by Page Powars
First published 2026
Rory has built his entire identity around being perfect. The heir to a global tutoring empire, he studies relentlessly and never accepts defeat. But Luca Melendez keeps beating him at every academic competition, and the effortlessly attractive hockey player barely seems to try. When Rory snaps and hurls a smoothie at Luca in public, his carefully maintained image crumbles. Now he needs to win BRAIN, the nation's most ruthless academic competition, to restore his reputation. Then Luca shows up at the same camp. Rory devises a twisted strategy: seduce Luca into falling for him, then crush his heart right before the final round. The plan should give Rory the psychological edge he needs to claim victory. But manipulating someone means getting close to them, and Rory discovers that playing with emotions is far more dangerous than any academic challenge.
Genres: fiction, romance, contemporary-romance, academic
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, manipulation
304 pages · Hardcover · Roaring Book Press