A classic cute fluffy read. Flirty, fun, enemies to lovers goodness! Especially loved how immersive the setting was.

September feels like a perfect release time for the tone/overall vibe of Love Walked In. I think it'll do well in store!

If you’re a sucker for grumpy/sunshine tropes, indie bookstores, and slow-burn British romance with major sparks, this one’s going to be your new favorite comfort read.

Mari Cole is basically the fairy godmother of failing bookstores. She’s bubbly, brilliant, and knows how to breathe life into a shop with nothing but charm, hustle, and maybe a handwritten staff rec or two. Enter: Leo Ross—grumpy, brooding, emotionally constipated British man™️ who just so happens to own the crumbling bookstore Mari’s been hired to save. And he wants nothing to do with her (or her sunshine energy, thank you very much).

What follows is a delicious mix of banter, bookshop makeovers, emotional healing, and watching two total opposites slowly, reluctantly fall in love. It’s cozy, witty, and swoony in all the best ways—with a side of emotional depth that hits you right in the feels.

Mari’s journey from guarded to vulnerable is so relatable, and Leo? Once he starts to thaw, he gives serious book boyfriend energy. Add in an old bookstore that becomes a character in its own right, and you've got a romance that feels like a warm hug on a rainy day.

Rating: 5/5 cozy bookshop vibes.
It’s You’ve Got Mail meets The Hating Game, but in London—with tea, tension, and a happily ever after you’ll cheer for.

This book was so cozy! It takes place in a bookstore in London. Mari comes from California to help the new owner Leo turn business around and help save the store. They start of on the wrong foot put slowly starting working together and becoming friends. Leo is dealing with so much personally that Mari really helps him navigate. They eventually start falling in love. I loved all the side characters in this book and the subplots. I was literally rooting for everyone. I can’t recommend this book enough!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC!

Boy did I love this book. The setting was so cute and cozy. I love a good bookstore romance! It’s a new favorite for me. The romance between the characters was cute and very happy ending. Both side plots were very well done. I highly recommend this cozy read!

I love this story! Mari & Leo have each dealt with difficult things in the past. They learn that sometimes we all need a helping hand to move forward. Watching them fall in love was beautiful 💕

I loved it, I loved it, I loved it!!

This book was SO cozy!! I also may have fallen in love a bit with Leo, because oh my goodness he is the most precious thing ever!

Both Mari and Leo have had some pretty big things happen throughout their life that have brought them to who we meet at the beginning of the story. Both of them realizing their flaws and working on their healing is absolutely beautiful.

"Darling" is my new favorite pet name and no one is going to be able to change my mind on this. Especially when Leo says it.

Picture this book is the written version of sitting by the fire with a cup of coffee, with fuzzy socks on. I felt like the book was giving me a hug the entire time I was reading it, even when we were going through tough times.

I wish I could read this book again for the first time.

overall: highly recommend
spice: open door

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.

Bookshop romance done right!

Lately, there's been an overabundance of romance novels set in bookstores or featuring fictional characters in the book industry. The joy of reading is little more than a backdrop. There's a number of authors that come to mind that the public blindly gravitates to simply attracted by the author's name rather than the quality of the story.

That's not the case here. The FMC's love of books shines thru from the keepsake of a tattered childhood book that accompanies her across the ocean. For the lifelong reader, this action resonates.

Then there's the FMC tackling the reality of bookselling ie. from making tough decisions as to what will be on coveted shelf space to creating safe spaces for local communities through outreach of authors and readers, alike.

This is my second read by this author and, candidly, did not make the connection as chose this due to the cover art and description. Just like her other book, stumbled upon it by chance. Her debut was wonderful and this novel clearly shows that the first book was no anomaly. She is definitely an ATF "author to follow".


This ARC was provided by the publisher, St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.