The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
- SamTheBookDevotee
- Jun 20, 2022
- 3 min read

Description from Goodreads:
They were cowriting literary darlings until they hit a plot hole that turned their lives upside down.
Three years ago, Katrina Freeling and Nathan Van Huysen were the brightest literary stars on the horizon, their cowritten books topping bestseller lists. But on the heels of their greatest success, they ended their partnership on bad terms, for reasons neither would divulge to the public. They haven't spoken since, and never planned to, except they have one final book due on contract.
Facing crossroads in their personal and professional lives, they're forced to reunite. The last thing they ever thought they'd do again is hole up in the tiny Florida town where they wrote their previous book, trying to finish a new manuscript quickly and painlessly. Working through the reasons they've hated each other for the past three years isn't easy, especially not while writing a romantic novel.
While passion and prose push them closer together in the Florida heat, Katrina and Nathan will learn that relationships, like writing, sometimes take a few rough drafts before they get it right.
My Review:
I originally had no plans to read this book. I just simply wasn't interested. I didn't think it would be a bad book, but one that wouldn't leave much of an impression. So, shout out to the Once Upon A Book Club staff member that was manning their booth at Phoenix Fan Fusion a few weeks ago. She raved about the book and the box so much (plus a two-for-one sale) that I figured, why not. At the very least I'll probably like the items. I wish I knew the woman's name so I can tell Once Upon A Book Club one, how amazing she was in assisting me with my purchase, and two, how much I loved the box as a whole. I am so glad that I read The Roughest Draft. It has definitely earned a place on my bookshelf.
I enjoyed the book from the very beginning. I love the many parallels not just featured in the story itself but with the authors as well. I thought the authors did an amazing job of showing how complex emotions can be. I have never been in love, but I still could understand the emotions they portrayed through Katrina and Nathan.
I completely loved Katrina because I felt deeply connected with her. I have the same fear of not being enough and disappointing people. Even to the point of not trying at all because I didn't want to feel happy even in a moment as there is always a chance I could lose that feeling. I feel that way in almost all aspects of my life. I completely understand why she was with Chris despite him being a garbage person. I liked seeing that writing reminded her of the possibilities. I really liked Nathan as well. I did get frustrated with him at times. I agree with him that fiction can be truth veiled over with changed details, but it's not the same as owning up to your feelings and telling someone outright. He eventually came around but it killed me every time he dismissed Katrina's wish to have an actual conversation about their feelings. Other than that, I really enjoyed his point of view.
Overall, while the romance is good, I think what the book does best is character development. I strongly recommend this book if you want something that makes you think and reflect. The Roughest Draft is something that is going to stick with me for a while. Definitely a book I will re-read in the future.
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