As an admitted rom com afficionado, I have watched Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan answer the AOL siren call many times in Nora Ephron’s You’ve Got Mail. I knew it was based on a classic and have promised myself a viewing of the 1940’s The Shop Around the Corner. To Sir, With Love, brought that same romantic feeling to 2021 with of course, an app. The delicious fantasy that we develop when we spend time in our own imagination, fueled by words of kindness and understanding, is perfectly portrayed by Lauren Layne’s Grace/Lady and Sebastian/Sir. Setting it in a Champagne shop in Manhattan extended the fantasy for those of us who have always dreamed of New York, but know it belongs firmly there, in our dreams.
You will love these characters, even though you have a pretty good idea of what will happen. Thanks Lauren, for a delightful escape in these serious and weary times.

Thanks to the publisher, Simon and Schuster, and Net Galley for giving me this break! To Sir, With Love was published today, June 29, 2021.

This book is such a great romance! I loved the setting of New York City and Gracie is such a great narrator! The story is described as “Love Is Blind meets You’ve Got Mail” so if that’s not enticing enough then I don’t know what is!?! What this book lacks in steam is made up for with its sweetness and it combines the best of slow burn romances with enemies-to-lovers. Readers will be flipping page after page to see how this story will unfold! It’s fun, flirty, a bit sad, and overall such a sweet love story!

You guys already know how much I love a good romcom so trust me when I say that this is one to add to your TBR!

You've got mail.

Or, a message on your app.
Gracie is floundering as she attempts to take over her father's shop. Online, she finds herself connecting to Sir over an app. In real life, she doesn't like Sebastian, who is Sir. So, IRL enemies, online, flirting.

This book is a You've Got Mail for the current age. It is the latest version of stories with similar themes that started with a Hungarian play called Parfumerie in 1937 and continued with the movies The Shop Around The Corner in 1940 and In the Good Old Summertime in 1949 and the stage musical She Loves Me in 1964 before even getting to You've Got Mail in 1998. In this version of the story, Gracie Cooper is struggling to keep the family wine shop she inherited from her father afloat when all she wants to do is paint. She meets a man only known to her as Sir on a dating app. They began exchanging texts. She begins falling for him, but even though he really seems to like her too, he is reluctant to meet her in person. In her real life, she meets Sebastian and is drawn to him immediately. When she finds out he is the man who has been trying to purchase her family business, she tries to shake him off but she can't quite get him out of her mind. He seems to keep putting himself in her path which doesn't help, but still, she keeps finding reasons not to trust him. Plus, she still can't get Sir out of her mind. If you are familiar with any of the aforementioned stories and even if you're just a fan of romance novels, you'll probably know where this story is going from the get-go. However, that doesn't make it any less romantic and sweet nor does it makes the big revelation any less satisfying. It just makes you want to read the book that much quicker to get to the heart-melting conclusion that much faster.

This book was such a FUN CUTE QUICK read. The moment I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. I loved all the banter between Gracie and Sebastian. Their chemistry literally seeped through the pages and lete tell you, I was here for it🙌

I definitely recommend this book if you are looking for a cutesy romance ♥️

I look forward to reading more from Lauren Layne. Thank you so much net galley & Lauren Layne for gifting me this book on exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an e-galley of To Sir, with Love.

This book had all the warm, fuzzy feelings one wants in a rom-com. Gracie has always been the peace keeper in her family. When her father unexpectedly passes away, she steps up to take over Bubbles and More as neither of her siblings express any interest. However, she's living most of her life via daydreams as the real world isn't all it's cracked up to be. With mediocre dates becoming the norm, Gracie matches with Sir on a dating app - one with no pictures, just a bio about interests and dislikes. In her head, this is the Prince Charming who will sweep her off her feet. In reality, Sir is in a relationship. As Gracie navigates making her daydreams a reality, she wonders if true love might be on the horizon as well.

