Bad Words

by Rioghnach Robinson

This rivalry is setting the literary world on fire – but who will survive the flames?

When Selina Chan, New York’s fiercest literary critic, slams Parker Navarro’s latest novel, he is pushed to his breaking point.

Once was painful enough. But this time, it’s personal.

What begins as a private feud quickly erupts into a viral online spectacle, captivating a bookish audience who are eager to fan the flames.

But it's what's left unsaid that could ruin them both…

‘A once-in-a-lifetime read’ Emily Henry

'One of the best love stories I have ever read' Beth O'Leary

'Smart, deep, and heartfelt. I adored it!' GILLIAN MCALLISTER

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Audiobook, Contemporary Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Adult

384 pages, Paperback

Expected publication October 6, 2026

Reviews

[Haley pham]

I don’t know how to review this other than to say I wanted to bite the nearest pillow after reading multiple beautiful sentences.

[MarilynW]

Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson
Narrated by Katharine Chin, Major Curda

Four years ago, Parker Navarro's first novel, a book that was destined to be a best seller, was tanked before release by the scorched earth words of critic Selina Chan. Being labeled the author of the flop of the decade was a huge cross for Parker to carry. But, he powered on and now his second book is ready for publication and Parker can only hope that Selina Chan will ignore his latest work. He does not need a repeat of what happened with his first book.

But, Selina Chan does review Parker's second book despite the fact that it seems like a conflict of interest to do so after the fiasco of her past review torpedoing Parker's first attempt. Once again, Selina's words are poison to Parker's hopes of having a successful book launch, of becoming a best seller. Everything Selina says is a knife in Parker's heart and pocketbook, again.

The story starts out slowly for me since I'm not sure that I'd enjoy reading Selina's reviews if she wasn't a fictional person. They seem too wordy and downright cruel. But then the excerpts I see of Parker's writing make me think his books wouldn't be for me, either. And it takes a long time for the two to come together in a way that interests me since their feelings toward each other are brutal once the two are filmed with Parker verbally tearing into Selina in a public area. Sides are drawn and there doesn't seem to be many people who are middling in their feelings about Selina or Parker. Still, as words are bandied about, Parker's book chances are revived. But this viral feud will be an up and down battle for the reputations of both Selina and for Parker.

Hang in there because the book does take time for us to get to know Selina. Parker is more of an open books (pun!) but Selina keeps everything under wraps. She is estranged from family and has two real friends. She basically hides from life and is dealing with her own past hurts and regrets, just different hurts and regrets than Parker's.

Once the two come together, with more than just shouting and jabs at each other, the book really takes off for me. It's worth the buildup because we get to know both of these very intense, dedicated people, who just might have more in common with each other than with those around them. The ups and downs in this story made me sad, that's how much I came to like both of these people. I have both the ebook, which is great for reading the messages, texts, and other written media, and I have the audiobook, so I could listen to the excellent narrations by Katherine Chin and Major Curda. Be patient, this book will grow on you and you won't want to put it down. Make sure to read Jayme and DeAnn's reviews, this is a fun book to buddy read, so that we could nosily discuss our opinions on these two characters, just like strangers discuss Selina and Parker via messages, emails, texts, and more.

Expected publication October 6, 2026

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, SMP Early Readers, and NetGalley this ARC

[Emily May]

I love hearing people's different interpretations.
I scoffed. He loved getting fellated, was what he loved.

Many of my GR friends know romance is not my genre of choice (you always know what’s going to happen!), but I had a good feeling about this one. I suspected it was not a typical romance, and I was right, which is probably why I enjoyed it so much.

It is pitched as a love/hate romance between an upcoming author and a brutal critic, known for her hot takes and vicious pans, but, reading between the lines of the blurb, I sensed this was about a deeper conflict in the book world at large— about criticism and its ethics, fairness, about the increasing pressure on the publishing world both in terms of novels and longform articles, and about art in a world where the need to generate income cannot simply be shrugged off.

Many love/hate pairings seem to pointlessly rail at each other until they decide oh god, you’re actually hot, and fall into each other’s arms. Thankfully this one doesn't do that. Instead, Robinson really engages with their reasons for disliking each other, makes them look it in the eye and interrogate it.

Parker is a charming people pleaser who feels deeply mistreated by Selina's reviews of his book. He also, despite how it may look on the outside, really needs the funds. Selina is a true book nerd whose lifelong experiences of rejection have toughened her; more than kindness, she craves authenticity, and she always delivers it. Both of them felt very fleshed-out and real, and it was easy to understand and sympathise with both of their perspectives.

There is a lot of really interesting and truthful commentary on social media and publishing. In the end, I felt like the author showcased a lot of empathy for both authors and critics, whilst saving her disdain for the social media masses who take it upon themselves to rally around or condemn total strangers. Also, while not the main point, it highlights how people can’t have a bad day, make a misjudgment and have a private regrettable moment without it going viral and everyone weighing in. Ultimately, both authors and critics are subject to the passions and whims of social media fervour.

It has all the tension of a good love/hate, and equally has a lot to say. I think it was perhaps a little long and reiterated some points too much, but it's a minor criticism. I came away from it feeling both warmth at the romance, and genuinely quite sad about the state of publishing, criticism and the book industry.

CW: suicidal ideation

[zahra]

quite possibly one of the best modern romances to ever grace the bookish community is coming out october 6th and it's bad words by rioghnach robinson.

read my full review: https://zahraxreads.wordpress.com/202...

i'm honestly at such a loss for words. it's truly one of the most beautiful books i've ever had the pleasure of reading in a while.

here's what i will say:

five words: enemies to lovers done RIGHT (if that doesn't convince you, it should)

it also offers such insightful social commentary that's very relevant to the current publishing climate and our main characters are so raw and realistic. it's about the art and importance that books possess, how it shapes us and our world, and the connections we make through them as a means of understanding each other. i felt every single word of this book deep in my bones, and am already thinking about rereading it, despite reading the last page a mere eight hours ago.

final thoughts - the rumors are true: it really is a one-of-a-kind read and trust me when i say you'll feel completely changed after finishing it.

[Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo)]

BAD WORDS-
“Sometimes You Say Things That You Can’t Take Back”

Parker Navarro’s debut novel was on track to be a huge DEBUT-selling in a nine-Publisher auction for $1.2 million.

But CITY MAGAZINE’S book critic Selina Chan panned it in her review and changed all of that.

Four years later, his new book is probably his LAST shot at redemption. So he begs his Publisher to prevent her from receiving an advanced reader copy. But, she gets a hold of one anyway and she isn’t any more forgiving the second time around.

When he sees her at a party, he demands an explanation.

Their confrontation is caught on video and goes VIRAL.

As the literary world and (of course) SOCIAL MEDIA begin to weigh in on their “back and forth” comments, the two begin a private dialogue, and discover that they have more in common with each other than they could have ever imagined.

The first 40% was a bit slow to develop although I LOVED the questions it asked. Why should the OPINION of one person have the power to ruin a career? (It shouldn’t !) But, personally, on principle, I agree with fair but honest critiques so I COULD NOT dislike Selina, (even though Parker is the more sympathetic character) because writing honestly is something I strive to do myself, and credibility is important to me.

Selina truly believed that she is cutting through the chatter and helping people find the books that will illuminate their lives. She asks “ if we shrink back from our feelings, apologized and demurred, we are of no use to anybody. How many books can a person read in a lifetime? A thousand, five thousand, ten? A world without criticism looks like the 30 million title Amazon catalog.”

SO TRUE.
How else can one choose the BEST books for them?

In my humble opinion, it isn’t the critic who makes the book fail. It’s the readers who ALLOW one person to INFLUENCE them, instead of making up their OWN minds. No book is for every reader and no two readers will agree about EVERY book.

Do you know what makes me choose TO READ or to NOT READ a book?

Is it a celebrity choosing the book for their book club? Nope
Is it another author’s blurb on the book cover? Nope
Is it when a reviewer who gushes about every book gives it 5 stars? Nope.

It’s when the writer of a review says something that INTRIGUES me!!

It’s when I want to know how I WILL FEEL about something mentioned by one of you!

Last year I downloaded a book based off of a two star review that intrigued me and it was a 5 star favorite for me! I SEEK out lower reviews when I am unsure and sometimes I take them with a grain of salt-and sometimes they tell me something definitive which lets me know the book isn’t for me, which saves me from choosing it and having to give it ANOTHER LESS THAN ENTHUSIASTIC review on Goodreads that will bring its average rating down.

But, I digress.

CLEARLY the literary aspect of the book resonated, but what really made the book SHINE was that the “ENEMIES TO LOVERS” trope, which is usually a HARD SELL for me-actually WORKS here. It was authentic and believable as it unfolds initially through emails, then text messages, and finally through face to face conversations. The supporting cast of characters are wonderful additions to the book as well.

So, am I recommending this book? YES.

But, don’t take my word for it! 😉
Pre-order and decide for yourself on October 6, 2026.

A buddy read with Marilyn and DeAnn! It offered MUCH for discussion so, be sure to watch for their reviews!

Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!

[Robin]

WHEW WEEEE I AM HOLLERING

Selina Chan I would wage battles on your behalf (and win)

Bad Words is the romance novel of all time. A startling look at why we create, critique, and the tenuous publishing landscape, all through the perspectives of a feuding author and book critic. It’s a book that knows the power on the page, the page itself a series of deliberate choices and writing a tremendously public act. All of that is a testament to author Ríoghnach Robinson who unfolds her public feud between novelist Parker and critic Selina, one that prompts a path towards change and unforeseen connection. With their impassioned back and forth—each convinced they are right—a romance first appears out of the question, if not for a kernel of familiarity uncovered after every heated argument. Like the love they share for an obscure novel from their teen years or a favorite, slightly pretentious drink they both order. Bad Words had me waiting on bated breath for Selina and Parker’s next exchange, to fight or to give in to the intense connection at the heart of all of their interactions. But like any true enemies to lovers, these two have to wade through the issues that led up to their quarrel. Bad Words finds its place in the literary landscape, challenging our views on criticism in the book space and interrogating the essential question: why do we create and how do we connect? Bad Words is as bracing as opening ourselves up to criticism can be, where to be known is to be seen for the totality of who we are.

This is the only true enemies to lovers I’ve ever read in a contemporary setting and I lost myself in every single line.

Read my review

thank you to edelweiss and the publisher for providing the advance review copy.

Bookstagram | Blog

[Kat]

In a battle of words, who would win: an author or a critic? One thing this book drives home is this: words matter.

Parker Navarro is on the cusp of launching his highly buzzed debut novel These Extraordinary Times to the world when Selina Chan, a critic from City Magazine takes aim at it with a scathingly honest review that catches fire on social media and dooms the book before it can even find an audience.

Now, two years later, humbled Parker is ready to try again with his second novel High and Dry, hoping his luck is better this time around. Unfortunately, City Magazine’s editor, desperate for “clicks’ and smelling blood in the water, jumps at the chance to assign Selina to review it. Let’s just say it’s NOT good news for Parker.

When these two encounter each other in person at an event, all kinds of sparks fly, but not in the good way, and when footage of it is posted online, everyone seems to have an opinion.

So is Selina the villain of this story and Parker her innocent victim? If you ask patrons of the internet in this book, you’ll get a very divided answer! It begs all sorts of questions for both authors, critics and their audience:

Is unflinching honesty always the best policy or can it go too far?

Does the impact on someone’s career matter?

Does thoughtful criticism have a healthy role in publishing?

Are we entitled to judge people we don't know based on their words alone?

Does being a BIPOC author require you to represent that group in only a positive light?

These were just some of the questions this book raised for me, and it certainly made me more aware of the impact my own words can have if not exercised thoughtfully.

