After a very slow start, in which I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between the lead characters, 𝗚𝗘𝗢𝗥𝗚𝗜𝗘, 𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗔𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗚 totally surprised me and pulled out a win!

I absolutely loved Georgie, with all of her perceived flaws, and how her perception of those flaws shifts as the story progresses. And Levi is such a complex and ultimately lovable lead. These two go through character change and growth that left me feeling inspired and so happy!

𝗚𝗘𝗢𝗥𝗚𝗜𝗘, 𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗔𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗚 tackles some tough topics, but has very funny moments too!

The female friendship between Georgie and her best friend is EVERYTHING. I loved every second of it.

This book is well worth reading through the slowish beginning to get to the meat of the story and the perfect HEA. 𝗚𝗘𝗢𝗥𝗚𝗜𝗘, 𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗔𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗚 is a heartwarming, sweet, and very feelsy romance that really won me over!

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: Rated PG-13 / Only 1 descriptive sex scene, may have harsh language.
𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦: past drug addiction, family estrangement, past verbally abusive parent, brief mention of past poor treatment in psych facility
𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗦: 4/5 - Tackled some seriously tough topics.

Georgie has always put everyone else's lives first, working as a personal assistant. When her boss quits, she tells Georgie to take some time away for herself to enjoy life and work out what she wants to do. Heading to her childhood home to see her pregnant best friend, Georgie finds herself with an unexpected roommate, Levi, after a slip up by her parents double booking their house. Both Levi and Georgie have their own personal issues to sort through but when feelings get involved, it gets complicated.

Oh my heart - this book was everything. I absolutely adored it! The author has a magic way with words, making you want to just keep on reading. Georgie and Levi both, were great characters and I loved how the reader was shown their personal growth throughout the book. Georgie's bestie and her parents and Hank the dog were also fantastic supporting characters. I guarantee you'll love this book. It gets all the stars from me!

Georgie, All Along is a wise and witty contemporary romance with timely questions about love, career, and reconciling with the past. This well-written romance is sure to leave you wanting more.

Struggling with how to rate this. It was a pretty solid 3.5 star for me, enjoyable but nothing to write home about. Yet at the same time I know some folks who will love it. It just was missing something for me and I’m honestly not sure what.

After years working around the clock for big names in Hollywood, Georgie Mulcahy returns to her small Virginian hometown to figure out how to fill in her blanks. Her—now former—employer has decided to step out of the limelight, and Georgie isn’t ready to jump right back into a similar personal assistant gig.

Her plan is to go home, help her pregnant best friend settle in, take care of her parents’ house while they are away, and maybe feel less like a disappointment. But, as these things go, nothing is what she expected. Her town is not so shabby anymore; her friend appears to have everything under control; and her parents’ house? Yeah, it’s not empty.

Hello, forced proximity goodness. Enter Levi Fanning. He’s grumpy and closed off and is carrying around his own sense of being a disappointment along with a heap load of guilt.

They have, well, a not-so-meet-cute. (Did I mention he is grumpy?) But Levi, oh, Levi—he has the sweetest dog and the sweetest heart. And I am head-over-heals in love with him. (Levi, that is, but also with Hank, his dog, as well.)

And so, as Georgie tries to find her place with the help of a years-old journal she kept with her best friend, she finds herself standing alongside Levi. And maybe right next to Levi is where Georgie was supposed to be all along.

There’s more to the story of course—there always is—but that’s why you need to read the book for yourself.

I don’t think anyone else writes like Kate Clayborn and I mean that in the best of ways. She certainly knows how to bring the swoon. And pull at your heartstrings. And make your chest expand with all the warm fuzzies.

May we all be lucky enough to find someone that sees us the way Levi views Georgie. May we feel the solidity of the wooden dock under our feet and the whimsy of wearing a soap opera robe. May we be fortunate enough to find ourselves and our forever.

I received an advance copy from Kensington Books and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

Have you ever kept a diary or a journal?

I’ve tried several times over the years to keep a journal, but when I was a teenager my mom would read it so I never really trusted keeping it.

Georgie has made a career out of putting others before herself. She unexpectedly finds herself back in her hometown and is faced with having to determine what her wants actually are. When she’s helping a friend unpack, she comes across her “friendfic” diary she wrote as a teenager. She’s determined to hash out the plans she had for herself. She hits a snag in the form of the notorious town troublemaker now town hermit. Despite his grouchiness he pledges to help Georgie with her journey. Will she figure herself out along the way? And maybe there is more to her hermit than meets the eye.

