Authentically, Izzy is a witty, clever and entertaining read, but there are a few things readers should know before diving in:

1) The book is written entirely in emails.
2) There are a lot of Lord of the Rings references.

The writing style was creative, but it got old after a little while. I think I would've enjoyed it much more if it was written as a typical novel while still including emails. It felt unrealistic at times and took away from my enjoyment.

Lord of the Rings fans will love all of the references because there were a lot! I'm not familiar with the books/movies so there were quite a few parts where I had to do some inferring and while I appreciate the author's creativity, it was challenging for me as a reader who is clueless when it comes to Lord of the Rings.

Izzy and Brodie are both sweet characters, their relationship is charming and this book is creatively written. It didn't work for me, but I'm interested in reading more from this author because I can tell she's talented! Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

11/16 Authentically, Izzy by Pepper Basham started out just a bit slow, but I was soon eagerly turning pages to get to their HEA.

I have come to love epistolary novels and Pepper Basham is at her charming amusing best in this book. I fell in love with Izzy immediately! I loved how Izzy was talking about her ridiculous cousin, Josephine, who signed her up on a dating site, with her brother and her cousin's sister via texts and emails. I was literally rolling!!

All of the Lord of the Rings references had me wanting to watch the movies again.

These are some of the best quotes!

"There's not really a job description for a 'book pusher,' and even if there was, it sounds like a profession where one might get arrested."

"If any animal should have the power to resurrect, I think it should be a faithful dog. They're such wonderful companions and the very best listeners in the world."

"Of course, I talk to myself. Sometimes I need an expert opinion."

These are just a few of my highlights. I have so many more! You have to read this book! If not for all the fun comedic parts, which is nearly the entire book, but the sweet romance between Brodie and Izzy. The secondary characters, mainly Luke, are just as fun! I hope there is a sequel with Luke!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via the publisher. I wasn't required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I did preorder a copy.

dnf at 27%, turns out that this one isn't for me. first of all, i did not like the fact that this book was made up of letters although it is a different concept if i must add. second, i was expecting this book to be like you've got mail and had really high expectations which might have also caused me to not like it i guess.

Heartwarming charming romance novel.

If you're looking for an uplifting, clean romance, then look no further. Basham's latest is a lovely epistolary novel bringing together two kindred spirits who develop a friendship and more communicating via email.

Izzy is a self-described book nerd who works at a library. She has lived with her aunt and three cousins since the death of her parents. Her cousin Josephine, who is married and expecting twins, decides that it is about time for Izzy, who has been burned in relationships in the past, to step out of her shell and start dating again. She signs Izzy up on a dating website, and after a few hilarious missteps, she connects with a man who signs his messages "Brodie the Hobbit"--much to the joy of her Lord of the Rings loving heart. As Izzy and Brodie forge a friendship based on books, Josephine thinks that Izzy needs to find a match "in real life" and continues to fix her up with available friends. What is Izzy to do?

I adored the back-and-forth camaraderie in the e-mail messages and text messages between Izzy and her cousins (Josephine, Penelope, and Luke) as well as her messages with Brodie and others she dates. The first 50% of this book is entirely epistolary, and then we shift between narrative action and epistolary for the rest of the book. I actually liked it better when there were both types of narrative were used because I could connect better with the story that way. After a while the epistolary got a bit tedious with the "telling" and I was longing for action.

This book is one of the best uses of the epistolary style that I've read in a long time. The communications between the characters feel completely authentic, like actual, real e-mails and text messages rather than cute info dumps like many of the novels that employ this method. I feel like Basham does an amazing job capturing each of the character's voices, which isn't always the easiest thing to do in an e-mail or text message.

The faith message in this novel is also lovely and an integral part of the story, which is what I have come to expect from this writer. She makes the characters authentically Christian and it feels natural rather than tacked on for effect.

While this isn't a perfect book--some of the interaction was just overly flowery and wordy and I didn't love the conflict with the stipend and hiding that information--it is a very enjoyable read. If you like a romance novel that will bring a smile to your book-loving face, this is an excellent choice.

Told mainly through emails/letters/texts, this was such a heartwarming, feel good romance between two strangers who meet online and discover a shared love of reading and books. From completely different worlds Izzy is a small town librarian who dreams of opening her own bookstore and slowly falls for the man she meets on a dating app her family/friends set her up on.

