Only for the Week

Only For The Week is a contemporary Black romance by Natasha Bishop published in 2024. Set at a destination family wedding, the novel combines lighthearted vacation romance elements with emotional themes of Love as the Means of Personal Growth and Self-Discovery, The Pain of Dysfunctional Family and Sibling Rivalry, and Balancing Societal Expectations and Self-Worth. The next book in the Forever Falling series, The Art of Loving You, is slated for publication in 2026.

This guide is based on the 2024 print edition. Note: The later epilogues are not paginated in the Kindle e-book edition.

Content Warning: The source material and this guide feature depictions of cursing, sexual content, sexual violence, emotional abuse, gender discrimination, racism, death, pregnancy loss, and substance use.

Language Note: Most characters in the novel regularly use African American Vernacular English. This has been reproduced in quotations to preserve the novel’s cultural context, including the ways AAVE grammar and style differ from American English. They also use a variety of nicknames for each other, which are reproduced in quoted dialogue, though the guide refers to them by their formal first names.

Plot Summary

The work opens in Baltimore, Maryland, as Dr. Janelle Cross is preparing for her sister Amerie’s destination wedding in Tulum, Mexico. The groom is Janelle’s ex-boyfriend, Arnold Hightower, but she has no feelings for him. Instead, her core challenges are her sister’s constant demands and her role as maid of honor. At the airport, Janelle and her best friend, Evie, soon meet up with the other members of the bridal party, including Dani, Micah, and Christian. Rome Martin, the best man, is less familiar to her, as he has always avoided her. Janelle is secretly attracted to him.

Tensions escalate quickly when Amerie reveals that she told everyone but Janelle and Eve to book first-class seats. To her surprise, Rome joins her and engages her in conversation. That evening, Janelle and Rome share a passionate kiss. When Janelle protests that Arnold and Amerie would be unhappy about this, Rome asks her what she truly wants. In response, she kisses him again, and the two spend a passionate night together.

The next morning, Janelle finds that Rome has wrapped her hair for her and charged her phone. She is touched by his consideration and agrees that they can continue to see each other for a week, until the other guests arrive for the wedding. However, Janelle’s emotional state worsens when her sister suggests that Dani would be a better maid of honor. Janelle later confesses to Rome that she is desperate to have time to read.

The next day, Rome tells Janelle to cancel her plans and takes her on an excursion. They discuss the fact that both of them are introverts who prefer close friends and family to big groups. Janelle also shares her love of sea turtles and hopes of seeing them during the trip. They arrive at their destination: Rome has rented a yacht with a full catering staff so that Janelle can read in peace. Janelle purchases a pair of sea turtle statues as a gift for Rome. As Janelle and Rome spend more time together, she confides her aspirations to open a health center serving the Black community in Baltimore. Rome already owns the building she plans to buy, but he keeps this secret.

That same evening, Janelle goes to Rome for comfort, confessing that Amerie is so hostile toward her that their relationship seems to be broken. She is desperate to fix it, but Rome suggests that she could distance herself from her sister entirely. He does not push, however, and instead offers her an evening of passion and freedom, taking on a dominant role in the bedroom. Their next daytime excursion is swimming with sea turtles. Micah explains that Rome insisted on the adventure despite Amerie’s objections. That night, Janelle ends things with Rome, fearful that they would be unable to make a relationship work.

The next day, Amerie forces the entire group to search for her missing engagement ring. Rome, Janelle, and Arnold search together, relaxing in Amerie’s absence. Tension grows between the sisters when Amerie tries to exclude Janelle from lunch with their parents. Rome has her ride to the airport with him so that she can greet her family when they arrive; he also introduces her to his brother, Jalen, a retired NBA star. Meanwhile, Amerie tries to set Janelle up with another wedding guest, Troy, adding to her frustrations. On a group outing to nearby caves, Rome gently suggests to Janelle that she let go of her fear. With support from Evie, Janelle decides to return to Rome. 

Janelle’s mother harshly criticizes her for spending any time with Arnold, but with Rome’s support, Janelle decides to confront her about her obvious favoritism. She asserts that constant criticism is no basis for a relationship, rejecting her mother’s gaslighting attempts. Afterward, Rome sends her an elaborate meal as a gesture of support. 

Arnold comes to Janelle’s room and tries to kiss her, claiming he still cares for her. Janelle slaps him and resolves to tell both her sister and Rome the truth. That night, Janelle and Rome separate for the bachelor and bachelorette parties. Janelle tells Amerie about Arnold’s attempted assault, but her sister refuses to believe her, accusing her of trying to ruin the wedding. Janelle declares that she will not attend the wedding. The standoff is interrupted when Dani tells them that the bachelor party has ended in a fight: Rome punched Arnold’s cousin for being crude and demeaning toward Janelle. After the group returns to the hotel, Amerie catches Rome and Janelle in an embrace and goes on a tirade. Janelle calmly asks the others to leave so that she can confront her sister.

Amerie admits that she has been cruel to Janelle because she feels guilty about falling in love with Arnold. She also envies Janelle’s career, as her fashion line has recently failed. Janelle calmly tells her that she cannot accept more poor treatment. Janelle ultimately decides to attend the wedding the following day, telling Rome that she is doing so for her own sense of integrity. At the reception, Rome asks Janelle to go on a date with him when they return home.

A year later, Janelle has opened her health center and is happily living with Rome. She remains at a distance from her family. Rome proposes using a video game he designed called Only For the Week, and Janelle happily accepts.

Subsequent epilogues depict other stages of Janelle and Rome’s relationship, such as moving in together and Rome shopping for an engagement ring. Later epilogues take place after the proposal, when the two return to Tulum to revisit their romantic memories. In the final epilogue, they prepare to purchase their first home, and Janelle takes a pregnancy test. It is negative, but she resolves that their future together will be bright whenever they are ready for parenthood.