Are you truly a reader if you’ve never dreamed of visiting in your favorite fictional town?

Ashley Poston takes that dream and paints a wonderful story around it like only she can. This is a book you’ll want to read again and again and again. It feels like coming home.

After reading and LOVING the seven year slip last year, I screamed when I saw this available to request on netgalley! And although I didn’t love it as much as her others, it was still so good!!

Such a cozy and unique story line! I dream of what happened to the FMC, Elsy, to happen to me! Can you imagine ending up in the town of your fav series?? A DREAM! And it also made the romance in this story even more special and sweet feeling to me, the reader. I am already looking forward to Poston’s next book! She’s def one of my fav romance authors.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Berkley for the early digital arc in exchange for my honest feedback.

I feel like I went into this book expecting a classic Poston love-story, and instead I found a beautiful ode to the contemporary romance novel. Poston reminded me of exactly why I love this genre so much, and expertly crafted a world that put all of that love on true display.

The townspeople of Eloraton grab at your heart, and the way Elsy moves through their world brings to mind all of our most secret desires to escape into the world of a book. I believe that one of Ashley Poston's greatest strengths as an author is in how she makes her main characters so real, and thus makes her readers feel seen. I felt myself in Elsy, and in her desire for escape. Not to be too emotional on main, but I've had a really rough time over the past several weeks with some personal news and was definitely reading this to find an escape: and seeing that same desire reflected in Elsy was so validating for me.

The fact that Poston was able to craft that emotion within this book, while still making it a fun read that I'd reach for even when my emotions were in tip-top shape is just stunning. I can't wait for this book to be published.

If you’re a lover of contemporary romance, I highly recommend picking this one up in June. I adored it, and it’s definitely one of my new favorite Poston novels!

Look, I will always read anything that Ashley Piston writes because she is the queen of heart-wrenching romance stories with magical elements in the mix. Anything she writes automatically becomes a five-star read for me. And A Novel Love Story isn’t any different. 
A Novel Love Story will bring the readers to their knees when they find out that the main character ends up in their favorite series universe. Like, that’s a dream come true. Do you know how many books in the in the universe I want to be?! So many without a thought. And the main character ends up in her favorite novel universe.
Eileen definitely thought she was on something or was dreaming when she ended up in her favorite series universe. It wasn’t a dream; it’s actually all real. She is just stuck with the characters, who are currently stuck in their lives since the author of the series died and the series isn’t finished yet. 
Eileen didn’t expect to spend her vacation with her favorite series characters on her annual book club retreat. She thought she would be alone on the retreat since everyone backed out, including her best friend. She desperately needed her time off to think about her life. Something isn’t quite as right as she thought it would be. And she hadn’t realized it until she started helping these fictional characters get unstuck in their universe.
It’s pretty tippy how eye-opening it is when Eileen realizes how stuck she is in her profession and personal life as she helps her fiction characters grow in their lives. It gives her a new perspective on letting go of her past experiences and growing into her own life. Stop living someone else’s story and become her own main character in life.

This is my second favorite book by Ashley Poston! First is the Seven Year Slip. But this one was like a big hug. I loved the premise of it. I highly recommend!

In true Ashley Poston fashion, this book is whimsy and makes you believe in magic for just a little while. This one is unlike anything I’ve ever read. It felt very hallmark, but that was definitely the point. Our protagonist is very much in a cross roads in her life and stumbling into an unknown but known situation really sends her life into a tailspin. It was a little cheesy at times, but again I think that was intentional. But this one really makes you think about love and that happily ever after whatever that means. Mentally anticipated being emotionally destroyed and confirm this happen. I just love her books always have a little magic in them because I think that we could always use a little magic.

This was almost something, but didn't quite deliver.

Poston has a knack for romantic magical realism. I liked The Dead Romantics and loved The Seven Year Slip. She has successfully made me swoon while also tackling tough topics like grief.

A Novel Love Story has a good premise, especially for a book lover - a girl stumbles into the town from her favorite romance series. But every point of this felt like a first draft (and I was reading an ARC so maybe some of this will be ironed out?). It felt like something was missing or maybe I missed something.

The biggest examples: SPOILERS Junie and Will finish the inn and then kinda get engaged (again?) and Elsy talks about an upcoming wedding. But we are never told that this wedding is happening the next day...it is just assumed, I guess. She asks Anders to go with her and then we are told it is the next day. Was this already being planned? It was just so disjointed.

And the conclusion to fixing up the inn SPOILER the inn's toilet has been making a weird noise, which already felt like a weird plot point that was being given more weight that it should. then Elsy suddenly realizes that the author had left clues that it was the possum blocking the plumbing...but as far as I can remember there is no mention of this possum or that it is missing or anything. It is just dropped at the end as if we the reader should have see the clues along the way?

Elsy and Anders' relationship doesn't feel fully developed either. They meet and dislike each other and then we get one scene where she helps him and suddenly they are very into each other and it has been obvious the whole time how much they like each other? Again, felt like it was just dropped into the story and there was no buildup.

