Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Storybook Ending was a really cute story! It’s a sort of love triangle (but not really). This story bounces between three different characters and Macdonald did a great job balancing their stories out and tying everything together.

If you like cozy rom-coms, then this book is definitely worth checking out!

This book is like a cozy rom-com wrapped in a love letter to bookstores. A misdelivered note, a clueless bookstore clerk, and two women who find themselves caught in an unexpected love triangle—what could possibly go wrong? Macdonald balances humor, heart, and a deep love for the written word, making this a feel-good read with just enough twists to keep things interesting. It’s warm, witty, and full of the kind of serendipity that only happens in the best rom-coms. If you love You’ve Got Mail, The Lost Letter, or Beach Read, this is right up your alley.t read.

3.75⭐️
This book was cute! I enjoyed it. The writing was overall good! It follows 3 perspectives and at first I was a little worried about that but ultimately I really enjoyed it. I never knew what was going to happen (except I did definitely guess 1 of the minor twists). It had comedic relief and definite coziness! I enjoyed it. It’s definitely a storybook ending.
The one thing that I didn’t love was the constant -words- or veryyyy long parentheses. I liked how these added to the story and made you feel like you were very invested but sometimes it would go on for far too long and become confusing.

This author’s writing style was not my favorite. The story was cute, but I was bogged down by some of the descriptions/found them unnecessary. I did like the characters, but I wish it had been written a bit differently.

I received a free DRC of this book through Netgalley. I am always drawn towards books set in bookstores. This one has lots of different characters POVs which makes it fun to see the back and forth. I liked the ending more than a typical romance. I think it would be great to have a follow up book about each of the main characters since the book gives such quick summaries of each character's life.

All in all, a cute book with slice-of-life vibes!

I did go into it expecting something a bit different because of the way it’s described as a love triangle gone askew/etc, because thats really not what this story is. So that threw me off a bit. I think the book description could maybe use some tweaking.

Aside from that, I enjoyed almost all the characters. Westley wasn’t my favorite, as even by the end I found his character and plot line kind of “meh”. But everyone else was endearing!
The first half of the book did feel like it dragged on a bit more than I would’ve liked. It felt like nothing was happening and the same things/topics/etc were being described multiple times in long-winded ways. The second half grasped my interest much better. Although maybe the wrap-up was a bit too quick, at least in contrast with how slow the build-up was.

Overall these were minor issues and some even come down to personal preferences, so I still enjoyed the book and thought it was nice!

Meg Ryan mention!! I loved her in The Women.

April is our second-hand thrifting, bookish heroin in this cozy rom-com. She lives a solitary life in an apartment peppered with some of her favorite thrifted finds and books. Her local book store clerk is handsome, friendly and leaving April feeling like she’s forgotten how to socialize. In attempt to catch his attention, she leaves him a letter in a returned library book in hopes it’ll reach him.
When Laura, a widowed mother enraptured in her busy life desperate for an outlet receives April’s letter instead, things take a hilariously human turn.
This was just the goofiest, whimsical book I loved it. April just wanted to spice things up one day and what fellow home body doesn’t love a little drama?? Plus she was a very frugal girly and I can get behind that. A girl after my own heart! This read like a cozy, rom-com I really love every character and the email exchanges were a nice element.
Many romance film references which is my favorite as a fellow film nerd. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

A charming and sweet read, Storybook Ending weaves a delightful tale of mistaken identities, serendipitous encounters, and bookish romance. April, Laura, and Westley’s intertwining stories bring humour, heart, and a touch of whimsy, making this novel a refreshing tribute to love, friendship, and the magic hidden between the pages of a well-loved book. Perfect for anyone seeking a fresh perspective on fate and connection.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for providing an eARC of Storybook Ending prior to publication.

5 stars

This was such a unique book, but in the best way possible. I loved every page of this story. The main setting of the story was cozy, all of the different POVs were easy to follow and entertaining. The way things wrapped up at the end was just perfect. This is such a cozy comforting read.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC of this book!

A sweet story of a lonely girl diving out of her comfort zone to live out her slow-burn romantic fantasy, turned into a tale of friendship. I loved how the author wrote little blurbs about the other side characters and their lives. As someone who always likes to imagine what the stories behind the background characters are, I'm sure like-minded readers would appreciate it too. As for Westley himself, he didn't really have any redeeming qualities, which makes sense considering these girls are fantasizing over a "dream bookstore man' whom they had never met. While I did enjoy and relate to some of the inner reflections of Laura and April, over time I lost interest in reading. Halfway through, I could see very clearly where the plot was going and I started to read just to see what happens when the main characters finally meet for the first time.

Overall, A Storybook Ending is charming book about everyday people taking chances and waiting to see what happens next. A nice, light read to keep on your nightstand.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton (Penguin Group) for this ARC.

A sweet and heartwarming story where friendship, romance, mystery and found family overcome loneliness. The story starts a bit slowly but it builds to a rich and thoughtful conclusion. A true book lover’s dream. Thank you to @PenguinBooks and @NetGalley for the ARC of this thoughtful story. #storybookending.

This is an example of a creative idea that goes off the rails with silliness and lengthy, unnecessary details. If you have ever read a romcom you will determine the ending long before it arrives. But thank you to Bloomsbury/Dutton and Net Galley for this early copy to read and review.

