A cozy read but I wasn’t particularly wow’d by anything. The characters, especially the MMC, were forgettable and the plot predictably and neatly ties up in the final chapter. It was warm and feel good with some humor thrown in, but ultimately not my type of romancey non-romance novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for providing me with an Advance Reader Copy.

4.5 stars. This book was like a nice leisurely trip down a lazy river with your fingers and feet skimming the water as you lay your head back. If you want excitement, skip this book. If you want to feel relaxed with your heart all warmed up, please jump on in.

This story seemed pretty original to me, even though there are lots of comparisons to the movie You've Got Mail. It centers around a book store, it's employees and patrons. There some exchanging of anonymous notes in the hope of starting a romance. The bigger part of the story is friendship in unexpected places and how other people can change your life just by being in it. It is a truly lovely story with wonderful character development.

This is the author's debut novel. I don't think it will be her last and I am looking forward to reading whatever she comes up with next.

Thanks to Penguin Random House/Dutton Books and NetGalley for the digital copy. All thoughts are my own.

Sqynopsis: A woman leaves an anonymous note in a book for a bookseller, but it is instead found by another customer leading to an unusual love triangle.

Thoughts: This is a unique take on a You’ve Got Mail type story, and I do think it is well-written. It’s a very cozy read, with a focus on books and book people, so it should be right up my alley, but I just didn’t connect with the characters. While there is some romance, I’d say this is more of a contemporary fiction book about friendship. The pacing is very slow up until about the halfway point, but the second half really pulled me in. I do love a found family plot, and despite my initial hesitation, overall I found this one to be quite charming.

Read this if you like:
📚 bookstores
📚 You’ve Got Mail
📚 letter writing
📚 friendship

The setting: "...two women—a lonely remote worker {April] and a widowed single mom [Laura]—and a handsome local bookstore clerk {Westley] find themselves in an unusual love triangle when an anonymous note left in a book finds the wrong recipient." And nods to You've Got Mail [bookstore] and The Princess Bride [Westley].

Add in some quirky characters who work at the bookstore, a movie being filmed at the bookstore [with additional quirky characters] and twists and mistaken identities. Friendship, romance, motherhood, loneliness and more.

The chapters alternate in the voices of Laura, April and Westley. although there are others who tell their stories--as italicized contributions.

There are some laugh out loud moments/descriptions:
"...seemed to have an exclamation point permanently embedded in her sentences"
"...snacks, which were very organic and soy-forward and often looked as if they were made from dust particles"

One plot line I didn't see coming; another I saw a mile away.

Just a fun, easy, fast read with a somewhat neat and tidy ending.

Not literary fiction but, enjoyable and no nails on chalkboard moments.

3.5, not rounding up. Recommend for a break from serious fiction.

Bookstore setting! Found family! The power of connection and books and relationships! I was absolutely the target audience for this, and I really enjoyed it. It's a perfectly cozy story with a cast of interesting characters that we get to know as they share some of their innermost thoughts though letters in the books.

"Storybook Ending" is a sweet, romantic novel set in the perfect place—among books. It’s an easy read, with multiple POVs, though it takes a little time to get into as the author spends quite a few pages introducing the characters in depth. The story itself feels almost too perfect, if that makes sense—I wouldn’t have minded a bit more humor and complications. That said, it’s a really cozy and heartwarming read. I’d recommend it to romance readers who enjoy the genre but don’t necessarily read it for the spice.

3.5 stars. Moira McDonald's Storybook Ending is an absolute gem — a heartfelt, beautifully written novel that captures the complexities of love, healing, and hope with grace and authenticity. From the first page, I was drawn into the lives of the characters, who feel so vividly real that I found myself rooting for them every step of the way.

