I honestly couldn’t finish this one. The writing felt a little too conversational and the connection between Lizzy and Jack felt forced to me. I probably could’ve pushed through but I made it to about 60% and just couldn’t get myself to open it again. It just wasn’t my genre of book but I could see the appeal

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC! All opinions expressed are my own. This review does NOT contain any spoilers. :)

☆☆☆☆ Overall
(Spice: ☆☆)

I love books about love (obviously), but books about love, independent bookstores, and finding yourself? Even better, 110%. Lizzy and Jack are the fluffiest of fluff, and are two people that you can’t help but feel close to. I have not read any of the previous books in this series, but I have definitely added them both to my TBR!

One thing I love about this book was that even though it was two friends coming together and realizing their feelings, they didn’t lose themselves or their friendship in the process. They stayed true to who they were, and even in the infamous third act conflict like we expect with romance novels, their decisions make complete sense for them.

I LOVED Lizzy’s growth throughout this novel, and I think that the depictions of her anxiety were similar to what I experience, and Lee detailed them in an accurate light, which is always good to see. I loved seeing Mr. and Mrs. Park, and getting to see cultural and family traditions that I don’t have experience with. I loved Jack and his big ole cinnamon roll personality, and how he always tried to put his friendship with Lizzy above anything else, because she was so important to him.

Overall, I loved this book. Super easy to get wrapped up in and devour in an afternoon. I will definitely be checking out more of Jayci Lee’s work!

Thank you to the publisher for letting me read this ahead of it's release for an honest review!

I think once you hit your 20s, it's almost a right of passage to at some point feel as lost and almost useless as both Lizzy and Jake felt in their respective lives. And I loved reading them both chase their new dreams and figure out their own happiness apart, as well as together.

At times I found Jake's pining almost juvenile and annoying despite him being in his 30s. I would have also liked a little bit more development through Lizzy's perspective on their relationship. It felt as thought one day she's hanging out with her best friend, and they go on practically one date and work on the bookstore together and suddenly she's in love? I also am not a fan of the miscommunication trope. Insecurity and fear of rejection are perfectly normal to feel, but I find the lying and back and forth on feelings to be....ick.

While sex or sexual content isn't the only reason I enjoy reading romance novels, I did feel as though this book led up to our characters finally getting together only to be glossed over pretty quickly. It didn't feel consistent - they spoke about it pretty openly and there was some steamy moments, but then to have it slimmed down to two sentences and then move on makes me feel as though I was robbed of something. Rude, lol.

Overall, this was a very cute and quick read! As a bookish girl myself, I loved how the big project for our characters was revamping a local bookstore and that these childhood best friends found their happiness. I recommend this to those looking for a quick, cute romance read that leaves you warm and fuzzy.

This book was a feel good romance that shined the light on anxiety, self worth, and finding yourself. Lizzie and jacks friends to lovers story was beautiful and i enjoyed the representation of Asian culture.

I love the childhood best friend thing that Jack and Lizzy have and I am a sucker for when the guy falls first. It makes it 10x better when it’s two points of view because you see both sides to the story.

The mutual pining was soooo good. I love how you get each POV so you can see the entire situation rather than one chapter per character.

The pace was a little slow in the beginning but it’s not unbearable. It felt like not much was accomplished between the characters and just contained Lizzy moving to Weldon. However, it picks up about 25% of the way through once the plot is more established.

I didn’t like how their argument where they belittled each other rather than talking it out logically. There’s clearly a solution but they’re pointing fingers at each other’s decisions. However, I really liked that they realized their mistakes on their own and took some time apart. That added to the story and I feel like it made their relationship stronger when they reunited.

The story overall was really cute but predictable. I figured out that Lizzy was going to want to work at the bookstore in LA from the first mention. It could have just been good foreshadowing though?

