The Next Chapter is a heartfelt and charming read that beautifully captures the complexities of love, growth, and friendship. One of the things I appreciated most about this book was how fully developed the characters’ stories felt—each one had depth, history, and emotional resonance that made them feel real. The friendships portrayed throughout were another standout; they were nuanced and supportive, offering moments of humor, comfort, and authenticity that added richness to the narrative.

Kat’s development was especially compelling. Watching her come into her own, process her past, and navigate new beginnings was both satisfying and relatable. Her journey felt honest and earned, and I am elated that she found her way.

My only real critique is that I would have loved to see more interaction between Kat and Jude’s friends. It felt like a missed opportunity to further explore Kat’s integration into Jude’s world.

Overall, The Next Chapter is an engaging, character-driven novel that delivers both emotional depth and uplifting moments. I can’t wait to read more by Camille Kellogg!

*Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.*

Just finished The Next Chapter and my heart feels like it’s been wrapped in a cozy sweater—equal parts warmth, ache, and joy. Camille Kellogg delivers a story that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable. It’s a love letter to second chances, messy emotions, and the beautiful, complicated journey of figuring yourself out.

The main character? Flawed, funny, and so incredibly real. Watching her navigate heartbreak, healing, and unexpected reconnections felt like catching up with an old friend over coffee—where you laugh, cry, and leave feeling a little more whole.

What truly shines is the emotional honesty. This isn’t just about romance (though the romance swoons, trust me)—it’s about growth, identity, and finding your voice even when everything feels uncertain. The writing is sharp, heartfelt, and filled with those little one-liners that hit you right there.

This is the kind of book that quietly nestles into your soul, reminding you that every chapter—no matter how rough—leads somewhere meaningful.

First off, I want to thank the author and publisher for the amazing opportunity to read an early copy of this book!

The writing itself was beautiful and I really enjoyed Camille Kellogg’s writing style. The plot itself held so much promise and was clearly crafted with attention. Unfortunately, I found myself having a hard time connecting with the main characters in this book. Character connection for me in a book is important and it’s what draws me into stories. I ultimately made the decision to DNF around the 40% mark.

That being said, just because this book didn’t click with me personally doesn’t mean it won’t become a favorite for others. It just wasn’t the right fit for me, but i’m still excited to see what the author writes next!

This charming romance brings a delightful Notting Hill energy to the queer bookish world.

Jude, a lovable butch bookseller, is working at The Next Chapter when she unknowingly sells a book to Kat, a former child star turned nearly has-been celebrity. Sparks fly, and the two women begin to orbit each other more closely. For Kat, who’s slowly navigating the complexities of coming out later in life—and in the public eye—Jude seems like the perfect partner to help her take that leap. But for Jude, still reeling from heartbreak and deeply rooted in the bookstore her mother once owned, this relationship is far more than a PR opportunity.

There’s so much to love here, starting with Jude herself. She's thoughtful, endearing, and surrounded by a vibrant cast of quirky, queer friends. She's lost her bookstore-a beacon for queer folks-to a hateful man who wants to whitewash it, and she's struggling. Through it all, her desire to support Kat is honest and selfless.

The story also tackles the nuances of coming out, especially when it happens under the spotlight. Kat’s journey is compelling, though at times frustrating—particularly in how she treats Jude. Her hesitance, while understandable given her past trauma and dependence on her image-conscious agent, sometimes crosses into emotional carelessness. I found myself wishing she’d just talk to Jude more openly!

Despite some of that tension, the chemistry between them sizzles from their very first meeting, and the romance unfolds with both steam and sweetness. The Notting Hill nods—celebrity/“normal person” dynamic, bookstore meet-cute, and other fun Easter eggs—are clever and satisfying.

Ultimately, THE NEXT CHAPTER is a warm, heartfelt read about love, identity, and rediscovering courage. Perfect for fans of celebrity/commoner pairings, queer found families, and stories about learning to believe in yourself again.

This was a sweet read! Their closeness grew steadily throughout the book, which I loved to see, especially since the first chapter featured an insta-love moment in the bookstore.

I loved seeing the two of them overcome different issues throughout the book. Each character's backstory felt true to how they each acted in the book, and that always makes a story more real for me.

It got really messy with the conflict, and the person that helped resolve the conflict felt a little unbelievable- like there’s history there and why would that character feel motivated to help one of the main characters suddenly. But otherwise, I’m glad that the two FMCs made it together in the end.