Poston also does Easter eggs from her other two magical realism romances. Benji, from Dead Romantics, is a tertiary character in this. That's always nice to see the connections. But then she SPOILER makes the book Dead Romantics a thing in universe. Florence from that book has written her and Benji's story and it is a book. That's fine. But then Poston also addresses criticism of Dead Romantics - she drops lines about the overuse of doggo and the insta-love, all the critiques you see on goodreads for that story. I didn't hate it...but it was...weird?

All of this is to say, this was fine. It just didn't click or sweep me away like Poston's other books have.

Imagine stumbling into a fictional town and befriending all of the characters from your favorite book series. Well, that’s exactly what happens to Elsy.

Despite “love story” being in this book’s name, it was quite light on the romance and heavier on emotional growth. The narrative is centered around Elsy’s friendships (in fiction and real-life), struggles post-breakup, and homecoming journey.

This book is full of the best literary references, deep introspection, and highlightable quotes. It’s poetic and whimsical and a wonderful depiction of what it means to be a reader.

While I appreciated the depth of descriptions in this book, the repetitiveness was overbearing. Yes, I understand that Anders smells like cedarwood and tastes like black tea. And “minty” was used to describe his eyes/gaze 19 times. 19!!

Also, there were parts where a conversation between Elsy and another character would be interrupted by her lengthy internal monologue. Then it would jump right back into the conversation, so that was a little jarring for me. I had to go back and reread a few times because I was so lost.

Ashley Poston strikes again! After the masterpiece that was 'The Seven Year Slip', you would think it'd be hard to top it, but not for Ashley!

Read if you like:
📚 Books about books
🍁 Gilmore Girls vibes
✨ Magical realism
❤️‍🔥 Slow burn
🎯 Found family

When all of Elsy’s book club friends ditch their annual trip, she decides to go on the trip solo. And promptly gets lost. Landing her in a small town that seems a bit familiar…almost like it’s the town she’s been reading about for years..though the only new addition to the town is the bookstore’s owner- a grumpy hunk with an adorable cat.

Ashley Poston did it AGAIN!!! It’s no secret that I’ve loved The Dead Romantics and The Seven Year Slip so I had high hopes for this one.
I really don’t want to spoil anything so I’m just going to ask you this: how COOL would it be to stumble into a town you’ve read about and meet all the quirky characters and join them on their adventures??

It’s such a fun and unique plot that everyone who enjoys a touch of magical realism needs to pick up 🧡

Thank you to Berkley for the gifted arc 🧡

This is a romance book written for book lovers.
For every reader who wanted to literally be transported into the pages of their favorite book.
For everyone who fell in love with amazing characters.


I mean, look at some quotes I highlighted. How perfect are they?
I think The Seven Year Slip is still my favorite, but I really liked this one!
And I bought The Dead Romantics recently and can't wait to read it!

This book was made for the girlies who would do anything to meet one of their favorite fictional characters in real life.

Eileen's wedding has been called off, her best friend is getting engaged, and her annual book club trip has transformed into solitary cabin reading. However, when her car breaks down en route, she finds herself in a charming small town that bears a striking resemblance to her favorite romance series... because it is!

This book encapsulates every reader's fantasy: stumbling upon the setting of their favorite book series, complete with a grumpy yet attractive bookstore owner. Sign me up! I know this is not an original thought, but it's worth noting that these books lean more towards literary fiction with a romance subplot. The character development and the narrative of the people in Eloraton take center stage, accompanied by a heartwarming romance that will leave you giggling and kicking your feet. As someone Taylor Swift might refer to as a "pathological people pleaser," I found the main character's journey highly relatable. I adored how the main male character seemed to grasp her essence from the moment they met. Though their connection could be considered insta-lovey, as it unfolded over a few days, their genuine care for each other was unmistakable and endearing.

Ashley Poston's stories feel like a dream and that's precisely what I adore about them. Her writing is addictive and I feel like I could follow her characters around in their day-to-day life and never get bored. I read The Dead Romantics almost 2 years ago now, and it still sticks with me. After reading this, I will finally stop procrastinating and pick up The Seven Year Slip!

I truly can't wait for more people to experience and fall in love with this story like I did. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sending me this ARC. A Novel Love Story comes out June 25th!

“Sometimes a book can change your life.”

🌟🌟🌟🌟.💫/🌶️

Take a book girl and peer into her deepest thoughts about reading. That’s this book. It’s all the things that I, we, love about reading. The happily ever afters, the quirky small towns, the side characters who make you laugh, and the absolute love of words. All words, any words. That is what A Novel Love Story is about. And give Ashley her roses because my god did I see myself in Elsy when she spoke about her love of romance books and her awe and excitement of being stuck in her favorite world.

A Novel Love Story is a book within a book and is probably one of the coolest concepts I’ve read for a contemporary romance in a while. Ashley Poston thrives when it comes to writing magical realism and Novel Love Story proves that this is absolutely her sweet spot.

