
Member Reviews

I chose to request this book because the story was familiar and I wanted to read something that wouldn't take a lot of brain power. Gracie is the owner of a small champagne shop (inherited from her parents), which is struggling. Sebastian is the business man/landlord that wants to buy out her lease so he can build a high rise in the place her building sits. Predictably, they don't take a liking to each other.
Gracie is a hopeless romantic who has been communicating with a "mystery man" via a dating app. She thinks he may be her "one" but he is unavailable. Then she starts to be attracted to Sebastian, but she doesn't want to give up her chances with "mystery man". It's a story that we have seen before, "You've got Mail", "In the Good Old Summer Time", "The Shop Around the Corner". I've watched them all, I enjoy the story, even if I know what is going to happen. There is no real twist to the story, it's predictable, but enjoyable.
I struggled a bit with all of the "wine talk" at the beginning of this book. Yes, I understand that Gracie owns a champagne shop, and I understand wanting to establish that she knows her product. It's just that something about it didn't flow with the story. Maybe it was just me, but the wine talk felt like it drug the story down a bit.

Gracie is a champagne shop owner in NYC (that she and her siblings inherited from their late father) and has (up to this point) been unlucky in love. She is also battling against Sebastian Andrews, the handsome and arrogant VP of development whose company wants to buy out the lease on her family's shop and her own feelings of wanting to pursue her love of art and not necessarily the shop. At this crossroads in her life, she seeks advice and starts to develop feelings for the mysterious 'Sir', a man she connected with through a blind dating app where no photos or names are revealed but who is in a relationship himself.
To Sir With Love had a predictable ending but that didn't make it any less sweet. The author herself describes this book as a modern day You've Got Mail (with a dating app instead of email). I fell in love with the supporting characters almost as much as the main character Gracie. Also, any good rom com (in my opinion) has some banter and the banter between Gracie & Sebastian (and others) did not disappoint. This is an easy to read in a sitting kind of book.
The only part of the plot that sours this book a little for me is that there is too much emphasis that Gracie wants to meet her own Prince Charming and that she'll 'know' when she meets the one. It was cute to weave in her love of Disney but maybe a little too much emphasis on it for this smart, independent character.

Described as "Love is Blind" meets "You've Got Mail" ...except it's not. It's just You've Got Mail. The exact same plot.
Look, there's nothing wrong with You've Got Mail. I love the classic 90s Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks movie, and I enjoyed reading this book, too. But there's absolutely nothing new, original, or creative about this book. The plot is nearly *identical* to the movie, with some minor changes--the female owns a champagne shop and the male is her landlord trying to buy out her lease--but the overarching plot and theme are all the same. It's even still prominently set in New York! And this movie isn't old enough (1998) for this to be a "modern" or "updated" take. The internet dating app described in the book isn't THAT different from the anonymous chat room Meg and Tom found themselves in. The book improves on the movie in that it removes much of the emotional cheating and makes the male lead even more likable, but it makes no drastic changes, no twists, not even a gender swap--a gender swap would have made this book GREAT. Why is the female always the small shop owner with family ties and the male the big bag corporate executive?
I don't know, it's hard to criticize this book, because it WAS enjoyable, and it WAS well-written. It just wasn't anything new. (It was also extremely short, which makes the bang for your buck lower.) In the end, this book gets four stars from me because I liked it, but it's hard to give the author a lot of credit for an idea that wasn't hers.
Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review!
4 stars - 7/10

This charming book hasn’t just become my favorite Lauren Layne but it’s also at the top of my MUST read list for this year!
This story is classic, and wittingly beautiful! The characters, main and secondary have you rolling with laughter and full of emotion. This story is very relatable and I could picture myself with my “May’s, Lilly’s, and Calebs”. Gracie as in individual is very ambitious and gives her all for those she loves! Her support group though is hilarious and keep her in line when she needs a “reality” check!
Now the hero though....(fanning myself) is out of this world amazing! I just couldn’t picture anyone better and my only wish is that we could’ve gotten some chapters from his perspective but the moments we did have and his beautiful spoken words were lapped up and recorded because WOW!!
If you’re a lover of romcoms with amazing supportive characters and ambitious, witty heroines/hero then grab this beautiful book and enjoy this “timeless” romance.

