Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Mae Marvel for sharing this ARC with me, in exchange for my honest review.

The Guest Book is a diamond. Edie and Cosima's relationship is PRICELESS. They truly are Ride-or-Die for each other. Ms. Mae's writing and the way she wove everything together is perfect. It's funny and it's romantic. The flow was just right, not rushed or confusing. The twists and turns made the plot and story that much more delicious.

I totally recommend this book to all ya'll.

This book is a gem. What makes it so special is its characters- adorably ADHD Edie with her quirkiness, creativity, and huge heart; and competent Cosima with the weight of a small universe on her shoulders and her direct communication style. There were moments I laughed out loud, and moments I really felt for them. I loved their relationship and the way they care for the people in their lives but especially each other- they really saw the core of each other and were such a good match. The treasure hunt and European backdrop were so fun. This will definitely stick with me.

Short summary: Edie has one month to lick her wounds at the cheapest hotel in England before returning to a less than stellar reality. Cosima is running away. She can’t say exactly for how long or how to solve her problem but she needs space and time…definitely not a very nosy across the hall hotel mate.

Thank you to those at St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Mae Marvel for this ARC! I was so excited to be preselected for this ARC, I really enjoyed the last book I read by Mae Marvel (If I Told You, I'd Have To Kiss You). I loved the mystery aspect of the story, going from country to country with Cosima and Edie! There was so much longing that we read into as they fall in love and there were twists and turns which made the ending so much sweeter! I can't wait for the book to come out next year! Overall, wonderful read!

The Guest Book by Mae Marvel is a swoon-worthy sapphic romance that perfectly balances humor, adventure, and heartfelt emotion. Cosima Frank, weighed down by the legacy of her late Hollywood-mogul mother, retreats to the inn where her parents first fell in love, seeking space and clarity. There she meets Edie Whitelock, adorably quirky, fiercely creative, and full of heart, whose charm and persistence immediately draw Cosima out of her shell. Their chemistry is electric, filled with playful banter, slow-burn longing, and moments that tug at the heart, making their connection feel authentic and deeply satisfying. Both women are beautifully layered, with Cosima’s competence and directness contrasting wonderfully with Edie’s ADHD-fueled spontaneity and warmth.
The treasure hunt hidden in the inn’s guest book drives the story across England, Spain, and France, adding a sense of adventure and discovery that complements the romance perfectly. The European backdrop is vivid and immersive, and the twists and turns along the way keep the narrative engaging and full of surprises. Marvel’s writing captures both the humor and the emotional depth of their journey, giving readers plenty of laugh-out-loud moments as well as heartfelt introspection. This is a fun, moving, and unforgettable story and it will linger with readers.

This was a funny, tender, and slightly mysterious story about two Americans following clues from an old guest book at a charming inn in a small English village. What begins as a quirky quest unfolds into a deeper journey of emotional healing and connection. Both characters carry their own baggage, but watching them learn from and lean on each other was genuinely moving. The story was engaging, the characters well-drawn, and I especially loved how everything came together in the end—not just for the main duo, but for everyone touched by their journey.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this eARC.

I'm always happy when a new Mae Marvel shows up, and this one was no exception. I may have even given a little cheer.

I will start off by admitting that I found myself a little slower getting into this one than I did either Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous or If I Told You I'd Have To Kiss You. I'm not even sure I can put my finger on what it was, but the first 15-20% I just struggled with. The pacing in general was not as strong as the other two novels, imho. The first half takes a lot of time, and devotes a lot of detail, to the first half of the treasure hunt. In contrast, the second half has a lot of stuff to wrap up, as well as adding other complications that I wish had gotten some of that same detail.

Where the book shines, and what I always love Mae Marvel novels for, is that the authors write flawed, lovable grown-ups who make a point of communicating with their loved ones! It's always refreshing and why I will always make a point to put Mae Marvel novels in customer's hands at the bookstore I work in.

In this case, we have the wonderful Cosima, daughter of a famous Hollywood actress who (trope subversion) is not an actress herself, mourning/escaping her recent passing, and her equally amazing LI, Edie, mourning the death of her dream business. Some may argue that they're a grumpy/sunshine trope, but I think that does them a disservice. They were nuanced, and both dealing with, essentially, quarter-life-crisises, all while getting to know one another, getting pulled into a treasure hunt, and meeting a parade of wonderful side characters.

This also, very likely, is sexiest book yet. Ooof. Very hot!

This early before release, I'm gonna cut the review there, but I will definitely eagerly await owning my own copy next year. 4.5 stars for the pacing issue, rounded up.

