Happy Pub Day to Georgie, All Along!

I absolutely loved Love Lettering and had the pleasure of meeting Kate Clayborn last May with Christina Lauren & Ali Hazelwood so I've been anticipating this book since she talked about it there!

This was a wonderful book about finding yourself and your path and maybe a little love along the way.

Georgie made a name for herself as a personal assistant in Los Angeles. When she goes back to her hometown her big question is what does she really want to do... she meets back with her BFF who is about to have a baby and finds their "friendfic" that she wrote in high school and thinks doing some of the things might help her figure out her path. She ends up with an unexpected roommate in Levi, the former town trouble maker and he offers to help her.

This was a sweet small town romance that's a little deeper look at family relationships, and figuring out your life and so beautifully written.

Definitely check this one out! Thanks to Kensington Books for my advanced copy.

An enjoyable read. Georgie returns home defeated only to find that she has options. One is to get closer to notorious bad boy Levi Fanning.
I liked Levi. He made poor decisions but has done his best to atone for them. I did think Georgie needs too much validation at times.
I adore Hank. His ability to break wind at the most opportune times was classic.
This book shows you can go home again.

Georgie has returned home after her L.A. boss has decided to reinvent herself, leaving Georgie without a job or any real idea about what she wants to do next. After she finds the journal that she and her high school BFF wrote together, Georgie decides that the best way to discover who she is now is to fulfill all of the desires of her high school self. As Georgie works her way through the list of activities with the help of her surprise housemate, Levi, Georgie’s past, present, and future begin to click into place.

I have adored everything that I’ve read by Kate Clayborn, and Georgie, All Along did not disappoint. Her characters are so heartbreakingly human that you can’t help but become completely invested in their happily ever afters. This book was an absolute delight to read, and I am already impatient for Clayborn’s next book.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

“I think of Micah calling her flaky. But the thing is, she doesn’t seem flaky to me. She seems…..she seems expansive”

Georgie moves back to her hometown after working as an assistant in Hollywood for years to help her bestie get ready to have a baby. Levi is the town bad boy born into small town royalty he rebelled in his younger years and is now trying to prove to the town and himself that has left is troubled past behind. After a disastrous, embarrassing (for Georgie) first meeting these two find themselves roommates sharing her parents house while they are traveling. The discovery of a “freindfic” notebook from her high school self pushes Georgie to attempt the adventures she thought she’d have and Levi offers to help her.

Georgie thinks of herself or is described as messy but I think we are all messy. Who doesn’t think about going back to their high school self and what could have been different? Or had the rug pulled out from under their current life? How she handles all this makes her relatable, normal and very much a person I would want to be my friend. Levi is working so hard to be a different person but he isn’t enjoying the life he currently has, he needs Georgie to point out he is hiding. Levi is so grumpy and gruff but such a softie for his dog! These two together create the perfect balance of responsibility with chaos, rule following with some rule bending. Their love story is wonderful, it’s not a smooth path and they both have to work on their issues but that’s real life.

The side characters of Bel, Harry, their families and the best boy ever Hank 🐕 were all adorable. I especially loved the insight her parents brought, the straind relationship Levi has with his family and Georgie and Bel’s freindship is #friendgoals.

It’s not a secret that slow burn, emotional reads I have to be in a mood for but the exception to this rule is Kate Clayborn. The way that she weaves the story together, creates bonds between the characters and draws me in is just perfection.

Thank you Kensington Books and NetGalley for an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own. Georgie, All Along has a publish date of January 24, 2023.

This is a wonderful and sweet romance but also more than that, it's about starting over and find out what you really want from life!

I found it challenging to connect to the female and make main character. Their attraction did not feel developed enough to me.

The friend fic concept was interesting and a nice plot device.

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC and the publisher for the complimentary hard copy. All opinions provided are my own.

I just wondered what it would be like if someone like Kate Clayborn—who writes so gorgeously & so completely from the heart—hadn’t written books & they weren’t published…

Especially when her books make me feel so full. So expansive (read the book to get this reference ;) ).

Georgie, All Along is another exquisite portrayal of the best of people & of love. I think it’s also probably the funniest book of Kate Clayborn’s that I’ve read.