To be clear, though, this book isn’t some heady thinkpiece about authors and critics. At the end, it’s still a romance - just one with a little more meat on its bones, so to speak. Thankfully, it doesn't rush to get to the romance and gives the relationship time to evolve naturally and realistically.

Parker and Selina have to find their way through their differences, but in doing so they also discover how much they have in common, like their mutually dysfunctional families and the unique pressures of their Asian heritage. The journey is messy, emotional, and sometimes hurtful, but isn’t that a human relationship in a nutshell?

This was an immersion read with my Kindle copy and the ALC narrated by Katharine Chin and Major Curda, who brought Selina and Parker to life beautifully. Side characters like Parker’s roommate Arthur, and Selina’s friends Jacob and Cassie were wonderful additions as well!

If you want a contemporary romance with literary fiction leanings, this is an excellent adult fiction debut from Rioghnach Robinson. It does have one spicy scene, but nothing you can’t skip past if you don’t prefer those. My one nitpick on the audio is that there are a lot of email exchanges in some chapters and the narrator had to read off the three-line headers for EVERY exchange which got tedious. I switched to my Kindle only for those chapters.

Overall, I highly recommend either format - or both, and Rioghnach Robinson is definitely an author whose future work I’ll be watching for!

★★★★ ½

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and author Rioghnach Robinson for the digital ARC and Macmillan Audio for the ALC to honestly review. The book is out on October 6, 2026.

[Whitney Erwin]

The word I would use to describe this book is lackluster. The only thing, in my opinion, that this book has going for it is the Emily Henry endorsement which I feel like is the only reason it's getting attention. I really wanted to like this book but man, it was a BORE. It was repetitive, nothing exciting or entertaining happened, and it was way toooo long! There wasn't even much romance in this book labeled romance. The characters were whiny and desperate. I was going to DNF it in the beginning but told myself to push through based on the great reviews. I keep wondering if I was reading a different book than everyone else read. I don't understand the glowing reviews; I'm being generous and giving this one 2 stars.

Thank you, Net Galley, and St Martin's Press, for a copy in return for my honest review.

[Ricarda]

Sometimes I finish a book and wonder if I know my own reading taste at all. I usually ignore the whole romance side of publishing because I'm just not interested in it, but this book caught my eye anyway and then turned out to be quite fantastic. I was intrigued by the whole literary backdrop of the story and also by the cover which isn't two cartoon people sniffing at each other or a chaotic swirl of dark flowers, knives and serpents. It felt original to me and so did the story. It's about author Parker Navarro who got a huge book deal for his debut novel and was ready to be a bestselling writer until one bad review from critic Selina Chan turned his work into the literary flop of the century. A few years later Parker managed to get another, not-so-huge book deal for his second novel, only for it to be again reviewed and publicly criticized by Selina. After a video of them intensely arguing hits social media, things turn into a full-blown feud with many people sharing their opinion about the situation or trying to make some money out of it. I usually think that author vs. reviewer encounters are fights with no winners, but here both perspectives were so valid. The dual POV had me caring deeply for both Parker and Selina. They were such well-developed characters and their emotions were transported perfectly at all times. Regarding their conflict I was of course team Selina – she was just competently doing her job reviewing books -, but I also perfectly understood that Parker was hurt and lashed out because of it. He really does some hurtful things in this book, but I love it when characters are flawed in such a way. It just shows how much they can grow within the pages of one medium-length book. It was such a pleasure to see how a relationship can drastically change if two people are willing to do something for it. They went from fiercely arguing to seeing and understanding the others' point to feeling the need to defend each other. I was kicking my little feet when they learned that they have yet another thing in common or that their assumptions weren't true at all. But it took a long while to get there. The romance is a real slow-burn and while that made things more realistic to me, the pacing also suffered a little from it. The third-act conflict came very late in the book and then it was resolved rather quickly, because the book was already about to end. But enough of the romance. The true star was all the commentary on the publishing industry to me. The book handles both very current and all-time relevant issues in publishing and it presents them very sharply. There's commentary on hyped books, on author drama, on bestsellers being fabricated, on the use of AI, on the importance of criticism, on cancel culture, on social media backlash and much more. It all captured perfectly how grim the publishing industry can feel nowadays while also never losing the clear love for books behind it all. Combined with the themes that were explored through the characters themselves, like anxiety, parental pressure or loneliness, it was a very realistic and meaningful read to me. Would recommend broadly, even to non-romance readers like myself.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's press for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

[emma]

if emily henry says read it, i read it

[Gabby]

This book was such a lovely surprise and so refreshing. It's so well written and thought provoking and it has so much commentary about the publishing industry, and commentary about art and ambition too. I love following books about writers in general, so I loved reading about Parker publishing his books, but I especially loved Selina's character (she's a bad bitch!!!) Both of these characters felt so real to me, and their hatred for each other at the start of it also felt very realistic and genuine which made this the ultimate hate to love slow burn romance, which I love. And this was a proper slow burn too, I'm talking 200 pages deep and they still barely tolerate each other (which is how I like it). This also had some really great atmosphere, with some scenes taking place in NYC around the holidays, it was quite magical.

I recently read this book and a few others in a reading vlog if you want to hear all my thoughts: https://youtu.be/niflN4RCPDw

[Kristina]

An actual, true and realistic enemies to lovers romance. 😳


This was so original, I loved the concept and the writing. Both characters were quite unlikeable, but as I can relate to a reviewer being attacked by an author (happened to me a few times) I really sided with Selina in this one.

Some of the premise of this book was a little far fetched for me. The idea that a single review can tank the sales of a book backed by a major publisher is highly unlikely, even from an acclaimed reviewer in a literary magazine. Most book buyers aren’t reading high brow magazine reviews for popular fiction; product placement and advertising campaigns and even a pretty cover will boost book sales over a review all day long. So the premise that Selina's one negative review of his first novel tanked his sales is kind of preposterous.

