3.75⭐️ Thank you so much Berkeley Romance for the ARC and free final copy!💙

Overall, I enjoyed this! The concept of the MC finding the town in her favorite book series was so fun and it’s definitely a love letter to all readers, especially romance ones.
The romance was sweet, and I enjoyed getting to know all of the characters and their personalities in the small town.

This did start out a bit slow for me, and it took me a while to get into it. I never really felt super invested or connected, which is why this was a 3.75 read-maybe my expectations were too high?

That being said, I did enjoy this and would recommend!

The biggest problem for me was the love story between Eileen and Anders. I couldn't figure out why they were attracted to each other because there was no spark between them. Eileen constantly talking about his "minty eyes" and "golden hair" annoyed me so much.

Meh this was average. Nothing special. It had some solid points but nothing to run home to mama about.

Maybe I was spoiled with Dead Romantics and the Seven Year Slip but I did not love Novel Love Story. Which was disappointing because it was an anticipated read this year. I had a hard time understanding why she was still pinning for a boyfriend from 3 years ago. But what took it down from 3 stars to 2 was the 3rd act breakup. I'm not going to spoil but it didn't make sense with how far they had come.
There was no real chemistry between the 2 main characters and I just wish it was so much more than it was.

A Novel Love Story
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Those books were like arms I fell into, armor that protected me from the world when life got too hard.”

Thanks so much to @berkleyromance for the free book! #BerkleyPartner #Berkley

This book was written for everyone who has ever dreamt about living in their favorite book's fictional town and becoming best friends with their favorite characters. Let’s face it, that describes all of us! This book is for book lovers!!!
The first word I would use to describe this book is COZY. This story has the small town of my dreams. I don’t know how to describe it other than by saying that the story feels warm and comfortable. Every single character was so lovable!
If you’ve read The Seven Year Slip, you know that Ashley Poston's books always have a deeper meaning. In this book, you’ll read about the wonderful FMC Elsy as she learns a lot about friendship, love, and valuing herself! I enjoyed reading this aspect, there are a lot of notable quotes in this book that are really relatable.
I had a ton of fun reading this. I loved the dynamic between her and Anders. I loved how welcoming everyone in this story was. I loved all of the sweet stores in the town.
If you liked her last book, I bet you’ll like this one too! A Novel Love Story is available on June 25th!

Read If You Like:
🪺small-town romance
🪺magical realism
🪺grumpy/sunshine
🪺books about books
🪺a splash of mystery

The first time Elsy fell in love she believed she found her happy ever after, until her heart was obliterated when her fiance unexpectedly called off their wedding. Elsy was left to clean up the mess and pick up the pieces of her broken life. The experience has led her to avoid real-life romance and find comfort within the pages of romance novels.

Elsy, her best friend Pru, and their romance book club meet for a week once a year in an upstate New York cabin to indulge in a week of leisure and reading. However, when everyone else cancels, Elsy, who was left reeling after seeing a post of her ex-fiance's wedding, decides to embark on the annual trip on her own.

When Elsy becomes lost and nearly runs over a man standing in the middle of the road during a rainstorm her life takes an unexpected and unbelievable turn. The man is Anders Sinclair- a grumpy bookstore owner - who somehow lives in Eloraton, the make-believe small town featured in her favorite romance series.

Elsy is not sure how to explain her presence in Eloraton, but she feels oddly comforted while surrounded by the beloved characters of her favorite books. Anders on the other hand seems to have taken an immediate dislike to her - even if neither can deny their immediate attraction. However, Anders is the only one who seems to know that Eloraton is not a real place and he is keeping secrets that threaten any possibility of a real romance.

Ashley Poston continues to write compelling characters who face emotional challenges that lead them to find solace in magical realities. While A Novel Love Story did not match the emotions evoked by The Seven Year Slip or even The Dead Romantics, it still left me with a smile on my face.

→5 stars

Have you ever wanted to spend a day in your favorite fictional world? Maybe take a walk with your favorite character? See how their lives progressed after the last page? Well, this wish came true for our main character, Eileen. After reeling from the heartbreak of having her ex call off their wedding claiming “he wasn’t ready for the commitment” and then getting married to someone else six months later, Elsy is desperate for an escape. Luckily her book club's annual holiday trip is coming up and the outdoor oasis provides the perfect place to hide out, however, it ends up being a solo trip when everyone else is too busy including her best friend, who seems to be moving on without her. Elsy is feeling like she’s truly hit rock bottom when her car breaks down on the way to the cabin, the icing on the cake of the last few years of her life. The first place she enters upon her engine failure feels so familiar for some reason… it feels like home. This book is a love letter to romance readers everywhere; to those who wish they could have a conversation with their favorite fictional characters and have the happily ever after they read about. Poston absolutely blew me away with this one. I can’t wait to read more from her.

