okay stop the pressed i freaking loved this book way to dang much!
i loved every to sir with love message in this book i think a few more personal detail ones would have made the TADAAAA even better.. but omg these two characters were EVERYTHING i needed.
this author omg she can write a love story and its pure joy!

This was an absolute delight!

Thank you so much for the ARC copy of this book. This sweet romantic comedy was uplifting and inspiring. I loved how the entire “you’ve got mail” concept was modernized into text messages through a dating app. Their interactions were funny, flirty and very romantic.

I loved both Gracie and Sebastian. Gracie was always so positive and had a great attitude about everything she did. I loved how protective and enthusiastic she was about her family’s legacy and how much effort she put into everything she did to make the flourish, even if it meant to give it up. Sebastan was thoughtful and understanding, and I loved that after all, he had the best intentions at heart. The connection and chemistry was obvious since the very beginning and I loved how all the events led to that beautiful ending.

The only thing that I could say was missing for me, was his point of view due to the type of story. Still, I think it was a beautiful book and I can’t wait to read more of this author.

This seemed really close to You've Got Mail, but I still really loved it. Lauren Layne is one of my favorite authors and this was one of the best of hers that I've read.

Gracie Cooper owns her late father’s business along with her siblings. She loves it but she is the only one out of her siblings that actually deals with it and she is getting tired of trying to keep it afloat. She holds resentment as well because of art dreams sailing further away as each year passes. Her biggest piece of happiness is a faceless man who she messages through a dating app. I really enjoyed this story. It is a modern day fairy tale with layered characters. The location was wonderful and easy to picture. I especially loved Bubbles & More. Gracie had many great qualities and she definitely deserves more from life than her situation at the start of the book but I was a little disappointed in some of her choices in men. She prided herself on having high standards yet she fell twice for men that were already in relationships and let them really affect her life. As you read along, you begin to understand her choices but I didn’t particularly enjoy that she treated her crush so poorly because of her jealousy when he really didn’t do anything and he was at that point in a relationship. The leading man was honestly perfect. I loved the dialogue between Gracie and him and despite being filtered through Gracie’s perspective. He was actually a really good person so does she realize it in the end? You will have to read to find out. Overall, a great story about going for what you want in life and in love with very real and lovable characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review!

I have enjoyed every single Lauren Layne book I have had the pleasure to read. Nevertheless, I came to this one with slight trepidation since it's a version of a beloved classic (You've Got Mail). Turns out that my worries were unfounded and "To Sir, with Love" may be my favorite Lauren Layne book to date. The basic story is the same, but it is a modern version with two delightfully romantic characters that are also somewhat old-fashioned in a charming way. The full cast of characters and their incredible dialogues are very much in Laynes style: charming, witty, layered. Even in the moments that paralleled the movie, it was in a way that made me smile, but never felt out of place in this author's world and with her characters. This was the book I needed right now, adorable, a joy to read and a delightful escape. I loved Gracie and Sebastian and will be rereading this one.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really sweet take on the Nora Ephron classic You've got Mail! It was certainly a more modern take on the story and all of the characters were charmingly sincere. The villan/hero character was convincing and it really seemed as if he was struggling to figure out what to do (and did not seem blatantly manipulative or catfishy, which is so often the pitfall of this trope). The chemistry was strong and the romantic moments were cute, I would definitely recommend giving this book a shot!

I absolutely loved this book, I knew the second I was done that this would be a definite re-read soon! To Sir, with Love was perfect; the characters were amazing, the plot was perfect and the slow burn was exactly the romance I crave. Plus there were some great laugh out loud moments that kept me highly entertained. I read it so quickly that I was a little mad at myself for not savoring it a little slower. This is a definite recommendation for those that love a fun, slow burn love story!

I have long been a fan of Lauren Layne so I was especially excited when I was able to read an ARC of her upcoming book, “To Sir, With Love” and my excitement was well placed because I loved this book. I’ve been grappling with what to say about it, but it just made me really happy - even during the really serious parts. I don’t think I’ve ever felt closer to a character than I did to Gracie. I really enjoyed her relationships with her friends, colleagues, May, and especially within the Cooper family. Obviously this is a romance and the love story is a huge (and very good!) part of the book, but my favorite parts were just being inside Gracie’s head as she figured out where her life was and where it needed to go. There were so many parts that made me literally laugh out loud (I can’t wait until this book comes out so I can share my favorite quotes!) and I was almost sad as I got closer to the end because I wanted to talk with Rachel and see what is going on in Keva’s dating life and see what Robyn was up to. I want to talk to Lily about her renovation and chat with Alec and I want Caleb to keep being Caleb. Lauren Layne creates the best worlds - combining real life with just enough fantasy - that it felt so good to be back and I can’t wait to reread this one when it comes out June 29!! If LL isn’t already a one-click author for you this one will convince you, preorder it now!

