I received a reviewer copy of Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn from the publisher Kensington Books, from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

What It’s About: Georgie Mulcahy has been working as a personal assistant for a long time and really has made a career of putting others before herself. But when her boss decides to leave Hollywood behind, Georgie is left jobless and back in her hometown, trying to figure out her own wants instead of others. When she returns home she finds a 'friendfic' diary she and her best friend wrote as teenagers that explored possibilities of what awaited her. As she works through her younger self's plans, she is disrupted by an unexpected roommate, Levi, the bad boy brother of her high school crush. And Levi works his way into this process of discovery.

What I Loved: Oh gosh, this book made me so happy. This reminded me why I loved Kate Clayborn. Georgie is such a really thoughtful and loving character and it is so relatable to discover yourself and figure your shit out when it feels like everyone around you has their stuff figured out. This book is highly relatable because some things go off the rail or life hands you some disappoints. Mix this self-discovery with a swoon-worthy romance and you have this book. The chemistry between Georgie and Levi and the way they just fell into each other just made so much sense. This book of two people healing and finding their happiness is just chef's kiss. Also the side characters in this is just lovely.

What I didn’t like so much: So I know this is messed up but there are some behaviors that Levi displayed at times that made me feel like if only he was a bit further along in his healing it would be perfect. His lashing out at times sometimes felt like a lot for me.

Who Should Read It: People who loved Love Lettering. People who love stories of two characters finding themselves and also falling in love.

Summary: A woman returns to her hometown to find herself and finds love too.

Everything positive you’ve heard about Georgie, All Along are all true! This book is emotional, deeply personal and unbelievably romantic.

I honestly have no idea how many times I cried while reading Georgie, All Along but I couldn’t help finding myself constantly overwhelmed by the onslaught of emotions this book brought upon me and soul. There were happy tears, and there were sad tears and between them all the tears, I was a mess… but if there’s one thing I learned from Georgie, it’s that it’s okay to be a mess. It’s okay to not have your whole life figured out, having the pages of your book be blank is totally fine, there’s no time limit to starting your life. Just take it one day at a time. And that’s what I did while reading this book, I took it a page at a time and I found myself falling in love with Georgie and Levi’s story in no time at all.

One of the things I adored about this book is the fact that we get both Levi and Georgie’s POV, and I don’t think the story would have had as much impact if it wasn’t. It’s as much Levi’s story as Georgie’s, though they both develop individually and in different ways, the catalyst for their changes is each other.

It’s impossible not to fall in love with the two of them. They both carry so much baggage but the magic of their relationship is that they unpacked those things together. Kate Clayborn put so much thought and care into Georgie and Levi’s love story that it draws you in, keeps hold of your heartstrings and doesn’t let go until the very last page. These two are so gentle with each other and their intimate moments brings tears to my eyes. (But don’t worry, they do bring the spice to the pages when they have to.)

Georgie, All Along is truly a special book with a cast of incredibly special characters and even though it’s only January, I already know it’s one of my favorite books of 2023. The story in its pages is as bold, bright and impactful as its beautiful yellow color.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

Georgie, All Along
by Kate Clayborn
Pub Date: 24 Jan 2023

I am a Kate Clayborn fan and this book did not disappoint! I loved the character development so much and the strong friendships as much as the romance. Georgie and Levi...both of them trying to overcome their label of "trouble" from their youth by their small hometown. I was so utterly peeved at the teacher and anyone else who tried to make them feel small and unworthy! I adored Georgie's parents and Bel (and Hank!) so much for having faith in their girl. Just as much as I despised Levi's parents...boo-hiss!

The whole book had a magical, nostalgic quality sprinkled with moonbeams and filtered by a dose of quirky, sweetness that absolutely filled up my heart! I am still smiling!!