Laura is a personal shopper for an upscale department store in Seattle. (Are there still department stores in this age of online shopping? Or Personal Shoppers?) April has a work-at-home job with a real estate company and makes suggestions to sellers about staging their homes. There is also Westley, (yes, named after the Princess Bride character), a handsome bearded bookstore clerk and several other minor characters. These include Julia, bookstore owner, Raven and Alejandra, bookstore clerks, This seems like a lot of staff for such a small independent bookstore. We also have Donna Wolfe (no relation.) and her large entourage who are filming in the bookstore. Book titles and notes inserted in them cause complications.

If you're totally without other reading material, you may stick with this to the end because it does have some cuteness. Otherwise, perhaps the sophomore effort of Moira Macdonald will prove more worthwhile.

Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald 📚

A note in a book at a bookstore finds the wrong recipient! And a story of love, life and friendship ensues and boy was this fun.

Reading this book felt like cozying up with a coffee and a cozy blanket. I couldn’t put it down. The characters were all so unique and beautifully written.

I loved the development of friendships and relationships and how it came together. I couldn’t speak higher of this book ❤️

April decides to be brave and leave a note inside a book for the cute guy who works at the bookstore (who, by the way, is very cute, as we're constantly being told). But naturally he isn't the one who gets it. Thus ensues a love triangle with unwitting participants. The pace picks up speed toward the end -- too much so. But I liked the developments at the end the best.

This was a very sweet read! I was disappointed that there weren't more letters exchanged before the big reveal but I love how the characters were interwoven throughout the story. This was just the heartwarming read I needed!

This is the story of April, Laura, and Westley (Yes, from The Princess Bride!). April works from home and lacks frequent in-person interactions. April takes notice of Westley as he works in the neighborhood bookstore and decides to leave a note for him to find inside of a book. Laura, a widowed single mom, finds the note instead. Both women think that Westley is leaving them notes. Westley has no idea of the correspondence whatsoever. Will he find out what has been going on for weeks unbeknownst to him?
-
-
-
I was very grateful to receive this ARC! It was my first one and there was much excitement to have the honor of reading and reviewing an unpublished work.

I really enjoyed getting to know the characters, of which there were many. In particular, I gravitated towards Laura more. She was relatable and I felt for her story of losing her husband and trying to get back out there!

I walked into this book thinking it would be a rom-com. Up until about 75% of the way through the book and then I realized it was most likely going another way. It wasn't a bad ending at all, I think I just went into it expecting something completely different to what it was!

I really didn't fall for Westley as much as I think I should have? He seemed sweet but it was as if the author had amnesia and kept forgetting that she had told us how good looking Westley was AND that his name came from The Princess Bride. It was humorous at first, but it just didn't seem realistic that every single person in his life was falling at his feet.

I would recommend this book for someone in need of an anti-rom rom-com! It's not overflowing with romance or flirty remarks, but the story ends up rounding out really well in an unexpected way. I rated it 3.5 stars because, as I said prior, I was expecting more of the rom and less com. If I had known a little bit more about it, I think I would have rated it slightly higher! Thank you again to Dutton Books for allowing me to read this book in advance!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Tropes: Mistaken Identity, Love Triangle

Synopsis: April has been feeling isolated in life. She works remotely and doesn’t have much of a social life, so she decides to break her routine by leaving an anonymous note for a charming bookstore employee. Laura, a single mother, stumbles upon the note and believes it’s meant for her and was left by the handsome bookstore employee. This mix-up leads both women on unexpected journeys of self-discovery and connection, all centered around their local bookstore.

Thoughts: This was a multi-person POV that intertwines the lives of several characters through a serendipitous misunderstanding. The story is a different twist on You’ve Got Mail capturing the urning for human connection and the magic of bookstores. While the plot hinges on a simple miscommunication, it’s executed in a clunky way at times. There were several mentions in Westley’s POV about how everyone thinks he is handsome because people are always staring at him or giving/doing things for him. It was kinda odd and felt out of place. I think Westley’s POV brought the books down a bit. I enjoyed Julia and April’s POVs and their storyline. The ending was nice to see how everyone’s lives are now connected and they have all gained something from this love triangle.

Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald is a very sweet, cute beach read about a young woman who leaves a note in a book for the cute guy, Westley, who processes the used books at a bookstore. He doesn't see it and the book is sold to a young widow who answers the note, thinking she is speaking to Westley and the unusual romance proceeds from there. At times fun and adorable, at times so slow you want to skip to the end, Storybook Ending really is a sweet book if you want a light read. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Storybook Ending was a light, cozy read. I loved how we got to follow multiple pov’s and enjoyed reading the letters, texts and emails between the various characters. I thought the plot was fun however, the pacing was slow at times and felt repetitive. Overall, it was a fun read that teaches us love and friendship can be found in unusual and unexpected places.

Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley for the Arc. All opinions are my own.

A very sweet story. It's just my personal ick to read/watch things where there is a change of someone getting embarrassed (because someone else knows something they don't) Since the big misunderstanding about the note is a huge plot point, it just didn't hit with me. Not at all a reflection of the author or the story, it's a me thing! Overall, the book was sweet and an enjoyable read (if you're not like me and can handle knowing that someone is getting hurt!)