With To Sir, With Love, Lauren Layne has given us a classic enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy. Gracie is the proprietor of a struggling sparkling wine shop, Sebastian owns the building and would like to buy out her lease. As this conflict plays out, Gracie is also carrying on an online relationship with someone from a blind date site with whom she feels a real connection. The story plays out with a stellar cast of supporting characters and lol situations and conversations, Unusually, in this day and age, this well written romance contains no sex. None. And honestly, I didn’t notice or even realize it was missing until the book was done. To Sir, With Love stands on its own with good writing, humor, an enjoyable plot and great characters. Recommendable for all, including readers who want romance without steam or raunch.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a DRC of this title!

To Sir, With Love is best described as an updated, lighter, and fluffier version of classic rom-com You've Got Mail. Gracie lives in Manhattan, running the failing champagne store that she inherited from her parents. She's also a hopeless romantic who is looking for her prince charming. To that end, she turns to a dating app where you connect with potential matches, sight unseen. There, she meets Sir, who is on the app because his friend set up his account and not because he's looking for love (he is, in fact, already dating someone). Gracie and Sir nevertheless strike up a virtual, platonic-but-flirty, relationship. Gracie can't help but feel a deep connection to this man who she doesn't know, and doesn't think she can have. In real life, Sebastian Andrews has entered her world by attempting to buy her store out of the rest of their lease and shut it down so that his family company can develop the building. Gracie and Sebastian, for obvious reasons, do not get along. And for those who have seen the classic rom-com, or are able to read between the lines, that causes some *cough* complications to Gracie's love life as she starts developing feelings for two (?) men.

As I said above, this was a cute, fluffy read. A bit lighter (and less spicy) than other Lauren Layne books that I've read. But I did enjoy it. My only quasi-complaint (and reason I rated 3 stars) was that I finished the book unsettled. It took me a while to figure out what it was about this book that wasn't satisfying for me, and, while I can't say it without posting spoilers I'll say that the dramatics and escapades between our love triangle (?) in the last third of the book were not what I anticipated. Perhaps, once the book is out and I feel better about posting spoilers, I will amend this review and see if others feel similar.

Overall, however, I did enjoy this read and would recommend to anyone who enjoys rom-coms. Lauren Layne is always a trustworthy author when you're looking for a fun romance, and she doesn't disappoint here.

To Sir, with Love is a modern take on "You've Got Mail" the movie. Gracie is living her late father's dream and running the family business of a champagne shop. She has a very clear picture of the man of her dreams. Could the "Sir" she's been messaging on a dating app be him? Sebastian, a very real man, on the other hand, is trying to take her father's dream away. But she can't deny the immediate attraction she feels towards him. Will she fall in love in with the same men twice over?

Even knowing exactly how this book would go, I still enjoyed it so very much! Could it possibly have been better to not know that this was modeled after You've Got Mail (as some other reviewers mentioned) so you wouldn't know Seb and Sir were the same person? I'm actually not sure. I think knowing it helps with setting the right expectations. You know what you'll be getting when starting the book. But the journey is still incredibly sweet.

The best way to describe this book is: incredibly cute and quite funny. I highlighted so many parts for making me laugh out loud. And was grinning at the cuteness while reading.

I loved how the messages with Sir were interleaved with the chapters. This gave us a good look into their repartee, and at times Sebastian's thoughts as well.

If I had to nitpick, I'd say that I loved Sebbie & Gracie so much, I wish we got more of them together. I would totally be okay with a book that's longer if it meant we'd see more of their adventures.

This short and sweet version stays pretty true to the movie in terms of the flow of plot, while keeping it different enough to make it unique.

In terms of steam the book stays at a 1 out of 3.

To Sir, with Love was a joy to read from beginning to end, I read it in one sitting and it kept me until 4am until I finished it.

I love this book. It is a great modern update of You've Got Mail. Gracie and Sebastian such well written characters. It is hard to put into words how great this book is. The shout out to Alfred Kralik, made me smile, Shop Around the Corner is a film favorite. I rarely read the notes from an author at the end of the book, I enjoyed the book so much that I read the author's note.

To Sir, with Love will be another Lauren Layne hit. It’s full of witty dialogue, engaging characters, and a charming story. Gracie has been managing her late father’s champagne shop since his death, putting aside her dreams of becoming an artist.

