*~ Most Nostalgic Read Of The Summer ~*

BRB...have to watch You've Got Mail!
I loved the vibes this book gave that reminded me of my childhood romances, with the twist of the story ending in an awesome sisterhood and romance being in the background. All of the different POVs in this story really kept me hooked and it was so fun to see them all intersect in different ways. Not to mention it was all based in a bookstore which of course every bookish person out there is going to love.

Thank you to Net Galley, Dutton Books, and Moira Macdonald for an eARC of this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Books for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

THIS COVER! Like, you know when you truly just want to JUMP into a cover and live out the rest of your days in a cover? That's this cover. The books!!! Those cute 2 little chairs. Ah...

The book itself is pretty darn enjoyable also - but do not go into this book wanting a romance. It is NOT a romance - there are some romantic moments and it's a minor subplot, but the real heart of this story covers the beauty of friendship. There are notes left in books, and it's just beautiful - a true story of friendship.

The multiple POV's to me felt like I was in a heavy fantasy novel, which I happen to love, but I can see how it would be hard to understand for others!

April is a lonely tech worker who is looking for something to shake up her life when she decides to leave a note for the handsome clerk at her local used bookstore in a book in hopes of striking up a relationship. When the note is intercepted by single mom Laura, rather than Westley, hijinks ensue as an unbeknownst-to-them love triangle unfolds.

This was fine, not a hit out of the park but not a complete miss. The premise was a unique one with a lot of potential, but it ultimately didn't deliver. The pacing was a bit slow, and some of the plotlines weren't that necessary or interesting enough to add to the overall story. The book picked up around 60% and I enjoyed the ending. Both April and Laura were way too good for Westley!

I think the premise was great. However I feel like things fell a bit flat and repetetive in some parts of the book. Overall would reccomend if ou're looking for this kind of book.

April writes a note to her crush and hides it in a book, but instead of him finding it, Laura—a single mom—picks it up. That one mix-up connects April, Laura, and Westley in totally unexpected ways, sparking a sweet friendship and a series of letters between two people who’ve never met. It moves at a slower pace, but I liked that it gave space for the characters to figure themselves out. It’s thoughtful, cozy, and full of little bookish moments that made me smile.

It's a case of mistaken identity and a unique love triangle. Clueless, but sweet, handsome Westley just wants to live in the world of books and pays deep attention to the making of the movie being filmed in the bookstore, A note, found by April in a recently purchased book proves just the distraction and twist-of-fate that Laura left for Westley. It's reminiscent of the song lyrics by J. Geils band - Love Stinks; "you love her but she loves him and he loves somebody else". It's cute, sweet and funny.

A mysterious note is found in a book... by the WRONG person! What results is two women unknowingly connecting through it, both thinking it is a dreamy bookstore employee (who is oblivious!). If you liked You've Got Mail, you will enjoy this book.

*Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

For a book so focused on love notes, this is definitely not a romance. But with that being said, I still did enjoy the book. It did drag and it felt like the characters took way too long to realize that they weren't talking to each other, but it was so stinking cute at the same time. I enjoyed seeing the subplots unfold like Laura and her daughter's relationship, the mysterious romance writer, and the bookstore movie filming. (Though IMO would've been more fun if they'd ended up as a throuple)

This book was a charming surprise; soft, warm, and completely comforting, like slipping into your favorite sweater on a rainy day. It’s the kind of story that invites you to slow down and savor it, ideally with a cup of tea nearby. While the pacing might not suit readers craving a faster-moving plot, I found the slower rhythm to be a perfect match for the cozy, literary world it creates.

I was especially drawn to the bookshop setting and the thoughtful, bookish touches throughout - it’s a love letter to stories, notes, and the quiet power of connection. There’s a definite Nora Ephron vibe woven in, which added an extra layer of sweetness and nostalgia to the whole experience.

One of the real highlights for me was the focus on female friendships. Watching those bonds form and evolve felt genuine and heartwarming. The book wrapped up beautifully, leaving me with that rare, content feeling you get when a story lands exactly where it should. It was gentle, heartfelt, and quietly delightful from beginning to end.

The premise is cute but I didn't click with this book. It was much too in the characters' heads and not enough real life action. I also can't stand prolonged miscommunication and that's most of what this book is.

While the premise of this book was intriguing, the execution faltered with a sluggish pace and excessive redundancy. The plot truly had great potential, but the writing failed to deliver.

Thanks to PENGUIN GROUP Dutton and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 2.5/5 🌟.

Every so often it feels like a book was written just for me, and that was my experience with Storybook Ending. I absolutely loved this book! It reminded me of everything I love about Anne Tyler's books: believable characters in everyday situations that somehow speak to larger universal truths. I loved the different points of view, the bookstore setting, the emphasis on community and friendship, and the beautiful writing. This is an excellent debut, and I look forward to more from Moira Macdonald.

I wanted to love this book, unfortunately, I struggled to get sucked in. This was just not the book for me. I loved the concept of the bookstore and the notes in the book, but the build up was not there. I would work on a faster paced book and additional chemistry for future novels.

As a librarian who thumbs through books daily making sure nothing is left inside, I appreciate the idea behind Storybook Ending. A woman has a crush on the guy who takes care of incoming used books in a bookstore and leaves a note in one of the books for him. However, he gets distracted when processing the books, misses the note, and the note accidentally goes to the woman who ends up buying the book. However, I didn't enjoy the process of reading the book a whole lot. The author does a great job of creating characters and situations, but they just weren't interesting. We mainly live inside the character's heads, experiencing their thoughts and lives, and it was just kind of boring. I like that the book is about friendship, and the ending is probably one of the most pleasant endings I've experienced in a long time. However, it took me 3 months to read this book because it just wasn't very captivating.

Storybook Ending is a sweet, cozy story about friendship and was a nice change of pace from my typical genres. I thought the characters and their personalities were charming and fun to read, though the story progressed slowly and did not progress in big strokes, but sort of inched along. This novel did not knock my socks off but it did leave me smiling. If you want something captivating, this may not be your jam. But if you want an easy, quiet, and uplifting cozy story - give Storybook Ending a try.

Romance, Friendship, a charming love for books? Okay, you have my attention. This was a character driven novel with a collection of characters and various ages. The author used a nice description and implication of Seattle for the setting. The story line was a bit unlikely BUT it was fun to join the journey.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute, fun book. I loved the similarities to You've Got Mail!

It was so fun to read this love letter to Seattle. There are sooooo many romcoms located in NYC, a city I adore but have never lived in. I didn’t even realize I was craving something like this until I read Storybook Ending. On top of that, it was quirky and bookish and a delight to read.

The Westley chapters were pretty dull — I actually think it would’ve been stronger without his POV, but whatevs. Still very fun to read this summer.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the arc. And shout out to the author, a long time Seattle Times reporter, for her first novel. I’ll definitely be watching for Moira MacDonalds next book!

A cute read but I was a bit put off by multiple characters trashing Meg Ryan’s hair in You’ve Got Mail. Why so nasty? Especially when this book is so similar to You’ve Got Mail or The Shop Around the Corner. It just felt tacky. Overall an easy read though some characters were despicable at times.

This was such a cute debut novel. I suspect Moira Macdonald enjoys You’ve Got Mail just as much as I do. The concept of communicating through notes in a book was really fun and unique but I felt like not much else happened. The book dragged a little. I know conflict is hard to write when we all try to stay positive about life, but we needed a little more depth. I really look forward to reading more from Macdonald -this was such a good start into novel writing.