But if you can get over that and just pretend it highly annoyed him instead, the rest of the book was interesting. I wouldn’t call the MMC a book boyfriend though, he’s kind of an insecure, neurotic self absorbed type but we do eventually get to see who he is and understand his issues.
But often I felt really bad for Selina in how he treated her and what he felt entitled to from her as a reviewer. However the development of the characters, their relationship and the story was well done and all the conflict really did set this up as an enemies to lovers. They really disliked each other and that dislike was well explained.

Even the third act break up, though brutal, was satisfying and fit well into the story. But this isn’t a light romance, it’s complex and more women’s fiction-like than contemporary romance. It’s very character driven and evenly paced and overall a different type of romance than I’m used to.

I also liked the cultural elements of his Filipino family and her Chinese American family and the conflicts that arose from both of them as children of immigrants living in the USA.


Notes on the narration: this was dual narration until the last bonus chapter, which was duet. Not sure why they could not do the whole book as duet, would have been much more immersive that way and I will never understand why major publishers don’t do all romance audiobooks this way. But the narrators were good and authentic.

Thanks for the audio arc, McMillan Audio.
*****************
A book about a mean critic ..I can get behind this.

[maddi ⋆˚ᨳଓ.⋆]

❛ 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑖 𝑑𝑖𝑑𝑛'𝑡 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑒𝑛𝑗𝑜𝑦 ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑦. 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑙𝑦, 𝑖 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑦 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑑 ℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑤𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑖𝑡. ❜

✧˖°. ┆★★★★ ¾ — 𝟰.𝟳𝟱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀

₊ 📑 ⊹ 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠 ⋆˚࿔
WOOOOOOW. this is the most interestingly written book i've read in a whiiiiile. this book is actually a lot more complex and metaphorical than i thought it would be, and i think that's part of why it was so interesting to read. it made me cry so bad and cackle and smile and at some points i even had literal chills. i was actually fighting to put this book down - the first night i read more chapters than i said i would, and the second i stayed up 3 hours later to finish it 🙊

i think i have a thing for books following characters in the literary world?? listen, i haven't actually read the hating game (i watched it ikk what a crime but in my defense the movie sucked and i can't read books after watching the film) but i feel like i was spot on when i said this would be kinda like if the hating game and like book lovers had a baby AND IT WAS INCREDIBLEEE!!

something i really liked abt the feud and enemies to lovers arc was that it wasn't just over some stupid disagreement, its was a v valid and actually important argument abt the impacts of criticism, and i loved that i agreed w both sides and points, bcuz they were both logical and right in their own ways.

i also loved all the different forms of media used in here!? there were reviews, articles, short stories, interviews, emails, posts, venmos (!!), AND texts that we got to see between selina and parker, and i think it definitely made the book super engaging, and also shows a lot of their personalities in the way they said things differently.

the ONLY reason this wasn't a full 5 stars for me was bcuz the ending (the last 5%) felt a bit rushed and dissatisfactory to me, but i'm always v picky w endings and resolutions so i can totally understand how this is a 5 stars for so many ppl.

❤️ 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 ⋆ ᣟ𐚁˳˚⋆
i relate to both characters soso much it actually pains me

📚 𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑎 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛 ⋆·˚ ༘ *
I LOVE HERRRR 🙇‍♀😭 i love unlikable, opinionated fmcs w all my hearttt 🫶 and myyy the mouth on this girll 🤭 i totally related to her stubbornness - her refusal to back down from a challenge and take back what she's said, and her battles w her need to defend herself and her actions against her parents. another thing that actually really resonated w me was her thoughts on life and death. as someone who thinks about death and the meaning of life a LOT, watching selina find beauty and love in life, and figure out that she didn't need to spend every moment doing something productive or worrying about the mark she would leave on the world when she wasn't in it anymore, was a really nice and v needed reminder that i don't always need to think about what happens after, and that sometimes it's okay to just be. <3 her inner desire to be wanted and understood KILLED MEEEE i felt so bad for this girl for the entire book 😭 selina is my babyyy i'll protect her at all costs 🫡

📝 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑘𝑒𝑟 𝑛𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑜 ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆
i have to admit at first i didn't rlly like parker bcuz i was (and always will be) strongly team selina on the feud, buttt i v quickly understood and related to his people-pleasing and peace-making struggles. his need to diffuse every fight and take care of everyone else's issues was so sweet and also pretty sad 😢 by the end of it all i actually really loved parker <3

❤️‍🩹 𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡
now THIS was enemies to lovers!! the witty banter?? 👏👏 yes please i was CACKLINGGG 🤭 selina's insults specifically made me feel slightly stupid and i love that bcuz we stan an educated girlie in literature 🙂‍↕️ the level of intellect in their arguments was giving what you'd read in a rlly good academic rivals to lovers and i was LIVING for it ✋ i loooooooove love loooved the slow-burn that this book was!! it was sooo fun (and painful 😩) watching them realise that they weren't all that different, that they understood each other like no one else, that they didn't have to pretend w each other, and that they actually kind of liked each other 😁!! had me so giddy the entire time. i loved it when they argued (🤭) but i loved it even MORE when they defended each other!! the respect and understanding and admiration they built for each other over time was the sweetestt!! <3 i loved seeing them both get super passionate over their fav books and authors, and sharing quotes and opinions; two book lovers in love is an elite pairing 🙂‍↕️

🎧 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡 ‧₊ ♪˚⊹
⤿ bad idea! - girl in red
⤿ get him back! - olivia rodrigo
⤿ the grudge - olivia rodrigo
⤿ red bottoms - adela
⤿ my way - olivia rodrigo
⤿ petal - ariana grande
⤿ where do we go now? - gracie abrams
⤿ look at my life - gracie abrams
⤿ sue me - audrey hobert
⤿ tit for tat - tate mcrae
⤿ anything but love - tate mcrae
⤿ bitter - fletcher
⤿ doing better - fletcher
⤿ von dutch a.g. cook remix - charli xcx, addison rae

