Much Ado About You by Samantha Young was such a fun read. Evangeline, Evie, needs a change and going away may just give her what she needs. She finds herself running a small bookstore and meeting some very interesting people. What she never expected was to love her new temporary home so much and find herself so attracted to Roane. Their journey, but more specifically, Evie’s was full of second chances, hope and so much more. But this is only temporary, right? Such a sweet and delightful read.

Happy reading!

Much Ado About You

Evie Starling is 33, single, & just got passed up for a promotion she was a shoe in for. She got stood up on her most recent date and you know what?! She’s done! It’s time for her to get away. Evie turns to the internet and finds a bookstore with an apartment over it for rent in England. She’ll be able to get away and run the bookstore! No men, no stress, no drama! Sounds perfect right?! Well it might be a little too perfect, especially when she meets the sexy neighborhood farmer, Roane Robson. Will Evie be able to keep her promise of swearing off men? Will she make it back to her life back home?

I am Evie!!!! Evie is me!!!! Well except I don’t have the funds to rent a bookstore in England but a gal can dream right?! Everything about this book was swoon worthy! The characters, the setting, the storyline!! It was all just *chef’s kiss* such a beautiful romance! Definitely enjoyed this one and will be reading all of Samantha Young’s backlist now! This one gets 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

Wow! Samantha you amaze me. You write such awesome books. And all of them are different. None of them are ever the same, unless in a series but even then they are different. Much Ado About You was absolutely fabulous. I was so engrossed in the book, I only could put it down when I absolutely had to. I literally walked around my house holding my e-reader, while doing house work. I was captivated right from the beginning. I automatically connected to Evie. I totally got her. Love self esteem and felt she wasn’t meant for the fairy tail. So she uprooted her life and took a vacation to England. The vacation ended up becoming so much more than she ever dreamed of. Roane, well technically, Shadow barged into her life. And she was never the same again. Roane was so captivated by Evie. He decided they needed to be friends. When he really felt there could be something more there. As the weeks passed and Evie and Roane became closer, it was a dream come true for both of them. However, there always seems to be a flaw in every fairytale. So will this flaw ruin this couple or will they receive their happily ever after? Do not delay, grab this book today. It is a fun light hearted romance that will keep a smile on your face from beginning to the end.

Samantha Young writes a feel good rom-com that uses a beautiful English village as backdrop to a lovely romantic escape.

Evie Starling has enough of the dating scene in Chicago and of being underappreciated at work. Feeling lost, she spontaneously plans a four-week vacation in small coastal town in England that includes running the book store attached to her rental.

Upon her arrival she catches a sexy farmer’s eye when she saves his canine best friend and is received the residents with friendly open arms. Soon, Evie is swept up by her idyllic bookish job, her new friends’ lives, the town’s drama and of course the very tempting charms of Roane Robson.

Evie isn’t looking for a fling though, much less get involved with someone she’ll soon leave behind, but can she ignore the obvious connection between them?

Much Ado About You is a wonderful delight, filled genuine feelings and heart. While getting to know the locals, Evie meddles in their lives with nothing but the best intentions endearing herself further into Roane’s heart who blatantly wears it on his sleeve making it impossible for her to resist and the reader not to share their romance.

There’s an easiness and warmth to Evie and Roane and by extension their story that had me hooked. Roane was absolutely swoon worthy and I loved watching them dance around their attraction and feelings, and fell head over heels when Evie finally realized that what they had was real.

Facts: Much Ado About You is a standalone contemporary romance by Samantha Young. It is told from the heroine’s point of view and ends with a HEA. Genres: Contemporary Romance| Woman’s Fiction | Romantic Comedy Tropes: Younger Hero

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group.
2.5 stars rounded up.
So much about this book annoyed me; mostly the unmet potential of many characters. There was a lot happening here and there was too little depth accompanying any of it. Roane was a strong, if quiet, love interest but Evie was infuriating. I wanted to like this so much more than I did. An American woman starting over in a bookish way in England? It could’ve been a new favorite, especially since I love some of Samantha Young’s other books, but overall it just fell flat. I rounded up because despite the frustration, this made for a decent escapism read.

