This is a cute story. It’s not my favorite Ashley Poston book but it was cute and original.

A story that comes to life before her very eyes, Elsy stumbles upon Eloraton, the town of her favorite book. We watch her meet her true to self characters except one person isn’t mentioned in the book but is a pillar in the town. So what’s up with him? Well, a cute story tells this tale.

Thank you for this copy!

I have LOVED both books I've read by Ashley Poston, so I was excited to open this book immediately. Right from the start the concept is intriguing....a book lover ... in a personal rut...takes a road trip and gets lost...ending up in the fictional town from her favorite book series...the one that never finished because the author passed away before the fifth and final installment. I had to figure it out, I had to know what brought Anderson there and how would Eileen be able to leave these characters? If I ended up in my favorite book series, I'm unsure I could pry myself away either.

I will admit, I was partially distracted through portions of this book, wondering if Anderson was real or fictional...He seemed real, but was it too good to be true? I did enjoy the ending of the book that was one where it could come full circle for not only Eileen's life and friendship with her best friend Pru, but also where life could come full circle for Anderson. That made your heart happy,

I will continue to look forward to Ashley Poston's books, as they have an extra element of "what's going on here" in a magical sense that your traditional romance books don't typically have.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Expected publication June 25, 2024

This is a wonderful whimsical read for any romance reader who has fallen love with the setting of their favorite book and the world the author has created. A sweet read with likeable characters with a lot of appeal for readers. Get lost in the charm of this book.

Poston's third novel is essentially every reader's dream come true. Who among us hasn't dreamt of living in a book, becoming a part of the setting, down to the book boyfriend? I can think of at least 4 or 5 books off the top of my head that I would, without hesitation, jump into right this second. So, yeah, the premise is genius and essentially a love letter to readers - especially romance readers. Is it perfect? No. I have some issues with the female MC, and the slow burn was a bit TOO slow for my taste. Well worth the read, though, and a must for romance lovers.

This book basically a love letter to the romance genre - and a bigger “fuck you” to the haters.
It’s a dream we all have - you suddenly find yourself in the world of your favorite series. You meet the characters you e always loved, relive iconic moments in places you’ve always wanted to see. And the best part? You get your very own book boyfriend.
As a person with many, many book boyfriends, how could I not love this?
I love Poston’s prose - it’s lyrical and gorgeous, sad and hopeful and full of banter. I found myself smiling so many times. Her use of magical realism is fantastic, as well. It just works.
I could really relate to Elsy, the FMC. Probably most readers can in some way, especially if you’re the type to get lost in books when things are difficult, or have favorite stories you revisit again and again. She also struggles with her identity and being a chronic people pleaser. It’s so easy to drown in someone else until you can’t recognize yourself anymore, and I loved seeing that in text.
And Anders? Top tier book boyfriend. Would marry. (Despite being blonde.)
What I didn’t like - some repetitive phrasing and spelling/grammatical errors. That’s it, really. And given that this is an uncorrected proof, I assume a lot of it will be fixed during editing.
𝐀 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 will be available to the public on 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒.

Thank you @berkleyromance, @berkleypub, @netgalley, and @heyashposton for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

After devouring Ashley Poston's novel, The Seven Year Slip, I eagerly delved into A Novel Love Story. Poston's unique storylines and compelling characters never fail to charm me, effortlessly blending depth with a refreshing, entertaining tone.

Although A Novel Love Story didn't quite reach the heights of The Seven Year Slip for me, its charm and endearing qualities were undeniable. While the initial pacing felt a tad sluggish, I found myself increasingly engrossed as the story unfolded, particularly drawn in by its midpoint. Admittedly, I felt like the conclusion lingered a bit longer than necessary.

However, despite these pacing nuances, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel. The characters, notably the dynamic friendship between Eileen and Prudence, along with the endearing camaraderie within the book group, added layers of depth and warmth to the narrative.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Loved this! Another heart warming, slightly magical tale from Ashley Poston. I'm loving the collection of work she's building and she's nailed it again this one. I finished it in two days!

Ashley Poston has a way with Magical Realism that is refreshing to see in adult, contemporary romance spaces. A Novel Love Story feels like a love letter to the Romance genre. What book lover hasn't imagined what it would be like to find themselves a part of the world that their favorite author created? The author gave us small town vibes, romance and a view into what it means for characters (real and imagined) to get 'unstuck' and finally be the main characters in their own lives. I love this lady's author brain!

