Author: Ali Hazelwood
Year published: 2026
Category: Adult fiction (romance)
Pages: 187
Rating: 4 out of 5
Location: (my 2025 Google Reading map): USA (Washington)
Summary: Viola Bowen has the chance of a lifetime: to design a video game based on her all-time favorite book series. The only problem? Her co-lead is Jesse F-ing Andrews, aka her archnemesis. Jesse has made it abundantly clear over the years that he wants nothing to do with her—and Viola has no idea why.
When their bosses insist a wintery retreat is the perfect team-building exercise, Viola can’t think of anything worse. Being freezing cold in a remote mountain lodge knowing Jesse is right next door? No, thank you.
But as the snow piles on, Viola discovers there’s more to Jesse than she knew, and heat builds in more ways than one.
Review: I just finished a book that was 466 pages, so the thought of a quick, short novella felt just right. And Ali Hazelwood is a consistently good author, so I was in. I enjoyed her other novels that I have read: Not in Love; Deep End; Love Theoretically; Love on the Brain; and Love Hypothesis (links to my reviews).
This novella worked for me. A bit-sized dip into a comfortable romantic world. The trope? Enemies (or perceived enemies) to lovers. And with a strong suggestion of a happy ending. Just what I was looking for.
Ali Hazelwood is smart (you know, PhD in the sciences smart), and I like that her female leads are always smart too. The previous books of hers that I have read all had science grad students or professors. This novella has a video game designer who is a big reader. Great combination. Viola is in control of her life personally and professionally. Her crush didn't get in the way or rule her life, it was just a crush. She thinks he hates her but as soon as she figures out that he doesn't, she confronts him head on about it. I guess that's the beauty of a novella: there is less time to futz around with miscommunication.
There are sex scenes that are fairly graphic, but not overdone.
Challenges for which this counts:
- Alphabet (Author)--H
- Cover Lovers--a computer
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