Crash Into Me

by Taylor Romagnoli

A deeply emotional novel for readers who love complicated romance like those by Krista & Becca Ritchie (Addicted to You) and Abbi Glines (Fallen Too Far).

Perfect for fans of raw TV shows and movies about addiction, love, and self-discovery like Sex Education, Normal People, and One Day.

It’s only been two weeks since Natalie graduated from college, yet she feels adrift—listless and wayward in the beach town she now calls home. Trapped in a cycle of job rejections, writer’s block, and being the new girl in town, Natalie’s social life revolves around supporting her sister’s recovery as she enters rehab for an eating disorder. 

Enter another patient at the same facility where her sister is being treated. He’s undeniably magnetic, and their attraction to one another is obvious. But this summer was supposed to be a turning point for Natalie—a new start—but when her friendship with Brooklyn turns to romance, his history threatens her future.  

Brooklyn’s past isn’t just complicated, it’s dangerous, and when his history of drug addiction resurfaces, it drags them both into turbulent waters. It’s just like Natalie to want to save him, but she soon realizes that sometimes, people can only save themselves.

Genres: Romance

299 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 19, 2026

About the author

part-time knitter, part-time metalhead, part-time poké princess, part time writer of things / Charleston, SC <3

insta: @tayromagsauthor / I have no other social media

Reviews

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC!

I thought this was a good book! 3.5🌟s!!
Things I enjoyed: The ending was very powerful (I in fact cried). Nat and Nikki’s sister relationship was really sweet and I thought that the author did a great job portraying what it looks like to love someone with a disorder/addiction.
Things I didn’t enjoy as much: The pop culture references were a bit much for me (just a personal taste thing) and the journal entries made it feel like there was a lot more telling than showing. I think the plot lends itself to some very deep and meaningful messages that I wish weren’t so spelled out in the MC’s journaling.
Overall, I recommend(:

[Britt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a whirlwind summer romance full of heart, soul, and learning to save yourself first.

Our MCs, Natalie and Brooklyn, had fantastic chemistry from the beginning. They were each able to get the other one out of their heads and just enjoy the present together. I loved their shared love of books and the banter that usually resulted from their conversations around them. Their meet cute and dates were adorable and everything I would want in a new adult romance.

I loved that even though their romance was messy and unpredictable, definitely having its ups and downs, each of our MCs learned and had character growth. Brooklyn’s addiction forced both of them to come to terms with their own flaws. Brooklyn learned that he needed to save himself, no one else could save him from addiction, and that time was really the best gift Natalie could give him. And Natalie learned to accept that she couldn’t save everyone and she wasn’t responsible for anyone’s happiness/life but her own.

I also really loved the sisterly relationship between Natalie and Nikki. Both of their feelings were so incredibly valid throughout the book, and I loved how even when they fought, they had each other’s backs. Natalie went through feelings of love, grief, regret, and anger towards her sister when she was going through treatment for her eating disorder, while Nikki felt the same things watching Natalie be in a relationship with someone she didn’t deem worthy of her. I found their relationship incredibly relatable and there were times they definitely stole the spotlight together.

Speaking of Nikki, there were so many fantastic characters in this book who I would love to see get their own HEA! Alex (Brooklyn’s best friend), Stella (Brooklyn’s sister), Nikki. All of them deserve their perfectly messy endings too 😊

Thank you to Wattpad Books, Frayed Pages, and Taylor Romagnoli for the physical ARC! The thoughts and opinions expressed above are honest and my own.

[Chelsea is Booked · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crash Into Me is a decent read. Its about a woman that has a sister with an ED. When she visits her at a treatment center she runs into a gentleman. She assumes he is also visiting someone but he is in out patient treatment for addiction. They starts a summer romance. They are just supposed to be friends but obviously that doesn't happen. The FMC is also an author with writers block and her mom tells her to focus on having a fun summer instead of stressing over her book. The romance she has ends up being inspiration for her.

This would definitely be a good summer read. It is written well. It also did a good job of not making the person with addiction out to be a bad guy. It also ends in a HEA which is nice because in real life addiction doesn't often end that way. For me there was a lot of drinking carelessly in a book about addiction. And just a personal thing I like my characters to be older so I feel this will really hit more for the new adult age range.

[thebeespot72 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t believe this just happened.

I’m in another reading slump after reading Crash into Me. Why? This story hit harder than I thought it would, and I’m glad it did. I enjoy stories like these. It did its job! Crash into Me is a heavy story—heavy on my heart and left me lots to think over.

