Hold Me Like a Grudge
When a fierce rivalry between two professional wrestlers grows increasingly heated, neither man can fight the attraction burning between them, in this dazzling debut romance.
From dramatic character gimmicks to death-defying stunts, everything in the world of professional wrestling is an act. Asher Ross’s hatred for Caleb Knight, however, is not. When Asher gets drafted to Global Elite Wrestling’s main roster, playing the role of Caleb’s worst enemy—the face to his heel—should be easy. Stripping him of his World Championship title should be even easier. But as the two men trade barbs and blows across arenas, they’re each surprised to find their chemistry is so sizzling, it can’t just be for the cameras.
Through training sessions, rehearsals, and injuries, Caleb’s icy demeanor melts away, and Asher begins to see the real man behind the cruel persona GEW has molded Caleb into. An unlikely truce evolves into feelings neither want to deny, but the company won’t let them be seen as anything other than bitter rivals, both in and out of the ring.
As Asher and Caleb grapple with what they truly want in an industry with a history of denying queerness, their forbidden romance comes crashing down on them, and both men are forced to decide if their relationship is real enough to last, and just how much they’re willing to fight for it.
Additional information
| Genre | LGBTQ+, Romance |
|---|---|
| Age | Adult |
| Publisher | Penguin Random House |
| Imprint | Berkley |
| Language(s) | English |
| Author | Celine Ong |
| Release Date | 31 March 2026 |
| Release Month | March Releases |
| Author Identity | BIPOC, Disabled, LGBTQIA+ |
About the Author
Born and raised in sweltering Singapore, Celine (she/they) writes queer romance novels about little court jesters with weird feelings and big hearts. Their proudest accomplishment is being able to, completely unprovoked, quote the entirety of Venom: Let There Be Carnage by heart. HOLD ME LIKE A GRUDGE (Berkley, 2026) is her debut adult queer sports romance. LOSER NEW YEAR comes out in 2027.
She is represented by Brent Taylor at Triada US Literary Agency.




