As a librarian and self-proclaimed book lover, Book People by Jackie Ashenden felt like it was written just for me! The small-town setting is brimming with charm, quirky characters, and a literary vibe that I couldn’t resist. Throw in a rivalry between two very different booksellers, and you’ve got a recipe for a delightful enemies-to-lovers romance that had me giggling like a schoolgirl and swooning over every witty exchange.

Kate and Sebastian are polar opposites in the best way. Kate’s approach to bookselling is fun and accessible—she champions popular fiction and wants her shop to feel welcoming to everyone. Meanwhile, Sebastian is all about the classics, curating a “serious” literary collection that mirrors his buttoned-up personality. Their differences set the stage for some of the sharpest banter and most hilarious sparring matches I’ve read in a while. Watching these two go from reluctant collaborators on the town’s literary festival to something so much more was pure magic.

The “grumpy-sunshine” dynamic here is absolute perfection. Kate’s lively, free-spirited energy is the perfect foil for Sebastian’s reserved and slightly elitist tendencies. Their chemistry leaps off the page, building from stolen glances and snarky comments to a slow burn that had me cheering when they finally gave in to their feelings. The buildup to their first kiss was chef’s kiss—so worth it!

Beyond the romance, Ashenden captures something so special about the way books connect people. I loved how the story celebrates all types of readers and challenges the idea that certain books are more valuable than others. Kate’s mission to make her shop a haven for all readers, regardless of what they love, deeply resonated with me. And Sebastian’s journey of letting go of his rigid ideas about literature and life was just as satisfying.

This book is everything I want in a rom-com: humor, heart, and just enough spice to keep things interesting. If you’re into enemies-to-lovers, grumpy-sunshine vibes, or just adore books about books, Book People is a must-read. It’s a cozy, romantic, and utterly charming story that reminds us that love, like a good book, can surprise us in the best ways.

I really enjoyed this one! The whole grumpy x sunshine rival book shop owners was just so fun and the small town setting was perfect. I liked that there was a mystery element to the book too. I thought the main storyline of the book festival was a great way to force Kate and Sebastian to work together and made for a tonne of fun scenes. It was just so sweet watching them open up to eachother.

The main characters were fully fleshed out and believable which added a lot to the story. Kate's relationship history touched on some dark areas and I think it was handled really well! The characters were definitely a stand out part of the book for me but I did really enjoy the plot too.

I'd definitely recommend picking this up if you're in the mood for a bookish romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
In Book People by Jackie Ashenden, we’re introduced to two very different bookshop owners who end up caught in a charming love story. Kate is all about cozy, feel-good fiction and runs a bookshop with cozy windows that practically invite you to curl up and read. Across the street is Sebastian, a more serious literary type with a bit of a snobby attitude toward genre books. The two of them couldn’t be more different, both in their personalities and their shops. But despite their differences, they’re bound to cross paths, and sparks fly as they go from enemies to lovers.

This book is a sweet, lighthearted romance with plenty of tension, laughs, and moments that make you smile. If you’re in the mood for a quick, easy read with a bit of humor and romance, this one is definitely worth picking up. It’s a perfect choice for fans of enemies-to-lovers stories, and it’s one I’d highly recommend for a cozy reading session.
3.95 Stars!

Thank you NetGalley & Headline for the ARC of
Book People by Jackie Ashenden in exchange for my honest review!

If I see a book about book lovers, I’m 99.9% of the time going to read it. I’m a sucker for these kinds of stories. A woman attempting to escape her past and an abusive relationship by moving to a new to her (old to her family) town, opening a bookstore in a shop passed down through generations and starting over. A rival bookstore owner across the street hardened by the men’s choices in his family. Sign me up!

To be honest, I almost DNF’d this immediately because the writing at the beginning was not my favorite. It started really fast and I was a little confused at first. The MMC was insufferable most of the time, which drove me nuts, but I eventually softened to his personality.

This was a take it or leave it for me but you’re looking for a cute, fun love story centered around books, I would recommend picking this one up!

Great premises that fell quite short. I didn't feel any connections to the characters. They didn't feel any connections to each other. Sebastian comes off a bit too obnoxious and stubborn to be the dark brooding MMC that the author was tying to pass.

The positive thing that I read it in a day

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC, all opinions are my own

Jackie Ashenden’s Book People is a charming, enemies-to-lovers rom-com set in a cosy small town.

Kate, a bubbly new bookseller, opens a genre-focused shop that clashes with Sebastian’s highbrow bookstore across the street. Their rivalry is as entertaining as it is heated, with Kate’s optimism colliding hilariously with Sebastian’s grumpy rule-following.