Sebastian has been heading his family’s company in which they buy out property rights from flailing businesses. He meets Gracie after she repeatedly refuses to respond to letters from his companies lawyers about buying out the lease on the wine shop. Gracie and Sebastian actually run into one another before formally meeting and sparks fly!

Unfortunately, things don’t go as well when Sebastian appears, unannounced, and the champagne shop to talk with Gracie. Sparks continue to fly, just in the wrong direction!

In the meatiness, Gracie and Sebastian “meet” accidentally and anonymously on a dating site. Despite the fact that Sebastian is dating someone else, he and Gracie continue to correspond. They both become confused as they develop feelings for one another anonymously online and also as their in-person relationship begins to grow. Will these two resolve their differences and figure out that their online paramour is the same person they have developed feelings for in real life?

Gracie Cooper takes overs her family business Bubbles, a champagne shop, after the death of her father. She puts aside her dreams of becoming an artist to run the struggling business. Then comes in handsome Sebastian Andrews who wants to buyout her lease and Gracie is not happy about this new situation. Gracie has developed a relationship on a blind dating app with someone she hasn't met called "Sir" and who she turns to for advice. Gracie finds herself having feels for both Sebastian and "Sir" . Will Gracie find her fairy-tale ending? Will she be able to keep the family business?

This rom-com was so cute and fun to read! It was funny and it was a feel good story. The characters were likable and you got to get to know them. If you like rom-coms do yourself a favor and pick this one up. A great book to add to your summer read pile by the pool and a glass of champagne to make you feel like you are there.

To Sir With Love featured the story of a woman, Gracie, who is struggling to maintain her deceased father’s dream shop open and the man, Sebastian, who is insisting on buying out the rental contract and as a result shut that same business down. As she struggles to maintain the shop open she butts heads with him time after time as he makes repeated appearances to the shop and various events she hosts in an effort to keep the dying shop afloat. At the same time as she is butting heads with Sebastian in person, she has maintained a very friendly conversation with a man she refers to as Sir – she is “Lady” – that she met using a type of blind date app called MysteryMate that matches individuals and they chat via text, without exchanging photos. We are shown these exchanges in brief letters. Now, from the very beginning one of my main issues with the whole Sir story line was the fact that from early on Sir reveals that he currently has a girlfriend, so I was still left wondering why he was even on the app in the first place, and that was never really cleared up. Gracie maintains that he wasn’t on there to cheat or seek an online affair, but there’s no good explanation about why he made the account or why he was even matching with women on there. He matched with Gracie, and explained to her almost immediately that he had a girlfriend and evidently they just kept chatting and the conversation kept flowing. Since she knew he had a girlfriend, they maintained a conversation as friends only. Soon Gracie begins to believe she’s falling in love with Sir, but at the same time her interactions with Sebastian in person have begun to leave her with him constantly on her mind. The two started as enemies due to the nature of their conflicting interests, but they reach a tentative friendship as Gracie comes to terms with the reality of her dire situation at the shop.

I enjoyed Sebastian and Gracie’s interactions and honestly, could’ve done without the whole Sir story line. I understand that the entire premise was that they got along so well online but constantly butted heads in person, without either one really knowing they already knew each other, but it felt like it went on for too long. Although I knew what was coming, I would’ve preferred that the book description not reveal from the get-go that Sir and Sebastian were one and the same. It took quite a long time for either one to realize it, and it felt kind of dragged out since we already know from the very first page. The Sir story line kind of fizzled out for me once Sebastian and Gracie really started interacting in person, I kept waiting for one or the other to realize the truth sooner, but that didn't really happen. Overall though, I enjoyed the story. Gracie was an artist with a “Cinderella” fairy tale idealistisic mentality and Sebastian was very much no-nonsense and they worked well together. Gracie’s interactions with her family and seeing her embrace her true dreams was nice. I will say, I usually prefer more steam in the novels I read, and this one had practically none, but it kept my interest and the main and side characters were fun and relatable.

This was adorable! I also really want to watch You’ve got mail now.. but anyways, these characters were so memorable. I loved everything from the storyline to the characters and how well it was written. I flew through the pages and didn’t want to put it down. I’d definitely recommend.

Lauren Layne is an auto-buy author for me. To Sir, With Love is another home run, and I think I will be rereading this one again. Sebastian and Gracie are delightful, and the "love each other online, hate each other IRL" trope is a always a winner.