ılı.lıllılıı.ıllı..
𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 ‧₊ ♪˚⊹
get him back! ❘ olivia rodrigo
0:41 ─•────── -2:49
⇆ㅤ ◁◁ ❚❚ ▷▷ㅤ ↻

⁀➴
⋆˚꩜｡ ❛ 𝑖 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑎 𝑔𝑒𝑡 ℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘
𝑖 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑎 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 ℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑗𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑢𝑠, 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑎 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 ℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑏𝑎𝑑
𝑜ℎ, 𝑖 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑎 𝑔𝑒𝑡 ℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘, '𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛, 𝑖 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑠 ℎ𝑖𝑚, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑡 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑎𝑑
𝑜ℎ, 𝑖 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 ℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛
𝑖 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑔𝑒𝑡 ℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘, 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘, 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘 ❜ ˖ ݁♬⋆.˚𝄞

💌 𝑞𝑢𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑠 ⛧⋆˚࿔⋆
✧ ❛ 𝑖'𝑑 𝑤𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑓 𝑖 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑, 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒, 𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑎𝑠𝑘𝑒𝑤 𝑒𝑛𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒. ❜

✧ ❛ 𝑖'𝑑 𝑠𝑎𝑖𝑑 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑒. 𝑠ℎ𝑒'𝑑 𝑠𝑎𝑖𝑑 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 ℎ𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑡. ❜

✧ ❛ 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠, 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘𝑠 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎 𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑔𝑒. 𝑖 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡 𝑤𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑦 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑒𝑥𝑐𝑒𝑝𝑡 𝑏𝑦 𝑓𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑚𝑦 𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛. ❜

✧ ❛ 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡𝑟𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑔𝑜? ❜ ❛ 𝑖 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤, ❜ 𝑖 ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑. ❛ 𝑚𝑎𝑦𝑏𝑒 𝑖𝑡'𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒. 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑖'𝑚 𝑡𝑟𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑖𝑔𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡𝑜 ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑜. ❜

✧ ❛ 𝑚𝑦 𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑠𝑜 𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑡 𝑓𝑒𝑙𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑓𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛. ❜

✧ ❛ 𝑖 𝑔𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑖 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠. 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑡𝑖𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡. 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡'𝑠 𝑎 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑏𝑖𝑑 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑖 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘. ❜ 𝑖 ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑. ❛ 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑖 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑢𝑙, 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑. 𝑖 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑒𝑝 ℎ𝑎𝑠 ℎ𝑖𝑠 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘, 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤, 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 𝑓𝑒𝑙𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠, 𝑜𝑟...𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑚𝑒, 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑖𝑥𝑡𝑦 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑔𝑜, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑠𝑢𝑓𝑓𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑠 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔. 𝑖 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑚𝑦 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑠 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑦. ❜

✧ ❛ 𝑚𝑎𝑦𝑏𝑒 𝑤𝑒 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑠𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑤; 𝑚𝑎𝑦𝑏𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒. 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑖 𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖'𝑑 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑓𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑠. 𝑖 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑦 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚. ❜

✧ ❛ 𝑖 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑠 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 ℎ𝑎𝑑 ℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚. ❜

as for my stand on the feud...i was team selina from the start ✋

⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹

𓏵‧₊˚ ┊𝑝𝑟𝑒-𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑 .ᐟ ₊ 📑 ⊹ 📚
OH MY GOSHHH i'm literally so excited i got approved for the arcccc!! this kinda looks like if the hating game and like beach read/book lovers had a baby?? and i'm SO here for it. smth abt the cover and title is calling to me and the synopsis sounds so freaking good!?

𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒐𝒔𝒐 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝑵𝒆𝒕𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚, 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒑𝒆𝒓 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝑨𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒂, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑹𝒊𝒐𝒈𝒉𝒏𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝑹𝒐𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆-𝒂𝒓𝒄!! xx

[Stephanie]

Might upgrade this to a 5⭐️ read, still need to absorb the complexity of it. I was not expecting to enjoy Bad Words as much as everyone else. Surely to be one of the best romance books of the year.

As someone who is super particular about romances, Rioghnach Robinson knows how to write a book that isn't just a an "enemies to lover" romance, but about the publishing industry as a whole, and the critics who can make or break a book. It's also about growing up in an Asian household, and the pressure of being someone else's success story.

After Selina Chan’s brutal review tanked Parker Navarro’s debut and nearly derailed his career, a high-stakes rematch four years later ignites a viral literary feud. As the public revels in their professional warfare, the two are forced into a private dialogue that shifts from performative hate to a complicated, sincere connection, challenging their views on success and each other.

"And I saw her there, at a desk that I imagined was spotless smoked glass, and I imagined her hair bound in a knot at the base of her skull, and I saw her in that silken navy dress she’d worn when she’d come to my apartment last weekend, and its neck was open, and there was a seed pearl necklace sinking into the dip between her collarbones, and she had that secretive half smile on her lips as she looked down at her phone. My imagination was so full of her it felt halfway to inspiration." I swoon.

Bad Words is a rare find: a novel that executes every single thing it promises. It begins with a fierce, atmospheric "enemies" dynamic that feels lived-in and urgent. Whether they are trading barbs in person or over email, Parker and Selina’s chemistry is undeniable. Robinson doesn't shy away from the messy parts of life, tackling suicidal ideation and the complexities of immigrant families with a grace that feels deeply authentic. Robinson also makes Selina's estranged relationship with her parents an integral part of the story. If you know anything about never being good enough for your Asian parents, you will relate to this. Love the AAPI characters, we need more of this!!!

"Apparently I didn’t just enjoy his company. Apparently, I wanted the version of my life that had him woven into it."

Everything that everyone is saying about this book is true. Don't miss it when it's released on 10.6.26!

[Jono Mitchell]

I have not devoured a book like this in a long time. I didn’t want to believe the hype, but it is absolutely real.

Bad Words is everything I want in a novel. It’s well written, perfectly paced, brimming with incredible character work, and completely addictive. But what really pushed it over the edge for me is how topical it feels. I absolutely loved what it had to say about criticism, the publishing industry, and the ways seemingly small opinions can spiral into something much bigger, especially on the internet.

