I love the idea of this book; a tribute to all of the romance books that have given us hope, been a safe space when you desperately need a place to escape...books that have created a community full of passionate readers. I think because I had such high expectations the story fell a little short for me. I think there were so many Eloraton characters that I didn't feel as invested in some of the characters but I usually prefer a smaller group of characters in my novels but I love the creative of Poston's stories and am excited to see what she comes up with next.

3.5 stars

Many thanks to Berkley & Netgalley for the ARC

The ultimate bibliomaniac - Elsy literaly gets lost in her favorite story book town. At first she is thrilled to be surrounded by her favorite book characters. She soon realizes she is there to help these character find their story book endings. During this journey, Elsy also heals from her own broken heart.

Who among us hasn’t fantasized about escaping into the world of our favorite books? I love how perfectly Ashley Poston captured this concept, and I love how relatable Elsy’s reactions and fangirl moments were. The romance aspects almost felt second-fiddle to the world-building and the self-discovery journey Elsy went through while she was spending time in Eloraton, and I loved the way the story was balanced between all of these elements.

This book was compulsively readable, whimsical, and infused with such a joyful sense of magic. If I have one complaint, it’s that the chemistry between Elsy and Anders took a bit too long to click for me, but once it did IT DID. For me, the entire experience of reading this book was just so special! I felt entirely invested from page one.

I don’t know how to explain it other than to say that when I’m reading an Ashley Poston book, I feel like I’m wrapped up in a warm fuzzy blanket. Her style is so inviting and cozy and all of her stories feel like comfort reads to me - this book is no exception!

This book is for the hopeless romantics. It’s for the girlies who wish they could live inside the worlds of their favorite books. It’s for the ones who can’t resist a happily ever after and love talking about books with everyone they meet!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! A Novel Love Story was sweet, but ultimately didn’t deliver the romantic, magic-realism charm that I have come to expect from Ashley Poston. I have read all of Poston’s other books, and really liked the Dead Romantics and LOVED The Seven Year Slip, but I found this book too slow paced and I didn’t really like the main characters. I did end up listening to this book since I was kind of behind on my ARCs, and I am sorry to say that the audiobook narrator did not work for me. I do think there were some great parts of this book and I am always a sucker for books that show a love and homage to other books and the romance genre. But even with Poston’s writing and some clever plot points, there was a lot of repetition, plot holes, dragging, and a real lack of chemistry between the main characters (IMO). Even with the issues, I guess I do recommend this book overall for fans of Poston, magic-realism, and the romance genre.

I wish more people (both in the fictional world and the real one) could approach grief in the way Ashley does in her books. The Seven Year Slip became one of my go-to recommendations and I think this one will be too.

This was a lot lower stakes and it took some getting into but I love Ashley's use of Magical Realism in her story telling.

Thank you to Berkley for the opportunity!

ARC REVIEW

3.75 stars 🌟

this story had such an interesting plot. the fmc, elsy, who was an avid reader magically ended up in the fictional town set in her favorite book series.

it was interesting to read her story, being a reader myself who has always imagined what it would be like to be thrown into the fictional world of the different stories i enjoyed. seeing elsy go through it was a fun journey.

once again, ashley poston did an amazing job with the magical realism of the story, having elsy help the other characters because their own stories weren’t quite finished, and the plot twist about anders being real and the ex-fiancé of rachel flowers (the author of elsy’s favorite series).

i would have given this book four stars (like i did for the seven year slip and the dead romantics), but i was still left confused on how exactly the town of quixotic falls manifested in the first place. wide it just manifest when anders went to the accident site where rachel had died? that was why i knocked it down to 3.75, but other than that i enjoyed the story and can’t wait to read any future ashley poston novels.

Reviewing this because I am unable to mark DNF's. I read over half of it, and really couldnt get into the story. Because we aren't reading the book in the story, i never had real feelings while reading it. It was nearly impossible to relate. Her past two books were both five stars, but this one was a miss for me :(

I hope Ashley knows how impactful her stories are to all who read them.
I hope she knows that her words will live with me for the rest of my days, as I'm sure they will for so many more.
A Novel Love Story didn't feel like a romance, but how do you categorize a book that is a romance for Romance? This book was written for the authors, for the people who fill their shelves with smutty and swoon-worthy romances, and it is for the girls whose dream is to open their own little bookstore. Sometimes the best books ever written are the ones that cannot be categorized, the ones that break down those walls and become something altogether their own.
Needless to say; I loved this book. Everything about this book built up to the ending and the journey our main character Elsy goes on. This is a novel about finding yourself when you have always been the one to give. It's also about love: love for your favorite author, love for your best friend, and the love we experience from someone who knows our worth.
This was a beautiful love story to all who love a good love story. And Ashley's typical magical flair rises from the pages in every word.
I hope all romance-lovers find themselves in these pages.

