Lauren Layne excels in opposites attract stories. This story of anonymous digital pen pals who don’t realize they know (and dislike) one another IRL puts a modern spin on the classics Parfumerie, The Shop Around the Corner and You’ve Got Mail: an ouvre of plays and movies about letters exchanged with a frenemy, not knowing the secret admirer and antagonist are one and the same.

Gracie Cooper is struggling to keep her family’s champagne store business afloat with her original drinking in NYC themed watercolors for sale along with strategic merchandising (pretty cocktail napkins and quirky corkscrews). An offer to buy out her lease from a real estate developer is an affront to her commitment to her parent’s legacy, even tho running the family business is not what she wants to be doing with her life. She’s a fairy tale romantic still hoping for her Prince Charming, fantasizing about a brown haired, brown-eyed musician with a dad bod. She signs up for a unique dating app that’s the opposite of Tinder: get to know someone with NO images. She connects with a mystery man she calls Sir, buts he’s not available, having been signed up for the app after mocking a friend who met his fiancé online–when he’s already in a relationship.

Their connection deepens as the letters from the development firm increase and finally the hot (blue-eyed) man in charge shows up at her door in what can only be described as a meet surly. Sebastian Andrews appears to be full of contradictions: sometimes mean, but always regretful, and ambitious but kind, he wants to see people settled and seems to become friend with the business owners he displaced to benefit his family’s real estate deals. And when Gracie starts to implement her hands off siblings ideas to turn her shop around, Sebastian shows up for events as a patron, as if he wants her to succeed. In one funny scene, he shows up dateless to a couples cooking class that Bubbles & More is putting on, and Gracie’s co-workers insist on her joining him. Their cooking is delightedly disastrous.

The cast of characters from customers to co-workers to family and friends seem vivid and real, as if each one could someday be the star of their own book. Layne excels at little details that make a person bloom off the page. Including NYC style living, which almost makes the city a character in it’s own right, with pop up flower carts, skyscrapers, taxis and To Sir With Love is a romance with plenty of heart and vulnerability, lots of yearning, and zero on-the-pages nookie–and I didn’t miss it, it worked.

Spoiler alert:



I didn’t like the intrusion of the ghosts of the parents at the very end or the babylogue after Gracie’s sister struggled with infertility – childlessness is a valid (and sometimes painful choice), but readers who need a HEA instead of HFN won’t be as bothered.

A modern take on You’ve Got Mail?!? Written by the one and only Lauren Layne?!? What is there not to love!!!

This delightful slow-burn was every bit as wonderful as I had hoped and another fantastic read from Layne.

I absolutely loved this book. I loved the little messages that the writer included between Sir and Lady. The chemistry between Gracie and Sebastian was so beautifully written. I can’t wait to read more from Lauren Layne.

This was an absolutely lovely read! I was smiling ridiculously the whole time! Definitely give this one a try!

I absolutely adore enemies to lovers romances and Lauren Layne nailed it with To Sir, with Love! This was a fun and charming romance that I really enjoyed!

Gracie Cooper runs her family-owned champagne store after her father’s death, unfortunately giving up her dream of art. But, unfortunately, it starts to take a turn and when Sebastian Andrews and his company wants to buy her out, tension begins to fly, even when chemistry is mixed into those sparks.

I gave To Sir, With Love five stars, absolutely loving this book, especially the audiobook. The narrators do such a phenomenal job when it comes to portraying Gracie and Sebastian and their lives. I found myself feeling the yearning between these two. And even though we only hear from Gracie’s point of view, I could also feel Sebastian’s yearning and his emotions. This is a huge part of why I came to love To Sir, With Love. That being said, the physical book is just as amazing. Although I read it on audio, I did flip through the book and followed along. I know that in any format, this book is truly something amazing.

