Romantic Friction

A Zibby Media Summer Read Pick and Most Anticipated Book of 2025; an NPR Book of the Day

Amy Tintera calls it "smart, funny, and unpredictable"; Sally Hepworth says it's "witty, heartfelt, and delightful"; Chandler Baker says it has "prose that crackles and with that leaps off the page"; and Jesse Q. Sutanto says it's "sharply written and impossible to put down."

Sofie Wilde’s bestselling fantasy romance series is a cultural phenomenon, breaking records and readers’ hearts for years. As buzz builds for the release of the tenth and final book in the series, Sofie is asked to headline the premier romance readers’ convention, a career milestone. One she won’t let anyone take from her, especially “the next Sofie Wilde.”

That’s what they’re calling her—Hartley West, a self-published, debut author who writes in the style of Sofie Wilde. Except she doesn’t actually “write” anything. After Hartley admits to using Al, Sofie’s ready to watch her be skewered on social media. Except in this unpredictable world, Hartley is instead lauded for being innovative.

After an unhinged rant unintentionally goes viral, Sofie is on the verge of losing her headliner status—and her fans. As the convention begins, Sofie is surrounded by her fellow authors who fear their futures, their livelihoods, and their art will be stripped away, one Al prompt at a time. Something must be done. This has to end. Now. With the clock ticking, Sofie enlists a cohort of authors to help her stop Hartley, vowing, “‘The next Sofie Wilde’—over my dead body. Or hers.”

Lori Gold's KISS, MARRY, KILL releases April 7, 2026 (Harper Park Row) View Less