This was a great read. Bookstore owner + actor is a cute premise, and it worked really well here.
For me, the first-person POV was a bit choppy at the beginning, but quickly softened out into easy reading.
I loved the characterisation in this book, with the mc being easy to emotionally invest in and the side characters all being interesting in their own rights, creating a wide range of relationship dynamics. The mc was really well written in my opinion, and whilst I understand he might be a bit too in his own head for some readers, I thought it made him more realistic, and I loved the fact that he wasn't a typical perky protagonist. Instead he was judgemental, and had a host of very human flaws. By contrast, Blake was slightly underdeveloped, but I don't think that it impacted the overall enjoyment of the book.
This book was perfect as a fairly lighthearted romance novel, a quick read that I would definitely recommend!
(I also really appreciate the inclusion of content warnings at the beginning of the book - definitely something all authors/publishers should be looking to do!)

I got an early copy of this book from Netgalley for a review, and while I don't think this was a bad book it just wasn't for me, the insta love type of books never do much for me but it was a quick read

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

An Unexpected Kind of Love, is a story about Aubrey, a grumpy twentysomething bookstore owner, that behaves like a grandpa (at first), and Blake, a charismatic, vegan actor. They met because Blake was filming a movie and Aubreyʼs bookstore was part of the set. And, despite Aubrey is not thrilled about it, They connect.

I liked seeing Aubrey open up to Blake little by little through the story. Also, it was sweet the way Blake showed Aubrey that he cared about him, by helping him with little things, making Aubrey happier and joyfull.
There were some things that bugged me a little: Aubreyʼs monologues. Sometimes they were cute and funny but there were a few times when I felt a little tired of them. About the writting, sometimes I felt that the sentences were cut short when they could have gone longer. But those things could de purely a personal preference.

The story is fun, warm and sweet- in a summer way- to read, but for me, it felt too fast. I´d have liked a couple more chapters about Aubrey and Blake getting to know each other. Regardless of that, if you like reading insta love stories, this one is definetly for you! You´ll enjoy seeing the characters fall in love with each other despite their different upringings.

PS. Definitely want to know more about Gemma!.

Aubrey Barnes is still trying to get over his ex Eli, who found his best friend a better prospect, its not helping that they are all trying to remain friends. He can't move on so spends all his time trying to make his bookshop profitable. His world is turned upside-down when a movie starts filming in his neighbourhood, he finds himself bumping into a gorgeous co-star, Blake Sinclair and gets close up and personal with him. A very Notting Hill vibe going on in this rom-com which I found very enjoyable.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters are amazing and its full of funny banter. It was a grumpy and romcatic tale. The writing was so interesting and i was hooked on from page one. I really liked Aubrey. This book is such a masterpiece of queer romance

4.5

I read the blurb of this and thought “oh this sounds like Notting Hill with boys, I’ll request it on NetGalley and try my luck” AND LUCKY I WAS! 1) I got approved - my first approval on NetGalley (thank you to the publisher!) and 2) This *was* Notting Hill! But queer Notting Hill with the best grump/sunshine dynamic. I loved it.

And here’s the thing. If it were an ordinary book I would have been all “no one falls in love this quick, more build up needed etc etc.” but because I’m a Notting Hill enthusiast I knew exactly what was happening and honestly didn’t care haha.

Aubrey runs a struggling bookstore in London. The shop is used as a location for a movie. Blake is an up and coming star working on the movie. Aubrey and Blake have multiple meet-cutes before quite a steamy interaction, and then they have to work out what it all means. Distance, publicity etc.

Things I liked:
- Aubrey’s voice as our grumpy narrator. I love him
- Blake as the optimist - he is just so happy and brings out the best in Aubrey
- The Notting Hill nods - Horse and Hound!
- The diversity in the secondary characters - pan, poly, character in a wheelchair
- The take on the complication from the original NH story
- The way the steam was done. It was pretty hot guy on guy without being porny descriptive
- Male romance author!!!

