What a cute little romance read. Booked on a Feeling is the perfect hallmark romance. Not too spicy, set (for the most part) in a bookstore, and it's predictable in the best way. This was a super sweet, quick, and easy read about two childhood friends who bring their little relationship right out of the friend-zone. You get a bit of second-chance romance mixed in as well. Overall, this story was great. I did feel like it dragged just a tiny bit in the middle of the book, but nothing that was too unbearable. I loved the writing and the multicultural representation!

Lizzie, a big law attorney in LA, wins her first jury trial and realizes she doesn't feel as fulfilled as she thought she would. She decides to take some time off and go surprise her childhood friend, Jack, in his small town a few hours away. Lizzie rents an apartment for the 3-week vacation, which happens to be right above a bookstore. Lizzie befriends the owner, Shannon, and helps revitalize the bookstore with the help of Jack.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin for sharing this digital copy with me in exchange for an honest review.

Lizzy Chung is BURNT OUT. As a successful lawyer, her life has been dedicated to hard-work to achieve a singular goal: partner. After a panic attack at a trial, Lizzy decides to take a vacation in the hometown of her best friend, Jack Park.

Jack has been hopelessly in love with Lizzy since he was ten. Her surprise appearance in his hometown forces him into three options on how to handle his feelings: maintain status quo, move on, convince her to fall in love, He tries to move on, but Lizzy is seeing him as more than just a friend and ready for a trial run on a relationship.

Problem is, free trials always come to an end.

**

K I LOVE Lizzy and Jack! Huge fan of the friends-to-lovers trope. They are so pure and Lizzy is completely relatable. Who hasn't forced themselves into a job they thought was their passion only to find a new one? Her life at the bookstore was swoon-worthy and any book lovers dream.

Jack is also so sweet. All he wants is to keep Lizzy in his life. He wants to take things slow which results in a slow burn. I also appreciated that they both pursue their own interests before finding their way to each other. Nobody is giving up a piece of themselves to be together.

This was a sweet and lighthearted novel focused on childhood friends turning to lovers.

Lizzie Chung is an overachiever lawyer with a life focused on one thing, making partner at her law firm. She is crippled by constant anxiety, and trying to live up to her parents expectations. Her only escape is her love of books and her friendship of over twenty years to her best friend Jack Park.

Jack Park has always been in love with his best friend Lizzy, but he would never tell her because he doesn't want to lose the friendship. He is adrift in life, not feeling like he is truly living any of his dreams. He works at the family business, a brewery, but is struggling to find anything there to keep himself engaged.

After a big trial win, Lizzie decides she needs a long break from work and heads to the town of Weldon (where Jack lives) to visit with her best friend and destress from her life. Feeling develop between the two as they help a local bookstore upgrade and become successful.

I think the backbone of the story was great, but it lacked some development. I would have loved to hear more about the friendship between Jack and Lizzie and how that developed. I did love the infusion of Korean culture, all the food and sayings that I got to learn about was really great. It's part of a series, but I didn't read any of the others and it was fine as a standalone novel.

It was a light, easy read, so if you are looking for a book like that then it holds up well!

I read book two in this series on a whim last summer and really enjoyed it. This book is a slow burn and friends-to-lovers which are two of my favourite things in a novel; however, I did find the miscommunication trope to be annoying but overall, definitely great. I think people may find themselves bored if this doesn't pique their interest right away as the plot is rather predictable, and the pacing is a bit off, but it didn't personally impact my read.

If you love a good slow burn romance story then this is the book for you. This story is one with such a wholesome relationship between the characters that you cannot help but root for them. The main characters Lizzy and Jack are absolutely precious.

Lizzy is someone who believes she is following her dream in life, but with a life time away to take care of her self she realizes the life she is living may not be the life she really wants. Then there is her best friend Jack who has always had been in love with Lizzy but was too afraid to act on those feelings. Like Lizzy, Jack realizes working for his family is not what he wants to do anymore and wants to better himself so he sets out to find what the more is that he wants.

Throughout the story these two wonderful characters are finding themselves and what makes them feel happy and fulfilled. You must read to find out what their happiness is.

Overall this story was a wonderful and very wholesome read with loveable characters. I would give this story 4 stars and cannot wait to buy a physical copy when it comes out July 26, 2022.