What Robinson has accomplished here is nothing short of amazing. An instant classic and a book I know I’ll be thinking about for a very, very long time.

[Celine]

An indescribably perfect novel. There have been so few times in my life that, after finishing a book, I’ve had to sit in silence for a beat, taking it all in.

Everything within these pages was deeply real to me. The people, places, scenarios. The whole messy world. Nothing felt rushed and it was all beautifully tangible. I can’t wait to pick this up, over and over and over again.

[Tarah DeWitt]

BAD WORDS is a triumph for anyone who cares about art and all that goes into the creation and consumption of it. It's virtuosically told, full of sharp-as-hell observations that only make the romance more delicious. I was captivated from cover to cover. Rioghnach is such a refreshing voice!

[Caitlyn Davis]

Do you ever read a book and think, "this was needed right now?" Bad Words is a propulsive read, with the type of tension and commentary that urge you to read past your bedtime. Rioghnach's prose is sharp, witty, and honest, with imagery and characters that draw you in from page one. Parker and Selina's feud made me think a lot about how authors engage with reviewers, and how reviews often need to be written in good faith to be honest. The thing I appreciated the most about Selina is how she never wavered from her principles and didn't allow anyone to bully her into retracting her criticism. The familial and friend relationships brought depth to both Parker and Selina's characters and allowed Rioghnach to explore the ramifications of their public personas in relation to how they coped with being so exposed. Allowing public opinion and hundreds, if not thousands, of perspectives and eyes on you is unnatural, and this novel did not shy away from combatting the idea that sometimes putting the internet away can be healthy (and needed). As a certified romance reader (trademark), I really enjoyed the will-they-won't-they romance. But what I really loved was the ways in which Parker and Selina changed their original perspectives of each other (and their writing) as they grew closer and allowed more pieces of themselves to be revealed, including their families. This is the kind of novel that's important, timely, and going to be big. I can feel it.

[Louise]

A huge thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the privilege of reading and listening to this wonderful book in advance of the publication date!

The basics: A well-regarded book reviewer/critic, Selina Chan, writes a scathing review of a debut author’s book (Parker Navarro). Then a few years later, her magazine assigns her his next book to review and she pans that one too. The repercussions of this on the author are devastating, of course. He happens to be at an industry-related party one night and sees her alone in a room and tells her off. But, as often happens these days, someone saw and filmed the confrontation. Things blow up online and their feud goes viral. How they go from enemies to seeing each other as people and more, forms the bulk of the book.

Even if you’re not a huge fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope, you must check out this book. It’s so much more than that. We get insight into publishing (books and magazines) and touching scenes of the author’s Filipino-American family and some feeling for the critic’s estranged Chinese-American family. The New York City rep was awesome, as well. I loved that these two lived in different Brooklyn neighborhoods. The “banter” between Selina and Parker in their text threads is wonderful. The book also explores the varied Asian-American experience and the world of parasocial relationships.

I bounced between reading and listening and I loved the audiobook. There are two narrators: Katharine Chin and Major Curda. If you get the audiobook, look out for a short bonus scene at the end. Loved it. One warning - as there are a bunch of emails and text messages in this book, the audio narrators have to repeat all the To and From info each time, which can get tedious and hard to remember who is saying what to whom - but unfortunately that is how it has to be, with “multimedia” on audio. I’ve also experienced this with other books that include texts and emails, and other media snippets.

This is author Robinson’s first adult novel and I’m here for whatever she writes next.

[har.]

⤿ 📖 ⌗ started: september 14, finished: september 16

5 stars 𓂃˖ ࣪⊹
⤿ arc review with SOME spoilers.

“i loved these pages just because they had him in them"

⋆.˚ ★— thank you to macmillan audio, netgalley and rioghnach robison for the audiobook in exchange for a honest review
⤿ release date: 13th october 2026

──★ ˙🫧 !! tropes
.ᐟ rivals to lovers
.ᐟ author x journalist
.ᐟ slow burn
.ᐟ sharp banter
.ᐟ dual pov
.ᐟ asian rep

summary:⋆˚࿔

parker navarro’s debut novel was supposed to launch his career, until critic selina chan’s brutal review turned it into a massive flop. four years later, parker is finally getting his second chance — only for selina to review him again. when her latest takedown sparks a viral feud, their very public rivalry turns into a private conversation neither of them expected. somewhere between the sharp words, mutual resentment, and undeniable tension, the author and the critic who were supposed to hate each other start wondering if there might be something else between them.

thoughts:⋆˚࿔

i went into this book completely blind. i’ve never read anything from this author before, and i genuinely had no idea what i was getting myself into. and let me say!!! i actually enjoyed this from beginning TILL the end. there wasn’t a single point where i felt bored or uninterested, which is honestly so rare for me.

the story was so beautiful, and i absolutely loved parker and selina’s banter. but what i loved even more was watching them slowly realize that, underneath all the arguing and assumptions they had made about each other, they were actually so similar, probably more similar than either of them ever expected.

and yes, selina criticised parker’s writing, but i never felt like she was doing it just to be cruel or tear him down. she genuinely saw something in his writing and wanted him to do better. maybe her delivery was a little harsher than it needed to be (okay, maybe a LOT harsher 😭), but the actual criticism wasn’t coming from nowhere. there was truth behind what she was saying, and i loved watching parker slowly understand that. in a weird way, the person he thought had ruined everything for him was also someone who pushed him to become a better writer.

and i think that’s what made their relationship work so well for me. they challenged each other, but they also understood each other in ways neither of them expected. watching all that resentment slowly turn into understanding, and then into something more, was SO good.

