To Sir, with Love by Lauren Layne was a really adorable read! I really enjoyed Layne's previous books like her Oxford and Stiletto series, so I was excited to read this book. This one was a really unique take on the trope that was made famous by the Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan starrer You've Got Mail! I'm a sucker for this trope and this book did not disappoint.

It follows Gracie Cooper, owner of a Manhattan champagne shop. For al her life, Gracie has wanted the fairytale life. When she goes into "Cinderella mode," she goes all the way from singing with the birds to constantly looking for that love-at-first-sight moment wherever she goes. When she comes across this guy with piercing aqua eyes, and feels a connection deep in her soul, she believes she's found something special. But things don't go the way she planned. First she finds out he's in a relationship and soon after that he's revealed to be the very man who's been trying to buyout her shop. Gone is her fairytale moment an in it's place stands Sebastian Andrews, her new nemesis.

She spends all her time trying to thwart Sebastian's attempts to procure the shop, and when she's not doing that, she's talking to her anonymous friend "Sir" online. But when Gracie starts to look past her judgements and really gets to know Sebastian things start to change. Their connection is undeniable but Gracie can't let go of her connection to Sir either.

This book is a really sweet and magical enemies to lovers romance that will make you want to believe in true love, just like Gracie. Her belief in all things fairytale, her cheery personality and her fierce spirit make her a fantastic protagonist. Her chemistry with Sebastian, and their sweet and snarky conversations, make this a completely entertaining read.

I love the contrast between Lady and Sir, and Gracie and Sebastian. And it all comes together in the end in a really wonderful way. I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for a sweet and fun rom-com, that's sure to make you laugh and swoon the whole way through!

4.25 STARS

A fresh new take on a tried-and-true theme, “To Sir, with Love” is a delightfully charming story guaranteed to tug at the heartstrings of true romantics everywhere. We watch from the sidelines, as champagne shop owner, Gracie Cooper, strives to keep her family’s struggling business afloat, all while her heart searches to discover her one true love. Absent is any gratuitous angst and drama, focusing instead on Gracie’s personal and professional conflicts, all while studiously propelling the story forward towards the requisite HEA. As with all of Lauren Layne's books, I found "To Sir, with Love" to be a quick and easy read that made me smile and made me swoon. If you are looking for a light, enchanting read, then look no further... this is the book for you!

The blurb really captured my interest and the description was pretty spot on. I am not going to lie, I was a bit nervous that it would be a lot like the movie "You Got Mail" and it is and it isn't, if that makes sense.

You have Gracie, that is trying to keep her family owned business (champagne shop), a sort of a promise she made to her dad, but her heart really is in her painting, even if she wants to deny that aspect. She's been having meaningful messages and banter with a gentleman she met via a dating app. This is where the "Love is Blind" part comes into play. This app, instead of posting pictures, you post about yourself and see if you "click". Unfortunately, her online suitor is unavailable and the only reason he happened to be on, was a joke from his friends. But the connection between Sir and Lady has been undeniable from the start. That is until Gracie meets a gorgeous looking fellow when her $20 bill goes flying towards him, there's just something about him that she feels a certain connection to, but this hot suitor then becomes somewhat of her nemesis. Sebastian Andrews, wants to buy out her lease at Bubble and more. Oh Gracie is so angry, but she cannot help the pull she has with this hottie in a suit.

The banter between Gracie and her online suitor and with Sebastian, well it was uncanny. Without giving too much of the plot away, the scenes were very reminiscent to YGM for sure, but with some twists.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It's very women's fiction, so if you're looking for some raunchy sexy times, that's not going to happen, but the story and the whole plot worked for me. I read this book in one day, so that tells you how much I really enjoyed it.

*An ARC was provided via NetGalley*

Great story about a girl named Gracie that runs a champagne shop that her parents started before they passed away. Gracie is a artist and put her dreams on hold to run the family business as her dad had asked her to before he died. The shop was not doing well, and the company that owned the building wants to buy out the shops lease. Sebastian is the man trying to buy the lease from her, but when they meet for the first time Gracie feels like it is a fairytale. Then his girlfriend shows up by his side and squashes that thought. Gracie also has been talking with a man named "Sir" on a dating site whom she has not seen or met and told her his friends setup the account and he is actually dating someone, but the keep chatting as friends. Throughout the story Gracie falls for both men and her life continues to change. She wants to tell Sebastian how she feels about him, but he tells her to pursue the other guy. Is this a fairytale or all just a bad dream...
Loved this book!

Loved This Book!

First of all, You’ve Got Mail is one of my favorite rom-com films! So the author already had me at that. Secondly, Ms. Layne’s books always evoke the Manhattan as it exists in the movies and in my imagination: sophisticated, urbane and infinitely so exciting and interesting.

To top it off, an enemies to friends to lovers story, one of my favorite tropes.

So the story of Gracie, who’s put aside her own dreams to live her dad’s dream and Sebastian, the dutiful son groomed his entire life to take over the family business and marry his childhood sweetheart, has to be a wonderful story. And the the skilled hands off the author, it didn’t disappoint!

