Never Date a Genius

9 Years

Author’s Note

I started writing this book back in 2016, and honestly, it was part of my little bucket list. I had this simple idea in my mind, of something sweet, something young, something that would bring back the feeling of what it’s like to fall in love for the very first time. I wanted to evoke memories of childhood. That time when love felt innocent and pure, yet just as capable of breaking your heart.

I’ve never been someone who believed in whirlwind romances or falling in love within a week. To me, attraction sparks instantly, but love,  real, lasting love, takes time. It’s built slowly, shaped by laughter, tears, forgiveness, and choices. And so, I wanted to create a world where love feels authentic… where it grows, falters, heals, and transforms into something truly precious.

From the very start, I’ll admit it, I always imagined Sophie ending up with Mason. But there was always a quiet “what if” lingering in the back of my mind… what if she chose Jason instead? Because love isn’t always one thing. It can be fiery and volatile, like Mason, burning with intensity. But it can also be gentle and safe, like Jason, soft enough to hold without fear of breaking.

That’s why Sophie’s story was never about an easy answer, it was about the journey. It was about her heart, her fears, her choices. Mason had to fight for her, not just against Jason, but against his own mistakes, his history, and his demons. He had to prove that love doesn’t have to hurt to be real. That it can be sweet. That it can be calm. That it can be full of laughter and second chances.

I had so many possible chapters in mind, but ultimately, I decided to stay true to this ending, the one where Sophie and Mason’s story finds its quiet resolution. I hope you felt their struggles, their longing, and their growth as much as I did while writing it.

But this isn’t the end.

While I love Sophie and Mason, there was another story, Chris and Yasmin’s, quietly unfolding in the background, and I knew, deep down, that theirs deserved its own book.

Chris has always been a mystery. He’s wealthy, confident, and seemingly put together, but underneath that image lies something darker, a boy carrying the weight of a broken home and mistakes he wishes he could undo. And Yasmin… Yasmin is his light. Sweet, funny, and full of warmth, she’s the reason Chris learned how to love, how to breathe, how to hope again.

But what happens when the past threatens to destroy everything? What happens when the one mistake Chris has kept buried for so long finally comes crashing into the present, right when he knows losing Yasmin would shatter him completely?

That’s the story I want to tell next. A story about love and forgiveness, about fighting your demons, and about holding on when everything feels like it’s slipping away. Chris might have been a supporting character here, but in the next book, he’ll take center stage.

Maybe someday, I’ll write Jason’s story too. He deserves one, a love that’s truly his. But for now, we follow Chris and Yasmin.

To everyone who has been with me from the start, some of you have been reading and waiting for nine years, I cannot thank you enough. When I started this book, I didn’t expect anyone to read it, let alone connect with it. Yet here you are, and knowing that even one person found comfort, joy, or tears in these pages… it fills my heart more than words can say.

Thank you for growing with these characters.

Thank you for believing in them.

Thank you for being here.

I’ll see you in the next book.

With all my love,
Onem