Thank you St. Martins Press, Netgalley, and to the author for the ARC!

This is the absolute best fall vibe read. Even though it is still the middle of summer, I absolutely adored this and cannot wait for cozy nights to just cuddle up with more books that feel like this.. this is for all of the grumpy sunshine, indie bookstore, and slow burn romance readers. It also comes with a side of hot Brit and American love.

This novel centers around struggling bookstore, who has a consultant come in from America with a goal of getting the store back in shape. However, there are more twist in terms than just getting the store into shape when the feelings changed on both sides. I suggest having a great drink, a warm, fuzzy blanket and some candle candlelight because this one will keep you reading!

After having read and absolutely loved The Slowest Burn by Sarah Chamberlain, I was so ecstatic to receive the ARC for her follow-up novel. Love Walked in is a charming, subtly witty story with a cozy/bookish/artsy vibe that I absolutely devoured.

Mari is an American who goes to London to help revive Ross & Co., a 100-year-old, family run bookstore at risk of closing. Leo Ross is the current owner of Ross & Co. Nine months after the death of his grandfather, Leo is hesitant to make any changes to the store that would erase his grandfather and the legacy he built and thrust upon Leo.

The bookstore setting was charming and felt like an additional character in the story. I enjoyed the Grumpy x Sunshine "trope" as it was written here. Leo's grumpiness wasn't his entire personality, and was more a result of the grief he was working through. Mari's sunshine personality had depth and, when peeled back, was truly a mask she was putting on to present herself to the world. I love layered characters, and Sarah Chamberlain has a way with writing characters that are messy in a way that feels real and human.

I do wish there was more discussion around the steps Mari was taking to revitalize Ross & Co. outside of the festival. I thought it would be a more prominent plot point, but felt more secondary to the romance and personal character development for Mari and Leo - not a bad thing necessarily, just merely an observation.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love the setting of this book - incredibly cozy. I think where it fell flat for me was the lack of chemistry between Mari and Leo, and the pacing of the story. I felt like the parts I was so interested in felt rushed, and the rest of the book dragged on.

I’d still recommend this for anyone who likes an enemies to lovers or opposites attract, it just wasn’t my favorite.

A fun trope-y rom com set in the best possible place-a bookstore in London! Mari helps revitalize older bookstores. Leo has one. They're opposites although her perkiness hides more than a bit of sorrow. There's good banter, fine atmospherics, and. cheery outlook. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

I really enjoyed this book. It was heartfelt, steamy, and romantic. This is the first book I have read by Sarah Chamberlain, I look forward to reading her next one. The ending turned out really good. I'm grateful that netgalley and the publishers let me read this in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for the
E-ARC! Really enjoyed! Cute characters & fun setting. Will read more from this author.

Thank you so much St. Martins Press for the ARC!

This was such a cozy and swoony book, like curling up with a warm drink and a blanket on a fall day. Leo is such a green flag MMC! British, sweet, full of grand gestures, and all the "darling" vibes. Mari is equally lovely, learning so much about herself along the way. We get a semi work relationship, grumpy x sunshine, it’s spicy, cozy, and full of love. Plus, rescuing a bookstore on top of it all?! So good!

This was my first Sarah Chamberlain book but it definitely won’t be my last.

Angstier than I expected, but a nice little romance nonetheless. Bookstore owner Leo initially clashes with Mari, the bookstore whisperer who's been brought over to London to revive his family's bookstore. It doesn't take long for him to fall for her, but she's got a lot of trauma and baggage under her bubbly exterior and is only interested in a physical relationship with him. And with her returning to California in three months, it would be a terrible idea for them to fall in love...right?

Both of them need a therapist for their own issues, which made the characters a bit frustrating at times. The implausible family plotline didn't help. Still, there's great representation for different romantic and sexual styles, and they did have good communication about their past relationships and desires. They also have good rapport and a pleasant cast of characters around them. This didn't feel like the kind of romance that sticks with you, but it was enjoyable while I was reading it.

4.5 stars.

Love Walked In by Sarah Chamberlain is a delightful romance.

Mari Cole is in London to help turn around a family-owned indie bookstore. She is bright and bubbly which is a stark contrast to Leo Ross who is grumpy and adverse to change. Their interactions are unlaid by a sizzling chemistry but with a departure date looming, will Mari and Leo act on their feelings?

Mari and Leo are lovely characters but both of them are struggling with issues from their respective pasts. Mari’s childhood was marred by loss and she found a safe haven in her local bookstore. Leo’s life has taken unexpected turns recently and he cannot move forward.

Love Walked In is a charming romance with realistic characters. Mari and Leo are complex, and multi-faceted characters dealing with true to life issues. The storyline is endearing with plenty of sass and heat. With unexpected conflict, Sarah Chamberlain brings this marvelous romance to a heart-melting conclusion.

Love Walked In is a wonderful grumpy/sunshine opposites attract romance featuring an introverted and awkward Leo, and a sunshiny, outgoing Mari.

Leo inherited a bookstore after his grandpa passed away but it’s slowly been failing. Mari works in a bookstore in California but takes a trip to London when a friend calls, to help bring the heart back into Leo’s old bookstore.

This book is a cozy, warm, sexy, and an emotional winter romance read. I loved the vibes and the bookstore setting. The main characters were easy to connect with and relatable. The side characters were fun and kept things interesting. The writing style and the fast pace were perfect and easy to follow. I adored Mari and Leo in all their yearning glory. And I loved how comfortable Mari and Leo were with being vulnerable around one another. She really brings life and colour to everything and everyone around her, especially Leo. I loved their connection. Mari and Leo may be opposites but they balance each other out perfectly.

