My oh my. This book was feel-good, schmaltzy romance, push-me-pull-me, and YASSS-WOMEN all at once, and it was great. Let me say, I don't read a lot of hardcore romance novels, but I do love romance when it's written well and appears in the novels I love. This book appealed to me for a number of reasons - bookstore/book love, independent woman looking for a reboot from life where she feels so inept at romance and love and feels comparatively worse off than everyone around her at her age ( she's 33!!!!!! NOOOOOO!!! ), and small bookshop in small northern British village that's basically Scotland. I think what works best in this book is that Evie is no shrinking violet. She's strong, tall, has a love/hate relationship with her squishy human belly, and is OVER being passed over for a promotion in a place she's been working for 10 years just because she's female. She decides she doesn't need a man to be "complete" and the only way to stop feeling the pressure she feels from society around her telling her her biological clock is ticking and she should have her stuff figured out by now, is to get away for a long trip to reset. And the reset locale just happens to be Northumberland, renting an apartment while working in a small indie bookstore. She cuts through a lot of the small-town-crap that's been happening for along time, including a warring family situation, a la Beatrice and Benedick from Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing," and gets very friendly with a very handsome local farmer named Roane Robson (swoon) who has a big galumphing Great Dane named Shadow.

It definitely gets "Hallmark," for sure, but not in a terrible or unbelievable way. It doesn't suffer from bad acting, for example. It's definitely romance and it definitely gets that heart aflutter.

Calling all bookworms! This one is for you!

Shakespeare loving Evie Starling is a girl after my own heart. After quitting her job and giving up on romance, Evie books a three week vacation in a cozy little village in England. The best part? Her stay includes running a bookshop! How fun is that?

Evie quickly wins the heart of the whole village, including one sexy farmer. But is she ready to give up her entire life back in the states for them? We journey along with Evie as she finds love, friendship, and the meaning of home.

Every single character is just amazing. Unique personalities and small village drama abound. Oh, and there is a freaking awesome and adorable dog who plays a pretty big role.

Much Ado About You is a sweet, fun page-turner with all the cozy British vibes. All the Hallmark movie feels with just the right amount of steam thrown in. If you want to escape to a magical little world full of feel good romance and friendships, this is the one.

Did I stay up until 230 AM to finish Much Ado About You? Yes. Was I happy about that? No. This was NOT the book for me. This was one of those books that I wonder how it got past an editor. The constant speeches from literally every single character in the village was more than I could handle. They were like the equivalent of a drunk girl that corners you in the bathroom trying to give you a hyped up pep talk and the whole time you're wondering if she is legally old enough to drink. Long-winded and really, really immature. Not to mention the CRASS language. Language doesn't even bother me all that much, but the level of it here just sounded...unintelligent. The "twist" was...well. yeah. And the BIZARRE dialogue...like, very bizarre lines at really integral parts of the book. I found every single plot point unrealistic and the unrelenting meddling from the MC to be entirely annoying. The romance is wide open door and goes on way, way, way too long. Way. Too. Long. Again, I don't even mind open-door romance but like cut it off please for the love of pearl.

If you depend on me at all for *personal* book recs, skip this one 🤣 I'm sure lots of people will love it...like with any book...but there isn't a lot of merit here IMO.

This book was an absolute delight! With everything going on we all could use a great swoony book in our lives and that's definitely Much Ado About You.

What I loved about this book:

1. The characters are so loveable and I was absolutely addicted to their storylines. Evie is a character I'm sure a few 30ish readers will relate to as she tries to find her purpose and what will make her happy after a few things don't work out for her. I mean we've all been disappointed before, I'm just regretting the fact I never took a trip to Northumberland when it happened 😂. While there she meets Roane and he is so swoony that he may be my new favorite book boyfriend. Roane is so caring and sweet that you'll fall for him right along with Evie.

2. The setting of Northumberland made me want to hop on a plane, but Rona has me firmly planted in the AZ desert. Even though I'm surrounded by cacti and dirt, I enjoyed visualizing this country side town. This quaint and charming small town made me miss home and I hope we get to read more stories about this town and its charming community.

