Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the advanced copy!

A cute book that is a friends to lovers romcom where individuals are trying to figure out what they want in life, while trying to work through a relationship that they both want, but neither discuss.

Lizzy is a book loving lawyer, who just won a very important case (even after her anxiety left her passed out in the courtroom before the trial began) and is now feeling completely burnt out. She needs a break to gather her feelings about her job and if it is what she really wants. At the same time, worrying about what her mother wants and how she judges everything she does.

One person she can count on, is her best friend, Jack. So, when she decides to get out of the city, she heads to Weldon, CA, where she spent her summers and where Jack currently lives. Lizzy finds herself in the local bookstore and becomes fast friends with the store owner. Not long after arriving, she decides to take on the job of renovating the bookstore, a job which is loves!!!

Meanwhile, Jack is dealing with some things of his own. For the last twenty years, Jack has pined for Lizzy, and now since his family’s brewery is up and running, he feels that now is the time for him to find a job he wants to do, coincidentally, in Los Angeles, near Lizzy. It is just the point of actually waiting to see if he gets the job, and then having to tell his family.

This was such a cute little read and to be honest, it makes me want to own a bookstore now too! It focuses on the “I have loved you forever, but I don’t want to take the chance of telling you because it will ruin our friendship” theme. I have noticed this a lot in the last few romcoms I have read.

I still would recommend Booked on a Feeling, if you like friends to lovers and small-town vibe.

I would add this to my pile of romance that got me through a commute to work, but not one I would praise needs to be read by all.

Booked On A Feeling could have been a much needed and long overdue reminder of how much I enjoy the tried and true friends to lovers trope, but it never quite delivered.
I feel the need to preface my comments with the fact that I didn't dislike this book, not in the slightest. I found it had a very cozy atmosphere, an easy to read writing style, and a premise with great potential on all fronts. It simply felt inadequately executed, which really saddened me because I was really looking forward to it. I have yet to read the first two in this series of interconnected standalones, and I'd love to give this book another try with a fresh perspective and better connection with the writing and setting.
Jack and Lizzy are life long (and long distance) best friends until Lizzy, experiencing burnout in her career, takes a three-week vacation in Jack's hometown. Unbeknownst to her, Jack has harboured a secret yet not at all subtle crush on her since age ten, and her close proximity has him questioning his resolve keep his feelings buried.
Their romance managed to be a slow burn and insta-love at once. The shifting perspective allows the reader to get a look inside each characters heads, and we learn quite quickly that Lizzy is not only oblivious to Jack's feelings, but she does not reciprocate them. With this in mind, I was looking forward to allow build up of her feelings and a jarring realization followed by a heartfelt confession that would at long last end Jack's decade long pining-- but the author wasted little time in establishing mutual attraction and getting then characters together. The conflict came instead from back to back cases of miscommunication (or simply a complete lack of communication entirely) that I began to feel a little frustrated by. Jack's concerns about ruining their friendship was understandable, but got old quite quickly, especially when Lizzy made it increasingly clear she wanted to give what they had a fair chance. It began to feel as though there was simply nothing to do with the characters once they were together, and making that happen so early on ended up being a detriment to the plot progression.
I'd also have liked proper resolution to Lizzy's disapproving mother, a plot point that seemed to have more or less disappeared. It also would have helped my investment in Jack and Lizzy's relationship if we'd been given a more solid background on their friendship. Especially in a story where their friendship was such a hangup for Jack, it'd have made the romance much more believable and their bond much easier to become invested in if we were given the chance to see more of their friendship.
Overall, I had hoped to enjoy this book more than I did, but I am absolutely open to giving it another go sometime in the future, and wouldn't ben opposed to looking into the rest of the series.

Booked On A Feeling • Jayci Lee ⭐️ - 4
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Overall I thought this was a cute read! I enjoyed everything from the bookstore atmosphere, and how Jack feel first 🥰 I liked the growth that Lizzy made.

But at some points the book fell short for me and I felt very frustrated with the main characters at points.