5 Stars

This was a sweet, fun story about finding yourself and finding what you need (including love). When Georgie loses her chaotic job in LA she returns to her hometown to recharge with her pregnant best friend. The two come across a notebook of adventures they want to have when they finally get to high school. Georgie decides to make her ways through the tasks to recenter herself. A misunderstanding leads to a roommate situation with the brother of her high school crush and Levi decided to join in her quest. It's interesting to think about what your teenage self would think of the life and person you have become as an adult. The relationship between Georgie and Levi is so kind and supportive, it allows them both to figure out their next steps after big changes. I have loved Kate Clayborn's previous books and this one continues her streak. Thank you to Kate Clayborn, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Kate Clayborn's books always have a warm, welcoming feeling to them, and Georgie, All Along captures that well. It's a really charming ode to not having everything figured out the moment you enter adulthood and that we're always growing and changing, learning new things and adapting. I loved the sweetness of Georgie and Bel's friendship and the story of their "friendfic" and trying to recapture those meaningful moments of youth. Plus, Levi was a charmer with a great dog, and he and Georgie compliment each other really nicely.

I really like this book. It starts slowly but I’m so glad I stuck with it. I was rewarded with a real love story between Georgie and Levi that reflected their character growth.

Georgie is back in her hometown after her exciting LA movie job ended. She finds her teenage diary with an incomplete bucket list, and decides to finish it for inspiration. She had a crush on a guy named Evan, but meets his “troublemaker as a teen” brother when they both stay at her parent’s house due to a mixup.

They’re attracted to each other, but they both have personal journeys to complete before they can be together. 4.5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

This book took me a little while to get into the groove of reading it, and I definitely enjoyed the second half of the book more than the first. It’s a duel POV, grumpy/sunshine, force proximity read.

Georgie is a fun, relatable character. I liked going on her journey of figuring out who she was after finding herself a crossroads in her career and life.

Levi took me a while to warm up to, but once I did, I loved him. Which I think sums up his character pretty well, actually. His backstory was well fleshed out, and I really enjoyed his character growth.

Hank was the real M.V.P. though. I absolutely loved Hank!

Overall, the story was enjoyable, but it didn’t hook me as much as I would have liked. But that ending? I was swooning! 💐

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this e-arc.

🏷 "I love the way she says that yes. I decide I ought to find out everything in life she wants to say yes to, so I can hear it over and over again"

🎶Lavender Haze by Taylor Swift and 10,000 Hours by Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber

📝This book tugged my heartstrings. There was just many aspects about the characters that were relatable for me. I love Kate Clayborn's beautiful and descriptive writing. It brings you to the heart of the characters and how they think. Georgie who can't figure out what she wants to do with her life, Levi who wants to step away from being known as a troublemaker and Bel who wants to reinvent herself to fit in actually mirrors most of us at some point in our lives. Seeing them navigate the future and figuring out what they want was poignant and hopeful. We all want to be accepted, to breakaway from the stereotypes or labels placed on us and to find happiness in the life we live. Their journey to finding that through the friend-fic was fun and crazy! It's beautiful how love also bloomed in the process. Not just between Georgie and Levi but also with her relationship with her best friend and parents.

I only wished there was more seeing that showing. Other than that, I'm happy. The last chapter, which was like an epilogue, left me with a huge smile on my face. This is my first Kat Clayborn book and it did set the bar high. I look forward to read more of her work.

Many thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. This definitely deserves a spot on my shelf so I'm getting the physical copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is a quiet book. It would be easy to say this is a small town, going home, female main character who was a mess growing up falls in love with the male main character who was also a mess growing up. And those things would be true. But oh this is so much more than tropes!
Georgie learns that the things she wasn't sure about growing up, are maybe part of growing up. And she's ok. She was ok then and is ok now. And Levi, who needed to overcome a bad childhood and mistakes made, also learns that those things also don't define you. And still, this just doesn't say enough about this book.
The free spirit that is Georgie and the hard working quiet intensity that is Levi, are both just a light and a joy. I loved that Georgie's friend was also a different kind of mess. That Georgie's parents were sort of old hippies. That Levi's siblings were not as bad as his horrible parents.
There were just so many moments to love. Like always, Kate Clayborn draws these amazing characters and they find their way into my heart. And I adore it all over again. Deeply emotional while still so quiet. I can hear the Taylor Swift songs playing. I loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing the ARC.