Things I didn’t like:
- As above, it was a little insta-love and all too fast, but I won’t complain for this one
- Eli (Aubrey’s ex) - you scumbag
- I wanted more of the secondary characters. Please have spin offs!

In short: if you’re a Notting Hill fan, and love queer love, then this will knock your socks off. It’ll probably knock your socks off anyway. So fun.

This review may contain mild spoilers.

Hum. What to say? An Unexpected Kind of Love was definitely not what I was expecting. This book had potential, but that’s just it.

I didn’t enjoy the writing. At all. I know this is the first book by the author, but I swear I couldn’t read one more sentence about Aubrey being undone by Blake. Or how the clouds reflected the city lights two pages in a row. Everything was very repetitive and underdeveloped.

Aubrey was insufferable and for the most part very unlikeable. He seemed to complain about everything. People buying books because they want books with a green cover, people buying books written by a ghost writer, all this while his shop is struggling to make ends meet. He’s always judging everyone and everything, when he should be judging his life choices. Not to mention he treated Gemma like an inconvenience when all she did was be there for him and help.

Blake seems like a nice person, but we don’t know a lot about him until about two thirds of the book other than he has a nice body and Aubrey seems to lose all sense of togetherness when he’s around, which made me not really care about him as a character or a love interest. Even when we got to know a little more about his background, I felt it was poorly explored and delivered.

We also don’t get to see why Aubrey and Blake fell in love. What did they like about the other, other than the sex, that made them realize they actually had feelings for one another? Was it the bean knowledge? The fact that Blake seemed to always be smiling, grinning or squeezing his hand? They barely talked about their interests, and every time they learned something about each other, it had to be common ground. We spent more time reading about Aubrey feeling miserable than they did getting to know each other. Even Eli’s storyline with Aubrey was more interesting.

One thing I did like was the trigger warning at the beginning of the book. Again, this book has potential and I’m sure Hayden Stone’s writing will only get better from here.

An Unexpected Kind of Love, 3/5 stars.

Hmm. I really wanted to like this book. It wasn't bad, per se, and I could see the potential, but it felt more like a second draft than a completed manuscript. Pretty much none of the characters were fleshed out– Aubrey's supposedly very sickly and dependent mother wasn't even /in/ the story, which was weird– and there were many times I wanted Aubrey to get back with his ex, Eli, because I didn't buy the insta-love connection between Aubrey and Blake. I'm really not a fan of the insta-love trope in general, so maybe I'm a bit biased, but sue me for not believing that two emotionally stunted and very different men could fall so passionately and irrevocably in love with one another in a matter of DAYS that they upend their entire lives.

The writing was pretty good, though– this author has definitely found his genre. It was a very quick read, and there really weren't any parts that dragged on. Disregarding the first ~steamy~ scene (because WHAT was that), I actually enjoyed the intimacy between Blake and Aubrey because not only was it fun to read, but it also deepened the plot/characters in meaningful ways.

Overall, this was a frustrating read because I could feel the author's (and the story's) potential practically dripping off the pages, but it just wasn't fully realized. Although it was definitely a fun, quick, and comforting book, I can't help wishing we had been given just a little bit more.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Such a cozy, hot, delightful romance! Fans of Alexis Hall’s Boyfriend Material will love this one. Hayden Stone’s writing is so warm and witty and I loved watching both of these characters work through issues that felt real and honest to be with each other.

This was adorable! I loved the romance between the grumpy British bookstore owner & the charming American actor. Seeing Aubrey gain more confidence through the story was wonderful & I liked how Blake supported him with this. This is a very easy to read romcom with the right of angst & steam.

Thank you so much NetGalley for a copy of this!

I feel like I'm not usually hard on books, but, I just didn't like this one that much. The writing was good, so it's not like that was my issue with it. It was the characters and the plot.

I really felt like the characters lacked depth and consistency. And maybe worst than that is the fact that the plot seemed to be super rushed. I'm actually really sad I didn't like it because I was looking forward to it.