I loved the relationship between Gracie and Sebastian. I liked how it made me watch *You’ve Got Mail* for the second time and the fact that even though Gracie and Sebastian didn’t like each other at first, you could feel their chemistry every single time they interacted with each other. They hated each other but they also couldn’t take their eyes off each other. I feel like that’s one thing that Lauren Layne did amazingly in this book, portraying that “love at first sight” feeling. Even with Gracie’s family business not doing well, you could feel the anger and the sadness that Gracie portrayed. This book was simply well done and I found myself wanting more.

As an overall romance, To Sir, With Love is done well and I loved that it wasn’t too short but also not too long. It was the perfect length. This was fun and romantic and it made me so happy to read.

Thank you again to NetGalley and Gallery Books for inviting me to read To Sir, With Love and for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was absolutely beautiful. I caught myself smiling around 80% of the time I was reading.

Gracie is on a dating app in which you choose people based on what they write and not on their picture. So in order to pick someone you actually read their words and it’s not physical. Reminded me sort of the Blind Auditions for The Voice turned dating app. I don’t think I’d be able to take a risk like that.

Well, Gracie meets “Sir” and she falls for him. Let’s note that she has not seen him at all, she likes what he writes.

Sir, however, is not the only man in her life. There’s Sebastian Andrews who’s trying to buy Gracie’s family business. She is not too happy about that. Yet, the more she gets to meet Sebastian, the more she is attracted to him. So Gracie has a dilemma, she likes both Sebastian and Sir.

This plot leaves for great great romance and I just loved the book. It was so cute, so romantic, so charming! This one was a solid 4.5 for me!

This book was absolutely incredibly beautiful with such cute and swoony moments. I loved the banter between Gracie and Sebastian. They were so perfect together. ❣️
A must read for all of those who love a cute romantic comedy !

Lauren Layne is an auto buy author for me and To Sir with Love is another delightful rom com based in New York City. The way Layne writes about both her main characters and NYC is a winning combination.

This was such a cute, charming, and fun read!! I loved the witty bantering of the main characters. It was reminiscent of You’ve Got Mail but with a modern twist! Would definitely recommend to any romance reader. Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for access to this title in exchange of my honest review!!

3.5 STARS
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This book definitely delivered on the “You’ve Got Mail” vibes, and I definitely enjoyed the read, though I do have a few minor complaints.

1) This book felt slightly info-dumpy to me. There was much more of that in the book than there were couple interactions. And while I would have obviously loved more interactions, I actually liked their digital interactions better than their in-person interactions. I also could have done with less about side characters that I know nothing about or have no relevance to the story.

2) While this was almost a play by play translation of “You’ve Got Mail”, I did find the characters were much more one-dimensional than the original. I would have loved to see more character depth and growth.

So while definitely not my favorite Lauren Layne book, this was a nice quick romance read.

Also a quick note on content: some language, a kissing scene, but no sexual content. If you came looking for seggsy scenes, you will be sorely disappointed.

I am RUINED! This book has absolutely wrecked me and I don't know if I will ever be able to love another romance novel as much as this one! It was practically perfect in every way so get ready for some major fangirling below.

I have to start with the leading man, Sebastian Andrews. I swooned as soon as I read his name. What a NAME. And what a man to go along with it. This was an enemies-to-lovers novel so of course, we got the grumpy and evil version of Sebastian before anything else. But, unlike other enemies-to-lovers, his name was cleared pretty quickly. It became clear pretty quickly that he was actually a good guy rather than having to wait until the very end to clear up misconceptions. Now, that doesn't mean that there wasn't an awesome conflict between him and Gracie, but I liked that he was likable early on. And wayyyyyy too swoony. Seriously. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Now, onto the leading lady. Gracie was equally as amazing in so many ways. She was a dreamer, but a little too scared to leave the dream behind in case she would be disappointed. She was doing the right thing for everyone around her, but not necessarily for herself. She had a healthy Frank Sinatra obsession (loved that so much, btw) and a great love of the city. She reminded me so much of myself in many ways that it was a bit scary.

