Bad Words: A Novel

When literary critic Selina Chan eviscerated Parker Navarro's debut novel four years ago, she didn't just pan a book—she torched a career. Now he's back with a second novel, and she's the critic her editor insists must review it.

Set against the razor-sharp world of contemporary publishing, *Bad Words* is a wickedly smart enemies-to-lovers romance about two people who know exactly how to wound each other—and are increasingly terrified of how much more they want to do. Parker writes with the kind of raw vulnerability that made his first book a target; Selina critiques with the precision of someone who learned long ago that feelings are a liability. When her second takedown of his work ignites a viral feud, both their careers transform overnight in ways neither anticipated. The literary world is ravenous for the spectacle, but behind the public sparring, something far more dangerous is building.

Rioghnach Robinson writes with a voice that crackles with wit and emotional intelligence, weaving incisive commentary on art, ambition, and the terrifying cost of being truly seen. This is a romance that understands how easily contempt and desire share the same heartbeat—and how the person who knows your weaknesses best might also be the only one capable of recognizing your worth.

If you've ever loved a book that made you feel too much, *Bad Words* will ruin you in the best possible way. And you'll let it.