That being said it did have the adorkable rom-com quality of an easy read, so if you don't mind the aforementioned, go for it.

This queer romance has so many of my favorite things! A grumpy, messy MC! A hot, charming LI! A crumbling bookstore!! I really FELT like I was in Soho for the duration of this book, rooting for Aubrey & Blake the whole time. A comforting, tender read, with a great new of side characters as well.

MY RATING 3,25/5 STARS

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange of an honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a pretty fun and fast paced romance, and I think it was a great book to read during the summer.
One of the first things that I noticed about this book was that it contained content warnings, which I thought was really awesome, and I love the fact that more books are starting to have them.

I really enjoyed the writing in this one. It was very easy to read, and it made for a pretty fast and enjoyable read. Another thing I absolutely loved was all of the queerness in the book! Almost every single one of the characters was part of the LGBTQ+ community, and I thought that was really awesome.

The beginning of the book was very fast paced, and I felt like the romance happened a bit to quickly for my liking. However, I really liked the relationship between Aubrey and Blake when I got further into the story. I thought they were really cute together, and I liked seeing them progress as a couple.

I have a few mixed feelings on the ending. Like with the romance I felt like the ending was a bit rushed and it seemed a bit unrealistic, when you think about how long they have actually known each other. Because of this I feel like it would have been better if the story was fleshed out for just a little bit longer.

This is a terrific book. The main character, Aubrey, owns a bookstore in London, lives above the store, and rarely ventures far beyond his neighborhood. His quiet life is soon disturbed when a major American movie starts filming on location on the street where Aubrey's bookstore is located. The movie wants to rent out Aubrey's store to film some scenes. And one of the movie's American stars, Blake, takes a shine to Aubrey.

Although it does not seem like they can have much of a future given that Aubrey is rooted in London and Blake will return to the U.S. to pursue his promising career once the movie wraps. But as they spend more time together, both start to wonder (although not always at the same time!) whether they might actually have a future together -- and what that might mean for each of their lives.

This is a great premise, and the author does a wonderful job of executing it. I loved these characters and spending some time living in their world.

Very strongly recommended!

This is a delightful book. The main character, Aubrey, owns a small bookstore in London. When a major film starts shooting on the street where his store is located, his quiet life undergoes some big changes -- not only does the film want to use his bookstore as a filming locations, but Blake, one of the main actors, takes an interest in Aubrey. Given their differences, and the ticking clock on Blake's time in London, it does not seem like much can come from a relationship between the two. But as they spend more time together, they both begin to question their long-held views about what the future holds.

This is a fun and warm read. Strongly recommended!

3.5*

Overall, I quite enjoyed this story and read it in a relatively short time for me. The writing style appealed and flowed naturally, making it easy to read despite it being 1st person/present tense, which is not a favourite of mine.

Aubrey is an interesting character. He comes across older than his twenty-two years. He has the responsibility of running the family bookshop and caring for his mother. You really get the sense of his financial and social difficulties. He spends much of his time alone and with his treasured books. He puts a lot of pressure on himself and I was glad he found someone to love him after being hurt by his ex.

I didn’t really take to Blake and the way he treated Aubrey towards the end of the story was almost unforgivable. Blake had made no attempt to hide their relationship or their public displays of affection—they even kissed in the middle of Euston station. Anyone could have filmed them! At one point, I was hoping that Aubrey and his ex, Eli, would get back together because I was so cross with Blake.

This is an insta-love story. Aubrey falls hook, line and sinker for Blake within days and he can’t believe Blake would feel the same way for him. There are some sweet, romantic moments and a few steamy scenes between these guys. Their banter works well and makes for an enjoyable rapport. Blake was filming a romcom in London and the story comes across as a sort of romcom. Although some of the ‘funny’ moments had me cringing.

