Member Reviews
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! I read this book in one sitting and it did its job perfectly: it was a fluffy, childhood friends to lovers rom-com that involves books and is about books. What more could you ask for? This is my first book by Jayci Lee and her style is fun and really kept me engaged, even though I found it hard to relate to the characters sometimes. If you're looking for a light-hearted contemporary romance with LOTS of steamy scenes, this is the one! Not one of my favorite romances ever but I am very glad I read this, especially during AAPI month with our lovely Asian characters!!
3.25 stars!
This is such a sweet book! I love Lizzy and Jack’s relationship, and the friends to lover trope is always a win win for me.
Lizzy the lawyer, and Jack the "Bookkeeper" get the chance to spend a 3-week period together after Lizzy takes a vacation from her job. Jack has loved Lizzy (the overachiever) since they were 10 years old, and never admitted it to anyone. The two main characters find themselves spending more time with each other during Lizzy's vacation all the while falling in love. So dang cute! I have to say, I’m also a bit jealous of Lizzy getting to live out my personal dream when she realized what hers was too…trying not to spoil much.
The author touches on real life concerns so eloquently. Anxiety, family problems, relationship problems, finding yourself, and learning to live life for you and not for others we’re all touched on very well. There is a small portion of the book where Lizzy and Jack don’t communicate well which ultimately ends poorly. That could have been shorter, but wasn’t a deal breaker for me. All of the characters were written well, and were relatable/lovable.
Overall, this is such a sweet book. I would highly recommend it, and will be reading the other books written by this author as well!
Sweet, heartwarming, and absolutely adorable.
Booked on a Feeling is the perfect rom-com for any "friends to-lovers" or "books about books" fans. I absolutely love Jayci Lee's writing style, and although this book's premise didn't draw me in as much as the previous two of hers,
ARC provided by Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest, thank you.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A rounded up 3.75
This book is a very cute and fluffy romcom! If you like childhood friends to lovers, boy falls first, hallmark-esque romances, and bookstore stories, this is for you!!
Lizzy and Jack have an instant care and connection for each other, and being together in Jack’s small town while Lizzy takes a break means sparks are bound to fly!!
What I loved:
- tropes (especially childhood friends to lovers)
- funny moments
- lighthearted, but addressing mental health as well
- HEA
I did wish for a bit more depth in the characters and their relationship, but this is a great summer/beach read for a fun time!
Friends to lovers is not my favorite romance trope- but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was completely swept up in the story. The main characters were really likable. I very much enjoyed the bookstore setting and protagonist’s love of check lists. I was rooting for them to make it- and when they did the spice was just about perfect for me. I’m planning on going back and reading other books from this author as I am hoping that they focus on some of the auxiliary characters we meet. This book is the perfect escapist palate cleaner. 4.5 stars for the genre— I’d read it again as a comfort read honestly.
I tried really heard. I did. but I DNFed at 30%. reading it was just really boring. I feel like it was hard to connect to the charcters.
Bookstores, romance, booklovers, and foodies oh my! These are a few of my favorite things..
But really. Booked on a Feeling is a well-written, adorable romance, featuring solid characters and a well-paced plot. Did it break new ground in the genre? I don't necessarily think so. But was it delightful? Absolutely.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine alone.
I really enjoyed this friends to lovers romance! Lizzy and Jack were definitely made for each other and more then just friends! I loved that there was a book store involved and they were helping Shannon make it more open and inviting. I really liked the ending (don't want to spoil anything) just a all round sweet romance.
Recommended: sure!
For a romance that is all the right things a person would want, for a HUGE amount of dirty thoughts and actions, for a story that just makes you feel good
Thoughts:
This story was a little unbelievable, but in the best way. Everyone in it was a little perfect in their love, which isn't bad but made it a bit Hallmark in that way. Even though you know there's going to be some kind of conflict, it doesn't feel too dire because you also know they're going to figure their shit out eventually. That was the mood, anyway! So if you just want a sweet and sexy friends to lovers romance, this is 100% filling that box.
Speaking of filling a box, there is SO MUCH SEX in this book! DAMN YA'LL! It does not keep you waiting, I'll tell you that. The actual scenes themselves are generously detailed so don't expect the subtle fade to black implication here -- it's spelled out very clearly what's happening. Besides those, there's also a lot of almost-happened moments, and very naughty thoughts by both sides. And yet that sweetness I mentioned earlier keeps it well in balance.
There is also a plot in here, but it's almost entirely focused on the romance. It moves forward pretty consistently, and almost every scene and thought and conversation revolves around it. The side plot is based on fulfillment, particularly in career, for both of the main characters. We do get both of their perspectives, too, pretty equally. Each chapter usually starts from Lizzy, and ends from Jack.
