Don't Judge an Author by Her Cover
(2026)(A book in the No Autographs Please series)
A novel by KE Strand
She gave the world her words—but never her truth.
Eighteen-year-old Josie Cohen has been living a double life. By day, she’s a quiet, overlooked redhead who hides behind oversized sweaters and fantasy novels. By night—under the secret pen name EJ Cowan—she’s a bestselling author who paints herself purple, slips on wings, and becomes the fierce fairy heroine millions adore.
No one at school knows the invisible girl in the back row created their favorite universe.
Until Evan Flammer walks into a Halloween party dressed as her male lead—the swoon-worthy fairy warrior born from her imagination. When he pulls off the look even better than she dreamed, Josie risks everything to step out of her shell and talk to him. Their connection is instant, unexpected, and terrifyingly real.
But there’s one thing she never tells him: he’s falling for the author his sister idolizes—and she''s been lying to him the entire time.
When Evan brings his sister to a crowded book signing and recognizes the girl behind the purple makeup, the truth explodes. He feels betrayed. She feels shattered. And suddenly, the fantasy world she built may cost her the one real thing she’s ever wanted.
Can Josie earn back his trust when her entire relationship was built on a secret? Or will she have to strip away her disguise—both on the page and in her heart—to prove he means more to her than her fear?
If you crave slow-burn romance, hidden identities, secret fame, and a grovel-worthy love interest who’ll have you screaming at the pages, then Don’t Judge an Author by Her Cover is your next addictive read. Wanting and hurting never felt so magical.
Genre: Young Adult Romance
Eighteen-year-old Josie Cohen has been living a double life. By day, she’s a quiet, overlooked redhead who hides behind oversized sweaters and fantasy novels. By night—under the secret pen name EJ Cowan—she’s a bestselling author who paints herself purple, slips on wings, and becomes the fierce fairy heroine millions adore.
No one at school knows the invisible girl in the back row created their favorite universe.
Until Evan Flammer walks into a Halloween party dressed as her male lead—the swoon-worthy fairy warrior born from her imagination. When he pulls off the look even better than she dreamed, Josie risks everything to step out of her shell and talk to him. Their connection is instant, unexpected, and terrifyingly real.
But there’s one thing she never tells him: he’s falling for the author his sister idolizes—and she''s been lying to him the entire time.
When Evan brings his sister to a crowded book signing and recognizes the girl behind the purple makeup, the truth explodes. He feels betrayed. She feels shattered. And suddenly, the fantasy world she built may cost her the one real thing she’s ever wanted.
Can Josie earn back his trust when her entire relationship was built on a secret? Or will she have to strip away her disguise—both on the page and in her heart—to prove he means more to her than her fear?
If you crave slow-burn romance, hidden identities, secret fame, and a grovel-worthy love interest who’ll have you screaming at the pages, then Don’t Judge an Author by Her Cover is your next addictive read. Wanting and hurting never felt so magical.
Genre: Young Adult Romance