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Thank you to @NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for a honest review

I have come to realize Jayci Lee's books have come to represent comfy reads. This is the third book in the series and while it is not outrageously outstanding, it is still fun and a comfort in my busy life. It helps that I was able to relate to the character, Lizzie the overachiever. She is successful in her chosen career, but she is exhausted and needs a change. What that change entails she doesn't know, but if she finds it while on vacation and a little romance as well, all the better.
Lee does adult very well. When I say this I don't mean the smexy scenes, but these are realistic characters with emotions that I have felt myself feeling. It's a little cliched at moments while still being very enjoyable. Lizzie goes back to her hometown and meets with her male best friend only to start feeling a connection beyond the platonic. What made this story so well-written to me was the personality and character of Jack. He is not perfect, isn't a billionaire and is also unhappy with the direction of his life. I recently faced a point in my life where I changed the direction of my career due to being unsatisfied and feeling like I was drowning,
If you have not picked up this story or any of Lee's other books, what are you waiting for? Reading Lee is like getting a comforting hug in the turmoil of life. A solid 4 out of 5 stars.
**I read and reviewed this book courtesy of NetGalley**

Booked on a Feeling is the latest romance by Jayci Lee. It is about Lizzy and Jack who have been best friends for two decades, but Jack has been secretly in love with her for a while, but hasn’t told her for fear of losing her. Lizzy takes a few weeks off from work after a severe panic attack causes her to faint in court, desperately seeking calm she takes off to Jack’s hometown and sparks start flying between the two of them. Will Jack finally show his true feelings to Lizzy, and will Lizzy return his feelings? Will they get their very own happily ever after ending like in Lizzy’s favorite romance books? I encourage you to read Booked on a Feeling to find out.

I really enjoyed reading Lizzy and Jack’s story and highly recommend it to romance readers everywhere. I found myself really relating to Lizzy’s character a lot because of our love of books, especially romance stories, and from suffering from anxiety. I can’t wait to read more by Jayci Lee.

Lizzy has been focused on achieving her career goals as a lawyer until a case forces her to take a step back and look at what she really wants. She decides she needs to put some distance between herself and the situation and who else would she turn to besides her best friend Jack.

When Lizzy left town to pursue her dreams Jack stayed in their hometown and is working for his family business. His feelings for Lizzy have always run deeper than friends so having her back in town is everything he could want, and he is willing to do whatever he can to make her happy and that includes helping her fight to save the town bookstore.

This is a heartwarming story about realizing what truly makes you happy and how to achieve your dreams both when it comes to life and love.

Lizzy and Jack are best friends since childhood. Lizzy needs a break from her high-pressure lawyer job so she moves back to their small town of Weldon, CA, for the well deserved break. In the time she's there she begins to see Jack in a new light. Jack, who is feeling like he needs to break away from his family's brewery, lands a job in LA to be close to Lizzy. Somehow, this drives them apart and becomes a huge conflict in the book. I don't understand why a simple conversation did not happen - Jack made this move because he assumed Lizzy was going back to a job she proclaimed she loved and adored, and then Lizzy gets mad because she wants to stay in Weldon?

This book was not terrible, but it was just ok for me. I did not feel chemistry between Jack and Lizzy. A solid 3-star book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

BOOKED ON A FEELING is a standalone “friends-to-lovers” romantic comedy by Jayci Lee. I love friends-to-lovers stories and this one is a prime example of what makes them so much fun. High-powered yet anxious attorney Lizzy Chung and super nice sweetie Jack Park have been friends forever, but never crossed the line and ventured into the romance zone with each other. Until now. Jayci is taking a time-out from her pricey law firm to chill out and re-evaluate her career goals. Happily for Jack, who has always carried a torch for her, Lizzy decides to rest and relax in his hometown. The proximity creates some sparks on both sides.

Because author Jayci Lee tells this story from alternating perspectives, readers get a better understanding of the two main characters. Jack and Lizzy are both at similar crossroads in their lives when it comes to their careers, but they both have very different relationships with their families. Lizzy, even if she struggles to admit it to herself, is not totally happy working the promotion fast track at her law firm. She finds her passion at a hidden gem of a bookstore. Jack is likewise feeling a little restless in his life. He loves his family, but he doesn’t think he’s as useful as he’d like to be at the family-run brewery. Both characters are keeping their doubts and explorations hidden from their families while they try and figure things out on their own first. The major difference is that Jack’s family is a source of support, while Lizzy’s mother is uber judgmental and a major source of anxiety for her.

