Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Jayci Lee, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book before publishing in return for an honest review!

This is a book about a woman burnt out on her career who uses books and bookstores as her escape. I feel absolutely seen.

Friends to lovers? ✔️
Second chance? ✔️
Book about books? ✔️

This was a great feel good romance. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I just know people will love this book when it comes out!

This book was... okay, I guess. I wish I could go more in depth, but I'm afraid all I can say is that it really wasn't my thing.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of “Booked on a Feeling.” This book was so fun! Friends to lovers has never really been my favorite trope but this book did it SO well. I loved the family dynamic Lizzy and Jack had in Weldon, and it definitely made me feel more connected to the story. Such a good book!!!

3
I mean you can never NEVER go wrong with the friends to lover trope and this book just proves that. Though I do wish the miscommunication did not exist because it was so clear they both loved each other so much like just say it and get it over with. It was such a cute and easy read with just minor issues I found such as: miscommunication, the middle of the book fell flat but wasn’t too awful, and I wish we got to see how they became friends in the first place.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc

Looking for something swoon-worthy? Well this is it. Booked on a feeling was absolutely adorable and had me gushing. I’m not usually a fan of friends to lovers but this had my heart in a chokehold.

The main characters are utterly adorkable. Lizzy, the main female character, is an intelligent and driven attorney living in LA. She thrives to achieve her goals at becoming partner at her law firm, Nelson Peters, and will soon reach that goal if she can just get her anxiety under control. But wait why is she having anxiety and is this really her dream?

Jack, our main man in this book, is the book keeper for his family’s brewery in small town Weldon. Although he loves his family, his part in their pride and joy business doesn’t necessarily feel like his dream.

Lizzy and Jack, have been best friends for twenty years. They know everything about each other, from favorite foods, books, to even what the other is thinking. We are talking close as close and connected two can get without romantic feelings involved… right? When Lizzy takes a break after a bumpy first major success at her job she decides to spend it in Weldon with her best friend Jack for three weeks. She volunteers to revamp a local bookstore that is in need of some serious help. Jack being Jack, decides to volunteer along with her. The close proximity makes it hard for feelings to be ignored. Can they make it work or will whatever is brewing (beer pun intended) ruin their decades long friendship?

Lizzy was extremely relatable with her love for romance novels and cozy bookshops. Jack was a huge cinnamon roll and I found myself eating up every moment between the two. Speaking of eating, I just adore how all of Jayci Lee’s characters share a love for good food and dessert. Uh hello, same here.

This was a cute and heartwarming happily ever after. I loved The Dating Dare with Tara and I’m happy we are getting her brother Jack’s story. This can be read as a stand-alone but I highly recommend reading the first two in the “A Sweet Mess” series.

DNF at 38% because it was sadly just… boring. I love a good rom-com and especially a friends-to-lovers, but this one was lackluster.

Things I didn’t like:

• No background info on Lizzy and Jack’s friendship. When did they become friends? Why did they become friends? It felt like I was missing something.

• There was really strange legal jargon at the very opening part of the book that made it a boring start.

• Their mutual crush on each other was very juvenile. The moments of Jack getting “hot and bothered” or Lizzy being confused as to her feelings of how good Jack looks were just so cheesy, in a bad way.

• At 38% into the book, nothing significant happened yet. What is there to make me keep reading?

All in all, I loved the concept: burnt our lawyer goes back to hometown and ends up saving a dying bookstore with her best friend/crush. Lizzy seemed like an adorable character with her love of books, bookstores, and romance (she loves Pride & Prejudice!!!), there was also some quirkiness to her, but not enough to make her an interesting character beyond that. Same with Jack, ok so he’s a bookkeeper for his family’s business and feels a bit stuck in life, ok… what else though?

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an e-book of this to read and review!

This book is full of awwwwwwwww!

The story features two highly relatable characters that you would have to have a heart of stone not to root for.

Lizzy is a high-powered attorney in Los Angeles, one of those on-track-to-make-partner-before-30 types. Except she really isn’t – she suffers from acute anxiety, doubts of being ‘good enough,’ and is fearful that no matter she does her mother will never be proud of her. So she takes a 3 week break to go back to the small town she grew up in (even though both her parents have moved back to Korea) to recharge and tells herself she is going to get passionate about her career again.

Meanwhile, Jack has stayed in their small town, but has his eye on maybe moving to Los Angles because he has done absolutely everything possible as an accountant and business analyst and bookkeeper for the family now-highly-well-run brewery and has nowhere to go, career wise, if he stays. But he has no idea what he wants from life, and worries he is wasting time, being so unsure about everything at almost 30 – expect that he is sure he has a crush on his oldest friend Lizzy.

