To Sir, with Love is the modern-day fairytale every rom-com lover needs. It's definitely a take on "You've Got Mail." A chance meeting on a dating app, one without pictures no less, and a failing family business really brought me back to the way I felt the first time I watched Kathleen Kelly and Joe Fox struggle with their romance. Gracie and her "Sir" are kept apart by more than just fate. There's the fact that he has a girlfriend, that they've never even seen photos of each other, and the fact that the mysterious and handsome, yet evil, Sebastian has shown up in Gracie's life. I loved the cast of characters and how family-driven this book was, and honestly, I am so happy I had the opportunity to read this modern-day romance.

5/5 Stars!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lauren Layne has gifted us with another smart, classy contemporary romance in To Sir, with Love. I’ve been anxiously awaiting Layne’s next book especially with my latest book slump. As usual, she pulled me right out of it with this lovely story. It is perfectly parallel with the movie, You’ve Got Mail. In this, Gracie has taken over her late father’s champagne shop. However, her landlord, Sebastian and his family business, want to buy out the lease from her early for another project. With everything going online these days, the shop has not been doing well. She is bound and determined to keep her father’s legacy even if it may not be what she enjoys.

Gracie dreams in fairy tales. She is looking for exactly the right prince charming to come and sweep her off her feet. She’s sweet, kind and always wants to believe the best in people. She has recently met a man online through a dating app where they talk but don’t see photos of each other unless they want to. They chat often but are just friends right now. There are many exchanges between Sir and her sprinkled throughout. Meanwhile, Sebastian and her keep running into each other, trading barbs and getting under each other’s skin. You really don’t know who to root for: the online person she has the most in common with, or the one in real life who pushes her.

There was no major drama in this story, which I certainly appreciated. A huge part of the story was about saving the shop. All the secondary characters added so much to the story. The pace was so perfect that I did not want to put it down. It gives you just the right amount of closure. The entire story gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling when it’s over. Another terrific read from Lauren Layne that I would recommend. If you love a smart, classy romance with a You’ve Got Mail feel, you will absolutely love this one!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Gracie's love for fairytales ran deep, and she believed she had finally found her prince. She had no idea what he looked like, or even what his name was, but she knew this online man was "the one". Things got a bit complicated when Sebastian made a bid to buy out her family business, and Gracie found herself falling for the enemy.

I have read 28 of Lauren Layne's books, and you know what? This may be my favorite yet! The book had that mix of humor, warmth, and wit I have grown to expect from Layne, but there was just something extra special about it for me.

This book was so much fun to read! I laughed and smiled my face off as I blazed through this tale. I was having such a good time with the characters and this story, that I simply could not stop turning those pages. Gracie was very easy to love. I adored her heart-eyes dreamy romantic heart and admired how hard she worked to preserve her family's legacy. But every leading lady needs support, and Layne assembled a wonderful cast of characters for this book. Each was able to pop off the page while endearing themselves to me. Let's just say, a fabulous time was had by all.

The interactions between Gracie and Sebastian was spectacular. I loved the tension and the sparks. Their exchanges made me grin, smile, smirk, and sometimes, swoon. Watching their relationship evolve while knowing what was going on in the background gave me so much pleasure, and I delighted in seeing them move closer and closer to that HEA.

What I think took this book up a notch for me were the online exchanges between Lady and Sir. I love the nod to all those rom-coms that own my heart! These electronic missives were often sweet and amusing, but they gained depth throughout the story. It wasn't just what they said in these exchanges, but also the idea of falling in love with someone sight unseen. I loved that!

This book was a smashing success for me! As always, Layne crafted a splendid romance laced with heartfelt moments of family and friendship. She tugged at my heartstrings, made me laugh, and forced me to smile till my face hurt. I would dare say this book had a champagne effect on me. It produced bubbles of joy that tickled me pink and left me feeling warm and fizzy.

Gracie Cooper has found the perfect man. Unfortunately, Gracie has never met him and doesn't even know what he looks like since they only text through an app. Most importantly, he is not available. When another man perks her interest, Gracie realizes that Sebastian is the landlord that has been sending her letters wanting to buy her out of the shop's lease. Even though the champagne shop was her father's dream rather than hers, Gracie is trying to make it a success. As Gracie stages events to up the shop's revenue, Sebastian attends these events. Gracie suspects his motives. I receive a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. I love this book. It had me laughing out loud at times. I love how Gracie develops feeling both for Sebastian and her mystery man. I enjoy both the witty dialogue as well as her texts. Gracie's friends and family are great secondary characters and really add to the story. I am now a fan of Lauren Layne and will look for more of her books. This book uplifted my spirits and I will definitely reread in the future.

