I simply adore this book.

It's the prefect feel good novel, the best escape if you need a break from the real world and it's a perfect testimony to why Samantha Young is one of my favorite romance authors.

It warmed my heart, made me smile, made me laugh out loud, made me swoon, made me fist pump for Caroline and Viola, made me shead a few tears, and in the end gave me the fuzziest and mushiest of feelings.

Evie, is an editor, and decides to take time off from Chicago to rediscover herself, so she rent's a bookstore in a small village on the Northumberland coast, in England, which is actually the ultimate, dream vacation for a bookworm. She immediately falls in love with the village, the beach, the people, and the little bookstore she would be running for a few weeks. After a chance meeting she stumbles upon farmer Roane and his great Dane, Shadow. It was love at first sight for these two, well three because with Roane came Shadow too. The chemistry between Evie and Roane was extremely strong, and so hot, even thought they decided to remain only friends, every encounter they had, seemed like foreplay.
I loved how easy Evie was accepted by the people of small town, her charming fun easygoing personality made her fit right in, and she became fast friends with everyone. People couldn't resist opening up to her, and just like that, she couldn't help herself but to meddle in their lives. Evie's presence shook up the whole town, and her meddling ended up being the best thing in their lives. Roane is great. He is hard working handsome of course, a protective gentleman, and oh so sweet. The people in this small town, and the nights spent in Milly's pub were the best fun. I simply love each and every character in this book!


For me Much Ado About You was perfect, I has everything I love in a rom-com. It's funny, sweet, romantic, hot. I had a constant smile on my face while I read it. Samantha managed to make me feel the love even without the raunchy sex scenes.
Might as well, have had little hearts in my eyes, the whole time I read it, I fell so hard for this charming, little, English town, and I definitely fell in love with the characters the minute I met them.

P.S I wonder if we ever get a book about Caroline? ( Hint-hint-wink Sam ) ..... Remains to be seen

In this delightful romantic comedy set in a picturesque English town, we follow Evie's story.

After getting dumped by a guy who she thought she knows, Evie finds out in the worst way that she will never get a promotion at her job because her boss is sexist . Disgusted, she quits and when finds an opportunity in distant England she packs her things and throws herself on this adventure.

Upon arriving in the seaside town of Alnster, she fell in love with the bookstore and gradually became fond of the inhabitants who welcomed her with open arms, especially a certain farmer who was sexy, gentle, cute, beautiful, sweet and, to complete the whole package, a dedicated father of very cute dog Shadow.

As Evie promised herself when leaving the USA that her trip would be for her personal growth, she doesn't want to get involved with Roane, but he is more than determined to win her over.

Roane is a strong man capable of moving heavens and lands to protect the one he loves and cannot resist the sweetness of the elusive Evie.

Between new friendships, fun parties at the local pub, walks on the beach, moments of altruism, Evie will discover herself as a strong woman who knows what she wants. But she need to decide if Roane fits into her new plans and whether he is worth fighting for.

In this adaptation of Shakespeare's play Much Ado about Nothing, we have Cláudio in love at first sight and who makes noise with the gossip that is told. We have sweet and passionate Hero. And of course we have the forever rivals Benedick and Beatrice who, unlike the original piece, are unable to steal the main couple's focus. I loved the way Samantha Young built the personality of each character and how she drove the whole plot.

Much Ado about You mixes everything that I most love: romance, drama, comedy, tension, friendship, transformations and all of it very well tied in a beautiful ending

4.5 Stars!
Evie Starling is a 33 yr. old beautiful, single independent woman living in Chicago. She's lonely, and at a crossroads in her life, and craves a new experience. She needs a change of pace, and wants to put some distance between herself and Chicago. She could use time away to figure out her life, her path, and where she's meant to be. A one of a kind opportunity presents itself when she finds an ad offering a temporary position at a bookstore along with an apartment rental. Even better it's in a quaint town on the coast of England. England has always been at the top of her bucket list, so it's the perfect place to escape her troubles and get a vacation. It turns out to be the best decision she's made in years.

