500 First Editions

A Hot Rivals Romance (The Romantics, Book 3)

De: Maggie Gates

Narrado por: Laura Horowitz, JF Harding, Jason Clarke

Romance author Willow Winslet believes the best in everyone, unless that one is Ryan Ford.

What’s worse than being the only single person in your friend group? A hot guy in the checkout line mocking your boring Friday night.

But Ryan Ford isn’t just anyone. To Willow, he’s an intolerable dating coach, an obnoxious podcaster, and a life-coaching con artist.

Seriously, who would buy a course that claims to make people fall in love?

Ryan Ford doesn’t believe in love at first sight, until he sets his sights on Willow Winslet.

Now, he’s ready to do whatever it takes to win Willow’s heart. There’s just one problem: she hates everything about him. But what’s a little obstacle like that in the grand scheme of things?

Will she accept his public dare to give his dating program a shot? Or will she end their little game before it begins? He has three months to make her fall in love, and they’re playing for keeps.

Let the games begin.

500 First Editions is a scorching hot rivals-to-lovers slow burn romance packed with witty banter, friendly kidnappings, and the best girl gang you’ll ever meet. Get ready for a swoon-worthy happily-ever-after! This is the final book in the Romantics series, but you can enjoy it as a standalone.

©2025 Maggie Gates (P)2025 Maggie Gates

Willow/Autumn & Ryan

Excellent Narration - I didn't realize Jason Clarke was a surprise guest but BAM! Nice!!

Willow Winslet is a bestselling romance novelist. She likes small town, cozy romance vibes - a little different than her author besties. But both Wander and Whitney have found their own book boyfriends/husbands and HEAs.

While at a Romance Con, Willow runs into Ryan Ford - he has a website and podcast built around finding and nurturing relationships, and Willow thinks he's a fraud. When she calls him out on it at the conference, he challenges her to spend 3 months with him and not fall in love. They actually ran into one another the night before the conference at a convenience/drugstore, and while they didn't recognize each other, he casually mentioned "it's a nice night to meet your future husband" because he already felt the spark.

There's a cross country road trip, which brings forced proximity into the mix. Only one bed, but who's counting? The chapters from The Ford Method had me thinking - why isn't this a real thing? Maybe it is, I've been out of the dating game for a couple of decades now, but it was awesome.


Great series - the 2nd and 3rd were my favorites, but the whole premise of romance authors hanging out and plotting/writing together was great!

Sweet Scale: 5/5
Spicy Scale: 3.5/5

Perfect

I really loved Willow as a side character in the other 2 Romantics books, and I am so happy that she got her HEA. I love Ryan as her MMC, and I hate how she got done so dirty by her entire family. Overall loved this book!

Ryan F***king Ford!

Loved this book! I think it's my favorite one out of all 3 books in this series! Ryan will be your next new book husband!