I love "The Shop Around the Corner" and I was excited to read a book inspired by the classic movie. "To Sir, With Love" had much of the charm of the original movie. Gracie was a great romantic lead, and Sebastian was a wonderful romantic foil for her. The weakness of the book is the format which makes the romantic relationship feel rushed. I enjoyed Gracies and Sebastian's interactions and would have happily read hundred more pages if there would have been more flirty interactions.

To Sir, With Love by Lauren Layne

Happy Pub Day to this CUUUUUTIE pie! I’m no stranger to a Lauren Layne novel and was so honored and excited to be able to read this eARC.

For fans of You’ve Got Mail with a modern online dating twist! This book is so so sweet, set in NYC, full of champagne (made me crave bubbly big time but 🤰🏼) and squeaky clean.

It was just a darling read and I flew right through it. I highly recommend you add it your list if you’re looking for an easy breezy romcom.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was wonderful to read.
Better than I expected.
I love that Gracie owned a champagne store I felt like I worked there too.
I enjoyed all the characters and how they work together and it felt so much like family I couldn't get enough of it.
I enjoyed Gracie and her siblings' scenes so much and I love how there was kinda a mini storyline with Gracie's sister and husband.
Plus the backstories and the fun activities that were done in the champagne store.

I laughed, cried, smiled, and wanted more.

A definite reread and a book I will recommend to anyone.
Rating 5/5

Thank you for the Arc Netgalley and Gallery books.

Simply said this book is just light, amusing and so cute! Gracie and Sebastian had a relationship rooted in hate, mainly from Gracie, he is enemy one in her book for trying to buy out her lease from a business she’s not crazy about but her dad was so she doesn’t take well to Sebastian. This is a really refreshing book that kept me smiling

I’ll preface this review by saying that You’ve Got Mail is a movie I’ve seen and enjoyed many times. But I wanted this book to be an elevated version of that story, with a bit more spice and a little more mystery involving our “enemies” for the reader.
I liked the story, but Gracie sometimes came off as immature as she clung to her teenage ideal of her perfect man. But she’s also plucky, loyal and funny. Sebastian was my favorite though, because even as he is occasionally humorless and abrupt, I see a gentle heart, waiting for his match.
The secondary characters were a big draw for me…from quirky May to bold Keva…but not in the sense that they need their own stories. But they added flavor to this one.
It was a quick, pleasant read for me.

Such an A lovely book , love when you read books about online relationships, it’s how I met my husband. These two have a bit of fun with one another, Gracie and the hero are the perfect amount of cute and airy , was a fun light right just what I needed , story pulls at good heart strings in the best way and swoon city here I come , beautiful book.

Are you in the mood for a fun romance? Then pick up a copy of To Sir, with Love by Lauren Layne. Ms. Layne is one of my favorite authors, and she never fails to disappoint with her entertaining plots, New York City landscapes, and well-defined characters. This novel can be enjoyed as a standalone, however, I am very hopeful that a couple of the secondary characters will get their own story.

Gracie Cooper and her two siblings inherited their father's champagne shop when he passed away. Although Gracie is a talented artist and planned on pursuing a painting career, she is the logical choice to run the shop. Unfortunately, the brick and mortar store is barely paying the bills. Gracie tries everything in her power to make it more profitable, but it is just not enough. Selling to Sebastian Andrews, a corporate magnate, is the best solution. While all of this is going on, Gracie is texting with a man she met through a dating app, sight unseen.

I truly liked this book, and the evolving love connection between Gracie and Sebastian was quite intriguing. I immediately connected with both of them as individuals and as a couple. In addition, the emotional elements left me a bit teary eyed. The secondary characters were unique in their own right, which added a lot of interest to the present happenings. Overall, this is a charming read that should be added to your TBR list.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

I thought this was a cute modern day take on You’ve Got Mail. Gracie owns a champagne store where the landlord wants to buy them out of their lease. Sebastian, said landlord, is gorgeous and pushes Gracie’s buttons yet tempts her in ways she doesn’t want. She’s secretly in love with a man she met on a dating app. Since they’ve never met and don’t even know each other’s real names, she calls him Sir, she doesn’t truly know who he is. As worlds collide we see Gracie struggle with her business, love life and internal struggles of lifelong dreams.

