CW: Groping, racism, substance abuse

As many of you know by now, I've been struggling with finding the right books to keep my attention. After my grandpa & aunt passed away last year, I've been just drifting along and having to be extremely selective with my current reads. Luckily, I'm starting to feel more myself, and when the ARC to Much Ado About You by Samantha Young hit my kindle, I couldn't contain my excitement.

Have you ever wanted to escape your life and run a bookstore for a month? I have! This book was such a fun read. I loved the characters that Samantha Young created. They're fun. They're lovable. They're everything I needed at the moment. This book felt like an entertaining new adventure, and I couldn't wait to read another chapter.

The book itself was a lot of fun, yet at times it was a little too reminiscent of Samantha's first book in the Hart's Boardway series. This could be because it's a big city girl falling in love with a quaint town. Even though it felt a little Hallmarky at times, I enjoyed the book. The chemistry between Evie and Roane was excellent & I couldn't help but root for them.

All in all, this big city goes to a quaint town story was good. I enjoyed all of the characters, and this could be a strong start to a series.

As a book nerd, one typically fantasizes about owning a bookstore and in Much Ado About You deepens that fantasy. It’s got the idealic location and well the handsome stranger. While Evie and Roane are destined to be together it is her journey of self discovery that allows her to finally open herself up to love and friendship.

The books has a lot of wonderful characters that help Evie along.

I will tell you, there was a period of time during college when I one-hundred percent fantasized about escaping to somewhere in the British Isles and charming a local into falling in love with me. While I worked in a book store. So I definitely salute Evie, the heroine of this book, for achieving my 2005 Caiti fantasy life.

As for the book overall, it was fine. I can’t say it was bad. It just wasn’t really for me. I felt like there were a lot of side stories at play and a lot of other characters which would not have been a problem for me if the two protagonists has been developed a bit more. Formulaically, it felt like this was a book about Evie in England verses a romance novel. And I just wanted a romance novel.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Samantha Young does it again! Much Ado About You is a compulsive and thoroughly enjoyable read. Visual writing readily captures the quirkiness of small-town life. Replete with witty banter, high jinks and moments of comedic, magnetic attraction, many readers should appreciate this latest offering.

Evie's life is not going as planned, it seems she has been left behind as everyone else moves forward in careers and love and family. After a particularly devastating series of events she decides she needs a change to rethink her life. An ad to rent a bookshop in England seems to good to be true and village life is even better than expected. She becomes part of the village, drawn in to its dramas and the pubs and becomes friends with farmer Roane. She has sworn off love so they will just be friends, right?!? Will Evie figure out what she really wants out of life?

Much Ado About you was a great charming comfort read that took me on an adventure to a small town in the United Kingdom. It was a great escape from everyday life and the situation we are in all over the world.

I love small towns, having lived in some myself, it was so nice to be transported back and feel the comforts, familiarity and love that a community of people can bring. Northumberland is now on my to see list!

I loved the pace of the book as you not only got to get to know Evie, you got the know the whole town as well. To then top it off you have the charmingly handsome Rohan and his beautiful dog. Evie and Rohan, have a funny but also unique meet cute, which had me hooked. If you're a fan of Samantha Young's On Hart Boardwalk Series, you will fall in love with this unique romance story and Evie as she finds her way back to herself.

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for my complimentary e-ARC.

Much Ado About You by Samantha Young is absolutely wonderful. Young writes with the perfect combination of romance and genuine warmth. Evangeline Starling, lonely and feeling left behind, leaves her job and her life in Chicago for a month-long vacation running a bookshop in a small English village. She finds acceptance and friendship and even love in this unlikely little hamlet, but she struggles with whether this wonderful escape from her reality could become her actual reality. White lies complicate her happily ever after and she has to decide if she’s brave enough to chase after what she really wants.

The Shakespearean allusions and bookish references radiate from the pages. Both Young and her character, Evie, are book lovers to their cores, and as a bibliophile myself, this book felt like a cozy hug. I couldn’t put it down; I couldn’t quit smiling.

While she writes a wonderful romance, Young doesn’t shy away from humanity’s complexity. Her characters grapple with addiction and its implications, racism, homophobia, physical and emotional abuse--realities faced by so many. These challenges make her characters’ successes even sweeter and imbues her story-telling with genuineness and sincerity.

By the end of the book, I was ready to move in England, open a bookstore, and marry a hot British farmer. (Never mind I’ve been happily married for twelve years.)

Much Ado About You was fun, emotional, and charming! I have always been a fan of Much Ado about Nothing, so I was excited to dive in. You have the beautiful small town, the zany townsfolk, the miscommunications, the lies.

I think middle aged readers will feel a kinship with Evie right away-she can't find the right guy, she quits her job, and she just feels like life has passed her by. Evie's complicated relationship with her mom really resonated for me as I understand what it is like to be the child of an addict.