Having been a fan of you've got mail, I loved the premise of this book. It was pretty true to the story but I would have liked to know more about the hero. Being told only from the heroines point of view made him hard to root for. Even knowing Sir and the hero were the same, I found myself just wanting her to get with the human and stop chasing the mystery app man because that was a relationship that actually grew and developed. I felt like the text conversations really weren't that in depth to warrant falling in love.

3.5 stars. This book was so cute! A modern retelling of The Shop Around the Corner or You've Got Mail. I really enjoyed the banter and chemistry between Gracie and Sebastian as well as all the fun side characters. I appreciated that it wasn't just focusing on the romantic relationship but also on Gracie's growth, letting go of her family's shop and building the courage to go after her dream. I loved the community aspect of this story, how every one in Gracie's life banned together to try to save the shop.

How this story could have been improved:
- I wish it was more modern, it felt a little too similar to You've Got Mail, it needed more differentiation
- It needed a little bit of steam, there was so much chemistry but I felt like it constantly let go of that chemistry and moved to different parts of the story instead of sticking with it and exploring it more.

Overall, I enjoyed reading it and felt like I needed a glass of champagne every time I picked it up.

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book, much more than I thought I would. The characters were interesting, and the incorporation of a young business woman who sells niche champagne is not something you see often. And even though it hurt to close the shop because of her dad, she did what was best for herself, which I thought was an important aspect. The chapters were all relatively short, so I flew through the story. Both Gracie and Sebastian were likeable, interesting characters, and their enemies-to-lovers relationship was at turns sweet and hot!

I docked half a star because 1) the romance doesn't really happen until the last 5-10%, which was frustrating. Also, I feel that the revelation that Sebastian = Sir was a little anticlimactic since it's told to us readers in the synopsis. A little bit of suspense there would've been nice. But I think Layne still managed to create a bit of a tense atmosphere between the two lovers.

The storyline is intriguing - Gracie owns her family's champagne shop, Sebastian wants the shop to leave (his family is in the business of building high rises), and their chemistry is instant. Gracie also has a mystery man in her life, Sir that she met through a dating app - although they have not actually met. Gracie and Sebastian find themselves actually liking each other, even though circumstances say they could easily be enemies. However, Gracie has the other side of her life - the one in the fantasy of who she has built Sir up to be. Can she figure out which path her life needs to take?

I cannot even tell you how much I loved this book, although I'm going to try to express it. The story of Gracie and Sebastian captured me from page one and entertained me until the last page. The idea of pen pals in today's times has evolved from the days of letters, to emails, to now app communication. I always thought the idea of falling in love through the written word was one of the most epic and romantic ways for falling in love to happen. I feel like when reading this, as the read, you're in on this big, amazing, grand secret that the main characters aren't in on yet, and you just keep reading because you want to be in that ah-ha moment with them. As a fan of letters, romantic comedies, and love in general - I was delighted by this book and will be reading more Lauren Layne books soon. I will be recommending this book to all my friends who I know enjoy a good modern day romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for a copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars

I feel like I haven't read a Lauren Layne book in so long, and I really missed her work a lot. I love every one of her books, and of course To Sir, with Love was no exception.

This story follows the sweet, dreamy, romantic Gracie Cooper, who has put aside her dream of becoming an artist to run the family business when her father died. She knows the store isn't doing well, but she is not ready to give up yet. That's where the flirty and handsome Sebastian Andrews and his buyout proposal comes in. From the moment they meet, Gracie falls under his spell. But when she realizes what he wants to do with her store, she treats him like an enemy and won't let him get to her. At the same time, she meets Sir through a dating app and slowly falls in love with him and his kind words without doubting for a moment that she has already met him several times before...

This book was a breath of fresh air, and I enjoyed its soft and happy vibes so much! Gracie and Sebastian's story put me in the best mood, and no one writes rom-com better than Lauren Layne. Gracie was a sweetheart! I immediately adored her and loved how we followed her personal journey to find out what she wanted in life. She had to give up her dreams to fulfill her father's, which was very brave of her, but I loved following her development and seeing her take control of her life and her dreams. Sebastian was also a great and lovable character, and even though he had no POV in the book, I really got attached to him. Together, Gracie and Sebastian had great chemistry, their banter was so funny, and you could tell from the beginning that they were attracted to each other. I would have liked more scenes of them as a couple though, and that's why I took half a star off my rating.

