What Were your Thinking, Paige Taylor is a cute, fun read that will surely let your mind relax and escape while reading! Paige is adorable and Amanda Ashby does a lovely job of portraying her.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the E-arc copy of this novel. The novel is well written and funny. Paige is a wonderfully flawed character that you can't help but like throughout the novel. Even when she is being a pill the character still pulls empathy from you. I would definitely read Ms. Ashby again.

A quirky fun filled story about life’s mistakes and the power to control your own life.

What happens when your boyfriend cheats on you? Some cry, some get even. And some ever move across the country to get away.

Sometimes you need a little perspective. And a little fun to get you head on straight.

This was a fun light read with unexpected elements that were laugh out loud.

It keeps you interested while not going overboard.

I received this ARC for a honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley.

4 out 5

Paige had her life planned out, or so she thought, until it all fell apart. Paige's way of coping? Self-help books, and the tenth made sense, the advice to start over seeming like what she needed to do. So, she leaves New York and moves to small town St. Clair and takes over a bookstore. All rational moves, right? Unfortunately, her fresh start isn't going so well. The business isn't exactly a gold mine, the locals act as if she's contagious, and her mom visits with no check out date in sight.

The one bright spot, sort of? There's a guy that intrigues her, makes her heart beat faster, and she's curious to see where it leads, except he's on a self-imposed exile where women are concerned, the baggage from his past a heavy burden. The fact he looks sexy as heck while denying their attraction, the sexy smiles he sends her way at odds with that denial, and is it any wonder she wants to get to know him better?

But the part Paige missed in those books? It's called SELF-help for a reason. She needs to work on herself, to see what she wants to change and why and then take the steps necessary to do so. And if she had someone to help her along the way...?

Luke is done with all women, the only female allowed in his life is his daughter from now on. His focus is now only on her, his business, and the songs he writes. And then he meets Paige and finds his conviction isn't as set in stone as he believed. Or maybe it's just that she's the only one who could break it.

Will Luke and Paige help each other heal? Or will their time together prove as temporary as a band-aid, something you deal with quickly to lessen the pain? Is a HEA possible?

One-click now and follow along as two people, both hurt by people they'd let in, must learn to move forward, to let go of their pasts and see if they have a future.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.**

I loved this book!

Paige Taylor needs a change in her life. Inspired by her favorite self-help book Just Say No, she moves from New York City to a small town in Oregon and takes over the local bookstore. There she meets Luke and his daughter Kira who become big parts of her new life.

Amanda Ashby has created a sweet small town filled with quirky and fun characters who care about and look out for each other. The story, of course, follows Paige and Luke's journey, but we get some glimpses into the lives of those around them. There are also a couple characters, Laney and Sam, who are Paige's fellow shop owners that I can't wait to read more about!

I have read some of the author's books before and her writing just keeps getting better and better!

I think you will be charmed by Paige and her journey to happily ever after.

3.5 More Than Starting Over Stars
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free
When women want to get that man out of their hair... the one who led them on and was a big fat was a cheater, they usually do something big... like cut their hair, redo their style or stop eating meat...

When Paige Taylor has that happen to her, she decides to do something more...something bigger. She leaves NYC and the publishing company she worked with, moves across the continent to the small town of St. Clair, Oregon and thinks buying a bookstore will be just the answer. Of course, none of her friends think she will last and it is just a phase.

But no, Paige tells them she is here to stay and will be devoting herself to the shop, making new friends and having no relationships with men. She is done with all of that.

Luke Carmichael is feeling exactly the same way. He is someone who is crazy about his daughter, is a builder for a living, has the talent to stum out a song or two and is committed to being done with women. They sound perfect for each other.

This is a story which has all the elements to make you laugh, pause and think and just feel good. It is part of the new Entangled imprint August which is focused on romances for those older than 30. Well done.

A gifted copy was provided by Entangled LLC/ August Imprint Via NetGalley for an honest review.

