Thank you to Entangled Embrace and Netgalley for providing me an eARC in exchange for my honest review:

And I have to say, I rather enjoyed this adorable comedy of errors turned rom-com--though the author does throw just about every possible trope at you they can (including the kitchen sink [no joke]). But ultimately I was okay with that? Because it made me laugh and oooooh and aaaaaah and it provided some sweet escapism with the promise of a happy ending... And sometimes that is all you need!

I think I particularly enjoyed this title as I am a bookseller myself: so I found all Aubrey's obsessions and anxieties (at least as regarded his shop) entirely relatable; and all the quirky little references about genres and alphabetical shelving and poets and green covers with gilt lettering just made me laugh (because they are too true). I also appreciated that despite this story relying heavily on 'insta-love', which is not usually my favourite, the author made a distinct effort to develop our characters from insta-crush to a believable connection--at least as much as one can over the course of two hundred pages and a couple of weeks (the approximate time span of the main story). That, along with all the bean chatter (if you read it, you will understand) and grand gestures and silly sidekicks are ultimately what endeared me to the story and kept me reading through to the end.

I do wish we got to know several of the secondary, supporting characters a little bit better--Gemma and Ryan particularly. And I also felt that referencing queer rom-com book recs like 'Red, White and Royal Blue' and 'Boyfriend Material', while a fun call-out, actually hurt my reading experience a little (specifically and especially as this moment came in the last 20 or so pages)... Because while a lovely story! It is not quite on the same level as these titles and it instantly made me start comparing them in my mind.

That all said, it would still give this 3.75 Stars and be curious to see what Hayden Stone has in store for us next.

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review because I loved this book! If you loved Red, White, and Royal Blue or Boyfriend Material definitely give this book a go!
A grumpy and wounded bookseller in London meets a sunny American actor and I couldn't put it down. Aubrey is my spirit animal and basically living my dream even though it's not quite his. Blake is a perfect sunny but complex cinnamon roll hero and I loved all the ways he tried to get sweet, oblivious Aubrey's attention. The steam was there and written in a way that I don't think I've seen in so long where the heat and the emotions came through equally and it was perfect! I will definitely be reading more by Hayden Stone!

There's something very Notting Hill about this book, but gay and I loved it.

The story was charming, sweet and the humorous style in Hayden's writing does not go unnoticed. The pacing was good and I never felt bored or wishing it would go faster.

Characters can be relatable too - as we do get older as adults, we can be cynical and grumpy and I normally find a character who shows these traits to be quite annoying, yet felt for him. There are many moments where I just found myself smiling without realizing and sighing with such loving "awws".

I would definitely recommend this queer romcom to others who enjoy this genre. And as always, suggest people to check the TW/CW.

Thanks to Netgalley for the E-ARC!

Thank you so much to Entangled and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

Aubrey Barnes is a bookshop owner in London, and all he really wants is for things to go right for once. Still pining just a bit over his ex, still trying to make ends meet at his bookshop, and still trying to figure out what the hell he's doing in life. When a film crew starts filming down the street and offers to pay Aubrey for use of his shop in the movie, he's hesitant but stuck. How can he turn down the money for his floundering shop? But when he meets one of the actors and a wrong turn into the wrong trailer takes an unexpectedly steamy turn, Aubrey gets more than he bargained for.

I love the bookshop meet-cute in this book, and the grumpy/sunshine pairing. Aubrey is a cynic and incredibly hard on himself, but I think that made his character feel more realistic. He's snarky and sarcastic and there's frankly nothing I enjoy more. Blake Sinclair, our actor love interest, is basically a golden retriever. He's so sweet and good-looking, and he really just wants to make Aubrey smile - but we find out eventually he's dealing with his own ghosts, same as Aubrey.

I enjoyed the writing and the humor. Stone manages to nail the recipe for a good romance with excellent banter, steamy love scenes, and an emotional connection. Great read!

