Long Story Short is the story of a romance author who has reached a point in his career where he's feeling particularly skeptical and a little cynical about love, and a girl who works in publishing who loves his novels and is a romantic at heart. These are are brought together on a mission to clean up the author's image after some damaging remarks, and they travel on a publicity campaign.

In reality, this book is a nice and easy break. It's a nice palate cleanser for when you're looking for a quick and easy romance.

The writing style wasn't necessarily for me, it lacked really any visualization or true storytelling, so it felt a little flat.
I would have loved it a little more if the author was able to show us what was happening and what was being felt, instead of just downright telling us. I wasn't really able to connect much, so ultimately it felt a little bit forgettable.

This book I did enjoy, it was definitely lacking a few things for me. I think definitely a longer timeline to really build the characters and the relationship more time to just really develop and see that on the pages, maybe 6-8 weeks. It definitely reminded me of similar books I enjoyed reading so I requested this book. I definitely felt it was lacking but it was not the worst.

When famous author, Jake Richards, becomes scandalized in the romance book community, assistant agent, Freya Harrison, has a chance to not only boost Jake's poor reputation but gain a real shot at solidifying her career in the literary world. With the world's top tier book conference around the corner and her job on the line, they both have goals for this trip to New York City - falling in love just wasn't one of them.

On paper, all the pieces were there for me to give this one an easy five stars. Unfortunately, the one-dimensional storyline and frustrating main character personalities left me with more to be desired. As Jake states in the book "writing romance is hard," so I empathize with the idea that not every romcom is going to be my cup of tea. What I wish to have read was a more nuanced representation of the age-ole trope of "young, clumsy, cute girl who wears quirky clothes meets older, more mature dude." I'm not against it, but her barrage of quirky outfits, the pencil that falls out of her backpack (IYKYK), getting caught loudly oversharing her conversations, letting people in a professional setting get under her skin, and (most notably) trying to "solve" Jake as though she knew him as a person (and not just a fan of his books) was all too much for me. I know she was likely written to "not be like the other girls," but I expected a bit more maturity given how much she wanted to grow her career (at least knowing how to play the game while in professional settings).

Many thanks to Boldwood Books, NetGalley, and Victoria Walters for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I was incredibly excited about the premise of Long Story Short but unfortunately it fell flat for me.

I didn’t particularly like Freya or Jake. The romance con seemed pretty lacklustre and a bit of a snoozefest (nobody seemed to be that engaged at what is usually a fun time!). And the story was… lukewarm.

It was a very easy read but sadly not my cup of tea!

Thank you for the opportunity to review.

Please note this review reflects only on my personal experience of the story/characters and is not a review of the quality of writing of the author

Set against the glittering backdrop of a New York romance conference, this sizzling slow burn is packed with snark, sexual tension, and serious heart. When literary assistant Freya is forced to manage bad boy author Jake Richards after a career-threatening scandal, it’s hate at first sight. But behind his cocky charm and infuriating smirk, Jake reveals something unexpected—and soon Freya’s no longer sure where the act ends and the real man begins. Perfect for lovers of sharp banter, forced proximity, and a hero who falls hard.

This was a sweet, easy-to-read romantic story that touches on personal struggles and how our abrupt decisions can shape public perception.
The story follows Jake Richards, a successful male romance author—a rare unicorn in the genre—who damages his reputation after publicly admitting he writes for the money and doesn’t believe in happily-ever-afters. Naturally, this doesn’t sit well with his fanbase. Enter Freya, the assistant to Jake’s top literary agent, who is assigned to help Jake navigate his PR crisis. Though her ideas often contradict her boss’s, Freya, a romance fan herself, understands exactly what readers expect—and need—from Jake.
The close proximity between the two leads and the growing attraction between them adds a layer of warmth and charm to the story. It's romantic, engaging, and a perfect choice when you're in the mood for something light and cute.

Loved it. The book is well written and the banter and narrative made me smile at times. It is lighthearted and a cozy read. The characters are well written and the male lead is quite swoon worthy. Their meet cutest are sweet and made me laugh. Especially the awkwardness which is absolutely endearing.

I loved the concept of an author trying to fix a PR disaster and an agent trying to make it. The feeling of everything can go wrong and partnering to make it work to save a PR disaster is brilliant. Especially loved the romance genre of writing being brought in along with others. And the themes of writers supporting each other. The rivalry is well written too. Love it!

Thank you Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

This book presents an intriguing premise—a disgraced romance author forced to face the very genre he disparaged, alongside a romance-loving assistant with publishing ambitions. Jake Richards, a bestselling author, finds his career in jeopardy after a careless comment goes public, and Freya, his agent’s assistant, is thrust into the awkward role of escorting him to a romance conference. Sparks and friction naturally follow as opposites are thrown together in a setting designed for love.

There’s an appealing enemies-to-lovers thread, a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the publishing world, and a heroine who believes in love but hasn’t quite found her own yet. However, the execution doesn’t quite live up to the potential. The age difference between Jake and Freya is repeatedly mentioned, but it’s not explored in any meaningful way, and other character contrasts also feel surface-level.

While the plot has charm, the writing often feels basic, with some key elements—like character development—underdeveloped. Surprisingly, a secondary character, Davis, ends up more dimensional and engaging than the leads. It’s a story that has heart and promise, but it could have used a bit more polish to truly shine.

It was good ! It took me a while to get through . Would recommend though .it was about jake who made a mistake and said he hated romance and freya who is tasked with the job of getting his readers to turn around and think he’s a good guy

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

‘long story short’ is a relatively quick and lighthearted read that i think will appeal to many romance readers. i did like how the story was set within the publishing industry and thought it moved at it’s best pace when in new york. personally i found the dynamic between the main characters, freya and jake, to move very fast with very little build-up, which made their relationship feel flat. i didn’t love either character either, so my investment level in their relationship was low.

