Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins Canada, and Lindsey Kelk for the early access copy of Love Story.

Love Story follows the enemies-to-lovers story of Sophie and Joe. Sophie is a schoolteacher by day and the hottest selling romance author in secret. With her family all prominent in the literary world, who turn their noses down to the romance genre, Sophie must hide her identity at all costs. When a creative director at her publishing company Joe, appears in her life, it is hate at first sight. That is until Sophie is in a bind, and Joe inserts himself into the solution. Sophie has to decide if she can trust Joe, and herself, while Joe needs to learn if he can be open and honest.

Love Story is a layered romantic comedy riddled with pop culture and literary references. The writing beautifully illustrates the importance of the romance genre for readers. It was hard to put this book down.

Lindsey Kelk never misses!!! such a fun, unique read. Read if you love Taylor swift references, spice and chemistry!

I adore this author and am so happy I got to read this one! Are you ready for a captivating tale of secrets and romance this summer? “Love Story” by Lindsey Kelk is a must-read for fans of enemies-to-lovers romance. Whether you're a seasoned romance reader or a newcomer, this book will leave you smiling and believing in the magic of love.

Meet Sophie Taylor, she’s a small-town schoolteacher. Meet Joe Walsh, he’s a hotshot marketing director. These two characters collide in this enemies-to-lovers romcom. Their first encounter is anything but pleasant, it’s hate at first sight. But beneath the surface, Sophie harbours a secret, and Joe thinks he knows it all. He's devilishly handsome, incredibly hot, and far too sure of himself. Unfortunately for Sophie, she desperately needs his help.

The plot thickens when Sophie loses her laptop. It’s a catastrophe that jeopardizes her sequel to the sensational, spicy romance novel everyone's buzzing about. But Sophie isn't just hiding something small; she is Este Cox, the mysterious romance author the entire world is desperate to unmask. When circumstances lead to the disgruntled pair sharing a one-bed cottage, it's a short step to sharing a whole lot more than just space.

Kelk weaves a delightful tale of trust, vulnerability, and self-discovery. Sophie grapples with revealing her true identity to Joe, while he battles his own demons. As their chemistry sizzles, readers are treated to witty banter, unexpected twists, and heartwarming moments. The picturesque backdrop of Sophie's hometown adds to the charm, making it impossible not to root for this unlikely couple.

Kelk's writing is engaging and peppered with humour. Her characters leap off the page, each with their quirks and vulnerabilities. Sophie's struggle to balance her dual identities and Joe's journey from arrogance to empathy create a satisfying emotional arc. The pacing keeps readers hooked, and the chemistry between Sophie and Joe crackles with intensity.

“Love Story” is a delightful escape, perfect for lazy afternoons or cozy evenings. Kelk masterfully captures the essence of love, from its complexities, its surprises, and its ability to transform even the most guarded hearts. Her storytelling prowess shines through, leaving us eagerly awaiting her next masterpiece.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Canada for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I already know this will be all over the place, so bear with me. I have so many thoughts but I keep getting caught up in reading highlighted quotes and giggling.

If you like banter, you’ll like this book. Simple as that. There were a few passages early on that I chuckled at but didn’t highlight, thinking it would be fine and I probably wouldn’t care to go back once I was done the book. Now that I’m done, and I have 10-12 other things highlighted, I wish I had. These characters were so quick witted and a lot of fun to experience. It was funny but not in a “trying to be funny” type of way, but rather a sarcasm/dry humour and wit kind of way. Big fan.

‘Mostly just scared of her mother,’ the butcher countered. ‘She’s a very exacting woman. Last month, she returned a chicken because the legs were different sizes.’
They both gave me a look, as though I was the one who went around judging chickens on their appearance.
‘He shouldn’t have skipped leg day?’ I offered.
Neither of them laughed. Harsh but fair.

