Bookshop Cinderella is the latest book from author Laura Lee Guhrke taking on a She's All That/My Fair Lady vibe. Evie Harlow is used to being alone. Since her father passed; she runs the family bookshop and manages to keep it afloat but her days are becoming monotonous. When the Duke of Westbourne comes into the bookshop on an errand for his cousin, he finds himself defending Evie to his acquaintances. They make a bet that Max can't turn Evie into the belle of the ball at the end of the season. She must dance every dance that night or Max will lose 100 pounds. Evie agrees to go along with the bet and move into the Savoy. Max sets her up with new clothes and dancing lessons. They quickly go from adversaries to friends and eventually lovers.

I am so grateful that Guhrke made it so that Evie was in on the bet. I loved Max and Evie's verbal sparring and how he convinced her to do it by calling it a vacation. This is a sloooooowwww burn. It was almost 82% and they were kissing for the second time. It was totally worth it though. It started out a little slow but it picked up as the story went along. Evie really had the space to grow into herself. You could see her confidence building as it went along.

I'm really hoping that Delia is the next to get a book! I'm really looking forward to more of Guhrke's storytelling and will checking out her back catalogue pronto.

Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Lee Guhrke, and Forever Grand Central Publishing for this eARC. All opinions expressed are my own. #netgalley #lauraleeguhrke #forevergrandcentralpublishing #bookshopcinderella #scandalatthesavoy

Laura Lee Guhrke has done it again. I picked up Bookshop Cinderella on a Tuesday when I was bored and had nothing to do. By Wednesday I was re-reading my favorite parts and marveling over an author who can turn an age-old story into something fun and new.

Maximillian Shaw, Duke of Westbourne, is determined not to marry beneath him. Before the reader has a chance to think him snobbish, however, it's made clear that his prejudice stems from valid reasons and is offset by his genuinely good nature. Max's first marriage (at the ripe old age of twenty-two) was to the daughter of a Colorado coal miner. Ill-equipped to handle the demands of her new station, his first wife soon found herself alienated and miserable in British society, while Max was helpless to do anything more than watch her spiral. After her death he spent years avoiding the disastrous prospect of falling in love again, but ten years later he finally determines it is time to remarry in order to beget an heir. However with the wisdom of experience, Max comes to London planning a match with a woman of appropriate station and experience.

Evie Harlow is exactly the opposite of everything Max is looking for - the middle-class proprietor of a book shop, she only enters Max's sphere when he comes to see her on an errand for his cousin. However something about her sparks his interest, and when some rude young men insult her Max finds himself defending Evie… defending her so strongly that he ends up placing a bet that he could transform her into the season's Incomparable. And so an acquaintance that should have gone nowhere turns into a Cinderella-and-fairy-godfather relationship, which quickly deepens into love.

Although I can understand being skeptical at the premise, I'm here to attest that Guhrke handles it deftly, striking just the right notes to make this scheme come off. The eccentricities of the aristocracy can be blamed for the outrageous bet, but then Max does the honorable thing by fully explaining it to Evie (and is appropriately embarrassed to boot). He ends up selling it to her as a well-timed vacation, and they're off to the races without it feeling too silly.

Once they're in the realm of this Cinderella-like story, Max and Evie quickly grow close. There's a palpable chemistry between them that only grows over time, and all the ways in which they try to pretend to themselves that it's just friendship only heighten the tension. I particularly loved the awkward moments when Max and Evie would try to apologize to each other, having fully misunderstood the other person's thoughts. They're so delightfully human and funny as they stumble over each other, it's impossible not to love them as a couple.

I also loved the way that Guhrke balanced the characters between being responsible adults but still having room to grow. At twenty-eight (Evie) and thirty-two (Max), they both pretty much have their lives together and can be relied upon to make good choices. However they also still have blind spots in their love lives, and Evie with her self image, which is where they have the opportunity to grow over the course of the book. As Max opens himself up to the idea of again trusting and marrying someone from a lower social class, and Evie starts to believe in her own beauty and worth, we get to see some real vulnerability from each of them.