Perfect for fans of books like the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (which is even referenced in the book). I loved Izzy's journey of self-discovery, her close family/friend relationships and the way she takes a leap falling in love with both a man and his remote British island home and the struggling bookstore she knows she can help revive. Much thanks to NetGalley for an early digital copy and Librofm for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Steam level: kissing only

DNF

Unfortunately I just couldn't get into the epistolary style story. I was really interested by the concept but couldn't connect with it. The characters spoke very formally and I didn't feel like I got to authentically get to know them

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Isabelle Edgewood is stuck in her world and her cousin Josephine is ready to play matchmaker. Josephine signs her up for an online dating service. Either Izzy can update it or delete it. With the help of her other cousins, Luke and Penelope, she updated profile. The emails between Luke and Penelope are funny. Throughout the process, I was smiling. Until she meets Brodie through the app. She doesn't believe it is possible to meet someone who loves book as much as she does. Through the emails and video calls, the introverts have found themselves. When he comes to visit, everything is even better than online. When it comes to going to visit Brodie, she would need to get on a plane. She is terrified of flying but it was all worth it. She falls more in love with him and where he lives. A misunderstanding drives her back home but her cousin Josephine goes into labor. Upon the birth, she realizes she has found her home. Now to go back and get her HEA.

Epistolary romance filled with nerds and book lovers? SIGN ME UP! Actual book filled with way too much prose and Christian romance. No thank you.

There is absolute an audience for Christian romance, and this should be marketed to them. Not the general romance reader.

This is a creative book with an interesting premise, it’s just a shame that it’s not reaching the right readers.

What a delightfully fun novel! I've loved everything I've read by Pepper Basham, but this one takes the cake. It's an epistolary novel, told in the form of emails and text messages, and I loved that! It's such a fun way to tell a story, and it's done perfectly here.

Izzy and Brodie were the perfect bookish duo. They were so relatable. I loved all their quotes and references, especially the Lord of the Rings ones. I enjoyed seeing them open up and share their authentic selves with each other. It was neat seeing them discover new things about themselves along the way, too.

Not gonna lie, Josephine got on my nerves quite a bit. I know she was only trying to be helpful and that she only wanted the very best for Izzy, but, my goodness, her delivery was lacking, to say the least. But I think we all know someone like Josephine, so that was very relatable. I really liked Luke and Penelope, though. I'd love them to get their own stories.

I highly recommend this feel-good, heartfelt, and romantic read. It had me laughing and put a big smile on my face. Even now, thinking about it, I can't stop smiling. It was so, so good!

I received an early copy of this book via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

Authentically, Izzy just was not the book for this reader. I just couldn’t get interested in the plot. I feel the book is well written and has a good concept . I give it the four star rating because I am sure other readers will enjoy it. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance book.

A great book that is written mostly through texts and emails which is such a fun way to read a book! Izzy's cousin Josephine creates her an account on a dating site. Izzy updates the account just to get her cousin off her back and makes her profile picture that of a LOTR character. She surprisingly gets a message from Brodie whose banter is refreshing. Josephine still continues her matchmaking antics as Izzy continues to message and video chat with Brodie. Only 0ne major problem, they live an ocean apart. Their families are a mixed bag of hesitant and supportive. I don't want to give away any more, but Authenically, Izzy is a must read! Pepper Basham created such lovable, real characters. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book was just not for me.

It wasn’t necessarily a bad book, it just grew very repetitive for me. The characters did not feel real the way they spoke just threw me off, the premise and the format of the book was enjoyable but not enough for me.


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

It pains me to say that I had to dnf this book.
The blurb sounded amazing and I couldn't be more excited to pick it up but the email/letter style of writing just wasn't for me.
I thought maybe the style will change but it didn't. Maybe someday I'll give it another try but it's not today.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Authentically, Izzy
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 11/15/22
Author: Pepper Basham
Publisher: Thomas Nelson Fiction
Pages: 352
GR: 3.80

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

My Thoughts: This story was told in a unique fashion, through a series of emails and texts. While I was not thrilled about it to begin with, it really grew on me. Izzy is a strong, quirky woman and lives life to the fullest, the perfect heroine. Brody was quiet and reserved but had this sense of humor that was entering, also a perfect hero. They really matched up quite well. This was a closed door Christian romance with a love for Lord of the Rings. The side characters, including the family members, loved to meddle and play matchmaker, which makes for an interesting story. The one con would be the love triangle in the beginning of the story, I do not want to give to much detail to not spoil for other readers. The characters were well developed with depth, witty banter, chemistry, and intriguing. The author’s writing style was unique, complex, creative, and engaging. I would recommend this book, it releases next week!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

I think this might just be my favourite romcom read of this year. It’s everything a book lover could want in a story; romance, humour, loveable characters, witty banter, and a lot of bookish talk and quotes.

