This was a fun and cute romance. It took a minute for me to get used to the writing - it was a bit stilted and simple to start with. But I think once I settled into the story, it was fine. The conflict of the story was telegraphed a mile away, but Roane and Evie were a cute couple, though I do wish we got to see more of their development in their romance

I received a copy of the book from the publisher.

Oh my god I haven’t been this charmed by a book in a long time!! I was smitten almost immediately by Evie, she was the kind of character that I wanted to take under my wing, there was something so vulnerable about her that made me want to mother her. Instead of me, Evie gets to take every bookworms dream vacation by running a bookstore as part of her vacation rental. SWOON 😍 Much like Evie herself it was love at first sight for me with the village, Roane and the residents of Alnster.

This was the best type of escapist read for me, I could easily imagine the quaint little town and it was the next best thing as taking a trip to England myself. Reading this was so comforting for me, it was cozy, funny, warm and charming and I was smitten with each and every aspect. Literally perfect for me! If you like romances with well developed characters, an amazing hero AND heroine and a idyllic setting this is a must.

Oh my gosh what a beautiful, sweet, heartwarming and uplifting read that was. I finished with an honest to god smile on my face. Talk about feel good escapism - if you are in need of that and aren’t we all right now - then this book is a MUST READ!
I love how versatile a writer Samantha Young is. It doesn’t matter if she is writing this style or PNR I just adore her writing as it flows from the page and directly into your head. Almost like she is talking inside your head.
Seriously this story is beautiful! I challenge you to not to want to move to Alnster a small coastal village in England after reading! It sounds like heaven.
Evie lives in Chicago aged 33 and unlucky in love and life. She has just been stood up and passed over for a promotion that should have been hers. She has had enough and that’s when she sees a holiday deal where she would go and work in a small town book shop in England and stay in the flat above. Sounds like heaven for a bookworm like she is so she calls right away and books a months stay so she can sort out her head which will be no men and what does she actually want to do with life. Of course as soon as she settles on the no men rule the village’s most eligible bachelor, gorgeous manly man and farm owner makes it clear he is very much interested.
Will she stick to her guns or will she give in to Roane Robson’s charm. He isn’t the only charming character! Nearly all the townsfolk are charming and welcoming! Like I said you WILL want to move there.
5/5 isn’t enough for this charming and heartwarming read. Did I say charming? Ahh yes a little too many times but it is!! Highly recommend-Don’t miss out as it goes live on 2nd February ❤️💜💗💖

Review posted on GoodReads (January 28th, 2021)
Review Linked.

3.5/5 stars!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sending me an E-ARC of this book for an honest review.

Content Warnings Include: Sexism, Homophobia, Racism.

I have really liked Samantha Young's books in the past so I was really excited about this one. The premise is super cute, and it sounded right up my alley.

Without getting into spoilers (I will post a full spoiler review when the book releases), this book was cute, but it wasn't everything I wanted it to be. For me, the story lagged in a couple of places and I had some issues with the choices the author made for a few side characters. Some plots felt really rushed and I wish we could have waited and gotten a whole book for some of the side characters' stories.

I think one thing I did like about this book was how Samantha Young didn't try to glorify the small town that our main character Evie moves to. Young took time to show the faults of the town’s people and the problems that the town and its people were facing. (Look above for some of the Content Warnings I include for this book.)

Overall, I liked this book, had some issues with it (which I will expand upon in my longer review), and at the same time thought it was a cute romance.

Thanks for reading!
Caden

3.5 ⭐️

Evie decides it’s time to figure out her life. Does she need a partner to be happy? Or is she ok being single? All her friends are in committed relationships, having babies, but how about her? After being stood up from an online date, losing a job promotion, her best friend announcing she’s pregnant, Evie’s had it. She takes the opportunity to spend four weeks in a small town in England renting a bookstore. To get away. To find herself. To avoid men. To understand what it is she really wants.

This was a charming story that followed Evie’s adventure to England after feeling stuck in Chicago. Being in her thirties, her friends marrying off, with no moving forward in her career and love life, I could empathize with her. Young infused the small town in Northumberland with so much life and character that it felt like I was there as I was reading. The friends Evie made in a short stint gave her that sense of home and belonging that it will leave your heart happy. I didn’t get too much of the feels with the romance in this one, and being that I loved Young’s other standalone, Fight or Flight, I wished there was more.