Rating: 4.5/5
Laughing Score: 3/5
Crying Score: 0/5

Happy Pub day #MuchAdoAboutYou and thank you @netgalley and @berkleypub for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Plot: After another failed dating experience and being passed up for a promotion, Evie Starling feels like she needs to do something different. Her best friend is moving forward, and Evie can’t help but feel like she needs to make a change. When she looks up trips she can take, she sees an opportunity in Northern England, to rent out an apt, and manage the bookstore underneath it for the duration of her stay. Evie being the bookish heroine we all needed, books the trip and sets off for her new adventure. She’s sworn off men, and is focused on finding out what she really wants.

My thoughts: I really liked this book from the start to finish. Evie’s dating like was #relatable and so were her feelings of people moving forward in life when you are feeling stuck. I love that this took place in a small village in england and that it was centered around a bookshop. The idea of this trip is dreamy (are these real?!), and definitely something I’d be into. I thought the timeline of the story was too fast, but it also felt right in a way. Roane sounded nearly perfect and I think their meet cute was adorable. About 20% into the book I was squealing and smiling at how happy & perfect everything was. At about 80% I was waiting for the other shoe to drop lol. The twist was unexpected, which makes me think I may have missed some cues in the story, but in a way, made for a better read.

This book comes out today (2/2/2021)! I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.

3.5 stars rounded up; was this book incredibly predictable and lacking in substance? yes. did I still have a good time? also yes. my main issue with the story is that the characters weren't well developed and purely existed for the sake of the plot (I don't think I could tell you a single character trait about most of them). also everyone, not just Roane, seemed to marvel over Evie and think she was perfect. I'm not saying she was annoying but did no one see her flaws?? also there were a lot of heavy topics touched on (alcoholism, abuse, racism) but not really discussed which also felt lacking.

BUT WHAT CAN I SAY I HAD A GOOD TIME. this story was sweet and fluffy and I found myself laughing out loud.the premise for this story is outstanding; woman living in big city moves to small town and falls for local man that reminds her of the true meaning of Christmas (only you know, this is not about Christmas) is an A+ trope to begin with but throw in managing a book store and you have me sold. nosy small town vibes were strong and made me enjoy the cast of characters even though I knew nothing about them. if this gets a companion novel, I'll probably read it.

tl;dr--it gets points for the fluff, the small town, and the premise. loses points for the lack of substance. I wouldn't lose sleep if you don't have the time to read it but I wouldn't outright avoid it.

4.5 'Lady porn' Stars!
ARC provided by the the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I always like to start the New Year with a book from an author I am familiar with and who’s writing I love. This year I have chosen Samantha Young and her upcoming romantic comedy with Berkley. I’ve had the early copy of this book for a while now and I have to say my hype for it was quite big even though I could not start reading it until now. I wanted to begin 2021 with a feel-good love story and I definitely got that (and so much more!). Samantha stole my heart with her Dublin Street series and she continues stealing it with whatever I read that is written by her.

So, Much Ado About You is a standalone romance telling the story of Evangeline Starling, a woman in her early-thirties who has had enough of her life in Chicago after another dating failure and not getting the job she has been working for ten years. She quits and decides to have a much-deserved in an idyllic Shakespearean bookstore/apartment in England called Much Ado About Books. As soon as she arrives she starts making friendships and Northumberland starts to feel like the home she has always wanted. But there is just this thing: she has sworn off men. The problem is she meets Roane Robson, an all-around good guy / sexy and mysterious farmer who is decided to explore their connection even though Evie only wants friendship. Or does she?

Curse my luck!
I swear off men. I book a trip to England to find myself.
Instead I find a sexy English farmer who looked at me like he wanted to kiss my feet in thanks and then strip me naked to thank me some more.

