storybook ending was such a warm, charming little escape. the bookshop setting, the tangled love triangle, the anonymous note-all of it was so fun to unravel! it gave me major you’ve got mail energy with a modern twist. sweet, bookish, and full of heart.

A charming story this was! I'm not going to lie, I snatched this up because it takes place in Seattle at the library and Seattle is special to me. I was met was a sweet cozy story that I just adored.

I LOOOVED the way this was written, from the go. I liked the different POV's provided. April is a remote worker who is feeling rather lonely and leaves a cutie pie named Westley a note in a book. But, Laura buys that book. And Laura thinks Westley left it for her. (gasp).

I enjoyed the slow pace of this book and the back and fourth. It's definitely a great cozy fall/Winter read. It did take me some time to get through this though at times. But overall, I'd reach for it again another day I'm sure.

Storybook Ending tells the story of the three main characters: April, Westley, and Laura, with the points of view of some of the supporting characters thrown in too. April is a remote worker who leaves a note in a used book which should have ended up on Westley's desk as his job is at the used book desk of the neighborhood bookstore called Read the Room. Instead, the note ends up with Laura, a widowed mom, another patron of Read the Room, who believes the note is from Westley. April and Laura begin a correspondence, each thinking the other is Westley. I liked the premise of this book but I found it to be very slow and I almost put it down a few times. It was only during the last few chapters that cared what was happening in the book. I liked the way the author tied everything up nicely at the end but i really didn't enjoy the first ¾ of this book as it was just too slow for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

What I enjoyed:
-The bookstore setting
-The cover is gorgeous
-The Seattle location

What made me stop reading:
-Writing style
-This book didn’t feel like it was set in Seattle
-Career of real estate agent working remotely felt a bit cliche and insulting
-Too many references to the character’s pasts, kept taking me out of the story and I was not interested
-Did not find myself engaged overall

While I didn’t love this book, I can still see myself picking it up at a later time. I do not think I am the right reader for it though. This does seem like a good palette cleanser book though which is nice! While I found the real estate agent remote job to be cliche etc, I could look past that and see myself buying this book for a friend.

I received an eARC of this book and am leaving this honest feedback voluntarily.

A huge thank you to Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley for early access to “Storybook Ending” by Moira Macdonald. This book was so enjoyable! A lush setting for lovers of the arts (books, movies, fashion, art), it has it all! A great cozy read with tons of confusion in the sweetest of ways, and full of characters who love books and crave new beginnings, this book will make you ready to reach out to your close friends and give them a hug or meet them for coffee. If you need a book to brighten your mood and make you believe in the good intentions of strangers, this is the one for you.

ARC provided by NetGalley.

I’m so conflicted about this book. The heart of it had the potential to be so lovely, but it didn’t get there until the last 15% of the book. I feel like this novel is advertised as a love triangle, but it really isn’t that at all. In fact, there is very little romance. I’m all for a story surrounding friendship, but I feel like this didn’t delivery on romance or friendship. That being said, none of the main characters were unlikeable. While I didn’t need to read another sentence about how beautiful the hero of this book was, I found them all enjoyable enough. I liked how all of the side characters ended up fitting together & connecting in exciting ways, but I felt like the random paragraphs by the bookstore employees didn’t quite fit into the flow of the story. Overall, this book has enjoyable characters & a cozy setting, I just wish it would’ve built on the last 15% longer to fully explore the dynamics between the characters after the conflict was resolved.

Thank you for the ARC!! Silly, cute, fun, and easy to read! Super binge-able and I loved it! This was a pleasant surprise, as this is my first book by Moira! Highly recommend as a cute palette cleanser and for all my book lovers who like reading about books!

Storybook ending was a fun, silly, and easy read. The book is written almost as a play, with various character perspectives and lots of scene changes. There was a lot of overlapping characters, and it felt small town even though it was set in Seattle. I was thrown a bit since the description was romance but it was really just fiction. It seemed like the overarching theme was friendships, but there was so much going on it felt like it lost that drive.

Storybook Ending is such a charming and bittersweet read! Moira Macdonald beautifully captures the complexity of love and life’s unexpected turns in a way that feels both realistic and heartwarming. The story follows a woman who, after a series of romantic disappointments, decides to write her own happily ever after – only to realize that life doesn’t always follow a script. I loved how the book explores the difference between fantasy and reality without being cynical or overly dramatic. The protagonist’s journey to find her own version of happiness is full of ups and downs, but it’s handled with such honesty and warmth.

What I really enjoyed about this book is how relatable the main character is. She’s messy, a bit idealistic, and occasionally stubborn, but that’s what makes her feel so real. The writing has a cozy, introspective vibe, with just enough wit to keep things light even when the story dips into deeper themes. It’s the kind of book that makes you think about how we often romanticize our own lives and what it really means to find contentment. If you’re looking for a story that’s a little bit hopeful, a little bit sad, and completely human, Storybook Ending is a great pick.