Ashley Poston has a way of creating lovely romances with touching and heartfelt stories. Adding a little magical realism to the mix only makes it better! So so good.

Eileen is on her way to her annual book club retreat (alone because no one else could make it) when her car breaks down. She finds herself right in the middle of the quaintest small town that seems right out of a novel. And then she realizes, it IS right out of a novel. But not just any novel, her favorite romance series fictional town, Eloraton. When she realizes that every day is the same, including the afternoon storm, she begins to think it's her mission to bring the romance series to an end since the deceased author was unable to finish it herself. But who is this grumpy bookstore owner with the mint-green eyes? He's intriguing. And can she bring him back with her when she leaves? Another perfect magical realism romance from Ashley Poston!

I like Ashley Pistons books and this one has enough of a twist, just like her other ones that helps her books stand out. I really liked it and was sucked in right away.

I have a serious case of the warm & fuzzies from this book!! A true love story between readers & fictional romance.

Strangers to lovers
Love note to our love of books
Small town
Minimal spice

Ashley Poston pour secret sauce into all of her books. I love her magical realism and how cozy her books make me feel! Imagine diving into the town of your favorite story and getting to know the characters and setting that make you swoon! This book was adorable!

After reading the seven year slip last year and LOVING it, I was thrilled to have another Ashley Poston book! This one wasn't as wonderful, but still loved the premise! It felt like it moved slow in some parts and my attention wavered

I wanted to love this as much as I had her other books but it didn’t do it for me. I liked the idea of it all, I mean who wouldn’t love being stuck in their favorite book setting. But it seemed like it took forever to get anywhere and I just didn’t like the characters that much. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for read and review

Eileen, is on her way to a solo book club retreat and gets trapped in an imagined town in her favorite romance book series.

I do really enjoy Ashley’s writing and her stories feel cozy and comforting. Her books always have a magical realism element and I love how she weaves these aspects together.

This story feels a little bit like the Gilmore Girls, Groundhogs Day, and the Wizard of Oz all mixed together. This story focuses on the journey rather than the destination, and the main character needs to isolate herself to grow. This is a fairytale adjacent, heartwarming story.

However, there is not a ton of tension or angst between the two main characters, and I didn’t quite believe their strong connection. This is an insta-love story and the two fall in love in like five days. One of my other qualms – there is a lot of repetition about the male main character’s appearance or scent.

This isn’t my favorite of hers but it still has some charming scenes and I do love a book about books!

A Novel Love Story felt like a walk down romcom memory lane. What started off as your typical contemporary romance quickly shifted into Poston’s uniquely magical world. She builds a story so beautifully I feel like I am a part of the main character’s journey.

The backstory she provides us is emotional and relatable all in one. I became emotionally attached to the characters’ love story. The character arc for Elsy is done so well with her struggles finding her place and purpose in life.

Her experience in Eloraton and connections with the fictional characters in the town pulled at my heartstrings making me think what I would do if I met my favorite characters “in real life.” These questions Poston evokes is what makes her stories all the more special to me.

Highly recommending you give this book a try as I am still thinking about this read weeks after finishing.

I was really hoping to love this one as much as I loved The Seven Year Slip, but it just didn't reach that bar IMO.

I was absolutely roped into this story from the beginning because I loved the premise of accidentally being stranded in your favorite book town. However, the story just didn't keep my attention after the initial introduction to the town and characters. I spent from about 10-70% not being sold on the story and feeling a bit bored, but then at around the 70% mark I really started enjoying it again.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for the ARC.

where do i even begin with this book? this is a book lovers dream come true! imagine you are driving in a rainstorm and somehow end up in your favorite romance’s small, fictional town. like helllllllo? i didn’t even know that was something i could wish and dream to happen to me but because of a novel love story this is now all i ever want.

this book truly had everything you could ever hope for in a book - amazing main characters, side quests, tropes, a cute small town, book stores, twists, found family, friendship all sprinkled with a heartfelt romance. i loved lovED LOVED this one!

it was an easy five stars. i will say that i think my happily ever after ended after chapter 34. it was a perfect, no notes book for me before i turned to the next page and started chapter 35. everything that was added on after in the last 25ish pages was just really unnecessary conflict that really could have been avoided. it was a lot of anxiety i didn’t love but i still ended up loving the ending just not really loving the extra 30 pages at the end to get there ♥️

Ashley Poston really knows how to put on the charm in her stories! I really loved the town, side characters, and all the nerdy references that this book had, it is somehow a great romance book about great romance books, but also about life and how even though times may get rough, life will keep pushing us forward and I think that’s a great reminder for everyone. It doesn’t get any cozier or quainter than a book like this!