Call Me Baby: Side B

by Nicole Fiorina

// RECORD FLIPPED — NEEDLE DROPPED — WELCOME TO SIDE B //

Call Me Baby: Side B picks up exactly where Side A leaves off.
The story resumes on Track 9, Chapter 35.
This is not a standalone.
Read Side A first.

SHE BUILT A WORLD WHERE NO MAN COULD OWN HER.
THEN HE WALKED IN.


ANDREW HARDING IS A
BARTENDER BY NIGHT, BELLHOP BY DAY,
AND A HEARTBREAKER BY ACCIDENT.
But after hours, he's whoever you want him to be—
slow hands, sad eyes, filthy Jersey drawl.
He gives girls their fantasy for one night only. Then the show's over.
No follow-ups. No attachments. No return favors needed.

BUT ALLISON TAYLOR?
SHE’S HIS FANTASY.
Ghost of the music industry in her NYC penthouse.
Rich. Rude. Untouchable.
You want her? You sign the contract.

HER RULES?
No kissing.
No sleeping over.
No penetration.
No feelings.
Oh—and only her orgasms matter.

GUESS WHICH RULES ANDREW BREAKS.
Every f*ckin' one.

Genres: Romance, Dark, Dark Romance, Contemporary

Unknown Binding

First published August 12, 2026

About the author

Bestselling Author, Amazon Charts, and International bestselling author Nicole Fiorina is tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains with her husband Michael, two teenagers, and her two dogs, Opie and George. Nicole is a messy mood writer who pens unapologetic, flawed, messy characters who love fiercely, with intense yearning and angst. She's a rule breaker who cannot be kept in a box, except when she's in the writing cave, where she'll lose track of time and will have to be dragged away. When she's not writing, she's... wait, no—
I'm always writing.


Specifically, love stories. Big, dramatic, scary, haunting, epic, probably-gonna-wreck-you, occasionally what-the-heck-was-that love stories. I love love, coffee, crime shows and podcasts, getting goosebumps, and Aerosmith. I hate social media, my phone, crowds, and corporations. I'm half tough shit, half tears, and a hundred percent in Lala Land.

Thank you for giving my books a chance.


For more information:
www.nicolefiorina.com


Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/authornicol...
TikTok — https://tiktok.com/@nicolefiorinabooks
Book Club — https://facebook.com/groups/nfgang

Reviews

[Bailee]

Nicole Fiorina you EVIL GENIUS!

Thought this was a duology. It’s not. It’s definitely not. This book has me over here with red yarn trying to theorize and my therapist on speed dial.

If you love toxic characters who are traumatized and take a while to learn and change, you’ll love this series.

[Lena]

Thank you Nicole Fiorina for the gifted arc! I am literally SICK right now. I’ve been bamboozled, blindsided, and hit in the face with a brick. I thought this was a duology—it’s not, and that was one of the worst cliffhangers I’ve ever read. I fear I’ll never recover.
The chemistry between Allison and Andrew is simply the type of chemistry you just can’t get with a healthy relationship. This is incredibly toxic and intense, and I’ve never been so frustrated with two characters in my life. I was really proud of Allison’s growth in this by the end, but I fear for the next book. We delved a lot more into the trauma in this book—specifically Andrew’s. So check your triggers. I hope we get more backstory regarding Allison’s past in the next book. If you thought Side A broke you, multiply that by 1000 and you have Side B.
Idk who to trust or believe anymore. I’m feeling like a crazy conspiracy theorist rn. I couldn’t put this down and I’ll be thinking about it for the foreseeable future.

[Bozena]

I’m trying to figure out how to explain this unique and complex story to you, and how to convince you to read the series without giving away any spoilers.

Anyone familiar with Nicole’s books knows just how unconventional her stories are.
They aren’t your typical romance novels like those from other authors.

Her writing style and unique storytelling approach will confuse you at first, then get you hooked, and finally leave you completely obsessed.
I read the first book and needed a few days to get the story out of my head enough to start reading something else.

This is the second book in a complex, tangled relationship. One that feels more like a nightmare than a real love story.
Just when you think you know where the plot is going, you’re proven wrong.
Just when things seem to be improving and the couple finally finds a way to communicate, everything falls apart.

If a book has the power to break you, it’s a story about addiction and the helpless people trapped in it, unable to break free on their own.
Anyone who knows someone struggling with addiction understands what I mean.
This book is about those people and their world.
There are many kinds of addiction, and only a few are obvious to the naked eye.
It’s the hidden, invisible ones that we read about here.