Not only is Levi totally amazing—I want to hug him & go to his Bday party & drunkenly tell him how much I love him & also write embarrassing wishes regarding him up & down my arms in Sharpie —but Georgie—& her heart & her confusion & friendship—is also beloved to me.

Have I ever been uncertain about what I want? About my future? Um yes.

This is my favorite kind of romance in that not only is the central love story so wonderful & well-developed, the secondary characters & those relationships are too. Kate Clayborn is one of my fave writers of friendship & I absolutely love how she captures the one between Georgie & Bel, another opposites attract pairing that’s done so well.

This book satisfies on every level & made me feel as if I were truly watching/observing/enjoying love in all forms.

So if you haven’t read Kate Clayborn yet, please do. She is an author I recommend without reservation & her books are lovely & like Georgie says about Levi, “what I want, but better.”

5⭐️. Out now!

CWs: Parental estrangement; parental neglect; parental “cruelty.” References to drug use & emotional abuse at alternative school.

[ID: Jess, a white woman wearing a yellow coat & pink scarf, holds the book while sitting on a deck. A blue-ish gray sky is in the background, as is a greenhouse.]

I loved Georgie, All Along so much!!! Georgie is moving back home temporarily - after losing her job as a PA in Los Angeles, she decides to take some time to figure out what she wants to be doing. Her childhood best friend Annabel has just moved back to their hometown and is getting ready to have her first baby soon. So Georgie will housesit for her parents and help Annabel and figure out her next steps - that’s the plan anyway.

But her first night back she’s startled when someone lets himself into the house - Levi Fanning. Her parents accidentally also told him that he could stay there while he was having work done on his house so Levi and his big dog Hank come bursting in.

Without giving away too much of the story - I’ll say it’s about family and found family and finding where you belong and working through your stuff and living bigger and having a soft place to land and so many things!!! It has multiple scenes that made me SWOON and moments that made me laugh and I also cried through some scenes - in a good way! This is definitely a new favorite.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced reading copy.

There’s some thing about reading a Kate Claiborne book. I always makes you feel wonderful about reading romancing. In this case, we have a girl returning to her small town romance. Kate manages to write it in a way that is engaging and entertaining and different than what you read before of a small town Romans, Georgie is returning to her hometown where has she has always been thought of as flighty after her executive assistant job has ended. She is also reunited with her best friend Val and their relationship is really fun to see it’s really interesting to see how Georgie deals with once again, having to deal with how her hometown thinks of her as opposed to , how she was perceived as this very effective assistant in her life in the bigger city. Also, we see Georgie interacting with Levi who is the older brother of her former high school crush

All of the characters are so interesting and just add to the enjoyment of the book. I love how Georgie and Levi’s relationship progresses and how they both have to deal with their perceived reputations in their past it also touches on how it’s really hard to change peoples minds about you when they’ve known you since you were young. Georgie and Levi have a very satisfying connection and I really enjoyed seeing the progression of the relationship , throughout the book. All in all this was a perfect romance book in my opinion.

Happy Pub Day to "Georgie, All Along" by Kate Clayborn! This is my favorite read of the year so far and I'm still swooning! 5⭐

Georgie's life is a big blank page and she can't figure out what her next steps are. She's just moved back across the country to her hometown in small town Virginia (I'm picturing like north of Newport News, ish?). For inspiration, she is re-doing all the things on her high school bucket list that she didn't get to. In the process, she meets new friends as well as people from her past.

I don't want to spoil how Georgie meets Levi, but gosh, their chemistry is off the charts. He's my new favorite book boyfriend and I got completely wrapped up in how their story played out. I love the way they balance each other out and allow each other to be independent, while also trying on this new relationship.

Finally, the side characters are compelling and multi-dimensional, and the epilogue was exactly what I wanted. (Ok, I actually want a sequel or a book for Bel, but I'll take this for now).

I went into this one with honestly minimal expectations, and was truly surprised by just how much I enjoyed it!

I would 100% recommend this for fans of "It Happened One Summer" as it created a very similar vibe and aesthetic. Georgie Mulcahy and Levi Fanning are one of the sweetest romance couples I've read recently, and I loved the magic and adventure of their story! I loved how her chilled and easy going nature brought out the best in his more grouchy loner persona and slowly drew out his character's development through out the story to be appealing and loveable. Of course, and Honourable mention to the best doggo, Hank whose appearances made for plenty of smiles and humour along the way!