An Unexpected Love is a sweet debut novel. I can't say no to a bookshop setting and I loved how the author integrated mentions of current books that I also love into the story. I had a hard time at the beginning with Aubrey's self-deprecating surliness.

"Thankfully, they're no customers present to witness my daily mortifications by a uni student barely younger than me who loves to mop up the floor with my pride."

You get the sense that he's a bit damaged but it's not clear if it feels proportionate to the low level of self-esteem. I enjoyed the meet cute and subsequent meetings and Blake's charm and ease.

"The way he says my name is like honey rolling off his tongue. Like it's something to be savored. Like my name is something special."

But eventually the book starts to feel repetitive. Like we're hearing the same feelings with only slightly different words, rather than getting a deeper look at the main characters and the relationship and a more realistic understanding of how they fall in love so quickly. A stronger round of editing could have helped with this as well as some small plot blips.

I appreciated all the supporting female characters but I felt like both Gemma and Lily start off strong but eventually become plot devices to support the main relationship. And I would have liked to have met Aubrey's mom rather than experiencing her as someone offstage but helpless for some vague reason.

Overall I thought this a was a good debut effort with a great setting and a sweet love story. With a bit more polish and depth, there is the potential for a stronger book.

Unexpectedly sweet! Really loved how this was not dual pov, as it gave an air of mystery and intrigue. Loved the overall romantic gayness

This was my first book by Hayden Stone and I absolutely loved it! Blake is an American actor, Aubrey is a British bookseller and together they are nothing short of a romance playing out before our eyes. Aubrey is very reserved and rigid and focused on keeping his bookstore afloat when Blake comes barreling into his life and upends everything in the best way. I loved the banter between the two, the way they couldn't help gravitating towards one another and of course all the jokes about beans! It was a slow burn with heat, affection and so much genuine like for each other. I highly enjoyed watching Aubrey come into himself as things progressed and the way that Blake continually showed how much he cared. I'm also super curious to see if we get some spinoffs, especially for Ryan(!!!) and maybe even some "redemption" for Eli. This was a lovely read and I recommend it served with a nice cup of tea!

An Unexpected Kind of Love by Hayden Stone was about struggling bookshop owner, Aubrey and C-list celebrity, Blake. Aubrey lets a movie set use his bookshop when he meets Blake and they fall for one another. To me, the timeline was a little fast and it threw me sometimes. I do think the chemistry was great between Aubrey and Blake and I found myself rooting for them through the whole book. I liked the supporting characters and overall I thought this was a really good read!

An Unexpected Kind of Love is a queer romcom that I personally found enjoyable. The novel follows a bookstore owner and a up and coming movie star as they have three chance encounters in one day that started their hot and spicy summer of discovering one another.

Aubrey finds himself responsible of owning and running his families bookstore, Barnes Book. He is a mid-twenty year old that has had heartbreak and trauma but still tries to keep moving forward. Whereas Blake is an all-American movie star that is trying to understand himself and make his family proud. The two find peace in one another and a spark ignites into some spicy moments.

I will say that this was one of my first novels that had explicit sex scenes so let that be a warning to those deciding to pick this book up, However the scenes add tension to the novel and help the character grow a deeper bond (haha) that makes the typical romcom break up just that more heart breaking.

Overall the novel follows a very typical "hallmark" script but I rarely see queer narratives in main stream media so I hope this novel gains a little traction. So if a summer romance is something you are looking for but can't find, then maybe this novel can fill that gap.

An Unexpected Kind of Love is an unexpected kind of read. I enjoyed the beginning of the story, the build up of the world, the characters, their relationship and the plot. I enjoyed the way the story came together, the building of the world, of two opposite people finding each other and determining what they are willing to deal with, what they are willing to give up and who they are in the new world of a romance. I liked the idea of this story very much.

I was a bit disappointed that I didn't connect to either main character, they were decently written but I felt nothing for them, however, I still enjoyed their journey. Also the story felt unbalanced to me in that I was really into the story at the beginning but around the 45% mark I just didn't feel anything any longer.

