A Complete Fiction

by R.L. Maizes

With little evidence, would-be author P.J. Larkin serves a "nibble" on the trendy new social-media app Crave, accusing editor George Dunn of stealing the novel she submitted to him for publication. The nibble shoots to the top of the site's Popular Menu Items and before you can say "unpaid literary labor," George is embroiled in a scandal, his job and book deal in jeopardy. P.J.’s novel is snapped up amid the publicity, but has she revealed secrets belonging to her sister, Mia, in the book? Some diners on Crave think so and now it’s P.J.’s turn to feel the public’s scorn.
Told in the humorous vein of Where'd You Go, Bernadette?, A COMPLETE FICTION examines the very serious questions of who has a right to tell a story, and has cancel culture gone too far in our social media-drenched world.

Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Novels

280 pages, Paperback

Published November 4, 2025

About the author

R.L. Maizes is the author of the forthcoming novel A COMPLETE FICTION, the novel OTHER PEOPLE'S PETS, winner of the 2021 Colorado Book Award in Fiction, and the short story collection WE LOVE ANDERSON COOPER. Her stories have aired on National Public Radio and have appeared in Electric Literature’s Recommended Reading. Maizes's essays have aired on NPR and have been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, O Magazine, McSweeney's and elsewhere.

Born and raised in Queens, New York, Maizes currently lives in Boulder County, CO, with her husband, Steve, and her muses: Arie, a cat who was dropped in the animal shelter’s night box like an overdue library book, and Rosie, a dog who spent her first year homeless in South Dakota and thinks Colorado is downright balmy.

Reviews

[R.L. Maizes]

As the author, I've read this book many times. You wouldn't believe how many. So many I could probably recite scenes from memory to you, but I won't because I'd rather you buy it. If you don't laugh while reading it, I'll send you another one of my books and we'll try that one. But I won't send it for free. A girl has to eat.

[Violet · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7 Stars rounded up.

Two writers experience the challenges of getting their novels published and navigating cancel culture fallout. This was a well laid out plot and I stayed up late to finish the book. There are themes of sexual assault and alleged plagiarism, both serious subjects and I can't say that I found the book to be humorous. P.J. Larkin is an unlikeable character.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a writer, I enjoyed reading about other writers and their struggles in the publishing industry. P.J. has been trying to sell her novels for years without success. George has been revising and refining his book for over a decade. When George finally finds success and is offered six figures for his, it’s a dream come true. That is until P.J. sees the subject of his book on the social media platform Crave and fires off an accusation of plagiarism.

Because not long ago George’s publishing house, and specifically George, read and rejected P.J.’s latest book and she claims he stole her idea. But the theme of sexual assault in the corridors of power in Washington are a broad topic, and not P.J.’s own invention. She borrowed the idea of her story from her sister who was a victim. The repercussions of allegations flying around on Crave are damaging to all parties involved and thus begins a vicious cycle of cancelled contracts, lawsuits, and various other complications.

I found the idea of Maizies’s invented Crave quite clever and it just emphasizes how toxic those social media platforms can be. I appreciated the insight into the publishing world. The characters were well-written and I felt especially sympathetic towards George. Despite the heavy topic of assault, there was a comedic tone that came across as playful and smart. Overall, it had the tone of a dark comedy with some flawed characters.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Complete Fiction is the second novel by American author, R L Maizes.
Start with:
1 female author of three unpublished novels, making a living as a rideshare driver
1 male author of one unpublished novel, working as a senior editor for a small publishing house
2 #metoo novels, each based on a similar-sounding premise, written from life, if not always the author’s own
1 rejection of a novel by said editor, on the basis of there being a glut of #metoo novels
1 bidding war that results in a million-dollar offer, loudly announced on a social media platform
1 impulsive, inflammatory comment on said social media post: “Hey @GeorgeDunn congratulations on the sale of UP THE HILL. Your book sounds a lot like my book, HALLS OF POWER, which my agent sent you. Not good enough to publish but good enough to steal?”
Also, a good dose of disgruntlement in the literary world about white male privilege.

The eruption on social media is no surprise, but is the assumption of plagiarism, made by many, valid? Clearly it’s not going to end there, especially when you add:
1 sister who thinks the novel is about her
1 retired Senator who warns that the novel better not be about her.