It's been ages since I read an LL book and To Sir With Love came out right in time for me to get my fix! I've been a fan of Lauren Layne ever since I read her Stiletto series years back and she's one of the authors that made me fall in love with the contemporary romance genre! Every single book of hers is amazing with charmingly unique characters and I've loved almost all of them.

So, it's definitely not surprising that I had an amazing time reading To Sir With Love and I absolutely loved it.
I was already halfway obsessed with it just because of that cover and synopsis alone! Look at how cute the cover is with the champagne glass and the colors! And a modern version of You've Got Mail with a blind dating app? Be still my rom-com loving heart! ❣️

Set in Manhattan, NYC with bubbly, rom-com vibes, we get to meet Gracie Cooper, a champagne shop owner who is struggling to preserve the legacy that her father left behind and Sebastian Andrews, the one who wants to buy out her store's lease.

Gracie is a dreamer, but one with a sense of responsibility. Though she'd love to spend her days painting and daydreaming fantasies about her Prince Charming, she's the only one who has been trying to manage the store that was left behind by her parents. Despite the challenging circumstances, she tries her best to come up with ideas to make the store's business and profits better, but repeated offers to buy out her remaining lease have managed to piss her off.

And after a rom-come worthy meet-cute(because of a twenty dollar bill) she finds out that the man who she'd thought just might be the one, is actually Sebastian Andrews - the one who wants to buy out her business. And he also has a girlfriend. Cue disappointment.

After a few meetings, she discovers that spending time with Sebastian is actually quite enjoyable and he gets her in a unique way, once they learn to put their prejudices aside.

At the same time she has also been chatting with a guy she's never met on a blind dating app, and their conversations have her feeling things she's never felt before. But, they haven't had a chance to meet yet and he has also been going through some issues in his life just like her.

Torn between a perfect guy she's never met and a dangerously attractive man who's her quasi-enemy, Gracie is quite confused on who to choose while she tries to sort out her professional life too. But, what would happen if she were to find out that both men are the same person?

What I loved the most about this book was the NYC setting with the cute, fluffy vibes! Both Gracie and Sebastian were amazing characters that I'd absolutely root for! Though Gracie might be a dreamer, she didn't come across as naive. And I loved her creativity and perseverance.
At the same time Sebastian is not the typical cold and arrogant love interest. He's actually quite humorous and tolerant of many things. I just loved the instant connection been them and how their relationship evolved from cute bickering to a tentative friendship where they give advice to each other.

"Life feels most real when I’m writing to you, when I see your screen name in my in-box. I don’t know your name. Your face. Your age. But I have the sense I know you. And that you know me too, in a way perhaps nobody else does."

Just like all the other LL books, Gracie also has an amazing set of friends and family members. Though her siblings - Lily and Caleb might have left the business for her to handle, they're still there for her when she needs help and she never resents them for pushing the burden on to her shoulders. Her best friends - Rachel and Keva are also equally amazing!

It was so beautiful to watch Gracie grow as a character, while she figured things out about her life and chose to follow her dreams. With the perfect mix of romance, humor and friendship, this book manages to capture all the magic of a rom-com that leaves you feeling satisfied with sugary-sweetness.

If I had any complaints (which I actually don't) it'd only be that I wish there were some steam just like the older LL books! ;) I'd have also loved an extended epilogue or a snippet with Sebastian's POV. This is just me being greedy lol.

Anyway, what are you waiting for? Make sure to grab this book immediately if you're looking for a sweet, summer read to relax with! You'll definitely not be disappointed! : D



I was provided with an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

3.5 stars.

