Lessons in Love & Other Clichés

Livia Harper thought leaving her high-stress law firm job for the tranquil world of publishing would be an improvement. But after seven months of editing romance novels, she's convinced love is nothing more than a fantasy sold to the masses. To her, romance is just a collection of clichés and tropes no one actually lives.

After her criticism of one of their star authors earns her a formal complaint, Livia is summoned to a meeting with Cassian, the enigmatic head of Cassian & Evander Publishing. Facing termination, Livia is offered an unusual ultimatum: she must test the most popular romantic tropes in real life. If she proves love is as unrealistic as she claims, she can transfer to the Sci-Fi department, her true goal. If not, she's out of a job.

With her livelihood on the line, Livia embarks on a series of increasingly absurd misadventures. From fake dating to the infamous love triangle, every trope pushes her patience-and her preconceived notions of love. Along the way, she meets a colorful cast of characters: a charming barista who seems straight out of a rom-com, a brooding artist with a penchant for solitude, and even a childhood friend who suddenly looks like Mr. Perfect.

But as the experiment unfolds, Livia begins to confront her own fears and vulnerabilities. And when all the tropes lead her back to Cassian-a man who seems to know far more about love than he lets on-she starts to wonder if the clichés she mocked might hold more truth than she ever expected.