I Don’t Need Your Romance

Harrington Bay Academy #3

by Emma Dalton

She thinks romance only exists in books. He’s on a mission to prove her wrong.


Book romance can never compare to real life romance. That’s what the bad boy I just started tutoring claims. Well, he’s in for a big surprise.

He challenges me to find a guy to date. If I fall madly in love with him like I do with my book boyfriends, he wins. But of course that won’t happen. Because everything is better in books.

There’s just one problem. While trying to win the challenge, I find myself growing closer to Damian. Not only is he kind, sweet, and sensitive, but he’s more romantic than the fictional men I spend all my time with. Have I been wrong all this time?


Watching Sophie search for the perfect guy to date should make me happy. After all, I want to prove to her that a fictional hero can never be better than a real life boyfriend. So why does it hurt my heart every time I see her with a potential guy?

Having feelings for her is a bad idea. I’m not the kind of guy a girl like her deserves. Yet the more I try to pull away, the closer I feel to her. Can I be the dream boy she’s yearning for?

I Don’t Need Your Romance is the third book in the Harrington Bay Academy series. If you like sweet YA romances that make you swoon, laugh, and cry, this book is for you!

Genres: Romance

409 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 18, 2025

About the author

Hi! I'm Emma and I write sweet YA romance novels that will make you swoon. When I'm not writing, I love to read, play video games, get lost in a good movie, and I eat way too much junk food.
My sweet YA books include The Invisible Girls Club series, The Hotties Next Door series, and Crushing On The New Guy. I also write sweet adult romance books under Emma Lynne, including the Single Girls Club series.
I love hearing from my readers, so please don’t hesitate to email me or follow me on Facebook.

Reviews

[Eliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable ya romance with relatable life lessons 💕

[Allie Rimkunas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok ok ok, if you read my previous reviews of the rest of the books in the series I did not particularly enjoy them. I even said that I would not read the next book in the series, but I went against what I said both times.

And honestly?? I’m happy I did! This one was by far my favorite of the series and it didn’t cringe me out half as many times as the other ones did. I actually kind of enjoyed it to be very honest.

I connected with the MC a lot more than I thought and I thought her character was unique and well developed compared to the MCs in the other books.

I also liked the romance part much, much better because I felt the relationship was actually slow burn, and they didn’t al of a sudden fall in love with each other out of the blue.

Honestly…when the fourth book comes out I will be reading it

[za_010 · Rating 3 out of 5]

rate: 3 stars

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but sorry, it was genuinely cringy at times, especially at the end when they were together and started saying to each other: "You're my world, my heart aches when you're not near, I can't live with you, you're the most important thing in my life," and especially "I love you."

I don't know why, but when YA books say "I love you" to each other, I get the ick, like I want to sound just like a mother, but a 16-year-old doesn't really know what love means and how sincere that word is. ESPECIALLY IN THIS BOOK, it was tempting me. Because you guys know each other like what? 2 months max? Not even that long, I think.

The previous book was wayyyyyyyy better in my opinion; there was real tension in that one, and I really blushed along with it, but this one wasn't really my favorite. I don't know if I want to read another book in this series... but yeah, it was fun until they got together and omg can she stop constantly saying "bad boy" like babe just because he rides a motorbike and wears a leather jacket doesn't automatically mean he's a bad guy. She was testing me sometimes

[Fatima Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok I’m soooo lost bc I get the book but I don’t know what to rate it?? Like is it 3-4-5 stars?? No idea. I really liked some parts those were deff a 5 but some parts were so damn cringy and a lot of their relationship at the end felt soooo forced like not forced but scripted? Like that wasn’t coming from the heart idk it felt like they were j saying stuff for the sake of the story and making the readers go crazy
At the same time halfway through the book I was SO DOWN BAD but maybe that’s j bc I was reading it at 3 am?? Idk but it was so cuteeeee so I did like it but some scenes I was on the verge of throwing up so cringe and I didn’t feel very connected to it but not that bad!

[L · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75 stars
This was another level of cringe. At fist they were super cute and they weren’t fav couple. And then they got together. They became so lovey dovey and they both changed and she was gna change her life and give up her future and all she worked for for him. Like what. Stand on business. And he lost all his appeal when he stated smiling.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was ok

As much as I say certain parts are stupid it was a good YA and a sweet romance, I'm already trying to get one of my friends to read it.

[whimsical reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was cute, clean ish, only kissing but make out on a bed. The villain went a bit over the top and the resolution was a bit fast. The end was like ridiculously mooshy.

It was long but not too long.

[sofia lima · Rating 2 out of 5]

WAYYYYYYYY too sappy and corny for me, sorry.

WTH they talk so much?????? It’s never just I love you, the MC ALWAYS have to explain EVERYTHING.

Omg people just can’t cope with silence nowadays.

[Maya Biring · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! I recommend it if you like the bad boy trope