Lizzy realizes quickly she can’t do nothing for 3 weeks, so volunteers herself to help the woman who runs the bookshop in the building where she is renting an apartment. Jack lets himself be pulled into the project, and the two of them start a full-blown business renovation project. Much to the overwhelmed owner’s relief.

And as they worked together the chemistry between them heats up. The bookstore owner at one time gleefully tells Lizzie she has to make a move because:

“Oh my God. The sexual tension between you two is so heavy that I have to wade through it with a machete to get around the store.”

And I LOVE how this book normalizes proper treatment of mental health. Lizzy doesn’t think she is “weak” or that she doesn’t have enough will power to “just get over it” when suffering anxiety. She has consulted doctors on proper prescription medications and has developed coping mechanisms of breathing exercises and visual exercises. She sees herself burning out at work – so she takes a break.

Mental health needs care, just like physical health. Physically, you need to consume the proper amount of vitamins and proteins daily, and you need to see your doctor for proper treatment of bacteria and viruses. Its no different to have to pursue proper daily habits for your mental health and to see a doctor to help your mental health when things aren’t working correctly.

Huzzah for Lee helping to destigmatize proper care of mental health!

There is an incredibly wonderful ending where the series wraps up on a great note for everyone.

Thank you netgalley for this ARC! I love a friends to lovers trope, so this was a win from me! Definitely recommend I overall enjoyed reading this book.

I will acknowledge I am not a fan of the friends-to-lovers trope. In order for the story to have a premise, a friends-to-lovers arc necessitates that at least one person lies about their true feelings for the other. That lying hits too close to the miscommunication trope, which has its own set of issues, like immaturity.

For Booked on a Feeling by Jayci Lee, I had hopes the friends-to-lovers issue would be well-balanced by bookstores, beer, and brains (a high-power female attorney, our MC, Liz Chung). Throw in cutie pie sweetheart Jack Park? Cmon!

The aspects of Liz and Jack’s more-than-friends relationship were extremely well written. I could see and appreciate the respect, consideration, and love the two had for one another. The romance did not disappoint, whether I was reading about Liz and Jack doing karaoke, or their physical chemistry.

However, everything else fell flat and/or left too many questions unanswered. How did Liz and Jack meet, and how did they become such good friends over time? How did their families become close? Why was their friendship so precious to Jack that it caused him to keep silent about his crush for decades? I understand the typical premise of friends-to-lovers is the fear of ruining a friendship, but that didn’t feel like enough reason here. The fact that their first disagreement during their coupledom caused them both to go into a tailspin was similarly disconcerting. I feel like their entire relationship—chemistry, dating, argument, make up— would have been more believable if Liz and Jack were two strangers who happened to meet and be attracted to one another. The friendship aspect lent no credence to anything that came after.

So many other issues prevented from me from fully enjoying: Liz’s undeveloped family dynamics; Liz’s sudden detachment from a job that seemed to be her entire life (as a fellow attorney I was screaming WTF?! at my kindle); the lack of friends for either Liz or Jack; Liz’s emotional reliance on Shannon and Sparrow… hm. Maybe I just really didn’t like Liz after all.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for this advanced copy of #BookedOnAFeeling

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I love the premise of this book, but the embodiment of it just didn’t work for me. I DNF’d and give it a 1.5/5. The chemistry between the main characters seems forced, and some of the major life choices seem like quick transitions… though I learned this is the 3rd book in a series and maybe I am missing some context from other books?
The writing style is not one that I often read- it seems to describe and tell instead of showing the reader. (For example, there is actually a paragraph early on that explains that the lead male character was hot and sweaty and needed a cold shower, not because he was turned on, but because he was hot.) It just over-explains for my preferences.
I absolutely love that this is an AAPI book- the multicultural representation is fantastic. I really wanted to love this book. I might come back and try to read again before the copy expires, but wanted to share my honest opinions. I am grateful for the opportunity to read and review.

I honestly couldn’t finish this one. The writing felt a little too conversational and the connection between Lizzy and Jack felt forced to me. I probably could’ve pushed through but I made it to about 60% and just couldn’t get myself to open it again. It just wasn’t my genre of book but I could see the appeal

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC! All opinions expressed are my own. This review does NOT contain any spoilers. :)

☆☆☆☆ Overall
(Spice: ☆☆)

I love books about love (obviously), but books about love, independent bookstores, and finding yourself? Even better, 110%. Lizzy and Jack are the fluffiest of fluff, and are two people that you can’t help but feel close to. I have not read any of the previous books in this series, but I have definitely added them both to my TBR!

One thing I love about this book was that even though it was two friends coming together and realizing their feelings, they didn’t lose themselves or their friendship in the process. They stayed true to who they were, and even in the infamous third act conflict like we expect with romance novels, their decisions make complete sense for them.

