Georgie Mulcahy returns home to help her best friend and to figure out her next chapter in life. She does not want to encounter townies her first day back, especially gruff ones who pay for her strawberry milkshakes in Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn!

I love how Georgie and Levi Fanning came to be in close proximity after their meet-cute in her less than cute attire! The mix-up is exactly what he needs to start opening doors to heal.

Levi is swoon-worthy! The way his treats his rescue dog is admirable. He may be anti-social and quiet, but I love that Georgie will always lovingly tease him about his choice of social media. You will want to hug him fiercely when he reveals the biggest hurt he does not share.

I love Georgie’s relatable character! She represents a time when we feel insecure and lost however we need to keep moving and trying while pieces fit together. I am glad her curveball brought her good times with her best friend and another partner in crime to fulfill updated goals from the “friend fic” notebook.

My greatest take-away is that being an odd ball does not mean we are less! Some can be seen as put together according to social norms however our perspective may be different from the truth.

If you enjoy close proximity, found family, redemption, self-reflection, and tear jerker stories, then this book is for you!! You will definitely have sudden laugh out loud moments!!

Thank you to Net Galley and Kensington Books for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I chose this book mainly because of the author. I absolutely love her previous book Love at First, so I was so eager to read this one.

I liked this book, too. I loved George and Levi, and the way their relationship blossoms, their moments together, the conversation…however I would've liked if Levi's character reflected some of his bad boy image before turning into a really nice guy.

But there was a problem: I didn't find anyone else interesting. I didn't enjoy the scenes where Georgie and Levi aren't together. And that's a big problem for a full length novel. Also, there were no real conflicts. Nevertheless, I liked it and would like to read the author's next book. Thank you, Netgalley for the review copy.

OH MY GOSH, I ADORED THIS BOOK. This was the first book in a good long while that I didn't want to put down and I didn't want it to end. Five beautiful stars from me, which should be no surprise given that I adore Kate's writing style, the way she develops characters and writes lead females as if they are strong women in their own ways, her plots, I could just gush forever about it.

Georgie, Bel, and Levi, as well as all of the side characters were just lovely, quirky, ultra-realistic characters that I want to be my friends IRL. Their motivations, drive, actions, disappointments, and choices all felt real in a way that I appreciate. I enjoy romance as an escape from my real life, but it's always nice to meet a character who you feel like you KNOW, and that was Georgie for me (I also feel like Georgie is a little bit of the enneagram type 9 I see in myself, so I relate more to her character in that way). Hank also reminds me of my sweet dog, Bear, who is just so lovable and sensitive that I love to see that kind of self-care and healing on the page when it comes to Hank and Levi, and even the relationship between Hank and Georgie.

I love the idea of going back to high school to live up to a sort of high school bucket list, as I know many of us feel like we missed out on things in those "glory days" that we wish we could go back and make different choices as adults. Georgie pressures herself into these bucket list items, but her BFF Bel and her new boo Levi really help her to see that the best part of doing this "high school" bucket list is that she gets to choose what she likes this time around, instead of what the "cool kids" were doing. Through her adult perspective, she gets to see what she missed out on wasn't what she thought, and the joy that it brings to her present day teaches her more about herself than if she would've done these things when she was younger. Bel didn't miss out on high school, but she put pressure on herself to get the most out of it, and that took its toll on her, as well. Levi didn't get a childhood at all, given his family life and the choices he made to be a rebel.

I adored how healing and growth occurred for all the main characters in this story. There was some hard truths faced for each of them, and some honest revelations that helped move the story forward. As it was, Georgie believed that she was flawed because her life and dreams didn't look like anyone else's, and I loved the reminder that her choices didn't NEED to look like anyone else's, and it took seeing love from not only her parents and Bel, but from someone on the outside that she admired for her to fully grasp that concept.

Georgie was not the only compelling character in this book, and I would be doing you a disservice if I didn't mention that Levi is *CHEF'S KISS* perfect. The grumpy bad boy with a reputation (though you can see his sweet internal thoughts because this is a dual POV book and that makes it SO MUCH BETTER), Georgie's sunshine brings out the light in Levi that has been buried for a long time. He's been hurt, by the people who brought him into this world and were supposed to love him unconditionally, and he buries that pain and tries to get through each day as small as possible... until Georgie. I'm grateful to Kate for writing a character like Levi, who needed to see someone come in and disrupt his thought out plans for his life. We all need that moment to question if we're living too small or inside someone else's box for us. Levi's character made me wonder what sort of walls I've put up myself so that I continue to fit in the box I think I "belong," and which walls are making me lonely and unhappy.