I was very excited to read To Sir, with Love, as You've Got Mail is my all-time favorite movie, and no matter how many times I read or watch different versions of it, I always love the basic premise: girl has anonymous correspondence with boy, girl and boy hate each other in real life. I can't say that this was my favorite take on this story, particularly because I found the correspondence between Gracie and Sir to be stilted and not nearly sufficient enough to serve as the basis of an anonymous yet deep love connection. I also felt that some of the references were a bit dated; for instance, even though I'm about Gracie's age and also grew up watching Sex and the City, haven't we all moved past that as the standard reference point for dating and living in New York? That said, I tore through this book in one sitting, and found Sebastian to be very swoony. I also liked how the book addressed and handled the fact that Sebastian's work will cause Gracie's business to close, which is something I have to turn a blind eye to in You've Got Mail because of how it plays out there.

All in all, To Sir, with Love was fun, fast summer read. Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing and advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Gracie Cooper is a glass half-full person, choosing to see the best in every situation. When her father passes away just months after being diagnosed with cancer, she steps up to take over her family’s midtown Manhattan champagne shop. Quickly she learns the business is teetering too close on the edge of financial doom. What makes matters worse is a big corporation run by the arrogant, yet handsome, Sebastian Andrews is offering to buy her out. Gracie struggles with the realization that her father’s business may not survive, similar to the demise of her dream of pursuing a career in art. Feeling hopelessly overwhelmed, she confides in a man on a dating app where matches get to know each other through messages before exchanging names or photos. Slowly, she falls in love with this man only known by the name “Sir”, a person she doesn’t realize she has already met.

This latest release by Lauren Layne is a modern take on the movie You’ve Got Mail. Layne has a talent for bringing fast-paced Manhattan romances to life through playful banter and swoon-worthy scenes. A slow-burn, clean romance, it’s smartly written with likeable characters and a fast-moving plot. If you’re a fan of feel-good romances with humor and fun, pick up a copy of To Sir, With Love.

You’ve Got Mail is arguably my favorite movie of all time, So when I found out that one of my favorite romcom writers had essentially taking my favorite movie and wrapped it up into a gorgeous book, I could not be more excited. As everyone is already saying, this book is the perfect blend of You’ve Got Mail and Love Is Blind. Lauren Layne’s writing and storytelling is divine and I find myself wanting more now that this book is over.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book, and gave me all the Shop Around the Corner feels!

Gracie runs her family champagne shop after the death of her father, and while she loves it, she's also trying to keep the business out of the red by adding in local art and designs. This also helps keep her creative since she gave up her dreams of attending art school to manage the business.

Sebastian is a local developer, and owns the building where the shop is located. He's trying to buy our her lease so he can turn over the space into something new.

Unbeknownst to both of them, they have also connected and are sending messages on a blind dating app! While Gracie loves her communication with her mystery pen-pal, she loathes everything that Sebastian stands for by putting local small businesses out of business.

This novel took me back to the old days of Lauren Layne and made me remember why I fell in love with her books. Lots of heart, family and friends, and little drama and angst. I miss Lauren's social media presence but felt her NYC heart, and love of the bubbles come through here.

Coming from someone who has seen "You've Got Mail" a countless amount of times, it should come as no surprise how much I liked this novel.

Not only is the story charismatic and romantic, there's also just something about the mystery of the two main characters not knowing who each other are while the reader does. In literature, I think this plot device is called "dramatic irony" but it can be frustrating for the reader if not done well. Luckily, this novel utilized this plot device amazingly to create a charming story.

I really liked both of the main characters and I sincerely sympathized for Gracie and her champagne shop because of how it connected to her family's history.

I loved the modernization and alterations of a timeless classic. It's not the exact concept of "You've Got Mail" and although there's numerous stories that are similar, this one felt uniquely its own. There's a reason that this kind of story is being written many different ways....people enjoy it.

I'm a newcomer to Lauren Layne's writing but I know after this one, I'll be keeping my eyes out for what she writes next!

***Thank you to Valentine PR as well as the author Lauren Layne for sending me this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review***