Authors: Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka
Genre: Adult Romance
Release Date: 01.25.22
Publisher: Berkley Books
Source: e-ARC via NetGalley
My Rating: 5/5 stars
SYNOPSIS: “Three years ago, Katrina Freeling and Nathan Van Huysen were the brightest literary stars on the horizon, their cowritten books topping bestseller lists. But on the heels of their greatest success, they ended their partnership on bad terms, for reasons neither would divulge to the public. They haven’t spoken since, and never planned to, except they have one final book due on contract.
Facing crossroads in their personal and professional lives, they’re forced to reunite. The last thing they ever thought they’d do again is hole up in the tiny Florida town where they wrote their previous book, trying to finish a new manuscript quickly and painlessly. Working through the reasons they’ve hated each other for the past three years isn’t easy, especially not while writing a romantic novel.
While passion and prose push them closer together in the Florida heat, Katrina and Nathan will learn that relationships, like writing, sometimes take a few rough drafts before they get it right. “
Reading this book was one of the happiest experiences I have had in forever.
One night when I was deciding what to read next I pulled up my NetGalley page and was so excited to realize I had been approved to read The Roughest Draft, which is one of my most anticipated reads of 2022. I had no idea I was approved and decided to start the book at around 9pm. Suddenly it was midnight and I couldn’t put it down. Then, one thing leads to another, and it’s 3am and I finished the book in one long amazing sitting.
The Roughest Draft is a phenomenal story. It is complex, gripping, authentic, and the type of book you can’t help but be invested in. From the very first pages I fell so deeply into this story about two characters who were flawed and real. The premise of this book was absolutely amazing. I loved the concept of having two characters who were previously co-authors, but fell apart, having to write a book together again. It was executed in the most perfect way. The angst was incredible, and it was a perfect example of the forced proximity trope (since they were under contract to write a new novel together). The dual POV and dual time line events built the story up perfectly and it felt so whole and real. The fact that this is fiction almost feels impossible. These characters are living, breathing, and so completely whole. It was incredible.
Katrina and Nathan are both deeply flawed individuals. I loved them both individually and I loved their story, their romance. It’s impossible to put into words how well they fit and functioned together. I loved them in every scene and could truly feel their bond and connection through the pages. Katrina and Nathan may be my favorite relationship on page, ever. I have never met two characters who should be together more than them. The tension and emotional connection was beautifully intense and real in a way that is impossible to explain in just a few sentences. This story, this romance, is a must read. I promise you will love it so much.
The setting was atmospheric. The book is set in Florida and features scenes from other various states (New York and California to name a few). The home they were in while doing the writing retreat and their overall neighborhood was so well developed and real feeling. There is a special talent to world building within the real world, and this story was an excellent example of it. The house, the city, all of it felt so immersive and cozy and whole.
Then obviously, there’s the spice. This book was honestly not that smutty, and I liked that about it so much. The angst and build up to the character’s being together was so perfect. The story was filled with angst and longing glances and self discovery. In my opinion, the spice level was perfect for the story and characters.
Gosh, I just loved this so much. As a seasoned Wibbroka reader (I have literally read all of their books) it felt this this is what they should be writing. They offer so much in their young adult books, but YA contemporary can also be a limiting genre. The characters have parents to attend to, school, they’re not 18 usually. However, it was incredible to see these authors’ creativity flourish with a wider world and more possible situations. I loved the exploration of different cities, loved the entire premise and plot. It was so well done and I just cannot wait to see what other adult romance stories Emily and Austin will produce. I love their young adult books, and I will continue to love them, but I also am so excited to see what else these incredible authors can come up with for their older characters.
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with an E-ARC!
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