What Were You Thinking, Paige Taylor? by Amanda Ashby is a slow burn sweet romance.
Meet Paige Taylor, she's a 36 year old woman and she's about to start over. Her friends call her crazy, but she's had enough of her cheating ex and now it's a new life, new town, new business and new everything.
Only nothing is lioke expected. The bookstore she bought unseen is a mess, the town that is now her home isn't very welcoming and her business is failing big time.
And there's the hottie. Luke Carmichael, single dad and contractor, head of neighborhood watch is torn about the towns newest resident. He really, really doesn't want to like her, but Paige is a force to recon with.
I started reading because I liked the cover, but surprise, What Were You Thinking, Paige Taylor? turned out a great read with a fantastic story, extremely well written and captivated me from page one. I read the book in one sitting, I couldn't put it down. And I know this won't be the last book I'll be reading from this author. The characters and I, we simply clicked from the beginning. I recommend the book and give 5 stars.

What a lovely and charming story this was! A new to me author(but that will change) has written a story that is quirky and funny at the same time. A well-paced read, it was totally enjoyable during a cold and snowy weekend.

What Were You Thinking, Paige Taylor? by Amanda Ashby is a fabulously fun and entertaining read.

This is the book that will make you laugh, will make you cry and yearn for new beginning as you root for Paige to finally have it all.
After a horrible break up, Paige decides to buy a bookstore in a tiny coastal town and leave Manhattan.
But her new beginning starts off a bit shaky as she tries to make new friendships, save her business and keep her mother in check.
And she has found a perfect guy, but unfortunately he has sworn off women. Regardless, she still goes on fighting the life of her dreams.
Steady paced, funny and with beautiful setting and lovable characters. A feel good book through and through.
Especially hilarious is Paige's inner dialogue and how everything that can go wrong basically does. However many romantic moments compensate for the disasters.
Light and entertaining this is the perfect choice for fans of romance books.

I loved it! It's such an adorable story with amazing characters and a small town setting. Paige's life is a mess. She is a people pleaser and needs to learn how to say 'no.' After a bad break-up, she really needs to start over. So she buys a bookshop in a small town and moves away. Everyone thinks that it is just a phase and she will get tired of small-town life soon enough. She doesn't agree. She likes it here. Finally, she has a few things in her life going well. She likes most of the people she meets but it seems that there are those who don't like her. Perhaps because she is an outsider. That's why is determined to fit in and be accepted by everyone around her. Liking Luke is a complication she really doesn't need right now.
Luke has his daughter to think about. He hasn't dated since his wife left them both because she got bored of their town. What if Paige does the same? Gets tired and moves back to her big city? No matter how much he tries to reason with himself though he still feels attracted to her. She is an amazing woman and maybe she will turn out to be different than other people. The only way to find out is to give themselves a chance... at happiness...
It's a really well-written story. It has its funny moments, romantic moments, and some very emotional ones too. I think it is definitely a must read for contemporary romance fans. You really don't want to miss Paige and Luke's story.

What a gorgeous book! What Were You Thinking, Paige Taylor? by Amanda Ashby is about Paige Taylor, a book publisher from New York City. After discovering that her fiancé is cheating on her, Paige leaves her big city life behind and buys a bookstore in the small town of St. Clair, Oregon, population 2100 (now 2101). Despite the fact that her business is barely breaking even and the locals all treat her like a plague victim, Paige slowly starts finding her feet, with the help of Dr Penny Groves, her favourite self help book author, her new friends Sam and Laney, who own the cafe and florist next door, and hunky, all round good guy Luke Carmichael. Luke is a builder (read: muscly), is a devoted (single) dad, can play the guitar AND sings Taylor Swift (*swoon*). With baggage of his own, Luke has sworn off women, which is good seeing as Paige has sworn off men. But Paige learns that recreating your life is not something that you can do alone, and Luke - and St. Clair - may be just what she needed.
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I completely adored this book 😍 The characters are lovable, the dialogue is laugh-out-loud hilarious, the story is well paced and Ashby’s writing sparkles on the page. Perfect for fans of Gilmore Girls, Sophie Kinsella and Marian Keyes, this is a witty, adorable story about cake, books and following your heart 💞
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On a side note, this looks like the first of a series, and I’m really hoping the next books are about Sam and Laney! I’ve always said that if I quit my day job it will be to open a bookstore/florist/cafe because I love books/flowers/coffee so can’t wait to read more about the Belles of St Clair 😊 I also think this would make a super cute movie! I’m thinking maybe the Hemsworth brothers as Jacob and Luke Carmichael??
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Thank you to @netgalley and @entangled_publishing for this free advance copy in return for a fair and honest review

In Amanda Ashby's super cute contemporary What Were You Thinking, Paige Taylor? our heroine is an underappreciated New York City girl who leaves everything behind — her family, her cheating ex-fiancé , her job in book publicity — to start a new life in the tiny town of St. Clair, Ore. Bbut before she can settle into her new town, and the bookshop she bought, she meets Luke Carmichael.