I am an Ashley Poston lover first and human second, but this one fell a little flat for me. The premise was fantastic I mean getting lost in your favorite fictional town? Sign me up! Still, I was a little underwhelmed with the execution. It felt like Eileen's character was just existing and that no real plot was truly happening. The romance left me wanting more and overall I just felt that the Ashley magic was missing.

I love how it was written for us readers and I love Ashley's writing, I just wish it was a little stronger.

There is something about Poston's writing that just draws me in. A simple story, easy plot and boom! I'm lost in the pages. I've read all of Poston's books - I enjoy the next more than the last.
Elsy needs a break - the annual book club retreat in fact. Due to some corny weather and an old car, she finds herself in her favorite fiction town. With her favorite fictional series characters.
And I was totally into it. Loved all the people, animals, haunted toilet and most especially Anders.
Thank you for a male character who not only READS but ENJOYS romance novels as well. Just a delight all around.

I finished this book last night and knew this moved into one of my top books of 2024. Imagine waking up in your favorite fictional town with all your favorite characters and hang-out spots. What would you do? This is essentially the plot for A Novel Love Story. This very much gave me Schmigadoon vibes but instead of a fictional musical town, it was your favorite book setting.

I loved this concept so much! This book feels so original and fun. This was truly a book for the romance girlies and the fandoms they cherish. I kept telling myself to slow down and not skim because I didn't want the book to end. The author time and time again does magical realism so well. You never question the why or the how you just accept it.

Eileen and Anders were such great main characters. I feel like I am in a spot in my life where I really relate to Eileen. She is not on the same timetable as the rest of her friends, and she is feeling a bit left behind. Because of that, she turns to books, which I can totally relate to. Anders is a bit of a recluse and doesn't deal well with his town being subjected to new ripples in his favorite small town. I liked that this wasn't too trope-y. I would consider this a small twon enemies-to-lovers romance, but it felt natural and not like it was trying to stuff it down our throats.

My one criticism is that the author uses the same key phrases a lot. Never do I ever want to hear someone's eyes be referred to as "Minty" ever again.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 6/25!

I absolutely fell in love with A Novel Love Story and I so wish that Rachel Flowers' books were real! The author did a great job getting you to connect with the characters of her book and the fictional characters of the town. I loved the romance plot, while also enjoying the searching for something more. Overall I loved it — though I wish there was a bit more angst and buildup between the couple!

All the stars!! Loved this one so much! I loved the dead romantics and this one you can tell how much the author is improving with her writing. I loved it!!!

Hovering between a 3/3.5 rating, but leaning towards the lower end due to its deviation from Poston’s usual captivating style, which has consistently been a favorite over the past couple of years. While I’m disappointed, I remain aware of her potential to deliver exceptional work, making this missed opportunity even more disheartening.

The aspects that fell short for me primarily revolved around the portrayal of the town and its inhabitants. Our protagonist’s enthusiasm for being immersed in her favorite story with cherished characters wasn’t mirrored in my experience, as I lacked the necessary connection to care about these figures. This initial disconnect hindered my engagement from the outset.

Then there’s the romance. I typically adore Poston’s romantic narratives and her ability to intertwine real-world dynamics with the enchantment of a blossoming relationship. However, in this instance, the progression felt disjointed. Despite the promise of an enemies-to-lovers, grumpy/sunshine dynamic, the evolution of the romance felt abrupt and underdeveloped. Their sudden shift from animosity to affection lacked the depth necessary for me to invest in their relationship.

Nevertheless, the ending managed to evoke tears and provided a satisfying conclusion that made persevering through worthwhile. Despite my reservations, I remain loyal to Poston’s work, as her ability to infuse emotion and surprise into her storytelling is undeniable.

Recommended for those who enjoy:
❣️ Romance novels
🤓 Book club discussions
🫂 Depictions of friendships
🏘️ Small-town settings

Despite not loving The Dead Romantics, I wanted to give this a try because the premise sounded so intriguing. I was along for the ride until -redacted- stays in Eloraton. It made me mad AND sad and tanked my feelings about the rest of the book. Girl, you spent so much time hung up on the fact that your fiance left you for another woman only to end up as the second choice for someone else and you're ok with it?? Couldn't be me.