I normally read romantic suspense and paranormal mysteries but having read two previous books by this author I was hoping this one would be as good. Wow! With a nod to The Shop Around the Corner/You've Got Mail, this book had everything I would want in a book. I loved the characters, plot line, and just overall fun to read. Romantic comedy is not always easy to read, too much sex or underdeveloped characters, it is a fine balance. I would definitely recommend this book and others by this author. I plan to start reading more by this author. I received an e-book from NetGalley in return for an unbiased review.

Don’t hate me, but I’ve never liked ‘You’ve Got Mail’ (even though I LOVE Nora Ephron). I really never liked ‘The Shop Around the Corner’ either. Something about the story and the way the men behaved in them always kind of put me off.

So color me really surprised that I really enjoyed this take on the story! The characters of Sebastian Andrews and Gracie Cooper were funny and flawed and lovable. The supporting cast of characters, and the other storylines weaving throughout were thoughtful, and touching. I cried more than a few times, and read the book straight through.

A wonderful and feel good story that made me have all the feels!

Thanks to netgalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

To Sir, With Love made me swoon.⁣
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This is described as a Love is Blind meets You Got Mail and it’s so perfect!⁣
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Gracie is the glue that holds her family and friends together. She is so charming and likable. ⁣
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Sebastian is broody, sexy, and swoon worthy. These two have amazing chemistry and their verbal sparring makes for great banter, in this enemies to lovers romcom. ⁣
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I love the back and forth conversations before each chapter between Gracie and Sir and I love the button pushing between Gracie and Sebastian. Who does she choose in her fairy tale?⁣
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
#bookstagram #books #bookcommunity #romance #romcom #tosirwithlove #netgalley⁣
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Thank you @netgalley and @gallerybooks for this ARC for my honest review.

Now this was a cute fun book! I enjoyed everything about this one! The characters the story the plot. The writing!
While this book was full of the usual Lauren Layne charm and magic, I found myself wanting MORE- more time to see the chemistry build between the characters.
I was when I finished it.

3.5 stars

This book quickly drew me in. I thoroughly enjoyed the clever banter between Sir and Lady. The way they maintained the Sir and Lady personas was witty and fun.

One knows from the start, that as an homage to “You’ve Got Mail”, exactly where this rom-com will end up. And that detracted from the book for me. While I enjoyed it, it also felt too predictable.

I had a hard time connecting with the idea of the app that they met on — but I haven’t watched Love is Blind. So that may be part of the disconnect for me. I don’t quite fit the target audience.

I was somewhat put off by Gracie’s artistic style. It felt too gimmicky. I think I may just not have been able to paint the right picture of her artwork in my head. I’m stuck with a mental image of cutesy artwork that’s more of what would be found on greeting cards than in a gallery setting.

Thanks NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I haven’t read a romance novel in years. My books of choice in the past few years have been mysteries and thrillers. So, when I started this book I wasn’t expecting much. But I was pleasantly surprised. I found myself engaged in the story and relating to the main character. When her dad passes away Gracie decides to take over Bubbles, the family business, instead of pursuing her dreams of becoming an artist. She tries so hard to keep the business afloat for her dad but the business flounders. Enter Sebastian the “evil” businessman who wants to buy out her lease. Well I’m sure you can guess what happens. Although romance novels generally follow the same template I found this book cute and charming. It’s a cute and quick read for those times you just don’t want to think too much and just get caught up in romance.

Book Review Time

To Sir, With Love by Lauren Layne

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Penpals with a modern twist. A dating app. Can you really fall in love with someone you’ve never met just by talking to them via a dating app? What about also falling for someone in person? Can you fall in love twice?

Pros:
-I loved being able to see the “texts” or dating app messages at the start of most of the chapters. I love the Sir/Lady banter.
-Gracie Cooper! She is so relatable as a character. She’s funny, smart, insecure, loves her family, ambitious, and just a REAL person!

Cons:
-I think if this was slightly an open door romance it would get six stars, but even without that it does get 5. Probably doesn’t count as a true con 😂
-I honestly only didn’t like that there wasn’t more. I think the conclusion was perfectly timed and you could easily expect it to happen at the end, but I wish it wasn’t so done after that. The epilogue was great and fun, and I’m glad we found out a few details for after the ending of the book, but still I would have loved to have had a little more before the epilogue. Maybe I liked Gracie and her man a little too much!

My thoughts:

I’m reading the first chapter, thinking okay this may or may not be good can’t really tell. Then chapter 2 and I fell in love with Gracie! I love a relatable character. I love reading about a 30-something women who has real problems and is also funny. I loved that she liked Big Bang Theory, that she loved being an aunt to her friend’s kids, and she also appreciates a good baggy shirt to wear around her house! I also loved throughout the book that you could almost tell what Sebastian was thinking without really having to have chapters from his POV. I almost just wish Gracie had caught on earlier to the mystery mate’s identity so we could have had more time of them together. I just know it would have been the sweetest moments. I also loved that we even got a happy ending for for the side characters which made everything even sweeter! The epilogue was perfect, loved the information we found out! Maybe a lot to only be a year later, but I think with Gracie and her mystery mate it works! I loved all the character development from Gracie as far as what she wants in life, what she wants in her family life, and in her career. She was just the perfect heroine for this romcom!