I recommend to fans of Evvie Drake Starts Over, Mermaid Inn, and those who enjoy a feel-good story that revolves around small towns inhabited by meddling townsfolk!

Super cute! A great romance for rom-com fans. Again, lots of the problems/issues could've been solved with a little communication, but if you can get past that, this is a very enjoyable & steamy read.

Do you ever avoid writing a review because you liked a book so much you can't focus your thoughts? That's absolutely me and Much Ado About You. My thoughts have been pinging around in my mind for three days now, trying to settle.

Let's start with everything that drew me to this book before I even read it. First, the title. Even though the story is not a Much Ado About Nothing retelling, I am a sucker for any sort of reference to my favorite Shakespearean play. Second, the cover. It's just adorable. And who doesn't love a cover with a dog and books? And third... English. Bookstore. Holiday. I mean, that's practically a dream vacation. At that point, the romance in the book was just a nice bonus.

And what a glorious bonus it was. The story centers on Evie Starling. At 33 years old, she's finding her life is not at all where she thought or wanted it to be. In desperate need of a change, she happens upon a bookstore holiday package in England where she can help run the local bookstore, Much Ado About Books. As an avid Shakespeare fan (Evie and I would SO be friends), she decides it's exactly what she needs to help her gain some perspective. But what she didn't plan on was Roane. Because finding yourself and figuring out your future shouldn't involve a guy you met on vacation, right? Or maybe Evie just doesn't realize Roane could be part of the answer to all her questions.

I won't lie. I fell hard for this book as soon as I started reading. Despite being a 36 year old mother of 4 who has been married for nearly 16 years, I connected with Evie. Our lives couldn't be more different, but at 33 I was staring down a life where all of my children would be in school full time and I definitely did not know what that meant for me. So, I completely understood Evie's need to reevaluate and figure out where her life was headed. I'd been there. Then the book gave me little The Holiday and P.S. I Love You vibes (just pieces) and since I love both of those, I was a complete goner for Much Ado About You.

I think what I loved most about this book is that Evie had two love stories, of sorts. Yes, she and Roane had instant chemistry. You could tell from the start that they both wanted to be more than friends, even though Evie kept trying to convince herself Roane was the exact opposite of what she needed. But Evie also had instant chemistry with the town and the people in it. She makes real friends and has real impacts on their lives. Much Ado About You isn't just the (steamy) story of Evie and Roane. It's truly Evie's story of discovering the life she wants, man or no man.

Evie is over it. After being stood up for a date, and then being passed over again for the promotion that should have been hers, she needs a break. When she finds an opportunity to vacation in Englad while running the bookstore under the flat, Evie is sold. Sounds like the perfect vacation. She does not expect to meet Roane. Evie is determined to follow her rules, no men. She is here to find out what she wants for her future and no man will get in the way of that.

4.5 stars! Ok living above a bookstore, on the coasts of England, with a wonderful town filled with amazing townsfolk, and a hot best friend with a wonderful dog? Where do I sign up? Seriously though, when reading the synopsis on this one I was immediately sold. Evie was such a wonderful character, I fell for her fast and hard, and wanted so badly for all the good things to come her way. Even though I understood her hesitations with Roane, I sometimes wanted to jump into the pages and shake her while screaming “girl he is perfect for you!” i just loved the entire cast of characters in this one. Reading this book felt like home. This is definitely up there as one of may favorite rom coms recently! this book needs to be on your TBR!

This was such a fun escapist read! I loved Roane and all the secondary characters. Northumberland and the bookshop were both such sweet atmospheric settings! This was my first Samantha Young book, and I'll definitely be picking up her backlist!

I had such high hopes for this book. A girl leaves her lackluster life and ventures off to England to run a rented bookstore? Sign me up! But almost from the beginning, various things about his book rubbed me the wrong way. Starting from the first chapter when Evie referred to the guy who stood her up as something like ‘not fat, but not cover model material either, which was fine’. As a plus-size girl myself, the way Evie talked about her own body really bothered me too - it felt forced like the author was trying to be body positive but ended up being insulting. The rest of the book felt like a never-ending string of boring things happening between characters who were dull, flat, and had no chemistry. I kept waiting for more - more depth, more humour, more from the relationship, just MORE, but it just fell flat at every turn.

This was a cute read. I think I would have liked a little more excitement along the way but I still enjoyed the story.