Now let me set a scene for you… it’s lunch time on a Monday afternoon. I check my email and see HarperCollins has sent this ARC, and think oh cool, I’ll check that out later. Granted I thought the story sounded fun but I have never read anything by this author, so wasn’t sure what to expect. I finish work, scarf down a sandwich and run (late) to class, because of course Monday’s are my busiest days. Class finishes at 8pm, I get snuggled up like a bug in a rug with the window open and a new book. It’s raining. Life is good. I then proceed to read this entire book in one sitting until the wee hours of the morning because I. Could. Not. Put. It. Down. I couldn’t! Nor did I want to. I had that much fun while reading this.

‘Never marry a lawyer. That’s the best romantic advice I could ever give you. They’re always weaselling in or out of something.’
I looked up at him with one raised eyebrow. ‘You said the best romantic advice you could ever give me was to shag as many men as humanly possible because they’re all so terrible, you might as well go with the one who knows how to bang?’
‘When did I share that nugget of wisdom?’ ‘
On my sixteenth birthday.’
‘I clearly left it too late because you didn’t bloody listen, did you?’

I’ll be completely honest in that when I see books with the main characters as writers/editors/publishers etc., I run the other way. It feels too close to the fourth wall for me, and often quickly becomes that character’s entire personality. While yes, I knew Sophie was going to be a writer, I decided to give this a go anyways because enemies to lovers is my kryptonite. Screw candy, I’ll get into a stranger’s van if they offer an enemies to lovers book for my travels. But I digress. What I think differentiates Love Story is that Lindsey used these characters to challenge societal stereotypes. While we are doing better, even over the 5 years (BookTok you are helping), there is still a perception that romance books are just smut, or “porn on a page” for lonely, unfulfilled women (don’t come for me I don’t agree!). And with that in mind, I think sometimes we as romance readers aren’t as loud with our love for these books.

Let me ask you: Have you ever felt judged for what you’re reading? Or had someone ask, and you feel a bit embarrassed to tell them about a book you liked? I certainly have. And I think it’s because we’re still not at a place where we feel there will be no judgement. There will always be people who like the classics, or literary greatness, which is wonderful for them. But that does not make their opinions, or tastes, any more important or correct than ours, nor does it make their books better. Romances embody so much more than smut. This is exactly the message that this story challenges and I was HERE FOR IT!

Lord knows instalove is down near the bottom of tropes we will accept. Has anyone ever read an instalove book and thought “yes, this is the one. The best book I’ve ever read”? I doubt it. But you know what else? I think Lindsey doubts it too. Because she called out her own characters for this and I was cackling. I like that she pushed it to the forefront to discuss this instead of just trying to play it off as *romantic*.

William, Charlotte, Sarah, even Gregory were great characters. The comedic timing was spot on, they added excitement, and supported the story quite well.

‘Even better, he’s staying at the house,’ I told her, attempting to laugh but failing miserably. It really wasn’t funny but Sarah seemed to disagree.
‘Sophie!’ she exclaimed. ‘That’s the best news I’ve heard so far!’
‘It is?’
‘Yes! It’s so much easier to kill someone when they come to you. Less lurking, more unaliving. Please let me do it. Please, please, please?’

And can I just say, that twist?! I was flabbergasted. I feel like not everyone will be, but I was trying to think ahead about what could happen and this was NOT what I expected! I gasped. Honest to goodness gasped and then put my kindle down to collect myself. I think I loved it more because of how unexpected it was. But then of course I started freaking out thinking how are we (yes, I’m a part of this now) going to get out of that little pickle. I’ll likely be thinking about this for a while.

I must say, after finishing this book and sitting with it for a while, I’m really happy with the growth, acceptance, and bravery that as shown by these characters. And I’m not talking only about Sophie or Joe. Several of these characters had different areas to grow in, and from knowing that to the conclusion of this story, there were several character arcs. Reading the last chapter especially I was THRILLED.

I’m sure some people will want an epilogue to this story, but personally I’m happy without. I find epilogues forced (and tbh I begrudgingly read them but dislike 95% of same) and I’m glad Lindsey did not go there. I believe this story was wrapped up in the perfect way for these characters. It’s hard for me to say otherwise when I had a stupid silly smile slapped on my face but come on.

Final thoughts:
1. I am buying a paperback for my shelf as soon as they are available
2. From here on out, beside ROM-COM in the dictionary you’ll now find the cover of Love Story.

*An ARC was received from HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.