Luke is a hunky single dad to 14-year-old Kira. He likes to fix things, whether it's the gutter on Paige's bookshop or the economic prospects of the town. He's hot, reliable and handy with tools. Swoon! After his wife left him, he's sworn that Kira is his priority and nothing will distract him. Not even Paige. With a lively cast of characters (including the hilarious Dr. Penny Groves, author of the self-help book Paige relies on), and a charming and sassy voice, this is a sweet romance about good people who find love and a sense of belonging.

Rating 4/5

This fun-fulled ride following Paige as she starts a new life was a perfect read to get me out of a slump! It was witty and fantastic - full of surprises and hot chemistry! I definitely felt I was part of Paige's conscious with the internal dialogue she has with herself but it just added more for me to relate to her! A quick read - but a fantastic one!

This book has cursing including a couple of f-bombs, but no sex. If cursing will cause you to leave a bad review you should probably skip this story.

What Were You Thinking, Paige Taylor? is a really cute story from start to finish. I thought Paige was great – her ability to take care of her self and her determination to make her life right on her terms made me really like her from the start. Luke was a swoon-worthy single father who was dead sexy but flawed, just the kind of main male character I love to read about. The surprise for me was Kira. She was the sweetest but most realistic teenager I've read about in a long, long time. I adored her.

Ms. Ashby's books always have a tremendous sense of humor and this one is no different. I found myself laughing multiple times as I read, not even caring that I was in a room full of people. The biggest “disappointment” in this one is that Jacob had is happily ever after wrapped up in this one and won't get his own book.

This is a truly entertaining fun read. Paige is a fantastic character and going on her journey for a fresh start in life was a wild crazy ride. She has a bookstore that is about to go under since the townspeople seem to want nothing to do with her. Adding to her craptastic life, her mother shows up unannounced and is showing no signs of leaving any time soon. Then there is Luke. The only one in town really talking to her. Well growling really. He seems to have more baggage than she does but the chemistry between them is sizzling. Could he be worth the trouble?

I really enjoyed the writing style of this author. She really did a masterful job of helping us understand these characters and enjoying their story. I definitely recommend this book.

This is a sweet romance! A Bookshop, a super stressed woman, grumpy man, and a love story. This has a very Netflix movie feel to it.

Thank you for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars! Overall, I enjoyed this one. It gave me Gilmore Girls vibes, mainly because of the small town atmosphere where everyone knows everyone and one of the main characters is named Luke and definitely reminds me of Luke from the show.

It’s definitely not an original concept for a book, but I thought it was really cute. If you love small town romances, give this one a try!

I thought this book was sweet and charming. Page leaves New York to start a new life in a small town. She buys a book store that's in bad shape in the hope of building good memories. She meets Luke who is bitter and cautious about outsiders after his wife leaves him with his daughter. He discovers this amazing chemistry with Page and almost wrecks it with his insecurities. In the end both find the peace and love they deserve all along.
I found both characters to be well developed and the sense of community in this small town charming. Loved it.

Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5 (thank you Netgalley & Entangled Publishing for the digital arc)

Paige Taylor ran away from New York to (re)build a bookshop somewhere that wasn't NY that she bought impulsively. In the small town, Paige got a help in running her bookshop from a teenager named Kira. It didn't hurt that Kira's dad also made her pulse racing like crazy.


What Were You Thinking, Paige Taylor was a quick and funny read, perfect for a beach read or if you want to feel good after. It has some funny moments, and I especially like the inner voice of Paige. The alternate POVs worked well and the writing was lovely.

Some parts were a bit dragged, but in the end, it was a pretty short book focused solely on the romance & feel good thingy.