This book was an ode to indie bookstores and is an ultimate comfort read for book lovers. Definitely recommend this one, it was such a cute book!

TW:
-grief
-eating disorder
-claustrophobia

Thank you NetGalley, St Martin’s Griffin and Sarah Chamberlain for the arc 🫶🏻

Sunshine-bright Mari is hired to revive a struggling London bookstore alongside its grumpy owner Leo.

I really enjoyed the bookish charms of this one, told in a dual point of view narrative. This is a perfect fall/ winter read giving plenty of cozy vibes a long with swoonworthy tension. If you enjoy a slow burn romance within a bookstore backdrop this one is definatley for you. I really liked that this story also touches on the challenges of opening oneself to love after past traumas and embracing new beginnings.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

September is the perfect release month for this book; it just feels so September-y. The setting was cozy and enjoyable. I was not as in love with the characters as I was with the setting. The FMC was oftentimes cheugy, which I can understand with her being 29, but also I cannot understand because she’s only 29?? That being said, I have a 30 year old sister who has cheugy tendencies, so I guess everyone is a product of their individual environment. The MMC was down real bad, and I might have just preferred a slower burn.

I really just wanted to hurry up and get to the end and did not find myself caring much about the middle stuff. There is some difficult family history stuff mentioned, so check TWs if that is something you are sensitive to.

Overall, this book was good, not great. I think it’s a great comfy read for the end of summer and early autumn. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Mari is a bookseller with a particular talent: rescuing struggling independent bookshops from closing. Her boss, friend, and mentor at home in California sends Mari to a bookseller's dream destination: a hundred-year-old institution on the busy streets of London. Mari is anxious to prove herself and eager to reconcile the London of so many well-loved books with the real place.

Ross & Co. has been reeling since the death of its longtime leader, Alexander Ross. The current manager, Leo, Alexander's grandson and protégé, is less than thrilled to have Mari on site for the next three months. As grumpy as Mari is cheerful, Leo is living life in a sleepwalk. He refuses to change anything about the shop or the way Alexander had operated it, preferring instead to allow his grandfather's ghost to live on through reticence and stubbornness.

Mari and Leo storm their way around each other, their individual armour clashing and causing sparks until they are forced to begin peeling away layers or ignite completely. Life hasn't been particularly kind to either of them, and although the details differ, both Mari and Leo have hidden their true selves--one behind false sunshine, the other under constant storm clouds.

Author Sarah Chamberlain draws a clever parallel between each of the characters discovering themselves as they discover one another on the way to a future that is a true reflection of joy, passion, and promise.

LOVE WALKED IN is a sweet and slightly spicy love story that is a great escape from the real world. It feels somewhat overlong and repetitive at times, but overall, I enjoyed the immersive and emotional storytelling.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and author Sarah Chamberlain for providing me with this ARC. This book was a classic grumpy sunshine trope taking place during a London winter. We follow two indie bookstore owners, one who just inherited his family's store in London, and the other promised to inherit the one she works at in California. If you're preference is for there to be actual character development for one or both MCs, then look no further. Also, he falls first, and let me tell you, the quotes this man says are worth picking up this book.

Mari is temporarily in England to help a failing bookshop revitalize. Leo is the grandson who has inherited the bookstore and is stagnant in life and career. The developing relationship between the sunshine consultant and the grumpy owner starts off so antagonistic that it is hard to see how they will get beyond it.

The story is pretty straightforward with realistic people and situations with one twist that I found highly unlikely. There are a few open door scenes with some good communication and I liked that the guy was the inexperienced one in the pairing.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

“A sunshine American bookstore whisperer clashes with the grumpy British owner of the shop she’s trying to save in this winning opposites-attract romance for book lovers.”

As with most contemporary romance books, especially those surrounding book stores and rivals, this was a super cute story. We all knew where it was going, but sometimes you just need to read those books that you know are going to have happy endings. They are great little palate cleansers between the heavier books.

If you love grumpy (MMC) x sunshine (FMC) then this is definitely a book for you. I loved the dynamic between the main characters and how they grew together throughout the story.

There was some spice, but definitely not too much to be overwhelming. Overall, a cute, fun story!

A very special Thank You to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

YESSS give me allllll of the cozy bookshop owner romances. what a dream! it felt cozy and whimsy. Incredibly swoon worthy

The fluttery, fuzzy feeling of having a crush wrapped up in one book! Mari and Leo butt heads initially, with their clashing personalities, but this melts away and morphs quickly into a soft romance that reminds me of butterflies in my stomach, and just waiting for the next glimpse of that person. I mean, that Tube scene was kind of cinematic. This was a soft, tender read for me, though the pacing felt a little too slow for my liking. One for the soft, romance lovers.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

I wish I realized I had DNF'd a previous title by this author before requesting this one. I made it to 45% before I gave up. I just didn't care about these characters, there was no chemistry, and the story bored me. Leo was far too abrasive which really put me off right from the beginning. I did like the setting of the bookstore but that was about all I liked.

This may be my favorite release of the season.
An ode to indie bookstores and the booksellers who inhabit them, Love Walked In is a story about family legacy, found family, and the places in which we find refuge from life's storms.
I found a sense of comfort in the descriptive nature of this story, from the scenery to the characters and every feeling that exists in the little moments. Sarah Chamberlain did a fantastic job of creating a universe that envelops the reader in the warmth of the story.