The book is incredibly tragic, sad, and oppressive, sometimes hard to get through.
Yet I couldn't put it down.
The story leaves you starving for more.
It leaves you addicted to the brutal narrative.

And that ending!
What were you thinking, Nicole?
You couldn't help yourself.
You just had to throw that terrible twist into an already harrowing story? I don't know why I'm still surprised after all these years 🤦🏻‍♀️😂
Tell your hubby that I still love you very much, though (for anyone who didn't read the NOTE FROM NICOLE at the end, do it! Hahaha).
Let me tell you, Nicole's books never get boring 🤣

I'd say that after an ending like that, anything could happen, right?
What do you think?

[Saleena]

I’m not okay…. My stomach hurts. Heart hurts. Eyes burning… how does one book have this much control? Definitely going to be my favorite read of the year. Proceed with caution on this one. She ain’t playing.

[Missi]

𝙽𝙾. 𝟶𝟸: 𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 - 𝙰𝚁𝙲

“𝘽𝙖𝙗𝙮, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙖 𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙢𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙤𝙮𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙝-𝙩,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯. “𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙤𝙮𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙝-𝙩.”

/ / 𝙲𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝙼𝚎 𝙱𝚊𝚋𝚢: 𝚂𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝙱 - 𝙽𝚒𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚎 𝙵𝚒𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚊 / /
♾️⭐️- 𝙶𝚘𝚍 𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚛

(𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗟𝗟) 𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡 𝗕𝗔𝗗 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗥𝗘𝗪 𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗞𝗜𝗡’ 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚

Y’all know I LOVED Side: A, but Side: B…HOLY FORKING SHIRTBALLS did I. GO. THROUGH. IT. There isn’t any way to adequately describe just how epic, next level, and utterly perfect this book is. My eyeballs leaked, my stomach hurt from laughing so hard, my eyeballs leaked again…and again…and UHHHH-GAINNNN!

And that ending!? Nicole, I’m (fake) mad at you for that. My jaw was literally hanging off the hinges and on the ground. Hubby even asked if I was alright. 😂

PLEASE Y’ALL…run and add this to your TBR…and hit me up while you read. I WILL NEVER SHUT UP ABOUT THIS BOOK!

Also, the PLAYLIST…CHEF’S FREAKING KISS! And I will take ZERO criticism on Andrew ‘𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚’ Harding and Allison. Z E R O!

🤘🏼ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏɴɢᴡʀɪᴛᴇʀ ʙɪʟʟɪᴏɴᴀɪʀᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʟᴜᴇ-ᴄᴏʟʟᴀʀ ʙᴇʟʟʜᴏᴘ
💿ɴᴇᴡ ʏᴏʀᴋ x ᴊᴇʀꜱᴇʏ
🤘🏼ʜᴇ ꜰᴀʟʟꜱ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ, ꜱʜᴇ ꜰᴀʟʟꜱ ᴀᴘᴀʀᴛ
💿ꜱᴛᴀʀ-ꜰ*ᴄᴋᴇᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀꜱ
🤘🏼ᴏɴᴇ ɴɪɢʜᴛ ᴏɴʟʏ (ꜱɪᴋᴇ)
💿ʀᴇᴠᴇʀꜱᴇ ꜱʟᴏᴡ ʙᴜʀɴ
🤘🏼ꜱᴘᴏʀᴛꜱ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ (ᴏᴋᴀʏ, ʟɪᴋᴇ, ᴏɴᴇ ꜱᴄᴇɴᴇ)
💿ᴛᴏᴜᴄʜ ʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴇᴇᴛ ʜɪꜱ ꜰɪꜱᴛ
🤘🏼(ʜɪꜱ ꜰɪꜱᴛꜱ ʀᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ)
💿ᴡᴀʟᴋɪɴɢ ʀᴇᴅ ꜰʟᴀɢ x ᴄᴏʟᴏʀ-ʙʟɪɴᴅ
🤘🏼ʙʟᴀᴍᴇ ɪᴛ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴀᴜᴍᴀ
💿ꜱᴏᴜʟᴍᴀᴛᴇꜱ, ᴜɴꜰᴏʀᴛᴜɴᴀᴛᴇʟʏ
🤘🏼ɢʀᴏᴠᴇʟ < ɢᴛꜰᴏ
💿ᴛᴏxɪᴄ ʟᴏᴠᴇ, ᴅʀᴀᴍᴀ, & ᴘᴏꜱꜱᴇꜱꜱɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴍᴄ ᴏɴ ʀᴇᴘʟᴀʏ

[Shannon Devine]

♾️ stars. When I say this story is God Tier for me, it feels like an understatement. Nicole is a fucking master in her art. I am absolutely floored by that ending. The single best thing I’ve read all year. So unique and had me hanging on its every word. If you ask yourself “1,352 pages is too long, is it ever that serious?” Yes the fuck it is and I need more YESTERDAY.