Now, onto why Gracie and Sebastian were the absolute greatest together. They had a slow burn romance that was angsty, and loveable, and heartbreaking, and perfect. When I say I want a slow burn, this is what I mean!!!! They had an instant connection even if it was shadowed by the fact that Sebastian's company was looking to buy out Gracie's. Also, Layne did an excellent job of pulling from You've Got Mail. It can be a tough retelling because the characters are falling for two different people who are the same person, etc. But Layne executed the story perfectly. I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Also, all the subplot romances had me deceased. Heart stopped, practically six feet under, never to be heard from again, deceased. They were something I didn't know I needed until they were there and I'm happy they were!!

Overall, I can't praise this book enough. It was perfection in the flesh and you can't change my mind.

This was a cute story between cheerful Gracie and careful Sebastian. There was lots of banter in the first half of the story which was lots of fun. I liked Sebastian and I wanted Gracie to give him more of chance to have better motives instead of making him the absolute reason that everything was going wrong. I liked how Gracie eventually realized that she needed to figure out what she wanted out of life.

The supporting characters were great. The side story of Alec and Lily (Gracie's sister) was something I became rather invested in. Keva and Grady were fun.

I do wish that there had been a little more fleshing out of Sebastian. I really wanted to spend more time with him and get to know/understand him a bit better, because he felt just a little flat to me. I really wanted more of him.

My favorite was the Sir/Lady interactions. They were funny, and formal but not formal.

Overall a cute romantic read.

To Sir, with Love is a cute rom-com for those who love a good, heartwarming story. The setting in NYC surrounding a family champagne shop was really fun. Our protagonist Gracie is trying to save the family business and simultaneously "pleasing" everyone around her. She finds a connection on a blind dating app, but it turns out she may already know the guy, and they just so happen to not be able to stand each other. It is obvious who "sir" is, and I will say the whole "dear sir" way they communicated online was weird to me, but the storyline and characters kept me turning the pages. This is an easy read (and not steamy) for fans of You've Got Mail and rom-com lovers. You will want to sip on a glass of bubbles while reading!

Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for the advanced copy of this cute book to review.

I’m not going to be able to read this. My father died of cancer and I just can’t. So I’m going to assume the best and give it 5 stars because idk when/if I’ll be able to come back to it.

This was such a sweet book! I am picky about my romance but this is exactly the type I like. Even though you know pretty early on the "twist" (as you're supposed to) it was still so fun to read along.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. This book is exactly what I needed after reading several mystery books. This was such a feel good, “Hallmark-type” book and I loved every single page!!! It seriously had me smiling from beginning to end! I loved every character in this book. Of course my favorites were Gracie and Sebastian, but all of their friends and Gracie’s family were great characters as well. I love the storyline. It was so well written with how Gracie struggled having feelings for both Sebastian and “Sir”. It’s like you can’t help but root for both of them. Even though it started off alittle rocky when she first met Sebastian, you could tell from the beginning that he was going to end up being a very charming ladies man. I’m going to make this review short and to the point and just say that although it may have been predictable, there was never a dull moment and it ended perfectly. The very last page was my absolute favorite…so sweet! I look forward to reading more books by Lauren Layne.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

To see other reviews I’ve left, check out my Instagram and Goodreads pages:
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*Goodreads - Cherihy808

DNF - Did not finish. I did not connect with the writing style or plot and will not be finishing this title. Thank you, NetGalley and Publisher for the early copy!

This book is endearing, romantic and witty; it also reminded me a bit of You've Got Mail, one of my favorite rom-com movies.

This was a 3.5/5 star read for me! A quick, fun love story that paid delightful homage to You've Got Mail. My only issue is that I feel like some of the situations forced me to suspend my disbelief a bit too much (how did Gracie not figure out who Sebastian was sooner!). But overall, had fun with this one.