When forced to work together on the town’s literary festival, sparks fly, and their witty banter gives way to undeniable chemistry. Ashenden balances humour, heartfelt moments, and just the right amount of steam, making their journey from rivals to lovers irresistible.

With a delightful small-town vibe, quirky characters, and a swoon-worthy romance, Book People is a must-read for fans of grumpy-sunshine and enemies-to-lovers tropes.

I had high hopes for this book but the story wasn't really for me. I thought it was well-written and the premise was good. I think this is a book for people more inclined to read cutesy emenies to lovers romance but I found the MMC annoying and rude mostly.

2.5 stars
This book had a really cute premise. However, I could not connect with the main characters, so I didn't love it. I really enjoyed learning more about their great grandparents, however the actual main characters were slightly annoying. The FMC Kate was sweet and somewhat relatable, however the MMC Sebastian was not a good person. He was territorial over Kate whilst being adamant that he really didn't like her, and he was always rude to her for no reason. I thought their intimate relationship moved way too quickly, and the ending felt a little rushed.

Kate and Sebastian (from both times) have an interesting and rollercoaster romance. Highlighting both mental and physical abuse, as well as how addiction can impact those we love was a strong choice and was written really well.

There were a few parts that countered what had been stated earlier in the plot, so that was a little frustrating. I liked the Wuthering Heights reference and the epilogue being the original Sebastian and Kate was so cute!

My main issue with the book was the current Sebastian. He seemed almost as problematic as Jasper had been, just in a different way. He didn’t want anyone else to be with her, but he was still ridiculously possessive of her at the same time.

Probably 3.5 ⭐️ rounded to 4.

What an incredibly captivating read! The character development was truly outstanding, as each character evolved beautifully through their unique journeys. I was utterly drawn in by the transformation from fierce rivals, brimming with sexual tension, to what felt like truly destined partners.

One of the highlights of the story was the letters they unearthed. Each one was a blend of romance and heartbreak that added so much depth, making their journey even more compelling—though we’re left hoping for a happy ending!

This situation also provided a fascinating opportunity for the two characters to delve into each other’s family histories, revealing how the echoes of the past significantly impact their present lives. I was thoroughly engrossed in this story, and I can't wait to explore more works by this talented author!

I felt like this had your typical trope throughout the book. The plot was predictable but the cute main character made up for it.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy to honestly review.

The idea of rival bookstore owners in a cozy small-town setting had so much potential to charm me completely. But while I loved the setting and the potential for a swoony, bookish romance, I feel like Book People didn’t quite deliver for me.

Kate and Sebastian had the kind of opposites-attract dynamic that should’ve been a slow burn filled with tension and banter, but instead, their relationship felt rushed and mostly fueled by lust. Don’t get me wrong, their chemistry was there, but I struggled to see a deeper connection beyond their physical attraction. I also couldn’t fully warm up to Sebastian, he came across as whiny and a little too stuck in his “broody literary snob” vibe, which made it harder for me to root for him. The subplot about the letters and the history of their bookstores was really sweet and added some charm to the story, but I couldn’t help but wish it had been explored more. Similarly, the ending left me wanting closure, there were a lot of loose ends with Sebastian’s family drama and Kate’s involvement in Lisa’s book.

That being said, I think Book People still has its moments. The small-town setting is cozy, and the nods to bookish culture made it a fun escape. If you’re a sucker for romance with a bookstore backdrop, it’s worth picking up. Just go in with tempered expectations.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not for me. I tried so hard to get into this, as it had all the makings of a delightful romantic comedy. The quaint English small town is usually a fun backdrop that adds playful layer to the main story. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to connect with the town or the characters, I thought the way they interacted to be very forced and cringey, and I just didn’t buy in. Hopefully others will appreciate this book. Thanks NetGalley for an advanced copy of this ebook!

I love books about books so I was very excited to read this! I thought it was cute and overall enjoyed it. I also enjoy the small town romance trope. Unfortunately something I don't love is instalove and it kind of felt like this with the two main characters.

I thought this was a super cute book and I really enjoyed it! I love romance books that are set in a bookish setting, especially combined with my love for small town romances.

Overall I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others who love small towns and book shop settings!

What a perfect read for this retired bookstore owner, admitted bookaholic, and Jackie Ashenden fan! Ms. Ashenden had me at just the title. Dueling booksellers on opposite sides of the street in a small English village was a perfect setting, and her two principal characters, Sebastian and Kate's enemies to lovers relationship made this a 5-star read.

