Allison the Reader — “Bad Words” by Ríoghnach Robinson

Happy Fall, y'all! That cold, snappy feeling has finally arrived in Fallon. Grab your cozy sweats, make yourself a quick cup of tea, and get ready to cuddle up with this week's book. I always say that readers love a book about bookish people, and this week's pick won't disappoint.

If you are looking for a smart, witty romance that dives headfirst into the chaotic world of modern publishing, “Bad Words” by Ríoghnach Robinson is an absolute treat. The story kicks off with Parker Navarro, a struggling author whose career took a massive hit a few years ago after a brutally sharp, viral review in City Magazine turned his highly anticipated debut novel into a high-profile flop. The person holding the pen was Selina Chan, a brilliant and unapologetically honest literary critic who views harsh, precise criticism as a vital service to readers who only have so much time in their lives to read. Fast-forward to the release of Parker’s follow-up novel, where he desperately tries to avoid another pan from Selina. Unfortunately for him, she gets her hands on an advance copy anyway, dishes out another scathing assessment, and sets off a fiery face-to-face confrontation between the two at a chaotic literary party. Someone captures their explosive argument on camera, and before either of them can process what happened, the video goes wildly viral online.

Rather than letting the public meltdown destroy them, their respective employers realize there is serious money, PR, and attention to be made from the drama. Parker urgently needs to boost his book sales to save his writing career, and Selina’s struggling magazine desperately needs digital subscriptions to stay afloat, so they are pushed into maintaining a very public, staged feud. What starts as sharp banter, passive-aggressive emails, and carefully calculated public spats slowly begins to evolve as the two are forced into constant communication. Beneath the sharp barbs, Parker starts to realize that Selina isn’t just a heartless villain out to wreck careers; she’s someone who cares deeply about literature and guards her heart behind a fortress of professional detachment. Meanwhile, Selina discovers that beneath Parker’s anxious, eager-to-please persona lies a surprisingly resilient heart and a genuine desire to create something meaningful. As the boundaries between a fake rivalry and real intimacy begin to blur, their public sparring morphs into an unexpectedly deep, honest dialogue about emotional vulnerability, the fear of being disliked, and what it truly means to be seen by someone else. It is a delightfully funny, sharp, and romantic enemies-to-lovers story that explores how we navigate criticism, art, and love in an outrage-driven world.

I hope you love “Bad Words” as much as I did. Don't forget to check out my Instagram @allison.the.reader for more book recommendations and book talk.