Trying to push herself out of her comfort zone, April reaches out to the cute bookstore worker by putting a note in a used book. Unbeknownst to her, the note is answered not by him but by a single mother needing her own nudge out of her routine. Set in a quiet Seattle bookstore thrown into chaos by a film shoot, Storybook Ending is a sweet portrait of modern problems in making friends and dating.

3.5/5

Thank you #NetGalley and Dutton for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Well written and I enjoyed the bookshop setting and community. It started out slow but all in all, a lovely story. I can see the appeal for some readers, and normally that reader is me, but I had a hard time connecting.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc. I enjoyed this book so much. It was light hearted, very entertaining and the ending was perfection. I also really like the cover of this book.

3.5⭐️
What a cute, fun story! If you’re looking for a cozy read, full of hijinks and near misses, with multiple POVs and the occasional heart-wrench, then this is a good one to enjoy. Bookworms will be tickled at the various novels mentioned throughout, and the cozy descriptions of the bookstore will make you want to wrap up in a blanket, or set up a bookish date with friends. The writing surprised me with the amount of depth given to our two primary FMCs, alongside other side characters. This book featured characters with every day and relatable problems, but threw in some real life gut punches. I felt my heart strings pulled when a character described life after loss; meanwhile, another character is wrestling with feelings of guilt over lost friendships as her friend becomes a new mother. Extremely relatable in that regard, all with a backdrop akin to a Hallmark movie and a love interest!

On the flip side, a downside of this story is the flat MMC - unlike the FMCs, I realized I couldn’t relate to him at all because he was written like male authors write women! “Too handsome to have a personality” seemed to be his main character trait, and his plot line started off interesting but never developed into anything more. Every plot device is handed to him without any action on his part. Additionally irksome, you will be reminded at least once every chapter that the story takes place in Seattle. Not joking. Seattle as the setting is mentioned about 50 times, and there are 45 chapters. At least a few times the city name could have been swapped out for PNW or simply describing the landscape. That being said, as someone who was born and raised in WA, city descriptions gave exactly the right vibes I feel when going on a walk or perusing used bookshops in the area. It is very apparent in her writing that the author is a true local! And, the ending of this book was a very satisfying wrap up of all plot lines and characters, and was overall an enjoyable read! This will be out on May 27, 2025. Thank you to Moira Macdonald and Penguin Group Dutton for allowing me to receive an advanced reader copy!

A bit of a slow start but this was a cute read that ultimately ended up being about friendship. Easy and cozy read and I feel like everything was wrapped up very neatly at the end. I didn't really feel strongly connected to any of the characters and I feel like I probably won't be thinking about them for that long but there were definitely where I was invested in the story and wanted to see where things went.

Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald is a novel that intertwines themes of romance, friendship, and a shared love for books. The plot revolves around two women—a solitary remote worker and a widowed single mother—and their involvement with a charming local bookstore clerk. An anonymous note left in a book sets off a series of events, leading to a unique love triangle. ​

While the premise intrigued me, I found the execution to be somewhat lacking. The characters felt underdeveloped, and I struggled to connect with them. Additionally, the pacing was uneven, with certain sections dragging on, making it difficult to stay engaged.

On a positive note, the book's setting—a quaint bookstore and the surrounding community—was well-described and provided a comforting backdrop. However, despite these elements, I couldn't fully immerse myself in the story. Overall, "Storybook Ending" was an okay read for me, but it didn't leave a lasting impression.

In Storybook Ending, two women and a charming bookstore clerk find themselves entangled in a love triangle after an anonymous note meant for one person ends up with the wrong recipient. As a lonely tech worker and a widowed mom exchange notes thinking they are both receiving messages from the clerk, their lives take unexpected turns filled with humor, hope, and romance. This heartwarming tale celebrates friendship, love, and the magic hidden within the pages of books.

This read happened at exactly the right time, I was looking for a book with a bit of a slower pace that I could settle into and just enjoy the journey. This 3 person POV book was exactly that for me. I found the characters to be charming and relatable. For me the story is ultimately about stepping out of your comfortable zone and being open to the opportunities and more importantly, the people, that come into your path.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you NetGalley & Penguin Group Dutton for this advanced reader digital copy.

