Evie seems stuck in life. Her job has reached a complete dead end and online dating has left her struggling and alone. In a compulsive moment she packs up and heads to northern England to run a bookshop in a fishing village. By happenstance she soon meets Roane, a local hunk, ahem, I mean, farmer. He is hot for her and pulls no punches in blatantly showing his interest in Evie. She immediately feels the attraction, but sets up her boundaries, and boy, does she have some very specific criteria keeping her from him.
I found Evie to be somewhat contradictory. In England she is fully self-possessed. She espouses forgiveness, body confidence, trust, and tends to call everyone out in the town with no reservation. Yet she is the first to run off when she is challenged by someone. Young tries to give her some insecurities about her body, but otherwise, she's pretty full of herself, ahem, I mean confident, about her brains, her legs, and her opinions. I am just surprised that a woman with this attitude toward life and these new people she just met was stuck in a job below her ability and trapped in failed online dating attempts. The change from one woman to the other is so abrupt it makes the escape falter a little for me as a reader.
I also wanted to see a little more rounding out of Roane's character. It wasn't completely shallow, but about 50% of the way through I was growing tired of the same adjectives describing him.
Thanks so much for the ARC! I would give this a solid 3.5 to 4 star rating. A fun, sexy escape.

Until I read this wonderful book, I had no idea that you could pay someone to let you run an old bookstore in a cozy English village as a vacation. Where do I sign up? It's such a great premise, and very well fulfilled. Evie's career and love life have just taken a spectacular downward dive, and she impulsively books a holiday that will allow her to be the proprietress of a little bookstore. She immediately meets a handsome farmer from the area, and romance begins. But can it be real and lasting? Or is she too hurt, too vulnerable, and too much of an outsider for them to have a future?

I've enjoyed Samantha Young books, like the Hart's Boardwalk series, but I felt Much Ado About You was very stale, culturally inaccurate (cheerleaders and collegiate sports like basketball do not exist at most UK and European university), and a bit dull over all. I liked the premise of the book, a bit like the movie The Holiday, but I felt that the plot was predictable in ways that her other new title, The Truest Thing, was not. One thing I really did like is the age and maturity of the main character, and the struggles she felt with her best friend moving on without her in life (pregnancy) while also at a crossroads at her career. Overall, I would still recommend to her fans and newcomers as a whole, particularly since the market in contemporary romance right now seems to focus on fresh young things out of college with great career opportunities and acceptances of self.

This book was EVERYTHING I look for in a Contemporary Romance. Evie was so real and relatable. Her body wasn’t a perfect 10, she had insecurities and doubts and felt like everyone around her had found “The One” while she was getting stood up by guys she met on online dating apps. She had me rooting for her to finally find her HEA.
Roane... OMG, what can I say other than, SEXY FARMER with an adorable giant dog as a BFF!! SWOON!
This book made me want to pack up my life and move to Northumberland. It made me laugh, it made me sad, it made me mad! It gave me all the feels and I loved every page!
It was an awesome love story and I would recommend to anyone who loves a good slow burn without the angst and drama that a lot of other books have.

For the town alone, I think this is a book that I could easily return to whenever I need an escape to a cozy British town. That being said, the romance between Evie and Roane is way too good to be true. In a *good* way. In a we all wish for a little of that some of the time. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop but, when it did, I felt like everything snowballed rather quickly and unexpectedly. It ended on a high note and I would love to see this turn into a series about other inhabitants in the town.

This made for the perfect vacation escape read! Loved the small town setting, with each of the residents being well-drawn and memorable. The romance element was steamy but also completely sweet at times, a balanced blend that I appreciated. I loved how the author gave readers insight about Evie's strained relationship with her mother - and also her self-confidence struggles with her body type. The plot kept me engaged as we moved toward the main relationship conflict, which happens rather late in the story - the reveal was something that I did not see coming! However, I appreciated the happily-ever-after for these two wonderful characters without much added drama. There were laugh-out-loud moments with the townspeople and the pub, and a few minor conflicts kept the pace moving along. This would be a great suggestion for fans of Jenny Colgan - many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an early copy to review. Definitely one to recommend to my fellow rom-com library readers!