Oh man, did I enjoy this book! As soon as I started reading I knew I would not be stopping until I finished it. I stayed late AF and I am not sorry for it (my sleeping schedule is though! lol). Much Ado About You is so much more than the typical romantic comedy, it’s filled with warmth, friendship, chemistry and emotions. And with Samantha’s unique style, I have to say I was all over this story. I am a sucker for romances that have lots of family/friend interactions and the crew of Much Ado About You has now a place in my heart because they were such loving characters. And you know what I also love? A friendship that develops into love. Evie and Roane’s connection was heartwarming, filled with sexual tension and a whole array of feelings. And I adored that.

“You think too well of me,” I whispered, worried for us both.
“You’re not perfect, Evie, rationally I know that.” He let out a long sigh. “But you’re perfect to me.”

Characters with depth and vulnerabilities make them so much realistic to me and Evie and Roane did not fail on that. Evie is freaking ME. Like to a T. I am not even kidding. I see myself in her in so many ways and that made me love her even more. And Roane.. *sigh* Can I still ask for him as a belated Christmas present? Because he was an amazing hero. He is such a good guy. I loved how he loves the ones around him and protect them. And I loved the way he feels about Evie. It’s so clear that he adores her from the very start and that depth of emotions developing into such an intense chemistry.. GAH, I am in love. I just loved this couple so much and I am so happy I decided to read Samantha’s book as my first this 2021!

Our wants were in sync, as most everything between us was.

Therefore, I am rating Much Ado About You with 4.5 STARS because this feel-good romance was exactly what I needed to get 2021 off to a good start. It melted my heart with its outstanding characters, the interactions between them, the friendship and loving relationship between Evie and Roane (and Shadow!) and their explosive chemistry. That’s how you start a new year, with a story that engages you completely and makes you devour it in a single sitting. Samantha Young, well done lady and I cannot wait to read more of your creations soon. Highly recommend this lovely romantic comedy!

This was such an enjoyable read, what a journey.I loved the small town romance and the characters a lot. It was fun and sweet story.

This is about love,friendship and finding your place. Roane is the sexy,hot,fun and sweet hero.You can't stop yourself from falling in love. Evie is a great heroine, you can connect with her and feel her.There was some drama to the story to keep you on it.

Overall, it was a great read.Fast paced and I loved the writing, you can go wrong with Samantha Young.She always has a way with her words.

I received a ARC copy through Netgalley. Thank you to the author Samantha Young, publisher Berkley Publishing Group, and Netgalley for the copy. All opinions express are my own

Evie has had a bad go of things over the past couple of years (in life & work & love), but things are looking better. But when a she finally risks her heart again, it blows up in her face. This is immediately followed by being passed over AGAIN for a job because she's a girl.

In a fit of desperation to figure out her life, Evie books a working vacation in Northumbria, England. She's going to run a bookshop in a small village for 4 weeks, and use the time to figure out what she wants in her life.

Her first morning she saves a dog from a car and meets the handsome owner, Roane. Evie is immediately attracted to Roane (and the feeling seems to be mutual). As the holiday continues, Evie is drawn not just to Roane, but the the villagers and their stories & drama - past and present. This whirlwind of a holiday will change Evie's life forever.

I always I could not put this book down! Ahhhh
I love how she asks if someone is happy I like to ask that too whenever I can .
“My friend contemplated me a moment, those entrancing lips of his twisting into a smirk. “Aye, poor Kathy. Poor Milly. Poor Dexter. Maybe poor West. You could write a book about this place.” I chuckled. “One day I might.” Make this a series! I hope Sam really considers making this a series. The secondary characters are EPIC also. I love how they all lift up each other, having a great support system is everything. You fall in love with Evie and Roane from page one! When I tell you I couldn’t think about anything but this book!!!! It is an understatement. It was literally too romantic for words. This is exactly the book we needed to start of 2021! One more chapter was literally what I kept saying at 3:30 in the morning. I wish I could give this book a bazillion stars.

Who would like to join me in running away from life to a cute English village and running a small quaint bookshop? Because truly that’s what this book is about, and I am so here for it.

