Oh dear. Oh dear.

Great concept. Gorgeous, well thought out cover. If I had been in the store, I would have picked this book up and bought it on that basis alone. However, I am so very glad I did not.

There is much I have struggled with as I read this book. To start with the story telling is flat with very little 'zing' to grab the reader. The relationships are bland with no chemistry. The main character Greta is shallow and seems to carry this unrealistic expectation about her own life. I was confused about the minor characters. Marigold seemed a mystery, and I couldn't place her in my head. Until the end. I would say I was probably 4/5 of the way through this book before I even remotely was grabbed by interest. This is way too far into a book. If I hadn't been reading this to review for Shadow Mountain I would have given up on this book after reading the first fifth.

I was so disappointed. Greta has this beautiful life long friendship with Will, but the author repeatedly reminds us of how he doesn't 'match up' to an acceptable level of boyfriend/love of your life material. There's a focus on outward appearances, not just his face but his body shape. If this had been a man describing how he wrote about his female best friend, the readers would have been in uproar. This is not the society we live in today, to put down based on appearances and be OK with that. It was harsh, and totally distracted from the development in my mind of their special bond, that the author I am assuming wants us to believe. On the other hand, I do get that she is trying to convince us of the reason they are NOT dating and why Greta needs to have this very shallow relationship with Mac. Who on outward appearances seems to have it all. I have read other books based on this concept of 'unrequited love' from the best friend. It can be done better than this with a lot more class.

Then there was the dating relationship with Mac. No chemistry. When the dialogue is all about how 'hot' someone is it just sounds middle school and petty. I was also taken aback by the lesson in kissing she receives in her teen years from Will. It seemed lengthy and a lot deeper than what you would equate with a couple teenagers - trying it out. They apparently can kiss for a long time, and seem to just get up and walk away from it - completely unaffected.

There are aspects of this story that I did enjoy. The visit from the author, wow - cleverly written and executed. Dr Silver, and the twist of events near the end. The struggling plight of our community libraries, and the very real threat of keeping them viable. The library described reminds me very much of the one from my childhood. I grew up in England, and the building was a Victorian building, purposefully built for a library, but it had many of the same features, though only one story and never a house. I have so many wonderful memories of visiting the library, and even have been able to utilize it with my own children during the 8 years I lived there with them. Sadly that library has gone the way of so many others. Seen as too costly to the council budget. Why does one library succeed and others do not. I think about the current library I have access to. It is a fairly large 2 story modern building. It seems to always range from very busy to busy. There are slow times, but they are far and few between. Maybe is the vast range of items they offer. The wide selection of books, the huge computer areas, the many specific rooms, used for groups, clubs and special events. The appeal of the children's area, with almost as many toys to be played with as there are books on shelves. The very specific computer facilities geared towards young minds. The layout and design. The teen area is one I have never seen in a library before. Very well done. The inter-library lending system within the state of Michigan is also a huge benefit to the library patron. The vast amount of digital resources available to the member without even stepping foot in the building.

There is a thought posed in the story that libraries are of little value to an author. As a influencer and reviewer, I have many times put in a request with my local library that they purchase a book I have read, and enjoyed. This is something that is actively encouraged by author's themselves. I would beg to differ on this opinion that having libraries take away book sales. For me, even though I read mountains more digital copies than paperbacks, my bookshelves at home are filled with 90% books I pre-read either in the library or as a eARC copy. Books I love make it onto my shelves regardless if I have read them before purchase. It is an absolute benefit to an author to have their books 'discovered' on the shelves of a library. In fact I have found most my new authors that way.

Its interesting to me, as I live in a small town that has no library service to most residents - I am one of the lucky ones, we live far enough on the edge that we are pulled into the school district for the town with the library. As such we get to enjoy those library benefits. Friends not more than a mile away however, have to pay a yearly fee if they wish to become a member. I would pay for library membership especially with the one we have on offer, its uses have been far reaching and absolutely vital to me and my family.

Overall, I enjoyed the ending, it was presented well. I still lacked belief in the conviction of Greta's final feelings towards Will. It felt a little off.

Becca Wilhite writes clean contemporary fiction. There's a wide array of opinion over this book, which says to me, the reviewer, that everyone has a different taste, and take away for the books they read. Give it a go. You may love it. I just didn't, and hopefully I have explained why.

I received this eARC from Shadow Mountain & Netgalley. This is my honest review.

This was an enjoyable read. I appreciated how there was a larger plot than just the romance running through this book. I also appreciated the realism to the ending - things didn't tie up neatly. For a book to be believable you can't have everything end perfectly.

Greta is the assistant librarian in her town of Franklin, Ohio. The library is in a beautiful but old Victorian building that cannot meet the needs of the town, and so she is fighting to help the proposed bond to build a new library go through at the election.

Meanwhile, she meets Mac, her best friend Will's cousin. Mac has it all - good looks and the heart of a poet. Well, at least the heart of a poet when he can text her his thoughts. Greta finds herself falling in love with the Mac of the the texts, but when she needs true help and support for her work at the library it is Will who rises to the occasion.