[Samantha Gaudious]

Oh my Goshhhhh!!!!! 😆😆

Nicole Fiorina is a Queen!!!!

Just like Side A, this one is impossible to put down!
This is top tier romance, written SO FREAKIN GOOD!!

I said it before and I’ll say it again this is spicy romance with an actual plot, out of all the books that I’ve read so far this year these two are hands-down, the most underhyped! …AND a shocking ending! I have to give myself some props because i definitely had a feeling 😭
I cannot wait for the next one!!!!

Yes, you should definitely read them, don’t hesitate 💋

[Lindsey]

6 ⭐️/ ♾️

ehhhh yoooo wtf. That was SOOOO GOOOOOOOOD AHHHHHHH.
Excuse me while I spiral cause WHAT!?
Damn. I'm gobsmacked. My heart is palipations, my palms are sweaty and I'm weak from this book. From BOTH books. Nicole put her whole chest in this unfinished (excuse me while I sob) series. Best of 2026. The way this was written, the characters are embodded in me. The accents on page, the scenes, the chemistry, the angst, the back and forth and the overall moments that come back around- BRAVO. Where do I even go from here?

Welp, here’s to my biggest reading slump 🥂 . Saddle up sweetie, we're in for the long haul. Nothing is going to touch or top that.

[Brittany | goodreadswithb]

first, you can't start here. You need to go back to the beginning.. to side a. It will be unlike anything you have ever read. And that's intentional. I urge you to push yourself outside of your comfort zone and try something new.. because everything you think this book is about, is actually SO MUCH MORE.

Nicole is brilliant. A true artist in every sense. Everything she does is intentional, and her stories make you feel everything on the deepest levels. Call me baby is no exception.

it's sexy and fun, serious and heavy, it's living and loving, it's frustrating and lyrical, it's raw and it's deep.. and it's addictive.. you simply cannot stop thinking about it.

I'm serious. You will be thinking about this book and these characters long after you turn the last page.

Allison and Andrew will become part of your life and I will forever be in their corner.

Side b had me feeling all of the emotions, like only Nicole can. She writes broken characters so well. Not for shock value, but because all of us can find pieces of ourselves in the cracks— and that's a beautiful thing.

The way in which the music compliments the scenes connects you to the story on a much deeper level it instantly transports you anytime you hear the song again.

aka.. instantly missing them.

& for all my besties who have reached the end of this book...
...
...
...

A vinyl had two sides right?
but how many vinyls will there be...

[Jenna Schmidt]

Spoiler-ish??

So now I have to write a review, and as I’m writing it, I have a jersey accent writing it in my head.

First, if anyone else wrote this book I don’t know if I would have finished it. But Nicole wrote the book, therefore I loved it. How she writes is poetic and lyrical. It’s not a standard sentence or conversation- it flows by its own rhythm. Without the rhythm the characters and content of the story wouldn’t be alive.

Allyson is a very hard character to understand or connect with (for me) she is a very tough exterior and major trauma issues. But through all her choices and bad decisions I was rooting for her. Because if someone has so many walls, barriers, rules around them of course you want to see those crumble and be replaced with love.

Andrew was a mystery, written in 3rd person and stories being told ABOUT him. What a way to introduce a character. It was confusing but perfect. Keep me in the dark, make me want to learn about him and who he is.

The layers. The complex, deep rooted issues/trauma these two have individually and how they come together. The push/pull will they/wont they of it all. TORTURE. Side A and side B are perfect. The closer you get to the end of side B you feel safe and happy and comfortable…

WRONG DEAD WRONG. I am DEAD. GUTTED.

That ending.
F
M
L

I’m now staring at the wall.

Read this if you love throwing your book across the room (metaphorically)
Read this if you love being completely HOODWINKED. BAMBOOZLED.

And checking every corner of internet for when the next book is coming!!!

5 fucking stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Manda]

I honestly don't know what to do with myself.

I considered giving this 4 stars because I truly don't think a book has ever resulted in my feeling such unadulterated rage. Then again, it's been a long time since a book has made me feel this much in general, and that deserves 5 stars. Even if that final feeling will leave me seething over fictional characters for the foreseeable future.