That said, I think this was a fun story, one that I am glad to have read and I think others will enjoy it as well. I look at this story as a YA Hollywood Rom-com and could see this being on the big screen. I received an ARC vis NetGalley and Entangled Publishing and I am leaving an honest review.

3.5 Stars. This was definitely a very fun and heartwarming story. Nothing sounds more charming to me than an English bookshop owner falling in love with an American actor and their story did not disappoint. The romance between Aubrey and Blake was very sweet and definitely sexy. Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC.

An Unexpected Kind of Love is a queer contemporary romance between a charismatic American actor and a grumpy bookseller who likes things just so. Everything isn’t going well for Aubrey Barnes. His boyfriend broke up with him for his best friend and he’s been struggling to keep his bookstore going but an opportunity opens for him when a team asked to rent Barnes Books for a movie production where he became close with Blake Sinclair, a C-list actor from America.

An Unexpected Kind of Love has a lot of potential and one of my favourite debut books this year. Queer, steamy and heartwarming. At first, I didn’t like Aubrey, he seemed hateful and very lifeless to me but as I read the book I started to understand and appreciate him more mainly because of his struggles and his story. He’s reserved, quirky, skeptical, and a book lover. I do love the storyline but it definitely needs polishing. Blake is so precious but I couldn’t help but think how Blake had that much time to spend with Aubrey given his schedule and I would have liked it more if the side characters were more involved… I loved it thought it’s a sweet, angsty story and it made me feel a lot of things. MY HEART IS FULL and still get butterflies thinking about it!

I'm still deciding what made An Unexpected Kind of Love by Hayden Stone such an unexpected delight. Is it the quaint indie book store in London with the awkward, adorable and all kinds of awesomely nerdy owner? Is it the exotic feel of an American film shooting in London with the charming and gorgeous Hollywood actor? Or is the effortless, sizzling hot and unexpectedly expected connection between them? I will let you know when I decide. But you need to grab this story as soon as possible.

I am a sucker for British heroes and books set in London. So that made this an instant winner. And as a very introvert and totally socially inefficient book lover, Aubrey Barnes may very well be my spirit animal. He is set in his ways specially about books and ways to have fun. And he is loyal and stubborn and quirky and I love him. Blake Sinclair is almost opposite. He is easy going, mischievous, fun lover and everything that makes me swoon. It was a crazy set up. The best kind of meet cute. The hottest kind of insta love. Honestly I didn't expect this story to be so alarmingly sexy but oh wow, they were burning the pages.


Now what is a love story if not a collection of emotional complications. The first hurdle is their supposedly expiry date. Second is Aubrey's complex life with his dying shop and his heartbreaking past. Third is Blake's closet status. It was all dreamy and swoony like a fairytale away from reality but the truths were poking through their bubble of happiness. So be ready for a mix of heartache and fun and sweetness and sins.

An Unexpected Kind of Love by Hayden Stone is definitely one of my top MM read of 2021.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily. Thank you Netgalley and Entangled : Embrace for my copy.

This is a quirky romance between a grumpy bookstore owner and an American actor filming a movie on his street. I loved all their interactions, from meet cute to the happy ending. I loved the bookstore scenes and flirty silly texts.

The book sticks with Aubrey’s perspective, which works well to add suspense to the love story, as we can’t be sure what Blake is feeling. Aubrey has definitely been going through things and has angst in the book, but it doesn’t get too heavy. The author also includes a trigger warning at the beginning, which I really appreciate. That should become normalized.

There are some cute Notting Hill references, as well as a shout out to some fo my favorite mm romantic comedy books. But the book does not feel derivative at all. It was a great lazy Sunday read. I recommend curling up with a cup of tea and enjoying it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher.

**Received an ARC from Entangled/NetGalley for an honest review**

This story started out as a really strong meet cute story. I really liked liked the premise of Aubrey's character of an uptight workaholic bookseller conflicted from his past meeting this up and coming movie star Blake. I really liked the supporting characters Lily and Gemma and was conflicted with Eli and Ryan, which granted was the point, but it took a little bit to get to the point of the why. It was just clear you're supposed to be irritated with them, I just felt like it could have come to a quicker conclusion as to why.