4.5 stars. oh how I loved this. This book perfectly captures what it is to be a book lover through and through. It’s written for the people that wish they could escape into their favorite fictional world when life gets to be too much, for the people that find comfort in books.

Elsy is heading to her book club’s cabin when her car breaks down in a small town she’s never been to…only she has.

This book felt like a big, warm hug. I related to Elsy SO MUCH in how she finds comfort and safety in books. Her whole personality as a book lover is literally me as a person. I loved her love for her favorite series and characters and loved that they were literally THERE for her. Being in her favorite world with her was so fun. Elsy also feeling like she gives so much of herself to people but never receives anything back was so relatable and I loved watching her grow out of that and into her own person.

This is not a romance heavy book and I was totally okay with that!! I was seriously so invested in the town’s story and Elsy. The bits of romance we did get were excellent & I love how their story unfolded. I also really appreciated the positivity & attitude towards romance books & romance readers in this book.

This was such a whimsical, magical time and I loved it so much. The plot was seriously so unique and had me absolutely captivated. Absolutely recommend.

Read this if you are a romance super fan, love fan fic, or if magical realism is your jam. Our FMC gets stuck in a rain storm and ends up in a town that is straight out of her favorite series. The characters, the businesses, EVERYTHING is exactly as it is in the books. It's magical realism and romance fan swoony language. It made me think about some of my favorite books and which ones I'd want to visit!

😬I LOVE Ashley Poston and was beyond excited to read her new book. Having said that, Dead Romantics was literal GOLD and this one felt less polished to me. I enjoyed parts of it and got lost in the fictional town, but the insta romance and lack of depth to the characters made it less than 5 ⭐ for me.

I really liked Eileen and Pru but felt like Eileen was clinging to their past really hard. Maybe because I'm almost 40 and have gone through these changes in my friendships, this seemed like kind of a tough friend to have.

I can't wait to read more from Ashley Poston and maybe I'm not the right reader for this book. The romance is there and if you embrace cheesy/swoony insta love, you will adore this book.

Thanks to netgalley and Berkley for an ARC of this book to review.

Ashley Poston is quickly becoming one of those authors whose books I will automatically buy and read. I love the little surprises and unexpected twists in every book. This is the first book in a while that I’ve felt myself not wanting to put down. Very well developed characters and storyline.

I will admit while this wasn't my very favorite by Ashley Poston (Seven year slip still holds that honor), A novel love story was very enjoyable and perfect for fans of Book lovers by Emily Henry or the movie, Pleasantville.

With a fun premise - a woman finds herself wandering into a fictional town of her favorite romance book series - a swoony grumpy bookstore owner MMC and a romance loving FMC, this book ticked a lot of my fav things.

That said, I felt it was missing the essential spark that catapults books into my absolute all-time memorable, must reads. Long-time fans won't be disappointed and this is sure to get great reviews. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest opinions!

Steam level: mostly PG with a couple mild, open door scenes

The beginning of this story felt like a love letter to Bookstagram/bookish social media and I LOVED IT! Omg IN MY feels! The excitement of finding your bookish people! I am so grateful to Booksta for giving me all you wonderful people! Wooooo and she had me almost crying AGAIN! Poston knows how to land a punch right in the feels!!! I absolutely LOVE IT! The connection is remarkable! Also Anders for the win with Team No Naps! I am not a fan of naps I always wake up more tired than I was, it’s a curse! And I just loved the personal growth throughout this story. Eileen was one of the most relatable characters I have ever read and I am just so grateful to have read this book. Ashley Poston is absolutely one of my favorites to read and I think she is just TOP TIER! 🥰

Ashley Poston's "A Novel Love Story" reimagines the classic Grumpy x Sunshine dynamic, reminiscent of Gilmore Girls' beloved Luke and Lorelai, through the narrative of Eileen Merriweather, a literature professor, and Anders, the owner of a quaint bookstore.

Eileen, also known as Elsy, embarks on her yearly retreat to a cabin in the Hudson Valley. She is accompanied by her book club friends for a weekend of relaxation, wine, and homage to their cherished author, the late Rachel Flowers. This year, however, Elsy finds herself on a solitary journey.

