Book Review: Love is an Open Book by Chandra Blumberg
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press, for my gifted book and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

This was such a fun concept with a lot of heart, and while it didn’t totally avoid some pacing bumps, Love is an Open Book is the kind of romance that makes you want to text your best friend and confess everything. Chandra Blumberg writes a flirty, emotionally grounded friends-to-lovers story that leans into all the classic tropes while still managing to feel fresh. I went in expecting something light and tropey, and got exactly that—but also came away pleasantly surprised by how deeply the book explores fear, vulnerability, and the risk of changing something that already means everything.

Mia Brady is a bestselling romance author who’s hit a wall. Her popular book series has already been adapted into a successful TV show, and now she’s expected to deliver the final installment—a friends-to-lovers story. The problem? Mia no longer believes in that trope. After a breakup years ago that ended with her ex marrying her sister (ouch), Mia’s convinced romance with a friend is a guaranteed disaster. She’s got a rule: don’t fall for the people closest to you. And unfortunately, her best friend Gavin has been dangerously close for nearly a decade.

Gavin Lane is a dream of a book boyfriend—steady, thoughtful, and harboring a slow-burning crush on Mia since the night they met. He’s been her ride-or-die for ten years, hiding his feelings behind inside jokes, late-night hangouts, and being “just friends.” When Mia proposes they test out romance tropes together to help her get unstuck, Gavin agrees. He thinks it’s just an experiment, but we know better. Forced proximity, workplace romance, fake dates, fish-out-of-water situations—all the tropes are on the table, and each one brings them a little closer to something real.

What worked so well for me was the emotional authenticity underneath all the trope play. The banter is great, the chemistry is clear, but the fear Mia feels about risking their friendship felt very real. She’s a character who needs control, who hides behind writing and overanalyzing, and who believes love equals chaos. Her resistance wasn’t just about an old heartbreak—it was about self-protection. At times, this made her frustrating (especially in the third act), but it also made her honest. She was layered. A little scared, a little stubborn, and very human.

Gavin, though—Gavin carried the story for me. He’s the “he falls first” archetype done right. Not spineless, not perfect, but emotionally open and patient in a way that feels earned. His backstory—watching his parents’ messy divorce and feeling responsible for keeping everyone else happy—added a layer of quiet depth. He’s not just waiting around for Mia to wake up; he’s trying to protect their friendship too. The dual POV was key here. Without Gavin’s perspective, I think Mia’s constant pushing away would’ve been more frustrating. But seeing how much he cared, how long he’d waited, gave the story emotional weight.

One of the best parts of the book is how Blumberg lets the romance develop slowly. This is not a high-drama, break-up-make-up kind of book. It’s about hesitation, vulnerability, and the slow dawning of “oh no, I love you.” That may not work for everyone

I can't stand Mia.... She was annoying and over the top. I honestly felt so bad for Gavin. This typically wouldn't be a book I would recommend due to the way Mia treated him.

LOVE IS AN OPEN BOOK by chandra blumberg [ harlequin #netgalley ]

friends to lovers but make the heroine, a romance writer, against the trope as she believes it’s never worth the risk. this was a fun romance that explored so many different tropes in romance and the question of whether friends to lovers is worth the risk.

I wanted to like this but it didn’t hit home for me. Mia annoyed me. Gavin was cute and how Mia didn’t see him showing his love to her made me want to just choke her out. This is the first time I’ve read from this author and I’d like to check out her other works, I just don’t think this one was for me.

Expected Release Date: 08/12/2025

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the early access. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Oddest thing really….the author would fixate on inconsequential details like her writing partner donning a cardigan due to the chill in the air. Small details added that made the reader “think” she’s heading in a particular direction. She wasn’t. Wish more detail spent on their mutual past.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

#LoveisanOpenBook #NetGalley

Mia a best-selling romance novelist and her best friend Gavin met under unusual circumstances. A decade later they are each other first call for everything, and they vowed that they would never date each other.

Mia is also suck with writer’s block and has to write the last book in a series that was turned into a show and doesn’t know how to finish it. It’s to make two of her main characters that have always been friends, find their way to more. With Mia being against the friends to lovers relationships, she doesn’t see a way forward.

