Cut to the Ending
A deliciously swoony Hollywood romcom about an aspiring screenwriter who gets the opportunity to write the finale of a megahit fantasy franchise, and the nerdy—but annoyingly hot—assistant she teams up with to teach her the series’ canon, for readers of How to End a Love Story and Book Lovers.
Delaney Webber knows the price of Hollywood success: long hours, a caffeine addiction, and sacrificing any semblance of a personal life. But a year after a misogynistic producer torpedoed her screenwriting career, she’s stuck running errands for her eccentric boss-slash-mentor. When he offers her the chance to finish the fantasy franchise that made him a household name—Magician’s Gambit—she jumps at the opportunity to get her career back on track. There’s just one problem: she’s never seen it.
Not-quite-reformed nerd Max Sullivan is one Slack notification away from a mental breakdown. As the assistant to one of LA’s most powerful (and terrifying) talent managers, he’s Living the Dream—aka barely keeping his anxiety in check while juggling hyper-specific coffee orders and overinflated egos. But it’s worth it for the opportunity to one day make the kind of movies his dad raised him on, movies like Magician’s Gambit.
It’s the perfect match to save both their careers. Max needs his big break; Delaney needs someone to teach her the difference between an orc and a hobbit. But as their Magician’s Gambit lessons turn strictly unprofessional and their electric chemistry becomes impossible to ignore, they must decide if their future is worth fighting for, or if it’s time to roll the credits.”
Additional information
| Classification | Fiction |
|---|---|
| Genre | Contemporary, Romance |
| Age | Adult |
| Publisher | Hachette |
| Imprint | Little, Brown |
| Language(s) | English |
| Format(s) | Trade paperback |
| Author | Maria Millage |
| Release Date | 03 November 2026 |
| Release Month | November Releases |
| Author Identity | LGBTQIA+, Neurodivergent |
| Content Rep | Neurodivergence |
About the Author
Maria first started writing in college-ruled notebooks when she was supposed to be paying attention in middle school science class. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she studied Writing for Film and Television at Emerson College before landing in Los Angeles where she works in the entertainment industry and owns too many jackets that she never gets to wear. When she’s not writing or stuck in traffic on the 101, she can usually be found buried in a good book or catering to the whims of her cat.
She is represented by Claire Friedman at InkWell Management.

