Published by St. Martin's Press on October 6, 2026
Age/Genres: Adult, Fiction
Rating:
Goodreads
A sharp and deeply felt debut about art, ambition, and the connections that both inspire and undo us.
Parker Navarro’s debut novel was meant to define his career - until critic Selina Chan’s blistering review made it the flop of the decade. Four years later, his new book is his shot at redemption; for Selina, reviewing him again is a professional risk she can’t refuse. When her second takedown ignites a viral feud, both their fortunes shift overnight. But as the literary world feeds on their public sparring, a quieter dialogue begins - one that challenges everything they thought they knew about success, sincerity, and each other.
Both incisive and tender, Bad Words lays bare the costs of creation - the pull between ambition and integrity, the vulnerability of being seen, and the unexpected closeness that can grow in the space between critique and care.
When words can make or break us, how do you stay true to what matters most?
An author and literary critic fall in love amid a public feud.
Bad Words is an enemies-to-lovers romance that had me captivated from page one. I easily fell for Parker's charm. He was affable and a natural care-taker. His rise and quick fall from fame was heartbreaking, and it pained me to see it happening all over again. He was easy to root for. But I commend Robinson more for selling me on Selina.
Don't get me wrong, I understand that Selina's job was to be honest, but she was also very closed off and difficult to understand. As the story played on, her layers were pulled back revealing a complex character who earned my trust and empathy. I even shed tears for Selina somewhere around the 90 percent mark. My view of her grew and changed by leaps and bounds, at which point there was no side for me to pick. I loved them both!
Overall: Packed with smart and sparkling banter and so much bookish love, Bad Words was one of the most satisfying enemies to lovers journeys I have witnessed in a long time. The tension, the verbal sparring, and all those lightbulb moments culminated to something wonderful for me.
Published by The Dial Press on October 6, 2026
Age/Genres: Adult, Enchanted Realism, Romance
Rating:
Goodreads
A grieving researcher finds her orderly life derailed when her aspiring musician roommate’s leather jacket sparks inexplicable visions—and an inconvenient romance that defies all logic.
Annalise Harris believes in facts and figures—her shield against a world that has thrown her too many curveballs. Raised by her uncle after her mother’s untimely death, she’s always relied on logic to avoid the unexpected. So when her uncle passes away, Annalise is left reeling. Grief doesn’t follow rules. There’s no rational explanation as to why life keeps dealing her such a brutal hand.
Luckily, she has an escape a PhD program abroad, where she can immerse herself in scientific reasoning and leave everything else behind. She’s almost packed and she’s found Mackenzis Smith—the perfect roommate to watch over the house while she’s gone. But unluckily, Mackenzie is not the female roommate she was expecting, but a leather-jacket-wearing, wannabe rockstar, extremely attractive man. At least they’ll only be sharing the space for a few months. Then she’ll be gone.
Except Mackenzie is more than he appears—and so is his jacket. When Annalise slips it on one afternoon, she’s struck by inexplicable visions that defy every law of logic she holds dear. One moment she’s standing in her apartment; the next, she’s somewhere completely different…and nobody can see her. Is she hallucinating? Has the stress of all the impending changes broken her brain? As Annalise scrambles to explain the impossible, she and Mackenzie grow closer, bonding over Hallmark Christmas movies and their neighbor’s inexplicably strange baked goods.
There’s no rational reason an old leather jacket should unlock visions—or for Annalise to fall for a musician with an uncertain future just as she’s preparing to move across an ocean. But for the first time since losing her uncle, she feels something she thought was gone for happiness.
The question is, can she trust it? And can she follow her heart—even if it means letting go of sense?
Annalise has lost everyone she loved, but when Mackenzie answers her post, it appears her roommate could be her soulmate.
Annalise was a woman of science and logic. No matter how much she had loved her uncle Larry, she did not share his faith in fate until she started experiencing some strange visions which had her rethinking her stance on the whole subject. I rather enjoyed the magical element in this story. It did not overtake the story, but rather, it helped me gather information regarding these kismet connections in Annalise's life.
The bits of magic were interesting, but it was the friendships that took center stage for me. First and foremost was Mackenzie and Annalise. He wasn't exactly what she was expecting, but they quickly formed a bond while enjoying Hallmark holiday movies and each other's company. There was a great vibe between these two, and I was thrilled to see Annalise take a chance on Mackenzie.
Mack was not the only one to penetrate Annalise's heart, and the found family she assembled was so important to me. I did not want Annalise to go it alone, and she was fortunate to find support with neighbors Koko and Harmony. Both were quirky, charming, and there to help shoulder some of Annalise's grief.
Overall: I adored this story of love, grief, and healing with its charming characters and healing journey. It was fun and filled with warmth and a touch of magic.
*ARCS PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER
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