I was a little frustrated with some of the timing issues in this story. For example, when Aubrey and Blake are preparing to go to the Lake District for the weekend, the busy Friday evening traffic outside is mentioned. Yet when they leave the following day it’s Friday morning. A lot of travelling takes place and in a relatively short amount of time, and sometimes it doesn't add up.

If you enjoy low-angst, insta love stories then I’d recommend giving this one a go.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
Thank Netgalley.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book...I seriously don't have the right words. Hayden Stone will fill your heart into a million little pieces with the threads of happiness together in such a beautiful new way 😍. I love these characters with my heart and the story was one I simply couldn't put down until I inhaled every word of this fascinating novel. It’s just as special in its own way. Beautifully written and full of hope, with a cast of characters who will stay with me all the time (after finishing this novel as well).

Who doesn’t love a good romance with a cast of quirky characters?*

Go for this book witha single blink of your 👀 eyes..... 🤟

An endearing achillean story. Taciturn and sarcastic London bookseller Aubrey meets Blake, a charming actor from the American South. But Blake is only in London for two weeks while filming a movie. Will they make it work?

I don't know what to say. I am speechless. This charming story between two adult men at times seemed like a first crush, adolescent kind of story. Not that it would be a bad thing, either. The writing was lovely and descriptive. I love especially how the sex scenes weren't too explicit. Instead, we got to see Aubrey's emotional side, which was wonderful. This was truly An Unexpected Kind of Love.

I especially liked Aubrey. He's not the perky, optimistic kind nor does he have to be. Far too many main characters seem outwardly friendly while having deep emotional scars. I found Aubrey to be the opposite. While he is still affected by his break-up and subsequent betrayal by Eli, there is only light inside him. Blake is perfectly suited to extract that part of him to the surface.

Eli, on the other hand, seems like a manipulative arsehole. He dumps Aubrey to be with their friend and seems perfectly happy while Aubrey is miserably still pining for him. The very second Aubrey starts to recover and move on, he tries as hard as he can to keep him.

The beginning of the book has trigger warnings, which I've come to realize recently, some people need. All in all, this beautiful queer love story deserves 4.5 out of 5 stars. I just realized all three of my first NetGalley reads have 5 star ratings. I'll chalk it up to my good taste and luck, to have picked out such good reads.

Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC of this in exchange for my honest review.

This was a decently fun, queer rom com, which I’m usually all there for. I just didn’t find myself particularly attached to the characters or their relationship. It seemed like they jumped really fast from attracted to big feels, without much more than sex. There were a few tender moments from Blake, but then the misunderstandings that are integral to the genre seemed really contrived and suddenly the not-afraid-to-be-out-in-public Blake is suddenly horrified that paparazzi caught them kissing and his Dad might find out? If that was a huge concern of his, why wasn’t it mentioned before? Why wasn’t he more secretive? I wish I’d connected more with the characters because I love books about books/bookstores/booksellers, so I was immediately sold on this premise!

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

To be frank, An Unexpected Kind of Love just isn't for me. I didn't care for either Aubrey or Blake as characters, their relationship never convinced me, and I expected a lot more from the setting. This novel has the tropes; it goes through the motions; but I'm left wishing for more animation. While the above is a matter of personal preference, the novel would have been greatly improved by much tighter editing, especially when it comes to redundant and overused words and sentences, bland and vague language, clunky exposition and dialogue, and at least one continuity error.

Elaboration of my thoughts below:

Aubrey Barnes is described both in the marketing copy and by his friends as grumpy, which here means awkward, insecure, and pretentious. Aubrey is the owner of an independent bookstore in Soho, London, and it's immediately clear that he doesn't just read books; he is a Book Reader. And he is a distillation of everything I hate about that category of person. He is so unbearably morally superior, disdainful of customers and friends alike for contravening his very Book Twitter-y opinions. He judges a customer for buying a ghost-written bestseller (I hate to break it to you, Aubrey, but you're the one selling it). He is disgusted by a set designer who buys several dozen (!!!) books as props for a film because... she wants them all to be green. He thinks setting an open book face-down is a crime. He is horrified when his employee shows more interest in the film adaptation of a book than in the book itself. There is, naturally, an obligatory rant against electronic books. He probably thinks that dog-earing and marginalia are vandalism.