There’s a decided lack of complete honesty by each protagonist: George Dunn hasn’t plagiarised P.J.’s plot, but he has borrowed something from her manuscript, something small that he’d admired; P.J. Larkin has done a mountain of research, but doesn’t reveal and, in fact, initially denies, what the original inspiration was for the novel.

Before matters are resolved, there are dismissals, estrangements, lawsuits and countersuits, gaslighting, sides taken in many, many social media posts, plenty of offence given and taken and, eventually, an apology.

Most of the story is told in alternating narratives. While P.J. is, at first, not all that likeable, Maizes does surround her with people who offer perspective and wisdom and pull her up about flawed logic and uncharitable attitudes. George is saddled with a rather selfish father, a mother who loves him but lacks spine, and luckily, a very supportive wife. The lawyer for whose services Cyrus Dunn eventually deigns to pay is well worth the cost.

Maizes deftly illustrates how what’s on the surface is likely not the whole story, paints a very realistic picture of what it’s like to be an author, gives the reader a depiction of the publishing industry redolent with authenticity, and demonstrates the shocking power of social media. And she does all that with humour and compassion and insight.
This unbiased review is from a copy provided by Text Publishing.

[Liane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Complete Fiction is a complete delight, which comes as no surprise, since I’ve long been a fan of R.L. Maizes’ work. In this sharp, witty novel, she exposes the underbelly of the literary world and asks provocative questions: Has cancel culture gone too far? What are the ethics of writing about the people in our lives? Who has the right to tell a story, and must you have lived an experience firsthand to write about it? As a writer, I always enjoy novels about other writers, and this one especially resonated. It reminded me of R.F. Kuang’s Yellowface but with more sympathetic characters. Imaginative, engaging, and thought‑provoking, A Complete Fiction is a clever and satirical exploration of social media, cancel culture, and publishing.

[Kristin Koval · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky to get my hands on an early copy of this gem (full disclosure, I’ve pre-ordered a copy, but I asked the author for an early copy because I couldn’t wait). R.L. Maizes’s signature dark humor is on display in this clever take on the mob mentality of social media, writing, and publishing. I couldn’t stop reading as I watched the characters in A Complete Fiction make their way through the morass of the fictional social media vehicle called Crave, along with nibbles (akin to tweets), munches, and closing menus. It raises tough questions about literary censorship and who a story belongs to, and I love how Maizes twisted right and wrong, black and white, and all the shades of grey into a lovely pretzel that provided plenty of food for thought. Pun intended!

[Susan Perabo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book isn't out yet, but you should pre-order it *right now* so that you can have it in your hands on release day. This is a smart, funny, painfully accurate novel about writers and writing. You definitely don't have to be a writer to enjoy it -- the family dynamics on display will be cringingly familiar to every adult with parents and siblings, and the dark humor will appeal to all who like their comedy served with a side of nails -- but if you are a writer you will find it especially powerful. It's that kind of book that makes you wonder if the writer has been spying on you. In the good way!

[Carol Ann Tack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific character development, a true signature of how great a writer R.L. Maizes is. The nuance and conflicts throughout the book are so poignant, you find yourself rooting for these characters even with all that conflict. I felt like I knew them, understood their motivations, and simply had to find out what was going to happen to them.
Timely, smart, humorous, and incredibly compelling. For heaven’s sake Netflix, get on this one stat!

[Davida Chazan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book seemed very relevant to today's world about the #metoo movement as well as the literary world where accusations can sometimes make or break a book.

My review can be found here. https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2025/11/0...

[Text Publishing]

The following book reviews have been shared by Text Publishing – publisher of A Complete Fiction

‘R.L Maizes' A Complete Fiction is a plotty, poignant exploration of influence, avarice and literary rivalry. Full of twists, turns and reversals, this novel brilliantly skewers the ruthless publishing machine, and asks once and for all who gets to tell a story and why. It's eminently devourable!’
Dominic Amerena, author of I Want Everything

‘R. L. Maizes’ blend of humour and empathy is a rare alchemy. In A Complete Fiction, she is at the height of her powers. Maizes takes the universal elements of family and truth and places them within the world of contemporary publishing and politics. The result is a propulsive, funny, complex, and deeply original novel.’
Kevin Wilson, author of Run for the Hills

