ONLY FRIENDS

A screenwriter and a model team up to create spicy, Regency-era-themed social media content.

Recently fired from her job, Mariel Rivera finally has time to write her screenplay…if she could only figure out what to write about. Instead, she keeps toying with the idea of crafting X-rated videos featuring the Duke of Harding, a character of her creation. When she meets model-turned-cosplayer Dashwood Bennet in Times Square one day, he looks exactly as she imagined her duke. Dash makes his money from OnlyFans and, like Mariel, is a fan of historical romance novels, so he’s thrilled by her idea. She’ll write the scripts; he’ll be the star. The pair hit it off immediately, but when flirtation leads to the possible start of something more meaningful, Mariel gets scared. She’s been ghosted one too many times and knows she has a tendency to run away from problems. Dash has his own relationship hang-ups—his propensity for people-pleasing coupled with his yearning for a committed partner have led to his being used in the past. As their social media following grows exponentially, they have to decide if they’re just business partners or willing to take the risk of entering a romantic relationship. The concept of this story is enticing and the New York setting shines. The casual diversity, from Mariel’s Dominican heritage to Dash’s queerness, is nicely woven in, but while they’re appealing characters, they lack depth. All the conflicts they face—even within themselves—feel surface level. Their romance is sweet, but because there isn’t much complexity, it starts to feel repetitive. Although explicit content is the characters’ work, this book is surprisingly on the more moderate side, mostly favoring sweetness over spice.

Fun premise, but underbaked in execution.