This book didn't blow me away or anything, but it was a pleasant read. Great for a beach day or loungey bath time. It's a very comfortable story because the stakes don't feel too high. The point of conflict was stupid but inevitable, so I'm willing to overlook that part for the rest of the enjoyment I had.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a free advanced copy. This is my honest review!
Thanks to Net Galley, St. Martin's Press, and Jayci Lee for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I'm a big fan of independent bookstores, so when I read in the description that part of BOOKED ON A FEELING involved helping one, I was all in.
Lizzy and Jack grew up together and have a close friendship. He's had a crush on her since the age of ten. When she's lead attorney for the first time in a trial, he makes the trek from his hometown of Weldon to support her. A panic attack makes her pass out. He's there to help. She decides to take a few weeks off of her stressful job to assess her life choices. Since she has many fond memories of Weldon, and Jack lives there, she picks the quaint and charming town for her vacation destination.
BOOKED ON A FEELING is a charming contemporary romance that leverages the friends to lovers trope. What I enjoyed most:
- friends to lovers slow burn
- the food descriptions made me hungry
- Jack's family was so supportive and his mother and siblings are strong supporting characters
- Lizzy's love of checking things off of a list was totally relatable
- the relationship between Lizzy and Jack felt genuine and well-earned through their two journeys
- It was so nice to read a male lead who is gentle in nature
What didn't work for me:
- the beginning of the book was a little on the slow side
- there's no explanation as to why Lizzy's mom is so harsh and demanding. It would have been nice to hint at some healing between Lizzy and her mom, but not every loose end needs to get tied
Overall, this contemporary romance was an enjoyable read. I recommend it for readers who like a slow burn friends to lovers trope, enjoy visits to small, quaint towns, and have good take-out nearby.
Jack and Lizzy have been friends since childhood when she would spend summers in his idyllic small town. Her memories of these fun times were etched in her mind and when she needed a break from her stressful job as an attorney, she knew where she had to go. Lizzy’s arrival in Weldon was a surprise to Jack but what wasn’t a surprise was how he still felt about her. He loved Lizzy with all of his heart, and he always had. Jack didn’t feel worthy of her love and was reluctant to admit his true feelings. He was resigned to just being her best friend, without adding romance into the equation. But what if Jack did pursue Lizzy, what could possibly go wrong?
Lizzy felt free and lighthearted for the first time in her life, and I admired her dream of one day owning a bookstore. It was fun watching her bring life to the Sparrow Bookstore, because who wouldn’t want to spend their days surrounded by books, helping young minds become passionate about reading? Jack and Lizzy are a fun and adventurous couple who spent most of the book dancing around their feelings. They shared many sexy glances while they fixed up the bookstore and Lizzy swooned every time, she saw Jack wearing his toolbelt! Their witty banter was hilarious, and it was refreshing reading about a couple who both enjoyed life to the fullest. If any couple was meant to be together it was these two lovebirds. I love the tenderness and caring Jack and Lizzy have for each other. Their happiness jumped off the pages and their friendship became a love that would be everlasting.
Booked on a Feeling is a friends to lovers focused on Lizzy and Jack, two Korean-Americans who have been best friends for twenty years. Jack has loved Lizzy since they were 10. After Lizzy needs to take some time off from her anxiety inducing career, she goes to Jack's hometown to spend some time relaxing with him. Which obviously leads to their friendship taking a turn towards love.
Both of these characters were lovely - Jack is kind, caring, but painfully unsure of himself. He constantly feels like he's not good enough for those he loves, including Lizzy. Lizzy is a high-achieving lawyer whose anxiety leads to panic attacks. She's also unsure of herself, she's been following her mom's chosen path for her life and it's put her in a bad place mentally. They both had depth and easy to connect to feelings as individuals and it was easy to see why they were falling for each other.
I love a friends to lovers if it's done right and this one was pretty good. My main struggle was that I couldn't even say "these two are miscommunicating" because they just weren't communicating! The book was all kissing and then internal dialogue. I enjoyed it, but I also kept wondering when things were going to pick up. It's a slow burn for sure and not a lot of spice (totally fine, but always something I try to note in reviews). There was a lot of talk of sexual tension and talk about each other in their internal dialogues, but a lot of the action was fade to black.
I struggled with an overall rating - I think I'd go 3.5 (round up to 4 when there aren't half stars) because I did enjoy it and I liked a lot about it. It was cute, but it's not really leaving me with much to stand out and remember. I could totally see how it could be someone else's type of romance though! It's just not quite what I love in mine.