3. I liked how this book emphasized putting your own happiness first even though it may disappoint those you care about.

Seriously you should definitely pick up this sweet, swoony book that's sure to have you feeling all the Hallmark vibes. This was a quick read that I thoroughly enjoyed, easily a 4⭐ read.

I really wanted to love this but I just could not get into it. There's nothing wrong with it per se, I just wasn't vibing with it. I didn't feel connected to Evie (so much so that I had to look up her name just now). The writing was just okay and everything felt a bit rushed, which is probably the reason I couldn't connect with any of the characters.

One thing I did like was what Evie had to say about loneliness and contentment and societal pressures to be in a relationship. It was also nice to see a protagonist who isn't in their early 20s.

Wow, I really loved this one! Evie and Roane were so much fun to read, especially Roane.

This is the first time I read this author and she did a good job with the 1st person POV main character being an American. I could tell the author wasn't American though because she let a few words pass, like quad bike (nobody says that in the US).

Evie is at a crossroads in her life and books a four week stay in England that comes with running a bookstore in a small coastal town.

When she saves a dog from being run down by a car, she meets Roane, the owner, who's a local farmer. He seems immediately taken with Evie, and even though she tells him she's taking a break from dating, he still flirts with her and they become friends.

The small town English village setting is so fun, as are the many villagers and new friends that Evie makes. As Evie and Roane become closer friends, of course, they can't deny there's something more.

I couldn't find anything I didn't like about this book, except at the end when Evie maybe over reacts a little. Still, the ending was super sweet.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Very cute romance!! It had everything I wanted: lovely English setting, a hot farmer with a heart of gold, an adorable dog, and a woman living in a bookstore. What a dream.

I really wanted to like this book. I read great reviews and the summary grabbed me....but I just could not get into it. I suggest you give it a try though, we all have different tastes!

This is a romance set in a small bookstore in a cute English village; what else do you need to know? This book was CUTE. I really enjoyed that Evie and Roane start out as friends and the romance grows from there. I liked seeing it develop, rather than having them both fall instantly in love with each other.

This was a light, fun read that is every book lover’s secret fantasy - well the bookshop vacation at any rate. The hot farmer part is for each reader to decide on. When I read there’s an actual bookshop in Scotland this is loosely based on, I admittedly got a little giddy. Delightful.

When Evie gets fed up with her employment situation and love life in Chicago, she takes a leap and goes to Northumbria for an extended getaway to reassess her life. Evie gets involved in the lives of the characters of the village where she is staying and running a bookstore. And, of course, there’s romance with a to-die-for local. I found this story to be predictable, yet pleasantly enjoyable. Nothing new here except the setting. Northumbria is one of the stars in the story and is now on my British bucket list.

The chemistry between Roane and Evie is electric. The small town English seaside setting is picturesque and packed with a cast of characters who are both comforting and realistic.

I devoured this story fairly quickly. It kept me up mich later than I inteded and that's always a good sign.

Samantha Young always manages to create engaging characters in comfortable European settings. With a bookstore to be run, a village full of interwoven lives and drama to be untangled, a sexy farmer to avoid, and the possibility of a happily ever after if she's willing to take it--a simple getaway to clear her head may actually change Evie's life forever. Sweet and funny with steamy moments and lots of heart, Much Ado About You is not an entirely perfect book, but it remains an enjoyable contemporary romance from an always dependable author.

There's an Airbnb in Scotland which offers tourists the chance to live above a bookshop and work there during their vacation. When I heard about it, I was captivated; talk about a book lover's dream come true! As of this writing, it's sold out through 2023 (!). "I expected it to be MAGICAL and it was," writes one former guest.

In "Much Ado About You," Chicagoan Evie, unlucky in love and in her career, decides to shake things up by spending a few weeks at a vacation rental/bookstore, but fortunately for her, she is immediately able to book it and flies right over to Northumberland. She decides she's going to swear off men during her trip, but of course a ridiculously handsome local, Roane, comes along to threaten that pledge.