However, the story started to lose me a little bit about half way what the conflicts in the book kind of went a little all over the place. It was craming a lot into a small portion, and it seemed really one sided till the very end.
It was clear that Aubrey had some conflict to over come, and given Blake's background you'd think he'd have some, but it never got played on at all till the very end and suddenly it drops out of nowhere without anyone questioning it ever. It is more of a concept or layout of the story issue.

Outside of that I enjoyed the book. I really liked Aubrey's character and the setting of the book.

I love a queer romance and had high hopes for this book. It started out strong, but in the end, I was underwhelmed. It felt underdeveloped.

A cute mm romance perfect for book lovers. Aubrey Barnes is a bookseller with his own store in London that he has taken over from his family. But now the store is not doing good, so to earn a little more money he agrees to let a rom-com film there for a week. One of the actors is Blake Sinclair. An gorgeous American boy. When these peoples paths cross, we see them fall fast for eachother, but also the struggles of being a bi male in the acting career. Blake Sinclair owns my heart and i want him for myself
3,5⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book, but I did end up enjoying it.

Grumbly, sarcastic Aubrey runs his family’s struggling book shop and meets up and coming actor/ golden retriever Blake, who is shooting a movie in the neighborhood- and in Aubrey’s shop.

I enjoyed the character development that Aubrey undergoes as he works through his trauma from a previous relationship and tries to save the bookshop (though he does bury his head in the sand when it comes to saving the shop for most of the book). My main issue with this story is that throughout the all the time they spend together, it didn’t feel like Aubrey and Blake ever have a conversation about anything important- past relationships, STI status, if they are out, gay or bi, etc. The relationship felt like two teens working out their first relationship, even though we know Aubrey’s ex. I also think Aubrey needs better friends.

Would I recommend this book? Absolutely. It’s a fun, fast read, and gives a little snippet of life outside the US and still made me feel things.

I loved everything about this book!! It was very ‘opposites attract’ and the attraction was so tender and STEAMY. I really liked that both Aubrey and Blake struggled with skeletons in their closet, but they both wanted to conquer what haunted them to give what was developing between them a fighting chance. Blake saw in Aubrey things that Aubrey couldn’t see in himself. Aubrey supported Blake when Blake felt the odds were against him. It was all so swoon inducing!! And the intimate moments, 🔥🔥🔥
I was rooting for Aubrey and Blake every step of the way, even when there were hurdles blocking their path.

I also really enjoyed the queer representation in the book. There were different aspects there with supporting characters that I felt were very tactfully written in. I applaud this book and HIGHLY recommend it!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel--a nice meet-cute story involving a bookshop owner and an up-and-coming actor. What's not to love, right?

The book, set in London, opens with bookshop owner Aubrey Barnes, who already seems to be rather jaded with life at the young age of twenty-three and is, thusly, a rather snarky man. As the story progresses we are introduced to the love interest, Blake Sinclair, American actor in town filming--the film location just happens to be down street from Barnes's bookshop ... A whirlwind romance ensues over the next several weeks as the two interact...

I rated this 3.5 stars. The first half of the book was more of a strong 4, and the latter half a 3. I so thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the book, the second half was a tad of a let down. The writing style just seemed to get more clunky, and didn't flow as smoothly; it was a pacing issue for me. The ending seemed a bit rushed. It was a very fluffy book, so if you're looking for a romance book where Things Just Work Out (tm), then this is that type of book. I think if you know what type of book you're reading, you'll enjoy it far more. If you're looking for something to read that is a deep and meaningful biopic of life as a gay man or what real gay romance is like, then this is not it. The improbability of a couple week fling such as this actually occurring and making across the "I'm from America and you're from London" bridge was a tad difficult to ignore. But the whole point of these romances is to give one hope I suppose!

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was super cute, just have to suspend belief for a moment, which I suppose is the reason to read romance in the first place.