Once I picked To Sir, With Love up, I couldn't put it down. You've Got Mail is one of my favorite movies, and Lauren Layne puts a wonderful modern spin on it in this book. I loved Gracie, I loved Sebastian, and I loved all of the side characters as well (especially May). Honestly, my only complaint is that I wish there was more! Some things felt like they moved a little too fast or that I was missing out. For example, Gracie refers to when Sebastian walks her to her apartment, but that scene stops before they make it there - I would have loved to see them at her building! Still, this was a delight to read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I predict To Sir With Love by Lauren Layne is going to be a big hit. If you liked the movie You’ve Got Mail; you’ll like this book because it is a modernized version of that famous movie. I think the banter between Gracie and Sebastian is charming, and their emails back-and-forth are adorable. They meet by accident on a website and begin a flirty and tenacious commentary, all while Gracie's life is changing because her champagne business is not going to succeed no matter how much she tries. It’s a sweet, lovely, and delightful love story, and who doesn’t like that? Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC, but my review and comments are my own and without bias. June publication date. #ToSirWithLove #chaste #timeless #romance #laurenlaynebooks #laurenlayne @netgalley @gallerybooks
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Lauren Layne never fails to amaze me.
She always manages to deliver everything I want in a romance and I love her for that.

Gracie and Sebastian are soulmates, their chemistry was palpable and got me smiling like an idiot while reading. I loved them as individual characters and as a couple.

"To Sir, with Love" turned out to be one of my favorites from the author.

I definitely recommend it if you love a fun, sweet and well-written story that will definitely warm your heart.

Such a good story. Yes it follows those tried and true formulas for your typical rom-com. Nevertheless, I was up hours past my bedtime reading because I couldn’t put it down.

It was like binge watching your favorite show. You want to get through it so you you’re done and can enjoy the HEA but don’t want it to end because it’ll feel like losing a great friendship.

Was happy the end segued nicely into the epilogues without leaving you feeling cutoff or as if there were loose ends.

I usually enjoy Lauren Layne books, and I thought this was one of the better ones I've read from her in a while! As a You've Got Mail super fan, I appreciated the ways she nodded to that story (and all its other versions) while also making it stand on its own. This was a fun, cute read with all kinds of romantic tension that requires you to read all the way to the very end.

SPOILERS:
I liked that Sebastian wasn't behind the end of her business (and the way he stood up for himself when she accused him of that) and how he supported her business while it was still going as well as actually giving her the resources to close it well and support herself and her employees. I also really like the way the issues with the store felt very realistic and that Gracie chose to close it rather than unrealistically having it be successful overnight. The relationships with her family and friends were great and added to the world!

There were some MAJOR leaps taken that didn't feel very realistic to me, but I just went with them to be able to enjoy the rest of the story. As someone in the world of online app dating and knowing the whole range of people who might want to match with you, there's just no way I would join a dating app where you don't know anything about the other person. Beyond things like age and gender that could be very incompatible, there are so many creepers out there I just can't imagine a world where I'd take that kind of chance. And, of course the mystery person turns out to be an incredibly handsome man who is perfect for her. The other thing that felt too idealized to me was that she was able to get an art showing immediately and that a bunch of people wanted to buy her art. To my understanding, the art world is brutal even to the best artists with the most experience, so it's hard to believe she'd be able to stunble into it without any issues.

This is your next beach or "get lost in a book" read! But, be prepared to set aside some time, because you won't want to put this one down!

We know from the description that this is a modern take on "You've Got Mail", so no surprises that the story is going to be predicable. Yes, you know how it will end, but it's all about the journey, right?! And the journey was such a fun ride with humorous dialogue, great writing, lots of "feels" and a steady stream of likable characters.

This is a quick and super enjoyable read that will have you turning the pages and recommending it to all your friends!

I feel like the description of this book is misleading. After only a few pages we find out the male lead has a girlfriend. This is a huge turn off for me and I wouldn’t have requested had I known. Even though it states they’re just friends. But for Gracie it’s clearly emotional from the first page. I won’t be continuing reading

I will admit the author had me at the title. I expected romance. I wanted romance. I got romance, lots and lots of romance. It was not all roses and chocolates. In a world where actions speak louder than words; To Sir, with Love was a concert hall full of beautiful acoustics.

When I started this book, I did something I can't remember doing since I was a teenager. Trust me that was a long, long time ago. I started To Sir, with Love as my bedtime read. I thought the willpower to just read a few chapters was strong. I was wrong. So very wrong.

Just like a silly teen experiencing her first romance novel, I scooted down in the bed. I covered my head and book with my blankets isolating me from the rest the world and read. I read and read. I got lost in the words and read some more. I read until the words were finished. Then I had the best sleep I have had in a very long time.

I am still in a state of bliss. I really like this feeling. I confess I have only read one other book by Lauren Layne. That is going to change. I want the nirvana to stay. The author has a super fan in me.