This book was so cute! Black cat/golden retriever duos are a classic, and I loved the little scavenger hunt we as readers got to experience along with them! I loved the setting and seeing the relationships develop was very fulfilling.

What a cute, spicy, sapphic English love story! Cosima and Edit arrive at the Gregory Place a little broken but still alive. Looking for different things but finding themselves through a fun journey and an even more fun treasure hunt! This book lets both characters redefine legacy and their character growth is so refreshing!

I also love that it's set in a real place, one more stop to add to my "one day" tour.

And who doesn't want to read about a night of "rhapsodic, sacred eye contact and utter debauchery"?

Every book this two-wives tag-team writes is my favorite book! I just love their whole vibe! "The Guest Book" had me feeling the exact same things I felt when I read "Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous" and "If I Told You, I'd Have to Kiss You": deliriously swoony. And also just completely tied up in the individual character growth arcs and the bigger story. This time those characters are: Cosima Frank ("cos" like cosmos, not "cos" like the name of the Orphan Black character), the daughter of a super famous Hollywood mother, who has recently died. And: Edie Whitelock, a former vegan cheese shop owner from Green Bay who's broke and hiding from home when Cosima arrives at the rural English B&B where she's staying. They get themselves wrapped up in a wild gay goose chase that leads to a bonus Happy Ever After. Everything I've written about Mae Marvel's other books is true for this one: the dialogue crackles, the turns of phrase are fresh and whimsical, and it balances heart and humor with practiced ease. I'm sure I'll read this book a dozen more times.

Mae Marvel’s The Guest Book elevates standard romance beats by rooting its narrative in tangible metaphors. While the plot follows a familiar trajectory, the symbolism gives the story necessary weight, earning it a solid four stars.

The titular guest book serves as the novel's anchor, functioning not just as a prop but as a potent symbol of memory. For Cosima, who is suffocating under her famous mother’s legacy, the book represents the burden of history—the marks people leave behind that dictate the present. The narrative effectively uses the storm as a metaphorical intervention. It acts as a disruption to the characters' escapism, halting their tendency to run from their pasts and forcing them to confront the static reality of the inn.

The subsequent treasure hunt across Europe operates on two levels. On the surface, it provides adventure. Metaphorically, however, the road trip mirrors the labor of love itself. The hunt demands patience, interpretation, and collaboration, paralleling the trust Cosima and Edie must build to bridge their differences. The author successfully demonstrates that the "treasure" is not the physical endpoint, but the resilience developed during the journey.

Thanks to NetGalley and Mae Marvel -- pen name for Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare -- and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read and review this ARC.

This is a sweet, funny, feel-good story about two very different women who find themselves at a run-down British bed and breakfast where they discover an intriguing mystery and -- of course -- each other. Cosima, the only child of a movie-star/business mogul mother, checks in to Gregory Place to grieve her mother's death and the many expectations that come along with taking over a media empire. Edie, a quirky, neurodivergent ball of energy has come to Gregory Place after having to close her dream business, Fauxmage -- a vegan cheese shop in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Clearly, the city of "foam-hat cheeseheads" was not ready for a vegan creamery. What makes this opposites attract story so wonderful is the great warmth and depth of the primary and secondary characters. There is true humanity, humor and great ace and ADHD representation that feels organic to the characters. A truly lovely read.

LOVED the adhd representation as an adhd baby myself. I thought this was reflective, perfectly paced, and layered, everything I love in a good book.

The whole world believes Cosima Frank’s life has been a fairytale. Now she’s trying to live up to the overwhelming legacy left to her by her late mother, the Queen of Hollywood. As the pressure begins to build, Cosima does the only thing she can think of: run straight to the inn where her parents met and fell in love, intent on finishing her mother’s bucket list.

Edie Whitelock isn’t like anyone Cosima has ever met. She’s persistent enough to march up to Cosima’s door and provoke her to get out of bed and follow the disarming woman through the charming English village. Edie’s also on the run from her past, but she finds that she relishes bickering with the pretty Los Angeles princess a whole lot more than she expected. The two women couldn’t be more different, but they find themselves inexplicably drawn to each other.

Trapped indoors by thunderstorms, Cosima and Edie discover the inn’s guest book, whose entries date back more than fifty years—and inside it, a romantic treasure hunt left behind by a long-ago guest whose clues unexpectedly send them across England, Spain, and France on an adventure they hope will change both of their lives.

But sometimes the treasure you seek isn’t the one you find.

Loved it. Will recommend to others