If you want to read yet ANOTHER retelling of Romeo & Juliet, this is the book for you. With almost zero imagination from the characters names- Roman & Julia (and the last names aren't any better) - you will feel like you're reading one of the many twenty-first century remakings. The book even mentions the original play several times as if even she was trying to convince herself that this was actually an ok path to trod on with. The trope of enemies to lovers even failed as the "enemies" part was shallow at best. It was very difficult to finish this book, but I knew I had to in order to write a truly honest and complete opinion. It did NOT get better the further it went on.

I saw another reviewer who described this as a temu Romeo and Juliet. That's easily the best description. I knew it was supposed to be a take on the classic tale, but yeah the names alone made is just too much for me. I'm sure this book will find it's audience but unfortunately that audience was not me!

I tried to give this book a fair shot, but it was like being trapped in a dollar store fairy tale and the cheese turned up to nacho.

A small seaside town and a temu Romeo and Juliet. We go from Capulet to Capelthrone and Montague to Montbeau. Scooby was insulted by the lameness. The writing is as wonky as the bookshop’s shelves. There was a battle of scones, SCONES!

Life is too short, it’s a DNF folks. Save your time and let this battle be lost.

Absolutely fantastic plot! Could not put the book down once I began reading it. Cannot wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

Just like Romeo and Juliet, the Montbeaus and Capelthornes have been battling for almost a century. When Poppy's Aunt Flo falls she comes home to help run the family bookstore that is about to turn 100 years old. However she discovers Roman Montbeau has opened a competitor shop and holds the lease for their shop. Despite her best efforts she finds herself falling for Roman. Can she give her heart to the guy who will destroy her family?
It was a really cute hallmark feel good book

I received an eARC of this book from HarperCollins Publishers via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. Very early on, it becomes evident that this story of battling bookshops draws parallels from the Shakespearean play, Romeo & Juliet. I thought the enemies-to-lovers trope for Roman and Jules was endearing, but the whole investigation into the Capelthorne family history just felt like filler to me. I also found the writing to be a bit too formal at times in what I felt was supposed to be a lighthearted romance. Overall though, this was just an okay read for me.

**A Heartwarming Literary Delight – *The Battle of the Bookshops* by Poppy Alexander**

*The Battle of the Bookshops* by Poppy Alexander is a charming and heartwarming tribute to the magic of independent bookstores. When Jules Capelthorne returns to save her great-aunt’s beloved but struggling bookshop, she’s met with fierce competition from a sleek, new store owned by her family’s rival, Roman Montbeau. As Jules fights to keep Capelthorne’s Books alive, she channels her passion, wit, and love for the literary world.

The book is filled with delightful characters, a dash of romance, and plenty of literary references that will resonate with any book lover. Jules is an inspiring, determined heroine, while Roman’s sharp exterior hides a more complex character that keeps you guessing. The tension between them adds a fun spark to the story.

If you’ve ever found solace in the aisles of a bookstore or rooted for an underdog, *The Battle of the Bookshops* is a must-read. It’s a cozy, feel-good story about love, rivalry, and preserving the heart of a community—one book at a time. A true delight for bookworms everywhere!

Jules and her Aunt Flo are the Capelthorne's and own Capeltorne books. Roman is a Montbaue and owns Portneath Books. These 2 families have been fueding for over 100 years. Now there are bookstores involved. Who will win the battle?
I absolutely loved this book. There are several side characters that help to move the story along. Freya and her restaurant. Charlie, the antiquanarian. I would really like to see a book based around Charlie. There are also enough little twists and turns to keep you engaged.

This was both very cute and also fairly predictable (yes, I'm saying this about a romance novel, which is a genre in which one can predict the ending as part of genre rules). I think the move from enemies to lovers could have been more nuanced, but I did like a lot of the characters and the town setting and especially the side characters. 3.5 rounded up.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley.