Managing a cozy English village bookstore is right up Evie's alley since she loves books and all things Shakespeare. She soon finds the peace and relaxation she was looking for, and also makes special friendships with people who possess a soul deep kindness she hasn't encountered before. This includes well known bachelor/ sexy farmer Roane Robson. He's one of a kind, but she's determined to live the next few months without any romantic entanglements. He's gorgeous and leaves her breathless with one look, but she's sworn off men, so she must resist the temptation. Why get involved when she's leaving soon anyway. She wasn't there for a fling, she was there to find herself, but when you find your person sometimes you need to stop second guessing yourself and get out of your own way. Will Evie walk away from a chance at something real, or will she take a chance on love and get her happily ever after?

Much Ado About You by Samantha Young is a charming romantic comedy full of chemistry, love, and genuine connections. It's a captivating story about self discovery that transports you to another world. I loved everything about this book. The characters had so much substance, and I loved the focus on friendship and family. I felt like I was there in that little English village experiencing everything. I would love more from this world, and hope we get a book for Caro.

Evie finds herself struggling personally and professionally and when she finds an ad to rent an apartment in small town Northern England running a bookshop for a month - she jumps at the chance! When she meets the townspeople, especially hottie farmer Roane, she reality it will be hard to leave.

Okay. Seriously. This is literally my new LIFE GOAL!!! Find a bookshop in the UK to vacation to and while I’m there fall in love.... how darn dreamy is this?!?

Read this if you love:
📔Sweet, hot, dog loving farmers. He’s the definition of the “cinnamon roll” hero.
📔Bookish heroines who overcome hardships in a bad ass way
📔Idyllic small towns on the coast of England with adorable townspeople
📔A slow burn that pays off with steam 🔥

My only issues with the book revolved around the townspeople’s drama. It was a bit of a distraction from the romance for me. But overall I really enjoyed the book!!

This was a fun, delightful book. You pretty much know the way it will turn out from the beginning and that is perfectly fine by me. We all need that satisfaction of a good love story. This one goes beyond just the couple finding love. It is our heroine Evie finding love in herself and love with a whole wonderful little town. The cast of characters are endearing and if you don't want to go to a quaint little English seaside town after this, there is something wrong with you. The icing on the cake is the little bookstore that Evie gets to run for her time in the town.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for a copy of this sweet book.

Feeling like you’re stuck while everyone seems to move forward is one of the worst parts of aging. Not knowing where you’re headed or what’s next when it seems like everyone else knows exactly what they’re doing? What a fun part of your 30s!

I liked Evie. I’ve seen the vacation rental that I believed served as at least partial inspiration for the story and thought “what a dream!”. I related to her on so many levels and watching her be loved for everything she is and isn’t was sweet to see. She was secure with herself but there were still the normal flashes of insecurity that made her feel real. Roane is exactly the kind of man I love to read. He was kind and his intentions were clear, doesn’t hurt that he sounded impossibly handsome. I figured him out almost immediately so when I learned more about him toward the end I wasn’t exactly surprised except maybe for Evie’s reaction. I almost wish more time was spent in the final act.

Evie’s meddling in her town felt true to the character however, it felt distinctly “American fixes small town”. Even if the characters in the town weren’t described in a joking way and it seemed the author respected them, there were moments that were a bit too intrusive. Some issues that she solved even seemed to be resolved so easily with just her influence.

#MuchAdoAboutYou #NetGalley

Much Ado About You was a cute, lovely read. There was definitely a lot of heart in this story. Evie has had it rough in her life for many years and after one too many let downs, she decided to go abroad to find a bit of clarity. She ends up running a book shop and befriends many of the locals including Roane. Evie and Roane's chemistry was sizzling and it was only a matter of time before these two couldn't deny it anymore. They were just adorable together and I loved their banter. It was great to see their friendship grow. While seeing what happens with Evie and Roane was a major part of the storyline I also enjoyed the friendships among the locals. Evie truly became one of them and it was nice to see that demonstrated. There were so many connections among the characters and it was intriguing to see all the goings on with the background characters as well. Samantha did a wonderful job painting the town and the surrounding areas. I could vividly see it in my mind-I would love to visit there. Her writing and characters were fantastic as always. Overall, this was a sweet, feel-good, heartwarming story. I was completely engrossed from beginning to end with smiles throughout. Much Ado About You was a great way to start off 2021!