Roane is the hunky young farmer who falls hopelessly in love with Evie. However, Evie isn't going to make it easy, which leads to some deception on Roane's part. I wasn't a huge fan of this because it seemed unnecessary after awhile.

The secondary characters are fun, and honestly, I felt like this was their story as much as Evie's and Roane's. In that sense, its very much like Much Ado about Nothing! If you are looking for a book to curl up and escape with, Much Ado About You is a great pick!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Much Ado About You is littered with an honest, heartwarming protagonist, Evie, and side characters who needed her as much as she needed them. After experiencing yet another failed attempt at pursuing love, and reaching a feeling of stagnancy at her long-term position as an editorial assistant, Evie abruptly quits her job. It was at that moment I fell for Evie’s character. She may not have known what she wanted, but she knew what she did not want- to stand still. While searching for a vacation to take a break from her life in Chicago and reset, Evie comes across an ad to rent an apartment above a bookshop; and not just live above the bookshop, but run it, in England! As a voracious reader and lover of the written word, Evie leaps at the opportunity and is on her way to the charming village of Alnster. Throughout her initial four week stay, Evie regularly proclaims herself determined to steer clear of love. Despite her personal vow, Evie quickly becomes the subject of the attentions of a local, a handsome farmer, Roane. Throughout her stay in Alnster, Evie lovingly “meddles” in the lives and relationships of the villagers in an effort to give peace to those who need it most. The most enjoyable aspect of Much Ado About You was in fact the manner in which the villagers embraced Evie as one of their own so easily. She was so quickly and lovingly accepted, and while it may not seem likely in the real world, in Evie’s story it’s undeniably believable. I believed in her capacity for kindness, and in the end, forgiveness as well.

Much Ado About You will publish on February 2nd, 2021! If you’re looking for a rom-com, and a new girl-bestie, Evie might just be the girl you’re looking for.

This was cute and cozy. I didn't like it quite as much as her previous book, but I could see those that are fans of sweet, small town love stories liking this one. I expected a little more sizzle in the romance storyline.

Okay I really wanted to love this book. The entire concept of dropping everything and moving to a small English village to work at a bookstore is fantastic. I was completely sucked in by the first few chapters of this book, but I found that once the side characters started to be introduced, the story got clunky. The fact that essentially every single side character had problems that seemingly only the main character, Evie, could fix was honestly kind of weird. Evie became the worst sort of meddler, getting into everyone's problems despite the fact that she hasn't known these people for long. Much of the plot around this felt far too convenient.

I did really like Roane and his dog, Shadow. They were my favourite part of this book, but I wish we had more actual interactions between Roane and Evie. It felt like most of their interactions, especially in the first half of the book, were off-page.

Overall, this was good, but I found that Evie wasn't really a character I was wholly invested in.

Really enjoyed this sizzling slow burn friends to lovers story. With the small town charm, flirty banter and some hilarious moments, I didn’t want to put it down. Secretly hoping we get some books about the side characters in this story!

I really enjoyed this whimsical friends to lovers storyline with a Shakespearean feel. The chemistry between Evie and Roane was a slow burn then sizzling hot and all the side stories will keep you invested until the end. It’s definitely worth the read.

Evie's impulsive decision to vacation in a tiny village in England and run a bookstore might seem crazy, but from day one it seems like she's found her real home. She fits in with the people, she loves the delightful little bookstore, and her instant chemistry with hot farmer Roane Robson is the sort of discovery no woman should pass up. Evie is determined not to be impulsive about jumping into more than friendship with Roane and his Great Dane, Shadow, but they are the perfect fit, instantly comfortable with each other in conversation and quiet. The more happy she is in England, the more she wonders if she's putting off thinking about her life- or if she's finally living it. It was really interesting and thought-provoking for me every time Evie wonders this, because she's voicing what it takes some of us our whole lives to acknowledge- we aren't supposed to live by anyone else's timelines or milestones, we aren't supposed to worry about other people in place of our own happiness. We should live the life that makes us perfectly happy. And if we can meet and fall in love with our perfect match in only a matter of weeks- should we spend years worrying about what could go wrong or take the leap and discover all the things that can go right.

Evie is impulsive, caring, thoughtful, and always puts others before herself. She's a delightful person to spend a book with and I enjoyed every moment of her. Roane, her amazing farmer, is intelligent, caring, thoughtful, and doesn't think twice when he meets Evie. He and his dog Shadow know she's the right one- but I loved how Roane doesn't push to get what he wants exactly as he wants it right away. He convinces Evie they should be friends and through him, Evie finds village life much more layered and complex than she guessed. Secrets, Romeo-and-Juliet-style tragedies, and more abound in a village of caring people, and Evie is instantly right at home. Inevitably, Roane's long game works and Evie sees him as more than a friend, but they've gotten to know each other so well it doesn't feel crazy to follow up on their feelings. I liked how they decided not to put an end date on the relationship, not to go into it thinking it would only be for while she's in England, but to see what happens as it happens. I was rather dreading the inevitable, when one of them makes a mistake that will cause the other a crisis of faith (things can't happen TOO perfectly for our characters after all!) but, spoiler alert, we get a perfect happy ending.

