Unfortunately, I put this one down as soon as I picked it up and this is a DNF for me. From the first chapter/2% in:

"....condemning Jules's request to leave an hour early on Friday to the category of heinous crimes equivalent to genocide. Fine, maybe not genocide, but it was definitely on a par with daring to deliver an unacceptably lukewarm flat white to Caroline's office...."

So! Comparing a co-workers request to leave work early to GENOCIDE is incredibly tactless. This line immediately gave me the ick, and I didn't want to continue reading after this.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager as well as NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

This book is cute and was a nice reprieve from "heavier" reads. A modern bookstore retelling of Romeo and Juliet, there's not much depth to Jules and Roman. Their stories feel really rushed and cobbled together, with the pacing picking up towards the last quarter of the novel. If you go into the text looking for something "cozy" without looking for too much substance, it's a light, fine read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the advanced copy.

Thank you Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. The Battle of the Bookshops is loose retelling of Romeo and Juliet, set in the modern world and centered around two owners of rival bookshops. While the premise of this book interested me, I am sad to say that the actual book was a complete miss for me. I considered DNFing it multiple times, but I forced myself to read to the end, hoping that I’d appreciate the story more. None of the characters appealed to me and the plot dragged. The romance between the two main characters was also not believable. I am typically a fan of rivals to lovers, but this felt forced and awkward. There were also a lot of references to the story of Romeo and Juliet, and while this started off cute, the comparisons eventually became tiresome.

This was a super loose Romeo and Juliet retelling. So of course, the MC’s names had to be Roman and Jules.

I love the book cover. The food descriptions had my tummy grumbling. The English dialect was hilarious.

The primary plot point was that they each owned a bookshop across the street from one another, their families were “enemies, which meant they were fighting each other business-wise. The competition was fun. I thoroughly enjoyed reading of the ways Jules improved the shop with her aunt, and the progress they made. The other characters that came in, like Charlie and Imogen, were great, throwing in that sense of community. Charlie was amazing, his background and passion had me so interested. The little side quest he took on was more interesting than anything else and brought everything to a happy ending.

Now, what I couldn’t stand was the “romance.” I just did not get the lovey dovey from Roman and Jules. Roman was a verbal ass most of the time. Clearly actions do not always speak louder than words, cause he would do sweet things but same some real hurtful shiz. He was way too hot and cold. We didn’t get nearly enough of his POV to understand what was happening in his head. And then he just admits to himself he loves her out of the blue? Very confusing. Very slow if not nonexistent burn.

The pacing of everything was strange too. Some events went by and gave me whiplash, then others dragged on and I found myself skimming ahead to get to the point. I would have preferred this book was only about the build-back-up of Capelthorne’s and just left the awkward enemies-to-lovers trope out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the eARC in return for an honest review!
Publication Date: 08/19/2025

A heartwarming, uplifting story that will resonate with anyone who loves books, small towns, and second chances. Set in a charming English village, the novel follows the rivalry between two struggling bookshops—and the people fighting to save them. With her usual warmth and humor, the author creates a cast of endearing characters, each with their own hopes, flaws, and dreams. The novel beautifully captures the magic of bookstores as places of community, comfort, and resilience. While the premise might sound light, it doesn't shy away from deeper emotions: grief, pride, and the fear of failure, which are all woven through the story, giving it emotional weight. The enemies-to-allies relationship at the center unfolds with delightful tension and a satisfying amount of heart. Some plot points are a little predictable, but that's part of the charm—this is a story you settle into like a cozy armchair. Would recommend to cozy rom-com readers.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC in exchange for a honest review. Cute story and fun plot!

The idea of this book is interesting to say the least. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I want to like it but I have a hard time making a connection. The bookshop sounds like a great space to be and aunt flo? She found the new bookstore!! She got fired and it was her old crush? Interesting! His pov. The names give me Romeo and Juliet vibes. Now back to her pov. Daddy issues and the reason the families are at war! The banter!! She got engaged that quickly? His intentions got exposed and she was true? She disappeared, she found her and he helped?! Charlie and his whole idea. I hope it all works out. She's sick? Her business method for the bookshop is the one I would personally go to. I love to get stuff on a real good deal! The hot toddy and the grimoire? I love the dynamic and aunt flo on a date???!!! That guy and the hang out. Them talking about their jobs as shes passing by. The dress, such a me thing that I would do! I love the explanation of her days, it feels interesting. The whole residence with the author/artist seems like the coolest thing! I love the fact that this book is growing on me I love it so far, it really itches the part in me that has always wanted to work either in a library or at a bookstore. He brought her freaking ice cream?? They figured out about the book and that sale in the morning. The lunch! Woah the transcript sounds like it just got darker towards the end. I wonder if she got poisoned. The wedding seems to be happening. Roman is the best man, of course he is. I would have cried too. He gave her his coat and everything. The wedding and that line. Him helping her get home. His pov. He loves her? The feud and he seems sus. I would so buy the book thing! His family is yucky I don't like them. He is rebelling tho! He's crying? The heartbreaking conversation and the switch up. The sadness and a fire? The aftermath! The heart problems and everything going on! Meeting the family? Her mom and wow! Everything had changed and the auction!! Marriage and babies in New York? The epilogue. I changed my mind this is a four star book, it grew on me!

Quote: "luckily vaulting is one of my many special talents."

Rated it four out of five stars!

Jules moves back to help her elderly great aunt run the family bookstore, while Roman arrives back to take over the family legacy, as well as open his very own bookstore across the street.

This book was fine. I requested it awhile back and knew it was about battling bookshops (obviously), but wasn't thrilled at the whole Romeo/Juliet theme throughout the story. It just turned me off the book. There were flimsy reasons as to why the families were still feuding, and I didn't get the whole initial grudge from when Jules was a teenager. I also found it hard to believe she would willingly enter a relationship when he was actively trying to tank the business.