I LOVED Lizzy’s growth throughout this novel, and I think that the depictions of her anxiety were similar to what I experience, and Lee detailed them in an accurate light, which is always good to see. I loved seeing Mr. and Mrs. Park, and getting to see cultural and family traditions that I don’t have experience with. I loved Jack and his big ole cinnamon roll personality, and how he always tried to put his friendship with Lizzy above anything else, because she was so important to him.

Overall, I loved this book. Super easy to get wrapped up in and devour in an afternoon. I will definitely be checking out more of Jayci Lee’s work!

Thank you to the publisher for letting me read this ahead of it's release for an honest review!

I think once you hit your 20s, it's almost a right of passage to at some point feel as lost and almost useless as both Lizzy and Jake felt in their respective lives. And I loved reading them both chase their new dreams and figure out their own happiness apart, as well as together.

At times I found Jake's pining almost juvenile and annoying despite him being in his 30s. I would have also liked a little bit more development through Lizzy's perspective on their relationship. It felt as thought one day she's hanging out with her best friend, and they go on practically one date and work on the bookstore together and suddenly she's in love? I also am not a fan of the miscommunication trope. Insecurity and fear of rejection are perfectly normal to feel, but I find the lying and back and forth on feelings to be....ick.

While sex or sexual content isn't the only reason I enjoy reading romance novels, I did feel as though this book led up to our characters finally getting together only to be glossed over pretty quickly. It didn't feel consistent - they spoke about it pretty openly and there was some steamy moments, but then to have it slimmed down to two sentences and then move on makes me feel as though I was robbed of something. Rude, lol.

Overall, this was a very cute and quick read! As a bookish girl myself, I loved how the big project for our characters was revamping a local bookstore and that these childhood best friends found their happiness. I recommend this to those looking for a quick, cute romance read that leaves you warm and fuzzy.

This book was a feel good romance that shined the light on anxiety, self worth, and finding yourself. Lizzie and jacks friends to lovers story was beautiful and i enjoyed the representation of Asian culture.

I love the childhood best friend thing that Jack and Lizzy have and I am a sucker for when the guy falls first. It makes it 10x better when it’s two points of view because you see both sides to the story.

The mutual pining was soooo good. I love how you get each POV so you can see the entire situation rather than one chapter per character.

The pace was a little slow in the beginning but it’s not unbearable. It felt like not much was accomplished between the characters and just contained Lizzy moving to Weldon. However, it picks up about 25% of the way through once the plot is more established.

I didn’t like how their argument where they belittled each other rather than talking it out logically. There’s clearly a solution but they’re pointing fingers at each other’s decisions. However, I really liked that they realized their mistakes on their own and took some time apart. That added to the story and I feel like it made their relationship stronger when they reunited.

The story overall was really cute but predictable. I figured out that Lizzy was going to want to work at the bookstore in LA from the first mention. It could have just been good foreshadowing though?

But I like how the story focused on personal growth from both characters. Lizzy realized she was living to her mom's expectations and Jack was doing the same thing in a way. He moved on from his family's business where he didn't feel passionate about his work and felt lost.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I DNF’d, but 2.5/5- it just wasn’t my cup of tea, I didn’t feel any chemistry between the characters and the writing seemed really juvenile (a character actually says “shut the front door”). I might come back and try to read again before the copy expires, but wanted to give my honest opinions.

I also didn’t realize this as the third book in a series, so I feel like I’m missing context that might make this book more enjoyable. Either way, grateful for this copy so I had an opportunity to read and review!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the advanced copy!
Opinions are my own.

I am relatively new to the romance side of reading, but I am not new to books. The book cover, title, and synopsis are what drew me in initially, but what kept me drawn was how well the story was written! While I do wish there was a bit more build-up around their friendship and why they had only been just friends for so long, the overall pacing was great. Everything was…mature. It made sense.
Jack making the decision to give her space to find herself without him injecting his own feelings into the mix was really refreshing to read but also…hot.
Perhaps I’m a sucker for the ending and her coming to terms with her true dream of owning a book store because I would also love to one-day own one, but everything about this book was perfect for me. I would love to see this turned into a movie, it is just so feel-good.

I also had no idea that this was a part of a series (but could easily be read as a stand-alone.)

I look forward to reading more by Jayci Lee!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4653849439 <- Review also posted on GoodReads!

Really enjoyed this book. Loved the sweet story and characters. A good light read in these crazy times. I got a kick out of the characters, also loved going along with them.

Thank you to Jayci Lee and St Martin's press for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I think this is an adorable met cute friends to lovers book! I loved the main characters and the fact they were not perfect double points. More of a slow burn romance and with a small town romance. Anyone that is a book lover will love the setting of this whole bookstore and brewery it is amazing! Super cute binge(able) book!

This was such a cute book! I am such a sucker for a friends-to-lovers trope and this author did it so well. I loved the main characters so much and would love to read more by this author.