Allison & Andrew... What to even say about their self-sabotaging situation. The back and forth, the love and hurt, the amount of times I wanted to scream at them to just communicate...I often had to remind myself that these two are young with emotional baggage packed from years of abuse and trauma. It's a lot. Yet somehow, I can't stop rooting for them. 

In true Fiorina fashion, Side B had my emotions even more scattered than Side A, and here I am hoping the next one comes sooner rather than later so I can suffer some more. However, I absolutely refuse to believe that there is not some explanation for that ending. Ideally an explanation that ends in Raymond's complete and utter demise. 🖤🤍❤️

[Mihaela Neculai]

What the actual **** ???
I’m just sitting here completely speechless, staring at the wall. That ending was BRUTAL.

So hear this: I’m starting Side A, a book with 400 something reviews after seeing the author on instagram.
I, an insane person, finish Side A against my better judgment and start Side B. Speeding in an emotional roller coaster 🎢, crying and laughing and falling in love with the (f***ed up) characters, I finally arrive at the end. AND FOR WHAT??? FOR THAT??? I didn’t see it coming.

"Love’s a vampire, Celie. Love's a fuckin' vampire. People leash it… suck the life out of it ‘til it’s all used up. Sometimes that takes years… sometimes months, or days, and sometimes not even an hour. Then after, 'cause there is always an after, something dies in you. Something you'll never get back. And that’s the last thing I want to feel."
So this is peak TOXIC, so beware!

[Lindsey schneider]

6⭐️/♾️. This duet was definitely a 6 ⭐️ read and WTF I’m unwell. Might be top read of the year! The way this unfolded , the prose, the unique tropes, flawed characters, the music, all of it obsessed. Some people might hate this and that’s fine but I’m not one of them.

“But then you came along,
and now I know I was never numb.
“I was just never with you.”


“Never had the balls to tell you before. Been holdin’ it in.
But I just… need you in my hands. “

“If I die tonight⁠—
“like right now, just drop⁠—
“I want it on record that
“I was looking at you.
“And I was so fuckin’ happy.”

[Helenesbookshelf]

I AM SITTING HERE SPLUTTERING WITH TEARS STREAMING DOWN MY FACE, JAW ON THE FLOOR AND MY HEART IN MY THROAT

NICOLE HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO ME

~~~~~~~~

“𝚈𝚘𝚞’𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚢 𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚝, 𝚂𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚢.”


this book had me 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗶𝘁 for real.
i felt my heart physically 𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚎.
i laughed, i cried, i screamed, i shook.
i threw my kindle away just to snatch it right back up again.

nicole is such an incredible writer, these books are written in such a raw, gritting, special way, and you feel everything.
it’s like you 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚,
in new york - in the alley, at vice, at the pool table, in the penthouse.
in new jersey - in the house, in the living room by the fireplace, in the basement.


𝚗𝚘𝚠, 𝚍𝚘 𝚒 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗?
𝘆𝗲𝘀.
𝚍𝚘 𝚒 𝚊𝚕𝚜𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚞𝚜?
𝘆𝗲𝘀.

~~~~~~~~

“𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝘁? 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗶𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗲. 𝗜𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲, 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝘂𝗰𝗸𝘆.” He looks back at me, then shrugs. “𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝘂𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂.
“𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹,
“𝗮𝗶𝗻’𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻’ 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻.
“𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻’ 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗮 𝘆𝗼𝘂.”

[themasterslibrary]

what the fuuuuuuuuuuuck.

[Nicki Boyer]

🖤ARC Review🖤

"I want to move. I want to stay. I want him gone. I want him closer. I want to dissappear."

Call Me Baby: Side B
By Nicole Fiorina

I am truly at a loss for words. I have never felt so many conflicting emotions at the same time. But I think that's the point right? To feel all the things. To have a visceral reaction to them. Thats when you know you've read something incredible.

Side B picks up right where Side A leaves off. We continue Andrew and Allison's story. We dive deep into their trauma, and why they feel and not feel the things they do. What makes them them.

Their story is tough man. Soooo tough. They are imperfect people, broken people, messy. But also so much more than their past. I have to believe in them and their story and root for them. I just have to.

This book is a journey and a experience. One I have never been on before. Nicole is such a beautiful poet and I can't imagine reading about these characters in any other format than this one. Wouldn't seem right.

So for now, I'm gonna be processing that ending, cause I refuse to believe we dont get another record.

Nicole thank you for this ARC, truly honored to be on your team!

