While You Were Seething by Charlotte Stein

A swoon-worthy, high-tension romance that proves love, desire, and big feelings were never the problem…

The novel kicks off with Caleb, a wildly successful romance writer, doing the unthinkable: completely alienating his fan base by declaring that love, as he writes it, is fake. Made up. Not real. Enter Daisy, who is hired to rehabilitate his image and get him through an upcoming book tour. The catch? Daisy and Caleb have been at odds since college, and now, with Caleb’s book sales and Daisy’s professional reputation on the line, they’re forced to work together and make sure the tour goes smoothly.

Spoiler: it absolutely does not.

Before long, the two find themselves trapped in a fake dating scenario, and the simmering tension between them quickly turns scorching. What follows is a sharp, sexy, emotionally charged story that had me hooked from start to finish.

This book is beautifully written and deeply swoon-worthy, and I loved that it is not dual POV. I know dual POVs have become hugely popular in recent years, but if you’ve read my reviews before, you know I’m pretty critical of them. For me, dual POV often kills the tension. When I’m inside both characters’ heads, I already know how they feel without them having to reveal it to each other, and that mystery is a huge part of what makes romance work. I also find that male POVs are sometimes written in ways that feel inauthentic, as if the character thinks and speaks exactly like a woman. Having grown up around boys and maintaining many close male friendships, even very feminist ones, that portrayal often feels off to me.

Thankfully, While You Were Seething avoids all of those pitfalls. The tension is delicious, the chemistry is palpable, and the spice is immaculate. I’ve been gushing about this book for weeks, and for good reason.

On top of all that, Daisy is plus size, or at least on the higher end of mid-size, and as a reader, I absolutely love seeing myself reflected in romance. This book is for the plus size girls who were told they felt too much. For those who were made to feel like a problem for being too sexual, for enjoying sex, for believing in big, dramatic romance, or for being open about their desires and emotions. This story pushes back against all of that and boldly declares that none of those things are flaws. It’s the kind of book I wish I had found years ago.

Now, I know I’ve probably gotten you very excited, but I do have to end with a bit of disappointment: this book doesn’t come out until April 14, 2026. That said, I highly recommend pre-ordering it, because I have no doubt it will be one of the standout reads of the year.

RATING: 5/5
SPICE: 3.4/5