This book was cute, and I was rooting for friendship and romance for Mia the whole book.

Thank you Net Galley and HarperCollins, Canary Street Press for this eARC in return for my honest review.

Chandra Blumberg may have just made me a friends-to-lovers convert! Mia is a successful romance writer struggling to write her next book, a highly anticipated friends-to-lovers romance that she just can't quite get behind. When her search for inspiration turn toward the dating variety, her best friend Gavin steps in to be her knight in shining armor, among all the other tropes in her highly organized binder. As Mia and Gavin navigate their friendship and developing feelings, the reader's will fall in love with the story right alongside them.

Romance novelist Mia is in a rut. Her next book is highly anticipated by readers and viewers alike, as the series is also a popular TV show. The problem? She's struggling with the friends to lovers trope of this book as she's been burned by it herself. Her best friend, Gavin, tries to put his years long crush behind them to help her get her spark back. Mia and Gavin go on practice dates to try out different tropes for her newest romance in hopes that she'll find something that clicks - and helps her to believe that friends really could have a successful romance. As they spend these dates together, sparks start to fly and Mia has to decide if a romance is worth the risk.

Like Mia, I sometimes struggle with the friends to lovers trope. I can absolutely see how the potential of a break up could make it feel not worth risking! As a romance author, Mia avoided the trope and I thought the idea of the trope practice dates was a clever twist on fake dating. Gavin and Mia were truly each other's ride or die, and the time spent together and even some of the flirting felt natural and safe... Until it didn't. Mia's character and self awareness felt very real as well, and I appreciated that Gavin respected her so much. He was clearly so gone for her, and by the end it was an "everyone knows you're in love except you" situation. Friends to lovers done right, dual POV and low spice! Perfect poolside reading.

This book was an absolute delight from start to finish! Chandra Blumberg crafts a wonderfully charming story that is both heartwarming and genuinely engaging. The characters are incredibly relatable, making it easy to root for them as they navigate their unique challenges and discover unexpected connections.

It’s no surprise that I’m a huge fan, so I may be biased when I say that Blumberg's writing shines with wit and warmth, drawing you into a world filled with genuine emotion and delightful moments. This book is a pure joy to read, offering a perfect blend of romance, personal growth, and a touch of enchanting magic that will leave you with a huge smile.

If you're looking for a feel-good story that truly resonates, pick this one up immediately!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was extremely cute read about two friends who’ve been friends forever but are interested in more. It’s a trope-y on purpose book which is adorable but also obviously, quite predictable, which is why I think it didn’t give me that wow factor.

It took me awhile to get into it. I think I really struggle reading first person povs, and more expository writing - some of it just felt unnecessary. However I really did come to adore Gavin mostly. Mia and her emotions got annoying. Like GIRL, he’s head over heels for you. The conflict was believable at least, but again, pretty predictable. Still very happy for the characters and I think there’s no surprise there is a happy ever after (because obviously).

Cute dialogue with some really funny parts that made me smile. It’s wild that there was so much talk about Wisconsin - so fun to read about where you live.

Overall I’d say it’s more like a 3.5 - it was worth reading but not gonna be something I think about at all after reading. Extra points for having a non-white main character.

Thank you NetGalley, Chandra Blumberg and Harlequin Trade Publishers for an ARC of the book.

Gavin is literally THE book boyfriend. I found this book to be a cute light read. While there were still beautiful moments of venerability, the book still felt like a fun fluffy read. The tropes were everything and if you like friends-to-lovers in bookish settings, this book is for you

As a fan of the friends-to-lovers trope, I was excited to dive into Love is an Open Book by Chandra Blumberg. The setup between Mia and Gavin had all the makings of a swoony, slow-burn romance: deep friendship, shared history, and unspoken feelings simmering beneath the surface. The first half of the book showed promise, with genuine chemistry and relatable emotional stakes. Unfortunately, the story lost momentum around the halfway point.

Mia’s unwavering insistence on keeping the relationship platonic began to feel repetitive and, at times, frustrating. Her internal monologue circled the same emotional block again and again, which dulled the story’s tension instead of building it. Meanwhile, Gavin’s clear love and dedication to Mia made the decade-long wait to confess his feelings feel unnecessarily drawn out and emotionally implausible. It strained believability that someone so obviously invested would wait ten years for any forward movement.

