Elsy loves a happily ever after novel, a far departure from her own love life. She especially loves the ones the comes from her favorite author and series. So what happens when her car breaks down and she quite literally finds herself in the fictional town those books are set in?

Poston always has a sprinkle of magical realism in her romances, but this was such a heavy sprinkle it verged on fantasy. I’m glad I knew that going in! I still loved this story🥹

And honestly, that’s a testament to Ashley Poston. In another author’s hands I really don’t think I would’ve liked this book but her writing works for me every single time and as far fetched as this story was I thought it was really cute, sweet and fun!😚🩷

This was another cute novel by Ashley Poston (who is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors). I don't think it had quite the punch of Seven Year Slip but truly was such a cozy read. The magical book town reminded me of Stars Hollow and who doesn't love a grumpy (hot) bookseller?

A love letter to romance readers everywhere, this book captures the magic of getting lost in a good book and a romantic world.

There’s a handful of authors whose books made me fall in love with the romance genre, and Ashley Poston is one of them. I was surprised by how much I loved THE DEAD ROMANTICS and then completely floored by THE SEVEN YEAR SLIP.

The balance of light and dark really worked for me in those novels. I want fun love-filled romance but I also want exploration of big themes, and TDR & TSYS deliver that with their interrogation of grief.

A NOVEL LOVE STORY reads a little different in its lightness. A literature professor finds herself stuck in the town of her favorite, unfinished romance series and becomes determined to help end it, but for some reason, a character she doesn’t recognize - the town’s cranky-but-hot bookstore owner - doesn’t want her to.

I loved the metaphor about the power of our favorite stories to distract us from the real world, and also the flip side of knowing when it’s time to really re-enter your life and make changes. I flew through this book in a day; it was the perfect backyard companion and I’m sure it’ll make its way into many beach bags this year. It didn’t hit me quite as hard as her first two, but it works in a different way, a warm hug of escapism.

Really loved this new release from Ashley Poston! So cozy and the perfect read for an escape from reality into a love story that warms your heart.

Another win by Ashley Poston! This book was so cute and I had such a fun time reading it with my friends. A great read about finding yourself and building confidence!

If you're the type of delusional reader that wishes you could wake up in your favorite book, this is for you! This is a charming and delightful novel filled with magical realism. If you want a sweet romance story that isn't too spicy, this is a great choice! I ended up choosing this for a book club at my bookstore. It is going over well.

Eileen's safe place is inside a good book with a happily ever after. Same, girl. So she's eager to get to her book club’s annual retreat to escape. But on the way, her car breaks down leaving her stranded in the perfect little town that is literally right out of a book. An unfinished story. Eileen realizes she's here to help finish the story and when she meets a hot, grumpy bookstore owner, she can't help but think her own happy ending might also be here.

Wouldn't it be a dream come true to step into the land of our favorite books? This is getting close to that. Here we have a romance slowly sparking between Eileen and the bookstore owner, Anders. On the way to getting to their romance, we also experience a ton of world building in this little town between the fun places mentioned and all the great side characters. I'll be honest. This book was pretty slow for me. But once I hit the last 10ish chapters, I was hooked. They totally made the book for me. So if you are having trouble keeping up with this one, I highly recommend hanging in there.

Thank you to Berkley Romance and the author for an advanced copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU IF: You're someone who is particularly fond of reading to escape.

A Novel Love Story is a delightful magical realism romance by Ashley Poston. I have loved all of her books and this one was just as lovely!

Elsy is headed to her yearly romance book retreat when she has car trouble in a small town called Eloraton. It turns out that she is in the middle of her favorite romance book series and there she meets a disgruntled bookstore owner that she doesn't remember being in the books. Elsy also finds that she needs to help finish the story for the characters in the book and maybe she will find her own HEA.

I highly recommend this book! Thanks to Berkeley and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of the book.

I want to start by saying that the premise for this book was perfection. A reader getting stranded in the fictional town from her favorite romance series? So unique. I loved the little details and the descriptions that really resonated with me as a romance reader. It was such an adventure being able to explore this town with Elsy and feel the thrill of being within your favorite novel.

However, while I loved this aspect of the novel and the overall plot, I felt as if the characters and the pacing fell a little flat for me. I loved Elsy but I just didn’t get enough out of Anders to form any kind of connection with his character. This book felt very centric around the premise itself rather than the execution and characters. There were so many details that I really wish had gotten more time. And it took me 60% of the book to really feel attached to Elsy and the other characters due to the pacing.

