A Five-star read everyone needs in their lives. This was a surprise to me, as I hadn’t read this author before and was in a place where I have just read one of the best books this year, so this one I wasn’t expecting much, and it blew me away. I know it’s a simple premise, going home to find yourself and falling for the old school bad boy, but it’s so much more than that, there are so many layers that this story will suck you in and keep you reading till the last page and then leave you bereft when you realise there are no more pages and you have to say goodbye.

This was one of the sweetest books I’ve read in a long time. I can’t remember the last time a book made me cry, but the tears were happy for the love and tenderness Kate Clayborn makes you feel for these very very real characters.

As a resident of eastern Virginia I recognized some locations, my college, concerns about the Bay and climate change. It was beautiful.

Thank you, Kate. After reading this, I feel like we’re friends now.

ARC e-book via NetGalley
Provided by Kensington Books
Publication: 24 Jan 2023

This was a nice story. The charachters of Georgie and Levi were interesting and this central relationship was fun to read. Georgie coming back to her hometown after a long absence and Levi having stayed there, but in a way making himself absent as well - both trying to avoid or overcome their past reputations but then growing & revealing new facets to their personalities -- this was well done. However, some of the internal monologue/character exposition of Georgie was a bit long-winded, and the plot device of the high school journal & fictional stories Georgie and Bel wrote felt weak and predictable. I didn't really get into this part of the narrative - I think the book could have stood alone without this thread (or with something a little different (and more concise) in its place to draw out the stories from the past.)

Overall, a sweet story- particularly liked Hank the dog!

This book is all charm and sweetness. I loved the two protagonists, Georgie and Levi. Georgie moves back home after feeling lost, and actually losing her job as a personal assistant in LA. Levi has long been misunderstood as a "bad boy" in the same small town, but is trying to lay low and live a "clean" life. They end up accidentally staying in Georgie's parents' house together, and a friendship and romance bloom. I love the way they support each other. They are really different people who are able to talk through their differences. Kate Clayborn always writes about real-life problems with the perfect mixture of levity and gravity. I always feel like I have taken a much needed vacation after reading one of her novels.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the digital ARC of this book.

This was a fantastic book. I absolutely loved both MCs and Hank! I would love to explore more of this small town and see where life takes Georgie and Levi. Perhaps a book about Evan??

From an instagram post with a round-up of recent recommended reads:

-GEORGIE, ALL ALONG by @kateclayborn.author

*Small Town romance, messy heroine, bearded, pining hero (with a dog!!!), so much 🥺
*Available 1/24

I loved this book. I was completely hooked from the start and it’s yet another page turner by Clayborn. This is a classic grumpy/sunshine story which is one of my favorite dynamics, and the dual POV lets you deep into the MCs thoughts and insecurities which I also love. At its heart it’s a hometown story about self-discovery that’s incredibly romantic, charming, angsty and poignant and I cried during the ending. It’s just so romantic!

Georgie is a personal assistant in Hollywood whose hectic job ends and she goes back to her hometown in Virginia to stay at her hippie parents house, only to find they have let Levi Fanning, a local who builds docks on the river, and his adorable dog Hank stay there. This turns into a “forced proximity” story that does not disappoint. Georgie finds her old “friendfic” wishlist notebook at her best friend’s house and decides to go back and do all the things she never did in order to find a new direction in life.

I fell in love with messy, spirited Georgie and troubled, handsome Levi (in fact Leviiiiiii is going on my list of Best Book Boyfriends) and his rescue dog Hank. Hank of course falls for Georgie instantly as she talks to him like he’s human, which is the cutest thing ever. Since her best friend is too pregnant to participate, she invites Levi to do her wishlist with her which makes for some cute scenes. Of course they both have past issues that they need to come to terms with and the character growth is lovely. The story proves that you don’t always need to have everything figured out in life. You can choose to live in the moment even if it’s not perfect. You don’t need a plan. You can enjoy life as it comes, rekindle old connections, and choose love as a commitment.

I will definitely be listening to the audiobook when the book releases on January 24, 2023.

••••••••

Thanks so much to NetGalley & Kensington for the ARC !!!

Story ⭐⭐⭐

First time I've tried Kate Clayborn and while I didn't love this book, I also didn't hate it so would definitely try this author again.

Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn enveloped me like a warm blanket. It's my first book by Kate Clayborn, and it certainly won't be my last. The author presents memorable, relatable and flawed characters (Georgie and Levi) who dig deep in their quest for discovery and purpose amidst romance. I was reeled into this modern world (with subtle impactful hints) almost instantly with compelling descriptions of the natural surroundings and wonderful supporting characters. Georgie is such a beautiful character who discovers her strengths, embraces them, and tackles the impressions of the past in the present. Her attraction and protection towards Levi are so earnest and passionate. Levi is one of my favourite male characters! Humbled and haunted by the actions of his past amidst complex family dynamics, his adoration and tenderness to Georgie and Hank made my heart soar! The ending made me swoon and is drizzled with curiosity, hope and love.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for giving me an eARC. This honest review is left voluntarily.