Additionally, the novel is completely closed-door—so closed, in fact, that I had to flip back pages just to confirm if an intimate moment between the characters had even happened. The emotional and physical payoff that typically makes this trope satisfying never truly materialized. The “will-they-won’t-they” dragged for so long that when the characters finally came together, it lacked the emotional resolution I was hoping for. There was no definitive moment of “yes,” no scene that cemented the transition from friends to lovers in a way that felt earned or fulfilling.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Love is an Open Book releases 8/12/25. Unfortunately, while the premise held promise, the execution left me feeling unsatisfied.

Love is an Open Book
*ARC review* Release date: August 12th
2.5/5⭐️

Love is an Open Book by Chandra Blumberg is a closed door, contemporary, best friends to lovers romance. I think the biggest problem for me with this book is the FMC, Mia. She is reluctant to ever try to have a relationship with a friend because of a past boyfriend. I don’t understand why she has been hung up on this for 10 years. She admits to not loving her ex so why is she letting this one thing dictate how she completely views relationships. It is so obvious the MMC, Gavin, is in love with her but she won’t give him a chance because of a stupid rule she made. This became annoying and repetitive. I was also not a fan of it being closed door. At their age, I am expecting to read about some sort of physical connection. I also didn’t like the idea of the trope trials and would have preferred a straight up fake dating scenario. I do like the dual POV and friends to lovers trope, but this did not work for me. Recommend: No

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review this book.

#63rdBookof2025Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for granting my request to read this e-ARC and provide my honest thoughts.

Do friends who become lovers ever truly get their happy ending? The friends-to-lovers trope can be tricky—because after years of awkward phases and inside jokes, love isn’t always the obvious next step.

Gavin and Mia had one of the best meet-cutes I've ever read, and I just have to say this: the "He has always loved her" trope while dating other people has never been a huge favorite.

I loved how Gavin and Mia (yes, #Mavin 🤪) transitioned from the safety of friendship into something flirty and romantic. The shift felt natural and earned—the trope ate and left no crumbs.

Overall, I really enjoyed watching them navigate the messy, sweet, and sometimes scary process of falling for your best friend. A solid friends-to-lovers romance!

This was absolutely adorable. I think the pay off at the end was worth the stress of the back half of the book.

There were moments that were a little too meta for my personal tastes, and I think in terms of character building, we could’ve leaned more into experiences that made Mia believe she couldn’t be loved as her whole authentic self (because I think that’s a real reason for a decade of denial) rather than the crux of the issue being a short-lived relationship where she admits she never loved the guy—though I acknowledge that realization could’ve taken time, I agree with other reviewers that I don’t think it would’ve taken a decade.

That said, I loved how these characters were written. They have such ordinary and well-thought-out callbacks to stories and inside jokes and shared experiences without going over the top or being too detailed and taking you out of the story at hand. And this is the case for all the characters, not just Mia and Gavin. I also found their emotional turmoil believable, though as noted above, I did take some issue with the depth of the issues and the timing around them.

Overall, I’d recommend if you’re looking for a cute, low-stakes romcom with a double (triple?) friends to lovers relationship.

Thanks to NetGalley and Chandra Blumberg for the eARC!!

𝙴𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠
🌟🌟🌟
A writer writing about best friends to lovers while also going through the same trope she is quoting about for her spin-off series. Yes, sign me up! This is exactly what Love is an Open Book is about; we have Mia who never imagined her romance novels becoming bestsellers and also turning into a TV series. However, after signing a deal to write the final book of the series, she’s struck by a serious case of writer’s block. Her own experience with heartbreak—and current lack of real-life romance—is getting in the way.

I enjoyed this book; Galvin is a major book boyfriend, and Mia was a little annoying in this book. She started off strongish and just dwindled later on in the book. I unfortunately DNF at 40%; it just wasn't keeping my attention, and I didn't want to force it. But I still highly recommend. I will finish reading at a later date.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Harlequin for the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Love Is an Open Book by Chandra Blumberg
📅 Publication Date: August 12, 2025

Who doesn’t love a book about a writer testing romance tropes—with her best friend—while battling writer’s block? I really enjoyed this story! It’s full of charm, chemistry, and just enough chaos to keep things interesting.