A very special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital review in exchange for my honest review.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my feedback.

3.5 stars
Lizzy and Jack were over the moon sweet. This was very adorable rom com. I loved the premise of falling in love among all those books and I’m a sucker for a friends to lovers story.

Lizzy is a bad ass lawyer and Jack is her childhood best friend. They’re both such enjoyable and lovable characters.

This is a very slow build though. I like a slow burn, but it was about a third of the way into the book before the burn even started.

*E-ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Lizzy is a successful attorney in Los Angeles, who is just a couple years away from making partner at her firm. She just can't seem to be excited about her first trial victory. She decides to take a few weeks off in hopes of curing her burnout by returning to the town her childhood best friend lives in. Jack works for his family's booming brewery, but doesn't feel like this job or this town quite fit him. When he reunites with Lizzy, he's reminded of his childhood crush on her that never quite went away. The two spend the next three weeks helping the owner of a local bookstore spruce up her shop to bring in more business - and falling in love.

This one just wasn't for me. I wanted to like it so much (hello who wouldn't love falling in love while renovating a bookstore??) but I couldn't get into it. We get very little info on the basis of Jack and Lizzy's friendship other than they've been best friends for 20 years. I would have loved to see some type of backstory into their friendship, especially how they have previously handled conflict. I simply refuse to believe that best friends of 20 years would allow one argument to turn as nasty as it did for the 3rd act breakup.

I'm still giving it 3 stars because I think it is a decent romance. I loved watching these two characters individually find their own passions and life goals, which just so happen to include being together.

Sweet Romance . A Lot of fluffy but a decent read. I am giving this book 3 stars because I do believe this book should been 300 - 400 max. Some of the characters were dry and could have been left out. However this book definitely has a audience for the rom-com girlies.

This is my first Jayci Lee book and most certainly not the last. The way she writes is amazing, and I fell in love with her words. The way she can describe feelings is exactly what I want in a book.
This was a sweet and heartfelt friends-to-lovers romance. And a bit of a second chance in there too.
I absolutely loved Lizzy and Jack. They are great characters. Individually and together. The way they were written was great, and you got a good understanding of their personalities and who they are. Even though they were both still trying to figure out who they were themselves. Their slow-growing but intense romance is a thrill to read. It can go from being sweet and romantic to hot and steamy in seconds.
This book shows the reality of not everyone knowing who they are and that life isn't always planned perfectly. Sometimes you have a career and then end up leaving for something completely different that is more true to who you are, or sometimes you kind of have no clue where your life is going for a while, and yes, sometimes it all falls into place the way you wanted from the beginning. A good lesson to take away from this book is that it's okay to take risks and to truly follow your dreams; yes, it's scary, but that's okay!
Booked on a Feeling was almost a perfect read; the only negative thing was the predictability. Most of the big things that happened I had easily predicted earlier in the book. I obviously won't go into details so I won't spoil anything for anyone, but I did find it rather unsurprising.
My overall thoughts are that this book is a great and cozy read, and if you are a book lover, romance (friends to lovers) lover, love cozy bookstores, or are still trying to figure your life out, then I think this book is perfect for you.

Booked on a Feeling follows Lizzy, an overachieving lawyer, who has accomplished two out of the three major goals in her life: become a lawyer & join a prestigious law firm. The last major career goal she would like to accomplish is to make partner at her firm. But after she passes out from a panic attack during a trial, she puts a pause on this life plan for three weeks to recharge and recover from being burnt out. She takes this time to head to Weldon, a small town in California where she spent her summers growing up where her best friend Jack lives.

Jack has been secretly in love with Lizzy for two decades, a secret he is determined to never let Lizzy uncover to protect their friendship. But when Lizzy decides to help revamp the local bookstore, it becomes harder for them both to ignore that what they feel for each other goes beyond friendship.

This book was overall such a cute childhood best friends to lovers book! It was a fun, easy read that I think many romance book lovers will also enjoy!

Booked on a Feeling by
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶🌶/5

Available July 26th

This book...really is adorable.
I am not a rom-com girl. Hallmark is the bane of my existence. But this book was simply precious.