This was an adorable modern version of “You’ve Got Mail” mixed with “Love is Blind” and a dash of enemies to lovers for a bit of spice. I could obviously tell where the story was going, but I still enjoyed the outcome and the journey to get there. I found the main character, Gracie, to be very likable. I was rooting for her and I saw myself in her. Living my life to others expectations. I was so happy for every win and for her solid circle that kept her going.
This was a quick and run read that was really enjoyable. I love the modern twist of emails/app message/text messages, so this was right up my alley.
Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 bubbly + effervescent + precious stars to this latest Lauren Layne delight! Gracie is an aspiring artist who manages her family's champagne shop near Central Park. She's doing her best to keep the shop and her family legacy afloat however is stressed because profits have been dwindling. And to make matters worse, the gorgeous and aloof Sebastian Andrews has been hounding her to sell the store to his company for a generous payoff. Balancing her family's needs and her own dreams, Gracie finds understanding and companionship with a man she met on a blind dating app. Known only to her as "Sir", the two have never met in real life nor know who the other is. They have incredible passion and connection- but Gracie has never laid eyes on him, only messages him through the app.
An incredibly fun take on "You've Got Mail," I sailed through this book! I loved the supporting characters, the flirty and romantic messages, and the happy ending of course. 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 and more of their relationship once they found each other. Definitely worth the read for a light hearted romantic escape!
Thank you so much to Gallery Books + Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2021 and it was such a joy to read before publication. Mark your calendars- pub day is 6/29!

It has been a while since I cozied up with a book from Lauren Layne. To Sir, with Love is a fresh spin on the You've Got Mail story. The Gracie and Sebastian and the supporting cast are well written and the dialogue is as witty as you would expect from Layne. Cozy up with your blanket on the couch and enjoy this entertaining read!

To Sir, With Love was such a charmingly cute and bubbly read by Lauren Layne. Set in New York City, Gracie Cooper runs her own champagne shop, Bubbles. Inherited from her father after his passing, Gracie feels compelled to keep the business opening and maintain their family legacy. However, business isn't so great and Gracie's siblings are less then helpful. When a stranger comes into Bubbles with an unexpected and unwelcomed offer, doubt starts to gnaw away at Gracie. Worse, the stranger is gorgeous.
Meanwhile, Gracie is the sweetest and cutest character. She lives her life looking through rose color glasses. She hums to the birds, knows all the owners of nearby local business and frequents them, and she's desperately seeking her own fairytale happy ending. In an effort to find her one true love, Gracie decides to sign up for a dating app. Here's the catch, members are matched based on a profile with NO PICTURE! That's right, the goal is to see if you connect emotionally. If you do, then you setup a date.
In the first few pages, we learn Gracie has been exchanging messages with Sir, a man who accidentally found himself on the dating app when his friend's made him an account. Too bad he's off the market and Gracie is basically stuck in virtual friend-zone!
This book was described as Love is Blind meets You've Got Mail and I couldn't agree more. It was cute, fun, and. a quick read. The book also had depth. Gracie is still dealing with the loss of her parents, the obligations of carrying on family traditions, and facing the harsh reality that life just might not be a fairytale after all. Gracie is a likable character. Her sincerity is evident and her conflicting emotions drew me in, because she felt authentic.
I read the book in one sitting. Once I was in, I was sucked in for good!
I received a copy of this book for NetGalley and Gallery Books in exchange for a fair and honest review!

As a HUGE fan of You've Got Mail, this is by far one of my favorite books EVER. As advertised, It is essentially a modernized version of the Movie You've Got Mail - but there are also some new twists and turns that keep the book engaging and fun to read. I would give this book 10/5 stars if I could.

This was a fun romantic comedic riff on the You've Got Mail trope of falling in love through correspondence. The main character is a relatable, kind hearted romantic who is looking for fairy tale love and finds it through an app that allows the users to correspond anonymously. This was a charming, funny read and although you can see the way the story plays out it is nevertheless satisfying.

Cute You've Got Mail type story of Gracie, a champagne shop owner, and Sebastian, head of a large corporation who is trying to buy her family business. While they are battling each other in their business lives, they don't realize that they are also writing each other flirty text messages on a dating app that doesn't allow photos. Humor abounds and when they realize that they are both feeling the same way romance wins in the end. Recommended.

