Love, Off the Record

Love, Off the Record

A USA TODAY bestseller The Hating Game meets Alex, Approximately in this “incredibly engaging, funny, and sweet” ( School Library Journal , starred review) teen rom-com about two rival journalism students competing for the same position on their university newspaper. Wyn is going to beat Three even if it kills her—or, preferably, him. Being freshmen staffers on the university newspaper puts them at the bottom of the pecking order—until a rare reporter spot opens up. Wyn and Three are both determined to get the position, starting a game of sabotage that pushes them to do their worst, from stealing each other’s ideas to playing twisted mind games. No road is too low when it comes to winning. As Wyn’s search for the perfect story leads her to an anonymous, campus-wide dating app, she hits it off with a mystery man she thinks might be the cute RA from her dorm. But Wyn is all too familiar with being rejected because of her weight, and she’s hesitant to reveal her identity, even as she grows closer with someone who might be the guy of her dreams. When Three breaks a story that’s closer to home than he or Wyn expects, the two must put aside their differences to expose the truth—and face their real feelings for each other, which threaten everything Wyn has built with her anonymous match. ** "Engaging, funny, and sweet….An incredible read and a must-have for all YA romance lovers." -- School Library Journal , starred review “ Love, Off the Record is the perfect example of why we love enemies-to-lovers romance. The chemistry was absolutely delicious, and I adored spending time in Wyn’s world.” -- Jenna Evans Welch, author of Love & Gelato “Sources are saying Love, Off the Record is Samantha Markum’s best book yet! (It’s me, I’m sources.) Wyn and Three will scoop readers’ hearts, not only with their newsroom antics and fight-flirting worthy of the enemies-to-lovers hall of fame, but also with their relatably messy journey through the first year of college. Markum’s signature wit and characters who come alive off the page put this story on the record as one of my new favorites!” -- Kaitlyn Hill, author of Love from Scratch and Not Here to Stay Friends “ Love, Off the Record is a sweet romance that serves up hard-hitting themes along with swoony banter. A rivals-to-lovers story full of honesty and heart!” -- Michelle Quach, author of Not Here to Be Liked ”The perfect blend of heart and heat, Love, Off the Record is the rivals-to-lovers romance of my absolute dreams. The tension between Wyn and Three crackles like a bonfire, every pop and hiss of rage bringing us one lick closer to the inevitable, delicious combustion point. I so sincerely love Wyn—who refuses to give credence to toxic narratives about her own body, whose loneliness is achingly palpable, who I want to wrap in a handmade Middle-earth blanket and hug forever. I loved watching Wyn unbury her own self-worth as she opened herself up to receiving love from the people around her. Truthfully, I’d read Samantha Markum’s grocery list; witty, hilarious, heartrending, and swoony, Markum’s is one of my very favorite voices in YA.” -- Ellen O'Clover, author of Seven Percent of Ro Devereux "Markum caters to die-hard genre readers in this banter-rich love story...Parental pressures and friendship drama add classic teen vibes while a sensitively balanced portrayal of Wyn’s body image elevates this journalistic-rivalry-turned-romance narrative." -- Publishers Weekly ― 3/18/2024 "A headline-worthy romance that addresses topical subjects with gravity and gaiety." -- Kirkus Reviews ― 4/15/2024 Samantha Markum is the USA TODAY bestselling author of Love, Off the Record ; This May End Badly ; and You Wouldn’t Dare . She was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, where she got her great literary start writing Newsies fan fiction in middle school. When she’s not writing, she can be found playing cozy video games, attempting to revive her half-dead house plants, and getting in bed before sunset. When she is writing, you can find her staring at the wall in search of inspiration. Visit her at SamanthaMarkum.com. Chapter One ONE “Grunts!” At the sound of our collective title, my deskmate and I look up. The Torch managing editor, Christopher, is twisted around in his chair, staring at us. “Did you get those cutlines to Angelica?” I point at my deskmate at the same time he points at me. “Oh, no-no-no,” I say, jabbing my finger closer. “You said you’d do it.” He pushes his glasses up onto his forehead, his expression overly patient—something I’ve learned means he’s truly exasperated. “You know, I love these imaginary little scenarios you like to invent—” “It’s not imaginary!” I swivel to face him in the small space beneath our desk. The arm of my chair bangs into his, narrowly missing his fingers, earning me a glare in response. “You literally said yesterday that you’d take care of the cutlines! Is your memory really th