Although I would have told you a week ago that I'd read enough Cinderella stories for this lifetime, Bookshop Cinderella proved me wrong. In this book Laura Lee Guhrke has written a light-hearted romp which presents a playful version of reality and will give you characters who practically jump off the page. It should prove the perfect addition to any summer vacation or lazy weekend.

Thank you Netgalley and Forever (Grand Publishing) for an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

This is my second novel by Laura Lee Guhrke and I will admit, I think maybe her books just aren't for me.

"Bookshop Cinderella" was fine - it lacked some of the spice I tend to enjoy in some of my favourite historical romance authors; and the story dragged a bit.

I did enjoy Max and Evie - individually they were each strong characters - Max was charming, thoughtful and kind. Evie was smart and strong-willed. Together they had believable chemistry - and I liked that they built a "friendship" prior to either of them developing feelings for the other person.

But loving characters didn't make me love this story. This wasn't a case of the book or the writing being bad - it just wasn't for me.

Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke is a historical romance novel featuring a widower, a wallflower, and a wager. In a refreshing change of pace, the wallflower–Evie–knows about the wager and willingly participates in the scheme that transforms her from drab bookshop owner to belle of the ball. Unfortunately, other aspects of the novel failed to deliver. In particular, Max’s reluctance to marry outside the aristocracy isn’t a compelling reason to keep the couple apart when the book does little to convince readers that he was devastated by the death of his first wife. I think the book would’ve been more interesting if his characterization had included a greater depth of emotion. Overall, I enjoyed the book (and I love the cover!), but this novel doesn't quite make it onto my favorites shelf.

A dashing duke, a shy bookshop owner, and a wager that is life-changing. That is what Laura Lee Guhrke gives readers in "Bookshop Cinderella".

Evie Harlow and Maximilian Shaw (Duke of Westbourne) meet under rather simple circumstances. He goes to her shop in search of information for the famed Escoffier (a real person who I've had the pleasure of reading about). He happens to see some young men in the shop being obnoxious and he herds them out. It is these idiots he ends making a wager with: they thought Evie unattractive, Max said not so, and they challenge him to make the ugly ducking a swan by the end of the social season. He says "You're on" and the story processes from there.

Naturally Evie initially refused to participate in the wager, but fate intervenes via a flood in her bookshop. She then decides to engage in the wager. As they spend time together, sparks fly, kisses and more are shared. But an unexpected scandal almost derails the happily ever after. Thankfully, Evie finds the courage to seize her happiness with Max, and we get the Cinderella ending.

I had taken a break from reading Guhrke's books. They just weren't catching my interest. But I'm glad I read this. It reminded me of why I liked her books. It's a sweet romance that has passionate moments, as well as moments of self-revelation. Both characters have baggage that almost keep them from embracing a relationship with each other. Yet, when it counted they were able to let go so that they could move forward together. More importantly, they made a promise to work together so that their marriage could be the best it could at all times.

The one snafu was the villain, but thankfully he doesn't overshadow the story. Quite honestly, he was more of a nuisance than a villain. And then there were Evie's female friends Delia and Anne. Loved both! They gave just the right amount of support without seeming overly feminist.

Overall an enjoyable read. I look forward to the next book in this series. Thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this arc, which I voluntarily read and reviewed.

More like a 3.5 rounded up. I think Guhrke's romances have sort of lived in that easy read space for me, where I know exactly what I'm getting when I dive in, and while I haven't read a lot of her backlist I did enjoy the start to this new series a lot! Obviously, the <i>She's All That</i> comparisons abound, but this book definitely rose in my estimation when Max revealed the bet to Evie early on, giving her a full understanding of the circumstances behind his offer (even if she couldn't necessarily have estimated the scandal that would result!). I would've liked to see a little more toward the end — the last couple of chapters are about hastily resolving the third act and then wrapping up accordingly, and I almost would have preferred another chapter beyond the final one since on its own it resolved very abruptly. But overall, a delightful read!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

See love blossom between two unlikely people in this slow-burning romance that made me think of My Fair Lady and Pretty Woman.

