Westley (why yes, he was named after that Westley) is very handsome and he’s also very tired and embarrassed by all the attention his looks get him. He just wants to work in peace as the used books coordinator at a bookstore. April admires Westley from afar and decides to leave him a love letter in a book she drops off. Unfortunately, Laura buys the book and assumes Westley is leaving notes for her…

This is a cozy and delightful read! It was fun to get to know April, Laura, and Westley. There are plenty of characters and side plots and the author does a nice job of weaving them altogether and giving the characters distinct personalities.

Thank you very much to Penguin Dutton and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

Storybook Ending had all the makings of a book I’d love—a cozy, bookish theme and a unique premise where a misplaced note leads to an unexpected friendship. While it’s marketed as a love triangle, I found it to be more about personal growth and the bonds between women. The character development was strong, and I enjoyed watching April and Laura’s friendship unfold. That said, the pacing felt slow at times, and I found myself losing interest in certain moments. The ending was sweet, but overall, it didn’t fully grip me the way I had hoped. Still, it’s a light, comforting read, perfect for anyone who enjoys stories about friendship and connection.


Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton | for an advance eCopy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin House for the ARC opportunity.

This was such a fun easy read. It definitely fit into the "cozy" vibe for me.

I am very particular about love triangle tropes, but this one worked for me. The characters were likeable and that helped alot as well. Plus, i love a good bookshop centered story.

All in all, i think Moira did a wonderful job writing this, and pulling the story together in a way that anyone could enjoy, even the ones who dont typically like this type of trope or story. I can't wait to see what else she does!

Such a cute story about books, friendship, and love!!!!

April left an anonymous note in a book for Westley. He works at the neighborhood bookstore. Laura then buys the book, finds the note, and thinks Westley has left it for her. So then it starts the love triangle with Westley being clueless about what's going on.

I loved reading about these characters. They are funny and cute!

Thank you for allowing me to read this story!

This book was a cozy story focused on three individuals and the various people they interact with on a daily basis. The characters were well defined and each had their own unique personality. I enjoyed seeing how each character, even minor background characters, get caught up in the web of the story. As the reader, I enjoyed making those connections and that they weren’t explicitly spelled out - like I personally connected the dots so felt rewarded.
I personally felt the story moved a bit slow for my liking, and the notes exchanged between the two characters were short and impersonal. I would have liked to see more of a connection grow between them as they corresponded in the notes.
I thought the way time skipped forward near the end (via email exchanges) was clever and worked well.
For those that care: no spice, low stakes drama, mid-30s-40 main characters.

I normally don’t like the miscommunication trope because it causes me undue anxiety. However, this book did it really well and developed the characters nicely along the way. There were a few parts that felt a bit repetitive (Westley is really handsome!) but overall the book was very enjoyable and the ending was so satisfying, I’d give the ending 5 stars.

Thank you to Penguin Dutton Group and NetGalley for the ARC

A sweet, fun read. However, the author borrowed a little too heavily from the rom-com genre (not to mention a PNW author whose book I recently read and loved) plucking scenes or ideas directly from movies (or the aforementioned book) and passing them off as her own. Why not take a chance and be original instead of copying what others have already done? Macdonald is a great writer, next time I hope she has the confidence to craft a story that is 100% her own.

Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton for an advance copy of Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald.

I enjoyed reading this book! I loved all the bookish themes and the whole plot being centered around this book store and notes. I loved the theme of female friendships and the development of them in this book. It was cute, cozy & easy to read. I wish it was a little more fast paced but overall a solid 4!

This book was so lovely. It reads like a soft blanket on a wintery evening, a craft latte on a Sunday morning, an old bookstore with your love in a rainstorm. I loved every single thing about it.

Although this book is marketed as a story about an "unusual love triangle" after a note that was left in the pages of a used book is picked up by the wrong recipient, I truly believe this is a story of found friendship and ultimately, girlhood. We follow April, a lonely and seemingly stuck remote tech worker, Laura, a high fashion, driven single mom, and Westly, the handsome bookstore employee, throughout the book by following alternating chapter POVs. The pace sometimes slowed, however, I didn't mind this because in the lulls, we were able to connect with more side characters and learn just how interconnected everyone seemed to be. The song Mastermind by Taylor Swift kept coming to mind because everything, i.e., the emails, the side 'interview' style blurbs and random interactions, all had meaning at the end.

