I had fairly high hopes for this book. It looked SO good and intriguing and for the first 20 or so pages I was hooked on Lizzy and Jack's relationship. Unfortunately I fell out of enjoyment shortly after that. I understand building tension but it was taking FOREVER for anything to happen or move forward with the 2 that I was tempted to completely DNF and move on. I instead skipped to the last 5 or 6 chapters and read those. I sadly did not feel like I missed much and even the ending fell a bit flat for me. I think the snail's pace that the book started out with was too hard for me to conquer. I'm sorry.

Lizzy and Jack are childhood friends. When Lizzy hits a point of no return with burnout, she packs up and heads back to her hometown for a vacation and to seek the comfort of her best friend. As she settles into small town life with her friend, she starts to question everything from her career as a high-power attorney to the twenty-year friendship that is starting to feel like so much more.

"Booked on a Feeling" is a cute romance perfect for people who always seek solace in books. It has fun banter and sweet moments, although it does lag a bit with the dense internal monologue of both characters.

Overall, I enjoyed this cute romance and am curious to see what Jayci Lee does next.

I felt like this book was so focused on being a cute romance that it just came across as cringey. I felt like the dialogue was dry and awkward. I had a hard time getting through this one, it felt too much like so many other romances.

I was excited to read a romance with Asian American main characters and maybe I set my expectations a little too high. The premise of the story is sweet, the trope is childhood friends to lovers, and the hero, Jack, has secretly been crushing on Lizzy, the heroine, for forever but has been in the best friend zone.

Lizzy is coping with burnout as a litigator in Los Angeles and takes a three week break in small-town CA, where Jack lives. In the meantime, he’s secretly trying to find a way out of the family brewery business and land a job in LA. Family expectations affect them both.

The elements I loved about this book were the obvious love of independent bookstores with a romance section, Korean American representation, all the food references (foodies will appreciate all the details), and the sweet earnestness of this couple.

What didn’t work for me was the pacing of the book, the dialogue that was more filler than character/plot driving, and what I can only describe as wishy-washiness that are the core of both Lizzy and Jack. Their constant struggle with their wants and who they want to be in the world was something I found tedious, maybe because I’m a “mature” reader and was never that indecisive in my life.

Finally, I think this book has a promising premise but it didn’t deliver for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

#BookedonaFeeling #NetGalley #StMartinsPress #Romance #Bookstagram #ReadingRomance

This book was exactly as sweet as it seemed like it would be. It is a forever old tale of two best friends who never realized just how perfect they were for each other until the moment this story happened.

It’s a lovely reminder of how we all need to take a minute to check in with ourselves and find what truly makes us happy. I loved how Lizzy and Jack were able to discover themselves throughout the story and figure out who they wanted to be for themselves before they could decide if they had a life together.

I knocked this down from a 5 (though I would have given it a 4.5 if I could have) because it was predictable and like every other friends falling in love romance. From the get go, you knew exactly how the story would flow - which isn’t a bad thing, I just would have loved to see something different than every story/Hallmark movie out there. Though, I will give it credit that compared to every romance novel I’ve read recently, the intimacy didn’t feel forced or like the book needed graphic details to fit into the romance genre.

All in all this was a very sweet story and a quick read that I’ve already recommended to friends.

I love any book revolving around book lovers, friends to lovers, bookstores, and small towns . So I thought this would be the perfect book for me, but unfortunately it wasn't THE PERFECT book.

Personally, I loved the friends to lovers aspect in this. I thought their sexual tension was top tier and their chemsitry was off the charts. But this book very much reminded me of a Hallmark film with the small town vibes and the main character's storyline; so I found everything to be pretty predictable. Though I do enjoy the Hallmark vibes sometimes, I just wanted something unique to come out of the story.

The anxiety rep was great as well. And Jack was the sweetest love interest ever!

I'd also recommend this book if you love books about books and the friends to lovers trope.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars

Unfortunately, I dnf-ed this at 85%. And I honestly would have definitely dnf-ed it earlier, but I was just really trying to push through it and finish the book, but I just couldn't.
I was never fully committed to this story; it never truly pulled it in, and I got bored of it frequently.
None of the characters were too deep, so I wasn't interested in them, and their relationship happened quicker than I imagined it would. This is a friends-to-lovers story (which I enjoy), and on one page, they were trying to fight their feelings for each other, and then on the next, they just gave in.
Overall, I found the book's entirety quite dull, and nothing stood out.

thanks netgalley & st. martin's press for the e-arc!! :)

If you thought The Dating Dare was sweet, then Booked on a Feeling will have your teeth falling out because of the sugary story. But if you are into sweets, you should totally read this one. It is cute, funny and totally cozy. Lizzy and Jack are just adorable and you can’t help but root for them to make it work. It’s also nice to see the characters from A sweet mess and The Dating Dare make an appearance. you don’t need to read those stories to be able to read this one, but it is a plus. And of course, now I’m hoping that Alex also will get his own story. Four out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the are.