This book legit gets 5 solid stars from me. I'm so grateful to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. I immediately went and pre-ordered a paperback copy because I loved it THAT MUCH. These are my honest thoughts.

I'm a huge fan of forced proximity and this book really delivered. I loved Georgie's eccentric parents accidentally promising their place to their daughter after they'd already promised it to Levi. It made for a fun story especially since they were quite opposites.

Reading the description I was intrigued by Georgie's list from high school, but unfortunately it didn't hold my attention. I much preferred her conversations with Levi to her fic book. Also the third act conflict was pretty predictable but thankfully the ending was super cute and both characters showed growth.

I've loved so many of Clayborn's books and was sad this wasn't a new favorite, but I look forward to whatever she comes up with next.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

This was a really sweet romance with NO mention of eye color “like a river at night” or any other nonsense. I loved the exuberance of Georgie and her support group. Her love interest Levi was adorably awkward. This book didn’t have any goosebump-inducing OR eye-rolling scenes. It was just cute.

*Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

"I've been waiting to realize that I'm okay, and that I've probably always been okay." Reading a Clayborn book has to be one of the best things you can do for yourself. She always finds a way to get to the heart and soul of life and show you what's really important and that life in its simplest form has so much value. Georgie isn't feeling this as she returns home. She's recently been let go from her job as an assistant and feels like she's back at square one and as lost as she's ever been. When she arrives at her parents home to stay while they are away she's surprised to find that she has an unexpected roommate. What she doesn't know is that Levi feels just as lost as she does.

There is so much to love about this book. George and Levi are messy and real with messy and real friends and families. And that's okay. There is the very best kind of friendship with long talks, shared secrets, and moments where everything is dropped in a second to be there for one another. The vulnerability is beautiful. I love how they both slowly uncover themselves as they get more and more brave and open up. I adored Levi and his quiet ways and how he learns to love himself again. This is a book with true character growth. The characters all learn to truly know and accept themselves just as they are....mistakes and all. There are so many sweet, light-hearted moments that just feel like a warm hug. It's a book I will be sure to revisit time and again.

I think fans of Lia Louis would really enjoy this book. However, it's great for anyone looking for a well-written, captivating romance full of love, family, friendship and acceptance of self..

Georgie is a personal assistant in Los Angeles but is forced to step away from her job and, in doing so, realizes she's always taken care of what others want... She's clueless about where her life should go next... so she goes home.

When Georgie heads back to her hometown, she finds her old diary where her high school hopes and dreams are all mapped out. Maybe it could be a guide for her life going forward?

Levi, who has made a quiet and simple life for himself, is kind of a grumpy dude. He keeps to himself, and that's how he likes it... until circumstances hand him a roommate...

Georgie, All Along is told from the perspective of Georgie and Levi in alternating chapters as they both learn about themselves and each other along the way.

This is the third book I've read from Kate Clayborn, Love Lettering and Love At First being the first two... and this is her best yet!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. These thoughts and opinions are my own.

I totally picked this book from its beautiful cover! This is my first read for Kate Clayborn, I know but in my defense I added her others to my reading list. Kate's writing is amazing and sheer perfection! I love how this book was just so easy to read and to love! There is so much substance and emotion in this book! I seriously loved this book and devoured it in a day and half, then when I was done I was so mad that I blew through it....but it was that good I could not put down. Kate Clayborn is being added to one of my favorite writers and I can not wait to read more from her!

💕 Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn 💕

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to @netgalley and Kensington Publishing for choosing me as an ARC reader.

I will start by saying I didn't have any dislikes about this book. I usually have at least one tiff with romance books, but Georgie, All Along was perfection. Georgie, All Along provides the reader with loveable characters, a longing for summer, and the most adorable fictional pup! 🐶

What I liked:
💕 Hometown, summer romance
💕 A loveable pitbull 🐶
💕 Amazing friendship (romance isn't the only relationship highlighted in this book)
💕 A relatable main character who is trying to find her place in the world

There will be a lot of (deserving) hype about this novel!

You will want to read this book if you're looking for loveable characters, romance, a bit of spice, and an overall heartwarming story.