The epilogue was unique. The epilogue was PERFECTION. The epilogue was glorious. Gracie and Sebastian have the best kind of love. Please grab To Sir, with Love and escape the world around you.

Cute, fun read that was a breeze.

Story of a woman living in NYC that owns her parent's champagne shop. In comes the tall, dark, and handsome developer that wants to close her business down.

A story, of love, family, and laughs.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and give my honest feedback.

I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars if I could

I've read many a Lauren Layne over the years. This one is a little less steamy and a little more grounded in reality. The romance almost takes a supporting role here, even though Gracie is and always has been a fairy-tale romantic at heart. It's more introspective and explores the question: "Am I really living life for me?"

The cast of characters is wonderful. I adored Keva and her flair. Everyone needs a May in their life. Alec is sweet and gently supporting. Sebastian is layered like a delicious parfait. Gracie is strong and brave and a little too romantic for my tastes but that makes her all the more lovable.

The plot, however, was a bit predictable. It was absolutely a lot of fun seeing how it all worked out but there weren't any twists and I found that a tad disappointing. It made up for it by provoking genuine introspection on my part, much like Gracie herself experiences.

This would make a lovely beach-day read!

To Sir, with Love is like a gorgeous piece of light, airy confection. A macaroon perhaps - delicious, sweet and not too heavy.

The prose is effervescent, the pace is lively, and the characters hit the right notes of people you want to root for, and return to time and again.

Gracie is charming and rootable, if a little "head among the clouds". She clings to her fantasies a little too much for a die-hard New Yorker. Others might find that romantic, given she lives in one of the harshest urban jungles there is - Manhattan, but I felt the Disney/Cinderella aspect was incongruent with the realities of city living.
Sebastian was your stereotypical romantic male lead for these sorts of novels. Somewhat arrogant, aloof, cold - but then later revealed to be kind, insightful and down-to-earth. For me, he was somewhat of a cipher, as like most contemporary romance novels, the story is told mainly from the POV of the female lead.
Ultimately, we cheer for the two crazy kids to get together, although I still wanted more from Sebastian, and Sebastian and Gracie together. Their interactions needed to be more frequent and more deep for me to truly sense that these two characters were each others' The One.

The one aspect of the novel that had me rolling my eyes was the ease with which Gracie was able to have a gallery showing of her art. Yes, Sebastian eased the path for her, but it still had more than a whiff of unbelievability. But of course Hugh, the gallery owner would absolutely adore Gracie's art, and she would sell her artwork as easy as ice cream on a scorching summer's day. Sure, yeah, OK.

Still, To Sir, with Love is a refreshing break from life, if only for a couple of hours. Like a fantastic glass of champagne, it can be enjoyed, knowing it's a transitory enjoyment, so just let the bubbly parts take you away.

Thank you to Gallery Books and Netgalley for the Advance Copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

This book is just plain fun. It uses an age-old trope of "I love them, but I've never met them" mixed with a little "enemies to lovers" to create a book that has the comfort of an old favorite and the excitement of a fresh modern take.

In this book, Lauren Layne gives us the tale of Gracie and Sebastian- enemies in business who are unknowingly communicating with each other through an anonymous dating app. In the true vein of "You've Got Mail", the backdrop of this story is New York City, where Gracie and a cast of delightful supporting characters run a charming champagne shop. In light of Sebastian's attempts to buy out her business, Gracie finds herself turning to "Sir", her online pen pal, to examine her life and figure out what she wants.

I so enjoyed this book. Its light and airy (I mean.... it's set in a champagne shop, how could it not be?) but the characters still drew me in. Romance abounds, but it also tells a tale of personal growth, family, and duty. Not to mention, Sebastian is exactly the type of "tall, broody, and handsome- but actually a cinnamon roll" leading man you want in your romance novels. If you enjoy a good light breezy romance, this one is for you!

Reviews Posted on Goodreads and The StoryGraph. Post will be made on instagram closer to Pub Date.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3869844583
The StoryGraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/3df55f02-a0a3-4288-8dfe-083990595afc

I’m a longtime fan of Lauren Layne because she never disappoints. To Sir With Love is yet another example of how she can craft friendship that rings true, chemistry that sizzles, and love that feels like falling off a cliff into earth’s most pristine waters. This is a clean romance. Ms. Layne can write steam with the best of them, so I was surprised this didn’t have one drop. Even more surprising, I didn’t miss it. It’s that good. Pull up a beach lounger, my friends. This one is a winner!

I received an ARC of this book, from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book gave me all the feels! I loved the voice given to the heroine of the novel, and how she was able to navigate her way from living her father’s dream to finding her own.
All the characters were lovable, realistic, and genuine. Sebastian was swoony and everything you’d want in a leading man.
This novel was very well written, the characters took you on a journey, and there were no loose ends. What a beautiful story. Highly recommend!!

Cute story and very much like "You've Got Mail" that I only have wonderful memories of watching so of course, this was a fun read for me. I like the enemies to lovers theme and following your dreams, not someone else's. This is due out summer 2021 so it will be perfect vacation read!