Could this be my favorite book of 2024, yes it can be! This book is so amazing, the writing, the characters, the “laugh out loud” moments, and the romance, this book has it all!

Eileen is going on a trip by herself, takes a wrong turns and ends up in the town of Eloraton, which is a town in her favorite romance series. The author of this series died before the final book was written, and Eileen wants to know how it ends.

“You’re obsessed with a fictional book series. You’re alone and you don’t want to leave.” “It says desperate to me. You want something so badly you’re willing to cling to it, to give everything up for it.”

Life—like works of art—was transformative. It persisted.

It wasn’t the end that mattered, but every word to it.

This book is everything! Emotional, Romances and Fantasy! 5 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy! I loved this book so much! The release date is 6/25/24.

I was so obsessed with concept of this book and Eileen being transferred into the fictional town of her favorite book series, but I just did not enjoy my experience reading it. I never connected to the characters and I honestly had no clue why Eileen and Anders were even into each other cause they had zero chemistry. I’m not the biggest fan of magical realism either, so when these scenarios are not questioned it comes across as bizarre to me. I didn’t like Eileen and felt like she was too passive and Anders had the stalest personality ever. I can see a lot of other people liking this and the love of books is something all us readers can relate to.. but this book was not for me and I was honestly so bored the whole time I read it sadly.

(3.25) Thank you NetGalley for sending this book for me to review, all opinions are my own

Yet again, a beautiful idea from this author but the execution was just okay. I can’t quite put my finger on it other than the feeling you get when you think a song is going to have an amazing beat drop and it never comes. That’s how this book left me.

Definitely would recommend this book to someone who wants a quick read, cozy vibes with a bit of an emotional punch (deals with themes of grief), romantic clichés and a woman discovering what she truly desires in life.

Though there were times when I felt things were drawn out too long, especially when we would get a glimpse into the heroine's past, I know it’s necessary but I wish it was somewhat edited down seeing that it dragged on for too long and I kept waiting to go back to the present.

I absolutely adored the hero, but the heroine was quite bland and naïve. Their banter though.. I was eating it up. Ashley Poston KNOWS how to write some good banter. But something was just missing for me. It was a fun read, I giggled, some tears may have been shed, but I probably won’t remember this by the end of the year. I was really hoping this one was going to be an Ashley Poston book that clicked with me, since they always seem right up my alley until I read them and something just doesn’t go correctly.

I’m not going to give up on this author yet. I still have a bit of faith that I’ll love one… I hope :’)

This was truly an amazing novel. One about a girl who has been heartbroken and loves romance novels stumbles upon a fictional town left half written by her favorite author meets a grumpy bookstore owner who absolutely does not belong in this fictional and magical town, who from the beginning told her to not try to change anything and she believed he hated her and would ruin everything good when it reality all she did was change its course for the better. I am absolutely enamored by this novel, the story of Elsy and Anders falling in love and the pretense of this plot. Ashley Poston has broken my heart and glued it back together all within the pages of this book!

Ashley Poston has yet to disappoint, so I couldn’t wait to dive into A Novel Story. Eileen (Elsy) Merriweather loves a good romance—at least in her books; in her real life, she’s feeling lost, so even though her friends can’t come, she’s going on her annual book retreat no matter what, but when her car breaks down, she finds herself in a small town right out her favorite series… because it is, filled with her favorite characters trapped in her favorite author’s unfinished last story and Anders, a mysterious man she can’t seem to stay away from. This book is so beautiful and lyrically written. Elsy has been through so much heartbreak; she’s complex and looking for the bright side. Her wonder at being in the town of her favorite authors making is beautiful and just like a dream. The magical realism is so lovingly done. This is an ode to romance and stories. It’s just beautiful. I was able to predict the twist with Anders, and honestly I’m not 100% sure how I feel about it. I think I had a little trouble in the consistency of the romance between Elsy and Anders—I wanted more moments of them connecting. There were a lot of moments of Elsa avoiding him because of the story playing out in the town, even though he made it clear he was interested, but then there were a lot of moments of her being surprised he liked her. It didn’t totally pan out for me. But I think this is still a striking read. There’s so much heartbreak and love and beauty in the pages. It’s lyrical and about finding yourself and believing in yourself. While more a women’s fiction than an overall romance, A Novel Love Story is just really lovely.

I thought A Novel Love story was a great book. I really enjoyed the characters and setting. I just started watching Virgin River on TV and I pictured it to look similar to that small town. I typically wouldn't enjoy a book that had a fantasy aspect but was surprised to find myself glued to this book looking for the happy ending. And I did love the ending.