Plus, Moira Macdonald's way of describing ordinary things was just magical. A couple of quotes that immediately come to mind to get you especially interested: "[...] with a carelessly becoming beard and the kind of gentle smile that might inspire bad poetry." "Sometimes the old building just seemed to need to stretch out its bones and make mysterious sounds." "[...] and mellow wood floors that felt a little bit soft when you stepped on them, as if years of wear had turned the wood into carpet." The atmosphere that she created in this book was charming and just so welcoming. And to the quote that made me burst into tears, "You saved yourself. I just reached out a hand."

I would certainly recommend this book to anyone looking for a book that resembles a love letter to books, found friendships and girlhood, and ultimately a story with beautiful, descriptive writing.

Thank you NetGalley, Moira and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC in exchange for my thoughts & review.

5/5 stars

This book was so atmospheric, and the character studies were so relatable and interesting. I didn’t get bored at all when reading about each person’s thoughts, feelings, and motivations, which added so much to the story. Also, the addition of emails, texts, and articles was done so tastefully and really added a lot of depth to the story!

Laura’s interactions with Westley genuinely had me giggling, too. She kept on misinterpreting his signals which was hilarious to read. If you’re not a fan of the miscommunication trope, this book might not be for you, but I’m not usually a fan either and I thought it was done really well here.

I also had no idea how this book was gonna end, which really kept me hooked. But, while I’m on the topic of the ending, I think I would’ve preferred to have the characters’ futures be a little bit more ambiguous rather than pairing them up with people right at the end!!

Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald is being reviewed for an upcoming issue of Library Journal. The review will appear in full in that publication or on the website.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for this arc!!!

This book is a PERFECT representation of womanhood and friendships even though it is marketed as a love triangle trope. It was only 4 stars because sometimes I felt like the book had a slower pace, yet other times I felt like it flew through things too quickly!

I love the book-ish themes throughout this book, made my own book-ish heart swell. This read was so fun and I enjoyed myself throughout.

Also, can we take a moment for this author’s vocabulary?!!! Like WOAH! I had a running list of new words I learned from this book which is wonderful and made for an interesting read for something that is deemed to be more simple like romances are portrayed.

Would recommend this book to everyone, such a fun read! Loved all the characters and the SETTING!!! Makes me want to move to Seattle….??

I looooooooove bookish theme books.

And I was super excited to be able to read this. Ahhh so exciting.

This was a very sweet and simple story about friendship and how it can develop in an unlikely situation.

The author can truly write. This was so warm and funny as well.

I really loved this. Thank you for this opportunity

This was a fun, loving, and quick read. I am obsessed with any bookish themed books and this was the perfect blend

This book was good and enjoyable! It was the type of story where it was simple, and the ending was like the little perfect ending tied with a big bow, so if you dont like that unrealistic-ness, then it might annoy you. Other than that it was enjoyable and interesting

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

This book felt like a warm hug for book lovers! The concept of a misplaced note sparking a charming love triangle was both adorable and refreshing. April, Laura, and Westley are all so relatable in their quirks—April navigating loneliness, Laura rediscovering herself as a single mom, and Westley’s oblivious but endearing nature.

The mistaken identities and serendipitous moments kept the story engaging, and I loved how it celebrated books and the connections they can create. While some parts felt a bit drawn out, the heartfelt moments more than made up for it. A perfect read for anyone who enjoys a cozy, bookish romance!

Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald

A lovely story about two women and a local bookstore clear who find themselves in an unusual love triangle.

April decides to write a note to Westley and leave it in a book. But Laura ends up buying the book and thinks the note is from Westley. They both end up building a connection with each other. A note left for the wrong recipient turns into something beautiful, a friendship, romance a love for books.

I loved the characters, they were very relatable! I really liked the authors writing. I couldn’t help but smile while I was reading the book. What a cozy read!

Thank you so much NetGalley, Moira and Penguin Group Dutton for the E-ARC!

Publication Date: May 27th 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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