Evie is done. Done with dating. Done with her dead end job. Done with dealing with her mom. She’s in her 30’s and while all her friends are settling down and starting families, she just feels lonely. After being stood up on a date and passed over for a job promotion that should have been hers, she makes a life altering decision. She’s going to rent an apartment and run a bookshop in a small English village for a month and try to find herself and what she wants out of life.

Evie is loving the village and the residents and has made friends with super hot, super single Roane. But as attractive as he is Evie can’t act on her attraction since she has vowed off men, and this trip isn’t to find love. It’s to find herself. So instead they spend every free moment together as friends. Only friends. And we alllll know how that goes in a romance novel. But stuff comes to light and things get tense. Will Evie be able to get past it?

**

For some reason sometimes romance reviews are the hardest for me to write. We all know how romance novels end 99% of the time, but I still worry about writing spoilers. haha. So instead of trying to write anymore about the premise of the book, I’m going to instead just write about why I really enjoyed it.

The setting. Guys… I miss traveling, and this book made me miss traveling so much more.
The author. Samantha Young is a genius in storytelling. She makes it so easy for you to fall in love with the characters.
The Slow burn. This one had some tension and the characters had so much chemistry. Again, thanks to Samantha Young for being able to write about such realistic characters that you can’t stop rooting for them.
The characters. I loved all of them. And I really hope she will continue in this world and write a book about a couple of them.

I will say that the instalove was super instalove. I’m typically not a fan of instalove and this one did bug me a bit, but I think its just personal preference. With that said, it didn’t ruin the story at all for me, just made me roll my eyes from the cheesiness a bit. haha.

With that said, I’m going to be recommending this book out to everyone. MUCH ADO ABOUT YOU was such a fun, fast paced, addictive story!

4/5 STARS

*Thank you Berkley Romance for the review copy!

Evangeline Starling is at a crossroads in her life. She's not quite old enough for the mid-life crisis at thirty-three years old, but she's arrived at a place where she's questioning her choices in her personal and professional life. She's been an editorial assistant at Reel Film for ten years in the hopes of getting promoted to editor. She has a love for the written word that makes her the right fit for the industry. She thought she was working her way towards a fulfilling career, but time and time again she got passed over for her dream job. She finally came to the realization that no matter how long she waited and tried to prove herself to her boss, it was a losing battle. She quit on the spot in a brash, impulsive move, and now must form a new life plan. This is pretty heavy stuff to ditch your career after investing so much of your life into it. I think anyone would feel more than a little lost and overwhelmed.

Evie has a satisfactory personal life, with an amazing best friend named Greer who is always there to support her. However, she feels as if she's behind "schedule" in comparison to her and her other friends who are marrying off and starting families. There's a certain order to things, right? So why can't she seem to get with the program? It's not as if she's not trying to find a partner to spend her life with. She just can't seem to find a man who treats her well or one who's interested in long-term commitment. One of her exes was verbally abusive which did damage to her confidence. Although she is aware of the harm and tries to push negative thoughts out of her head about her body and self worth, sometimes they still creep in.

After leaving her job, she decides that she needs to go away for a while and regroup. A new change of scenery may help her to take stock of what she wants in her life moving forward. A chance to stay in England for a month and run a bookstore falls in her lap. Visit a small English village where she doesn't know anyone and surrounded herself with books? Heck yes. I loved this premise because obviously I'm a book lover and it appeals personally to me as I'm sure it does many other readers. I can picture myself going on this adventure of self-discovery with Evie in such a rich, well-drawn backdrop.

Roane Robson is the village bachelor who's widely loved and respected by the locals. He was a wonderful man who was a perfect counterpart for Evie. What I loved most about him was his personal set of values when it came to women and relationships. In an age where you can find casual hook ups without any effort in apps, it seems like it's getting harder to find people who are serious about having an honest, real relationship built on mutual respect. Men are expected to "play the field" especially if they are an eligible bachelor like Roane. But Roane is a one woman guy who is looking for all or nothing with someone. He wants to build a meaningful relationship and gets a lot of flack for how few women he's dated. He's also very sweet with his dog, and melted my heart in the way that he spoke so gently to his abused cousin. He was just a GOOD guy that any woman would be lucky to be with.