Things I liked: the very realistic nature of Lizzy's anxiety; the bookstore plot lines - I literally want to revamp a small bookstore after this; the friendship and obvious affection between the two of them; Lizzy's arrival in Jack's town; and the family connection that Jack's family had. I actually wish there'd been a little more about that - his family seemed so close and I loved the contrast between them and Lizzy's family.
Things I didn't care for: the lack of communication - I just kept begging them to talk to each other about their feelings; the excess kissing, but fade to black action just wasn't really my vibe; and Lizzy's relationship with her mom. I had a lot of background questions - like where did Lizzy live after her parents moved back to Korea? How did Jack and Lizzy meet? Just a few more details would have been appreciated.
All in all it was a cute, quick read that I enjoyed while I was reading it, but I'm not sure it'll stick with me. Again, I think this is a great read for the right audience. If you like friends to lovers, slow burns, and kissing books, this one is for you.
Thanks to Net Galley, St. Martin's Press, and Jayci Lee for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I had to DNF. I sadly just couldn't get into it and I can't put my finger on what it was.
Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
What a cute story this book offers! A sweet friends to lovers story that also includes two people finding their true selves along the way. I love that Lee included Korean heritage as well throughout the story. A feel good book that will leave you with a smile on your face.
I am always a sucker for a rom-com novel that involved a bookstore. I don't know what it is about reading about people in books who are also passionate about books that get me every time. I have been in the mood for a cute read that I can finish quite quickly and this was one of those. The cover is cute and matches the aesthetic of the book contents as well. A great addition that I will be making to my growing-too-quickly rom-com bookshelf.
I absolutely was in awe by this book. I hadn't read the first two books within this series but now I definitely think I'll be going back and reading them. From the getgo, I fell in love with Jack and his adorkableness. His character development and overall arc were perfect for this romcom. He was written in such a way that I found myself wanting the WHOLE book from his perspective. I also loved Lizzy's character development. When she pushed to do what SHE wanted to do really made me root for her. Breaking those cultural norms is a huge accomplishment, especially for people that may face scrutiny. Each character faced multiple challenges in many aspects of their lives, and I'm so glad we, as readers, got to see them work through their issues and overcome what may have been going on.
I appreciated the inclusion of high-functioning anxiety and panic attacks. As someone who really struggles with anxiety, I could relate to Lizzy, and I think many other readers will too. Anxiety isn't normalized enough and people still feel less than when dealing with it, and this book shows you that it's okay to struggle because you will push through in the end.
The spice in this book was perfect for the nature of the story. The witty banter between all of the characters had me laughing in practically every chapter. I truly loved the way this book was written, especially with the dual pov. At some points I had to re-read the page because I couldn't tell exactly whose POV it was, but once I re-read I could figure it out. This could be my flaw as a reader, but sometimes it could've been clearer! Not only was the dual POV a selling point for me but the best friends to lovers trope is top tier in romcoms. Plus Jack fell first; when the guy falls first, the book is already so much better in my opinion.
I would read this book again, and I will definitely be recommending it. A print copy will be going on my bookshelf when it inevitably comes out! This novel was to die for and I can't wait for others to read it!
It is never a bad day when you can sit and devour a Jayci Lee book. I just love her storytelling and the way she develops her stories.
Families that are a bit interwoven, yet stand-alone stories are bursting with deep feelings and love. Booked on a Feeling is a friend to lovers trope that is so full of the true-to-life anxiety we get over decisions, family issues, and fear. You can literally put yourself in the character’s place at some points throughout.
I love the lifelong connection between these two best friends, and the slow-to-rise feelings are there, just squashed – for now. Lee beautifully joined these two with fire and steam that leaves you begging for more.
Beautiful characters, laughs, tears, and a whole lot of raw feelings. This book was heartfelt from start to finish! If you have not experienced a Jayci Lee story yet, you are seriously missing out.
Quick fun read. I loved the setting of the book but I did find myself frustrated with the lack of communication
This book was super cute and I enjoyed it. Though, I felt like they jumped right into their story with both characters already in love with each other… there was no build up on feelings. I also didn’t like the miscommunication. Overall though it was cute and a quick read and I love the bookstore setting
Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes, so how could I resist a romance that takes place in a bookshop?! As a fellow book lover, I totally related to Lizzie and really loved her character development. I love how Lizzie’s anxiety was written and covered, but her lack of just TELLING JACK have me anxiety. Overall it’s a cute, witty, quick read and I look forward to what Jayci Lee writes in the future!
Thank you to NetGalley and Jayci Lee for the eARC!