This book is a love letter to the wonder and magic of books, as well as to being brave enough to change your life. Not your typical HEA but a happily ever after nonetheless. It's probably the most obliquely romantic romance book I've ever read, and it's more of a journey of self-discovery rather than a romance-focused story. This is a new-to-me author but I would definitely read her again!

Since Covid, April has worked from home. While others at her company enjoy this perk, she misses the social aspect. In fact she is quite lonely. Finding herself attracted to the handsome guy at the used book counter of her local bookstore “Read the Room”, she decides on the old fashioned approach and put a note in a book for him to find. Unfortunately, things don’t go quite the way April planned.
Laura’s husband passed away five years ago and she doesn’t see herself in a new relationship, but is it time to move on? When she finds a note in her used book, she’s intrigued with the idea.
While both think the forthcoming notes are from Wesley, both are in for a surprise as poor Wesley is totally oblivious.
This book has a hint of “You’ve Got Mail” and once off the ground it was quite charming. It just took the long route getting there. Thank you to Penguin Group and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

The plot was interesting, how the characters living their own life all became connected the way they did. The story was a little slower in middle compared to the beginning and the end but not too bad

4.25/5 stars

This was a funny, heartwarming story. A comedy of errors/misunderstandings, female friendship, and team building set in a neighborhood bookstore and told from multiple perspectives.

April is a tech writer who works from home and is lonely for connection with someone other than her needy (and immature) brother. She basically develops a crush on an "extremely" good-looking clerk (Westley) at her local bookstore and being a bit intimidated in approaching him decides to leave an anonymous note in a book that he will see...except he doesn't, of course. Laura, a single mom who has given up on love, does and believes it be from Westley who she's conveniently not averse to. So ensues the beginning of a friendship between April and Laura based on notes passed back and forth through The Magpie Murders and The Hunger Games. Eventually they anonymously began emailing all the while each believing they were corresponding with Westley. Oh yeah, and in the middle of all this, a movie begins filming on location in the shop. Hijinks ensue and a heartwarming conclusion is reached.

While I loved the premise/plot of this book, it was the variety and personalities of the characters that held my attention. Westley, a bit clueless but lovable with it. April, a cheer worthy woman who we watch venture out of her shell to rejoin society. Laura, a bit bruised by love but inching toward trying it out again. The supporting cast are hilarious and getting their perspectives on life in the bookshop and with their co-workers is entertaining.

Very well done and thoroughly enjoyable.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Penguin Group / Dutton for providing the free early arc of Storybook Ending for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Storybook Ending is a great book for anyone looking for a cozy litfic book that tells the story of friendship, taking a chance, and the idea that things will always work out how they are supposed to. With three POV’s I was pleasantly surprised how individual and unique each character was and had a distinct voice.

April is overrrr working from home. She misses being around people and takes fate into her own hands when she leaves the cute bookseller at her neighborhood bookstore a note in a used book she leaves at the counter.

Instead of Westley finding the note, it ends up in Laura’s hands. Laura is a busy, widowed, working mom who’s ready to get back out there.

Both women think they’re writing to Westley, rather than each other and Westley has absolutely no idea about any of this.

It’s a low stakes, friendship romance that surprise, surprise, has a ✨story book ending✨

The pace was a little slow at times and the inclusion of random emails felt disjointed but I enjoyed the light heartedness and the friendship that the two women found. We need more stories about adult friendships🫶🏻💕

Thanks to #netgalley, the publisher and the author for this e-arc! It’s out now!!

I was excited for this book because of the bookish vibe but it was honestly a bit of a let down. I didn't really feel drawn to the characters and I found myself bored at times. Thank you NetGalley for my ARC!

I thought that this was a cute twist on the typical Nora Ephron rom-com with the bookstore setting. I thought the first half of the book was good, because you got to know the characters and understand their background and where they were coming from. But it also moved a little too slowly to keep my attention hooked. But I pushed on, and after about the halfway point, things got rolling more and it was fun to see how all of the characters backstories and each of their individual friends started to interconnect. I did enjoy the ending and loved the idea of true friendship and solid relationships being the ultimate reward.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this Advanced Reader Copy. All opinions are my own.

This book is so cozy and wholesome. I really enjoyed the different perspectives and having information as the reader that the characters didn’t have. The entire book you really just wonder how things are going to play out, and I wasn’t disappointed with how it all came together at the end!! The ending was fairly quick but very satisfying and tied up all of the loose ends well.

My only complaint is that I felt it dragged on occasionally; some events/character traits were really harped on and mentioned multiple times that I didn’t feel needed reiterated. Other than these mild pacing issues I thought the story was super enjoyable. It definitely made me wish I could go work in a bookstore!

This was a very sweet story about friendship and really enjoyed the concept that was told. It had that feel that I was looking for and enjoyed the idea of a anonymous note. The characters were so well written and enjoyed the overall concept of their world. Moira Macdonald has a strong writing style and enjoyed the concept of this book.