Every once in a while you'll have a book sneak up on you with how amazing it is.

I love Kate Clayborn and her books. They've always been solid 3-4 stars for me in the romcom category. But this book is something else.

Georgie All Along is one of those rare books that grabs your attention, pulls you in, makes you feel all the feels and also somehow feels like the best therapy appointment, and then has such a beautiful and amazing ending that can't help the stupid grin on your face.

I loved Georgie. She represents a lot of us who don't have anything figured out, who has just been coasting by because she hasn't figured anything out yet. She is emotional, loud, and pure unadulterated sunshine. She is strong and fierce in how she cares for people.

And I know this story is about Georgie but it also about Levi. Poor, sweet Levi with his heart of gold, who tries to be so good and doesn't realize that he was already good all along. There was absolutely no way that Georgie stood a chance.

And this book. The authenticity with which Clayborn portrays the characters, their motivations, their screw ups, and their growth. It's something really amazing and beautiful to experience.

Georgie All Along is a book that will make you feel many things. I laughed, felt my heart race with anticipation, cried, felt pride, joy, anger, hope, and had a blast making my way through this awesome book! Georgie lost her job in L.A. where she was a personal assistant to a famous actress. The actress decided she wanted a big change and was giving up L.A. for travel and fun. Georgie wasn't needed anymore.

Georgie decided to go back home for awhile as her parents were traveling and needed someone to stay at the house and take care of their plants. Georgie's best friend recently moved back with her husband and Bel is pregnant with her first child. Bel wants Georgie to help her get things ready for the baby and keep her company. Georgie stops at a neighborhood shop on the way into town. She and Bel went to this shop a lot in high school and Bel loves the strawberry milkshake. Georgie decides to surprise Bel with a strawberry shake. As she's waiting in line the owner of the shop recognizes her right away and starts chatting with her. Once the strawberry shakes are ready, Georgie realizes she has no money on her as she's left her wallet in the car. As she's trying to find some cash, her high school music teacher is in the line behind her and is making comments that Georgie doesn't like. She never liked Mrs. Michaels as she always had the wrong impression of Georgie. The guy in line behind her is very good looking but looks very serious and somewhat angry. He says he's in a hurry and tells the owner to put it on his tab so that he can get on with his day. Georgie promises to bring the money in tomorrow and tells the man that he can pick it up at the store then.

Georgie goes to visit Bel and take her the milkshake. Bel is so excited to see Georgie and they fall right back into old habits. They fill each other in on their life as of now and realize it's as if they've never been apart. Bel and Georgie find a book that they had made writing down things they wanted to do while they were in high school. Georgie wrote most of it but Bel and her were supposed to do the things listed. Georgie tells Bel she's going to take it home and read it. Once Georgie gets to her parents house she prepares herself for what she knows will be a mess inside. Georgie's Mom has Rheumatoid Arthritis and has difficulty with cleaning, cooking, and taking care of the plants. As she walks in, she is shocked at how tidy and clean everything is. All of the dishes have been washed and put away, there's no laundry lying around, the food in the fridge is still good, and the bedrooms are clean and tidy.