What I also really enjoyed about this book were the secondary characters and the friendship between them. I was so invested in Lily and Alec's story, as well as Keva and Grady's. They were all a great addition to the main couple's story, and I hope we see more of them in future books.

Overall, I had a great time reading To Sir, with Love, and it's a perfect read for the summer. The character development was very interesting, and Gracie and Sebastian were so cute together. I had so missed reading a Lauren Layne book!

This was a sweet, fun read. I appreciated that Gracie was an upbeat extroverted main character. Too many books have surly leading ladies and that trope is overdone. I do think this is a book that would have benefited greatly from alternating POVs rather than everything being told from Gracie's perspective, but I loved it and I would definitely read this one again as an audio.

To Sir, with Love by was a feel-good nod to Nora Ephron and You’ve Got Mail. I found myself smiling through the entire book and feeling the same kind of anticipation that Gracie must have been feeling while she waited for Sir's responses! ⁣
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I enjoyed Gracie and watching her fall in love but more than that I enjoyed watching her find herself. Though it took a push, I was happy to see her find what she really wanted to be doing. ⁣
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Sebastian made the perfect “villain” if a villain can also be a nice guy. Seeing things click together for him was fun, though I do wish we were able to get a little more into his head. ⁣
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Fans of Hallmark movies should not miss this one! Also, Hallmark channel, if you’re listening, this would make a super cute movie! Hint, hint 😉⁣
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5⁣
🔥/5⁣
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Thank you to the author and Gallery Books for a gifted arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

This one sounded so cute and I couldn’t resist that cover.

I liked Gracie and Sebastian. She’s all fairy tales and he’s all grounded and together they have a lot of potential. It’s quite the slowest of burns with their relationship and I could have done with more banter. Between family, co-workers, friends, and neighbors, there are a good amount of characters here, yet it still remains to be firmly Gracie’s story.

Plot wise, it was good. There are a few moving pieces here and while the romance is a big part of the story, to me it felt like the store and Gracie’s professional future were at the forefront. I’m not sure what it was that kept me from loving this story. I will say that going into the story and knowing that Sebastian was Sir might have taken some of the fun away. Also, I wanted more of them together at the end (even though the epilogue was perfect.)

Overall, it was a quick and enjoyable read, but sadly not one that will stick with me.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

This one was a sweet story. A mix of Love Is Blind and You’ve Got Mail. I enjoyed seeing the story unfold - the relationship between Gracie and Sebastian, her online interactions with Sir, and her realizations about how she wants to live her life.

This is a cute and easy read. I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a light romance.

Lauren Layne is my of my all time favorite authors. This book is everything I love about this author's writing. the story is so cute and it just grabs you from the start. i loved falling in love with the main character. You've Got Mail is my favorite movie, the similarities made me love this book even more. I will read anything and everything Lauren Layne writes because I know i will never be disappointed. Always a happily ever after.

Gracie is set to find her Prince rocker Charming. Her only issue? She’s attracted to a man she’s never met and who is attached to another lady. To make matters worse, Bubbly the champagne store her parents owned and is now hers, is failing. The guy that wants to take the lease? An attractive but irritable businessman. DEFINITELY not Gracie’s prince. But looks may be deceiving and one may have to look just a little deeper at email exchanges to find true love.

Fans of You’ve Got Mail and romantic comedy reads will adore this novel. Lauren Layne creates characters that you will want to root for days on end. The plot is well written, the words flew off the pages and the settings were realistic. This book will make you laugh, smile and shed a tear or two. To Sir, with Love is a winner in my book.

4.5, rounded up.
Can Meg Ryan read this to me please? Total You've Got Mail vibes: small shop owner. NYC in the fall. Secretly messaging a stranger on an online dating app.
It is wonderful!
Gracie Cooper has her head in the clouds and an obsession with fairy tale romances. She daydreams often of the perfect "meet-cute" with her very own prince charming and the life that'll follow. But for now, she's running the family champagne shop and putting off her own happily ever after. This book comes with a whole cast of incredible side characters that are kind, supportive, and just what Gracie needs. But will she be able to get out of her own daydreams in time to realize what's right in front of her?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved this book! It might be the best book I've read this year. It was just delightful from beginning to end. I love the premise because I love the movie "You've Got Mail". The characters were relatable and felt authentic. The whole time reading, I just felt like it was a big fuzzy hug. It just made me happy. If I could change anything in the book, and really I wouldn't, but it would have been nice to get some points of views from the other characters. But really, it was perfect as it was written. I would have read 500 more pages if I'd had the chance! Seriously cannot wait to read more from this author.