Being immersed in our FMC’s, Elsy, favorite series’ world felt like I was reading and enjoying it with her but for my first time. Her excitement at finding and being stuck in this world was almost intoxicating. I was so excited for her and pictured how it would be for me to end up stuck in my favorite books world (an absolute trip. Someone make it happen rn please.)

A Novel Love Story combines women’s fiction, romance and magical realism so well that I felt immersed and repaired by the end.

Read if you love:
📖Magical Realism
🥞Small Town Romance
🐈Bookish Vibes
🍔Cat dad MMC
🗽Grumpy x Sunshine
🚽Forced Proximity
🏡Women’s Fiction
🚗Funny meet cute

Tons of Easter eggs with those emojis 🤗

A Novel Love Story will be available in stores on June 25th!

Unfortunately, this was a dnf for me. Poston is one of my all time favorite authors, and still is, so I found myself disappointed when I struggled to get through this one. The premise of this story is fantastic, but I found the story to move too slowly. I also had a hard time getting invested in the characters.

🪻 Book Review…

➡️ Imagine you’re on your way to a solo vacation up in the Catskills, when you get caught in a terrible rainstorm, almost hit someone standing in the road, & break down your car… and when you acclimate to town you’re in to get help and shelter, you realize you’re in the world of your all time favorite book series, characters and all.. welcome to Elsy’s story…

My thoughts:

🌞 Ashley Poston’s books are always the most cozy and hope-giving journeys. Every single page of her books have been true comfort reads for me.

☔️ This is a slow burning, slow paced story that encompasses self healing, grief journeys, & all of the tiny things that make life beautiful. Anders and Elsy have such a special story. I identified so much with Elsy’s individual journey, and it made me deeply emotional at times.. it was very well laid out. I imagine people will relate to Anders and his journey on a personal level as well— I truly loved his character. Both MCs are so realistic & honest in their grief, and that’s what I loved most about them.

🌿 This book tugged on my heart strings in so many layers; I loved that ultimately we have a story about how healing & nurturing ourselves is the key to wholly loving another. The end of this book made my bookish, romance loving heart absolutely soar. For me, it was the kind of ending that elevated my enjoyment from 4 stars up to 5.

🪻 Conceptually I loved the plot, as I imagine it is a daydream that many readers have had— what we would all give to stumble into the setting of our favorite books..

READ THIS IF.. you like small town living, magical realism, realistic healing journeys, grumpy and broody MMCs, and slow burn love stories.

Thank you SO much to @berkleyromance and @netgalley for this e-ARC. My gratitude is truly overflowing for this opportunity.

5/5⭐️
1.5/5🌶️

This was a cute read and a cute novel. It’s definitely an interesting premise and I wasn’t 100% sold on where we were going with this until at least 45% of the way in. Once I got there though, I got there.
Poston always includes something magical or otherworldly in her novels, which is something I adore about them. This is more magical and otherworldly than her previous novels, especially since we are legitimately in another world.
The banter was good, the character development was good, the love story was good. Poston kept me glued to my seat until the absolute very last moment. I loved the lessons learned and the overall theme of the novel. I liked the characters' backstories and the reveals at the end were very much worth the wait.
While this does not top The Seven Year Slip for me, I still enjoyed it immensely and it’s another great read from a great author. Poston is now an auto-buy for me. Without a doubt.

I thoroughly enjoyed this Romance novel. My typical genre is Fantasy, however Poston's use of magical realism quenched that need. Eileen, the main character, is easy to relate to and even easier to root for as she questions her life and the way that she moves through it. Similarly, the love interest has to work through deep introspection on his end to feel ready for love.

This book is for those out there who don't think they deserve to be loved how a "book boyfriend" loves. Book worms who spend their days poring over romantic scenes on paper may hold that inner seed of doubt, but by living the dream through Eileen's narration, you will shut this book feeling hopeful about the future of romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Ashley. I will not forget reading your threads page and you posted that this book wouldn’t wreck us readers. YOU. LIED. It did wreck me then put me back together but I was wrecked nonetheless.

This book was beyond beautiful, arguably the best AP read I’ve had yet (and that’s saying a lot). I loved the prologue and the idea of a town that doesn’t really exist. I have no idea where the author gets her ideas but wow I loved how this book came together. I normally don’t get on board with authors writing about writing but this was such a fantastic way to do it, unlike anything I’ve read before.

You need to add this to your cart, your TBR, like now.

Ashely - go ahead and send me your shopping lists so I can read those too.

A Novel Love Story continues Ashley Poston’s streak of quaint, cute and funny romcoms that I loved after The Dead Romantics and shows Poston’s strengths in humor and character writing that makes her a very great addition to Romance as a genre.

This is my second Ashley Poston romance and I love her creativity in suspending belief and enjoying the ride. This one was just okay though, feeling a little repetitive and superficial. I just didn't feel connected to any of the characters, especially the love connection. I did love the bookish friendships however. Thank you for the opportunity to read this e-galley.