This was a cute rom com, set in New York. Freya wants to be an agent for authors, but she’s only working as an assistant. She has the job to get Jake (author) to repair his mess after saying he hated romance books, that’s what he writes. It’s an easy read with lots of steamy sessions, very descriptive and fun. An overall quick read, 4 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

I did not love this one.

The premise was fun and I really enjoyed the setting (London publishing world and New York). However, the writing felt really clunky in parts and I was bored for the majority of the story - it just felt so bland and the characters were so one dimensional. The conflict annoyed me and the ending felt unrealistic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of this book!

Sadly I did not enjoy this spicy romance. It had all the things that I thought I would love: a New York setting, enemies to loves, grumpy x sunshine, and he falls first, but it was not for me.

Long Story Short is my first book by Victoria Walters and after starting to read it, I was instantly hooked and couldn't put down the story of Freya and Jake. Freya, well she's a straight talking girl who has big dreams of being a agent one day. It's impossible not to like her, not want her to get her happy ever after as her story unfolds in this page turning, unputdownable book. The chapters are really short and I loved how they flowed from one into the next, always keeping the story going and not stopping.

Jake, well, he's this swoon worthy author with a massive problem on his hand. What caused his scandal and can a man who he been broken be able to see that love and romance does exsist. I wanted him to succeed in the challenges he faces. Does that happen? Well you need to pick up the latest book by Victoria.

Although this book is worthy of the 5 stars I'm giving it, and is a standalone novel, I feel that you should read Freya's cousin Liv and Tessa's stories first as the books all flow into each other. I'll be going back and reading their books for sure, but this is one you don't want to miss. It's perfect to read next to the pool, on a long plane journey or down next to the beach. Romance with a right amount of spice makes this one of my must reads of 2025.

I’ll be honest – I wasn’t sure if Long Story Short would be my kind of thing, but it ended up giving me all the feels. It felt fresh, and I found myself getting completely swept up in it.

The characters are likeable and relatable. Freya, especially, was a highlight for me – quirky, brutally honest, and just very real. I loved that the story wasn’t just a straightforward romance but also a bit of a journey of self-discovery for her and Jake. There’s loads of character growth throughout, which I always appreciate.

The book made me laugh more than once, and even though it’s marketed a bit like an enemies-to-lovers story, I wouldn’t say that’s totally accurate – it didn’t have the proper ‘enemies’ vibe you sometimes expect from that trope. Still, the chemistry between Freya and Jake worked really well.

One thing I found especially interesting was the little insights into the world of romance writing – like the idea that even though readers know a romance will end happily, it’s the journey that keeps them hooked. Those little moments made the story feel a bit more layered and thoughtful.

Overall, it’s a quick, easy, and really fun read. I had a good time with it. I’d give it 3.5 stars.

This was a super cute, comfort romance. Not too dramatic, just enough to make my blood boil towards certain characters. Satisfying ending. I didn't want to put it down and I really enjoyed the romance brewing between the main characters.

Freya is offered an opportunity to take her career from assistant to literary agent. That opportunity takes her to a conference in New York with her idol and favorite author, Jake Richards. Her mission: save Jake’s reputation. It proves to be quite the challenge since she’s quirky and awkward, and he’s a bit of a grump who seems intent on destroying his career. But as they get to know each other, it turns out their biggest hurdle might be their attraction to each other.

I liked the premise of this book, and enjoyed the bookish theme. There were moments of humor, romance, and drama. I especially liked the way that Jake expressed himself and became Freya’s champion.

However, I felt Freya’s maturity level was a bit lacking, especially compared to Jake. She lacked self confidence and didn’t handle situations well that didn’t go her way.

Overall, I liked the concept of this story but felt the execution fell a little flat.

this book is major cute. its the tropes that are tropes because we love these tropes. and i cant deny im a cynic or falls for the tropes every single time when done well. and this for me was done well. i couldnt help but smile and root for the characters.
Freya has the chance for her big break as literary agent. but one thing is very much standing in her way. hes a romance author who been heard heard talking badly about all things romance novels. great. not only that but he goes one step further in ridiculing the fans who adore him. or so they did adore him. no he is a PR night mare.
so its up to Freya to sort him out because this needs turning around fast. Freya has more in the game than the job though. she loved his books too. and she believed in the whole big romance love of your life thing. can he really be the one to destroy that.
but does needing to be the big love in her OWN life need to be her big love. and is there more to Jake than people are now assuming or his determined to give off to the world. theyve got a romance conference to find out.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Victoria Walters for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This book is written from the POV of Freya. She is trying to break through the literary world and become an agent. She is tasked with the job of going to a romance conference in NYC with Jake, an author who just got blacklisted by the romance community for getting caught saying that writing romance is easy and he just does it for the money. As Freya works to fix things, Jake and Freya get closer. However, there are many ups and downs in their story as they navigate work, rivalries, and their own insecurities. Will they be able to make things work?

I went into this book a little apprehensive after reading through the reviews. There are many negative reviews and the average star rating is 3.19 on Goodreads and 2.97 on StoryGraph. I tried to go into the book with an open mind, and I’m glad I did. While there were things I didn’t like about the book, I still enjoyed reading it! I’m honestly a little confused where some of the really negative reviews came from as I either missed those parts of the book or it has been revised. I didn’t love Jake, but he wasn’t misogynistic as noted. Overall, combining the positive and negative things about the book, it ends up being mid.