>Evie is swept up into small town village life when she leaves Chicago to run a bookstore in the English countryside for four weeks.

I mean, who doesn't love a story about running a bookstore on the English country side? Nosy and colorful townspeople? Check. Handsome farmer with adorable dog? Check. So many books and lit references? Check!

I loved Young's Fight or Flight book so I was excited to read her newest story. There's a lot to enjoy. I really loved Roane (obviously) and Evie's friends that she makes there. There was some sweet romance before things get all hot and steamy. I was hoping there was a little more chemistry between them though. They seemed to be really attracted to one another, but I just didn't feel it.

It's a fun romance and of course, there's a bit of drama at the end. The end drama was a bit forced and I wasn't super sold on it.

Overall, I think it's a fun romance book that many people will enjoy. It's light and fun and perfect for some of us who dream of packing it all in and going to buy a bookstore somewhere far away. ;)

3.75 stars

30-something Evie decides to take a break from her not-that-fulfilling life in Chicago. Her love life is non-existent, she quits her job after being passed over again for a promotion, and she has a prickly relationship with her recovering alcoholic mother.

On a whim, she sees an add for an apartment and bookstore-sitting job in rural England for a month and jumps on it. Almost immediately she begins to feel at home and starts making connections in the community. And, she meets sexy Roane who makes it clear he'd like to start something with her. But, she is determined to keep her head clear and just keep things in the friend zone.

But the longer she stays, the more difficult that is. She makes friends and invests in the small town, and she and Roane are clearly clicking. Then the difficult decisions come. Is she going to stay in England and pursue a possible relationship with Roane? Is she willing to jettison her Chicago life -- and desert her pregnant best friend -- in search of something more? Evie is a likeable character and has some real life issues leftover from her childhood to deal with.

Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Samantha Young is a ‘one click’ author for me. I’ll buy anything she writes as I know I’ll love it, and Much Ado About You didn’t disappoint.

The timing of this book was perfect for me. It was a huge ray of sunshine in a bleak January during lockdown.

It tells the story of Evie, a disillusioned American girl who takes a holiday to England to run a bookshop while she re-evaluate her life. During her stay she falls in love with the village, the people, the bookstore, and most of all a very charming farmer called Roane.

Evie and Roane and instantly attracted to each other, but as Evie is determined to take a break from men, their romance is pushed to a sizzling slow burn. I must confess to flicking forward a few chapters to see if they got together as I was rooting for them!

As always, Samantha’s scene and character development are perfect. The village sounds beautiful and is so well described that I could picture the scenes unfolding as I read them.

There were loads of interlinked sub plots going on and the supporting characters were as three-dimensional as Evie and Roane. I’d love to move to the village and join Evie’s group of
new friends.

MAAY is a beautiful tale of finding friendship and love when you least expect it and it’s a perfect blend of humour, sweetness and sizzling chemistry. It’s a heartwarming story and a real comfort read.

Grab a hot drink and a blanket as it’s definitely a book you want to curl up with and devour on a rainy day.

Once you start this book it is very hard to put down. You will experience a range of emotions while reading, but over all it will leave you with a warming sensation in your heart that will be there long after you read it. I truly enjoyed this one and I look forward to reading more from this author.

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of Much Ado About You from @NetGalley and @berkleyromance. Much Ado About You comes out on February 2nd, so you don’t have long to wait!

Much Ado About You is about Evie and Roane. Evie is a thirty-something American living (and not loving in Chicago). After being stood up by an Internet boyfriend and being passed over for a promotion, Evie quits her job and moves to a quaint village in England to run a bookshop for a month. After saving Roane’s Great Dane Shadow, the two strike up a friendship, but Evie sworn off guys and has come to England to find herself. When Evie is asked to stay three more months, Roane and Evie take a chance on love.

I loved this just as much as I liked Fight or Flight (5/5⭐️) last year! I loved Evie and Roane (of course!), but I also enjoyed the supporting characters that made up the small town. Sometimes a romance book can be like “just get on with it already” if there are too many subplots, but I felt like this book got the balance just right. If you love a slow burn with an English accent or two, you’ll love this!

