Wyn and Three are freshmen journalism students desperate to snag the only available reporter spot on their university newspaper. Their battle is fierce, involving sabotage, stolen ideas, and mind games—no trick is too dirty in their quest to outdo one another.
Meanwhile, Wyn’s exploration for the ultimate story leads her to an anonymous dating app. She connects with a mystery man she suspects might be the charming RA from her dorm. Despite the sparks, Wyn’s past rejections due to her weight make her hesitant to reveal her true identity, even as her heart tugs her closer to what could be love.
The plot thickens when Three uncovers a story that hits too close to home, forcing him and Wyn to team up. As they chase the truth, they must confront their own budding feelings for each other, jeopardising Wyn’s dreamy app connection. Will Wyn and Three’s newspaper war end in disaster, or will it lead to unexpected love?
Anyone in need for a rivals to lovers story? Love, off the Record has got you covered.
Wyn and Three really hone in on the “kiss me or kill me” vibes that come with rivals to lovers and I loved to see that. Fighting as a love language can sometimes feel a bit kindergarten-esque but Wyn and Three just have that chemistry that makes their cutthroat exchanges feel more like foreplay. Also, secret identity plots are one of my favourites of all time (*ahem* especially if it’s combined with a two-person love triangle) and it was done nicely here with Wyn being torn between her potential online romance and her feelings for Three (which she would not admit to out of spite which I’m very sure is going to make the romance girlies kick their feet in the air and giggle because I certainly did). Now, I haven’t read the book that this is loosely connected to but from what I can tell Three was a “love to hate you” villain before and that translates beautifully on the page. There’s more to Three than meets the eye after reading the first couple of chapters and while we only get Wyn’s POV in the novel, I really liked how the slow unravelling of what she thought about Three and what he actually is like made for a separate “investigative” discovery that fit so well with the theme of the novel.
My personal highlight though, was Wyn’s entire characterisation. I think YA moving a bit more into the whole freshman year of college market is such a good choice because your first months at college can be incredibly overwhelming but also exciting and Markum portrays it perfectly through the lens of Wyn. Being 18 and suddenly on your own (but not really) is quite a struggle for a lot of us and Wyn’s insecurities and low self-esteem, like the fear of not fitting in or not being liked or not even being able to believe that others could like you simply for who you are, were so valid and relatable. Adjusting to this new reality can be so scary and that infused the story with a sense of urgency that made me flip the pages even faster. I also loved that Wyn is a fat main character and that, while it alters her self-image at times, it never takes away from the story or makes it feel like these insecurities are anything besides prejudices society has indoctrinated her with.
Lest you think this is all about romance and personal character growth, don’t you worry: There’s also a lot of hilarious shenanigans as Wyn and Three sabotage each other, investigate together and learn to work together instead of against one another.
While I did enjoy reading Love, off the Record, I was missing some kind of original asset that set this apart from other novels with similar premises and tropes. True, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel (trust me, I can read five hundred books about the same trope and still not get sick of it) when it comes to plotlines but I would have wished for something to truly stand out from similar novels (for example the two books this got compared to, Alex Approximately and The Hating Game). That being said, though, I think that readers are going to absolutely devour this novel.
If you’re in the mood for a rivals-to-lovers romance with mind games, flirting disguised as threats and a whole load of snark, then Love, Off the Record needs to be on your TBR!
Love, Off the Record is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of June 11th 2024.
Will you be picking up Love, Off the Record? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
The Hating Game meets Alex, Approximately in this smart, chemistry-filled teen rom-com about two rival journalism students competing for the same position on their university newspaper.
Wyn is going to beat Three even if it kills her—or, preferably, him. Being freshmen staffers on the university newspaper puts them at the bottom of the pecking order—until a rare reporter spot opens up. Wyn and Three are both determined to get the position, starting a game of sabotage that pushes them to do their worst, from stealing each other’s ideas to playing twisted mind games. No road is too low when it comes to winning.
As Wyn’s search for the perfect story leads her to an anonymous, campus-wide dating app, she hits it off with a mystery man she thinks might be the cute RA from her dorm. But Wyn is all too familiar with being rejected because of her weight, and she’s hesitant to reveal her identity, even as she grows closer with someone who might be the guy of her dreams.
When Three breaks a story that’s closer to home than he or Wyn expects, the two must put aside their differences to expose the truth—and face their real feelings for each other, which threaten everything Wyn has built with her anonymous match.