As for the romance element, Jake and Lizzy are adorable – in a charming and not overly saccharine way. Jake is swoon worthy as he exudes longing for the woman of his dreams. For Jake, he is hesitant to finally give in to his desire for Lizzy, because he is leery of risking everything and losing the friendship. For Lizzy, she is viewing Jake with new eyes and just starting to lust after him. Lizzy is initially startled by her new feelings, and Jake is perhaps equally startled by Lizzy’s new appreciation for him. Their flirting and exciting explorations are amazeballs and rom com gold.

BOOKED ON A FEELING is loads of fun and a perfect mix of sexy and sweet. I really liked both main characters, but I adore Jake. He is the kind of caring, intelligent, strong, and sexy hero I wish there were more of in romance novels. The juxtaposition between Lizzy’s mother and her harsh criticisms of her daughter and Jake’s supportive family is interesting and reveals a lot about what makes both main characters tick. Jayci Lee is a new author for me but I look forward to reading more of her stories in the future.

3 stars!

Booked on a Feeling follows Lizzy, whose main goal in life has been becoming a lawyer, joining a prestigious law firm, and making partner. What she didn't expect was getting a panic attack during her first trial and so she goes back to Weldon, CA - where she spent her childhood summers with her best friend, Jack. Jack has had a decades-long crush on Lizzy, and is shocked when he finds out she's taking a break from LA to come to his hometown - Weldon! He's convinced the more time he spends with her, the more likely he is to get over his crush. Because that's definitely how it works, right?

Overall, although the book aesthetic was very cute, it felt intensely formulaic. I know we all know the structure of a romance novel, but I felt like I knew everything that was coming and I didn't care. I also felt like the male love interest had no personality outside of being in love with the female MC. I also took issue with the fact that nothing was really going on for the whole time and I didn't feel like there was any tension between them what so ever.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC!

Of course this book was adorable! Jayci hit it out of the park again when it comes to her adult romances. I enjoyed the plot and the characters. I also loved getting to see some of our other favorites from the previous books. The spice level was exactly what I was expecting from Jayci's book and fit my mood perfectly. I definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for their next romance!

I really wanted to love this one!
Sadly, it sat on my kindle for a month without much movement. I DNF’d this at 40%. I was interested in the story at first, following Lizzy on her first big trial after years of hard work and sacrifice as a lawyer. She had an anxiety attack during the trial and they did a great job portraying her struggle and the pressure of her family to achieve success. I even loved the idea of her best friend Jack being the love interest who supported her endlessly and behind the scenes pined for her enough to try to move to LA and be closer to her.

Everything was going great until Lizzy took 3 weeks off for her mental healthy after the panic attack and winning her first trial. She ends up in Jacks town of Weldon where his family runs a brewery. I even loved the Asian cultural appreciation and food references that had me salivation. I wish there was more of that.

Sadly, once Lizzy and Jack were in the same town, the weird comments about being horny for each other constantly and with no real growth to go with left me no longer interested. Yes, they worked on the bookshop together and that helped create more tension and angst, but at this point, 40% in, all we had was internal monologues about wanting the other and some mild banter between the main characters. Where do you go from here? 60% more of this? I couldn’t. I tried.

BOOKED ON A FEELING started out really well. A smart heroine, her supportive (and hunky) best friend, and her work-related anxiety leading her to take a break and head to a small town where her best friend lives.

The issue was, her and her best friend dance around their attraction for each other and...just...nothing else really happens. Yes, Lizzy helps a friend reorganize her bookshop, but that's not an eventful story.

BOOKED ON A FEELING is just Lizzy and Jack continually internally over-thinking wether or not they can work as a couple. That's it. That's pretty much the plot.

I just wanted something, ANYTHING, to happen. But pining over your friend isn't a storyline. Considering wether to switch jobs is not a plot.

In the end, BOOKED ON A FEELING just didn't have enough story to be memorable.