‘A joy to read, a roller-coaster ride that hooks from the first paragraph’
Sydney Arts Guide

‘The crafty and clever satire is unfettered by authorial doubt’
Westword

‘A novel that is snappy and frothy but has a nuanced point to make about human behavior.’
Los Angeles Weekly Times

‘A clever novel that remains both entertaining and funny throughout.’ [4.5 stars]
Novel Feelings

‘Compulsively readable.’
Los Angeles Weekly Times

[Julie Vick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read an advanced copy of this book and thought it was a funny and thought-provoking read that raises a lot of good questions about what authors choose to focus on and the pitfalls of social media. I think writers will appreciate the questions raised and find a lot of good things to discuss.

[Briann Shear · Rating 5 out of 5]

R.L. Maizes is so skillful in developing characters who are so humanly imperfect you can’t help but love them. And this novel sets them in a wild metaphysical setting all about the modern business of book writing, publishing, and social media. Deliciously funny and wise.

[Hilary Zaid · Rating 5 out of 5]

A propulsive page-turner, RL Maizes's second novel is also a complex and deeply humane take on our 21st century predicament living in the age of social media. A tale of two writers hopelessly entangled in a question of whose story is whose, and who gets to tell a story, A COMPLETE FICTION skillfully weaves alternating viewpoints to keep turning the screw and to frustrate our sense of who is the victim and who is the villain. As it should be. Life is most often much more complicated than that. Brava to Maizes for asking the more difficult questions and limning the more nuanced viewpoints. This is a brilliant rejoinder to the culture of complaint and a very enjoyable novel to read - a very fine balance to manage. I couldn't put it down!

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

R.L. does it again with this novel. I laughed, I cried and I shouted haha. P.J. Larkin is such a complex and well written character. I could not stop turning the pages to see why would happen next. A real triumph!

I received an advanced copy from the author and chose to wrote an honest review.

[T.G. Hardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

ENGROSSING, THOUGHT-PROVOKING, BEAUTIFULLY-WRIITEN and MEMORABLE
Maizes created two characters I quickly cared about, and propelled them on a head-long course to certain ruin -- one of them for sure, and perhaps both. A tense situation, that, and therefore riveting. It is a sad situation as well, but the author leavens that outlook with the good-spirited, irreverent humor that imbues her narrative voice, both here and in her collection of short stories.

[Carrie Esposito · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic exploration of the minds and hearts of two writers navigating publishing, social media, family and relationships. Very funny and fast-paced - a novel with soul, wit, and a unique, timely plot!

[Jeff Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Complete Fiction is a really entertaining tale about the insecurities of writers and a realistic glimpse into the dog-eat-dog world of book publishing (reminded me a bit of R.F. Kuang’s Yellowface, another novel about the dark side of book publishing that I also loved). A Complete Fiction is also an enlightening look at social media and the cancel culture it creates.

Maizes is a talented, versatile writer, capable of handling heavy topics like sexual predation and addiction, as she does here, as well as crafting humorous comedic scenes. And she is brilliant at developing deep, realistically flawed human characters; P.J. Larkin and George Dunn will reside in my heart and mind for quite a while, and the supporting characters are just as memorable. From a small press, A Complete Fiction is so much better than a lot of the overhyped drivel put out by the big publishers. I enjoyed it so much I’m going to try Maizes’ first novel, Other People’s Pets.

[Richard Derus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real Rating: 4.25* of five

The Publisher Says: With little evidence, would-be author P.J. Larkin serves a "nibble" on the trendy new social-media app Crave, accusing editor George Dunn of stealing the novel she submitted to him for publication. The nibble shoots to the top of the site's Popular Menu Items and before you can say "unpaid literary labor," George is embroiled in a scandal, his job and book deal in jeopardy. P.J.’s novel is snapped up amid the publicity, but has she revealed secrets belonging to her sister, Mia, in the book? Some diners on Crave think so and now it’s P.J.’s turn to feel the public’s scorn.

Told in the humorous vein of Where'd You Go, Bernadette?, A COMPLETE FICTION examines the very serious questions of who has a right to tell a story, and has cancel culture gone too far in our social media-drenched world.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Bitterly funny takedown/send-up of the corrosive world-view promoted by the algorithms of "engagement" that tech scum have foisted on social media users.