Georgie changes into a pair of shorts, a tank top, and puts on a huge robe with many colors that's not very attractive. As she's in the kitchen looking for something to eat, she sees a shadow go by the window and then she hears a key in the door!!! Who could this be? Her parents are away and no one else has a key that she knows of. As the door starts to open a dog runs in and starts licking Georgie. She then sees that the dogs owner is the man that paid for her milkshakes at the shop earlier that day. She calls him Evan, but she knows that this is not Evan, but his older brother. He introduces himself as Levi and explains that Georgie's father told him he could stay here for the 2 weeks his house was being renovated. This was before her father knew she was coming to town. Levi is not used to being around people and doesn't feel comfortable talking much. Once he realizes that Georgie is Paul's daughter, he feels like he should leave. Levi has nowhere to go, though, and he wants his dog to stay with him. Most hotels don't allow dogs. Georgie and Levi call her parents and Paul admits to allowing Levi to stay and take care of the plants. He tells Georgie that was before he knew she was coming home. He tells Georgie to let Levi stay as there are 2 bedrooms.

What starts out as an awkward arrangement becomes anything but awkward after awhile. Georgie is very attracted to Levi and Levi is very attracted to Georgie. When the 2 weeks is over, will Georgie and Levi be together as a couple? Will they admit to their attraction? Will Levi open up about his trouble when he was younger and how his father disowned him and forbid him from having a relationship with his brother and sister? When Georgie starts working at the family restaurant and spa will Levi be upset? Will the family be upset once they find out she's seeing Levi? Levi hasn't had anything to do with his family since high school. Georgie was raised in a very loving, open home but she feels for what Levi has had to endure. Will she be able to help Levi? Levi offers to help Georgie do the things in her book that she never got to do in high school. As they're working their way through the book will they find love? Will Georgie stay in her hometown or will she go back to L.A.?

This book has a lot to it and I enjoyed the Georgie and Levi very much. They've both got issues but just maybe they can fill the holes in each other. I highly recommend that you read this book and rate it 5 stars. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advanced copy of Georgie All Along in exchange for a fair review. #GeorgieAllAlong

Bestselling author Kate Clayborn returns to the romance scene with her newest novel, Georgie, All Along, which came out yesterday (January 24th)! Clayborn shows readers that sometimes living in the present is all that matters and how finding love can be the best unplanned chapter of life.

This book was good, but not amazing… I found the premise to be cute, but the execution just wasn’t there in the beginning. Georgie seemed too childish and insecure and Levi was too brooding for my liking.

The plot and romance was simultaneously dragged out, yet abrupt, and I wasn’t really too invested in the characters. Eventually, I got to the end of the book and enjoyed the way the story wrapped up, but getting there just took a bit too much for me.

Overall, it’s a pretty good story and the messages about being yourself and not having to prove yourself or seek validation from others are great, it’s not my favorite romance, nor my favorite Kate Clayborn novel.

*I received an ARC from Kensington Books in exchange for my honest opinion.

𝗚𝗘𝗢𝗥𝗚𝗜𝗘, 𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗔𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗚 is one of those books that has it all. Two damaged people who love each other for their messiness, a wonderful female friendship, family drama, a sprinkling of Hollywood, a quirky small town, men talking openly about their feelings, a bucket list, some steam, a high school friend fic, the world's coolest dog... seriously, I could go on.

Kate Clayborn writes such realistic characters you can't help but get emotionally invested in their world, and I loved following Georgie and the others in her life as they try to figure out who they are and what they want. Finishing this book was like leaving new friends you met on vacation - you may never see them again, but you're grateful for the time you spent together.

Thanks to Kensington Books for the copy to review.

Add me to the list of readers up until the wee hours, happily absorbed in this wonderful book. I loved that Georgie took small steps to dream again with following her friendfic journal. Her and Levi both have mixed feelings about their town and the behaviour from when they were teenagers that follows them. It made it much more realistic than many small town stories for me.
I enjoyed how they fell for each other and learned to be together. It just felt like a deeper connection was really well established, so important in a satisfying romance novel.
Definitely add this to your list of contemps to check out - if you haven’t already.

I really loved this book! Georgie and Levi are both messes! Georgie's messiness is a bit more obvious than Levi's in the beginning but whoo boy they both have things/issues they need to deal with.
Them together was just so *clutches chest* I simply adoooore the silent/man of few words/just trying to keep his head down and live his life sort of hero and here comes this heroine like a chaotic whirlwind in his life to throw him off.