Lizzy Chang is an LA lawyer. It’s something she (and her mother) have dreamed about forever. Lizzy being a successful something and making lots of money. So, when this overachiever passes out during her first opening statement in her first trial, she bounces right back thanks to her best friend forever, Jack Park.

Jack is Lizzy’s safety net. He’s always been there for her even when she had no idea she needed him. But Jack has a bit of a secret. He has had a massive crush on Lizzy for years. He works as a bookkeeper at his family’s brewery in a small town called Weldon. Although he knows his family needs him, he has always seen himself as a financial something in a high-powered business in a big city like Los Angeles.

So, when Lizzy shows up in Weldon unexpectedly after her first trial is over to decompress, he’s hesitatingly excited to see her. She tells him she’ll be there for 3 weeks. He finds himself in the position of either telling her how he feels or moving on. He has also made the decision to interview for a job in LA, which would let him be able to see Lizzy more.

So as Lizzy settles herself into her little apartment over the local bookstore for her stay, she feels she is in her happy place. Books have always been Lizzy’s go to for everything. She loves everything about books, and even turned Jack onto reading years ago. But this bookstore seems to need a little help. The owner has a young son and seems a bit stretched. There is hardly any people traffic at the store, and it is in need of a facelift. Lizzy, who has a hard time sitting still even when she’s relaxing decides to assist the owner and proceeds to make it her pet project. Of course, she gets Jack’s help as well.

That’s when the Lizzy and Jack story really heats up. Especially when Lizzy sees Jack’s toolbelt! But can two best friends with the best friendship each has ever had withstand this next step? And then when Jack throws a surprise curveball into the new relationship will Lizzy, who always needs to be in control be able to handle it? Can best friends ever be anything more without hurting the friendship?

Find out in this too cute, funny, love story which will absolutely put a smile on your face!

Thank you #NetGalley #St.Martin’sGriffin #JayciLee #BookedonaFeeling for the advanced copy.

Lizzy is a perfectionist who loves organizing and to do lists. Her best friend Jack has been in love with her since they were 10. When Lizzy is required to take a break from her prestigious job as a lawyer, she decides to stay near Jack in the small town of Weldon. Jack makes it a goal to hide his feelings for Lizzy but what if their friendship could become something more??

This was a cute romcom with just the right amount of heat. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the egalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was an enjoyable read with a sweet romance. It's all about the journey with romance books and this one was enjoyable. While I loved the friends to lovers of this closed door romance, what I really appreciated was the individual character growth—chasing their dreams and their journeys felt so genuine. I loved how natural their friendship read. And the bookstore was wonderful!

Booked on a Feeling by Jayci Lee is my first book by this author.
While reading, I was unaware that this book is #3 in a series (they are all stand alone books).
Perhaps I would have been more invested in the characters if I had read the previous two books...?

That being said, this is a cute "friends to lovers" story. Lizzy and Jack have been best friends for years, but have never ventured beyond that line. When Lizzy has second thoughts about her career as a lawyer, she takes a vacation to Jack's home town to assess her career choice. Jack is also taking a hard look at his career as bookkeeper and waiter for the family Brewery/Restaurant.
The story was cute and predictable. Unfortunately I didn't feel fully invested in the characters and the outcome of their relationship. I would definitely give another book by Jayci Lee a try. I only wish I had know there were two previous books in the series; I definitely would have read them first!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Jayci Lee for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lizzy is very focused and determined. She is on the rise at her law firm. She has her first trial case and she is ready to show them all that she can be a trial attorney. The only problem is she has a panic attack during her moment to shine in the court room. She is mortified and escapes to Wheldon, a small town where her childhood bestie resides.

Jack is happy that Lizzy is in Wheldon. She starts working on an old bookstore and enlist his help. The chemistry is different with them now that they are adults. What they are feeling seems a bit more romantic and both are nervous.

Jack has always crushed on Lizzy. He is happy she is around. He is at a point where he has to figure out what he wants in life. He doesn’t have the same passion to work in the family brewery anymore. He is just scared to take a leap but Lizzy encourages him in more than one way.

