This was supposed to be a fun romp of a book, but I found it a slog. The premise was great - two writers in opposite genres meet and find each other both challenging and appealing - but the execution was not convincing. I did not find the two main characters believable enough to enjoy the read.

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Romance isn't my usual genre. I hardly ever read them, and when I do, I don't usually enjoy them. For that reason alone, I hadn't paid much attention to this one when it was first offered with the Book of the Month Club, and planned to skip it. But then I kept seeing reviews from others about what a fun read it was, even from other non-romance folks like me. April 2020 has been tough, and the thought of a fun, entertaining mind-vacation was too appealing, so I ordered the book. And read it in 2 days!
January and Gus were fun to get to meet, it was interesting to hear their back stories. I really, really appreciated that the whole book is from only one POV, January's, rather than skipping between the two, as well. There was enough going on in January's story as it was, and it was interesting to read her break through Gus's shell as well.
As they are both author's, though different genres, it was fun to read how they defended - and joked about - their respective genres. The bet was entertaining on many levels as well.
I'm not a romance convert, but I will look for this author again.
It also helped that the description of the Western Michigan beauty was pretty well spot on, from my old memories. Though, I'm not sure I've figured out where North Bear Shore was supposed to be.

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January grew up idolizing her parents. Her mother fought cancer (and won). Like everyone else, her parents were not perfect. So, when things happen; January and her "perfect" boyfriend break-up and she loses her "perfect" apartment, her "perfect" father dies and it appears he cheated on her mom, and she is deadline to finish her book.....and has writer's block.
She ends up at her father's 2nd house (that he left to her in his will). She meets the grumpy neighbor and takes a moment to realize she knows him. Apparently they went to the same college. As they reconnect, Augustus (AKA Gus) is also on deadline and is battling writer's block. They agree to help each other out and swap genres. He will write a romance and she will write literary fiction (you know the "only" fiction that is "real" literature)! Each will help the other with research and experiences.
I had such a hard time with this. I was excited to read this; all the good reviews and several of my friends really liked this book. Alas, not I. I did stick with this thinking at some point I would get into it, but nope. I found I couldn't get over my dislike of the main characters. January, bitch, get over yourself already! Her dad is now apparently the most horrible, awful person to have ever lived because of his affair. Never mind that he was a very present, good, and loving father when she was growing up. Never mind that her mother found out about the affair and they chose to stay together.
And I also felt that "romance" and women's fiction" were used interchangeably. They *are* different. I also had a HUGE issue with Gus's finished "romance" book. He FAILED. He LOST. That is NOT a romance book he wrote! In no way does a real romance book end in the way his did. Epic fail dude. January did succeed in her end goal. Gus did NOT. I found that super irritating!

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This was definitely not what I expected based on the title. A young writer (female) who finds she can't write; and finds that the perfect family unit she grew up in was not "perfect". Upon her father's death she finds he'd been cheating on her mother for years. Dealing with all this, she goes to clean out her dad's "second" home and meets a former associate from college (aka rival writer). Character background on some of the characters was good. Story just didn't resonate with me - maybe younger readers would relate more.

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