“Love Is Blind meets You’ve Got Mail in this laugh-out-loud romantic comedy following two thirty-somethings who meet on a blind dating app—only to realize that their online chemistry is nothing compared to their offline rivalry.”
You had me at You’ve Got Mail. As a proud elder millennial, I believe I have seen the Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks romantic comedy approximately 50 times. It’s safe to say that any variation on this tale merited a reading, but I was not prepared to fall so hard for this story.
Full disclosure, any time a book is set in New York City, I cringe with anticipation that the author will likely be exposed as someone who clearly has never actually been there. I swear, I once read an NYC-set book where the protagonist was given the keys to her new boyfriend’s car to go to the grocery store. In Midtown. You know, as one does. Thankfully, Lauren Layne appears to be a true New Yorker, and I didn’t see any glaring continuity errors.
I fell into this story right away, immediately liking Gracie Cooper. I found her to be the best kind of woman-- someone who champions other women and makes friends with just about everyone she meets. Perhaps there was a bit of Ryan’s Kathleen Kelly in that, but the character was definitely her own. There’s something so heartfelt about the people in this story, and you find yourself cheering for all of them.
As with the source material, you, as an audience member, know that the two main characters are actually writing to each other, even when they do not. Watching the story unfold left a delightful squirminess in my stomach that was resolved at the perfect time in the plot. I can’t tell you how much I smiled in the last five chapters of this story.
There was an information dump on chapter two that I felt was a bit lazy and juvenile. The rest of the book does such a great job of showing and not telling that it felt incongruous with the writing quality. As this is my only criticism of the whole book, I’d say we’re safe to go ahead and slap a five-star rating on this bad boy.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for sharing a digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Thanks to NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.
Although this book is described as a nod to You’ve Got Mail, and in general Nora Ephron, it is that but also so much more. This book is a sweet story about Gracie, a wine shop owner, who is in a rut running the family business. Along comes Sebastian, the man with a plan, that includes putting her and the shop out of business. Hilarity ensues, a semi meet cute, mistaken identities, and a cast of colorful supporting characters.
This book is like a sunny spring day, warm laundry that is fresh out of the dryer, the perfect cup of tea, or an adorable kitten video on the internet. A must read for fans of Lauren Layne as it’s definitely one of her best.

This has such a cute premise!
I think it did You Got Mail justice.
I loved Gracie and Sebastian! I thought they had great chemistry and were great characters on their own.
I felt invested in them both early on, and enjoyed watching their story unfold.
Very cute and entertaining!

Gracie Cooper is searching for her perfect man and won’t stop until Prince Charming slides on her glass slipper.
This book was adorable from start to finish. A “You’ve Got Mail” of the modern era, with two strangers communicating via a dating app, not even realizing they are frenemies in real life.
Layne’s writing is fun and charismatic, providing a perfect fairy tale escape for a few hours. This is the first I’ve read from this author and I am looking forward to checking out her other books!

As soon as I read that this was a new take on ‘You’ve Got Mail’, I KNEW that I needed to read it. And can I just tell you that I have absolutely no regrets in that split second decision?
Gracie Cooper, lover of all things fairytale, lost in a lackluster lifer, well she reached down and touched all the parts of me that I think so many of us have. The ‘what-if’ factor was so abundantly strong in this, and I related so much. And not just for her, but for him as well.
I loved the initial animosity, the cleverly disguised hints, the stories going on in the background of the Cooper family.
I don’t think I have to even tell you that I loved this one, it’s probably pretty obvious by now, but I don’t mind shouting it from the rooftop either.
This was exactly what I was searching for, even if I didn’t know I was looking at the time.

This wonderful modern take on "You've Got Mail" left me with warm and fuzzy feelings!
Instead of following her dreams to become an artist, Gracie Cooper fulfills her father's deathbed wish of keeping the family champagne shop in business. After years of modernizing to keep things afloat Sebastian Andrews, young heir of the Andrews Corporation sweeps into Gracie's life with a buyout offer.
Unwilling to let go of her father's wishes, Gracie turns to her companion Sir whom she met via an app. Between the mixed signals from Sir and the constant appearance of Sebastian Andrews, Gracie has to face who's dreams she needs to follow: her father's or her own.
With a wonderful set of fun, strong women by her side Gracie begins to put her life in order. Caught up in thinking about the fantasy of her life, she learns to spend less time trying to live her dreams and more time just living.
A fresh take on this romantic classic, fans of the original will not be disappointed. Unlike usual retellings of Miklos Laszlo's Parfumerie, this version is told only through the perspective of the female character which in no way takes away from the dramatic irony of the stage and screen versions.
Thank you Netgalley and Gallery Books for the advanced copy!

Lauren Layne authors enjoyable romance novels, and this one is no exception to the rule! I thoroughly enjoyed "To Sir, with Love" and was sad to come to the end of the book. Gracie Cooper is a fairy-tale enthusiast and hopeless romantic looking for her perfect man. She has developed a blossoming romance with an unseen man online, and is also interested in Sebastian Andrews, an infuriating business rival. What will she do when she falls for both? You must read this book to find out! I really loved this book and think it should even be made into a TV movie!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I lOVED this book. It was so unbelievably cute, I read it in one sitting. I absolutely adored Sebastian and his kind and thoughtful personality. I loved the slow burn connection between him and Gracie. I also really liked the supporting characters and I appreciated the storyline added with her sister Lily and her husband. Being the fairytale believer myself, it was nice to relate to Gracie in her quest for prince charming. Overall this was a lovely and magical read!

The premise of this book is fun! I loved the beautiful family dynamic between Lily, Gracie and Caleb. This book was well written and clean but not cheesy. I think this may be my favorite of Lauren Laynes!!