This is such a cute friends-to-lovers romance. I enjoyed the quirky set of characters. They are both Korean Americans with similar backgrounds. Both are on a path of self-discovery while navigating the tricky waters of romance. The cultural aspects play a heavy part on why Lizzy is so hard on herself and why Jack feels obligated to work in the family business.

While I enjoyed the story and seeing the growth with them, I felt like the story lacked something memorable. There is no real tension or angst. Jack is just the perfect book boyfriend. Everything falls into place pretty nicely. The pop up of previous characters of the series is nice but if you haven’t read previous books, you won’t feel lost. They just add a familiar vibe to the story.

Overall, this is a quick and cute read. I recommend it for fans of contemporary romance.

~ Samantha

As always, Jayci Lee's books are compulsively readable. I loved her previous 2 books so had high hopes for this one but it wasn't my favorite of her books. While I initially liked the characters, the lack of communication went on too long and made the book drag longer than it needed to. I loved seeing the bookstore plot lines and the descriptions of Korean food but just wish the romance plot line and conflict had more to it.

This is a sweet story, but it just didn’t hit the right notes for me overall. I love the characters and the best friends to lovers story, but I was left skimming. I think it’s because, for me, Lizzy and Jack spent far too much time being obtuse.

Did Jack and Lizzy have a wonderful connection? Absolutely. I even got butterflies a time or two. I realize one of the points of this story is how much these characters are people pleasers. In different ways from one another, but still both always worried that they are letting others down. Yet the lengths they go through to NOT talk to each other about their feelings and important matters that have to do with the direction their lives will potentially take got to be repetitive. I found myself looking forward to their interactions with his family and their friends because they often called them out on things they had been keeping close to the vest. In other words, they made them talk. Still not enough for my liking, though.

There is a whole lot of food in this story when neither character is in the food business. That was actually something I enjoyed because I like to look up foods I’m unfamiliar with when I come across them in books and see if I could try something new. Just putting it out there, do with it what you will.

While Lizzy and Jack are both amazingly wonderful and kind people, they were also a tad bit boring. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing. I just felt I needed a bit more of a spark between them. It, quite frankly, felt one-sided much of the time. Which is the risk you take with a friends to lovers story.

This is a story that can travel well, to the beach or on vacation or when you know you’ll be sitting in a waiting room. It’s cute and sweet, but also easy to put down when you get interrupted and easy to pick back up when you have the time.

This is a cute romcom in the A Sweet Mess series by Jayci Lee. I had enjoyed The Dating Dare, so was excited for this one.
It centers around Lizzy, an attorney, and Jack, a brewery worker. Lizzy and Jack are best friends since childhood. She's currently working on becoming a partner at her law firm, but after she wins her first case, she begins to reevaluate her life. She takes some time off and goes to the small town of Weldon, where her best friend Jack lives. While there they reconnect and their friendship has the potential of becoming something more.

I found this book fun and the story cute. However, I found the believability, especially around how Lizzie acted at times, a little off. Their romance often seemed a little juvenile at times - more YA than adult. Otherwise, it was still a solid romcom and a good, quick read!

3.5/5 and thanks to NetGalley, Jayci Lee, and St. Martin's Griffen for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Booked on a Feeling was a sweet and heartwarming romcom with a best friends to lovers trope! The story centers around Lizzy and her finding what makers her happy after winning her first case as an attorney, along the way she visits Weldon where her best friend jack lives. This book has all the feels🫶
Thank you #netgally for sending me a arc for a review!

This book was adorable! Although this is a romance book, there are so many other important aspects to it that I loved. I was able to relate to Lizzy’s struggle with doing what other’s expected of her versus what she wants to do for herself. I appreciated the awareness it brought to people who are burnt out and the importance of taking time to relax and recharge. I did feel like it dragged a bit in the middle and I got a little bored. Overall, this was a sweet story and a bit of a love letter to book lovers who have dreams to own a bookstore. The Asian representation was amazing as well!

Booked on a Feeling is an incredibly sweet friends to lovers romance. However, I could not get behind the relationship. The book itself read very YA in the scenarios between the couple, and it was hard to grasp why she had the meltdown and left her work when she came off as being such a strong character.

While I did finish, it took me a lot of weeks of putting it down and picking it back up. I found it hard to connect to the characters or root for their relationship.

Cute, but generic. I enjoyed the story but it felt like a lot of other books. Thanks for the chance to read and review.