The entire story and setting were quaint and intriguing and the main characters were immediately relatable! I was able to connect to the whole narrative quickly and easily, and absolutely devoured it all in a short span of time. One of the easiest reads that I have recently completed. It also enjoyed how the story explored various 'family dynamics' and generational trauma (in a light way) and how it impacts adult relationships, as well as dealing with these past ideals together.

I do wish it could have gone on a tiny bit longer, or perhaps have been fleshed out slightly with a little more depth, however it was all in all, a delightfully easy, engaging and entertaining read which I would happily recommend to any rom-com fans out there! This was my first read by Kate Clayborn and I have to say, I am eager to go and read more from her!

Lovely. Georgie's journey is wonderful. The parents and the best friend and husband were fabulous. Loved the mistakes and readjustments between couples and siblings. And the best part was Levi - so much heart and depth. This whole story is just so comforting.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

I really enjoyed Georgie, All Along. This is the story of going back to your childhood home to help a friend, and you end up finding the help for yourself that you weren't really sure you needed.

One of the things that really struck me about this book, and that I will think about for a long time, is the description of parenting that takes place toward the end of the book. About how Georgie's parents gave her what she needed, but allowed her to find her own way, to learn, to succeed, to fail, to express herself. It really made me think about my own parents, parents of friends, and the parenting styles of my friends now. Very thought provoking for me.

If you are a fan of Kate Clayborn you will enjoy this book. If you're a fan of looking inside of yourself and figuring out how to make some changes to move forward, you will enjoy this book. If you're a fan of small towns and the mean old schoolteacher who loves to gossip, you will enjoy this book.

Also, let's not forget Hank! He's the real star of the show here. Hank is a dog. The end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

After being let go from her longtime personal assistant position, Georgie finds herself moving back to her small hometown. While helping her childhood friend organize some boxes, they come across a diary containing a teenage “bucket list” of quintessential things to do before becoming adults. Georgie decides to complete the list in order to seek closure and find a new path for herself.

Initially I thought the plot sounded great but it is too drawn out. I don’t normally mind a slower pace if a slow burn romance is involved but the whole storyline drags. It does finally pick up around ¾ of the way in but I’d lost most of my interest by that point. There are some parts that are unnecessarily detailed. Much of the book is written from the MCs internal monologues so there is not as much dialogue between the characters as there would normally be in a romance. It’s hard to gauge the chemistry between the characters when they aren’t actually communicating.

This is the first book that I have read from author Kate Clayborn. While it was not my favorite, I would be interested in taking a look at some of her other work.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books (Kensington)!

Thanks to @netgalley @kensingtonbooks @kateclaybornauthor for the eARC copy of this beautiful book and the chance to give my candid review—all opinions are my own.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (0-5)
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥 (0-5)

What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 Double meet-cute—one of my favorite things in books.
🤩 Close proximity—the excitement of that key in the lock and the creek of the door!
🤩 Opposites attract—introvert/extrovert.
🤩 Georgie being on the brink of change in her life and using “The Fic” (her old journal) to inspire her.
🤩 Levi finding the guts to ask for a do-over! I love him.
🤩 Dog lovers—you’ll be smitten with Hank.
🤩 Small town adventures.
🤩 I love the interactions between Georgie and Bel as best friends.
🤩 Found family love but also reconciliation with family.
🤩 The themes of self-fulfillment, making future plans, & deciding what’s important in life.

What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 While I loved the ending, and could feel the emotional clinging between them, I really wish we could have experienced some physical intimacy between Levi and Georgie after the drama/time apart. I’m so greedy for it to help me believe the HEA.

This lovely friends to lover romance wasn’t just about finding love but also about leaving the past behind and figuring out who one is. I really enjoyed the high school checklist revisits and the adorable moments with the cute puppers. The romance in the story also had the right mixture of spicy and sweet.

Georgie Mulcahy's return to her hometown is inauspicious: the first person she runs into is an old teacher, all too willing to remind her of her shortcomings. Then she realizes she left her wallet in her car and a morose stranger has to pay for her milkshakes. Seeing her childhood best friend, Annabel, restores her hope, even if they find the fictional diary they kept in high school.