Thank you Netgalley, Gallery Books, and Simon and Schuster for this early release for To Sir, With Love in exchange for an honest review.

Will repost review to Goodreads, but will post to Instagram and Amazoncloser to release date unless instructed otherwise!

To Sir, With Love is the perfect comfort romance to curl up with on a quiet day. The banter between Sebastian and Gracie is cute, and the messages between Sir and Lady are downright adorable. However, while Layne provides a happily-ever-after ending, I felt that the entirety of the book could've been only the first half of the story. I kept waiting for what I thought should have been the climax of the action to occur, but it doesn't happen until the final chapter. Overall, To Sir, With Love is more Hallmark than what I was expecting, but still a good read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gracie is the owner of Bubbles & More, a champagne store in New York City. Bubbles has been in the family for many years and Gracie inherited it after her father passed away. The store has been struggling to stay a float for many years but Gracie has a hard time letting go of it. Enter Sebastian, who wants to buy her out of the store front to build a high rise in it’s place. Of course, the two immediately butt heads about it and Gracie refuses to give it up. BUT, it’s not just your traditional enemies to lovers romance. Gracie is also talking to a man on a dating app that who she has never met. She affectionately refers to him as Sir. Will Gracie and her family keep the store? Will Sebastian and Gracie fall in love? What about Gracie’s love letter relationship with the mystery man?

I adored all of the characters in this novel. Gracie and Sebastian are great leading roles and Gracie’s family and friends are enjoyable characters as well.

The New York City setting and the idea of a store front dedicated solely to champagne made my heart soar.

The book was compared to You’ve Got Mail and Love is Blind and I think that encapsulates it perfectly. Seriously, you won’t want to miss out on this read.

Gracie Cooper is a struggling business owner who is still single after waiting on her fairy tale ever-after kind of love to come along. She meets Sebastian Andrews, who wants to tear her business apart, and a faceless “Sir,” on a dating app, and tries to reconcile her feelings for both while keeping her business afloat.
When I saw Lauren Layne had a new novel coming out, I knew I had to read it. The Pre-Nup was one of my favorite romances last year. This was one of your typical enemies-to-lovers romance inspired by “You’ve Got Mail” with a lot of fun along the way. The witty banter was there, you found yourself yelling at the characters to reveal their true identities, perform certain actions, and just get together! I adore the friends to lovers trope, so I am a sucker for this kind of book, especially if I’m in the mood for something light and fun. This novel didn’t disappoint, I only found myself wanting a bit more character/relationship development as it moved a little too quickly.

3.5 stars!

I will definitely continue to read more from this author. I enjoyed this book and all of her romances!
Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

'To Sir, with Love' is a nostalgic dose of an all-time favourite rom-com of mine - Nora Ephron's You've Got Mail - done with the storytelling bones of the movie, set in a somewhat similar context and written with the same light-hearted sprinkling of fairy dust and wistful cuteness as you'd come to expect of Lauren Layne.

The uplifting sweetness that comes out of 'You've Got Mail' and the incarnations prior Ephron's version is captured perfectly: the fictionalised, romantic version of New York and the specific population of indie shop owners that Layne writes about, the closeness of family and their banter, the intruder who eventually becomes the object of kismet in Gracie Cooper's life, even as she struggles juggling a virtual stranger and a man who should be her enemy. With the added Disneyed-sheen of fairytales and Gracie's love of the feel-good cartoon characters that weave a common thread of turning her fantasies to bleed into reality, how is it then not possible to read this with your feet (mostly) a few inches above the ground the whole time?

As a story told only in Gracie's POV however, we get her longing and yearning, her general optimism about life in general, but it does dim the connection between her and Sebastian somewhat when the weight of the latter's affection and regard becomes a desperate guessing game of inference as you try to read between the lines. Consequently, the ending is one that's a foregone (and happy-ever-after) conclusion, but one that isn't quite the sort that leaves you with the sated fullness of a satisfying book binge.

'To Sir, With Love' then, is perhaps Layne's personal and affectionate homage to unforgettable rom-coms past; to those who align themselves with this particular romantic vision, then Gracie's and Sebastian's journey is one that you'll already know well and will want to read over and over again.

Overall, I heart Lauren Layne books. However, I have mixed feelings on this one.

The Good:

I read To Sir, With Love in practically one sitting. It was a the perfect lazy afternoon read. While predictable, I want predictable in my rom com books. A little predictability is a perfect way to escape the unpredictable real world for awhile. There were some lol moments that made this book fun. It felt like a modernized update of You've Got Mail and was overall enjoyable. However.....

The Bad (TW/spoiler warning):

There is a side plot of the main character's sister having infertility issues. The character goes through the acceptance phase and then spoiler alert....

Magically ends up pregnant. I was really disappointed in this whole plot. Especially the ending. There has been a trend in books recently to have characters accept infertility only to have an "oops" pregnancy happen that is frustrating.

Thanks to #NetGalley for the copy of the book