A contemporary retelling of the You’ve Got Mail/The Shop Around the Corner/Parfumerie story, To Sir, with Love does what the best Lauren Layne books do: paints vivid characters and shows you why the main characters (here, Gracie and Sebastian) are made for each other. A cozy hug of a book, it never takes itself too seriously or tries to be other than what it is. A fast, thoroughly delightful, read.

The ARC was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this! Such a cute, upbeat rom com. I’ve read a lot of serious books lately, and I’m so glad I chose this one when I did. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy!

This was a cute update of You’ve Got Mail/In the Good Old Summertime/Shop Around the Corner/etc. it was very predictable and had the typical rom-com main characters- petite blonde woman and actor handsome man. I enjoyed the interaction between the main characters, but would have liked even more to explain the resulting feelings. There were some things I just don’t identify with in the book- the love of New York, the setting being a champagne shop, the strong desire for children, etc, but it didn’t really take away from the story. I liked that Sebastian’s company wasn’t actually trying to shut down Gracie’s store, just buy out her lease (as opposed to the situation in You’ve Got Mail) as it doesn’t really makes him a villain. One thing that struck me as odd was the description of Gracie’s art. I’m no expert, but her artwork really sounds like tacky junk art, not the kind of thing an art school hopeful would be doing. The last thing I found a bit frustrating was the resolution of Lily and her husband’s “situation” at the end. It seemed a little too easy and could be triggering for people who’ve gone through similar situations with fertility.

I've been a fan of Lauren's for awhile but this book absolutely amazed me! It was so cute and charming much like the feeling of the You've got Mail movie. I loved the New York setting and the secret identity trope. I would definitely re-read this book!

To Sir, With Love by Lauren Layne

Rating: 4/5 stars

Read this if you liked: The Dating Plan, One Day in December
**warning: mentions death and IVF

Gracie Cooper’s father passed away and left their family Champagne shop in her hands. She has met a man that goes by Sir on her online blind dating app, and she can’t seem to get her mind off him. The Champagne shop has gone through many financial hardships and Sebastian Andrews offers to buy out the company. Gracie asks for advice from Sir, but she has no idea that he is much closer than she may think…

This book was such a fun read! This book is such a cute romantic comedy that also involves a lot of self-development. Gracie has many tough decisions to make, but she ends up following her gut and choses the parts of her life that will allow her to fulfill her ultimate dream. I liked that Gracie didn’t automatically give in and allow Sebastian to buy out the company for a profit. Instead, she stayed true to her family and did what she felt was best for her father. Family is everything to me, so I can relate to what Gracie was going through!

Something I didn’t like within this book was how I felt I knew who Sir the entire time was. Maybe that was how it was meant to be, but I would’ve liked to somehow keep him more of a secret and less of an obvious giveaway.

Overall, I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone searching for a funny, lighthearted romantic comedy! You won’t be disappointed!

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ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review posted on blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

Romance Galore: If Only Fairy Tales Like this Existed!

Gracie Cooper runs her family's Champagne store in Midtown Manhattan. After losing her father, Gracie took over the store, even though she originally had bigger dreams. Now, her days are spent constantly trying to drum up more business and conversing with a guy on a dating app, who she only knows through the words they’ve exchanged. The app is known for its anonymity. People don’t exchange their real names or photos of themselves unless the two decide to meet.

Once Gracie starts exchanging messages with “Sir” feelings develop.

Cue the sparks and the possibilities!

Then Gracie meets her archenemy: Sebastian Andrews, the man who is trying to buy her business out from under her. Gracie despises everything he stands for and yet, she can’t help but be drawn to him. First, it’s those blue eyes, then as time goes on, it’s his kind caring personality. Is it possible that she misjudged him?

The next thing Gracie knows, she’s torn between two men (one of whom she’s never met!).

Sweet, smart, and full of chemistry, “To Sir, With Love” had me smiling from ear to ear. A light-hearted rom-com complete with lots of witty banter that stole this girl’s heart, I can’t recommend this book highly enough!

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the arc.

Published on Goodreads, Twitter, and Instagram.

4.25/5⭐️

If you’re a fan of “You’ve Got Mail” (as am I), this one’s for you. 😊 I must admit I was not aware of how many reincarnations there have been of this story, but thanks to the author’s note, I am now.