Blurb:
It follows the story of Lizzy, a very successful lawyer living in LA and Jack, her handsome, best friend who has been in love with her since they were ten years old.
After, winning her first court care, Lizzy suffers an anxiety attack that leads her to take an extended vacation in the one place she feels most at home, in Jack’s hometown of Weldon,
As a three-way partner in his family’s brewery company, Jack finds himself wanting more. A chance to prove that he can venture out on his own and be a man worthy of Lizzy, But when she comes to his hometown for three weeks, romantic chaos ensues. Over the course of their time together, they help a local restore a doomed used bookstore and grow closer and closer with each day that passes. As Jack fights his love for Lizzy, afraid to lose what they have, she begins to realize that perhaps Jack doesn’t belong in the friend zone anymore.

This is the perfect recipe of friends to lovers, second chance loves, and miscommunication tropes all rolled into one very sweet summer read that is perfect for anyone who finds solace in the shelves of a bookstore.

Written by Jayci Lee, this novel follows Lizzie, a high-profile lawyer so, so close to making partner, and Jack her best friend who has helped turn the family business around but… has run out of work that needs to be done. Oh, and Jack has loved Lizzie for 20 years but never told her his feelings. And now she is in town for 3 weeks, taking a much-needed break, and he isn’t sure how to handle that.

This novel is for those who are:

stuck in a rut and want a good pick-me-up kind of book
“friend-zone” story lovers
People who feel like they are in the wrong career
This was a fun, satisfying read, though the first couple of chapters were slow they are necessary to build up Lizzie and Jack as characters.

I enjoyed the easy read this novel is. The two perspectives, Lizzie and Jack, really lent well to telling this story. If you don’t like stories from more than one perspective, this novel might not be for you. It ends up highlighting the comm8unication between the two and the missed opportunities.

This novel is just the right amount of contemporary, and tells the story very well. The only thing is that, while the side characters are interesting, I wanted to see a bit more of them and the ending felt very rushed. But, we got to see a bit more of their lives down the road, and that was nice.

This is a sweet modern romance that was a lovely read.

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this was a sweet, lighthearted & fluffy childhood-friends-to-lovers read with great food and a bookish smalltown vibe!

i was instantly drawn to this book because of the title and cover, and while overall it was an enjoyable read, i cant say i loved it as much as i expected to. it started off super slow, and i was confused and personally had no clue what was going on in the first chapters because of all the legal jargon. while this book had a lot of potential to be an amazing read, it fell flat for me. i found myself bored a lot during this book, and while it was cute, it wasnt very exciting. it was predictable, and didnt hold my interest.

the charachters and storyline just felt very one dimensional, and while there was tension, i feel like there was no real build up or growth. i wish we knew more about jack and lizzy’s friendship. we know theyre childhood best friends, and that jack has a long standing crush on lizzie, but i think i would have connected more with these characters if there was more background on said friendship.

while this book wasnt exactly for me, if youre a fan of the friends to lovers trope, and like cute romcoms, i would definitely recommend checking this one out when it’s released.


thank you to netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

release date july 26th, 2022

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of Booked on a Feeling by Jayci Lee. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for providing an ARC to review.

Jayci Lee's romcom Booked on a Feeling features an overachieving lawyer. A failing bookstore. A childhood friend. And the chance of a lifetime.

I'm really excited to see more representation coming to romance novels. I was especially excited to read a romance novel where two Korean Americans were the OTP (One True Pairing). Book on a Feeling brought all the swoony feels wrapped in a strong narrative. It was the perfect combo of adults finding a new direction in work and a new shift from friends to romance. The two changes in our lead's lives worked seamlessly to bring us a fun and romantic story. Booked on a Feeling was my first book by this author, but hopefully, it will not be my last.

This was the definition of a feel good book! There is not such more to say other than feel good with the sweetest characters! I feel like I just got a hug in the best way possible. I thought it was so comforting and amazing. Everyone needs a book like this in their lives. Loved it.

I am genuinely in love with this book. Everything about it was completely perfect. The characters had such amazing chemistry and the balance of supporting characters to main characters was fantastic. I was cheering the entire time for Lizzy and Jack and was so happy that their story reflected that of two 30-year olds. They felt like real mature characters who had their live together and had just been waiting for each other the entire time. I loved how they both came into their feelings for each other and how they had their own struggles. It was perfection and I literally did not put it down.

