LOVE AND OTHER CONSPIRACIES by Mallory Marlowe

Publication Date: August 20, 2024

Genre: Paranormal Romance

In LOVE AND OTHER CONSPIRACIES, web series producer Hallie Barrett finds that her job is on the chopping block unless she can pull together a stand-out pitch for a new web series and find the perfect on-screen talent to carry a season. But inspiration can come from the strangest places, and after falling into the late-night internet rabbit hole, Hallie thinks she may have found her big break.

Said break comes in the form of Hayden Hargrove, an unbelievably attractive cryptid expert who has made a name for himself on the hit podcast, The Out There. Intrigued by the plucky, blue-haired producer, Hayden agrees to partner with Hallie to bring his podcast to the screen.

When the production team sees that Hayden’s solo on-screen presence is bad enough to make a ghost blanch, Hallie jumps on camera too, challenging his beliefs at every turn with a healthy dose of skepticism—and enough chemistry to skyrocket their ratings and bring the show to the top of the competition. As they venture into the world of Mothman and aliens, sparks fly and Hayden and Hallie begin to unearth feelings for each other that will shake their beliefs to the core.

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This is the debut novel for Mallory Marlowe, and she hit it out of the park. The premise of the story was quirky and fun, especially where one believes in cryptids and conspiracies and the other does not. Hallie and Hayden’s banter was witty and enjoyable. Their chemistry was immediate, and I never liked one more than the other…they were a them. I would have given it a 5, but the climax of the story pulled me out a bit due to Hallie’s behavior. It was slight, but I was disappointed in her. Thankfully she redeemed herself quickly and my love of the story was not diminished.

Overall, this was a fast-paced, smile inducing, sometimes steamy, rom-com. I still have a smile on my face and cannot wait for her next book. I love finding a new author.

*Review copy provided by Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.

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Kindle | Paperback

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Mallory Marlowe is an author and video game writer living in Los Angeles, CA. Seriously right-brained since childhood, her love of telling stories began with highly elaborate plots for her Barbie dolls and taking elementary school writing projects too seriously. She studied Writing for Film and TV at Emerson College. When she isn’t writing, she’s likely reading, stuck in LA traffic, or has fallen down a weird internet rabbit hole. Love and Other Conspiracies is her debut novel. Learn more online at www.mallorymarlowe.com.