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The Mysteries of Romance
The last thing academic overachiever Mila Jovanović wants is an adventure. Ever since her father's untimely death, she has struggled with anxiety and panic attacks, finding solace only in the mountain of romance novels he'd left behind. She hates uncertainties, although the universe seems adamant about throwing them her way - the latest being a boy that is chaos incarnate.
When Matteo Conti comes to Belgrade for a study abroad program, he and Mila get paired up to do a project about book tropes and where they intersect across their favorite genres. The task instantly seems hopeless. Not only does Matteo despise love stories, but all he reads are brain-melting murder mysteries. How are they meant to find similarities between genres that are worlds apart?
To prove the superiority of his genre, Matteo convinces Mila to solve a mystery with him in real life. Their teacher's cryptic love note presents the perfect opportunity, and between all the sleuthing and bickering, the two slowly grow closer. But it soon becomes apparent that both the mystery they've leaped into and the romance blooming between them are more than Mila bargained for. As Matteo's study abroad semester nears its end, she has to decide what's more important - protecting her heart from any uncertainties, or chasing after what she truly wants.
When Matteo Conti comes to Belgrade for a study abroad program, he and Mila get paired up to do a project about book tropes and where they intersect across their favorite genres. The task instantly seems hopeless. Not only does Matteo despise love stories, but all he reads are brain-melting murder mysteries. How are they meant to find similarities between genres that are worlds apart?
To prove the superiority of his genre, Matteo convinces Mila to solve a mystery with him in real life. Their teacher's cryptic love note presents the perfect opportunity, and between all the sleuthing and bickering, the two slowly grow closer. But it soon becomes apparent that both the mystery they've leaped into and the romance blooming between them are more than Mila bargained for. As Matteo's study abroad semester nears its end, she has to decide what's more important - protecting her heart from any uncertainties, or chasing after what she truly wants.
342 pages, Paperback
Published June 6, 2026
About the author
Ina Nedić
1 bookIna Nedić is a writer and translator based in Belgrade, Serbia. The Mysteries of Romance is her first book, and she hopes to write many more, across a variety of genres.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 8, 2026
What a great book! I laughed, I cried, I gasped, I rolled my eyes right along with Mila at some point. This book brought me back to reading and I will be rereading it!!
June 22, 2026
Just the perfect summer read!
If you've read "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" and adored the Pip and Ravi dynamic (minus the murders), this needs to be your next read!
This book is not only a genuinely funny romcom (I can't count the amount of times I burst out laughing while reading Mila's inner monologue) but also an extremely sweet enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance. Even the mystery aspect of the book is superb; I found myself genuinely surprised at the clever reveal at the end.
However, my favourite aspect of the book were the characters. If Mila has zero fans, it means that I'm dead. She's smart, passionate and awkward in the most relatable ways. Her struggles with anxiety and grief felt very real. And when the tomfoolery itself Matteo enters the picture, Mila is sure to stand her ground and defend romance books with her entire life.
Speaking of Matteo, he's the perfect love interest for our introverted Mila. As a perfect blend of Howl, Cardan from "The Cruel Prince" and Jay Gatsby, he was so fun to read about.
I'm so proud of Ina for publishing this great book (her debut novel btw!!) and I can't wait to read all the future stories she's will write!
If you've read "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" and adored the Pip and Ravi dynamic (minus the murders), this needs to be your next read!
This book is not only a genuinely funny romcom (I can't count the amount of times I burst out laughing while reading Mila's inner monologue) but also an extremely sweet enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance. Even the mystery aspect of the book is superb; I found myself genuinely surprised at the clever reveal at the end.
However, my favourite aspect of the book were the characters. If Mila has zero fans, it means that I'm dead. She's smart, passionate and awkward in the most relatable ways. Her struggles with anxiety and grief felt very real. And when the tomfoolery itself Matteo enters the picture, Mila is sure to stand her ground and defend romance books with her entire life.
Speaking of Matteo, he's the perfect love interest for our introverted Mila. As a perfect blend of Howl, Cardan from "The Cruel Prince" and Jay Gatsby, he was so fun to read about.
I'm so proud of Ina for publishing this great book (her debut novel btw!!) and I can't wait to read all the future stories she's will write!
June 21, 2026
giving my own book 5 stars feels like it should be illegal, but since it's not, i'm not going to miss the opportunity to do it! she just means a lot to me :')
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews