The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemnd-Broka is the duo's first entry into the world of romance after writing YA novels. 

Katrina and Nathan wrote a bestselling book a few years ago. But their partnership ended on bad terms and they haven't spoken to each other since they book was finished. Now they're back together, in the same Florida house where they wrote their previous novel, trying to write one more. They're both holding on to anger and resentments, but will they be able to work together and will their relationship develop into something more?

Interesting characters: I finished this book three hours ago and couldn't remember the female lead's name as I sat down to type this up. That's not a good sign, is it? I feel like both of these people are terribly flawed individuals, which isn't necessarily a terrible thing, but I feel like there are other characters I would have rather liked the story from. Nathan's ex-wife would be interesting and so would Nathan's friend with benefits Deborah. Oh, well. I think I'd just rather read about this couple from the outside in rather than the inside out.

Believable conflict: Yes, I think this could happen. I am from a family of grudge holders and do think that two people who were at point really close could not speak to each other for years because of a case of poor communication in the past. But I don't think it would happen with these two characters because I don't think either of them would have been able to resist putting words to paper and sending an email or something. They communicate almost exclusively through the written word throughout the entire novel; it's a plot point that they do a lot of arguing on the page. Why wouldn't they have dealt with this issue long before the events of this book? It's not as if grudge holding is a main character trait of either one of them outside of this particular scenario.

Emotional tension: I think this is probably what people love the most about this book. It's a very slow burn. You get through the majority of the book before these two fools so much as touch one another. It definitely made you think that perhaps the book would end with them staying apart from one another, particularly with the foreshadowing of the book they were writing together. 

Happily ever after: Sure, sure, sure.

Have you ever read a book and just immediately known it wasn't for you? I should have DNFed it, but it's a book about writing and writing process and I wanted to read about how a writing team works and I wanted to love it. But it's bad writing, you all. Bad.

Consider: 

...and attempt to write obscene amounts of words. (page 27) - The use of amounts here instead of number just took me right out of the book!  

"My relationship is none of your business," I say instead, curt and cliped. A conversational CAUTION - WET FLOOR sign.

Which I should've known Nathan couldn't resist. "Of course. I'm just curious," he says, pontificating like fucking Socrates...(page 62) 

1) How is saying five words pontificating?

2) TWO metaphors in three sentences is definitely too many.

3) Why the use of the curse word there? I am not averse to a properly chosen swear, but that seems awkward.

This was not my jam and I don't think I'm being unfair to say that you should not read it.

2.5/5 stars