The story involves addiction that impacts Natalie’s life through her sister and the guy, Brooklyn, she meets at the hospital where her sister is being treated. Natalie takes on so much, and you feel that as the reader throughout the story. And you see her growth as well, as Natalie begins to learn how to better support her sister and Brooklyn, rather than enabling their behaviors.

The story is an emotional one and told well.

Thank you to @wattpadbooks @wbywattpadbooks @fpxwpbooks and Author Taylor Romagnoli for the gifted copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really excited to read this book, and it didn't disappoint. I knew it would be a heavy book, based on the topics, so I went in with open eyes and open heart. Nat was a great FMC, and she has a huge heart and wants everyone to be better. I was cheering for Brooklyn. I know addiction can be a daily battle, so I knew there would be ups and downs in his recovery. I loved their love story. I highly recommend!

[Carly Nicola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crash Into Me is a new adult romance with some heavy themes. Nat comes to live with her mom in a small beach town after college in order to support her younger sister who is in getting treatment for an ED. While visiting her sister, she meets Brooklyn, whom she soon learns is also in recovery from addiction. Their friendship begins with good intentions, but neither can seem to keep their romantic feelings from growing, even though it is unwise for Brooklyn to compromise his recovery. As Nat begins to spend more time in Brooklyn's orbit, it becomes clear that he is hiding secrets, and that he may not have fully faced all of his demons as he claims. Nat has to grapple with her tendency to try to fix the people she loves, and learn to live life for herself.

I liked the story and characters, but parts of the book felt slow, like there could have been more to the plot. It definitely did make me consider how people recovering from addiction can be harshly judged, and how addiction has ripple affects within a person's life.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Bookish Feed · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ ARC Review ✨
Crash Into Me – Taylor Romagnoli
📅 Release Date: 5/19/2026

This debut hit me in a way I didn’t expect.

Natalie is in that in between stage of life fresh out of college, feeling lost, stuck in rejection emails and writer’s block, all while trying to hold it together for her family. Watching her navigate her sister’s recovery while quietly dealing with her own struggles felt so real and heavy.
Then comes Brooklyn and their story, a complete rollercoaster. You get the beautiful, hopeful beginnings of love but also the raw, messy reality that comes with addiction and the impact it has on everyone around it.

This book delivers such a powerful message about addiction, stigma, and recovery and the hard truth that you can’t save someone who isn’t ready to save themselves.

Natalie stood out to me so much, she has such a big heart, sometimes to her own downfall. She’s strong, but also incredibly trusting, even when surrounded by people who continue to hurt her. Seeing the parallel between how she tries to help Brooklyn and what her sister Nikki is trying to show her, That perspective really hit.

I also loved the nostalgic 90’s vibes (Rugrats, TLC, renting DVDs 🥹) and the journaling element, it added depth to Natalie’s voice.

Some parts felt a bit slower at times, but it gave space to really sit with the emotions and the weight of everything unfolding.
I just wish we got a little more at the end, I’m left with questions and would’ve loved an epilogue or more insight into Nikki and Alec’s stories.

Overall, such a strong debut with layered characters and an important message that stays with you.

Thank you for the ARC 💙 @tayromagsauthor @fpxwpbooks @wbywattpadbooks @wattpadbooks

[M D · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was very well done! In this story, Nat finds herself moving back home to a small beach town to support her sister, Nikki, who has been placed in a residential treatment facility for an eating disorder. Nat is in the process of figuring out herself and her future, having just finished college and aspiring to develop a career in writing. Then, she collides (literally) with Brooklyn - a dreamy, outgoing patient at her sister's facility. What follows is a heartfelt, drama-packed journey of self-discovery, growth, and romance.

All of the characters were well developed. This can be difficult, from a single POV narrative, but I felt here that it was easy to get to know Nikki and Brooklyn through Nat's eyes, and fall in love with them throughout the story. There were emotional twists and turns that kept me captivated and made it hard to put down. I liked the writing style - there were little tidbits of literary facts dropped throughout that I thought added an artsy twist and were very in character with Nat's background in creative writing.

I thought the topics of EDs and drug addiction were approached sensitively and accurately here - but please do read the trigger warnings, as these topics may be very sensitive for some.

All in all, this was an inspiring read with good romance that tackled some hard topics.

Thank you to NetGalley, Taylor Romagnoli and Frayed Pages x Wattpad Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Wattpad Books for this gifted finished copy!