This book moved too fast at times and way too slow at others. The pace and characters lacked believability, it was a bit corny and unsatisfying.

It was cute. I liked the small english village as a setting. The pace was a little slow in the middle then went really fast at the end. For the entirety of the first sex scene all I could think about was that they should have showered first and it really took me out of it.

This book wasn't my thing. Within the last month I've read [book:The Roommate|45023611] and [book:The Ex Talk|53415121], and I think my romance bar has been raised. I'm a bookish person with a bit of a UK crush, so by all accounts this book should have been right up my alley, but it didn't work for me.

The humor felt forced and cheesy, the prose didn't flow enough for me to feel immersed in the story, and none of the characters felt like real people to me. The plot was predictable and I found myself not particularly caring whether the two main characters got together at the end.

Also... can we talk about this woman's blissful, seamless transition into running a bookstore, having never done anything remotely similar before? The protagonist literally says (I'm paraphrasing), "I did all this reader's advisory. I'm so well-read that it comes easy to me." I'm a librarian - and this is bullshit. Putting aside the fact that reader's advisory has nothing to do with being "well-read," Evie does not have innate skills that make it a cinch to run a bookstore more successfully than it's ever been run before. Like, at least make it a challenge she has to rise to. Make her work for it. The assumption that book-related jobs are peaceful, easy, vacation-like drives me crazy.

All that said - I still gave it 3 stars, because I don't think it's horrible - I just really didn't like it. Not for me, but maybe you'll like it.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced review copy!

I loved Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Blythell so this was a fun twist on what it would be like to actually experience living/working in a bookshop. The characters were all enjoyable, believable, and I was rooting for all of them in their own way. Would definitely recommend to readers looking for a cozier romance.

3.5 stars. Any book lover will love the premise of book. Evie Starling is 33 and gets stood up for an online date and is passed over for a promotion to at work. She quits her job and books a months rental at a coastal town in a northern English village. Her rental includes an apartment and getting to run the towns small bookshop. Such a fun idea. Once she is there she meets the locals and makes friends with several including handsome farmer Roane Robson.

I been to the area (her town is fictional) and toured the Alnwick Castle that she visits. And I laughed at the detail that Evie purchases a copy of the first Harry Potter book (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone) because in England the title is different. My daughter did the same thing. I like that Evie wasn't looking for romance and took time to be friends before anything happens with Roane. Along the way she pushes, herself into the lives of many locals trying to be helpful. In fact many of the side stories takes up as much plot as the main romance. Everything is told from Evie's POV. There was a minor negative religious slant involving a couple of characters that stood out to me because religion is seldom mentioned in romances. I would gladly read another book by Samatha Young. Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Evie is a funny, relatable character in this sweet insta-love romance.

Feeling left out and left behind because all of her friends have found love and some are even having kids, Evie hits bottom when an online date stands her up and she doesn't get the promotion she'd been promised. Quitting her job and swearing off romance, she decides to go to England for a month to regroup and figure out what she wants.

The truly dreamy part is that she's not just on holiday but she gets to run the book shop in a quirky, small-town complete with colorful secondary characters and a friendly neighborhood pub.

As a bonus there's local hottie and farmer Roane with his friendly dog, Shadow. Evie feels an instant connection but tries to keep her distance so she can figure out her life.

My quibbles were with the ending - the big reveal felt like a romance cliche and Evie's reaction to her conflict with Roane felt overly dramatic.

Sweet and charming contemporary romance.

I flew through this book. Oh my goodness. The build up to the romance, the whole town, everything was absolutely perfect. This book is a perfect escape.