I just loved Max and Evie. Max’s arrogance initially was truly breathtaking, the way he made the bet and then waltzed into Evie’s store and basically told her he can save her from herself. And every interaction thereafter showed his confidence, except when he became vulnerable to Evie and started comparing her to his first wife. Evie was solidly living in her comfort zone. I loved her cheekiness when dealing with Max. She had to face down her own insecurities and self-doubt when she started to see herself the way Max saw her.

Between the exquisite sexual tension slowly building and building and wondering what Rory was up to, I was one huge bundle of nerves and expectations. The ending made me sigh. I wish there was more, I would’ve loved to see Evie be the duchess, and put her own quirky stamp on it.

I can highly recommend this if you like a steamy historical romance where a Duke convinces a working-class woman to take a chance on him. This is the first book in a new series and I’m already looking forward to the next one.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was a little worried in the beginning because the whole 90s "wagering to turn a nobody into a somebody" schtick has been done before, and it doesn't always stand up to today's standards, but I was very wrong. Despite the initial wager being very cringy, Max is her biggest supporter in every way, extending far beyond the wager from the very beginning. It's a little predictable, but there's comfort in knowing exactly what you're going to get from a good histrom. The chemistry is on fire, and the two characters are so dynamic, from the hero realizing he can't compare everyone to a terrible mistake to the heroine understanding that she's standing in her own way. A fantastic love story with depth and humor!

I enjoyed this book! It has been a while since I last picked up a historical romance and this book was a great opportunity to jump back into the genre. It was so easy to slip inside this delightful story full of characters that came alive on the page. I quickly became invested in Evie and Max’s well-being and couldn’t wait to see them find their happily ever after.

I liked Evie and Max a lot. Evie has spent her life working and doesn’t expect too much out of life. Max is a Duke but he sees something in Evie and makes a wager that if given the time he can turn her into the most sought-after lady at the ball. I thought that the chemistry between these two was incredibly well done and I couldn’t wait to see things work out for them. A few times, I was worried about how they might deal with the things happening in their lives that were out of their control.

I would definitely recommend this book to fans of historical romance. I thought this was a remarkable story full of great characters and just the right amount of swoon-worthy moments. I cannot wait to read more of this series!

I received a digital review copy of this book from Forever.

I love a good historical romance and this book had everything. This one had all the vibes of a classic Cinderella story without making it too obvious. It had all the cozy vibes too that you'd expect to get from a book that takes place in a bookshop and I loved it.

London - 1896

Maximillian (Max) Shaw, 32, has decided to spend the entire season this year in London. Rather than open his too-large home in town, he has decided to stay at the Savoy Hotel. At the request of his cousin, he is asked to search out Evie Harlow, who owns Harlow Bookshop, as she is to help the chef at the Savoy to plan the decorations and food for a special dinner. She has done this before and the results have been spectacular.

At the bookshop, Max enters to find Evie trying to impress a young, entitled man while ignoring him as a customer. Therefore, their first meeting is not pleasant. However, having forgotten her promise to prepare for this dinner, she promises to have what is needed in a couple of days.

Later, Max decides to see if Evie will help him win a bet and under the shelter of his cousin, Delia, set her up at the Savoy with beautiful clothes and turn her out to be the belle of the season. At first, Evie is appalled, but a flood in her bookstore necessitates that she leave for awhile so she agrees. Soon, she is caught up in gown fittings, deluxe accommodations at the Savoy and learning to dance and spending time with Max. How could this not turn into something wonderful?

This is an adorable book and the love that builds between Max is Evie is simply beautiful. Some great characters that brings this story all together perfectly. I am so looking forward to the next book in this series.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Laura Lee Guhrke never disappoints! This story was a bit more Rom-Com than most of her books, but it still was a fun read. Evie had a rough time growing up, so she wants nothing to do with society, but Max plans to show Evie that she is more than she believes. In the process, Max learns he doesn't really know himself as well as he thought. Can these two find common ground?

I received an ARC for free, but I am giving my honest opinion voluntarily.

When duke Maximillian offers to transform bookstore owner Evie into the talk of the ton, she hesitates. Then, calamity befalls her shop, and she's forced to accept. As Evie blossoms into a shining star, she captures Max's heart. Can he convince her she belongs by his side?