Out everywhere now!!!!

@authornicolefiorina

#CallMeBabySideB #nicolefiorina #arcreview #DirtyLittleSecretSociety #booksandchatswithnickib

[Neli Kirova]

4,5 ⭐️

[nurse.megan.reads]

To sum up side A &B!

Allison is a songwriter living in New York who refuses to become emotionally invested with anyone. She has rules, boundaries, and even a contract that keeps her relationships strictly on her terms. Then one night at a bookstore/record shop, she meets the ever-so-charming Jersey boy, Andrew. There’s an undeniable pull between them, and Andrew quickly becomes the one person who makes her want to break all her rules.

Allison & Andrew are two incredibly flawed people carrying so much trauma from their pasts, and somehow they find something in each other neither of them was prepared for. They’re gritty, messy, complicated, and unfiltered.

Nicole’s writing is so unique and formatted in a way I’ve never read before! I especially loved how music is woven throughout Allison’s POV. It gives the story this beautiful, lyrical flow and I enjoyed that!

And after that Side B cliffhanger?! I am UNWELL. 😱 These two have me in an absolute chokehold, and I need Side C ASAP!!!

[Ashley Kirkpatrick]

6 ⭐️ I’m at a complete loss for words with that ending. I feel like I was just personally slapped by Andrew Harding. I am sad, mad, CONFUSED, still staring at the wall after finishing this.
These books are so beautifully written and so different (writing style) than I have read before. And don’t even get me started on the book covers!! I read these on my kindl but immediately ordered the paperbacks.

[BLuvsBooks]

What was that!?!? These characters and story will stay with you beyond the cliffhanger ending.
Intense, toxic, messy, real, emotional, heartbreaking, tension, banter, dark themes, layered plot, character depth.
Need the next book!

Dual POV
Check TW!

[Cootsiepooreads]

My brain is so f*cked right now that I don't think I could even write a coherent review if I tried, so I'm taking a note from Allison and giving y'all my raw, unedited thoughts. Here goes nothing:

Lmfao. Dying at the Celie and Allison chaos.
Okaaayyyy, Andrew got me blushing.
This book got me constantly saying "d*mn that was deep."
Screaming crying.
My heart feels like it's been scraped raw.
Running the full gambit of emotions over here.
Cannot put this book down. Addicted.
The emotional hits start coming and they don't stop coming.
Omg. The trauma.
The Hendrix boys! Ah!
Getting bad vibes as we inch towards the end. The anxiety is real.
The last chapter had my hands shaking and eyes watering.
That ending - literally whispered "what the f*ck" out loud and got my husband thinking I'm crazy.
I need answers.

[Ashley (alwaysbooksandtea)]

I need at least 24 hrs to recover.

I had a feeling this was coming, and I have never been more proud and sad that I was right. Nicole is the absolute queen of the emotional rollercoaster.

I cannot wait to see how Nicole puts us back together this time. I just know she has an absolutely diabolical plan up her sleeve.

Better review to come once I can think clearly.

Nicole, you brilliant, mean, wonderful person! Your mind is fascinating, and it's one of the reasons why I love reading your books. You always surprise me.

[Daisy]

“He said my name and it was a porch light he left on in his chest, in case I run and need to find my way back.”

This book has been fucking with my head since I finished it and I genuinely don’t know whether to thank Nicole or yell at her.

I feel like if you tend to see things in black and white, there are probably going to be certain things in these books that you won’t like, and maybe even have a hard time moving past. There were moments where I didn’t agree with the characters’ actions, but I never found myself hating THE characters. Everything felt like part of the bigger picture and their growth to me. I always found myself having empathy for both Allison and Andrew. They were MESSY and COMPLICATED, but god, the more time I spent with them, the more I just loved and rooted for them.

There are stories where the characters are toxic when they are together, but here, it was almost the opposite. Everything else in their lives felt toxic, constantly working to make things difficult to keep them apart, and it's when they are TOGETHER that they finally get their peace.
And there was just something so pure whenever that happened.

Allison took some time for me to fully understand, but then we started getting more of her past, and she completely broke my heart. She’s cold and guarded, but underneath all of that is someone who has been failed by pretty much everyone who was supposed to protect her. Seeing how lost she was, how she had no one to turn to, and then watching her finally find the courage to ask someone she thought would help her, only for that person to have absolutely no intention of doing so, made me SICK.

“But who am I kidding? I've been crying out through every song, and no one's listening.”