The best part about this one was the found family in the end. The process to get there though was definitely a struggle. The amount of second hand embarrassment I felt while reading this one plus the cringe of no one speaking to one another made this one a bit less enjoyable than I had anticipated. The MMC was not very well fleshed out as, aside from his looks, I don't know why anyone was so obsessed with him. I think I would've enjoy this story a lot more if it was just about the friendship between the FMCs and had nothing to do with the MMC.
 
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Storybook Ending was a cute story. There were a multitude of characters to keep straight and a lot of buildup to the real story. But once it got rolling I could not stop reading. April and Laura both think they are missing something in their lives. They think they are starting a romance with a cute book store worker. But no, they are really communicating with each other. My favorite part was the ending. If you need a cozy read, this is it.

I really liked the premise of this book. The execution, sadly, was not for me. My main issues had to do with the like ability of the characters and the somewhat purple prose style of writing.

As someone who also works from home like April and is single I initially related to her but as the book progresses and it is ALL she can talk about I quickly lost interest and empathy. Both April and Westley are, in a word, boring. They know they’re boring, they lament their own boringness multiple times and it is a primary initial plot point. I understand the premise of a lackluster life leading to stepping out of their lanes so to speak but lord they could do that and be a bit less dry than sawdust in June.
Because of my issues connecting with the characters I had to digest only a few chapters at a time, which is rare for me. Laura was the better character, although honestly I liked the side characters best.

I would have rather seen a story just about the unlikely friendship and unusual beginnings and then about the workplace romance on two separate planes. Intertwining them didn’t work the way I wanted it to. Overall it wasn’t for me unfortunately.

A few additional notes:
Every single damn character is prone to overthinking. By a lot. Sometimes a comment on your flannel is just a comment my dude.

Westley and his knowing he is attractive while also somehow not understanding how/why he is attractive annoyed me to no end. The two concepts cannot coexist. And his “romantic backstory” was, frankly, infuriating. Did *not* help his character like ability at all.
And the whole everything falls into his lap and he works for nothing thing is not endearing at all. Picture poor little rich kid trope but this time is poor little pretty boy…

Thank you PENGUIN GROUP Dutton for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A lovely story of missed connections, mistaken identity, secret correspondence, and new friendships. New, unexpected friendships and a fabulous bookstore setting make this book an absolute treat to read!

This was such a sweet read! A story about friendship and chosen family with lots of fun twists and small mysteries along the way! Loved it!

Unfortunately this was very much not for me. I found it to be very slow and also a bit boring. It is quite cozy; though, and the love of books and bookshops is nice. This definitely has an audience, I’m just not in it.

4.5 stars rounded up. I really loved this book and found it refreshing compared what I’ve been reading as of late. Even with some “You’ve Got Mail"-inspired elements, the plot felt fresh and new and I loved the dynamics between the characters. It was so nice discovering the connections between the characters and seeing the different relationships evolve, both in friendships and romantic relationships.

The whole setting of this was so cozy and I loved the book store at the center of the story. I’m not one to reread many books but this is one I could see myself revisiting, and absolutely recommending to others!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a comedy of errors. April, has a crush on the cute bookseller, Westley, at her favorite bookstore. She decides she’s going to leave him a note in a book to try to create her own meet cute. Only problem is, someone else picked up the book. Laura, another patron of the same bookstore, accidentally finds the note, but she thinks Westley left the note for her. Westley has no idea about this note.
This bookstore has been asked to be part of a film where there is portal that opens into another world. While the notes are being exchanged, the filming is going array and there’s chaos and comedy.
So much happening all at once until they start figuring out what a going with whom. It’s a fun read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There are three main characters, and the book is told by each one’s point of view. Westley works in a bookstore and is very handsome. He is a bit clueless with social cues but is a very nice guy. April is a tech worker. She works from home and doesn’t seem to have much of a social life. Laura is a single mom who has been widowed. These three characters are well developed and interesting. The two women are both customers of the bookstore. April, getting frustrated with her lonely life, decides to leave a note in a used book for Westley, a la “You’ve Got Mail”. He oversees the used books. The bookshop is in a bit of chaos as they are shooting a movie there. You’ll have to read the book to find out how this all ties together, but I’m sure you will love it!

Also reviewed on B&N (1IrishEyes430) and Kobo (IrishEyes430)

Overall, I thought this was a cute and charming read. The story is told through three POVs, where their lives become intertwined due to mistaken identities and secret notes. April is a lonely tech worker who works from home, Laura is a widowed single mother, and Westley is the handsome bookstore employee who captures the attention of both women. This was a lovely story on friendship and connection as each of the characters deal with isolation, grief, and finding identity again. I found the characters each had a distinct journey so enjoyed reading about how they get their happy ending. It’s slower-paced but certainly still heartwarming, like a nice hug.

Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.