The author did a good job with the pacing, as well. I definitely wanted to turn the pages to see where it would lead. And it was dual POV, which I love because I always want to be in both characters' heads when I can be!
Overall, I liked the story line and the author's writing. I would definitely pick up more books from her as I'm sure her craft will only grow in the future.
Author:
Elise Wayland is a romance author living in the Midwest who also writes humor and essays. Rivals to Lovers is her first rom-com.
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