The Romance Rivalry

*NetGalley eARC Review*

If there’s one thing I love, it’s a good social media rivalry-turned-romance, and The Romance Rivalry by Susan Lee delivers that and more. It’s fun, fresh, and full of classic romance tropes—with a dash of academic chaos and a sprinkle of nostalgia for those college days.

The Setup

Irene has built a massive following—over a million strong—by reviewing romance books online. She’s confident, opinionated, and, thanks to being a middle child, always feels like she has something to prove.

Then there’s Aiden, a newer but fast-rising romance book reviewer who’s amassed an almost equally impressive following. He’s insightful, charming, and—much to Irene’s annoyance—constantly popping up in her comments to disagree with her takes. Every time he does, his followers jump in, and Irene feels like she’s under attack.

So, when Irene starts her freshman year of college and walks into her literature class only to find Aidensitting there? Yeah. The universe is definitely messing with her. And to make things even more chaotic? They get paired up for a semester-long project.

Enemies… Or Just Misunderstood?

From the start, Aiden seems nice enough—maybe a little cocky—but Irene isn’t buying it. She’s cold. She’s distant. She is not about to be charmed by her internet nemesis.

But as they spend more time together, she realizes something surprising: Aiden has no idea about the online drama she’s been dealing with. Turns out, he doesn’t even read his comments—too many trolls, too much negativity, and not worth the mental energy.

Then, they discover they’re both in the running for the same brand sponsorship.

For Irene, it’s about proving to her parents that she’s accomplished something meaningful—something that makes her stand out from her ultra-successful siblings. For Aiden, it’s about financial survival. His parents cut him off when he chose literature over pre-med, and this sponsorship could make a huge difference in his life.

A Plan So Wild… It Just Might Work

Determined to boost their chances, they come up with a bold idea: testing out romance book tropes in real life to find love.

At first, they try these tropes with other people, but then Aiden suggests an even better plan—they should fake date each other. It’ll get Irene’s internet trolls off her back and show the brand they’re serious contenders.

Of course, as any good romance reader knows, fake dating never stays fake for long. And soon, Irene starts to wonder—maybe Aiden isn’t just an online rival. Maybe he’s something more.

College, Chaos, and Coming Into Your Own

One of the things I loved most about this book was how real the college experience felt. Irene struggles with classes and deadlines. She forms deep friendships that become like a second family. She navigates the weird, exciting, and sometimes overwhelming reality of being on her own for the first time.

As someone who’s far removed from my own college days, it made me nostalgic for that time—when everything felt new and full of possibility (and, let’s be honest, very stressful). I even got a little teary at the end!

Final Thoughts

⭐ Adorable, fun, and full of heart

⭐ Strong friendships and found family vibes

⭐ Loved the use of romance tropes as chapter titles and themes

⭐ A fresh, unique take on bookish social media culture

A Small Note on Irene

While I loved her overall, there were moments when Irene’s tendency to jump to conclusions and assume the worst made her a little frustrating. She reacts big—sometimes in ways that feel unnecessary or overly dramatic. For example, when she learns that Aiden’s scholarship is dependent on their project grade, she acts like it’s brand-new information… even though he’d already told her he was cut off by his parents. It’s a minor thing, but I think the story could have been just as strong with a slightly more self-aware Irene.

That said, The Romance Rivalry was a delightful read—full of humor, heart, and just the right amount of angst. If you love rivals-to-lovers, fake dating, and books about bookish people, this one’s definitely worth picking up!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice Level: N/A

Blurb:

She’s read every romance…except her own…
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.

Xoxo, Melissa