I read this book early thanks to #NetGalley

I really enjoyed this book! English country side, a hot farmer, a quaint bookstore, and an adorable cast of characters!.Some of the plot was a little obvious, but I didn't mind that at all. It made me want to visit an English village for a month and go to the local pub every night!

Much Ado About You was a very cute read that pulls you in right from the start. The main character, Evie heads to England for a vacation where she hopes to discover what makes her truly happy. She intends to do this without the distractions of dating but fate has other plans for her. Enter Roane Robson, a handsome local farmer who offers Evie friendship and distractions she wasn't expecting. The romance was sweet and there were some genuine moments between Evie and Roane that made me easily accept their connection. The townspeople of Alnster, where Evie is staying, play a huge part in the story. Be prepared to get to know a lot of different characters, their romantic entanglements, struggles and triumphs. This story was a bit of a departure from the Samantha Young I have come to know and love, but it was an enjoyable escape.

This was just the cozy read I needed right now, and it was made even better by the fact that I've actually been to Northumberland and also visited one or two of the places (Alnwick Castle!) that are mentioned in the book. Evie is very gun-shy about romance and is looking to figure out who she is without being reminded regularly that she's single by well-meaning friends, so of course she meets "too good to be true" Roane about 5 minutes after arriving in Alnster, the tiny town in northern England to which she's fled from Chicago. Even though he makes it clear that he wants more than friendship, and deep down, she really feels the same, Evie keeps their relationship status as "just friends". As she struggles to set a path for her future, she quickly becomes a new member of the village community and it becomes harder and harder to stay "just friends" with Roane. When she learns the secrets he's been keeping from her, will it give her the excuse she needs to go back to her safe and comfortable routine back in Chicago? For fans of Nora Roberts' The Gallaghers of Ardmore trilogy, Katie Fforde, Lucy Parker, and cozy, slow-burn romance!

Okay, so here's the thing. There were aspects of this book that bothered me. It fell into the "insta-love" trope, which is one of my least favorites. Roane is actually way too good to be true. Also, the little twisty surprise that caused the conflict was very far-fetched and out there.

All that being said...the heroine is really out here living my dream life. I mean, running a northern English bookshop, canoodling with a hot farmer guy with a dog...what more could you want? Nothing, I tell you! So here's my final take: this is a fluffy, insta-love modern romcom but if you take it for what it is - an author manifesting my actual hopes and dreams into a book - then it's fun.

A delightfully sweet read! Evie's discovery of the village, and her adoption into the life of the villagers made me want to pack a back and head to England posthaste. Roane, of course, was a gem. The side characters were well-developed, and helped pull me into the world, and keep me invested in the story.

LOVE LOVE LOVE!
A sweet, contemporary romance for book lovers!

Evie Starling is a 33 year old editor and book lover living in Chicago. Her life is a mess, and she desperately wants a change of scenery. Therefore she decides to take a trip to Northumberland, England to relax and get some perspective.

Her luck begins to change as Evie is offered a fabulous opportunity to run Much Ado About Books for four weeks, the small bookstore located beneath her rental apartment. While running the bookshop, and living in the village, Evie feels more at home than ever before. She meets good friends and neighbors, and becomes close with a handsome farmer named Roane. Evie begins to realize sometimes life surprises you when you’re least expecting it.

This book is super cute! A little Hallmark-ish with some steamy romance. Roane is such a great character, he and Evie have a strong connection from the beginning, and it felt very genuine. I really liked Caro and Viola, this story would be fun to continue as a series focusing on different characters.

I did think Evie completely overreacted by running back to Chicago. I loved that Greer and her mother both gave Evie a reality check, and made her see things clearly. Overall a fun, romantic, feel-good story! A special thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for sending me an ARC!

If it isn't an Alaskan romance, my next favorite are one's based in England. This did not disappoint!! The chemistry between Evie and Roane is instant and I loved the blossoming of their relationship. A bit of drama that made me go 'ugh' but it didn't take away from the story. I loved it!! 4.5 stars