#netgalley #georgieallalong #romancebookrecs #bookrecs #bookstagram #bookreview #booksuggetions #meetcute

There’s a lot about this book that is lovely. Kate Clayborn’s writing is gorgeous - it just sparkles. It’s so easy to read. The concept of this book is good, and I thought the execution was as well. It’s emotional without veering into maudlin or melodramatic, and any serious aspects are offset by the gentle sense of humour that runs throughout it.

Georgie is a really likeable main character. She’s funny and resourceful and knows how to stand up for herself. Levi was a good love interest for her. I found him really sweet. Their romance was lovely – sweet and sexy at once. I also thought a big strength of this book was showing the importance of other relationships between the two main characters and other people - parents, best friends, siblings, mentors, and pets, in the case of Levi. Sometimes, in romance books, these types of relationships can take a bit of a backseat, but they made this book for me. Both of them were who they were because of these other relationships, and I really liked how this book showed that.

I will say, though, that this is a very gentle book. There is some conflict and there are emotional parts, but not a lot happens, sometimes, and there were times when I could have done with a bit more action. Overall, though, I thought this was a very lovely romance. Kate Clayborn is a very talented writer, and this book is a good demonstration of her skill. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a small-town, forced proximity romance. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.

Content Notes: Animal abuse (in past), animal injury, toxic relationship with a parent, references to bullying, references to child abuse, blood, self-medication (in past), mild injuries, references to drug use, depression, childbirth / labour (on-page, side character), on-page sex, pregnancy (side character).

Every once and a while, a book surprises me. Georgie, All Along was one of those books. The description made me think I would like the book, that it would be a cute romance that was fun to read. And it was that – but also so much more.

Georgie and Levi and all their issues felt so unbelievably true to life. Georgie, who doesn’t know what she wants to do next in her life after losing her job, and Levi, who thinks his past will follow him for the rest of his life, even though he’s not that stupid, angry kid anymore. One trope I don’t love in romance is when one half of a couple needs to transform in order for the love story to work. But here, Georgie and Levi both transform. Not for the sake of the romance, but because they’re becoming fuller, better versions of themselves. It’s honestly impossible not to love them both.

The romance aspect of this book is great. Georgie and Levi are so much fun to read, even when they’re both getting in their own ways. Their conversations are so well done, feel so natural. They just understand each other, platonically at first, and on every other level soon enough.

Maybe this was the right book at the right time for me. But Georgie is so painfully relatable in her quest to figure out who she is and who she wants. I don’t care if you’re twenty or forty, there’s nothing more familiar than that feeling of not fitting anywhere and searching desperately for the place that’s right for you. And there was something really beautiful about watching Georgie come to terms with the fact that fighting to fit somewhere never ends up feeling as good as we expect.

Embrace what makes you a little left of center, what makes you, well, you. Life is weird and wonderful that way.

Would middle school you be happy or disappointed in how your life turned out?

This is the truth Georgie must confront: she has not lived up to the goals and expectations of her middle school hopes and dreams. She didn’t even do the things in her hometown that she always planned on. Now that she’s returned to her hometown, leaving behind a successful personal assistant career when her Hollywood director boss decides to reinvent their own life, she finds that she herself doesn’t know what to do next. Again. But her middle school notebook, which holds the fan fiction she wrote about the life she wanted to live, may hold the answer to who she really is.

Except… Her best friend Bel is super pregnant and can’t do all of the things they put in the notebook.

And also, her parents accidentally told her she could stay at their place…and they also asked handsome dock builder Levi to watch their plants, house and plant sitting while his own home is being renovated.

So that adds some complications to her plans.

Especially since Levi has run as far away from who he was in high school as possible. His reputation as a troublemaker follows him nonetheless, cornering him into a certain type of life. A certain type of life that does not have room in it for certain women checking life goals off a list she made in middle school. A certain woman who his dog loves, and who is occupying a lot more mental real estate…especially since she’s just sleeping down the hall.


Kate Clayborn’s Georgie, All Along is just as delightful as the rest of her books. As always, this novel is chock full of wonderful, relatable characters in an intriguing world with romance, friendship, and family.

Like Clayborn’s other work, Georgie, All Along is as much about the character learning about themselves as it is finding love. Georgie is still ashamed of her high school reputation as a flake, just as Levi is ashamed of his troublemaker reputation. Their journeys toward self-love and acceptance are just as important as their shared romantic journey.