But I like how the story focused on personal growth from both characters. Lizzy realized she was living to her mom's expectations and Jack was doing the same thing in a way. He moved on from his family's business where he didn't feel passionate about his work and felt lost.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I DNF’d, but 2.5/5- it just wasn’t my cup of tea, I didn’t feel any chemistry between the characters and the writing seemed really juvenile (a character actually says “shut the front door”). I might come back and try to read again before the copy expires, but wanted to give my honest opinions.

I also didn’t realize this as the third book in a series, so I feel like I’m missing context that might make this book more enjoyable. Either way, grateful for this copy so I had an opportunity to read and review!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the advanced copy!
Opinions are my own.

I am relatively new to the romance side of reading, but I am not new to books. The book cover, title, and synopsis are what drew me in initially, but what kept me drawn was how well the story was written! While I do wish there was a bit more build-up around their friendship and why they had only been just friends for so long, the overall pacing was great. Everything was…mature. It made sense.
Jack making the decision to give her space to find herself without him injecting his own feelings into the mix was really refreshing to read but also…hot.
Perhaps I’m a sucker for the ending and her coming to terms with her true dream of owning a book store because I would also love to one-day own one, but everything about this book was perfect for me. I would love to see this turned into a movie, it is just so feel-good.

I also had no idea that this was a part of a series (but could easily be read as a stand-alone.)

I look forward to reading more by Jayci Lee!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4653849439 <- Review also posted on GoodReads!

Really enjoyed this book. Loved the sweet story and characters. A good light read in these crazy times. I got a kick out of the characters, also loved going along with them.

Thank you to Jayci Lee and St Martin's press for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I think this is an adorable met cute friends to lovers book! I loved the main characters and the fact they were not perfect double points. More of a slow burn romance and with a small town romance. Anyone that is a book lover will love the setting of this whole bookstore and brewery it is amazing! Super cute binge(able) book!

This was such a cute book! I am such a sucker for a friends-to-lovers trope and this author did it so well. I loved the main characters so much and would love to read more by this author.

I absolutely a d o r e d this book 😫😫. The first 90% of the story is just so 🤌🤌 Jayci Lee does such a great job weaving a friends-to-lovers storyline around one of my favorite things--a book store!! This is the third book of A Sweet Mess series, and although the first two books have been on my TBR forever 😫, this can definitely be read as a standalone. There were def some nods to the previous couples though, so I'm excited to go back and read them and see the storylines intersect hehe. My only issue is that I feel like the whole Third Act Conflict was so contrived and anyone could see the proper solution from a mile away, but at least it wasn't dragged out for very long. However, this is definitely one of the cutest contemporary romances I can't wait to come out this year!!

Lizzy (who's fav book happens to be Pride & Prejudice hehe 👀) finally gets to lead a trial--a major step of her lifelong goal of making partner at her law firm. But after she passes out in a panic attack, she begins to realize she's super unfulfilled with her life. And what better way to figure out what she really wants then visiting her bestie of over 20 years in his small town!

On the other hand, Jack feels like he's not really doing anything important in the brewery business he runs with his siblings. He also has been in love with Lizzy for two decades 😶. To achieve his business dreams, he begins recruiting for a consulting company called McBain (every time ii read this I cackle HAHAHA) which is conveniently located in LA, the same city as Lizzy hehe.

Lizzy and Jack hang out together for three weeks in his small town, hanging out with the fam, jogging around to see all the sites, and of course--helping out the ailing indie bookstore that Lizzy is temporarily living above. Through sweaty days building furniture or going on local adventures, can Jack get Lizzy to finally fall in love with him, or do they have to walk away forever repressing their feelings 😫?

Oh the relationship development in this book 😫😫😫 How I love a good old denial of feelings. What absolutely gets me in books is when characters are like "ugh why am i feeling this 🤮🤮 must get away" but also absolutely CANNOT resist their partner 🤩. This book is so filled with the 'i don't want to ruin our friendship but I'm so in love with you' angst. and I AM HERE FOR IT. The chemistry between is S I Z Z L I N G, and they are soooo adorable together. I actually really love how committed Lizzy is to exploring this new ~thing between them even though SHE wasn't the one pining over the other for 20 years 👀.

