The Roughest Draft

Nathan Fiske and Katrina Freeling were co-authors of bestselling novels before their writing partnership ended in a dramatic falling out. Three years later, they must reunite to fulfill their final book contract, forcing them to write together again in a remote Florida house. Their past success came from an intense creative connection that blurred professional and personal boundaries. Now trapped together for months to write their new book, they must confront what really caused their partnership to implode. The story alternates between their present-day forced collaboration and flashbacks to their earlier writing career. Their creative process becomes entangled with unresolved feelings and revelations about their shared history. This romance explores the tension between artistic partnership and personal relationships, examining how creative intimacy can both unite and divide two people. The novel considers what it means to trust another person with both your work and your heart.

Readers found the enemies-to-lovers tension compelling, with many highlighting the authentic portrayal of the writing process and publishing industry dynamics. The dual POV narration and emotional depth resonated with romance fans. Liked: - Chemistry between main characters - Representation of creative collaboration - Details about book writing/publishing - Character growth arcs Disliked: - Slow pacing in middle sections - Some found the conflict repetitive - Several readers wanted more resolution - Communication issues felt forced Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (24,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (2,100+ ratings) BookBub: 4.2/5 (900+ ratings) Notable reader comments: "Captures the messy reality of creative partnerships" - Goodreads reviewer "Too much internal monologue, not enough forward momentum" - Amazon reviewer "The writing scenes felt authentic but the romance dragged" - BookBub review

Beach Read by Emily Henry Two rival authors write in each other's genres while sharing a beach house, confronting their creative blocks and personal wounds.

The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann A romance writer and her best friend spend a weekend with their respective love interests at a cabin, leading to revelations about art and relationships.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry A literary agent and editor find themselves in a small town together, facing their professional rivalry and creative differences while working on a manuscript.

Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson A romance editor receives anonymous feedback on her secret manuscript from someone within her publishing house.

The Write Escape by Charish Reid An author with writer's block travels to Ireland and meets a librarian who changes her perspective on writing and love.

📚 Authors Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka are married in real life and write together, making them uniquely qualified to pen a romance about co-authors. 💑 The book explores the "forced proximity" trope by having the protagonists locked away in a Florida house together for three weeks to write their next novel. ✍️ The story includes a novel-within-a-novel structure, as readers get glimpses of both the book the characters are currently writing and their previous bestseller. 📖 The dual timeline narrative switches between present day and three years prior, gradually revealing what caused the initial rift between the co-authors. 🏆 The Roughest Draft was named one of the "Most Anticipated Books of 2022" by Bustle, PopSugar, and BuzzFeed, and received a starred review from Publishers Weekly.