Mia’s struggle with vulnerability felt authentic, though I did find her back-and-forth a little frustrating at times—especially as she kept questioning both her own and Gavin’s feelings late into the story. But Gavin? Total gem. Supportive, patient, and finally willing to draw the line and speak his truth. I loved that.

The story leans into the friends-to-lovers trope in a fun, thoughtful way, and I especially liked the added bonus of kittens and writing challenges. A warm and satisfying rom-com that’s perfect for fans of sweet emotional arcs and behind-the-scenes bookish charm.

Thank you to NetGalley And the publisher for the ARC!

This was a wholesome and sweet very closed-door romance. Mia and Gavin met almost a decade ago as college students, after Gavin's roommate breaks aspiring-author Mia's heart. After that, Mia swears off ever mixing friendship and romance. The only problem is she and Gavin have both been secretly in love with each other for years. Now a successful author, Mia needs to finish a final friends-to-lovers romance. In the process, it becomes the catalyst for Mia and Gavin to finally acknowledge their feelings for each other.

Mia and Gavin were a really cute couple and Gavin is literally the perfect book boyfriend. At least, he starts out that way. More than a cinnamon-roll he's the well grounded, handsome, emotionally evolved guy next door. I could see why Mia fell hard for him. Gavin wasn't perfect, but he always showed up for Mia and that's even better. At first, I understood how the betrayal in Mia's past could hold her back, but I was two-thirds into the book and she was still agonizing over not admitting her feelings, or worrying that their mutual friends would find out. Instead of feeling like a slow burn I just started to feel exhausted. I couldn't figure out what the barrier was, especially since this was a grown woman in her 30s. When 80% into the book Mia was asking for a crystal ball to ensure she could be vulnerable, I felt literal rage. Her selfishness and immaturity were too much. Despite Gavin sacrificing himself for A DECADE to honor her wishes, all she could see was herself. I couldn't believe it took several different interventions from different people to get her to see sense.

Other things in the book were a bit weird. The acting out out romance tropes device seemed convoluted and the author sort of abandoned it herself halfway through the novel. I also didn't understand why it was needed to force Mia and Gavin together. I would have much preferred a deeper focus on Gavin's family dynamics and whether he was going to leave. I didn't understand why the author leaned on such a weird device when the possibility of Gavin leaving seemed like it would be more than enough to force the characters to embrace their feelings. I think it would have helped with the pacing of the book which was challenging.

I did like this book, but Mia was so insufferable towards the end that I went from thinking she and Gavin were perfect, to feeling like Gavin got the short end of the stick. Not the satisfying ending I was hoping for.

This was really cute. I like getting the back story in the beginning and watching how Gavin & Mia's relationship has changed over the years.
I liked the dual point of view. I liked seeing how much Gavin cares about her and seeing how he was feeling throughout.
I liked the different dates they went on and how Mia was using it as inspiration.
The relationship with her sister is well played out too and we see where she is now too.

A cute romance!

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Extra rating: the fact that Mia literally was the author of her own love story was everything 😭💕✨

There is no bookish trope I love more than childhood friends to lovers and this book kind of has that trope. It stars Mia who is fresh off a breakup and heartbroken 💔 then she meets Gavin who coincidentally is her ex’s roommate and through that initial awkwardness they become friends🥹✨

That’s until many years later as an established writer she needs inspiration for the finale of her successful romance series and GUESS WHO SHE ASKS TO BE HER FAKE BF TO PRACTICE DATES WITH😭💕🫧🫶🏾‼️🌷😩

It was dual POV so one side you’ll read how she’s unsure but on Gavin’s POV he’s literally fist bumping the air, glad that he can have these moments with her 🥹🥹 I loved most especially how the characters in her books literally mirrored her relationship with Gavin and how she (knowingly or unknowingly) was writing a relationship she desired with Gavin through them😭✨

If it’s a friends to lovers, with LOTS of yearning and kind of slow burn you were looking for… THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU!😍🌷