Storybook Ending is a charming and intricately woven tale of romance, friendship, and serendipity. Set in a cozy Seattle bookstore, the story revolves around an anonymous note left in a book that sparks an unexpected love triangle. April, a lonely remote worker, and Laura, a widowed single mom, find themselves connected through their correspondence, while the oblivious bookstore clerk, Westley, remains at the center of their intrigue. Macdonald’s debut novel is a heartfelt tribute to bookstores and the connections they foster. With its witty and warm narrative, the book captures the courage it takes to step out of one’s comfort zone and pursue the life one truly desires. Fans of romantic comedies and stories about the magic of books will find this a delightful and uplifting read.

This book took me quite a long time to finish. This book has all the makings of a great read, but I would say it is only “okay”. It is a cozy book about books, which who doesn’t love that?! I did enjoy the friendship story line that built throughout the book - this was authentic and heartwarming. While this book was not for me, I do feel many will resonate with it and the story line.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC and allowing me the opportunity to read it in exchange for my honest feedback.

sweet and fun story with some good ideas and fun themes. would definitely recommend it. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance read copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased opinion. I really wanted to like this book, but i felt the main characters were well written supporting characters. Until the very end of the story were everything gets tied up, the whole story felt lackluster, dull. I also didnt like how the two professional women were portrayed - their characters were stereotypical which actually felt insulting.

I think this writer has a lot of potential and I would read something else by her, but this one didn’t hit the mark for me.

A book about the magic of books, bookstores, friendship, and love! In short, a cozy story that I absolutely devoured. This was kinda like You’ve Got Mail meets Love Actually, but better than both of them. Sometimes a story can get lost in a multi-pov, full cast narrative like this, but this balanced every character’s perspective and personality so well with the plot. I loved the drama of the movie set, and laughed out loud multiple times (particularly at Donna Wolfe, who I couldn’t stop imagining as Autumn de Wilde). The found family in here was truly unmatched as well. It was just so wholesome. I will be recommending this to all of my friends and buying a copy when it’s released!

I would give this book 3.5 ⭐️

I really enjoyed the individual stories of all 3 main characters. Westley the bookstore employee, April the work from home woman and Laura the widowed mother of a young daughter. I liked how the stories wove together and there were so many missed connections.

However I would say, immediately 3rd person writing turns me off and I had an extremely difficult time getting into the book for the first half. After 50% I flew through and wanted to find out what happens in the end! I think it’s a cozy easy read and something for those who like a slower paced book.

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton Books for the E-ARC of this book!!!

Storybook Ending is such a sweet and wholesome book. The bookish setting and references spoke to my heart and the tangled web of quirky characters and miscommunications were so fun to keep track of. The book is slow paced, relaxing and comforting and the tale of female friendship is just lovely. I also found the format to interesting and entertaining with typical chapters, emails/texts, and personal essays. Would definitely recommend for those in need of a cozy read.

Thank you to Net Galley, Moira Macdonald, and Penguin Group Dutton for the opportunity to read and review- available on May 27th!

This is a story of two women and a man in a love triangle through letters hidden in a book store YA section and none of the characters know it. This book was cozy and quirky and not at all a romance (which I don't think it tries to be). I love books about books, and you can tell the author is a book lover too. I loved the friendship between the two main women characters, but Westley was just so dull as a character. It's a cute and easy literary fiction read overall.

The adorable cover art is what drew me to this novel. It might the prettiest cover so far this year. This is a well written novel, but the overall story left me wanting more. I'm fine with this book not having romance at its core center, but I felt like the author didn't flesh out the 3 characters enough. This book is cute and breezy, but I was expecting a little more depth. This is a solid book, and I think a lot of readers will enjoy it. It's a standard 3 star read for me. Sweet and cute but not very memorable.

Many thanks to Netgalley and publishers for providing my review copy! Storybook Ending is the perfect non-offensive cozy read for anyone who is a fan of books, movies and the Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan film, You've Got Mail! I enjoyed the premise, and the story as a whole was very endearing. While not a super exciting read, it was sweet and well thought out. If you're looking for something lighthearted, try it!

Oh how I love books about books.

Storybook Ending is sweet, cozy, and full of all the bookish themes. Within pages I was instantly transported to the comfort of Read the Room, a Seattle-based bookshop where the majority of the story takes place. I appreciated this author's descriptive writing style and loved how she wove lessons about unexpected friendship and the human experience throughout. The experience of womanhood told through our two FMCs was so relatable and fun.

The MMC wasn't my fav so I did read more quickly through his POV, but I do wish we got to hear from him one more time after the climax.

I'd definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a wholesome story about friendship. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! 🤍