A writer manquée takes umbrage at a writer-editor (dangerous combination) publishing a novel that she feels is closely based on her own rejected novel. She stirs up a firestorm of outrage by accusing the male editor of plagiarism. The entire little world of this (invented; also brilliant, someone get on developing this!) app erupts! The consequences are multivarious, and serious, for all concerned.

Using social media is something most of us do, in 2025 in the US anyway. We're increasingly dependent on it. Without it, stuck in a place I can't physically leave with any ease or comfort, I'd go insane from boredom. Yet I see frequent idiocy plagues run rife on many platforms, as well as the darker side of the world of these apps that spy on us via "cookies" and increasingly via "AI" moderation. It's a world run by algorithms. These do not, in and of themselves, present a problem; it's the scum that decide how the algorithms should be written that present an existential threat to civil discourse.

In the publishing industry, plagiarism accusations are taken very seriously. It's shocking to me that more of the opposition to "AI"'s rise isn't centered very publicly, very loudly, and outside industry circles around the reality that it's trained on plagiarized material. Nonetheless, the use of this colossal, often career-blemishing accusation as the basis of this tale is heartening. It is not a "yes he did it" or a "she made this accusation in bad faith" story. It really delves into the complicated reality of emotional reality not meshing with consensus reality. It offers a chance to examine how deeply the roots of creativity entwine with personal identity. How very toxic anything can become when it attacks, as you see it, the roots of your identity. How deeply unwise, how destructive, how of necessity unfair, it is for outsiders to take sides and form mobs about things they can't know in detail sufficient to warrant such partisanship.

In this way, Author Maizes skewers our cultural moment's absence of perspective. She offers us alternating perspectives. She makes each writer take a turn in her narrative hot seat because "nobody's perfect" isn't a nostrum for defusing conflict by accident. In the end, however, I was enlightened by this technique more than I was drawn to invest in the characters by it. I had no sympathy for PJ and fairly little for George at any given moment, yet their imbroglio compelled my attention throughout the read.

So while I can't offer a full fifth star, I can say I was eager to come back to the read every time I had to put it down, and had the fun I badly needed while reading this pretty scathing story. No one, especially not the reader, comes out of this fight unscarred.

Very much a recommended read.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every now and then, a book comes along that doesn’t just entertain—it pokes at the edges of our comfort zones and asks the hard questions. A Complete Fiction is one of those reads. I picked it up expecting a juicy publishing scandal, and what I got was a layered, provocative story that had me thinking long after I turned the last page.

At the heart of the novel is P.J. Larkin, a would-be author who posts a “nibble” on the social media app Crave—accusing editor George Dunn of stealing her manuscript. With little evidence, the post goes viral, and suddenly George’s career and reputation are hanging by a thread. The twist? George’s own #MeToo experience inspired the story, while P.J. wrote it based on her sister’s trauma. Cue the moral minefield: who owns a story, and what happens when cancel culture turns its lens on the accuser?

This book reminded me of the messy, emotionally charged conversations we often avoid—especially in today’s social media-saturated world. It’s not just about plagiarism or publishing politics; it’s about consent, authorship, and the ethics of storytelling. I found myself torn between empathy for George, whose life unravels in real time, and discomfort with P.J.’s choices. The novel doesn’t offer easy answers, and that’s what makes it so compelling.

As someone who’s spent years reviewing books and watching the literary world evolve, A Complete Fiction felt eerily timely. It echoes the real-life tensions between truth and narrative, especially in the age of viral posts and instant outrage. I also appreciated how the story subtly explored neurodiversity and trauma without turning characters into caricatures.

This isn’t a cozy read—it’s sharp, smart, and sometimes unsettling. But it’s also deeply human. If you’ve ever wondered about the ethics of writing someone else’s pain, or felt uneasy about the speed at which cancel culture moves, this book will resonate.

A must-read for anyone who loves fiction that challenges, provokes, and reflects the world we live in and if you loved Yellowface by RF Kuang, you will enjoy A Complete Fiction by RL Maizes as it gave me similar vibes of touching on an important subject in the world of publishing of who gets to tell what story and why?

[Michael Doane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Complete Fiction is a sharp, funny, and unsettlingly relevant novel that captures the chaos of storytelling in the age of social media outrage. R. L. Maizes blends wit with moral complexity, delivering a narrative that entertains while asking difficult, necessary questions about authorship, accountability, and public judgment.