Just finished! Ohh I loved it! Samantha really knows how to create lovebale characters! I've read quite a few of her books and I got to love some characters and with every book I put down after I've read it I just suffer.
Well here we are, Evie is the type of woman that gave herself to her job and never been lucky to have by her side a good guy, so one day fed up and disappointed she decided to take time for herself, somewhere far, and here she comes to UK in a small but picturesque village (that really intrigued and I'm adding it to my destinations to see in this country, thank you Sam).
She quickly got to love the place and the people and of course after a brave act of saving a dog from being hit by a car she got to be in the interest of the dog owner, a hard working guy, with beautiful features. Their love story evolves fast and it tangles with the others characters. Evie got to be loved not only by Roane but also the villagers and she is more and more tempted to stay here and for once to never think of others but her one happiness.
Happy reading to all romance lovers out there! The books is so worth it! #muchadoaboutyou

Evangeline Starling has been working hard for years in Chicago as an editor for a magazine where she has been passed over for promotions time and again in favor of men despite her qualifications. After another crushing blow as well as her online dating disasters, Evie chooses to blow up her life by quitting her job and leaving the country. A lifelong lover of all things Shakespeare in particular, and books in general, Evie decides temporarily running a bookstore in a small English Northumberland village is the perfect antidote to what ails her. At age thirty-three, beginning again with a new occupation is daunting for Evie especially doing it thousands of miles from home. While living above the quaint bookstore and enmeshing herself in village life of Alnster, Evie gets quite a boost as she is practically living the dream. She had also been doing some independent editing on the side and is now hoping to make that a full-time job.

Along with that dream job comes hanging out with a very appealing local farmer, Roane Robson, with whom Evie seems to have an instant connection; however, having sworn off men, she keeps resisting any romantic feelings. They hit it off immediately though Evie feels the last thing she needs is a short term romance no matter how appealing Roan despite his perfect looks and demeanor. As Evie spends more time working at the bookstore and enjoying her new friends as well as Roane’s company, she begins to think quaint the English life is the one for her. Leaving family and friends so far away is hard though for Evie, but Roane and the welcoming community make it all worthwhile. As Evie’s favorite author wrote, “the course of true love never did run smooth,” so not surprisingly, Evie and Roane have some obstacles to overcome to be together.

Evie makes some hasty emotional decisions that had this reader groaning, but for the most part, this is a fun read. Roane is not blame free either for the challenges in their relationship, but in his defense, he is quite a bit younger than Evie and less experienced. As expected in a small village where everyone lives in each other’s pocket, there is a lot of drama going on with other folks’ relationships, some decades old. Gossip is the order of the day giving Alnster its own soap opera vibe. Readers who enjoy classic literary allusions, tales set in the English countryside, and second chance starts will enjoy this story that looks as if it might be the beginning of a new series.

Much Ado About You was a very cute, if not very predictable rom-com. While everything was too perfect, I think if that is what you are in the mood for then this is the book for you!

Evie feels like her life isn’t moving, which is something I relate to. To make a change she books a one month “vacation” in the English country side, working at a small bookstore. While there she begins new friendships and relationships and I thought it was all so cute.

Again, this is definitely one of those books if you are looking for a no mess, feel good, love story.

Evie is 33. She has been passed over for a promotion at work, her dating life is in shambles and her best friend's having a baby. She feels lonely and needs a change, she needs to find herself, so she finds a place in a quiet English village to rent. As a matter of fact, it comes with a whole bookstore to run. It sounds like the perfect getaway. While she is there, she decides she will focus on herself, no men allowed on this trip, but this plan is blown out of the water on the first day she is there.
Evie can't help but save a dog who is about to be hit by a car, throwing herself in harms way. His owner is forever grateful and instantly takes to Evie. Roane likes Evie the moment he meets her, she did save his dog after all. Roane never usually likes outsiders, their little town is a close knit family, but Evie really gets under his skin, in the best way.
This book is what I would classify as a slow burn insta-love, and I know that doesn't even make sense but just go with me. The characters are instantly attracted to one another, but with Evie taking a break from men, Roane is determined to still be around her, even as a friend. Of course it turns into more because who can resist his charm?
This book had everything that I thought I wanted in a book, and I was looking forward to it so much. I am not sure where it went wrong for me, but it was very very lighthearted. Even the conflict left me feeling a little let down, I was expecting so much more feels and I got a book that was cute, but didn't pack much of a punch for me. If you want a feel good book with little angst, this is your book. I am not sure if it was just me, and I seem to be in the minority so I would suggest you try this book if you normally love this type of trope. This was a solid 3.5 stars for me.
Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley and Samantha Young for an early copy of this book, these opinions are my own.