Clayborn’s consistent character development continues in her latest release. Every character feels real, like you could bump into them at the grocery store. Georgie, fighting to overcome her high school reputation as a flake, is expansive, exuberant, and loves life. Levi is officially my fictional crush, because his emotional intelligence and general self-awareness is just as swoon-worthy as… pretty much everything about him, actually. Georgie’s parents are almost cringe-levels of embarrassing, in the most relatable, realistic, endearingly lovable way. Bel is a complex character in her own right, adding even more depth to the story.

I just adore seeing strong friendships on the page. Bel and Georgie’s friendship is like a warm hug. I love how they’re there for each other, but also hold each other accountable. Their ability to be honest with themselves and each other while still supporting and encouraging each other is beautiful.

The setting is vivid and relatable, and the contrast between how this hometown was and how it has also been reinvented introduces some challenges for Georgie.

The found family vibes in this novel are yet another reason why it is such an enjoyable read. The community is laid out in all its positive and negative aspects. I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t want to run into my middle school choir teacher while getting milkshakes. Nope, no thanks. And yet the community of Georgie’s hometown is the aspect that stayed the most consistent, with an emphasis on choosing who you let into your life prevailing.

If you love an author with an amazing backlist, Kate Clayborn should definitely be on your radar. Her novels strike the balance with thought-provoking depth and lighthearted vibes that leave the reader feeling filled up, joyful, and sighing in contentment.

Georgie, All Along will be available January 24, 2023. Thank you to the author, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for an advanced e-arc so that I could share my honest opinion.

GEORGIE, ALL ALONG is the latest delightful romance from Kate Clayborn. Georgie is the embodiment of chaotic, beautiful friend and lover who provides the support and the kick in the butt you need to put in motion the dreams and goals you want to realize. From her initial embarrassing, humiliating encounter at a local markets through the ups and downs of creating a life for herself after years of supporting others, Georgie is a glorious, realistic, and loving character I enjoyed getting to know, cheering her and the amazing people around her all the way. With every book, Clayborn wields sharper and more wonderfully wrought story, fresh and interesting, totally engaging and a marvelous escape. I received a copy of this book and these thoughts are my own, unbiased opinions.

Georgie Mulcahy had been the perfect assistant to a screenwriter in California. When her boss decides to leave Hollywood, Georgie heads home to Virginia to sort out her life. Her best friend Bel has a new home, a successful husband and is pregnant and could use some help. While going through a memory box, they find a notebook entitled, "How to Conquer High School," which is filled with a list of things the two friends had planned to do years ago but never did. Georgie decides that by accomplishing everything on their list, she will have a new sense of purpose which will help to get her life headed in the right direction. While settling in at her parents' house, she is surprised to learn that they mistakenly told someone else that he could stay there while his house was being repaired. That someone turns out to be Levi Fanning, the older brother of Evan, Georgie's high school crush. Levi, long estranged from his family, is a loner who lives a quiet life after getting the reputation during his troubled years growing up as being the black sheep of the wealthy Fanning family. The two decide they'll become housemates and Levi offers to help Georgie on her bucket list. No real surprise that a romance is in their future, but this book is also about self-discovery and so much more.

I enjoyed Kate Clayborn's books Love Lettering and Love at First, so I was excited to read Georgie, All Along. This was such a sweet and touching story. Georgie, while raised by two free-spirited parents, was given lots of love but never provided with any real guidance and was often viewed as being flighty and without direction. Levi had to make his own way without the love and support of his influential parents and became an outcast. The characterization of these two misunderstood, vulnerable people was so well done including the chemistry between them from the beginning and how they supported one another. You will fall in love with Georgie and Levi.

4.25 stars.

4.25/5. I was very excited to receive an ARC for this much anticipated standalone book. This is a tender love story between two people who have struggled to rise above their past misdeeds and underachievements. Hometowns are the first to glorify their heroes and the last to forget their villains and Levi is one such villain. Not only did his youthful rebellious, borderline criminal behaviour not endear himself to its citizens but it also completely alienated him from his family, the highly successful and well respected Fanning family. Despite it all, he has slowly managed to turn his life around to create a successful business for himself.