This was my first Kate Clayborn book, and it will not be the last. This one cheered me up on a crazy day. I loved this book. I’m not typically a fan of slow burn romance, but I am a sucker for grouch/sunshine so this one just worked for me. I especially loved the redemption qualities and showing that it is possible to turn things around for ourselves. The chemistry between the main characters was on point! It’s easy to think about what others think we should be doing with our lives, but its important to remember we should do things that work for us.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Kensington Books (@kensingtonbooks), NetGalley (@netgalley), and the author, Kate Clayborn (@kateclayborn.author) for this e-ARC in exchange for this review.

Make sure to grab yourself a copy Feb 10th!

This was such a cute and heartfelt book. It wasn't my favorite. Some parts were slow to get through, but overall it was a good read. Georgie and Levi are stuck. She feels stagnant with her life, as though she hasn't changed since she left town. He feels regret towards his rebellious past, with it still following him, although he has long since matured. Georgie recently lost her job and after finding her old journal, she sets off to complete the things she once wished for as a teenager and Levi decides to help her with some of it. I liked the main characters and the side characters as well as the writing in the story, but something just didn't hit home.

This is my first book by the author and so I didn't know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this book. It was such a sweet romance and I loved all the characters. I look forward to checking out more from thus author.

4.5 but rounding it up for Hank

I would first like to apologize to everyone for not reading this months ago. I was thrilled to receive this arc and I just didn't get the chance to read it before its release day. But now that I've finally read this, all I'll say is that it met all my high expectations. It reads a bit differently than Love Lettering, but I think I loved it just as much.

Georgie, Levi, and all the wonderful characters were so...expansive (IYKYK). There were many places in this story where I found myself tearing up, but the one that really got to me was the conversation Georgie has with her parents about 'soft landings'. It was so beautiful and heartbreaking. I was sobbing, your honour.

I love all Kate Clayborn books and this one is now included. Such a cute story of Georgie trying to find herself with the help of quiet and grumpy Levi. Levi was such a great character and his love for dog Hank really topped off him being a top 10 book boyfriend. Definitely check this one out if you are looking for a cute romance with a little bit of spice.

It's a wonderfully written novel. Not only are Georgie and Levi rounded characters, but many of the supporting characters are fleshed out as well. Hank, Levi’s dog, is the show stealer here. While I found Georgie and Levi falling for each other to be extremely quick, I also understood why. Not only is it close proximity, but Levi successfully forged a new path while Georgie is trying to do the same with goals she made when she was younger. They’re both also still trying to find worth in the eyes of the people around them. 

Clayborn provides a compelling message through Georgie’s journey of self-discovery. It resonated with me, and at one point I had tears. For a few days, I lived vicariously through Georgie and was reminded of my own self-worth. (4.5 stars rounded to 5 stars)

Georgie, who has made a career out of fulfilling others’ needs, find herself jobless and back in the last place she really wants to be, to help her pregnant best friend. There she meets Levi, older brother of her high school crush, and initial awkwardness and wariness gradually becomes something more.

The above is a very anodyne description, because my words cannot do justice to what is a beautifully layered and lyrical novel. It’s a well-trampled trope, this one - woman returns to small town from big city and gets more than she bargained for - but here it feels fresh, nuanced, developed in a way that draws the reader in and makes them feel all the big emotions along with the characters. We get both Georgie’s and Levi’s voices, as they wrestle with the events of their pasts affecting their present and future choices, and a wonderful supporting cast including Hank, whose contribution to the story should not be overlooked. I could hardly put it down, and the way it ends, with the full meaning of the title finally becoming clear… such a satisfying read, which I will think about for a while and doubtless return to in the future.

Thank you (no, really, THANK YOU) to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. All opinions are my own.

I’d first like to thank @kateclayborn.author & @netgalley for the opportunity to read this gem . I seen a lot of myself in Georgie . I think this book is the epitome of what it means for to outsiders that don’t fit anywhere , but perfectly together. 🧩I liked how they wanted to make a mark and ended up marking on each other . Levi’s such a well rounded character with a troubled past , but he comes alive with her . 🥹💛They balance each other out - chaotic / laidback tidy , talkative/ not , grumpish / sunshine , etc. I think it also shows a lot of aspects of found family for both as well as finding oneself . I truly think this book is just very beautifully written and the story between the pages is really something special. 📖

Happy Pub Day to Georgie, All Along!

I absolutely loved Love Lettering and had the pleasure of meeting Kate Clayborn last May with Christina Lauren & Ali Hazelwood so I've been anticipating this book since she talked about it there!

This was a wonderful book about finding yourself and your path and maybe a little love along the way.

Georgie made a name for herself as a personal assistant in Los Angeles. When she goes back to her hometown her big question is what does she really want to do... she meets back with her BFF who is about to have a baby and finds their "friendfic" that she wrote in high school and thinks doing some of the things might help her figure out her path. She ends up with an unexpected roommate in Levi, the former town trouble maker and he offers to help her.