What begins as a seemingly small online accusation a “nibble” on a viral food-themed app quickly spirals into a full-blown scandal, exposing how rapidly reputations can be dismantled in digital spaces. The novel’s pacing mirrors the velocity of online outrage, making the reading experience both exhilarating and uncomfortable. Maizes captures the absurdity of cancel culture without trivializing its consequences.

At the heart of the novel is the tension between personal truth and artistic license. P.J.’s success raises unsettling questions about who owns a story and what happens when fiction collides with private lives. The relationship between P.J. and her sister Mia adds emotional depth, grounding the satire in real human stakes and reminding readers that behind every viral moment are people absorbing real damage.

Maizes’s prose is brisk, observant, and laced with humor reminiscent of Where’d You Go, Bernadette?, yet A Complete Fiction never relies solely on charm. It interrogates power, privilege, and unpaid labor in publishing while remaining accessible and genuinely entertaining.

Timely without being preachy, A Complete Fiction is a smart, compulsively readable novel that will resonate with readers who live online, work in creative industries, or simply wonder how justice and truth operate in a world governed by clicks and virality.

[Helene Cohen Bludman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me say at the outset that I am a huge fan of this author. Her collection of short stories, We Love Anderson Cooper, and her novel, Other Peoples' Pets, are favorites of mine that I have recommended many times.

Maizes ventures into the dark side of modern day publishing, social media and cancel culture in her latest novel. The premise, that a publishing house editor stole an idea coming from the submission of an aspiring author, is reminiscent of stories in the news in recent years. Maizes creates a social media platform called Crave (very well imagined) on which the author vents about this alleged thievery, and an explosion of outrage and sympathy ensues. However, the tables are turned when the author is discovered to have co-opted a private trauma of her sister's in her novel, incurring the wrath of her previous supporters and others, including her family.

A Complete Fiction is a terrific selection for a book group, and you don't have to be a writer to appreciate the themes, such as, can ideas be copyrighted? Is it ethical for an author to co-opt someone else's personal business, no matter how thoroughly she thinks she has masked the details? How does one juggle respect for privacy with telling stories we feel compelled to tell? What are the ramifications of putting someone on trial on social media? And further, with the advent of AI, will plagiarism become more and more of a threat? What lies ahead can only be imagined, and Maizes has prompted this conversation.

I received an advance copy and this is my honest review.

[Lisa Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Complete Fiction” by R.L. Maizes is a sharp, witty, and unsettlingly relevant novel that captures the chaos, humor, and high stakes of storytelling in the social-media age. With the same quirky energy and satirical bite that made Where’d You Go, Bernadette a hit, Maizes crafts a tale that is laugh-out-loud funny while digging into the very real tensions surrounding authorship, integrity, and public judgment.

The book follows aspiring writer P.J. Larkin, who ignites a firestorm with a single accusation on the viral app Crave, a digital world where outrage spreads faster than truth. When her “nibble” accusing editor George Dunn of theft rockets to the top of the platform, both their lives are thrown into disarray. Careers crumble, reputations warp overnight, and what begins as a search for validation spirals into a spectacle neither of them can control. Maizes brilliantly exposes how easily narratives are weaponized and how quickly the online crowd becomes judge, jury, and executioner.

As P.J.’s sudden fame collides with her family’s private history, the novel takes on deeper emotional resonance, asking piercing questions about who gets to tell a story, and at what cost. The characters are flawed, hilarious, and painfully human, making every twist feel both entertaining and achingly authentic.

Smart, timely, and irresistibly clever, A Complete Fiction is a standout satire that balances warmth with razor-sharp insight. Maizes delivers a novel as thought-provoking as it is wildly fun to read, a modern literary gem for the social-media era.

[Deborah Fries · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!

When Erik Erikson introduced his eight stages of psychosocial development in 1950, his arc of maturity concluded with the final conflict of Integrity vs Despair at the end of life. In A Complete Fiction, R. L. Maizes knows we don’t have to wait until we are in our sixth decade to wrestle with this crisis if we are driven by aspirations of visibility and ascendance. Especially if we are writers. Especially if we are prone to making impulsive posts on social media.