──★ ˙🎏 !! characters

selina chan: ⋆˚࿔

her character was so complex, but at the same time, she felt so incredibly relatable. especially when it came to feeling alone. she could be surrounded by people and still feel like she didn’t really have anyone, and i think that part of her hit me the hardest.

there’s this loneliness underneath so much of who she is. she’s independent, opinionated, and has this tougher exterior, but underneath all of that, she just wants to feel understood and like she has someone in her corner. and i think that’s why watching her relationship with parker develop felt so special. he slowly became someone she didn’t have to explain herself to all the time, someone who actually saw her.

i also loved that she wasn’t written to be perfectly likeable. yes, she could be harsh, and yes, her delivery could definitely have been better but she was honest. even when she criticised parker’s writing, it never felt like she wanted him to fail. she saw what he was capable of and, in her own way, was pushing him to be better.

parker navarro: ⋆˚࿔

honestly, one thing i really didn’t like about parker was the fact that he was in a group chat basically dedicated to hating on selina. especially because, as harsh as selina could be when it came to his writing, she never went after his personal life. she criticised his work, not who he was as a person. so seeing him be part of something that crossed that line really bothered me.

and while i don’t think his hurt or anger excuses what he did, what made me respect his character more was the way he handled it once he realised just how wrong it was. he actually owned up to his mistakes. he didn’t hide behind the fact that he was hurt, make excuses for himself, or try to minimise what happened. he acknowledged that he had crossed a line and took accountability for his part in it.

i think that accountability was really important for me because it showed his growth. he wasn’t perfect, and i definitely didn’t agree with all of his choices, but he was willing to confront the uglier parts of his own behaviour instead of pretending they didn’t exist. and honestly, i appreciated him so much more because of that.

parker + selina: ⋆˚࿔

THEM!!! i loved their relationship so much. what started with so much resentment and misunderstanding slowly turned into something so soft and genuine.

their banter was one of my favorite parts of the book, but i loved their quieter moments even more. as they got closer, they started to realise just how similar they actually were, both lonely in their own ways, both ambitious, and both wanting someone who could see beyond the version of them everyone else seemed to know.

i also loved that they challenged each other. they weren’t afraid to call each other out, but at the same time, they slowly became a safe space for one another. their relationship never felt like it suddenly switched from enemies to lovers; you could actually feel all that resentment slowly soften into trust, vulnerability, and eventually love.

──★ ˙📖 !! my playlist

.ᐟ the grudge — olivia rodrigo
.ᐟ the archer — taylor swift
.ᐟ liability — lorde
.ᐟ you were good to me — jeremy zucker & chelsea cutler
.ᐟ i hate it here — taylor swift
.ᐟ lacy — olivia rodrigo
.ᐟ people watching — conan gray
.ᐟ from the start — laufey
.ᐟ about you — the 1975
.ᐟ glue song — beabadoobee
.ᐟ sweet nothing — taylor swift
.ᐟ francesca — hozier
.ᐟ daylight — taylor swift

[destiny ✿]

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately this was a hard miss for me. As someone who almost NEVER DNFs books, I had to call this one at the 45% mark. Now listen I tried, I really did. High praise from Emily Henry and almost every review I’ve seen left me excited and rushing into this story. However now I am pretty sure I’m living in some alternate universe where I’m reading a completely different book than everyone else because gosh this book was a struggle. These seemingly beloved characters were nothing but egotistical, arrogant and hypercritical. The so called “banter” I was promised was simply 100 pages of unnecessary attacks on each other and the main male character being an absolute crybaby over one (1) bad review. It was too repetitive, too harsh, and too boring. Obviously this is rated so highly so this may just be a me problem and this might even be a story I return to in the future but in this moment I want nothing more than to read literally anything else.

I also still will be logging this as “read” simply because I think I deserve some sort of compensation for this.

[Genevieve (GenLikesToRead)]

Raise your hand if you’re here because of Emily Henry 🖐️

[Meagan (Meagansbookclub)]

3
It started out strong with the tension between the author and the critic, but as the story went on, it just fell flat. The emails back and forth felt too much and for spending all this time with the characters, I didn't really feel connected to either one by the end. I liked it well enough. Didn't love it.

[zil]

as someone who loves books about books, i was a little nervous going into bad words. stories set in the literary world can sometimes feel self-indulgent, but this one won me over.

at its core, it's an enemies-to-lovers romance between parker, an author whose career was deeply affected by a scathing review, and selina, the literary critic who wrote it. what starts as resentment and public sparring slowly evolves into something much more vulnerable, and i honestly couldn't get enough of it.

what i loved most was how HUMAN both characters felt.
selina was probably my fav of the two - i found her incredibly relatable in the way she grappled with criticism, self-doubt, and the pressure of having her opinions constantly scrutinised. parker could be frustrating at times, but he was also sympathetic, and i appreciated how the book allowed both characters to be flawed without ever reducing them to those flaws.

the romance itself is a slow burn in the best possible way. the tension, the banter, the gradual shift from irritation to understanding to genuine affection—it all felt earned.
there was something so intimate about watching two people slowly dismantle the assumptions they'd built about each other over the years. their conversations were some of my favourite parts of the book, moving effortlessly from sharp and witty to surprisingly tender.

i also really enjoyed the commentary on publishing, criticism, and online culture. the book asks interesting questions about the relationship between authors and critics, the role of public opinion, and how social media can blur the line between a person's public and private self. none of it felt heavy-handed; it was woven naturally into the story and added a lot of depth.

if i’ve one small criticism, it's that some aspects of the ending felt a little rushed compared to how carefully the rest of the relationship was developed. i found myself wanting just a bit more time with these characters before the story ended.

overall, bad words is a smart, heartfelt, and deeply charming romance about stories, criticism, and the complicated ways people misunderstand each other. if you enjoy slow burns, literary romances, and characters who slowly learn to see beyond their first impressions, i'd definitely recommend picking this one up.

a wonderful read that had me smiling, yearning, and completely invested from start to finish :)

a lot of thanks to harpercollins uk - harperfiction and netgalley for sending me the earc of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

[Sharon]

No Emily Henry release this year? NO PROBLEM. This book’s got the banter, the yearning, and the stakes for the most dedicated romance readers. A super strong first outing in the genre from Rioghnach Robinson.