But for all that he is a book purist, he doesn’t seem to care that much about books. Stories. Aubrey reads books for clout and treasures them as material artifacts, and is incidentally (or not) not very good at selling them. If unkempt glowering could kill, none of his customers would survive a transaction with him.

Being in Aubrey's head is boring. He thinks almost exclusively in simple sentences, which I generally quite like as a style, because when done well it can produce a really piercing, incisive narration. Aubrey's narrative voice is rather more monotonous. He has a limited, prosaic vocabulary, little immersion in the world around him, and infrequent depth to his thoughts. He's painfully self-involved and disinterested in other human beings: he doesn't even notice that Blake is more than a life-sized Ken doll until almost halfway through the book, and that's not hyperbole. He actually has a Realization that Blake has a past, a rich inner life, hopes and plans. It underscores the shallowness of his attraction to Blake and undermines the author's earlier attempts to generate intimacy between them. It doesn't help that at this point in the novel, Aubrey and Blake have only just finished having their first real conversation, in which they finally connect over something more tangible than legumes and photography: wanting their dads to be proud of them. Almost all of their earlier interactions I found to be bafflingly awkward and, though (inexplicably) sexually charged, devoid of tension.

What to say about Blake Sinclair? He's a self-described triple-threat performer. He's nice. He's just very blandly nice and sweet. Not really objectionable at all. It doesn’t help his lack of depth that Aubrey objectifies him to the exclusion of anything else for almost half of the book. And Blake is not even unaware of this! Even now I do not know what he finds compelling about Aubrey; he says "you're intriguing," or "you matter to me," but the why is missing, or at least subsumed by their weirdly urgent mutual lust. This goes for Aubrey, too: what exactly is it about Blake that makes him the first person after Eli that Aubrey actually wants to get close to? I actually found the conflict with Eli to be much more interesting than the rest of the romance plot, because his and Aubrey's established relationship and dynamic seemed to read more smoothly.

So this book is ostensibly set in Soho, and we know this because we are reminded of it every time Aubrey goes outside. It could totally be set in Soho, but it could also be literally any other district in London or another city entirely. What Aubrey shows us of Soho, other than the intense heat, the crowds of tourists, and the traffic always at a standstill—and we know all this too because Aubrey rattles off this list every time he goes out—is the post office, a new vegan restaurant, and various shops (photography, ice cream, coffee, ramen), all with a bare minimum of description. None of this is peculiar to Soho! It could be literally anywhere! What is the atmosphere, the energy of Soho? What does the air smell like? Who are the locals? What differentiates it from a blank piece of paper? If Soho is as central to the book as Aubrey's frequent invocations of it suggest, it needs to be more than a one-dimensional backdrop.

Because everything is described in the exact same way and called back to ad nauseam—from the first, Soho is hot and full of tourists; everything Blake does is devastating; Aubrey is always undone by him; everything they learn about each other becomes "new common ground"—there’s no sense of movement, no dynamism in the setting. The author gives a basic establishing shot but never follows through to deepen or complicate it. The heat in London is insisted upon often more than once per page, but rather than contributing to setting or atmosphere, giving events the impression of a fragile bubble outside of time, a tenuous barrier to reality, it makes the story flow like molasses. Sweat, flushed faces, shirts sticking to skin, the anodyne hint of a breeze—we don’t need to be told every time that there is a heatwave. And Blake devastates and undoes Aubrey with his looks and grins literally every time they are in a scene together. It is unclear why, other than Blake's generic hotness and willingness to be in Aubrey's proximity. But the sameness with which these recycled adjectives paint their interactions inhibits the development of romantic tension and any kind of momentum in their relationship.

There are hints of a good book throughout, especially in those moments when Aubrey's desperation for meaningful connection with another human being comes through.