On Sale: Nov 3, 2026
Page Count: 368 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
ISBN-13: 9780316605977

$18.99

$24.99 CAD

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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.

“A must-read love letter to fandoms and Hollywood.” —Laura Marie Meyers, author of The MASH Up

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.

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"Sharply written, cinematic, and packed with tension, Cut to the Ending is a love story with depth, banter, and compelling characters that stick with you long after their happily ever after. A must-read love letter to fandoms and Hollywood, it hooked me from page one. I adored it."
Laura Marie Meyers, author of The MASH Up
"Cut to the Ending is a tremendous debut and exactly what makes romance so great. It'll make you laugh with clever banter one second, punch you in the feels and make you melt the next. Every single character is truly living and breathing, from Delaney and Max to even the most fleeting side characters, and the deft knowledge of the entertainment industry make this book a masterclass in Hollywood romances. Maria Millage is about to become a shining star of her own in this genre! Now, who do I talk to to get an actual Magician's Gambit series made?"
Mallory Marlowe, USA Today Bestselling author of Love at First Sighting
"Fresh, funny, and irresistibly romantic, Cut to the Ending is a love letter to fandom and the messy magic of creating your own happy ending. Maria Millage is a voice rom-com readers will adore."
Annie McQuaid, author of Crash Landing
"Max and Delaney will have readers as deeply invested in their story as Max is in the magical world of Magician's Gambit, which is to say, an obsessive amount. Millage weaves a love story for the ages with just the right amount of Hollywood sparkle, nerdy charm, and healed grief to keep readers swooning until the ending."
Audrey Goldberg Ruoff, author of Hopelessly Teavoted
"Immersive, witty, and bold, Cut to the Ending feels like a book I’ve been wanting for my whole life. Maria Millage has crafted a sizzling, cinematic debut with living, breathing characters you’ll want to be best friends with—or want on your side in battle. I read this with a hand on my heart, reveling in its stunning reminder of why we make art and what it means to be a part of a fandom, and desperately wishing that the world of Magician’s Gambit were real. This book grabbed me by the heart, and I never wanted it to let go!"
Isabelle Engel, author of Most Eligible
"A love story both cinematic and achingly real, Cut to the Ending is a heartfelt, hilarious, and passionate deep dive into what it really means to write a happy ending. With a funny and fresh new voice, this brilliant behind-the-scenes Hollywood romance reminds us that the real movie magic is in how we show up for the people—and the art—that we love."
Lenora Woods, author of Roll for Romance
"Maria Millage's clever, swoony voice hooked me from the first page and didn't let go until long after the story ended. With a tough-as-nails female main character who will melt your heart, the perfect, nerdy male main character of our dreams, and enough hilarious fandom references to have anyone smiling, Millage's Cut to the Ending is an absolute joy from start to finish."
Amy Buchanan, author of Let's Call a Truce

Maria Millage

About the Author

Born and raised in the Seattle suburbs, Maria Millage studied Writing for Film and Television at Emerson College before moving to 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, she can usually be found stuck in traffic on the 101 or catering to the whims of her cat.

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