This was a really emotional and messaging filled read. It has massive mental health, eating disorders, and addiction representation. So if any of the above is a potential trigger, take care when giving this one a read. It was really heavy but I feel like the representation was fantastic and trying to remove stigmas from these aspects of life. I'm rounding up to a 4 star because Goodreads doesn't do halves, but I would give this a 3.5 star of a read for me.

As someone who has struggled with disordered eating in their life, I really related to the FMC's sister. It was really nice to read the story from the view of someone that loves a person going through rehab for an eating disorder. The romance in this book is also really emotional, deep feeling and fast paced. I will say that I think this is way more of a literary fiction than a romance, so I wouldn't go into this with the expectation of a swoony romance. It was a really enjoyable and emotional read, but I would not have a big romance expectation.

If you are in the mood for a heavier themed contemporary story, I would absolutely recommend this. This releases May 19th!

*This advanced finished copy was gifted by Wattpad Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

[Sue Ouellet-Cofsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

It wasn't what I expected (sorry, I thought it was a completely different book lol) but I enjoyed the read, although enjoyed is not quite the right word. The main focus is on addiction and there are different types of addiction covered in the story. The eating disorder that Nat's sister is dealing with, the drug addiction that Brooklyn is dealing with as well as Nat's own personal addiction, while maybe not debilitating or requiring rehab, is an addiction in any case. Nat's addiction is thinking that she is the only one who can help fix the other addicted people, to her own detriment. She doesn't trust easy and breaking her trust could be tantamount to breaking her completely because she throws herself so completely into the fixing part not seeing what it takes from her. She also doesn't seem to realize that she just can't be the one to fix them....THEY have to fix themselves and in the end, she may do more harm than good. Is it a happy ending? I guess we don't really know because addiction really is a life long recovery. It is however a somewhat satisfying ending and having been in her shoes, you've got to take the good where you can.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crash Into Me takes place in a small town where Nat's mother grew up and Brooklyn has lived his whole life.

Nat is dealing with her sister's eating disorder and Brooklyn struggles with a drug problem. I can see where the title comes from as that is how Nat and Brooklyn meet for the first time.

Nat hesitantly starts a friendship with Brooklyn and they both agree that is all either of them are looking for. They spend some time together and feelings get involved and the story progresses from there.

It's a short romance novel so I would say the pace is pretty fast, it's closed door so there is no graphic scenes. The characters are pretty likeable and believable. Having dealt with a family member with an eating disorder, I think Taylor did a really good job portraying those feelings.

I would recommend this book to others, I would just be cautious with who as this isn't some fluffy book about eating disorders and drug addiction. These topics are discussed in a serious way but there are appropriate trigger warnings before starting the book.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you netgalley for this ARC

this one was emotional in a way that really sneaks up on you.
my absolute favorite part was the dynamic between the sisters. their bond felt authentic, layered, and beautifully written. those moments carried so much heart and honestly grounded the entire story for me.
the writing itself felt very raw and vulnerable. almost every chapter ended in a way that made me want to immediately keep going, which I always appreciate.
for me, the journal entries were a bit overused. I don’t mind that device here and there, but it started to feel repetitive and pulled me out of the flow of the story at times.
and the ending… I have QUESTIONS. it felt very open-ended, almost like the story just stopped. I need to know what actually happens next. do they find their way back to each other? does she move on? I’m really hoping this isn’t the last we see of these characters because there’s definitely room for more — especially with nikki and alec.
overall, an emotional read with strong character relationships, I just wish I had a little more closure. 🤍

[Alexandra Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, has left me speechless and I'm already horrible at reviews, haha. 

The writing and storytelling of Natalie and Brooklyn's story is one of the best I've ever read. 

You can feel the love and heartbreak these two go through, both navigating new situations neither of them fully understand despite what they and their families have gone through. You'll root for them and cry for them (unless you're cold hearted bitch like me and don't cry at books like at all anymore) by the time the story ends.


Spoiler/sensitive topic alert:
Addiction is something I personally have never really been around, and knowing how personal this story is to Taylor, for more reason than one, and the way she has written it, is beyond words impressive. She shows different sides of it between some of her characters, the good and the bad, and doesn’t truly sugarcoat addiction and how it effects everyone in someone's life. 

Now, please, please, please make sure to read Taylor's debut novel and fall in love with her writing!!

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crash Into Me is a deeply engaging read that pulled me in from the very first pages and refused to let go. Taylor Romagnoli’s writing is strong and fluid, making it easy to become fully immersed in the story and the emotions of the characters.