That's not to say that he was perfect. Throughout the book it was clear that he was hiding things from Evie, and it's pretty easy to guess (I did), through foreshadowing. Just hints of an uneasy expression here and there in response to things she said. Or him telling her that they needed to talk in a serious tone but never getting a chance to follow through. So you know there's a big conflict coming that is going to tarnish their too-good-to-be-true, fairytale relationship.

She puts him firmly in the friend zone in the beginning despite both of them instantly feeling a natural ease and attraction towards each other. There were no awkward silences or walls put up between them. Unfortunately, she wasn't looking for romance while she was trying to straighten out the mess of her life so she tried to keep things simple. I love the friends to lovers trope because there's always that huge sense of anticipation for when they'll finally cross the line. These two feel so right for one another that you (along with the rest of the tiny town) are waiting with bated breath for the moment.

Another thing I liked was the small town romance feel of the book that reminded me of her Hart's Boardwalk series. Again, she created a full cast of secondary characters with their own individual stories and intriguing personalities. Evie clicked with the townspeople as if she had lived there her whole life. They embraced her wholeheartedly in return. For someone to feel that total acceptance and that feeling of belonging, it was a very difficult struggle for her to imagine leaving the longer she stayed.

My reasoning for taking a star off my rating was Roane's deception through the entire book. While I could definitely understand his initial decision to hide what were really insignificant things from her, the longer he lied by omission, the more of a betrayal it became. I give him full credit for attempting to come clean, but it broke my heart to see what it did to Evie. It took her so long to admit her feelings for him but she immediately went all in. Then to have that fragile trust broken made the crash and burn more devastating. Let me just say, she reacted harshly and (again) impulsively. Neither was without mistakes, but what they found together was worth the effort. You genuinely feel as if these two were meant to be together. Another thing that kind of bothered me was Greer. She started out so amazing, and I almost dreaded every time Evie would call her because she became so selfish. The way she always yelled at her for not being there with her while she was pregnant and making her feel guilty for considering a new life there grated a bit.

Overall, this was an excellent read. I enjoyed myself thoroughly while reading it and flew through the pages effortlessly. The quaint setting, the slightly angsty romance, and unique cast of characters will be a hit for a wide audience of readers. I highly recommend checking it out! I can only hope that Samantha Young will expand on this world with new books in the future. I'll be first in line to one-click. Can we get a full story for Roan's cousin Caroline? Pretty please?

Much Ado About You has the perfect premise. Who doesn’t want to move to a quaint English village on the coast, run a small local bookstore, all the while falling in love with a sweet, handsome Englishman? While the story itself ended up being pretty mediocre, the romance was smoldering and for that alone I ended up enjoying this book.

For most of the book, there was a distinct lack of connection between me and the story. The characters had zero to little personalities, there wasn’t much substance to the actual plot, and as much as I hate to say it, the entire thing just felt bland. Evie frustrated me to no end. A lot of her thoughts and actions made things more difficult for herself than they needed to be, especially with regards to Roane.

The romance was the book’s saving grace for me. The smoldering tension between Evie and Roane was incredibly well written. The chemistry between them was oozing off the pages, and I couldn’t get enough of their interactions. All of this amazing romantic tension only added to my frustration with Evie’s actions (inactions, really) throughout a majority of the story. However, I will say that the waiting finally paid off when the two of them finally get together.

Much Ado About You was one of those instances where a book features a great premise, but the execution falls flat. The plot was missing a lot of substance to make it a captivating story and the characters were too one-dimensional to elicit a strong sense of connection. The romance was the best written aspect of the story, as there was no denying the sparks flying between our protagonist and her love interest.