There was also some real world experiences in this book (like the disordered eating and panic attacks) as well as grief, which really pushed the limits of two characters falling in love. Definitely a will-they/won't-they as the story unfolded. But I truly do love when a book can combine a story of grief and love at the same time, it makes the ending so rewarding.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC!

I really liked JUST AS YOU ARE so I decided to check this one out. I liked it, but I didn't love it.

Kat and Jude had really great chemistry when they first met but it seemed to fizzle out for the rest of the book.

The main reason I couldn't really get into it was Kat. She was selfish and I wished that she could have been up front with Jude from the beginning. I think they could have played up the dating for the public and had some fun with it, without Kat having to lie to Jude about it (and yes, I consider what she did lying).

This book was entertaining for what it was, but I'm not sure I'll recommend it to friends.

<i>I received a complimentary eARC from the publisher.</i>

While I loved the premise and loved Kellogg’s writing this book wasn’t for me. I couldn’t connect to Kat at all, she came across entitled and selfish. She didn’t think about Jude’s feelings at all while Jude was always thinking about hers. Kat seems to be one of those people who only keeps a person around if they can give them something. Due to this, I didn’t root for the couple and that left me bummed. I loved Jude’s friends and should they have a book in the future I will pick it up. I also loved how real this book felt, it was definitely written by someone who’s queer and has had queer experiences.

4.5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Next Chapter by Camille Kellogg is an absolute delight—funny, swoon-worthy, and packed with heart! When former child star Katrina Kelly stumbles into Jude Thacker’s cozy queer bookstore, neither expects their worlds to collide quite so spectacularly. What starts as a calculated publicity stunt quickly turns into a whirlwind romance full of longing, self-discovery, and undeniable chemistry. With sharp writing, lovable characters, and a setting that feels like a warm hug, this book is everything a rom-com should be.

One of the best things about this novel is how beautifully messy the relationship between Kat and Jude is. Their dynamic is complicated, emotional, and sometimes frustrating, but in a way that makes it impossible to stop reading. Both main characters feel authentic, with real struggles and strong development throughout the story. The supporting cast adds so much charm, making the world of The Next Chapter feel warm, lived-in, and full of queer joy.

While the book does touch on heavier themes, including panic attacks and disordered eating, it handles them with care. Overall, this is a heartfelt, romantic, and utterly addictive read. If you love queer love stories with complex emotions and bookish charm, this one is a must-read—perfect for fans of Notting Hill, Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake, and Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun.

Had the honor of getting to read an ARC of @kellogg_camille’s newest book, The Next Chapter, and I’m not kidding when I say I read it in two days flat. If you want queer love about a butch bookseller and a beautiful but maybe slightly troubled former child star, THIS is the one for you. I absolutely adored it. It’s earnest, has a lovable cast, and is a balm in these trying times.

I really enjoyed this story - I love anything about a cozy new york bookstore, and the TNC staff were all so lovable (especially Rhys!). I enjoyed the ramp up to a relationship between Kat and Jude. It seemed realistic enough to not be insane (no magical insta love here, just a normal crush) and I appreciated the dynamic between them (once they got past that initial lil' mess). I think part of the dialogue felt a little contrived to me - like too insightful or deep for an emotional conversation for a normal 20's relationship (romantic or otherwise)? But other than that, it was such a lovely book dealing with so many good topics - child actor drama, parent loss, identity, personal growth, etc. - and I would definitely recommend it!

Thank you to netgalley and Dial Press for the ARC!

This was a very cute sapphic retelling of Notting Hill and I did enjoy it much more than Kellogg's debut (a Pride and Prejudice retelling), but I have to admit there was something missing for me. I got to the 60% mark and it felt like Jude and Kat were still in the getting-to-know-each-other stage of their relationship. The novel was progressing but the characters and their relationships weren't. I never felt truly invested in Jude/Kat because I found so little to be invested in. The chemistry just wasn't there.

This is a shorter read and I wish Kellogg had given the characters time to explore a bit more. I would've loved to see Jude open her own bookstore, no matter how small, so she could create the queer bookstore of her dreams.

I'm glad I gave Camille Kellogg a second chance and definitely intend to pick up future titles.

I’m sorry, was this written for me??? All I needed to know was queer homage to Notting Hill and I was sold.
Niche, but I love a romance with a former child star. I don’t know what it is, but they usually do it for me. Katrina is now probably my favorite former child star, I absolutely loved her and found her relatable and so funny.
Jude is DREAMY. A masc bookseller is everything I’ve ever wanted. I love how Jude navigates their mental health and I love how the author wrote about mental health.
I loved Come As You Are by the same author and to no surprised, I adored this one as well.