This book follows Greta's experience through the fall leading up to the election. We watch her grown and learn about herself, her town, and those around her. This has romance in it, but I'd say it is evenly matched with the library plotline. It is a clean read, with only kissing.

Will was the best part about the story. Greta was very superficial when it came to her "best friend" and couldn't see what was right under her nose. "Don't judge a book by it's cover!"

Interesting premise to a familiar storyline. Young, small town librarian is passionate about the historical library in her Ohio town. The library is a throwback to the 20th century with polished woodwork, tall ceilings, and stained glass windows. The patrons of the library, though, are 21st century and not everyone appreciates the "old-fashioned" library building. Greta, who grew up loving this library and is now a librarian there, finds she now has to fight to save it.
Running throughout the story of the battle for the library is another storyline, reminiscent of Cyrano de Bergerac. Greta's very best friend, Will, is the one who makes her laugh and shares a lifetime of secrets and jokes with her. Will wants Greta to have everything her heart desires, even if it's not him. Enter Will's cousin who is lovely to look and Greta thinks he's everything she ever wanted in a man.
It's a wonderfully plotted, clever trip to the end of the story for Will and Greta and the library but worth the journey.

Greta is a small town Assistant Librarian who really loves her job. Only her local library is in trouble and she takes on saving it single-handedly. She has been best friends with Will, the civics teacher and debate coach at the local high school, since they were little an he has always been there for her. Greta’s mother likes to criticize Will because he is chunky and therefore, in her opinion, not worth her time. This year for her birthday, she has asked for the perfect man and Will has delivered him in the form of his cousin, Mac. He is a poetry-spouting, drop-dead gorgeous man who likes to give her free hot chocolates whenever she visits him in the cafe that he works. Who wouldn’t want that? Plus he seems to be really into her. Is he too good to be true? To find out read this modern adaptation of Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac, and decide for yourself which man Greta should end up with. 3-1/2 stars.

First things first, I usually do not read adult romance books. I would much rather read a historical fiction or a manga that has romance in it but is not the main focus. This one was pretty formulaic, and after I found out it was based on Cyrano de Bergerac, I knew exactly what was going to happen. The library element did add a bit of a twist, which I enjoyed, but pretty much everything was tied up in a nice bow at the end. Overall, I did enjoy the book.

I picked this one up because it was about librarians, the main character has an MLIS (like me) and she thinks she might’ve found the perfect guy (courtesy of her best friend). And Mac is perfect: curly dark hair, loves poetry and writes it for her, and is gorgeous. He’s the total package, or is he? No surprise that this handsome guy can’t think on his own or that his bigger cousin is supplying all his fabulous lines. I didn’t so much like the whole “Will is fat so he can’t be a good choice for me” mentality that the main character, to an extent, and definitely her mother seemed to have. Just because you’re overweight doesn’t make you less of a person or less deserving of love and attention. I mean it was pretty obvious early on that Greta had a thing for him even if she never mentioned it out loud, especially the longer she hung out with Mac. And Will definitely had the hots for her, even if she was too dumb to figure it out. I always find it a little funny how some people can have advanced degrees but be totally clueless when it comes to love and sex. And no, this is not everyone, but it has been this way in my experience.

The librarian part of the story I enjoyed the most. While I’ve never worked as a small-town librarian, I have worked in small city branches and know all about the fight to keep yours open and viable, and the constant funding issues that you face in one. Greta was incredibly lucky to find a job right out of graduate school, as library jobs are few and far between these days. I have very personal experience with that issue. You really gotta love your job to stay a librarian long-term. I also loved her historical crush on Dr. Silver, and how he fought for integration in the local public school. I’m glad she eventually got to meet him and be a bit of a radical herself, even though the results were not exactly what she had planned.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Shadow Mountain Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

I didn't love this book, but I didn't hate it either. I appreciated it as a 'clean' romance, but the story line was just ho-hum. Nothing about the book really stuck out. While most romance is predictable...this one seemed to be overwhelmingly so. I could see recommending this to readers of clean romance who want a fairly drama-free story ling.

This book is SO ADORABLE!
You will love it from the very first page as the setting is in a LIBRARY -- what a perfect place that we all cherish!

The writing is fantastic with lots of humor and wit.
The texts that go back and forth are heart-capturing.
Do you have a "history crush?" Greta does-- Wait until you find out who it is :)

Grab a copy and then come back and tell me what you think of Greta, Will, and Mac
LOVED. LOVED. LOVED. THIS ONE!

A cute and funny contemporary romance. A little predictable, but still a good read. The plot was very like Cyrano de Bergerac set in a modern day with modern problems.
I especially love the humor in the novel. The t-shirt sayings, the tweets & signs were very cleverly written.

I'm honestly conflicted by this book. I appreciate the effort of acknowledging libraries and library love, but it definitely perpetuates stereotypes of the library as a dying breed. Also, how in the world did no one in the small town where everyone knows each other's business did they not know where to find Dr. Silver? Or how did no one at the "protest application office" catch her intentions? Interesting plot, but not necessarily one that I'd bring to our library unless specifically requested by a patron.

Sweet romance that was very clean. The ending seemed a bit hurried. Cerano concept may be a bit over used. I enjoyed the library setting.