Andrew was just as messy, but in his own way. The more we learn about his childhood and everything that shaped him, the more you understand why he became such a chronic people-pleaser and peacekeeper. He’s spent his whole life trying to fix things, keep everyone happy, and never ask for anything because he’s terrified of being a burden. He’s constantly trying to save everyone around him while completely forgetting about himself.

“He’s still trying to do the right thing, but he's drowning in panic, wearing the face of a boy who wants to stop a train with his bare hands, trying to keep everyone safe but himself.”

So I loved that, while Andrew never played about Allison from the beginning, she was just as fiercely protective of him underneath her cool exterior, being the only one to notice how he never took care of himself.

“His dumb, tipsy smile hits me so hard it burns my cheeks. I wanna look away but can't. I hate how beautiful he looks when he's happy. The way I'd burn the world to protect it.”

I loved Allison’s relationship with music and the scene where we got to see her compose, completely in her element. Watching everyone else become mesmerized by her talent, especially Andrew, and seeing her finally get recognition for something she loves doing and is just so good at, was everything. She never has to brag about how talented she is because she just IS.

And her friendship with Celie!! Their chapters, their shenanigans, the way they were so completely ride or die for each other. I loved them, they were SO funny together.

The NYC setting was another huge win for me. Nicole has such an ability to make every place feel vivid, and combined with the soundtrack she included, the whole book had such a specific atmosphere. This woman genuinely had me googling Teddy Vale to see if he was actually a real person or not and listening to Aerosmith like it was my full-time job.

There were SO many iconic moments throughout the book. Like when they played pool while drafting up their contract, the Christmas party where they danced together, so many other moments between Allison and Andrew that I just adored.

And then there was THAT plot twist.

I had seen someone mention there was one, so by the time I got to around 15% left, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Something happened and I thought, okay, there it is. And because I thought this was going to be the last book, I figured we were heading toward the endgame. There were still things left unresolved, but I actually thought that worked. They both still had so much growing and healing to do, so an open ending felt pretty fitting.

I was comfortable with that conclusion.

Wrong. WRONG. SO FUCKING WRONG.

Nothing could have prepared me for what happened.
I felt SO blindsided, SO betrayed. I think my brain stopped working there for a minute and just went into shock.
Now I know what it feels like to be physically sick over a book.

I genuinely never saw it coming — ALSO BECAUSE I WASN’T EXPECTING A DOUBLE ALBUM.

I hate having to wait for the next book, but at the same time, I’m so glad there’s more to this story because there is SO much I still need to see happen.
I need to see Allison get the happiness she deserves. I need her to get the credits she deserves. And most importantly, I need her to get her fucking revenge because after everything she’s been through, I want her to absolutely DESTROY everyone who wronged her. I never thought I would feel this much anger on someone else’s behalf, but here we are.

And after everything we’ve seen from Andrew throughout the books, how completely gone he is for Allison, how fiercely he protects her, how much he just loves her, there is a LOT about what happens at the end that I need answers for, too.
I have theories. But at the same time, it’s also hard for me to reconcile them with the Andrew we’ve spent this entire book getting to know. Whatever is going on there, I NEED to know why.

So yeah. I am confused. I am angry. I am heartbroken.
I am DESPERATE for the next book.

Nicole, respectfully, what the fuck.

[Christina]

Call Me Baby: Side B by the phenomenal Nicole Fiorina picks up where Side A leaves off. The story resumes on Track 9, Chapter 35.
This is not a standalone. Read Side A first. Both books are on KU!


Finished Side B two days ago and I am still reeling. There is Me, before Side B and the Me after Side B and I am somehow expected to trudge through real life responsibilities when all I really want to do is obsess over the brilliance of this story. My heart was ripped open and dragged through with the rawest, grittiest, most gut-wrenching love rollercoaster and just when I thought my mind was safe, I am left wrecked. 

Nicole’s storytelling is honest, and unafraid, pushing the boundaries of what is expected. This story challenged every expectation and I am in utter awe. This isn’t a story I will move on from for a long time. 

[Crystal Saldana]

Nicole, you beautiful, cruel, evil genius you! When i tell you that I was not prepared at all for this book, i was not prepared at all, especially for that ending. Somehow the stakes, the emotions, the manipulation, the toxicity, everything was heightened to a whole new level and, just when you think you know where things are heading, wrenches kept getting thrown in their path left and right.