Her adventure takes an unexpected turn following car troubles and a storm, leading her to the idyllic town of Eloraton, a place lifted straight from the pages of Rachel Flowers' novels and the setting of Elsy's favorite stories. Here, Elsy's path crosses with Anders, the gruff bookstore owner. As Elsy navigates this seemingly perfect town, she discovers anomalies that hint at unresolved mysteries. Torn between her love for this bookish haven and the pull of the real world, Elsy faces a dilemma. However, as she unravels Eloraton's mysteries, she unwittingly authors her own love story.

"A Novel Love Story" is an engaging read that captures the essence of its characters and their emotional journey with captivating detail. This novel promises a delightful escape for those yearning for a romance that transports you into the heart of a place as magical as Stars Hollow or Eloraton. Engaging, heartwarming, and utterly unputdownable, it is a fantastic read for a cozy weekend.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for my galley! Unfortunately this just didn’t work for me from start to finish. I think the authors style is just really not for me. I found the writing and pacing really uneven and downright stilted and over complicated. This could have been 150 pages shorter easily or at the very least the first third could have lost 50 pages to get us to the main set up of the town sooner.

The romance didn’t really leap off the page for me. I didn’t get the chemistry or honestly the charm of the supposed love interest. Our main character felt a tad too pathetic, as I felt she didn’t really contribute a lot to the characters or her own story. Her paralysis and sadness was a downer and I couldn’t tell if I should focus more on her failed romance, her own self esteem, or her friendship with her best friend— it seemed like they were all fighting for space and quotable moments without really coming together.

Add to that the ultimate reveal of the love interest and the book series she loves and it felt too cringe for me, like an obsessive stalker gone too far. I don’t think I’ll continue reading from the author but I did appreciate the chance to try again with her to see if her writing style grew on me.

It pains me to write this review. The premise behind this novel was amazing, I have never read anything like it. Getting stuck in your favorite fictional town??? That's a dream.

Unfortunately this story fell a little flat for me. I was completely hooked for about 40%, I was having the best time reading this, it was cute and fun and had sooooo much potential. I just think the chemistry wasn't there for the love interests and there was little to no build up. Then when you find out more details later, it made it even worse because what???

There was a lot of repetitive descriptions, like I get it he smells like books and his eyes are minty. Also the FMC would not shut up about her best friend, every time anyone did anything she was like "oh Pru did this, Pru said that" I was sick and tired of hearing her best friends name and she wasn't even present. I get maybe the author was trying to show how the FMC gets attached to people she loves and that's one of her flaws but it was just getting really annoying to me.

Overall the plot of the book was so interesting that I rounded up to 3 stars but I just felt like it could have been a 5 star read.

Huge thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the eARC, because I do love Poston's writing and was very excited to read this!

I don't know how many more times I can say that I love an author but I'll say it again here. I love Ashley Poston's books. This one was near perfect for me and I can't wait to add it to my bookshelf.

Thank you for the chance to read early!

What a fabulous premise for a book. Who hasn't read any number of books that so clearly described the location and the characters that if you stumbled across the place you would know it and everyone in it? Ever read and reread a book because the locale descriptions and characters were where and with whom you wanted to be? I definitely have, and I hope you have, as well. It makes for the perfect retreat any time you need it. A Novel Story is exactly that for the two primary characters. Ashley Poston takes her readers along to the town and introduces the characters with a rare precision. On occasion, I have been known to peek at the final pages of a book. Not advisable for this story. All in due time.

I really liked Poston's writing in this novel. Elsy's really living my dream of being in my favorite series. I adored the ending and I loved the resolution between Anders and Elsy. My only quip with this book was that I felt like the book focused on Elsy's favorite book characters rather than the relationship itself. It was hard for me to buy into the relationship they had together because they're moments together felt so few and far between. The ending of this book REALLY makes it though.

I don’t read romance - ever. But, an autobuy author for me is @heyashposton and has been since reading The Dead Romantics (which is still one of my absolutely favorite books ever). So, when I saw she had a new book coming out, I requested it so fast on NetGalley.

I absolutely adored this book. I laughed and cried and then laughed some more. Such a unique plot can you imagine getting stuck in your favorite book’s fictional town? Sign me up! I loved the MC and I loved that this wasn’t just a romance in the traditional sense, but it also focused on a love from your best friend and growing on your own. Ugh such a heart warming read!