Cleverly conceived, believably lovable characters, and delightfully queer. I haven’t enjoyed a queer romance this much in awhile. A truly fun read with both an interesting plot and lots of character development. Very much recommend!

This was my first sapphic romance novel, believe it or not and I truly enjoyed it! I’m always a sucker for a predictable romance; it just hits the spot.

Kat and Jude made such a cutie little couple; the star meets the shy, anxious book seller. Kat, our movie star, explores her own sexuality while also trying to navigate a shift in career from child star to a more sophisticated actress. Jude, our book seller, navigates grief of her mother and the difficulties that unexpected change brings. The two together made for a beautifully written novel.

The romance and love in this book is perfect and I’m so glad I got an advance copy! Camille Kellogg is one of my new favourites and I’ve already pre-ordered a hard copy to go along with my copy of Just As You Are!

How could you not anticipate a sapphic retelling of Notting Hill being INCREDIBLE? I certainly didn’t and I wasn’t wrong!

Kat is reinventing her stalled career and embracing parts of her she has buried deep down. Jude is trying to keep her mother’s memory alive in a bookstore her mother opened. When the two cross paths it seems that Jude is exactly what Kat needs. The only problem is that Jude has no idea she’s just a pawn…

Obviously Jude being a pawn isn’t what happens when Kat spends more and more time with her. Kat is falling hard and fast for Jude but Kat’s asshole manager keeps inserting herself; convincing Kat to use Jude to get her stalled career going again. Throughout the book I found myself screaming at Kat to shut her manager down, to stop meddling in her personal life and not make it a part of her professional one.

Overall this book was everything I hoped it to be. Even though you can see the ticking time bomb, I never actually knew when it was going to blow up. 10/10 recommend…also. Can Camille also write Curled Around Your Finger? 🫣

This book is so perfect. I’m really picky about romance. It has to have a good balance of humor and emotion. This book hit it out of the park. I was cheesin, kicking my feet, giggling, and gasping all the way through.

The characters were perfect. I found myself relating in some way to both Kat and Jude. The side characters were phenomenal as well. I love that Camille has been able to capture the diversity of LGBTQ culture. No two characters are alike and I love it. They are all fully fleshed out and multi dimensional.

The themes of the book were also beautifully written. I loved seeing both of the main characters learn to take the next step in life even though they were scared. To gain confidence in themselves to keep going and make tough decisions. The story also includes themes of learning to trust even when you’ve been hurt and how to forgive people that hurt you and the healing that can bring but also, it’s okay to let go of people who are holding you back from your happiness.

I could go on and on about this book. I think it’s safe to say that Camille Kellogg is definitely on my auto-read author list. Thank you for writing these important stories.

The Next Chapter is a cute sapphic romance that takes place in New York City. The diversity and inclusiveness of the characters is fantastic, as is the story of someone coming out a bit later in life. Representation in books is so very important. That said, I do feel that the author spent more try trying to include everything from the different sexualities, to eating disorders, to disabilities such as EDS in this one story that the plot and storyline suffered a bit. The inclusiveness felt almost forced in places instead of natural and genuine. I would have liked more development in Kat and Jude’s relationship, to show how and why they fell in love with each other. I also am dying to know how things ended with the bookstore that the book is named after. Did she ever buy it back? Did it turn into a crappy conservative bookstore? Do her friends still work there? Overall it was enjoyable though and I would recommend it to
friends looking for a light easy read.

A more diverse version of Notting Hill seemed like it would be right up my alley, and as much as I wanted to love it ... I just couldn't vibe with it. This book reads quickly, perhaps too quickly in that I felt the pacing was all just super fast. Like, it felt like the story moved fast and was on an accelerated pace that didn't seem that realistic. All in all, it was fine and the writing was well-written, but I just wasn't particularly drawn to this one.

Took me a bit to commit to the narrative style. The main characters felt quite immature to me at first in ways that didn't feel realistic to their backgrounds. The writing is simple which made it an overall quick read and I see how there is definitely an audience for this type of queer story! The balance of outside pressure and casual queerness for each character was well constructed and the side characters were fleshed out and interesting. Ultimately, this story isn't my cup of tea, but it could be someone else's favorite book!

I started this book and it was immediately clear to me that this wouldn't be a book for me just because it's not the kind of romance that I enjoy. I don't think that makes it a bad book and so it feels unfair to give it a bad review on Goodreads for just not being to my taste so I think it's best for me to only give that feedback here.