McDonald's prose is lyrical yet grounded, making each scene emotionally resonant without ever feeling overly sentimental. Her dialogue is natural and often quietly profound, revealing so much about the characters’ inner worlds. What impressed me most was how she balances light and dark — moments of laughter and levity are perfectly woven into a story that deals with deeper themes of loss, resilience, and second chances.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for this digital e-arc.*

This was a very cozy read. I found it to be slower in the beginning but I didn’t mind. It was layered and I enjoyed that. I think those who enjoy stories about friendship, found families, book lovers will really enjoy this one. It’s not HE romance per se so I think the marketing is a bit off on that front.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for that ARC! All opinions are my own.

Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald is a sweet story of romance and friendship. April is a lonely remote worker who decides to leave a note in a book for the cute bookseller at her local store. However, Laura, a widow, receives the letter instead. The relationship they develop is a testament to openly sharing and making a strong connection with others.

I really enjoyed reading this book. There were times I felt it was a bit slow, but I was invested in their relationship. Would definitely recommend to those who love cozy character focused stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for access to an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I don't think there's anything that rivals a book that take place among books. This one is fun and flirty, mixed with some wayward assumptions that lead to those special rom-com moments many of us have come to love. While I expected a bit more rom with my com, this still was an engaging read that you couldn't help but want to watch unfold.

A novel set in a bookstore? Count me in! Storybook Ending charts a case of mistaken identity, love notes, whimsical romance, and the day to day goings on in an independent bookstore. The three main characters in this unexpected triangle are April, a remote worker who feels disconnected and on a whim decides to leave a note in a book she is donating to her favorite local bookstore with the expectation that Westley, the hottie in flannel will find it. This does not happen and instead we meet Laura who buys the book, finds the note, and assumes Westley has left it for her. Westley of course is oblivious to all that is going on, distracted by a movie being filmed in the bookstore. What follows is not all that surprising-- April and Laura are writing to one another thinking the other is Westley which eventually is figured out. I wanted to like this one, but it never really grabbed me. There are a lot of side plots and characters I struggled to keep track of, and so did not spend as much time learning about the two women leads as I would have liked. Westley also was a bit of a frustrating character for most of the book, because it basically was just about how hot he was. This was a bit of a miss for me. I wanted more investment in the main characters and more time spent on the love of different books.

Thank you to Dutton via NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for honest review.

April, a smart and lonely tech worker, worries work from home has gotten out of hand: She’s left an anonymous note in a book for Westley, the clerk at her Seattle neighborhood bookstore who has a gentle smile and looks great in flannel. But thanks to fate, Laura—a busy single mom who had given up on love—buys the book, finds the note, and thinks Westley has left it for her. A handsome man who loves books seems like just the plot twist she has been looking for.
Meanwhile, Westley—not the most perceptive—is too distracted by the movie filming at the store and the ambition it’s unlocked in him to notice either of the two women. But as April and Laura’s anonymous correspondence continues back and forth, their mundane routines are challenged, sparking a glimmer of hope. Is a happy ending in the cards for them?
Storybook Ending is a playful tribute to romance, friendship, and bookstores, and to the objects—from a forgotten slip of paper to someone’s heart—left between the pages of books we loved.

I like the idea of this book more than I liked the book. There wasn't a lot of action, just a lot of us being told about the characters. The build up was too long, but the pay off was good. I liked both April and Laura, but Westley was just a pretty boy that things happened to. His emotional angst about his past didn't make up for his total obliviousness to what was going on around him. He didn't show any real life until the end of the novel and by then I cared more about the women's happiness than his.
Recommended with reservations.

A story of friendship brought about thanks to a bookstore. April is lonely and leaves a note in a book for Wes, the bookseller she's crushing on a bit but the book is bought by Laura, a single mom who thinks it's from Wesley to her. Whew. This is told largely through a series of emails and letters which allow the reader to feel a part of the dialogue. While the set up might be a tad implausible, these three have very real thoughts and feelings. I liked the bookstore dynamics which give you a peek behind the scenes. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a gentle engaging read that I enjoyed.

3.5! for a debut novel, this was impressive. i will for sure be checking out more by this author in the future

Is happily-ever-after waiting at the local bookstore?