I thought that The Battle of the Bookshops was going to be so freaking good with rivals to lovers falling in love with each other. Unfortunately, this book didn’t live up to my expectations. The rivals, in my opinion, didn’t make any sense. Yes, the two families have been rivals for centuries. But Jules and Roman never interacted with each other, so it makes no sense for them to be rivals at all. When Jules and Roman finally interacted and completed, they were supposed to be rivals when clearly they were just competing and falling in love. Yeah, it didn’t add up.

This ARC was my first read of 2025, and what a perfectly cozy read it was!
It's You've Got Mail meets a fun spin on Romeo and Juliet. I was experiencing a bit of reading fatigue towards the end of 2024 and was actually a bit hesitant to start this, but once I did I was hooked- quite literally, I read this until 3 in the morning to be able to finish it in one sitting!
The two main characters are so likeable and felt their chemistry- I loved that there was a bit of a childhood crush/unrequited trope to their relationship.
The FMC's aunt, who is like her mom is such a treat and felt like a warm, soothing hug. Great plot, great character development and fantastic introduction to this author. I will definitely be looking into more of her work moving forward. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher/author for approving me for this ARC. I will definitely be purchasing a paperback for my collection once it has been officially released.

A lighthearted read in which you know that, while the author borrows characters and their rivalries from Romeo and Juliet, everything will work out in the end.

Any story about a bookstore or someone who loves books is an instant love for me. The rival/ romeo and juliet vibes was just an added bonus!

This book was just so darling. The Romeo and Juliet trope AND a cutesy bookshop rivalry? I’m heavily OBSESSED!

Roman was just so sweet to Jules the entire time and he must be cherished! I adore Aunt Flo so much she deserves the world! I look forward to reading more books by this author 🥹

This one wasn't really for me. The story follows Jules, a young woman who is determined to save her aunt's bookshop. But then her childhood crush and family nemesis returns to town and opens a bookstore across the road from Jules. Roman comes from a posh, upper-class family that has feuded with Jules' family for generations. The bookstore rivalry heats up, and so does the relationship between Jules and Roman.

This is a clear retelling/reimaginig of Romeo and Juliet. Something I personally don't like is when stories try to do reimaginings of a famous story in a way that doesn't make any sense. I would have loved this book if it wasn't for the forced family feud. Two rival bookstore owners would be an incredible story. However, the backstory as to why the two families hated each other didn't make any sense, and Jules didn't even know the story. Therefore, it just didn't feel like it was important. Other than maybe being a small conflict point, it seemed like there was no reason for this to be a Romeo and Juliet retelling.

Just couldn't get into this book. A Romeo and Juliet modern retelling but the lack of creativity just really rubbed me the wrong way.

What a sweet book to kick off the New Year!

Jules returns home from London after her great aunt takes a fall and needs help running her bookshop. But on the way into town, she runs into Roman, from the family her own family has a century long feud with. Think Montagues v. Capulets 😉 And to make matters worse, Roman is opening a fancy new bookshop right across the street. The battle is on!

This book was so cozy. The bookshop vibes, cute English town, the friendships, ugh so good! I loved the relationship Jules had with her Great Aunt Flo, they were two peas in a pod. I like an enemies to lovers trope, but I think I could have used a little more from the Roman and Jules falling in love. It seemed to happen out of nowhere for a me a little. As someone who reads mostly thrillers, the pacing felt a bit slow. But then again I’m used to two page chapters with a cliffhanger every other sentence 🤣

Sweet, albeit predictable, retelling of Romeo & Juliet. At times, the comparisons to the original seemed cliche and over the top. The side stories were perhaps too much and for me ultimately took away from the main plot. I’m not averse to insta-love, but the back-and-forth seemed immature. This might be a gem for someone else!

This book was so so cute! Oh my god! So the main characters were adorable in their own way and I thought their relationship was adorable! This was perfect for the holiday season to read!

Solid 3⭐️’s. A quick cozy read for the holiday season. Had some hope due to bookshop theme, but not the biggest fan of Romeo and Juliet microtrope.