This is such a fun book! Max and Evie are a perfect match, but because of the difference in their stations, it takes them a long time to see it. The banter between them is delicious.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

A Duke, a bookshop owner, a makeover, dancing lessons and shenanigans. When a woman believes her childhood friend is the man she's destined to be with will she allow her heart to be open for the possibility of love from another? What if that love was from someone who was in a different class difference?

A historical romance with heart, fun, and adventure. There is so much we can learn from books and the people who crave what they have to offer.

A duke with a tendency for good deeds, and a bookshop owner who needs a bit of escape, bring us another Pygmalion tale with a twist.

Of course, this story format has been done a million times, and at first, I honestly believed that Guhrke’s Duke of Westbourne was going to make me angry. Any man wagering on a woman’s beauty, lack of or unrealized, should probably be given a good smack. Imagine my surprise when this Duke with a heart of gold decides not only to wager, but to tell the heroine he’s done so! Cue the need for popcorn, a soda, and a comfortable seat. I’m finishing this book in one sitting.

I dug into the tale of Evie Harlow, who runs her father’s bookshop. It’s not a popular one but does provide well-known old books for collectors. To make ends meet, Evie has been running herself ragged with odd jobs on top of the bookshop biz. This woman might be the queen of historical hustle culture. Doing everything within her capable brain, short of selling her body and her bookstore, to successfully pay the bills.

When Westbourne shows up with an opportunity for her, albeit one she should probably refuse, it’s too good to turn down. The offer includes a new wardrobe and a vacation from her real life for a short time. Fully funded with no strings, only to attend a charity ball and dance every dance. Evie does what any over-worked, exhausted woman would do… she says yes.

What unfolds is the slow-burn romance between two people who are not right for each other at all. Definitely an opposites attract, as Evie and Westbourne have many other plans that don’t include being together. Though I loved watching them fall for one another as Westbourne provides private dancing lessons between Evie’s outings among the ton.

While the building of the romance drove me crazy, I respected the evolution as what was needed based on the character’s past. Add in a villain I absolutely couldn’t stand, a true heroine conquering her fears, and I really enjoyed this book. It had similar elements to the Pygmalion trope but gave a completely different twist that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Overall, this worked as a great standalone and is a good entry for the first in a new series. I’m eager to see what comes next and for whom. If you love Victorian-style romance, dukes, and opposites attract, you can’t go wrong with this one.

~ Landra

This was a great historical romance! I really liked the couple in this one, and I liked the bookish aspects of the book as well! Overall, I would definitely recommend!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

First Impressions
Bookshop Cinderella is the first book in the newest series by Laura Lee Guhrke. It has been so long since I have read anything by this author, and I will admit that I was drawn to this one when I saw the title and the cover. It had me super intrigued and I have such a soft spot for any type of retelling. So if you love cinderella retellings, then I do recommend this one. Its a loose retelling though but still a fun way that the author implemented this book and actually had some healthy communication that was implemented and I really respect that this author was willing to go that route for sure. What we see in this one here though is a fun bet, a bookish heroine, class differences and some pining from the hero. So definitely has many elements that will appeal to many readers, and if you love historical romance, I highly recommend this one. It had such a solid balanced amount of factors that we all love to see in a historical romance and Gurhke really delivered on this one for me.

Summary
Evie Harlow runs a bookshop in London, and she runs her own business that her father left to her and she was able to get her family out of debt and be independent and fight for women’s voting rights. She enjoys her life but she also aches for something more and she doesn’t realize what she was missing until she meets Maximillian, the Duke of Westbourne. From their first meeting, their was a spark of attraction between Evie and Max. When Max runs into some acquaintances from school, claiming that no one in the Ton would have Evie, Max knows that there is a beauty that shines from within and is determined to show these shallow men what one can do if they have the will and determination. So he makes a bet with them that he can turn her into a victorian era Cinderella and that she will have a full dance card at the upcoming ball. Immediately Max goes to Evie and they join forces to win this bet and for Evie to have an adventure she never imagined for herself. What starts out as a playful bet, turns into something deeper when Max and Evie find a love neither expected to find…