April is ready to meet a nice guy, she really is...but where is she supposed to find one? Her work switched to remote during the pandemic and never switched back, and being somewhat of an introvert she slipped all-too easily into that comfortable rut. But now she doesn't see or meet anyone new, and isn't sure what to do about it. One night, feeling the influences of having just reread 84, Charing Cross Road, she decides to write a letter to the handsome but shy man who works at the bookstore nearby and leave it in a book where she knows he'll find it (things that seem like good ideas late at night don't seem quite so clever in the cold light of day, but she dropped it off before she could have second thoughts). Confusion reigns when the letter is found not by Westley (yes, named after Cary Elwes' character in The Princess Bride), the afore-mentioned handsome bookseller but instead by Laura, a single mom whose life is so hectic that she figures love isn't in the cards for her. Then she finds the letter, which she thinks that Westley has written to her, and a huge series of misunderstandings are off and running. April and Laura may not find a love that is like a storybook story, but there are all kinds of love stories and friendships out there waiting to be found...and one may be waiting for each of them.
Storybook Ending isn't your average rom-com, in fact it is more a story of friendship and creating one's own family than a romance. April and Laura slowly develop a friendship based on their shared love of books and the losses each has suffered, while Westley's attention is snagged first by the people filming a movie in the bookstore and later by one of his co-workers. There are more than a few references and nods to The Princess Bride (a favorite movie of mine), Nora Ephron movies like You've Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle, and books books and more books. Seattle, where the book takes place, is well-described and almost an ancillary character. The beginning of the book takes a while as it sets up the different characters, and the ending seems a bit hurried, but it is a warm, feel-good kind of book that will appeal to lovers of 90's rom-com movies, books and/or bookstores. Readers of Emily Henry, Annabel Monaghan and Abbi Waxman should also give this one a spin. A solid 3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 4. My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton/Dutton Books for allowing me access to this debut novel in exchange for my honest review.

I am all for a book about books, romance and a newly made family (the family you create.) I am SOLD! April was such a fun character, she has been working from home for a while, and, she’s so socially awkward and also so funny because she is so relatable. But I loved the romance possibilities that turn into friendships and then an amazing family of friends, it was such a cozy read. It picked up in the middle of the book, which I was happy about because the slow burn was a lot, and it involved a ton of character buildup which was also beneficial. I wanted to be a part of these character’s family lol.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I really enjoyed this cozy read. It’s not quite a romance, even though as you start it you may think it is. It mostly takes place inside a bookstore and the author really nailed the ins and out of working in and owning a book store. I enjoyed some plots and characters much more than others- and enjoyed the friendship plots much more than the romance plots. It is a good palate cleanser between much more serious literary reads.

This was a light-hearted, feel good story about three lonely people brought into one another's orbit thanks to a used bookstore and a message left in a book that finds its way to an unintended recipient sparking a life-changing friendship and a series of exchanges between two book lovers. I loved this one a lot and highly recommend it for fans of Nora Ephron and You've got mail. Good on audio too told from the POV of each of the three main characters. Would make a great movie! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was ok. It was slow to start but picked up around the halfway point. Great character development throughout. My biggest gripe is that it didn’t feel like a romance, but more about friendship.

Storybook Ending is not a romance but a story of friendship and a love letter to bookstores and found family. April and Laura leave notes for each other in a book while both mistakenly think they're writing to Wes, a cute guy who works at the used bookstore. I like that the characters are older: in their 30s and 40s. Both lonely, April works remotely for a real estate company, while Laura is a single mom and works as a personal shopper.

It took me quite some time to get into the book, as the pacing was too slow for me. Wes reads a romance novel from the male perspective that he surprisingly enjoyed and reaches out to the author via email correspondence. Wes becomes distracted since he was cast as an extra then upgraded to the male lead stand-in for the movie filming at the bookstore. It's accurately described as an "unusual love triangle" as Wes does not even know he is in the triangle.

The anonymous correspondence went on for too long, but I did enjoy Laura styling April and their newfound friendship after finding out the truth behind the notes.

I wish Wes' character was less boring, and his ending was more fleshed out as the author he was looking for was right under his nose the whole time.