This book, however, would be good for those who enjoy enemies to lovers, forbidden(ish) love, and small town romances.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC. All views and opinions are my own.

A modern twist on Romeo and Juliet with bookstore owners at the heart of the story. While I appreciated the unique premise and found the characters engaging, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing.

The story centers on two bookstore owners who, like the iconic lovers, are caught in a world that seems set against their relationship. The author does a fantastic job developing the characters, and I found myself genuinely rooting for them throughout their journey. The connection between the two felt authentic, and their shared love for literature added a nice touch of depth to their bond.

However, despite the solid premise and likable characters, the book never quite lived up to its potential. I kept waiting for a certain spark—something to elevate the story beyond its initial charm—and it just didn’t come

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I was intrigued by this book as a Romeo and Juliet meets You've Got Mail retelling but the story is dull. The author seems to think a lot of her vocabulary because there are several words I needed to look up. The love interests have zero chemistry at nearly halfway in. It's absolutely boring me. I stopped reading at 41% in. I couldn't handle it anymore. There are more enticing reads on my TBR. Really disappointed by this one because I thought I was going to love it.

The Battle of the Bookshops had a fun premise: a modern Romeo & Juliet set in the world of rival bookshops, but without the tragedy. I was ready for a cozy, clever love story. What I got instead felt heavy with too many subplots and not enough focus on the heart of the romance.

The Romeo & Juliet references weren’t subtle—at all. The character names were clear nods, and the story kept circling back to the comparison like it didn’t quite trust the reader to catch on. It became a bit much after a while.

What really made this a tough read for me was how bogged down it became with extra subplots and details that didn’t feel necessary. I kept finding myself skimming, just hoping to get back to the main story—or honestly, just to the end.

There’s definitely a cute concept at the heart of this, and I wanted to like it more than I did. But in the end, the story just got lost in all the noise.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

I am a huge fan of both Romeo and Juliet and You’ve Got Mail, so I was so excited to hear about this book. Our FMC is Jules and our MMC is Roman. They were so cute together but I felt like we missed most of their journey. They fell in love off page for the most part, so it seemed to not be the point of the story. It kept being mentioned that no one knew what started the two families feuding. When the diary from the past ancestor was found, I thought the point would be to find out the origins of the feud. Instead it was a totally separate side quest, with a nice result but still. I adored Aunt Flo and Charlie was an interesting character I’d like to know more about. Cute read!

Very cute and quick read. I enjoyed reading the book and love the Romeo and Juliet themes in the book (don't worry there is a happy ending). Aunt Flo was great. Well done enemies to lover book with Jules and Roman. I will be adding Poppy Alexander to my list authors to read.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun book. I really enjoyed this book!

This book is will be published in August! Early copy was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for a review.

What they say this book is about: Romeo&Juliet/Shakespeare themed enemies to lovers. They own competing bookshops across the street from each other….

What this book is actually about: Jules trying to sell an ancestor’s 1600s manuscript— all so her sick great Aunt Flo can die with some money to her name.

Back and forth pacing. Random side stories. Childish characters. Jules & Roman never talked and then all the sudden they were in love. I also couldn’t figure out the time period ? Old language that just didn’t flow made me think the time period was long ago, but then mentions of Instagram posting, BookTok, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and gender pronouns made me realize this was a modern setting.

Not for me, but maybe someone else might like it.

Romeo and Juliet meet You’ve Got Mail in this cute and enjoyable story.

Jules has returned home to Portneath to help take care of her great aunt after she was injured. She gets fired from her job after extending her visit and decides to stay to help run the family’s bookshop rather than return to London and look for a new job.

Roman, her former crush but current nemesis, has returned home from NYC and opens a bookshop right across the street. His family is looking to shake things up in town. Unbeknownst to Jules, Roman also had a bit of a crush on her back in high school, so he finds it is easy to seek her out and be kind despite the current competition, where he clearly wants to win both her heart and her customers.

Jules and Roman know they are supposed to dislike each other because their families have been feeding for over a century, but does that mean it has to continue? Can the two of them overcome the feud, both in business and family history, and finally have their happily ever after?

This is a quick and entertaining story with a clean and sweet romance sure to please the everyone.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing the ARC with me. All opinions are my own.

An absolute gem for book lovers!
Coming August 19, 2025, The Battle of the Bookshops by Poppy Alexander is a heartwarming, charming read that will make you want to hug your favorite bookstore. Set in the idyllic seaside town of Portneath, this delightful novel is a love letter to stories, community, and the power of perseverance. Jules Capelthorne is a wonderfully relatable heroine, smart, determined, and full of heart, as she takes on the challenge of saving her great-aunt’s beloved (if slightly shabby) bookshop. But when the competition comes in the form of Roman Montbeau, her childhood rival turned infuriatingly attractive businessman, the stakes, and the sparks, only get higher.
Perfect for fans of You've Got Mail and Jenny Colgan, this is a cozy, uplifting story about rivalry, romance, and fighting for what matters most. Don’t miss this irresistible read!

⭐️ ⭐️ 2.5/5

I just couldn’t get into this one as much as I wanted to. It was a fun, light read and the setting was strong. I enjoyed the Romeo and Juliet references.

Ahhh guys I’m a little bummed because I was really excited about this one after reading the premise! However, I really just could not be sold on the romance aspect in this one. It was really hard for me to stay engaged and it felt like I had to trudge through. The FMC seemed to detest the MMC and then we had to believe they were in love? It just was too clunky and messy in structure. I also felt there was waaaay too much reference to the Romeo and Juliet retelling here and it wasn’t hitting for me.