Funny, sweet, it was a fast read, and the entire cast of characters (both main and supporting) kept a smile on my face throughout. 😊 Gracie and Sebastian are heartwarming to watch as they make their way through the labyrinth to each other. It’s also refreshing to see them discover things about themselves and what they want from life along the way. And I’ll just add, the epilogue was especially lovely as well as being terrifically satisfying.

All-around good read. This was my 2nd from Layne and looking forward to more.

Many thanks to both NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing me the early ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.

I’ve been thinking about doing a top 10 list of my favorite comfort-read authors. You know, those authors whose books you look forward to savoring and smiling over and getting all-the-feels. In the top five would be this author, Lauren Layne, who never fails me with her bright writing, the sometimes snarky, though always witty, dialogue, and her complete understanding of what a reader wants in a swoon-worthy romance.

Although the plot of To Sir, With Love has been revisited several times from The Shop Around the Corner to You’ve Got Mail, Layne gives it her own special touch that makes this book such a delight to read.

As To Sir, With Love opens, Gracie Cooper is smiling over exchanged personal messages on a dating app from a man (she presumes) called Sir. This particular dating app is one in which people get to know each other before ever seeing a picture. Personality over looks. So Gracie doesn’t know what Sir looks like, but she does know that he’s involved in a relationship. The only reason why he’s on the app is because a friend of his set up the account. Evenso, Gracie and Sir have continued to message each other.

Gracie runs a champagne shop that her parents started before she and her siblings were born, but now that both of her parents are dead, the running of the shop has been left to Gracie. It’s not what she wanted to do, which was become an artist and not just be an artist as a side thing. When she took over the shop, it was floundering, but she’s added to it and made it more thus Champagne & More. In comes Sebastian Andrews who wants to buy her out of her lease so that he can turn the building into something else. Gracie only sees that he wants to take away her livelihood and those of her employees, which she can’t allow. Yet, there’s something about aqua-eyed Sebastian . . . .

Layne has a knack for creating likable, relatable characters and in To Sir, With Love that is no different. Gracie and Sebastian are swoony soulmates. The very first moment they see each other, it’s electric. I loved their connection. One of the funniest scenes occurs as Gracie becomes Sebastian’s other half at a cooking/champagne tasting organized by the shop and they both discover that they can drink champagne better than they can cook. The humor and sparks between them are delicious, even if their creations aren’t.

Yes, yes, yes! I loved this book. It gave me all the feels and made me happy. The cherry on top of the pistachio gelato sundae comfort food!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This novel checks all the rom-com boxes—lovable characters, sizzling chemistry, laugh-out-loud dialogue, and sky-high stakes. But Layne takes a deeper dive with themes of family expectations and self-discovery, of taking chances and believing in our dreams. I don’t know what it was about the story but it’s seriously left a huge warm spot in my heart. Her characters are real people with real struggles and deserve the happiness that she beautifully encapsulates.

I'm 6 chapters in and, unfortunately, I'm going to call it.

I was initially excited by the idea of a rom-com inspired by You've Got Mail. But, already, the nods to that story fall way short and I'm just not invested in Gracie's story. I find it really hard to connect or sympathize with characters who had a plan for their life and then derail it because their dying parent wanted the family business to stay in the family. In Gracie's case, she had a really incredible opportunity to study art in Italy and she gave it up for her dad's champagne shop, which to me screams "swimming with an achor", considering that at the time of his death, the shop was already floundering. And she's definitely resentful of the sacrifice she made that her siblings (wisely) did not. I'm not into that pity story.

Thanks to Gallery for the opportunity to read this. Don't count my rating, please, as I wouldn't normally rate a book I don't finish.

Edit: In light of the recent announcement by Simon & Schuster (Gallery's parent co) that they would be distributing a book by one of the officers involved in Breonna Taylor's murder, I will definitely not be finishing this book.

This book was a nice treat. It has all the "You've Got Mail" vibes, but make it 2021.

I will say it's less of a rom-com and more of a lighthearted read on self-discovery and growth; more of a women's fiction novel. There isn't much romantic interaction between our hero and heroine until the very end, and when it does happen, it's quick and clean. I was slightly disappointed because this is touted as a contemporary romance so I expected a bit more.

I still enjoyed this one and would recommend it. It wasn't a life changing read for me. It was an easy, feel-good novel that would be a perfect companion at the pool or beach.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for this lovely ARC!