While this wasn’t my favorite Ashley Poston book–it was still a good book. I loved the uniqueness of this story, and the attention that was given to Elsys individual happiness. I loved the ending because it was realistic and not overblown. This book definitely romanticizes reading and I loved that so much, being a reader is such a beautiful experience and Ashley captures that so well.💘

A Novel Love Story was very sweet and charming. I would definitely recommend it to fans of small-town romances. 🌸📖 Ashley Poston creates a whimsical tale where the main character enters the world of her favorite book, only to encounter a mysterious bookstore owner not found in the series. While I found this one lacking the angst and oomph of her other romances, I kept reading to see how it all worked out. The end was very satisfying, and I appreciate Poston's creative storytelling. ✨

The MC Eileen who is a professor of literature, finds herself unexpectedly caught up in a work of fiction—literally.
After her car breaks down, she ends up stranded in Eloraton, a small town that feels like it’s right out of a romance novel.
But there’s a twist the town of Eloraton is trapped and Eileen must help bring the town to its storybook ending, all while she has to deal with a grumpy bookstore owner who doesn’t want her to finish the book.
If you enjoy magical realism, contemporary romance, and a touch of fantasy, this story will transport you into the heart of a charming, bookish world. Thank you netgalley

Ashley Poston continues to deliver entertaining contemporary romances in A Novel Love Story, but this time, gives readers exactly what they love - stories within stories. While I admit, I did find this book to be predictable in its twist and largely uneventful in its plot, it still was a heartwarming read of self-discovery and exploration that I think will really appeal to readers of the genre or to fans of Once Upon a Time.

fans of gilmore girls or virgin river will love this one – it's perfect for anyone who wishes they could somehow live inside the fictional towns they love! it took me a bit to connect with the magic of this one, but it grew on me as things settled into place. i had guesses about what twists this plot would deliver, and they didn't end up being right (but honestly, they might have made it better if they had been?). having LOVED poston's first book, and really liking her second, i was a bit disappointed that this one didn't have QUITE the same sparkle, but i liked it, and if you like her vibe, i think you'll enjoy it.

"A Novel Love Story” by Ashley Poston is a delightful blend of romance, magical realism, and contemporary fantasy. Eileen Merriweather, a literature professor, finds herself inexplicably trapped in the late author’s unfinished story. She lands in Eloraton, a town straight out of her favorite romance series, where honey taffy is always sweet, burgers are a little burnt, and rain falls predictably in the afternoon. It’s a place that feels like home, yet it can’t be real.

Enter Anders, the grumpy bookstore owner with mint-green eyes and an irritatingly sexy mouth. He’s a character who doesn’t want Eileen to finish the book, and their dynamic adds depth and authenticity to the story. As Eileen navigates the town’s whimsical elements, she begins to wonder if its happily-ever-after is intertwined with her own.

Ashley Poston’s inventive premise and heartfelt execution piqued my interest here. I can appreciate her ability to create a world that feels both familiar and fantastical. The character development, especially the relationship between Eileen and Anders, resonates emotionally. This is a great little book that sweeps readers away into its magical pages.

I was instantly intrigued about a story about a woman who ends up in the fictional town if her favorite book series! It was such a charming and fun read! Ashley nailed it right on the head as to why some of us love to get lost in stories.

Overall this book had a very lovely concept. I just felt like having a main character go into their own favorite romance, which the reader isn’t familiar with, is hard to do well. Especially since we don’t have any familiarity with the characters, it’s hard to make an emotional connection. That being said, I still think it was sweet, and I really appreciated the main character’s growth throughout the novel! Gave me a lot of warm fuzzy feelings :) Great audiobook too!

🌈Queer rep: Secondary FF couple, secondary nonbinary character.

Ashley Poston is unmatched in writing magical realism romances. Her unique ideas are paired with such heartfelt writing.

"Novel Love Story" lacks on the romance side, but excels as a love letter to the comfort of romance novels. Elsy's feelings and experiences feel completely realistic. Unfortunately, I don't even the love interest's name - his character was very flat. There wasn't much chemistry or romantic connection, and I didn't get a feeling for his attraction to Elsy at all. But I do know he has minty eyes.

The storyline of grief and heartbreak and escaping reality is good, I wish the romance was there too! Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to Ashley Poston's next great idea.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

I think I am a bit disappointed because I was ready to love this book, but I didn’t really. The first half put me in such a slump I basically had to move on to other things.

I love her ideas, the way she uses magical realism in her books and always finds a way to tie everything up in a nice tidy way but sadly it didn’t happen with this one. I am still confused by some stuff she did not explain properly.

This book in order to work had to be done in double pov because Anders’ (mmc) was just as important as Elsy (if not even more tbh). I feel like it would have benefitted the story better.

I'm a huge fan of Ashley Poston and I thought this book sounded adorable and fun. Unfortunately, this is the first Ashley Poston book that I haven't enjoyed at all. In fact, it's a DNF at 40% for me.
There is nothing going on in this story. The FMC goes on a long road trip alone because all her friends backed out on her, but along the way she ends up in the fictional town of her favorite book series. And that's the end of the plot. She's just wandering around the town interacting with characters she knows and loves, but as the reader, I don't know an love them so I don't share her excitement over it.
Then there's an info dump chapter on the FMC, Elsy's backstory wound that also didn't manage to pull any emotional strings. I can tell who is supposed to become her love interest, but they haven't had a single decent interaction to the 40% mark and there's just nothing between them. I don't know what the point of the story is. Is Elsa just supposed to fall in love with her fictional man and live happily ever after in a fictional world? Is her love going to make him real and they'll both step out into her world?
I don't know what it is, but there's just no magic to this story like there has been in Poston's other books. Sadly, this is a huge disappointment and I'm going for a DNF and moving on to another book that will grab me.