The pacing is excellent, each chapter left me hanging, eager to find out what would happen next. Just when I thought I had things figured out, the story shifted in unexpected ways that kept the tension high and the pages turning.

What truly stood out was the ending. It was powerful, emotional, and incredibly satisfying, leaving a lasting impression long after I finished the book. Crash Into Me is the kind of story that stays with you, not just for its plot, but for the feelings it evokes.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a well-written, emotionally charged read that keeps you invested from beginning to end.

[Emerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, Frayed Pages x Wattpad and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this arc 🫶

TW:
Addiction
OD
ED


Crash Into Me is a quick-paced, read-in-one sitting book focusing on heavy themes and topics, such as ED and addiction. I give it a 3.5, because as I said, it is very quick paced, so there wasn’t much time to process details being relayed through the plot.

However, I found that it could also be emotional and devastating at times, particularly towards the end. The journal entries from Nat to her dad is definitely my favorite part of the book, it allows more insight to Nat and her life, giving more depth to her character.

I enjoyed her relationship with her sister. There was many up and downs for them both, with both only wanting the best for the other.

As for Brooklyn, I found their relationship to be fast paced, devastating, and emotional. The ending was the most redeeming part.

Overall, 3.5, and I suggest sitting aside 4-6 hours to read in one sitting.

[Marilyn Capparell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me a much deeper understanding of addiction and the people caught in its grip. What I appreciated most was that it didn’t reduce addicts to a label or a diagnosis. It portrayed them as human beings, flawed and broken at times, but still worthy of love, grace, and compassion.

The story is really about forgiveness, understanding, and the difficult balance between holding on and letting go. There were moments that were heartbreaking, frustrating, hopeful, and beautiful all at once.

Taylor did an incredible job capturing the emotional roller coaster of addiction, not only from the addict’s perspective but also from the perspective of those who love them. The characters felt real, and their struggles felt authentic. This book reminded me that addiction affects entire families, and that behind every addiction is a person who desperately needs understanding, even when their choices are hard to comprehend.

[Kelly Kenyon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and author for an advanced copy of Crash Into Me by Taylor Romagnoli.
I could not put this book down. Kat was such a trusting, nurturing person. Trying to fix everyone in her life. On top of a relationship with someone in recovery her younger sister is struggling with an eating disorder. She dealt with both of them with love but in a co-dependent way. Brooklyn was a lovable goof and I adored him from the start. This book is heart breakingly realistic. I was rooting for both characters and really wish the ending hadn’t been so rushed. At the very least I needed an epilogue, especially regarding Brooklyn.
I also loved the nostalgia of the 80’s and 90’s movies and music.
The Kindle edition of this book had formatting issues that will hopefully be fixed before publication.
4.25⭐️ (this would have been higher if the ending hadn’t fell flat for me).

[Anna Richins · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars!! maybe even 4.5

A caring writer, who has always wanted to fix those around her mixed with a recently rehabbed ex-college athlete…like c’mon. The two main characters had excellent chemistry throughout the book. The FMC, with a sister fresh out of rehab with an eating disorder, is full of regrets for not picking up signs sooner and struggling with her own identity as a newly graduated writer. Told from her perspective we get to see how she wants to help not only her sister adjust but also help the new man in her life stay on the road to recovery. I flew through this book and quite thoroughly enjoyed the steps of addiction. It was real and finished in a way that made me yearn for more.

[Serina0331 · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC read from Netgalley

I wanted to cry during this entire book. Throughout this book Nat navigates emotionally taxing relationships with her dad, sister, and boyfriend and the author does such an amazing job with each situation. Nat is one of the most self-aware main characters I've read about it in such a long time and its so refreshing. Even though we are meant to root for her, the author does such a great job developing all the other characters that I am also rooting for them. The ending of the story was slightly unexpected, but it was so nice to see a book about addiction end without the continuous loop. I want a book from Brooklyns and Nikkis perspective, but mostly I just want more books by this author.

[Shann T · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a ARC from Netgalley for my honest review. It immediately had me hooked. From the coffee spilled meetcute. This has such a heartbreaking story but also hope. I couldn't put it down.
Nat is visiting her sister at a rehab facility and crashes into Brooklyn outside the facility. As she continues to see hwr sister day after day she continues to see Brooklyn and wonders if he is also visiting someone. When she discovers he is a inpatient but cant deny something about their connections and moments she decides she wants to just be hlin his orbit.
My heart hurt when reading this as I was waiting for the relapse ( which is horrible, I know). You want him to beat the odds and succeed.
4.5 stars

[d_uhreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully, heavy, slow motion car crash, you can't look away even when you know your gunna get hurt.

