No Other Reason by El Hoffman

From the author of The Ever-Dark comes a no-spice, cozy, beachy, childhood friends-to-lovers romantic comedy novelette.

Phoebe Johnson is a legal assistant working her way toward becoming a lawyer in Charleston, South Carolina. Stephan Hale is a soft-spoken artist in West Texas. They haven’t seen each other since childhood—not since his family suddenly moved away.

When they reconnect online and Stephan decides to visit, old memories resurface. So do feelings that never truly went away. But they’re just friends… right?

No Other Reason is a cute, high-angst, slow-burn romantic comedy about friendship, timing, and the things we don’t say—until we finally do.

About the Author

El Hoffman (born February 8, 2000) is an author, poet, and data expert. A lifelong writer, she made her debut with The Ever-Dark, a fantasy novella. She is also the author of No Other Reason, a romantic comedy novelette, and two poetry collections: The Mirror, The Mask, and All I Ask, and The Moon, The Tide, and All I Tried.

Outside of fiction, El has built a successful career implementing HubSpot for businesses and earned her Master of Science in Data Analytics from Eastern University in 2024.

When she’s not writing or working, she enjoys reading fantasy books, taking long walks, and hula hooping. She’s also passionate about video games, cooking, exploring new restaurants, and traveling.