[Clare Gilmore]

I’m not usually one for reviews that exceed a single line of text, but for Selina Chan, I’ll make an exception. I will also, in all likelihood, go purchase a few magazine subscriptions after I post this.

Go ahead and queue up “My Ego Dies At The End” by Jensen McRae

Fave quotes:
- Parker: “No offense, Selina, but who outside publishing thinks this is interesting?”
- Selina: “I was in the presence not of greatness but of goodness, something so warm and expansive that it counterbalanced everything else that people were capable of.”
- Parker: “If I’ve ever said anything that mattered, I said it to you.”
- Selina: “I would love him right into my own uncertainty.”

This novel swallowed me whole with its literati setting, succulent prose, and disastrously charming characters. I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say it will be culture shaping, or overgenerous to claim that (unlike Parker’s books, in Selina’s opinion) it executes on everything it promises.

Despite the winks at the publishing industry the author allows (a joke about too many books these days starring novelists, Parker asking Selina if she thinks anyone outside the industry cares about its niche drama), my obsession with this story had nothing to do with my proximity to the industry. Though set in publishing, the relationship portrayed here (between an artist and a critic) could be transmuted to any industry and the message would hold: that criticism makes for better art, better stories, and better music. That it’s vital to our ecosystem, and must be protected as its own form of creative expression. That there is nothing so remarkable as holding onto conviction in your opinions.

I will of course rate this book 5 stars because I loved it, but I’ll put it in people’s hands and recommend it because I want to start opinionated, varied conversations. I think that’s what would make Parker and Selina most proud.

I’ll close with a metaphor that Selina would probably say circles the point instead of making one, but I’m an author and, like Parker, sometimes I’m prone to overwritten nonsense:

In the finale of Season 1 of The Final Table on Netflix, three-starred Michelin chef Grant Achatz is arguing against his fellow judges, who want give first place to the more experimental, gastronomically fancy dish, even though it doesn’t taste as good. But Achatz — known himself for experimental, gastronomically fancy food — wants to give first place to the homier, more appetizing dish. He says [paraphrased]: “Is it not the ultimate charge of a chef to serve you something delicious?" I think about this all the time. I think about this world-renowned innovator reminding everyone in his industry that food can't be award-winning if it isn't also good.

Selina, here’s your point: It’s the ultimate charge of an author to write a great book, and BAD WORDS is precisely that.

[Lauren W -behind! (work)- trying to stay semi-caught up♥︎]

I really wanted this to be a 5-star read, and for the first portion it was certainly on its way. The 'enemies-to-lovers' dynamic between Parker and Selina is masterfully done—their intellectual chemistry and punchy banter felt so earned. However, the final conflict and resolution felt out of sync with the rest of the narrative for me. The way the tension broke didn't flow as naturally as the buildup, making the ending feel less believable compared to the grounded earlier chapters. I know I’m an outlier here given the rave reviews, but while I found it very enjoyable, the conclusion kept it from being a masterpiece for me.

[tiff]

Thank you, St. Martin's Press, for sending me this ARC. I've heard great things about it. Can't wait to start it!!

Pub Date: 06 Oct 2026

As always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤✨

[Corina]

I went into Bad Words with pretty high expectations after seeing all the early buzz, and while it wasn't quite the knock-me-off-my-feet read I anticipated, there was so much here that I genuinely enjoyed.

While the romance is at the heart of the story, Bad Words goes well beyond that, especially with its focus on books, publishing, criticism, and social media. I really enjoyed the deeper conversations woven throughout the story and thought they added a lot of substance without taking away from the romance.

The enemies-to-lovers aspect worked particularly well for me because there was an actual foundation for the conflict between Selina and Parker. Their dislike of each other wasn't simply there to create banter or fulfill a trope. Their history, careers, and opposing perspectives gave them genuine reasons to clash, which made watching their relationship change much more interesting. I also appreciated how their cultural backgrounds added another layer to both the characters and some of the bigger conversations within the story.

The audiobook was very well done. Both performances suited the story and made this an easy and enjoyable listen.

Overall, Bad Words was smart, thoughtful, and very well written. It wasn't quite the standout read I anticipated from all the early excitement surrounding it, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and appreciated how much more it had to offer beyond the romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an early audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Grace Tomasweetie]

I am convinced that I just read something that has been etched on the soul of this author for, possibly, their whole life. Bad Words isn’t just a romance novel, it’s a gentle soap box that was stood on to speak about art, writing & the human experience in these present days. What a treasure. A part of me wants to say there’s some magic in these pages, but I know that is just not true—it’s humanity, Prometheus’ ever-glowing flame, that’s what’s here. It grabbed me by my shoulders & made me so glad to exist in a world of people who are vulnerable enough to share their thoughts with the world. With me. GOSH. I just loved this so much.

Bad Words is the PERFECT marriage of, say, a more contemporary fiction vibe with a romance. This story was so meta & eye opening to the world of modern authorship, but also so perfectly romantic & filled with delicious tension. Selina Chan, you will always be famous to me. Ugh. I love her so much, I just wanted to crawl into the book & tell her how amazing she was. & Parker, that sweet, sweet fool—of course I see my own reflection in you, the person who sees themself as a pawn for keeping peace. This book will not be everyone’s cup of tea, ESPECIALLY in the romance sphere. But, man, if you want to watch a tenuous relationship naturally unfurl to love & understanding & maybe think about what you say a bit more, Bad Words is your girl. It’s so easy for us nowadays to see people & drama & to throw our opinions around, & I think Bad Words is a timely story to remember the human being behind the smoke & mirrors.

5 ⭐️. There is not one bad word I could say about this book <3 thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press & their Early Reader Program for this eARC & also to NetGalley. LOVE YOU GUYS!!

Genuinely hyperventilating & sobbing. RTC <3