Romantic Friction, Lori Gold (Review by Stephanie Rowitz)
Rating: 3/5
Sofie Wilde is at the pinnacle of her career, with her bestselling fantasy romance series on the brink of its highly anticipated conclusion. She’s about to headline a major romance convention when an unexpected challenger enters the scene. Hartley West, a self-published newcomer, admits to using AI to generate her novel and is hailed as the industry’s future. Outraged, Sofie watches as her career unravels while Hartley ascends to fame. With the convention stage set for a battle between tradition and technology, Sofie is determined to stop Hartley’s rise—by any means necessary.
The book offers an interesting premise as Sophie fights against the rise of AI-generated fiction, and more and more people accept AI’s presence in our lives. A lot of humor, suspense, and insight into the publishing world make this book a fun read. I really enjoyed the debate the novel tackles about creativity, originality, and the impact of technology on art. Sofie’s desperation and rage seem relatable, even as her actions veer into the over-the-top category. Hartley is an intriguing foil to Sofie as she argues that AI is just another artistic tool in our evolving societal toolkit. However, her character seems underdeveloped and more like a symbol of change than a lifelike character.
The novel is engaging, but I wasn’t as invested in it as I hoped. The pacing drags in places, and the side characters blur together without identifying features or attitudes. The humor is sharp but feels forced at times. The conflict plays out predictably but in a way that doesn’t show any character evolution. And while the book discusses a timely debate, it doesn’t dive deep enough into the ethical dilemmas of AI. Instead, it relies on an overdramatized, sensationalized approach.
Overall, Romantic Friction is well-written and discusses a very relevant issue in the publishing world, but the over-the-topness of it all wasn’t my cup of tea. If you like books about discussions on AI with a bit of a thriller vibe, this book might be for you.