Kate moves from London to Wychtree, leaving her former boyfriend and his 4 years of his put-downs, controlling, manipulative, and narcissistic behavior. She inherited an empty shop that was previously owned by a number of her forebears and decides to open the bookshop she's dreamed of, Portable Magic, which caters to the genre fiction crowd in this small town. Sebastian Blackwood, descendant and current owner of Blackwood Books, which caters to the more highbrow literary readers in down isn't happy that some of his clientele has been frequenting and ordering books from Portable Magic, directly across the street and having a negative impact on his sales. It doesn't help matters that he's attracted to Kate the very moment he sees her, but after 2 months of ignoring her, Kate hears about the literary festival he's planning and wants to be included.

And so begins this on-again, off-again, totally addictive, enemies-to-lovers romance, with some added sexy heat between the two main characters, a touch of mystery about their forebears, and an old box of love notes, that made this novel absolutely unputdownable, and I highly recommend it.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions stated herein are my own.

An enemies t0 lovers romance. Kate and Sebastian run rival book shops, with hers the new shop in town. When they end up having to work together will they find they don't hate each other after all?

Book People by Jackie Ashenden

I can so relate to the two main characters, spending time with books is my favorite thing. And libraries and bookstores were a part of my childhood. So for all those kids who escaped into books, hello!

At its core this book is about finding yourself. Sebastian thought all his life he didn't need anyone. All it took was one person to call him out and the carefully maintained facade starting to crack.
Kathryn is starting over with her dream. She's still working through her past choices and finding her roots in the small town of her birth is more than she every hoped. And she deserves to be happy, with more than a book.

2.5 stars. If you are the kind of reader who likes to read how the two romantic leads in a book can't stop thinking about each other CONSTANTLY--like for 90% of the book, then this is the book for you. I liked the premise of two book shop owners working out a relationship--business and personal--and the back story of their ancestor's love story. For me it gets in the way of a good story when there is so much lusting. The relationship stuff was too descriptive for me to read too--lots of pages skipped!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Headlinebooks for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

Thank you to Headline and NetGalley for the ARC of Book People in exchange for an honest review.

Book People is an adorable read based in an English small town village setting and explores a romance between two rival booksellers. Our FMC, Kate, is fresh from London after leaving a four year emotionally abusive relationship. She’s inherited a building that is prime for creating the bookstore of her dreams and she’ll stop at nothing to make it a huge success. The only problem: the high brow bookstore immediately across the street owned by the annoyingly handsome and grumpy Sebastian. When Kate learns that Sebastian is throwing a literary festival and has zero plans to include her, she forces herself into the picture whether he wants her to or not. Now the question becomes, can they hate each other long enough to mask the fact that they may actually be perfect for each other?

This love story transcends time in the most unexpected way possible and I love the history between Kate and Sebastian’s families. Kate’s journey of self discovery is so empowering, especially for women who may be experiencing the same level of gas lighting in their own relationship today. While Sebastian may be some people’s idea of a handsome grump, there were some points in the book where his level of indecision and self doubt was annoying and rather unattractive. The author may have played into the “woe is me” theme a bit too much and his preconceived assumptions of why he couldn’t handle a relationship. At many points I felt as if Kate was actually too strong of a woman for Sebastian. Why be with someone who isn’t 100% committed to the relationship? You don’t always want to be convincing them why the relationship is worth it or that you’re worth fighting for. My fear was that Sebastian could be that type of person and that was a bit of a turn off. However, the unique historical plot twist the book has almost makes up for Sebastian’s less than stellar qualities.

Overall, this was a pretty effortless love story mixed with a tinge of mystery and I really enjoyed getting lost in it. Makes me want to spend the afternoon lost in the perfect bookstore!

I won't lie, at first, I was ready to hate this book, and wrote down a list of things I did not like:

Dislikes: the enemies trope was taken a bit too far — no two professional thirty-something year old adults attracted to one another would possibly exhibit this much extreme hatred towards one another. + The ex bf was also constantly brought up (are we going to get a backstory here?)

HOWEVER, its central mystery lured me in, and as I continued on with the story, everything began to unfold and make sense. Generational trauma. Abandonment. Feelings of unworthiness. Fear. These themes play such a big part and have severely handicapped our main characters Sebastian and Kate. Their growth and love story was beautiful as was the slow reveal of the mysterious letters. From about 50% on, I was unable to put down the book, reading it well past midnight.

While I was initially annoyed with Sebastian's behavior, I swooned over literary references, handwritten letters and historical fiction type vibes, as well as the mystery. I came to relate to and love these characters. Easy 4 stars, would recommend!!