A rom-com author caught heat for using the phrase ‘Wawa sub’ in her new book. She’s defending it.
B.K. Borison's new book, "And Now, Back to You," includes a line about ordering a "sub" — not a hoagie — from Wawa. Some readers are horrified. Now, the author is doubling down.
Award-winning contemporary romance author B.K. Borison’s new book has it all, according to recent reviews.
It also has a glaring error — depending on whom you ask.
And Now, Back to You is a cozy read about two competing meteorologists forced to find common ground. It dropped last month and quickly earned praise across the rom-com reading community.
But one particular line in the book has garnered sharp criticism from certain readers. In And Now, Back to You, which uses Baltimore as a backdrop, Borison mentions a character getting a “sub” — not a hoagie — from Wawa.
Borison has defended the usage.
“No disrespect to the fine people of Philadelphia,” Borison told The Inquirer on Tuesday. “I fully respect and appreciate that the term hoagie is used and beloved within the area. But for the purposes of my fictional novel, it makes sense for Delilah to refer to the sandwich as a sub. Context is important!”
A post on X pointing out Borison’s word choice has been viewed over 280,000 times.
“That just sent a chill down my spine,” one commenter replied. “Jail to the author,” said another.
It’s that serious.
Where did ‘hoagie’ come from?
Phrases like “grinder,” “wedge,” “submarine,” “hero,” and “hoagie” are used to describe variations on the same thing, but the term used depends on where you live or grew up, experts say.
Hoagie is a highly regional phrase specific to the Philly and Southern New Jersey area, according to archives, experts, and Bon Appétit. Its exact origin is fuzzy, with at least four theories. One argument says the term came from shipyard workers who called their lunch “hoggies,” short for Hog Island, where the Philadelphia International Airport stands today. Another says it comes from a jazz musician who said you had to be a “hog” to eat that big sandwich.
» READ MORE: How did the ‘hoagie’ get its name? It’s complicated.
Whatever the origin, it’s commonly accepted within the region as the correct and only term.
Locals won’t like this, but experts — and Google search term research — say the most commonly accepted term nationwide is “sub.”
» READ MORE: How did the ‘hoagie’ get its name? It’s complicated.
Do they really say ‘sub’ in Baltimore?
Reader, they do.
In a post from 2024 in the Facebook group, Hoagie Gurus, a user asked, “in good faith,” what are hoagies called in users’ respective regions. Several Baltimore-based members responded that they used the phrase “sub.”
A Google Search Trend analysis of the use of “hoagie” vs. “submarine sandwich” in Baltimore specifically shows “sub” used at a significantly higher rate.
Even the Wawas in Baltimore, despite using the phrase “hoagie” on their menus and in promotions for HoagieFest, fall victim to sub culture, it seems.
A look at Google reviews of Wawas in the Baltimore area show mentions of “subs” significantly outsize those of “hoagies.” On Threads, Baltimore-based users who caught wind of the And Now, Back to You drama confirmed that their local Wawa employees and customers said “subs.”
Ironically, there’s notably a Wawa in Bel Air, Md., a town outside of Baltimore, that is very literally on … Hoagie Drive!
B.K. Borison responds: ‘No one in Baltimore is calling it a hoagie’
In a series of posts on Threads Monday night, Borison responded to the social media posts about her word choice.
“I don’t know what to tell you, but I said sub from Wawa and I meant it,” Borison wrote. “I live in Baltimore. The book takes place in Baltimore. No one in Baltimore is calling it a hoagie.”
Readers local to her area have affirmed her in the replies. Philadelphians? Not so much.
“Loud and wrong,” the very online Visit Philly Threads account responded.
Incredibly, the book hoagie drama has even bled into some of Borison’s book reviews.
On Goodreads, a popular app used to track what friends are reading, four reviews mention “Wawa.”
Most are positive: “[I] like the fact that Wawa is mentioned in it was awesome,” said one five-star review from earlier this month. A three-star review simply comments, “‘ … eating a sub from Wawa.’"
“This is by far the strangest internet conversation I’ve ever gotten myself involved in,” Borison said. “But I hold firm on the fact that a fictional character FROM BALTIMORE would never use the word HOAGIE, despite that being the name Wawa uses. I am remaining true to my Baltimore roots.”
Ultimately, it’s clear Wawa isn’t taking as much offense as others. On Tuesday, the chain slid into Borison’s DMs.
“We heard we make an appearance,” the company wrote to Borison, requesting the author’s shirt size and address. “We would love to send a little something.”
Borison posted a screenshot of the dialogue on Threads with the caption: “Your boyfriend loves me.” Touché.