I know the type of person who will love this book but I found it to just be fine. It’s well written and I found the two female characters well developed. That said it had so many subplots and side streets that just didn’t pay off or feel necessary. The entire filming in the store piece felt flat and unnecessary. So many call outs of You’ve Got Mail but it never got to the heart of believability or hoping for romance.

I can totally see this being a book club hit for those branching out from traditional romances and want something that feels more mainstream acceptable.

Storybook ending was a great story about coming out of your comfort zone and friendship. I didn't really feel that is was a romance novel at all and that is okay! April works from home and on a whim one day she leaves a note in a used book for the male clerk at neighborhood bookstore. But he never gets the note and another customer finds it and starts to respond, leaving more notes in an agreed location at the bookstore. It is interesting to watch two different women in two different areas of their lives, start to open up and do something out of their comfort zone.

To me this book was more on friendships, than a love story, but it is written in such a magical way that you just couldn't put it down. There were a few spots that seemed to drag on a little bit for me, but the rest of the story did make up for it overall. You could not help but root for all three main characters. Then ending was a perfect wrap up and I thought couldn't have been done any better.

I will definitely be reading more books from Moira Macdonald and cannot wait to see how she transforms more characters. Add this to your TBR list and you will not be disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Storybook Ending is a charming, introspective novel that feels like stepping into a cozy bookstore on a rainy afternoon. What begins as a mistaken love note in a used book evolves into something much deeper—friendship, self-discovery, and unexpected connections.

April, a lonely tech worker, leaves an anonymous note for Westley, the flannel-clad bookstore clerk who catches her eye. But fate intervenes when Laura, a busy single mom, finds the note and assumes Westley wrote it for her. As their anonymous correspondence continues, both women find their routines shaken in ways they never expected. Meanwhile, Westley is too distracted by a film shooting in the store and his own ambitions to notice either of them.

While this book is marketed as an unconventional love triangle, it’s really a tribute to friendship, serendipity, and the quiet moments that change our lives. Macdonald’s writing shines with poetic, atmospheric descriptions, making the bookstore setting feel like a character itself. The novel is filled with thoughtful letters, emails, and interactions that may seem small at first but ultimately tie together in a heartwarming way.

This is a slow-paced, slice-of-life story rather than a fast-moving rom-com. The romance is subtle, taking a backseat to themes of loneliness, personal growth, and the ways people unknowingly impact each other’s lives. While the meandering structure may feel cluttered at times, it all comes together beautifully in the end.

If you love books about found friendships, second chances, and the everyday magic of human connection, then Storybook Ending is for you.

3.75 stars

Slow-burning and humorous tale of a series of misunderstandings and miscommunications which manage to still come out all right in the end. The characters are likable and a little lonely: April, who works from home and is a bit isolated; Westley, so handsome that he has trouble with people relating to him, and Laura, a widow with a daughter.

The common link is a wonderful bookstore where Westley works and April and Laura are customers. April leaves a note in a book for (she thinks) Westley suggesting coffee. But somehow the note goes astray and Laura ends up on the receiving end. Both women keep up with the notes, thinking they are communicating with Westley. It gets confusing.

But, these are nice people and eventually things get straightened out. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Storybook Ending is laugh out loud funny, wildly relatable, and delightfully millennial. These characters are trying to date in a post-COVID world, dealing with the loneliness and isolation of working from home, and trying to find time to just sit down and read a book.

This book is very much about life and the importance of friendship, wrapped up in a love letter to the joy of books. I would recommend this to absolutely everyone. Storybook Ending is just waiting to be a book club favorite.

The premise of this book is very cute - mistaken identities, love triangles between people who don't know they're in one, all set in a book lover's paradise.

The plot moved pretty slowly in my opinion, sometimes going 3+ chapters without any communication between the main characters, and often the side characters were more interesting to read about in their little interspersed POVs. Westley (who shares a name with my cat, which made me giggle) felt very two-dimensional at times, as though his entire personality was just "clueless and attractive". The women were more fleshed out, but still not developed quite enough. I spent most of the book wondering how there could possibly be a satisfying ending for our three MCs.