I found it quite unrealistic that Evie became accepted by the locals as quickly as she did, considering that she'd only planned to spend a month in town. Everything just went a little too smoothly for her. I can see how this would be a real comfort read for some people, but I longed for a bit more edge.

I've loved almost every book I've read from Samantha Young, which includes the entirety of the On Dublin Street series. Samantha creates real and relatable characters, which she accomplished in this book. I was right to be excited!

I love the small town, everyone in it, and their antics. I especially love the presence of a dog because they're always awesome additions in books. Everyone's story was captivating and I couldn't help but root for these characters.

My problem was with the quality of writing. There were way too many exclamation points in Evie's thoughts, making the narration sound unnatural. A lot of conversation also sound stilted, especially when characters use words like "moreover" and "furthermore." As a writer myself, one of the things my editors have drilled into me was that these words don't come up in normal conversations unless we're in the 19th century or writing an academic paper. Since this is a contemporary romance, albeit set in the English countryside, words like "but" and "end" would have made dialogues flow better.

Anyway, I still liked the story overall. Just don't be fooled by the cheery cover. Samantha Young books are not very lighthearted, but they're full of heart.

Thanks to Berkley for the digital ARC.

After a few failed attempts at love and work, Evie up and rents out a bookshop/apt combo in a charming small village 1000 miles from home. Enter a hot farmer and his Dog, a local pub and a cast of lovable villagers.

This book was such a lovely read! It was sweet, cute, funny and a wonderfully feel good novel. It definitely had it's cheesy, sappy and predictable parts but what's a good rom com without a few of those right?

I'm so thankful to Netgalley for the ARC, this one definitely put the biggest smile on my face.

A fine romance (literally, not a reference to the song). The setting is idyllic and the characters are mostly likeable. However the dialogue is overly formal - almost like they're all using therapy speak. That left the book wanting in terms of warmth and connection for me. Overall enjoyable, but not something I would push into the hands of contemporary romance readers.

Much Ado About You whisks readers away to the quaintest seaside village in Northern England where our heroine Evie finds herself, a new community, and the swooniest farmer.

Fed up by misogyny at work, disappointing romances, and friends moving on with partners and children, thirty-something Evie impulsively traders Chicago city life for an adventure in the UK. However, Evie quickly is folded into the local’s village life. She’s also fighting an attraction to a seemingly perfect farmer...but can Evie even begin to fathom a transatlantic move?

This book is such a cozy escape anchored by well-rounded characters, a friends-to-lovers romance, and an adorable dog. Readers who can suspend their disbelief, and just enjoy all the swoon and quaint charm will adore this book!

Sweet story and the dream of everyone who has lived past the age of 25! Oh, that I could run away to a bookshop some days! True to Young's style, the dialogue was masterful and engaging. I adored Evie's confidence and bravery. My "Fight or Flight" fans will be eager for this title!

BRB, booking my trip to Northumberland now.

This book was a pure delight. Evie is a great main character and Northumberland is a great setting for a romance. You can easily picture the seaside cottages and charm of an old English village.

It definitely seems like the perfect escape from city life where everything seems to be going wrong, which is where we find Evie at the beginning of Much Ado About You. She's quit her job, her most recent of what seems like a thousand first dates has gone wildly wrong, and her friends all seem to be lapping her at life. So it's clearly time for a vacation. She finds a dream ad to vacation in a small English village with the bonus of getting to run the local bookshop - it's any book lovers paradise. In this tiny Northumberland village, she finds your typical small-town people with all the typical small-town gossip. But Roane might just make it worth it...if she were looking for romance, that is. Which she's definitely not, right?

Wrong. Everyone knows when you find a hot many in a small-town you jump on that.

This romance builts perfectly. Evie and Roane start as friends but their connection is clear to any reader right from the start. It's an inevitability that they'll get together, but somehow that only makes the journey to get there more fun. Evie grows a lot along the way and while she's found a partner, she finds herself just as much.

This story is full of charm, whether it's the banter between Evie and Roane, the dimensional side characters, or literally just the charming British setting. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a book that just makes you feel cozy inside. I need about three sequels to this book as soon as possible.