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐️⭐️💫
𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: Rated R / 1-4 descriptive sex scenes, may have harsh language.
𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦: anxiety attack
𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗦: 2/5 - A bit of drama, but still a pretty light read.

Lizzy is a successful partner up for promotion when she has a panic attack and faints at the end of a big trial. She heads to the small town of Weldon to try to recuperate, helped by her best friend Jack, a bookkeeper at his family’s brewery in town. Unbeknownst to each other, Jack and Lizzy both have huge crushes on each other, but they’re afraid to go for it and risk losing their decades-long friendship. Although it was fun to go back to the town of Weldon where Jayci Lee has set her other novels (which I adored), the characters in this one fell a little bit flat for me, seeming rather immature, and I found the storyline too predictable. It was still a sweet read, but I just didn’t love it as much as the first two books in the Sweet Mess series.

i loved the characters in this one! my favorite jayci lee book so far! thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the e arc!

I've tried to read this three times and I just can't get into it. The premise is there, but overall the vibe of the book just wasn't for me. It felt like YA (but not good YA, unintentional YA, which isn't the same!), the plot was slow to pick up, and while I was interested to see what happened, I wasn't interested enough to continue reading it when other books came off my holds list at the library. Skimmed to the end and didn't find it to become more engaging later, so I'm moving on!

okay, if you liked the first two in this series, I am fairly confident you will like this one too!

If, like me, you only really like book 2 (The Dating Dare) I don't think this book will cut it for you.

This book hit all the same markers:
- good flowing writing style that was easy to read and felt current
- good chemistry between the main characters
- diverse rep that was not forced or gimmicky
- a setting we know and love

but the trope's that we know and love - friends to lovers, small town romance, etc. etc. - just did not reach out and engage me in quite the same way.

Thank you to #StMartinPress and #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

this was yet another enjoyable read by jayci lee set in small town weldon with characters appearing from both a sweet mess and the dating dare, making their appearances all the more exciting for anyone who's read the previous installments. that's not a necessity though, as each book stands on its own legs and this one does the same.

i enjoyed the friends to lovers theme that built between lizzy and jack. jack is supportive of lizzy's ambition as a lawyer, but upon experiencing a panic attack in front of him during a trial, the two end up bonding over an imposed break from work that leads her back to her hometown. it's during this time that she realizes what she truly wants for her own life and jack finds a push in the direction he wishes to make in his, hopefully with lizzy by his side.

their support of one another is in every action they take throughout, especially as lizzy fights to find direction in her life. jack is there, putting aside the deeper feelings he has for her. they truly grow together and while they eventually find the romantic connection with each other, i do feel like there were moments where their immaturity showed despite their ages. i also think that their inner thoughts and dialogue made moments where progress could be made, into stagnant moments of lost opportunities. i really wanted to enjoy it more, but when miscommunication began to filter in and not being honest with someone considered a friend started seeping through, my interest in reaching their happily ever after began to ebb as well.

This book is a light and heartwarming small town rom-com about two childhood friends who have gone their separate way but continue to stay close.

I enjoyed the story, but felt the characters and storyline were a bit one-dimensional. I wish we had gotten more depth into Lizzy & Jack’s childhood friendship and their connection. The romance was sweet and hit all of the right moments, but it felt a bit like a smutted up Hallmark movie. Don’t get me wrong – I love both of those!

This is my first book from Jayci and I will definitely be checking out her others. This one might not have hit the spot for me, but I did enjoy her writing style.

I want to thank NetGalley, Jayci Lee and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.

Lizzy Chung, a hardworking lawyer with ambitions for making partner in her firm, and her childhood friend, Jack Park, an accountant, are both hampered by family expectations for their careers, when they both secretly yearn to break free and follow their hearts.

I liked the traditional and straight forward telling of this story on one hand, but would have liked more surprises and challenges in the romance and family areas of the book. We find out from the very beginning, for instance, that Lizzy and Jack both like each other romantically but are afraid to show it. The romance angle and its final result are predictable. The bookstore angle is also predictable, making the novel only lukewarm in interest.

More complex characterizations and situations would have helped the book along.