A USA TODAY bestseller

The Hating Game meets Alex, Approximately in this “incredibly engaging, funny, and sweet” (School Library Journal, starred review) teen rom-com about two rival journalism students competing for the same position on their university newspaper.

Wyn is going to beat Three even if it kills her—or, preferably, him. Being freshmen staffers on the university newspaper puts them at the bottom of the pecking order—until a rare reporter spot opens up. Wyn and Three are both determined to get the position, starting a game of sabotage that pushes them to do their worst, from stealing each other’s ideas to playing twisted mind games. No road is too low when it comes to winning.

As Wyn’s search for the perfect story leads her to an anonymous, campus-wide dating app, she hits it off with a mystery man she thinks might be the cute RA from her dorm. But Wyn is all too familiar with being rejected because of her weight, and she’s hesitant to reveal her identity, even as she grows closer with someone who might be the guy of her dreams.

When Three breaks a story that’s closer to home than he or Wyn expects, the two must put aside their differences to expose the truth—and face their real feelings for each other, which threaten everything Wyn has built with her anonymous match.

"Markum caters to die-hard genre readers in this banter-rich love story...Parental pressures and friendship drama add classic teen vibes while a sensitively balanced portrayal of Wyn’s body image elevates this journalistic-rivalry-turned-romance narrative." - 3/18/2024

"A headline-worthy romance that addresses topical subjects with gravity and gaiety." - 4/15/2024