ℝ𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕕𝕒𝕪 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Much Ado About You by Samantha Young
🐝
After being stood-up and getting passed on a job she's been waiting on for the past 10 years, Evangeline decides to rent a little bookstore in a small town in England near the border with Scotland and take a month-long holiday in this tight-knit, but also very Shakespearian town. On a spectacular meet-cute she meets Shadow, the most handsome great Dane ever, and his owner Roane. Keeping him at arms length proves to be way more difficult than she anticipates. But they can't deny their connection and chemistry for long.
🐝
I loved this book so much, from their very first moment, Evangeline and Roane's story captivated me and enchanted me. I loved how long she did actually stay "on vacation" from her life. Usually with this trope its a whirlwind romance, and we don't get to see much character development, or its all going so fast we get whiplash. But this one: the pacing and character growth was impressively done. It was definitely a slow-burn, we didn't even get a first kiss before the 65% mark. However, it is so worth it. Evangeline's mom is an alcoholic, and can be a potential trigger. I didn't love this part of the book because there was a "resolution, and it was tied-up very perfectly, and a little to clean. However, her relationship with the town, and her meddling was absolutely incredible! I loved how invested she was, and how the town returned their love for her, it felt like a family. I also loved all the little hints of Shakespeare everywhere.
🐝

Samantha Young is one of my auto-buy authors. At least for her contemporary romance books. And once again I loved and swooned at her story. First of all, I remember hearing about a bookstore at one time that had an opportunity like is featured in this book. Where you could “vacation” at the store and run it while you were there. That sounds like a dream come true to me. And for Evie, it starts out that way. Of course once she is there, things get interesting. The quaint little English village has its own charms, along with feuds and crazy things you’d only probably expect from a small town. As expected there is the handsome man, one that is perfect for a holiday fling, except that Evie doesn’t want that. She wants to concentrate on herself because she is in a way running from the problems of romance that she’s dealt with in the past.

Now, her two “no thank you” items for guys, younger and wealthy, are very interesting. Personally, I get them both, but also, come on, both are very subjective based on who the person is and how their life was. Well, Roane is a sexy farmer with an adorable Great Dane that is tempting her to maybe make an exception and have a little holiday fun while she’s there. Especially after her short trip turns into a longer stay. And Evie really becomes a member of the town, even to the point where she is kind of meddling, trying to help people with their own romantic or familial issues when she can.

The reason this one didn’t get a full 5 stars from me, is that it didn’t hold me captive to where I couldn’t put it down until the very end. The part when I was so mad at Evie for being ridiculous in how she reacted to the final conflict. I hate when characters act that way. While in a way the reaction was somewhat needed to get her back home and figuring things out with her own family, I feel she totally overreacted in how far she went. Not to say I didn’t have tears, but mostly they were for Roane at that point, because I was so mad at Evie! Still, I wonder if maybe the author could do a spin-off with more of the villagers, especially with the little bit of a possible romance we see Evie trying to set up at the end.

This was my first book by this author, and I enjoyed it. But, it put me a little too much in my feels for a "romantic comedy." 3.5 Stars.

Evie Starling is in a rut. She's 33 and single. She's never had good luck with dating, so she went on a dating hiatus for the last two years. Then, her first time back out there, she got stood up after chatting with the guy for a month beforehand. The next day, she quits her job of ten years, after she's passed over for a promotion. AGAIN. She needs a drastic change, so she books a 4-week vacation trip to northern England, to stay in an apartment and run the book shop downstairs. She's a booklover, and a HUGE fan of Shakespeare, so it's a dream trip to be sure. But, she has no idea how that trip will change her life.

Roane Robson is the local farmer in the small village where Evie is staying. He's attracted to her right away, especially after she saves his dog, and he convinces her to let him buy her a drink, even though she's sworn she won't get involved with anyone on her trip. This trip is about "finding herself," not getting wrapped up in someone else. But Roane can't leave her alone. They become friends, and she falls in love with the village, and the people in it. Could she fall in love with him too? Will she ever be as happy if she goes back to Chicago?