I was a little late getting to this, as it's already in our store, but better late than never..?

This was honestly everything you could want in a contemporary romance- its cute, quick and makes you wish it was your story. Evie, is a strong independent woman, who finally puts herself first, though, her friend Greer seemed absolutely horrible. I kind of hated her to be honest. She wasn't supportive of her friend at all. Anyways, I loved Evie and Roane, alone and together. The supporting characters, besides Greer, were wonderful too. I hope we get a story with Caro.. she deserves it.

This is the perfect romance for book lovers! Needing to reevaluate her life, Evie books a trip to England where she'll be running the bookstore beneath her apartment. As soon as she arrives, she meets a handsome farmer with whom she has an instant connection, but she's determined to keep focused on finding herself, not romance. As this is a romance, we all know how that's going to turn out. This had a beautiful, lovingly described setting full of great characters, and was just such a pleasure to read. Full of plenty of literary references, this was a real charmer.

It’s a good thing I started Much Ado About You by Samantha Young on Friday night, because I kept reading this well past midnight on Saturday. Once I got started, I couldn’t stop! I was immediately drawn into this story about a thirty-something-year-old woman who goes on a holiday to England after experiencing setbacks in her career and love life. ⠀
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Bookworm and Shakespeare aficionado, Evie Starling, finds herself in a small town in England, running the local bookstore as part of a unique holiday package. After being passed up for a promotion at work and being ghosted by her only romantic prospect, Evie is looking for a fresh start in the charming and idyllic town. And there’s plenty to keep her occupied between the townspeople’s surprisingly drama-filled lives, and the rapt attention of the handsome, flirtatious farmer, Roane Robson. ⠀
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Told through Evie’s perspective, I thought I’d go crazy wanting to know what Roane was thinking at any given moment. But his character is refreshingly transparent when it comes to his feelings for Evie. Roane is not only kind and noble, but he’s unabashedly, steadfastly attracted to Evie. When I wasn’t busy swooning over him, I was willing Evie to ignore her resolve to keep their relationship platonic. 😂⠀
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Theirs is a heart-meltingly sweet, strangers-to-friends-to-lovers romance, that’s both a whirlwind and a slow burn. There’s just enough angst to tug on your heartstrings, plenty of steam, and a cast of quirky, memorable characters to keep you entertained from start to finish. This easily deserves a 5 Star rating and I can’t recommend it enough!⠀

I loved this book. Evie needs to get away from her life so she ventures off to a small village in England. Just like Evie, I fell in love with not only the village, but the villagers as well, especially Roane. Evie tries to fight her attraction to Roane. Of course there are secrets, which I had my suspicions about. My heart was racing as I waited for these secrets to be revealed. My heart broke, but it was put back together. This was a well written book that left me feeling extremely satisfied.

Much Ado About You is frothy good fun. An idyllic country town, (mostly) charming residents, books, and a handsome hero with an adorable dog? How could it not be a charming escape read?

After getting passed over for a much-deserved promotion and being stood up by a guy she thought she had a real connection with, Evie Starling needs to take a break from her life in Chicago. A month vacation in Northern England where she also gets to run a bookstore is just what the doctor ordered. Much Ado About Books is irresistible to Shakespeare-loving Evie and the residents of Alnster welcome her right away. But it’s when she saves a dog’s life that Evie gets the wind knocked out of her – literally and figuratively. Roane Robson, the dog’s owner, is a sexy farmer who tempts Evie to break her dating hiatus.

I really enjoyed that Evie and Roane’s relationship started out as friendship. Even though Roane makes it clear from the start he wants to date her, Roane respects that Evie doesn’t want to get involved when she’s leaving England in four weeks. Roane and Evie make an adorable couple and I liked them together, though the insta-love aspects did, at times, make the relationship feel shallow. The biggest drawback for me in Much Ado About You is we don’t really get to know Roane beneath the surface. He’s the perfect hero, but in a way that seems almost cardboard. He falls at Evie’s feet from the start, is handsome, charming, always available when needed for the plot, and his only flaw is he keeps a secret that causes drama that felt inorganic. I wanted a bit more depth to him and the romance but whether or not this bothers you in a beach read type story is really reader preference.