I loved that so much of the story was told through correspondence between the cousins discussing Izzy’s romantic failures and insecurities. You get to see the different personalities shine in a way that doesn’t always come across in other stories. The way the siblings chide each other, the fondness they have for their cousin, the ever-present guidance - not always helpful - that they offer her, it all makes for a fun story.

And of course there is the beautiful romance blossoming between our MCs. I can’t tell you how many times I sat there grinning while reading. Such fun characters with a wealth of literary knowledge. I adore them. And as a side note, I now want to visit Skymar and see this wondrous place for myself.

All in all, a fabulous read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommend.

Izzy is a librarian and a book lover. In her introverted way she loves fictional characters over real humans. She meets Brodie after her sister signs her up for a dating app. He loves books and even owns a book shop but he lives in Europe.

I’m not going to lie but this took me a while to get into. Izzy is fun and clever with tons of Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones references but the format is difficult. I knew it is an expository book for the most part. So it is written in the form of letters and later texts. But when reading on my small device I sometimes couldn’t see easily who was writing or receiving the letter. I found myself back checking often until I got more use to the format.

This is a clean, (they are on different continents for a lot of the story), wholesome story. I enjoyed the humor but at times it felt drawn out. Also the angst moment didn’t seem that big of deal to me. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The bookish community is going to fall head over sneakers for the authenticity and originality that is this unconventional tale.

I can’t say that I’ve read a lot in the epistolary style, but there was something delightfully quirky about this one (albeit a little overwhelming), with all the matchmaking, book talk, and the cutest long distance, online relationship transcribed predominantly through emails and text. This was a lighthearted and cozy read with a sense of family and found love at its heart that was lovely to see unfold from both points of view, especially for Izzy as she wrestled with her place in the Edgewood clan.

A tale of two hearts, twin passions, and meddling families, Authentically Izzy was fluffy and fun and such a book loving vibe. I laughed along with Izzy’s honest ramblings, grinning at all the puns and bookish content shared between her and Brodie, and Basham transported me with their enchanting portrait of the Skymar Islands in those few descriptive scenes in the second half. The writing was eloquent, and the characters were mostly charming as they boasted proudly of their distinct personalities and passions. And Brodie, a book lover's dream! I only hoped that there had been a little more narrative incorporated around the emails so that I might have fallen more in love with them in action. Otherwise, Brodie and Izzy have achieved for themselves that once-in-a-lifetime fairytale that we book lovers only dream of!

Packed to the brim with quirky characters, banter and humorous tangents, and a plethora of LOTR and other classic references, it was a pleasure to tagalong on this heartfelt journey with Izzy as she discovered, and fell in love with, her authentic self. Now, if we could be so fortunate to have a Luke story unfold next, I would be most thankful!

💋Online Dating / Long distance
💋 Epistolary Style
💋 Soulmate vibes
💋 Quirky, loveable characters
💋 Wholesome, Christian Romance

I received an advanced copy thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

An epistolary novel about books and book lovers? Yes, please!

This delightful story centers around Izzy who has had less than stellar luck in her dating life, including being left at the altar. When her cousin sets her up on a dating site, Izzy is not impressed, yet she begins corresponding with someone who she finds very intellectually stimulating and who also loves books. Unfortunately, he lives on the other side of the world.

As Izzy and Brodie continue their digital relationship, they each open up more and the stirrings of something more begin.

I loved the banter between all of the characters in this book and I adored that so many of my favorite books were mentioned.

4/5 stars! Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for a honest review!

This was such a quick easy and fun read! Authentically, Izzy delivered an epistolary romance with the cutest characters. I loved reading along between Isabelle and Brodie's long distance relationship and how it translated in their emails! the emails and text messages were my favorite part because I felt so immersed in the character's life. it was hilarious, fluffy and romantic! Brodie was freaking adorable!! There is something about a book boyfriend that loves books that just melts my entire heart!! Brodie can literally QUOTE from Izzy's favorite books!!! I MEAN COME ON!!! Not mention his family owns a bookstore!!