This book does pick up directly where Side A leaves off, so you will need to read that before starting Side B. There's not much that can be said without spoiling it, but I am 100% in love with this new world. As I said for Side A, the prose and the story in general are so unique and chaotic but it is so addicting, injecting itself directly into your bloodstream and consuming all of your thoughts the further you fall down the rabbit hole. These characters have begun to learn how to escape their addictions, how to set boundaries, how to bare themselves completely vulnerable, how to heal in general. But, like life, the process to get there is completely messy and imperfect and consists of many mistakes along the way. I loved the new facets we got to see of both characters, and just how raw and gritty their stories were. However, I will be sending Nicole my therapy bill because that ending is messing with my mind and has me reeling.

Nicole 100% knows how to set up a story and how to keep her readers craving for more every time, sending us on emotional roller coasters every time. But the end result is always so worth it. I cannot wait to see how this series continues.

[KASH]

𝓘𝓽’𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓻𝓮𝔀𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓼 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓸𝓻 𝓻𝓾𝓲𝓷𝓼 𝔂𝓸𝓾.

OMGGG- WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST READ?! (me right after finishing)
THIS is why I love Nicole’s writing- rip-your-heart-out kind of romance, but this time, gf adds in the plot twist that had my eyes bulging outta my head!! 
I don’t even have words-
I don’t know how I didn’t see it coming..
𝘙𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘧𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥, 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥, indeed.
Side B picks up where Side A left off and I would say that Side B is more emotional, more Jersey×NewYork, more angst, more heartache, more… 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜.
This book was everything.
Alison has her issues, yes, but as stated above- record flipped, and I felt SO MUCH MORE for our girl this side around(IYKYK)
Get this duet on your radar, it needs to be experienced– GO in as blindly as possible!
as always, my favourite quotes ￬￬

ᴏᴜʀs ɪs ᴀ ʟᴏᴠᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ʏᴏᴜ'ʟʟ 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 ғᴏʀɢᴇᴛ.

ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ, ʟᴏᴠᴇ’s ᴀ ʟᴏᴀᴅᴇᴅ ɢᴜɴ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ ʜᴀɴᴅ, ᴘᴏɪɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ ʜᴇᴀᴅ.

ᴛᴇʟʟ ʜᴇʀ ɪ ᴀɪɴ’ᴛ ᴛʀʏɪɴ’ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀʟᴋ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴇʀsɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀᴄᴛs ʟɪᴋᴇ sʜᴇ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴄᴀʀᴇ.
ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʟʟɪsᴏɴ ᴡʜᴏ sᴀɪᴅ 𝘛𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘰, 𝘈𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘸 ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴍʏ ғᴜᴄᴋɪɴ’ ᴍᴏᴜᴛʜ.

ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ᴍʏ ᴅᴏᴡɴʙᴇᴀᴛ, sᴏɴɴʏ.

ɪ ᴊᴜsᴛ ʙʀᴏᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ. ʟᴇᴛ ᴍᴇ ғɪx ᴛʜɪs.
ᴛʜᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ ʙʀᴇᴀᴋ ᴍᴇ.

ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ғᴀʟʟ ɪɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʜᴇʀᴇ. 
ᴏʀ ᴊᴜsᴛ ғᴀʟʟ.

𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘦

ɪᴛ’s ᴇᴀsɪᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴏғ ʜɪᴍ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɴɪғᴇ ᴡᴏᴜɴᴅs ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ғʀᴏɴᴛ.

𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘺𝘦𝘵. 
𝘞𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵.

ᴛʀᴜᴛʜ ɪs, ɪ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ɪs ʙᴀᴅ, ᴊᴜsᴛ ʀᴜɪɴᴇᴅ. ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴄᴜʀsᴇᴅ ɪᴛ ʙʏ ᴛʀʏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴏᴡɴ ɪᴛ.

ᴛʜᴇ sᴄʀᴇᴀᴍ ʀɪᴘs ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴍʏ ᴛʜʀᴏᴀᴛ ᴀs ɪғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ sᴏᴍᴇʜᴏᴡ ʜᴇᴀʀ ɪᴛ, ᴀs ɪғ sᴏᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ sᴀᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ. ʙᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴏ ᴀᴍ ɪ ᴋɪᴅᴅɪɴɢ? ɪ’ᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴄʀʏɪɴɢ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ sᴏɴɢ, ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏ ᴏɴᴇ’s ʟɪsᴛᴇɴɪɴ

ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀʀᴇ, ɪᴛ ᴄᴜᴛs ᴏᴜᴛ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴘɪᴇᴄᴇ ᴏғ ʏᴏᴜ.