But every minute we got in Levi's POV was so precious to me. Can you tell he's my fave?? :D I highlighted tooo many scenes in this because their emotions are so beautifully captured.

Our MCs relationship/romance are front and centre in this but we do also see them trying to find themselves but it never overshadows the romance.

I will say i saw that moment with the book and Evan's name coming a mile awaaaay and I was like noooooooo but whew it all worked out in the end. The "prom moment" was too cuuute!! I can totally see this as a really cute movie.

Anyhoooo i really enjoyed this one a lot. And oh Hank, Levi's dog was absolutely adorable! :)

Long-time personal assistant Georgie Mulcahy finds herself returning home when she finds herself at a loss for work. When she starts to settle into her family home, she finds a forgotten “friendfic” diary she wrote as a teenager, filled with possibilities she once imagined. Soon, Georgie is using this diary is her new guidebook for getting started on a new path. Yet when she finds herself, sharing her family home with Levi Fanning, onetime town troublemaker and current town hermit, she soon discovers that he is more than what the rumours suggest. As the two make their way through her wish list, Georgie begins to realize that what she truly wants might not be in the pages of her diary after all, but right by her side—if only they can both find a way to let go of the pasts that hold them back.
These are two delightful characters. Whilst I initially thought that Georgie had much to discover about herself, it is more Levi who grows in the presence of Georgie. Her ability to see beyond his past, leads to a romance that is beautiful to watch unfold. Together they bring out the best in each other. I also enjoyed the wisdom of Georgie’s parents who initially appear to be alternate but are really just two mature people who see the best in people.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn
💛💛💛💛/5

Kate Clayborn puts together a witty, charismatic, emotional story about Georgie Mulcahy who returns home to try to figure out her next steps. Using a high school friendfic as her road map to figuring her life out, Georgie crosses paths with Levi Fanning, the troubled older brother of her high school crush. The dual POV of Georgie and Levi takes the reader through this emotional and funny journey of two people figuring out who they are. Georgie is an absolute mess but in the most “expansive” and “moonbeam” way-which is to say she is absolutely wonderful and shines light on everyone around her. She is an immensely likable character, the perfect foil to Levi’s brooding but tender hearted personality. I couldn’t get enough of this grumpy X sunshine pairing, of Georgie’s best friend Bel, and of the glimpses into their sweet little hometown. I absolutely adored both the romance and friendship aspects of this story and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys books by Colleen Hoover, Ali Hazelwood, or Carley Fortune.

Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

#netgalley #arc #smalltownromance

This settles it: Kate Clayborn can do no wrong!

This book was adorably sweet and I looooved the second chance at "life" Georgie receives by virtue of finding her way back to her past. Love this one!

I really liked this contemporary romance! I thought Georgie and Levi were good main characters. Overall, I would definitely recommend!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Was this a good book? Yes. Did I enjoy it? Not really.

Which is strange considering how I teared up more than once. I loved the start and the end, but the middle felt like a disappointing drag. I thought about DNFing 60% in but heck, I was already more than halfway through, so.

What I wanted/expected was a girlboss story where the protagonist discovers herself, confront past regrets and legit starts over. Basically, something I could relate to. Something that would inspire me in my rut. But this book was far from the case. I loved the revelations at the end, but also, *rolls eyes*. Maybe I should have guessed from the title?

On the plus side, there's a great cast. I enjoyed the personal growth of Georgie and Levi individually, but wasn't hot on the romance. Like, it was fine but mostly bored me. However, I loved Bel's arc because it takes courage to admit that maybe something isn't working out for you. Hank is perfection, of course.

Overall, this just didn't pull me in nor did I connect with it as much as I'd hoped. It's a book that you have to read in the right mood at the right time and unfortunately wasn't for me on both counts, especially since it tackles some heavy themes. Definitely did not make me feel better.