Georgie Mulcahy had a misspent youth spreading mischief about, the student teachers remember with terror if at all, while her best friend was the school’s poster child. Newly made redundant from her PA job, she is back in town to help her very pregnant bestie settle into her new house and to house-sit for her quirky but loveable parents. Except the house already has another sitter, Levi Fanning, the older brother of her childhood crush. Turns out her weed-addled parents have double-booked and the two find themselves somewhat reluctant house-mates along with Levi’s sweet PTSD-afflicted dog.

Georgie’s natural warmth and generosity perfectly balances Levi’s taciturn but gentle personality. His loneliness and transference of all his affection towards his beloved dog make him utterly huggable and it did not take long for Georgie to recognise the mushy core within the hard, unsmiling facade. Theirs is a slow-burn affair and Clayborn does these so well. She brings the characters to life and makes it almost impossible not to sympathise with them, although I must say, Georgie is less clear to me, because I did not quite understand why she is still clinging onto her inferiority complex. I thought her quite successful in her field. I adore her absent-minded, hippie parents and Levi is the ultimate hero material.

This is one of those books that makes you smile when you think of it, and gives you a warm feeling.

Georgie has a hectic, busy life as a personal assistant to her boss in Los Angeles, which keeps her too busy to make plans for herself. So she gets the shock of her life when her boss announces that she is quitting *everything* - which means that Georgie will shortly be out of a job. Georgie heads home where she is supposed to help out her best friend, who is pregnant. Other than that, she doesn't really know what to do with herself. It's like she has gone from 500 mph to 0 mph in a second. She has whiplash.

When she gets home, she soon discovers that her best friend doesn't really need help at home as she has everything under control. Her parents aren't even there to meet her; they are off travelling. She also discovers that her parents had not mentioned that they had offered to let a friend of theirs stay at the house for a while, so she gets a shock when a strange man shows up. She soon figures out who he is - he looks a lot like his brother, who was her fantasy boyfriend in high school.

Levi is a marvelous character. He is a son of one of the most powerful families in the town, the black sheep in the family. I really liked him. Levi had a rocky start, but now has his own business building ecologically sound docks on the river, and he's a dog person.

Georgie finds a friendfic that she had written in high school in her parent's house. Since she is at loose ends, she begins to do some of the things on her teenaged list, with Levi's help.

I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher Kensington Books via NetGalley, and was pleased to voluntarily read and review it.

Kate Claiborne is an auto-read author for me. I loved both of her books that I’d read (Love Lettering and Love At First), so I jumped at the opportunity to read an advance copy of her latest, Georgie, All Along. I was not disappointed. This is a romance with a serious heart. The story is told in present tense by either Georgie or Levi, in different chapters. It’s a story of reinvention, of rethinking careers, family, one’s past, and (per the publisher’s blurb) “finding your path while knowing your true worth.”

Georgie and Levi have a “meet awkward” as she arrives back in town. Georgie is at loose ends, after her Los Angeles boss decides on early retirement and moves to the New Mexico desert. Georgie returns to her Virginia hometown, ostensibly to help her childhood best friend, who is expecting her first baby. Georgie considers herself an underachiever, first in high school, then drifting through a variety of jobs that are about helping other people (such as her job as the assistant to the Hollywood producer/writer mentioned above).

Levi is a former “bad boy”, but is now a quietly successful businessman, building and rebuilding docks on a Virginia river. He is estranged from the rest of his family, a locally well-known, well-to-do bunch who own a fancy inn and spa.

The story of how Georgie and Levi wind up together (not a spoiler! This is, after all, a romance book.) is an emotional one, with lots of ups and downs. Levi’s dog, Hank, is a wonderful character himself. Georgie’s best friend, Bel, is also a great character, doing some reinventing of her own.

Warning: discussion of past mistreatment, a couple of steamy “open doors” scenes, graphic description of at least the beginnings of the birth process.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Loved this one! I immediately empathized with Georgie and was obsessed with Levi and Hank. The friendship with Bel was really special too, as was Georgie’s relationship with her parents. This book had a lot going on and to me did feel a bit clunky at times, but it didn’t hinder my enjoyment

I have to be honest—I did not finish this. I was really bored. It moved way too slowly. The book is too internally-facing with too much in Georgie’s head. Needed more plot.

A cute and thought provoking romance about who we were and who we want to be in the future. Georgie and Levi were an adorable couple who brought out the best in each other despite their different personalities. I did find Levi's issues to cause the story to drag a bit towards the end but I did enjoy how everything came together.