Immediately upon arriving in Alnster Evie winds herself into local life, becoming involved in everyone’s lives and loves as much as she can. There are some cute nods to Shakespeare in this story as Evie plays town problem-solver and matchmaker. I also really liked the supporting cast, especially Roane’s cousin, Caroline. It may be a little odd that a newcomer bursts into a small town and everyone listens to her immediately, but it’s cute and fun and keeps with the book’s bubbly tone. Author Samantha Young gives this story a good heart (for lack of a better way to describe it) and that kept me engaged in the story. Overall, I was entertained by Much Ado About You and it definitely made me wish I could take a trip like Evie’s.

I feel like everything I’ve read lately has been so choked full of angst and, while I enjoy it, it was starting to weigh me down. Then I picked up this delightful story by Samantha Young, one of my favorite authors. Honestly it took me a little bit to get into this book. I think it’s because I had to shake off the angst treads that were clinging to me. But once this storyline started rolling it took me right with it.

I was completely charmed by this book. Evie’s is a beautiful soul who sought to do good every day of her life. Her hear guided her to meddle in the lives of all those around her. Her only goal was to make everyone else as happy as she was. She succeeded at this. I loved that while I was fully invested in Evie’s and Roane’s story I found myself just as excited to see how the side stories of all the lovely towns folks stories were going to play out.

Roane is one of those characters that sneaks up on you. He’s so kind, thoughtful, and humble you almost write him off as too nice or uninteresting. But when he gets all growly and protected of those he loves. Wow. He took on a whole new light in my eyes and, I found myself falling for him. I always find myself falling for the abrasive, alpha jerks in the story but, Roane changed my way of thinking.

This book is lighthearted fun. Full of friendship, meaningful relationships, love, and passion.

MUCH ADO ABOUT YOU is a quick-paced read set in a small English country village. The village has a slower pace filled with gossipy locals and small businesses. When Evie decides she has to escape her life in Chicago after quitting her job as an editor’s assistant, she decides to rent an apartment in England that’s attached to a bookstore that she’ll get to run. It’s like a dream come true. Little does she know that she’ll feel a peace and fulfillment that she never expected while making new friends, fitting in with the locals, and meeting someone who could be The One.

It was fun getting to know Evie and the locals. She runs into several characters, including Roane, the local farmer and his dog. Evie left behind a best friend in Chicago, which wasn’t easy since her friend is pregnant. She also left behind her mom and stepfather. She and her mom have a relationship that needs healing, which is hard to do from thousands of miles away. As Evie becomes involved in everyone’s lives and thinks hers is finally settling down, she has some hard choices to make. The story is filled with emotional moments of joy and sadness, and the romance is both steamy and fulfilling.

The scenic descriptions transported me to England and small-town living. I loved the feel of the sea breeze, the colorful gardens and seating areas, the walks along the beach, and Evie’s camaraderie with the lovely locals. MUCH ADO ABOUT YOU has a few twists, and the happily ever after on several fronts warms the heart.

This was a sweet romance novel, especially like able for anyone who loves Shakespeare or England. It had an adorable small town feel to it and was a good light hearted read, and the end had a bit of a twist, but it wasn’t necessarily one of those that you couldn’t put down either.

