My Books & Stories
I write desi slowburn romance and queer YA stories full of heart, humor, and all the messy feelings. Here is a peek into my published worlds.
The algorithm thinks you might like my books. "Match Me If You Can" is a slowburn friends-to-lovers romance, while "Can't Help Faking in Love" is a slowburn fake dating romance.
I'm a mom of two book babies! "Match Me If You Can" is a desi friends-to-lovers story, and "Can't Help Faking in Love" is a desi fake dating romance.
Unboxing final copies of my second book, "Can't Help Faking in Love." I started writing this in 2019, and now it's a real book! It's a desi fake dating romance about a woman who hires a barista for her cousin's wedding.
Another unboxing of my second romance novel, "Can't Help Faking in Love." It's about a woman with Bollywood roots who hires a barista as her fake boyfriend, and it's releasing in February 2025.
Unboxing my ARCs of "As Long as You Loathe Me." This queer rivals-to-lovers YA romance is one of my upcoming projects, and I can't wait to share it.
My sapphic YA rivals-to-lovers romance, "As Long as You Loathe Me," was inspired by Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me" music video. It's about a teen who tries to get back at her ex-best friend but ends up falling for her instead.
A closer look at "As Long as You Loathe Me." This queer YA romance features a friends-to-rivals-to-lovers plot, a bi/pan romance, a coming-out story, and anxiety representation.
Announcing my third adult romance novel, "Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt." It's a second-chance workplace romance about two lawyers who have a vacation fling and meet again at the same office a year later.
A reader's review of "Match Me If You Can." They call it a "must-read for all people, especially for the fans of romance," and I'm so grateful for their kind words.
A highlighted passage from a reader's copy of my book. "Maybe falling in love wasn't a choice, but working on nurturing that love within a relationship absolutely was."
About My Books & Stories
Writing isn't just about putting words on a page; it is about the messy, unglamorous reality of the author's life that feeds them. Each of these stories, from my debut Match Me If You Can to my upcoming queer YA projects, started as a tiny, chaotic idea I scribbled down while drinking too much tea, stressing over deadlines, or dealing with the rejection letters that come with the territory.
Becoming a published author was not a straight line. It was a path paved with over 400 rejections across six different manuscripts before I finally signed with Penguin Random House. That journey is why I write the way I do. I want to tell stories that feel like home—desi stories filled with family expectations, vibrant culture, and the kind of slowburn romance that makes you want to throw your book across the room in frustration (and then immediately pick it up again).
My stories explore tropes I personally love: friends-to-lovers, fake dating, and rivals-to-lovers. Whether it is a magazine writer in Mumbai or a teenager navigating an anxiety-filled coming-out story, my characters are always messy, flawed, and trying their best.
I believe in representation, especially when it comes to unapologetic queer joy in Young Adult literature. Seeing myself and my experiences reflected in stories is what kept me going when I was just a nerdy kid scribbling in notebooks. If you are looking for your next read, I hope you find something in these pages that makes you laugh, cry, or just feel a little less alone.
Swati Hegde
I’m a Bangalore-based author who thrives on matcha, cats, and the kind of romance novels that make you feel everything. I spent years scribbling stories in notebooks before finally landing my book deal, and now I’m here to share those worlds with you.
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