On a side note - the transition into chapter 24 was weak and could use work. It felt disjoined and I had to reread it to make sure I was following correctly.

This one just wasn't for me. . I started losing interest around 40% in, but I kept reading because I wanted to see how things turned out. I also struggled with the fact that both Lizzy and Jack had the whole "this isn't my dream, it's yours" conversations... I couldn't really find a way to connect with the characters. Aside from Lizzy's love of book and making list, I just felt kind of meh towards the characters. The writing was good, The story itself just wasn't my cup of tea.

This was a great romance read - friends to lovers, bookstore romance, and great food. Lizzy, a lawyer in LA, needs a break and spends time in the small town (renting a studio above a bookstore!) where her best friend Jack lives. Jack, who has loved her for 20 years but hasn't told her. I appreciated the dual-POVs here to get some insight into each of their thoughts and feelings as their friendship evolved. Some family dynamics, late 20s/early 30s angst of figuring out your life, and more. Good Korean food, sweets, and local beer also - do not read on an empty stomach! I also appreciated the realistic description of anxiety and it not being the headline of who Lizzy is. Thank you to netgalley for access to this eARC.

I didn’t finish Booked on a Feeling. The writing style wasn’t for me, and I was unable to connect with the characters and the story. It all felt very one dimensional with no real growth or complexity from any of the characters. I was hopeful going into it, and I’m sure other readers will love it. It just wasn’t for me.

Overall Rating - ⭐⭐⭐
Spice - 🌶️🌶️
Character Development - Steady through out, big developments in last 20% ish.
Tropes - Friends to Lovers, Third Act Breakup, Pregnancy Epilogue
Representation - Asian (Korean), Anxiety disorder

Plot; The plot of this book is simple and sweet. Two childhood friends, one goes on vacation where the other is, and they spend their time getting a bookstore back on its feet. It is really cute all the way through, and while it doesn't deviate from that plot line a lot, aside from a few dates, it isn't boring or repetitive. The bookstore setting has a lot of energy and feeling at every turn. The plot is definitely romance driven. I like how the progression of the relationship and the bookstore side by side, it's almost like they reflect each other.

Characters; There's only about three characters that have any real umpth to them, but all the characters including the side characters are all very different. You don't get to really see much about Jack's family, and the other people are all kind of in and out, but because of how focused this plot is on the romance, you don't really notice too much. Now the two love interests are very well done, albeit obsessed. Jack specifically is basically driven exclusively by his love for Lizzy for a good chunk of this book. I am really happy he eventually has some growth and does stuff for himself too. I much prefered reading the parts in Lizzy's POV, because she felt like she had more on the line for more of the book than just the romance, and therefore slightly less obsessive. Either way, both eventually had amazing character growth, and I think the conflict and resolution are very reflective of how actual relationships turn out sometimes.

Romance; The romance was nice. It was kind of cute with both of them thinking the other wasn't ready and and , while you the reader know they're having the same thoughts. That happens pretty often, but not enough for me to be annoyed by it. In terms of the spice, very yes. I like that the characters experience a lot of sexual tension and feeling outside of just sex itself. This book doesn't shy away from characters having visual turn ons (toolbelt 😉), and these don't go away after they have sex, which makes them more realistic and makes them easier to identify with. The sex is not quite fade to black, but it does stop being descriptive right before penetration. I do think it's a good tease book.

Writing; The writing for this book felt different to me than other romance books. This one felt a lot more personal, and it was written more about feeling than action. Most of the writing that isn't dialog describes events, foods, etc by how the character feels about them. A lot of the non dialog is also thoughts generally. It felt like being really in the characters heads instead of just watching their story. I also love that the author didn't shy away from words and phrases that some people might not understand, like Korean food names, lawyer jargon, and the like. I really enjoyed the writing in this book.

Extra Thoughts; I enjoyed this book a lot! It feels like a much more person romance book than most typical ones to me, and that was a nice change of pace. I LOVED the writing about food in this book. You can tell the author has a great relationship with their food based on how they talk about it in this book, and food is a love language in this book and I am here for it. I'm giving it a 3 because it didn't wow me, or make me feel the need to read it all in one go, but I did really enjoy it and would likely recommend it to someone if they were looking for a cozy romance read.