BAD WORDS by Ríoghnach Robinson
9781250431295
10/6/26
St. Martin’s Press
Fiction / Romance / Contemporary
When this manuscript landed on my desk, passed from one sales rep to another with raving reviews, I knew I was about to read something magical. And I sure did! BAD WORDS is an absolute delight with a captivating and complicated romance at its core.
Parker Navarro is a novelist whose debut became the literary flop of the decade, thanks to a scathing review by notorious critic Selina Chan in the acclaimed City Magazine. Four years later, Parker’s new novel offers him a shot at redemption. Selina is the last person who wants to review it, but as the publication’s only Asian American staff writer, she’s given no choice. When their professional friction explodes into a viral public feud, the literary world takes sides. But while their battle rages in the headlines, a different conversation begins in private, sparked by a chance encounter on a snowy New York evening.
Ríoghnach Robinson brings immense depth to this novel. BAD WORDS brilliantly tackles timely themes like cancel culture, the corporatization of art, and the politics of storytelling. At the same time, it movingly explores chosen families, the complexities of immigrant households, and the fragile nature of self-worth.
While the romantic tension is wonderful, one of my favorite elements is how the story uncovers the fallout of their feud. By exploring the thoughts, opinions, and emotions of the onlookers taking sides, the book takes a deep look at the nature of literary criticism, challenging how these characters view success and each other. And I just love how the New York City setting is woven so seamlessly into the narrative that the city feels like a character itself.
Deeply meaningful and intensely personal, BAD WORDS is a testament to the power of books to shape and save the people devoted to them. I devoured this in two days! It is smart, magnetic, and a genuine genre-redefining romance. It will make romance readers love literature and literary readers love romance!
“The rare kind of book I can’t believe doesn’t already exist . . . [a] clear, clever voice and incisive social commentary elevate the book’s irresistible will-they-won’t-they romance to a once-in-a-lifetime read about truth, art, vulnerability, and all the sticky places they intersect. BAD WORDS left me buzzing.”—Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author of GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL LIFE
“Full of blistering barbs, incisive takedowns and searing gazes, BAD WORDS is smart and propulsive.”—Mary H.K. Choi, New York Times bestselling author of POOL HOUSE
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