Even more unexpected is when the "stranger" turns up at her parents' house, there to house and plant sit, an arrangement Georgie's parents have forgotten. And the stranger is indeed no stranger, but Levi Manning, older brother of her high school crush and town bad boy.

As Georgie navigates being home with all its memories, she is increasingly drawn to the complicated Levi.

It took me a bit to get into this book. The author did too good a job showing Levi's flaws and I didn't care for him. Luckily, both Georgie and Levi get past their angst enough to make the reader care about them. The conflict seems a bit trite but this book is still fabulous with really memorable characters. #GeorgieAllAlong #NetGalley

Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn
5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub date: 1/24/23

I haven’t fully recovered from this book yet, but let’s dive in. I went in expecting it to be good and finished with it becoming one of my all-time favorite reads. Everything about it was just right.

Georgie was a force of nature. She was messy and raw and honest and real. Your late 20’s are fucking hard – ½ of your friends seem like they have it all figured out (marriage, kids, career – the whole 9 yards), while the other ½ are still searching for their purpose and living with their parents. It’s so easy to compare and judge – to feel lost and empty. This book beautifully highlights that emptiness and shows the expansive opportunities of it. And that no one has it all together, not even the ½ that seem like they do.

Levi was the perfect MMC – hardened by trauma, but just looking for someone to understand him. The understanding Levi and Georgie showed each other was monumental. The vulnerability in Levi is so important to show in today's society that tries so hard to harden men. Add in his complicated family drama and he hit every box for my favorite MMC.

Bell and Georgie’s relationship was something fierce. They complimented and challenged each other perfectly and it showed how instrumental best friends are in showing you who you really are and who you are to become.

None of the side characters were just there to be side characters. They were all fully developed and all had a purpose which made me feel like I truly knew them. My only complaint with this book is that I can’t be friends with everyone in it.

This is a must-read. It had me both crying and laughing out loud. Georgie, All Along is real and raw and unequivocally beautiful.

Thank you Netgalley, Kate Clayborn and Kensington Books for letting me review this incredible book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kate Clayborn for the e-arc of Georgie, All Along! I read Love at First by Kate a few years ago and that book is what helped me rediscover my love of reading, so I was really excited to be able to read this arc. Kate does an amazing job creating joys and pains that are relatable to the reader and make us truly care and root for the main characters.

Georgie, All Along is told in a dual POV -- which is my absolute favorite. I need to have the male perspective in romance novels. Especially when the MMC has such big feelings like Levi does. Georgie begins to learn more and more about those big feelings, and why Levi hides them, when they become accidental housemates when Georgie moves back home and her parents forget to tell her that Levi is living at their house while his is undergoing construction.
Georgie has a reputation in their small town for being "flaky," while Levi is a troublemaker and the black sheep of his family. As they grow closer together, they help one another realize that they can be more than the labels that were once given to them.

One of my favorite quotes in the book comes from Levi, when they're discussing what they want, or don't want, from life. "Knowing what you don't want isn't a blank. Maybe the problem is, everyone makes it seem like one. Because mostly they only know a few things you can fill up your life with. Sports or clubs or college or jobs. Whatever. There's other things in life." It's okay that life can be a blank sometimes and we don't know what we want or need or what will fulfill us -- or if any one thing will fulfill us for a long time. I think Kate captures that perfectly in this book. I wouldn't change a thing. The romance, the life lessons, the character growth and self realization. Perfect. Everyone needs to read Georgie, All Along.

Georgie, All Along is said to be a story of love and finding your true path. Without a doubt this story provide you with characters who were searching for what they were missing in life. Georgie is a personal assistant in LA who has moved back to her hometown and doesn’t know what he future hold. Levi is the outcast of the town and lives with his past looming over him. These characters were so well written where i feel that i truly understand both of them. Georgie is so unapologetically herself, while Levi is this tender hearted person. Both of them are misunderstood by the people around them which allows them to form a connection. They provide one another with a safe place, a home. I love that although it was a love story we were able to follow both character on their individual journey. The book is out now and i highly recommend you pick it up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the eARC!