Maizes is brilliant in her understanding of ambition and competition in our current climate of public discourse and tribalism. Ambition – in the arts, sports and politics – must navigate public opinion, capitalism, self-doubt, and time. Competition – in the reactive publishing industry – can be fed or thwarted by the same forces.

In A Complete Fiction, Maizes introduces us to two lovingly fleshed-out novelists. Both writers have put in the work but find themselves quickly losing control of competing narratives. Both must weigh integrity against despair.

I loved this book. I waited a long time for fulfillment of my pre order. It was worth the wait.

[Adrienne Scanlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading A Complete Fiction during a Labor Day Weekend family retreat, and the only thing that could make me put it down was dinner and lights out in the cabin. A Complete Fiction takes a contemporary issue – a literary cancellation driven by frenzied social media – and explores it in a plot-driven, alternating point of view novel where the main characters, and their family and friends, discuss and debate and live out who has the right to tell someone’s story, what cancel culture is (and what justice is), and what it means to have complicated in-real-life relationships in a social media drenched world. A Complete Fiction is that rare, necessary novel that chews over complicated contemporary issues while staying fully accessible to a wide range of readers. By the novel’s bittersweet end, both the protagonist and his antagonist have become wiser, braver, and more compassionate people to their friends and family, and the reader has a book to think about and recommend for years to come.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

RL Maizes has written another book, even better than her other terrific novels and short stories, Other People's Pets and We Love Anderson Cooper.
In her newest novel,A Complete Fiction, Maizes brings us into the world of publishing, also into the life and mind of the writer.
In a quite entertaining way Maizes covers the very serious subject of the #metoo movement. Talking about sexual abuse and how it affects the victim and also by extension the family of the abused. The subject is the topic that propels the plot forward of two authors writing a story of someone being abused in the workplace. Each story is different but there is one theme that is the same in both novels, the viewpoint of the attacker.
In the end of this fast paced entertaining novel authors, friends and family all come out having learned incredible lessons.

[Meg Richman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was sheer pleasure. I only put it down to sleep.
It was clever and funny, the characters were imperfect but lovingly real, and while it amused it also addressed important questions about writing and publishing. How much can an author reveal of the lives of friends and family? When are those lives inspiration and when is the writer simply a vampire, drinking the narrative blood of those who don't want to have their stories revealed?
The publishing world is notoriously fickle and cruel, as are the algorithms on social media. R.L. Maize's book puts the drama of these worlds to excellent use in a novel you'll devour.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of R. L. Maizes for years now. Having read and loved Other People's Pets and We Love Anderson Cooper, I couldn't wait to get my hands on A Complete Fiction. Maizies' satirical wit and vast imagination are once again on full display in this novel that, I have to admit, was a very welcome escape from current events. Writers, of course, will appreciate the set up at work here, but it's a captivating read for anyone. I marvel over Maizies' ability to create full, vivid characters, clever, razor-sharp dialogue, and masterful plotting. I won't give away the story, but I highly recommend this book, her best to date in my opinion, and that's saying a lot. Read it.

[Joan Leegant · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Complete Fiction is a lively, fast-paced novel that becomes positively propulsive by the end: I read the last quarter of the book in one sitting because I had to know what happened. And what a great payoff it was. (Hint: If you think reading about a legal deposition is boring, think again.) This is a novel that lets you genuinely root for the good guys while not turning the bad guys into caricatures. Or, even better, turning the good guys into caricatures either. R.L Maizes has a masterful hold on her story, and it shows. A great read.

[Elissa Cahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Complete Fiction is compulsively readable, and the satire of social media via a fictional app called Crave is absolutely hilarious. Told in alternating voices, this novel had me rooting for both main characters despite the fact that they're enemies. Underneath the humor lie important questions about the consequences of jumping to conclusions about a book one hasn't read and what sort of borrowing from others is ethically acceptable for writers. This novel is so well-plotted and well-paced that I couldn't put it down!

[Susanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wise and funny book (and at times, a bit cringe-inducing -- cringing from recognition of the narrator's foibles) by an author I've never read. I enjoyed the back-and-forth between two imperfect authors writing about the difficult subject of sexual assault and reckoning with the implications of their actions. Each character is clearly drawn, and the relationships between them believable and relatable, as they grapple with the political and social impacts of the two novels in the story and the authors who created them.