[achaserigtrup]

Ok. Wow. I have no words. No—I have a lot of words but they’re not going to come out right because I’m still reeling from the end of this book and what Nicole Fiorina can do with her prose.

I knew it would be something like that ending. I knew, just like Allison does, that the bottom will fall out. But, to what extent was unclear.

Damn.

Alright. How to review this.

This book was better than Side A. It was more tightly paced, the themes were fascinating, and the context and information we got to help explain and ground the main characters was excellent.

Were Andrew and Allison absolutely infuriating most of the time? Yes, of course. Did the middle drag a little? Yes—especially Hell Week, which was pretty stupid and immature. Was Raymond still around being sleazy and frustrating? Absolutely. BUT, we saw growth in the characters, and it was badly needed.

I’m not going to say more. I don’t want to ruin anything for anyone but my god do I need whatever the third book will be called—Side C, EP, etc. because these two are the most toxic, compulsive, obsessive, possessive mess ever and I cannot get enough.

Don’t sleep on this series. It is refreshing, haunting, and all its own, and deserves more attention.

[Steph]

Rating these books on a scale of one to five or with stars feels inadequate, like they somehow need to have their own rules or unique scale of brilliance. It truly is like no other reading experience I’ve ever had and trying to find a way to describe that to you, friends and fellow readers, is nothing short of impossible.

Nicole Fiorina has created a world and characters of impossibly difficult situations, complex and sometimes even unimaginable challenges, but with so much passion and emotional depth that at times I had a physical reaction to the story. I cried, laughed, fell in love, raged and then cried more on a loop for the entirety of the book. It is a beautifully crafted story that makes you feel and think outside of the comfort zone that most romance books are created in. But make no mistake, the love and yearning exists on an extreme level 🔥.

Through Allison and Andrew’s characters I have a bigger sense of compassion and a deeper understanding of trauma, resilience and devotion. That some love cannot be defined by any rules and that it can be greater than my own understanding. I truly believe both books, Side A & B, are best entered into without any kind of spoiler or outside opinions. If you love messy/toxic romance with gorgeously flawed and intense characters, exploring mystery and passion in unconventional ways then you will thrive in this world!

[Maria]

Call Me Baby side B

ARC REVEIW

First, thank you so much Nicole for giving us the opportunity to read this book early!

Ok. Words. Yeah so um those are still hard after finishing ___ days ago. It’s weird because I have so many thoughts and questions but also at the same time don’t fully know how to express them?

So here goes..

I have said this many times, but Nicole is one of the very few authors who get me to FEEL EVERY EMOTION as if I am right there in the story. Literally heart racing, goosebumps everywhere, gasps heard round the world kind of reactions. Not to mention the sobbing from either something so incredibly BEAUTIFUL and RAW to the most gut-wrenching moments between two lost and vulnerable people. I am fully in love with Andrew and Allison! Their story is so real. Nicole doesn’t give us rainbows and puppy dogs (love those things too)

She said nah I’m going to put you guys through it.. and damnit, those kinds of stories, the ones that get a visceral reaction from me, are always going to be FIVE STARS!! Even if my jaw is still on the floor 👀🫠😭

Call Me Baby side A and B is such an experience unlike any I’ve ever had, and I’m so grateful that I had my girls both times to read them. While I cannot wait to find out what happens next in Andrew and Allison’s wild, beautiful and messy story 👀🫠 I’m also happy to have some time to process in between 😅

[Kelly]

Thank you Nicole for the ARC!❤️
As usual, Nicole's books just hit different. Her writing is so raw, emotional, real and unapologetic. Her characters are so messy, yet traumatized beyond belief. This book is full of angst, yearning, amazing music tbh, and is just one of those books that you will need 3-5 business months (yeah I know what I said😂) to recover from.

Allison is one of my all time favorite FMCs. Girl is a badass with some serious demons and baggage. You just wanna root for her the entire time. Learning more about Andrew's past and why he is the way he is just completely ruined me. This whole book ruined me I don't even have the right words right now.

If you're looking for some New York-New Jersey banter, (REAL banter because I'm a Jersey girl and the references are SO accurate it's like I went back home for a while,) serious angst, raw, gut-wrenching emotion, insane spice, and just need something different from your usual reads, pick up Side A and Side B. Trust me.

This is a messy love unlike anything I've read before. These characters are FAR from perfect. (Blame the trauma.) but you just want to root for them and you want them to make it work because you can just feel that they are meant to be together. I love their dynamic so much and as usual, another 5 star read from Nicole. ❤️❤️

But that ending???? Excuse me?!