Overall this was a sweet story, and without giving spoilers, I will say that I was hoping for a different, less heteronormative happily ever after. 😉

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the ARC!

April leads a solitary existence as remote worker. She decides to take a chance on developing a relationship with a handsome man, Westley, who works at her favorite bookstore. Her choice of communication is to leave an anonymous note for him in a book, requesting he respond to her via a note left in another book. Through a slip up, the note is found by Laura, a widowed mother who just might be ready for dating and thinks it is from Westley. And thus, this strange triangle begins.

This is a cute, feel good story of misunderstandings, connections, friendships, found family. The richly drawn characters are unique in their own special ways. Written by a debut author with humor, compassion, and a love of reading and bookstores, it may be just the tonic some of us need right now.

I love the premise of this book. Secret notes left in The Hunger Games as a way of correspondence for two shy people. It reminded me of one of my favorite holiday series, Lily and Dash. But this fell flat for me.

I loved meeting the characters:
April, a work from home, twentysomething with an annoying brother who takes advantage of her.
Laura, a young widow with a second grade daughter, she’s a personal shopper and I found the parts of the book where she’s working to be so fun.
And Westley, just like the in The Princess Bride, a book store employee who both April and Laura find attractive, but honestly is not a compelling leading man.

Overall the pacing of this book did not work for me. I found myself trudging through the middle after meeting the main characters. The climax and resolution seemed to happen in the last few pages of the book when I think it could have happened earlier and we could have been given more details into the ending.

Love Triangle: Book Lovers Edition
An accidental letter changed the course of three lives. Feeling daring April, a remote tech worker, leaves a letter intended for the handsome bookseller Westley. However, it finds its way into the hands of Laura, an older single mom who spends most of her time alone. They exchange letters hinting at falling into an accidental three-way fantasy relationship. Impeccable writing wraps it all up into a nice bow and truly this story read like a hug, a slow-burn romance you just want to curl up with alongside a warm beverage. I personally loved the tri-pov, being able to slip in and out of each persons story was fun and kept the book going during lulls. The cozy Seattle setting was so well-written and atmospheric I wanted to book a trip asap.
My only qualm, hence the -1 star, would be this is NOT the HEA which you may expect from the title. This is more of books lovers love letter to books, found friendship, and ultimately girlhood.
Amazing reading experience overall and definitely recommend! 🎀📚🌷🛍️

Thank you for this opportunity!

I really enjoyed the inciting event in this book, because who hasn't found bookmarks, receipts and all manner of items in books they're donating? So many possibilities with who could end up finding it! The story told from three perspectives was new for me, but I loved how each character was so distinct. I was attached to each of them, but Westley most of all. A fun ensemble read!

Special thanks to Penguin and NetGalley for this ARC.

A cute book, however, I found it hard to thoroughly enjoy. I felt no connection to the characters. I generally love books with inner thoughts but I felt it was all there was.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton Books for the eARC! All opinions are my own.

A story of books, friendship and unlikely connections.

I’m very unsure how to rate this book. Parts of it were an utter delight and other parts really let me down. I adored Laura and April. Their eventual friendship was so sweet and I wish we saw more of it.

The movie plot point felt underdeveloped to me and a little pointless. I was so sick of Westley by the end and was confused why literally everyone was so obsessed with him.

Most of the book was enjoyable. Slow paced and relaxing much like the bookstore in the book. But the end felt really lackluster.

The cast of characters simply felt too large to be pulled off well in a book. I struggled to fully connect with anyone. I do think it would make a lovely tv series or movie though!

The trope of *Storybook Ending* by Moira Macdonald revolves around **mistaken identity, serendipity, and an unexpected love triangle**. The story follows April, a lonely remote worker, who leaves an anonymous note in a book for Westley, the charming bookstore clerk. However, Laura, a widowed single mom, accidentally finds the note and believes it was meant for her. This misunderstanding leads to a series of humorous and heartfelt interactions, while Westley remains oblivious as he focuses on a movie being filmed at the bookstore.

The novel plays with classic romance tropes like **love notes, mistaken attraction, and destiny**, all wrapped up in a charming literary setting. It also explores themes of friendship, love, and the small, unexpected moments that can change a person’s life.