Evie and Roane had chemistry for days, but she was DETERMINED to ignore it and be only friends with him. It only worked for a while, of course. But, it meant they really got to know each other well, and I enjoyed how much they obviously cared for one another. There were A LOT of subplots in this story, including one with Roane's cousin, Caroline, one about the local 30-year feud between the two pubs, and how it affects their children, and one with the owner of the bookstore Evie is renting wanting to sell. The whole town was really part of the story and it definitely kept things moving along. I fell in love with all of them too. But especially Roane. What a dreamboat of a hero!

Evie has a LOT of baggage from her formative years, and troubles in her family, and it has affected all the relationships in her life. In short, she has major trust issues. Her best friend since college, Greer, has always been there for her, but she has her own life going on too, and it's left Evie feeling even more adrift. I really loved their relationship, which we mostly saw through phone calls while Evie was in England. They are always honest with each other, even when it hurts, and they are always there for each other. Everyone needs a friend like that.

There was so much we weren't privy to in this story though, since it was all from Evie's POV. I would've killed to get into Roane's head, even once. I know it was because we weren't supposed to know anything more than what Evie knew, but I had things about him figured out pretty early on, so it didn't really serve it's purpose for me in that way. I would've much rather had his perspective throughout the story. I wish we'd had a little more steam as well, after such a slow burn. I enjoyed the epilogue though, and it left a bit of potential open for more stories in the village.

There were many things that did work for me here, and a few things that didn't. Overall, I'd call that a solid 3.5 Star read.

Thirty-three year old Evie needs a break from Chicago. She has a non existent love life and just got passed over for another promotion. She decides to be impulsive and book a trip to a cozy town in a England where she can live and run a book store for a month. A book lover’s dream vacation!
.
As a Shakespeare lover she takes it as a sign that the book store is named after one of her favorite Shakespeare works.
.
She is immediately immersed in the charming community, where I got major Notting Hill Vibes! Of course, there is a handsome farmer but she has sworn off men to take some time to find herself. It doesn’t take long though before her heart makes it’s own choice and she finds the courage to do something for herself. In a town where community becomes family, and sticking with the Shakespeare themes of a young star crossed lovers mixed in, this is a perfect book to start February with!
.
We see that one Chicago girl can bring an English village together and with the power of books and the strength of love this book shows that home isn’t a location it’s where your loved ones are.
.
Huge thank you to #netgalley and #berkleypublishing for an arc in exchange for an honest opinion
.

Evie has had a tiring life in Chicago and this story kicks off on a horrible week for Evie Starling. In a fit of desperation and a need to escape she books a month long vacation in Northumberland in a small village where she is allowed to run the bookshop Much Ado About Books that is under her rented room. Along the way she meets the community of Alnster and all the quaint and charming aspects of small town life.

Roane Robson is a farmer in town that Evie has an interesting first meeting with and his dog Shadow. Roane was the most interesting of characters and the sweetest. The conflict is that Evie has sworn off all men by this point so you get to see Roane play a long game. The side stories and side characters are worked well into the story and follow a Shakespeare like theme.

This book feels like a Hallmark channel movie with an ending reaction I don’t quite understand. Out of all Young's books this has relatively low angst so it's pretty fast paced and a good pick for a rainy day. It’s a cozy read.

I received this free eARC novel from the author and NetGalley. This is my honest review.

This book resonates with me so much, being the same age as Evie, our love of books and words, and a feeling of lost hope at times. It felt like this book was written about me! And it think any reader has been through some of these emotions, so they will also be able to connect with this novel.

I'm not at all familiar with Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, and even though this book does refer to that story, it isn't the main focus of this story. It does make me want to try to read it, though, but I need to be in the right mind set for a story like that.

I love Evie and Roane's story so much, I'm not sure if I can express how much! I love how they met, when Evie saved Roane's dog Shadow (I live for dogs!), I love watching Evie find herself and her passion in life, and I love the romance and friendships that were built during Evie's adventure. The secret that was revealed was actually quite adorable after everything was settled down.

And Evie should consider being a therapist or a life coach, because she sure does have a magical way of helping everyone around her. Though I'm sure being a bookseller and an editor keeps her plenty busy!

I am so glad that Samantha Young wrote this fantastic novel and I can't wait to see what her next masterpiece is!