This was a sweet small town romance that's a little deeper look at family relationships, and figuring out your life and so beautifully written.

Definitely check this one out! Thanks to Kensington Books for my advanced copy.

An enjoyable read. Georgie returns home defeated only to find that she has options. One is to get closer to notorious bad boy Levi Fanning.
I liked Levi. He made poor decisions but has done his best to atone for them. I did think Georgie needs too much validation at times.
I adore Hank. His ability to break wind at the most opportune times was classic.
This book shows you can go home again.

Georgie has returned home after her L.A. boss has decided to reinvent herself, leaving Georgie without a job or any real idea about what she wants to do next. After she finds the journal that she and her high school BFF wrote together, Georgie decides that the best way to discover who she is now is to fulfill all of the desires of her high school self. As Georgie works her way through the list of activities with the help of her surprise housemate, Levi, Georgie’s past, present, and future begin to click into place.

I have adored everything that I’ve read by Kate Clayborn, and Georgie, All Along did not disappoint. Her characters are so heartbreakingly human that you can’t help but become completely invested in their happily ever afters. This book was an absolute delight to read, and I am already impatient for Clayborn’s next book.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

“I think of Micah calling her flaky. But the thing is, she doesn’t seem flaky to me. She seems…..she seems expansive”

Georgie moves back to her hometown after working as an assistant in Hollywood for years to help her bestie get ready to have a baby. Levi is the town bad boy born into small town royalty he rebelled in his younger years and is now trying to prove to the town and himself that has left is troubled past behind. After a disastrous, embarrassing (for Georgie) first meeting these two find themselves roommates sharing her parents house while they are traveling. The discovery of a “freindfic” notebook from her high school self pushes Georgie to attempt the adventures she thought she’d have and Levi offers to help her.

Georgie thinks of herself or is described as messy but I think we are all messy. Who doesn’t think about going back to their high school self and what could have been different? Or had the rug pulled out from under their current life? How she handles all this makes her relatable, normal and very much a person I would want to be my friend. Levi is working so hard to be a different person but he isn’t enjoying the life he currently has, he needs Georgie to point out he is hiding. Levi is so grumpy and gruff but such a softie for his dog! These two together create the perfect balance of responsibility with chaos, rule following with some rule bending. Their love story is wonderful, it’s not a smooth path and they both have to work on their issues but that’s real life.

The side characters of Bel, Harry, their families and the best boy ever Hank 🐕 were all adorable. I especially loved the insight her parents brought, the straind relationship Levi has with his family and Georgie and Bel’s freindship is #friendgoals.

It’s not a secret that slow burn, emotional reads I have to be in a mood for but the exception to this rule is Kate Clayborn. The way that she weaves the story together, creates bonds between the characters and draws me in is just perfection.

Thank you Kensington Books and NetGalley for an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own. Georgie, All Along has a publish date of January 24, 2023.

This is a wonderful and sweet romance but also more than that, it's about starting over and find out what you really want from life!

I found it challenging to connect to the female and make main character. Their attraction did not feel developed enough to me.

The friend fic concept was interesting and a nice plot device.

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC and the publisher for the complimentary hard copy. All opinions provided are my own.

I just wondered what it would be like if someone like Kate Clayborn—who writes so gorgeously & so completely from the heart—hadn’t written books & they weren’t published…

Especially when her books make me feel so full. So expansive (read the book to get this reference ;) ).

Georgie, All Along is another exquisite portrayal of the best of people & of love. I think it’s also probably the funniest book of Kate Clayborn’s that I’ve read.

Not only is Levi totally amazing—I want to hug him & go to his Bday party & drunkenly tell him how much I love him & also write embarrassing wishes regarding him up & down my arms in Sharpie —but Georgie—& her heart & her confusion & friendship—is also beloved to me.

Have I ever been uncertain about what I want? About my future? Um yes.

This is my favorite kind of romance in that not only is the central love story so wonderful & well-developed, the secondary characters & those relationships are too. Kate Clayborn is one of my fave writers of friendship & I absolutely love how she captures the one between Georgie & Bel, another opposites attract pairing that’s done so well.

This book satisfies on every level & made me feel as if I were truly watching/observing/enjoying love in all forms.

So if you haven’t read Kate Clayborn yet, please do. She is an author I recommend without reservation & her books are lovely & like Georgie says about Levi, “what I want, but better.”

5⭐️. Out now!

CWs: Parental estrangement; parental neglect; parental “cruelty.” References to drug use & emotional abuse at alternative school.

[ID: Jess, a white woman wearing a yellow coat & pink scarf, holds the book while sitting on a deck. A blue-ish gray sky is in the background, as is a greenhouse.]