Big sobbing tears is not what I was expecting when I start this, but I think it's exactly what I needed.

This addresses so many heavy topics in such a beautiful way. My heart hurts so much for these characters. As I inhaled each chapter, I knew what was coming. I saw the signs through the lines, but the impact hit hard.

As an eldest sister, who has been a fixer my whole life, it is really hard to want to help those who don't want to help themselves. The burden of being hyperaware, over empathetic, and extremely self critical has a way of wearing you down....it's important to care for those around you, but also fill your own cup.

Well done!

[Rachel Beachy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley & Wattpad books! This book was an unexpected gut punch and a one sitting read. I felt so conflicted during Brooklyn & nat’s story. The author was able to really have you fall in love with Brooklyn, rip your heart out as you watch them struggle with addiction, and end up rooting for them/Brooklyn by the end. All the feelings were felt. My only critique and why I didn’t give it five stars is because I needed more closure than the end provided like if they actually reconcile romantically or if she roots for him to get clean as only a friend. Even an added epilogue would have left me feeling more satisfied because I definitely wanted more of the author putting my heart back together.

[Jess (jessreads1985) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taylor Romagnoli delivers an incredibly emotional and vulnerable debut in Crash Into Me. The story follows Natalie, who is feeling completely adrift after college and spending her summer supporting her sister in rehab. There, she meets Brooklyn—magnetic, complicated, and battling his own dangerous history with addiction. Their romance is undeniably messy and raw.

Taylor writes with such beautiful vulnerability that I couldn’t put this down. It made my heart ache to see Natalie learn the hard lesson that you can’t save people; they have to save themselves. The sisterly bond was also wonderfully relatable and honestly stole the show in some chapters.

A heartbreaking, deeply human, and hopeful read.
Bog thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad Books for an ARC copy for review.

[Ashley Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was character centric with a FMC and MMC that I was rooting for from the start. Brooklyn and Nat were so relatable and likeable even with their flaws and trauma, that I was immediately invested. I ate this book like a bag of potato chips (could not put it down). I was so worried about how things would eventually wrap up but the author a great job of making it feel both real and satisfying despite navigating tough topics and hurdles for this couple. I felt like the depiction of relationships and addiction was done so well and didn't feel glorified or have an easy fix, just like in the real world. I finished this book a few days ago and can't stop thinking about it.

[Carrington Hodges · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC.

This book started out fantastic. I loved the sister dynamic and was really rooting for Nikki to be okay after her eating disorder. What I didn't expect was the whole story to revolve around the problematic relationship between the FMC and the boy for rehab who was throwing up red flags and still doing drugs but lying to her. He then ODs, goes to rehab, and comes back telling her he's changed and it's going to be different. I just wasn't impressed.

I loved the premise of the story but it just didn't really deliver for me.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh man.. this book hit extremely close to home. The author really pulls you into the characters relationship. The only negative to the book was the ending. There wasn’t one. I need to know what happened! Did they end up together? Did she move on and let him go? I really hope we see a second book! Perhaps one about Nikki and Alec that will give some closure for Brooklyne and Nat!

[Kendall P · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this read! Finished in 2 sittings. Romagnoli's writing style is addictive without being try-hard/pretentious. I would have liked this to simmer or cook a little longer before really revealing the beef of the story, but enjoyed nonetheless. It reminded me of Caroline Kepnes' writing - without the serial killer plot lines.

Gifted via NetGalley.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a very true representation of disorders and addiction.

this was a good view for someone but can also help someone who is going through something like this.

the romance was raw. full of these emotions of half truths. lies.

natalie is adrift and has this weight she has put on herself to fix and make sure everyone’s happy. but it can’t always work that way because others need to have the strength to be better. she’s struggling to find herself.

brooklyn is like a breath of fresh air for natalie. but with addiction everything’s always in the grey area. she sees the surface level and as she experiences how much addiction effects life and those around. and how much it consumes that person.

they have trials and battles.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. It hit really close to home as my cousin OD on a drug laced with fentanyl but he wasn’t so lucky to survive. This story shows that it’s good to show up for loved ones but it’s also okay to hold your boundaries.
Thank you Netgally!

[Thelovelywitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is simply AMAZING. I'd give up anything to read it again for the first time!