This book is great. It was highly anticipated on my part. Samantha was teasing us about it for quite a while.
Evie is a thirty-something girl who feels left out. Her friends are getting married and having children, meanwhile she is still single and not even dating. After two years she plucks up a courage and goes on a blind date, where she is stood up. Next day her promotion goes down the drain. She is fed up with her life and needs a big change.
That is when she finds an offer that she can't ignore. You can rent a bookstore in an England. It sounds like a dream come true. I too, would love to try that one day.
She follows her dream in England and the story takes us on a whole new level.
I really loved Roane. He is an amazing character. He is good and treats all the woman like they deserve. I fell in love with him. How could I not? He really is perfect. The villagers are wonderful. They take Evie in, like she is one of them.
This close-knit community reminds me of Harts Boardwalk series. They are really good friends, they support each other.
Evie and Roan are amazing together. They have a special energy. You can feel it sizzling all around them.
I am glad that this story is in 2021. I love to read about travelling and following your dream, even if it is on the other side of the world. In this tough times, you have to think about yourself and be a little selfish and take care of your needs. Samantha thank you for this amazing story. It brought me so much happiness and good vibes. Another great characters and a lovely romantic story for a great cosy read.

I adored this story - it was absolutely charming.

Evie Starling needs a break from everything and everyone in Chicago. She needs a change and finds a holiday, in England, running a small bookshop - Much Ado About Books. Immediately she is embraced by the small village, including the farmer, Roane Robson.

Evie is determined to figure her life out, without any distractions. But her feelings for Roane start to ring loudly.

So what will happen when her time is up? You'll definitely have to one click to find out.

Evie is a complex character. Much of her past has shaped who she is now. She needs time to understand, accept and move past these issues. Stepping into the unknown can be scary but with gentle and patient Roane by her side, she can accomplish anything.

Thank you @Netgalley for the chance to review this book.

Everything about Evie and Roane’s book made my heart happy and gave me all the warm gooey feelings I could ask for…there wasn’t a part in the story that didn’t make me smile and I was ready to pack my bags and head to the quaint English village of Northumberland and get a part-time job at the same bookstore that Evie found herself at when she decided to put herself first and rediscover, not only her passion but her worth, allowing the time she needed to figure out exactly what her future would hold and who might be right next to her along the way.

Evie is a fantastic and relatable heroine. The things that she goes through and feels will resonate with readers and as she finds her footing, takes chances, and gives into the growing connection that she feels with a certain farmer, we cheer her on and hope that her journey of self discovery leads her to everything she wants and needs.

There is so much about Roane to love. He’s such an amazing man who is not a typical bachelor, which is beyond refreshing. The fact that he’s a one-woman man and wants what he wants despite the flack he gets from the female population of Northumberland. Evie’s arrival is a game-changer for both of them and watching things between them unfold illustrates that when it’s right; it’s right and there’s no fighting it.

Samantha Young is one of my unicorn authors and her latest release, Much Ado About You, is exactly the feel good and adorable story I needed in my life, and I can’t recommend it enough.

4.5 Poison Apples

Evie is fed up with work and dating in Chicago and is ready for a change. After finding an opportunity to vacation in England while running a local bookstore she becomes enthralled with the idea of taking some time to figure out what she’d like to do next. Evie doesn’t anticipate being welcomed by the villagers as one of their own and finding a friend who’s more sexy than she bargained for.

The premise of this book is probably any book lovers dream - going on vacation and spending all day in a bookstore. The idea that Evie takes this vacation to truly figure out what she wants in life is familiar but there were aspects of this story that made me really enjoy it. I absolutely loved the characters from the village with all of their complex histories and relationships, the town gossip mill and Evie’s penchant to try to help people solve their problems. It felt like there was never a dull moment. Some areas of the plot felt predictable at times but I loved that this story was more focused on Evie’s growth and relationships with everyone in her life, rather than just the relationship between her and Roane. There were also some more serious topics like Caro’s story, the relationship between Maggie and her daughter and how Viola was treated which I felt gave the story more depth and I appreciated being included. The village felt like a real place that I want to visit. I’m ready to go into The Anchor, sit by the fireplace with Shadow at my feet, and joke with Caro and Viola.

Y’all, I wouldn’t change a thing about this book! It was much more than a love story with a bibliophile...which, hello, way to my heart!! This touched on many issues that should be highlighted more...racism, women in the workplace, men being sexually harassed, mental health, small mindedness...I mean, it was just a wonderful read. It made my heart sing ❤️

And the slow build tension between Evie and Roane...phew. Totally worth the frustration that it took so long! 😆

I may want to move to a small town in England and run a bookstore now.