What I Loved
Bookshop Cinderella was such a charming and lively romance that left me with a smile from beginning to the very end. I absolutely couldn’t get enough of these two. Seeing their interactions I was on the edge of my seat. I became quickly endeared by both of these characters. They both have such solid growth in this story and truly the author did a splendid job in focusing on their connection. We truly see what they have together and that spark of interest that begins to bloom the moment they are together more …..and more. Max may be a Duke, but he has suffered heartache, loss and betrayal. He knows that he needs to have an heir, but is still hurt by losing his previous wife who also spurned his heart and hasn’t been able to allow himself to open to anyone else until he meets Evie who shows him what loving someone and being loved in return can be like and that its worth fighting for. Evie on other hand, is more apprehensive of the class differences between them. She isn’t afraid of love but she knows that loving Max will come at a price, the price of never being together. She knows that they are too different and their lives could never be together and she can’t see herself being “duchess” material. But when Max comes to the point of realizing he can’t live without Evie, he will do whatever it takes to win Evie’s heart and mind. We see such determination from the hero to fight for his girl and seeing this sweet pining was so adorable. Even before he realizes that he loves her, he builds a connection with her and gives her these thoughtful gifts that are so endearing. I really appreciated seeing the interactions between Max and Evie. Their banter was so delightful and had me laughing all over the place. The pacing is steady and keeps you interested. Sometimes this author can be a hit or miss on the pacing, but this is so easy to read for a historical and I highly recommend this one. And if you are curious about the retelling, it really is just the aspect of seeing the change of appearance. So its probably closer to a Pygmalion retelling over a Cinderella one. But still wonderful in whichever way you look at it. I am very curious to see where the author will be taking this series moving forward and very thrilled for book 2.

What I Struggled With
There wasn’t too much I struggled with this one to be honest. The heroine was a bit frustrating in always pushing the hero away. I understand why she was, but it did stretch out a bit longer than I felt was fully necessary. But I did appreciate the heroine fighting for the hero in the end. That was quite refreshing to see, as its not very common.

Overall View
Bookshop Cinderella is a endearing and witty historical that delivered an impactful story that will capture the readers attention from the very beginning. You will be charmed by the humor, the easy way of reading it and the strong connection these two build between them! A SATISFYING GEM!

Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke is a perfect historical fiction romance. While Max was not the best I still found I enjoyed his character. And Evie was just adorable. I really liked this story of a classic and set in a bookstore! I need to read more from this author!

I'm head over heels for this fun historical rom com! This is absolutely my idea of a fun, summer beach read. It was fast-paced with a delicious slow burn, and the nods to works like Pygmalion and My Fair Lady were perfect. It gives She's All That vibes, too.

I adored Evie, a shy bookshop spinster who loves to live vicariously through others but is hesitant to try new things herself. And the Duke of Westbourne- Max? His sense of decency, honor, and kindness had me melting. I loved that he let her in on the wager about bringing her successfully out into society, that he didn't lie to her about his intentions. It made for hilarious banter between the two!

I definitely recommend if you love:
•Wallflowers finding love
•Dukes with hearts of gold
•Romances between class differences
•Glow ups
•Wagers where everyone is in on it
•Secret dancing lessons
•Library shenanigans

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever Pub for the advanced copy!

The heroine runs a bookshop that the hero visited to give her a proposition: make her become a fashionable lady to win a bet. The heroine agrees after a disastrous event and is whisked off into the world of high society. The hero thinks lightly of the bet until he ends up falling in love with the heroine. Will the hero be able to convince the heroine to take a chance with him or will he let her go back to her bookshop?

This is the first book of the SCANDAL AT THE SAVOY series by Laura Lee Guhrke. The book is a historical romance with vibes from the Cinderella fairytale and She's All That movie. The main characters had strong presences in the book, though I liked the heroine more than the hero since she feels more relatable to me. I also liked certain secondary characters that supported the couple, especially the hero's cousins. I do think that the story could have been better with more details in certain areas of the story, like maybe placing some revelations earlier in the book. Overall, a nice first book to this Laura Lee Guhrke series and I look forward to reading future installments to it.


** Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions and thoughts in the review are my own. **