Much Ado About You is a delightful, feel-good romance that had me smiling with every page. A wonderful, comfortable, magical book, this is definitely going to be one that I reread regularly. I definitely recommend curling up with Much Ado About You this winter with a blanket, hot drink, and fuzzy pet, and let Samantha Young, Evie, and Roane sweep you away!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This book was the perfect romance! I mean Evie got to travel and stay in the beautiful countryside in England, run a bookstore and meet a hunky guy. Do I even need to say more? 😊 But really, it was such a sweet and fun read! I loved Evie and Roane’s relationship and how even though they were instantly attracted to each other, they took their time to develop a friendship first. I also adored all the townspeople and how they all befriended Evie, the outsider. My only complaint was that the ending felt rushed, but all in all It was such a charming story!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

My Review:⭐️⭐⭐⭐/ 5 stars

I don’t think I have been so jealous of a fictional character in such a long time. At 33 years old, Evie Starling finds herself left behind when all of her friends are settled down, having babies, or in successful careers. After being stood up from a tinder date and being passed over for a well-deserved job promotion as editor, she decides for a life change. Out of impulse, she books a 1 month trip to a small village in England to run a bookstore and live in the flat above. (WHAT A DREAM!) She immediately falls in love with the village and the locals, feeling immediately at home and immersing in the town gossip and news. This includes Roane Robson, a very handsome, sexy farmer who flirts with Evie mercilessly, but she is hesitant to start a relationship with someone who is somehow so perfect and she was leaving back to Chicago in a month.

Evie and Roane have amazing and immediate chemistry. Their scenes made it so much fun to read - he is such a dream guy for the booknerd (i.e. taking her to beautiful libraries). However, some of her thought processes on why she is holding out on him is SO annoying. I know it’s the whole plot of the book but come on! I enjoyed the side stories of the other characters also falling in love and even the mental imagery of Roane working the fields. It’s a contemporary romance, so some parts are definitely cliché. However, it was definitely a fun, lighthearted read!

Thank you to Berkley Romance and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

US Pub Date: February 2, 2021

Rating: 3.75/5

Much Ado About You was a bingeable, refreshing read — the perfect choice to get me out of my mini reading rut. You know the one: when you’re reading a book and don’t know whether you want to move on or stick with it, so you pick up another book to see if it’ll catch your attention. Much Ado About You was the attention getter.

A sweet romantic read with plenty of Shakespeare influences, this book starts as Evie Starling is hit with two major disappointments in her love life and career. Reflecting on her life, she realizes that it has been stagnant and she needs a change. After she spots an ad to ‘rent a bookstore,’ she impulsively decides to move across the pond to a small town in Northumberland for a month, determined to swear off men and focus on the next direction in her life. But Evie Starling doesn’t realize that people of Alnster have different plans for her.

I mean, come on. Isn’t renting a bookstore in a quaint seaside town the ideal setup? You’re going to PAY me to manage your bookstore? Where do I find this ad?! I wanted to be Evie throughout this novel: perfect vacation, great town, hunky farmer, quirky townspeople, and all. Roane was a total dreamboat.

Were there times when I thought some of the storylines were a little too far fetched? Yes, but this story (and its references to Shakespearean plays) really appealed to me, so I found that I enjoyed it all anyway. It was also very predictable, but again, I could deal with it. If you’re looking for a new book boyfriend, this one is for you.

Much Ado About You is out Tuesday, 2/2. Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to pick up this read and it didn’t disappoint! I absolutely loved the characters and the setting was dreamy. The romance in the novel was very believable and it was developed very well. Not too fast, not too slow! I highly recommend this one if you love a good romance novel with a little bit of steam! Thank you netgalley for my free copy.

This book started out strong, loved the “fleeing Chicago to rent and run someone else’s bookstore only to find a gorgeous farmer” thing. Then it kinda went south, tried throwing a lot of side stories in and let Evie and Roane’s story drift away. I wanted more for their story but she made up for it in other areas! Not my favourite but I finished it!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for this free copy to read and review! I loved this book! I had a few issues, with the believability of the situation - renting an apartment above a bookstore and getting to consoles run the store as a vacation including buying new stock 😅, that would never happen - and I’m not huge on insta attraction/feelings, there was so much more about the book that I loved! Even if the situation isn’t thag believable, it’s every book lovers dream, running a bookshop in the quint English countryside/coast. Plus I was loving for all the Shakespeare love 😆 And Roane is just 🔥 Perfect. Plus I loved that this book touched on quite a few deeper subjects as well! I cried multiple times 🙌😂 To be fair I cry pretty easily with books though, lol. But if you’re looking for a cutesy, cheesy, bookish romcom, this is the book for you!