In terms of plot, I was able to predict the exact storyline and final resolution within the first two chapters, which is not necessarily bad in romance. In fact, I like it when I'm able to predict the plotwise events so I can focus on the relationship side 🤩. Oh however, HOWEVER, the plot diverged a bit within the last 10% of the book, taking what I feel like is quite an unnecessary turn to exaggerate the Third Act Conflict. Certain things seemed very illogical when a quite simple solution to ALL their problems was presented withing the first few pages of the book. The choices they made and the way they treated each other seemed quite a bit out-of-character. But thank god this didn't last very long at all. Once they got their heads screwed on straight, and pulled back to the optimal resolution, we were able to reach that HEA 😍😍.

Overall, I loved this book sooo soooo much. The last 10% did detract a ~little bit from me, but my love of bookstores and angst will always overcome some major character missteps in name of Romance 🤩. Definitely pick this book up if you love friends-to-lovers or want to read a wholesome bookstore romance hehe.

--
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you for this ARC!

I could not stop reading this! I absolutely loved Jack and Lizzy!

This was a sweet friends to lovers romance that also tackled some other great topics.

Anxiety
Fear of disappointing family.
Questioning career choices.

Lizzy and Jack’s chemistry was undeniable and the tension…. 🥵 I read in one sitting because it was addicting!!

This was such a fun read and I cannot wait to read it again once it’s released!

Oh my feels! Friends for a long time, finding what you really want in your life, friends to lovers, just all the sweetness. Lizzy and Jack are the cutest and I am so in love with them. A book about books and bookstores and the adorable cover is what drew me in at first, but the wonderful flow of words and characters kept me in a splendid lovely book hug through out.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing this ARC to review. ~I was given this book and made no commitments to leave my opinions, favorable or otherwise. ~

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was… most certainly a book. I found the writing to be very cheesey, but not in a good way, just in a “this is annoying” way. I think the main reason I didn’t like this book was because one, I don’t like the friends to lovers trope, and two, I disliked all the main characters. Lizzy is just annoying and gives off very ~I’m quirky~ pick me vibes, and JACK. AUGH. I’m supposed to like him, and think the whole I’ve-loved-you-forever trope is cute, but it’s honestly just pathetic. I think reading about grown adults is also weird for me because I am not an adult with a job soooo. Overall, not my cup of tea.

Quick Summary: Charming and sweet.

My Review: Booked on a Feeling: A Novel by Jayci Lee was so very charming and so very sweet. Although it started rather slowly, it eventually picked up the pace and remained on a steady course. From the mini-reunion that kicked everything into high gear to Lizzy's final to-do list at the end of this story, this romance proved to be captivating.

There were many things that I loved about this story. A few notable things that stood out were:
1) I loved how Lee gave a nod to Asian culture throughout this book. From showing readers a picture of family traditions to meals served to words of communication - it was beautiful to read on the pages of a contemporary piece.
2) The friends-to-lovers storyline is always a winner in my eyes. As I read Lizzy and Jack's story, I found myself cheering them both on. I wanted each character to achieve his or her individual dreams just as much as I wanted them to reach the summit with their relationship. It was cuteness that they - best friends forever - both got the feels for each other.
3) The realistic picture of what different families look like was so well depicted, in my opinion. I loved seeing how Jack's family was so loving and supportive of both protagonists. I also liked seeing the "Tiger Mom" scenario played out between Lizzy and her mother. It was a hard truth that actually exists. With the addition of that simple element, it really stood out in a big way.
4) Lee did a fabulous job when it came to the funny- haha chemistry formula. Jack and Lizzy were hilarious. (I particularly loved the entire Karaoke scene. I must say, however, that I was so not ready for Gangnam Style. I'm laughing even as I type this review.)

My Final Say: All in all, this story was about so much. It was about love. It was about family. It was about relationships. It was about working through challenges. It was about personal growth. It was about finding home.

Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: NA/A

Sincere appreciation is expressed to the author, publisher, and NetGalley who made a digital ARC of this title available in exchange for an honest review. The words I have expressed are my own and have not been influenced in any way by the aforementioned.

* A Goodreads review has been posted.

4/5 stars - I have... feelings about this book. Classic friends-to-lovers, falling in love in a book store, mushy feelings everywhere kind of story.

Lizzy Chung is an extremely burnt out lawyer barely holding it together. Exhausted and clearly in need of a break, she leaves L.A. and ends up in Weldon. There, she's set to spend three weeks with her best friend who has been crushing on her since childhood, Jack Park. Trying to stay busy, Lizzy commits herself to helping sweet, overwhelmed Shannon in remodeling her struggling book store. Lizzy inevitably pulls Jack into the project, and they spend two weeks pretending they aren't actively (and quickly!) falling in love.

Lizzy is driven, persistent, and generally not shy. A lot of thought has clearly been put into her character. Her values, goals, and desires were evident throughout the book and she's a remarkably likable person. Jack, however... fell a little flat. I don't remember a whole lot about him besides the constant pining for Lizzy in his inner monologue and his insecurity about being the bookkeeper for the family brewery. I almost felt like Lizzy deserved better.

The romance itself was adorable. The timing of the dates and the vividness of their time spent together felt realistic and comfortable as a reader. This is more than I can say about several of the romance novels I've read so far this year.

The initiation of the relationship was a bit confusing, though. I love friends-to-lovers and I was really looking forward to That Moment where everything clicks, but it didn't really come. One second, they were normal friends like they always had been, and the next, Lizzy was trying to smother her intense attraction to Jack. To me, there wasn't a believable reason for the change in their dynamic.

This was an adorable book and a quick read. It just needed a pinch more depth in places. Kudos to Jayci Lee and huge thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this for free! If this is your genre of choice, I recommend picking up a copy when it comes out in July.

Booked on a Feeling by Jaycee Lee is a story of self-exploration with respect to careers and relationships. Lizzy is an associate lawyer at a Los Angeles law firm and the novel starts with her having a panic attack and fainting during her first trial, which she subsequently wins. Winning the trial does not quite give her the satisfaction she expected it to and she takes a three week break from work, ending up in Weldon, where her best friend of 20 years, Jack lives. The next three weeks involves Lizzy and Jack exploring their relationship, grappling with career changes, learning to break away from family expectations and helping to fix up a small bookstore. The book was a delight to read.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author for an eARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Booked on a feeling by Jayci Lee was such a cute friends to lover romance!

Liszt has worked hard to get where she is in her law firm but her anxiety is pushing her to an edge she’s terrified to fall over. Her best friend Jack is always there to support her and when she needs him most he is there to pick her up.

Deciding to take a much needed vacation she goes to Walden where Jack lives and steps into a life she didn’t know she needed.

The ups and downs of this friendship to romance is written in such a way that you can not help but to root for them to fall in love.

Missteps abound between the two but can they find their way to a happily ever after??? You have to read this book to find out!!!

Definitely recommend if you love a good comical romance!!

Lizzy knows exactly what she wants: to be a partner at a law firm in a big city. Winning her first case in Los Angeles should have put her well on her way, right? Not exactly. The burn out is real, so Lizzy takes a three week vacation to the small town of Weldon where her best friend Jack lives.

Lizzy and Jack have been best friends for 20 years, but Jack has longed for more with her since they were kids. When Lizzy comes to town, Jack is convinced he needs to move on from his feelings until Lizzy starts wanting more.

I thought this was a really cute book, but Jack & Lizzy lacked chemistry for me. Jack was so unsure, and despite agreeing to take things slow, Lizzy was overbearing with her feelings.

Loved this sweet story of self exploration and books. Seems like somewhere in every librarian's fantasy there would be a bookshop to reorganize and make pretty, doesn't it? Really enjoyed this low key novel. Just what I needed in these crazy times.