I’ve read numerous books by Ms. Layne and enjoyed each one. While this plot has been used before, I enjoyed Gracie and Sebastian’s characters along with Gracie’s friends and co-workers.

It’s so much fun to read about characters where at least one of them strongly dislikes the other. I enjoyed the MysteryMate app messages between ‘Sir’ and ‘Lady’ and how they progressed to telling each other details they haven’t shared with others. I like the idea of getting to know someone through messages before sharing names, photos or meeting in person.

Grace took on running the wine store when her father passed away and gave up her dreams of a career in art. She’s always wanted a family and home and feels that life is passing her by. She still manages to paint a bit which adds an interesting aspect to the store and later in the story.

Sebastian is more than what you initially see in him and I enjoyed learning more about his life, how he ended up in his career. When the two were together, the banter and chemistry was off the charts.

Grace felt torn between liking Sir and, at times, really enjoying Sebastian’s beautiful eyes. How could she pick between two seemingly great choices?

It was a predictable, sweet story but I would have liked a bit more to the story and their romantic relationship. The ending and epilogue seemed rushed and just not much development. This had a somewhat ‘cheesy’ aspect and almost a Cinderella meeting her Prince fairytale but was a cute, quick read. I have loved all of Ms. Layne’s stories and this seems to be more of a ‘Lauren Layne-light’ type of writing, so I was a little let down after anticipating her new work.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this new work.

Gracie Cooper has always had dreams. Dreams of being an artist, dreams of the perfect man and family. But since her father's death, she's been running the family's flailing champagne shop, painting for fun on the side, and hasn't been on a date in too long to remember. She's too kind to say she's a tad resentful of her brother and sister who get to pursue their dreams without worry of what's to become of their family's legacy. But Gracie's not entirely alone. She has Sir.

Gracie met Sir through a dating app months ago and they've been conversing regularly ever since. The problem: They have never met, and he has a girlfriend. Regardless, Gracie lights up whenever they trade back-and-forths.

Then, Gracie literally runs into Sebastian Andrews and she feels that undeniable zing. That lasts until she finds out he's the person behind the company that wants to shut down her business to buy the building.

To Sir, With Love has been one of my favorite Lauren Layne books so far. With obvious hints of <i>You've Got Mail</i>, the story of these two people on seemingly opposite sides and a mysterious dream man on the other just checked all the boxes for me. I would have happily read 100 more pages of this book, once it started I didn't want it to end.

If anything I kind of wish the mystery of Sir was able to be maintained a little better, anyone who reads the official synopsis of the book, and generally anyone who has any knowledge of You've Got Mail will know immediately what's happening. In that regard I was very aware of tells and just in general kind of had my guard up, so to speak, at every interaction just waiting for the piece that would tip the scales.

I think it would have been excellent had we gotten Sebastian's point of view. Not necessarily an alternating point of view from that of Gracie's but every few chapters maybe.

But truly this is Gracie's story. And it's about so much more than the romance. It's about Gracie finally living life for herself and getting past the fears of taking those steps to pursue her dreams even though nothing is guaranteed. About honoring legacy and family, but also knowing that it's ok to move outside of that legacy.

Of course I love the kind of push and pull between Sebastian and Gracie. Those early moments when they are obviously attracted to each other, but they still get on each other's nerves makes for some charged chemistry between them. As things unfold I loved how they kind of evolve into each other's
"person".

Overall, if your looking for a light and enjoyable read you can do no better than To Sir, With Love. Lauren Layne has never let me down.

To Sir, with Love is a modern day You've Got Mail, if you loved that movie (and who didn't?) you will love To Sir, with Love.

Gracie is on a new dating app, where you meet and converse with people, no pictures (or real names) allowed. She has developed feelings for "Sir" through the app, however he has a girlfriend, so they're just friends. They converse quite a bit and I loved reading their messages to each other.

Gracie is the co-owner and person in charge of a Champagne store. She took over after her father passed away, and is really struggling to make it work (both financially and personally). It's through this that she meets Sebastian, who wants to buy out her lease so they can put up a giant building in it's place. Gracie is hell bent on not letting that happen.

Despite Sebastian's aggressiveness in business he has a good heart and even though he wants to buy her lease out, he also wants to make sure that Gracie, and her employees, are well taken care of.

Eventually Gracie starts to develop feelings for Sebastian and is very conflicted, because of Sir. This leads to a lot of feelings and self discovery for herself and Sebastian. We all know where this story is going, but the journey was incredible and well worth the read.