Set in Darentville, Virginia in the present time. Georgie Mulcahy is recently unemployed and returns home to Darentville after being away for many years working as a personal assistant. Georgie intends to spend some quality time with her best friend Bel who is due to have a baby and needs some help settling into her new house before her baby is born.
While sorting through some old boxes Georgie and Bel discover an old notebook that they both shared when they were thirteen. The notebook is full of memories and lists of things that they both wanted to achieve.
I loved the way this story unfolded and how Georgie got caught up in what she could have achieved.
This was a romance about family relationships, friendship with lots of humorous situations.

Lazy plot. It’s basically a Hallmark movie and she is a trash character. The male POV is far superior while the female character is beyond lacking. I hate the “stupid/silly/quirky” trope in women.

*Thank you to Kensington Books via NetGalley for the ARC*

Ughhhhhh when the story ends on literally the perfect note…I just…😍*sigh*

Ok but seriously, Kate Clayborn is one of my newer fave authors so I was so delighted to get my hot little hands on Georgie, All Along. Her writing is just so good and her characters are always so complex and diverse. INCLUDING HANK THE PITBULL! Ugh Hank! Ilysm!

This book revolves around our girl Georgie, who is feeling all out of sorts and uncertain about her future, especially when she’s left moving back to her small hometown after leaving LA and her mostly unglamorous PA job. Tasked with mostly nothing to do and feeling wholly inadequate at trying to figure herself out, Georgie unearths her and her BFF Bel’s middle school notebook. The fic is filled with their unfulfilled fantasies of high school, which inspires Georgie to revisit the past to try and sort out her future. Add in her former crush’s “bad boy” brother Levi, into the mix (literally he becomes her unexpected house guest along with the aforementioned Hank) and a grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, hometown feels story unfolds. Yeah…it’s not a smooth retelling cause the concept was foreign to me in so many ways. Sorry!

Sometimes I felt just as lost as Georgie when she was talking about the importance of her notebook and the blankness she felt. I totally understand the feeling of being unsure of oneself, not knowing what makes you happy or what you’re good at and what future it might lead you to or pull you away from if you don’t find the right fit. It’s scary! What I didn’t relate to was Georgie going back to her fic constantly and trying to find her future in the past by completing seemingly meaningless high school tasks. Visiting random spots and doing the quintessential high school gimmicks to fill a void in your life? Idk. It didn’t really register with me until SPOILER Bel had to spell it out for Georgie (and me) about what makes her so unique … she lives for making things in the now special.

Ok.

It just seemed a little silly to me. Maybe if she did more things that would’ve shown her a different side to herself instead of scenarios that she imagined as a tween? Also, all the luxuries that Georgie’s afforded to find what speaks to her: time, support, encouragement, lodging, and even a job that she doesn’t even seem to need financially. I just kept thinking her privilege kept showing. Bitter much? Maybe?

On the other hand, cause I don’t want to keep harping on poor Georgie when she was struggling so much, I really enjoyed Levi’s chapters. His backstory was a lot more intriguing: a former trouble maker who goes out of his way to contain his life to something so mundane and minuscule to prevent any type of criticism in his carefully polished adult life. Pair that with an estranged relationship with his family who happen to be the pillars of the community, the one he’s also currently residing in, and you’ve got a very interesting dynamic.

Overall, the book was a 3.5/5 bumped up to a 4, mainly because I found myself dragging through Georgie’s chapters but was almost always captivated by Levi’s. For those who aren’t such salty b’s like me about nostalgia driven plot points and the mere word fic, I’m sure they’ll enjoy Georgie, All Along when it publishes in January ‘23.

📚 Georgie, All Along
✍ Kate Clayborn
📖 Contemporary Romance
⭐ 4.5/5
🔥 3/5

Kate Clayborn is very quickly becoming one of my favorite authors- and like everyone whose had the opportunity to sneak this one in before it's released early next year, I'm so excited to rave about Georgie, All Along!

What I loved: Like every book of Clayborn's I have read, Georgie strikes a balance between exploring the influence of the past on the present through poignant characters on a journey to self-discovery. And despite Georgie taking place in a small town in Virginia where most of her other books are set in metropolises, the setting (similar to Love Lettering and Love at First) is almost a character in its own right and plays a huge role in the story.

Georgie and Levi both have a sense of dysfunction that seem assuaged only when they're around each other. They're flawed and endearing as a couple and I appreciated that they dug into the past to find themselves by living out the aspirations and fears of their teenage selves. The characters in this book felt wholesome and vulnerable in a way that I think many books strive for but often miss the mark on. This was truly such a joy to read!

What I didn't: I think this is always the case with books that I love but I wanted more at the end. The story wrapped up relatively quickly and I felt there was still so much within the characters and story to explore. I'd love a follow-up about Evan's shot at a redeeming love too!

Read if you love:
*forced proximity
*small-town romance
*grumpy & sunshine combos

See also: Lease on Love, Good Girl Complex, Archer's Voice

#georgieallalong #kateclayborn #romancereads #netgalleyarc #comingjanuary2023 #bookreviews #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #smalltownromance #grumpysunshine

This book was lovely. Kate Clayborn is such a gifted writer. This book was swoony, nostalgic, and so tender. Georgie and Levi are the perfect match. I love how they see each other for who they are and not the mistakes of their past. I thought the book was the perfect mix of Georgie finding herself and the growing romance between her and Levi.

Levi was such a cinnamon roll of a man. He is grumpy and prickly but underneath his shell he is awkward, introverted, shy, soft and lonely from so many years of isolation. His journey of self acceptance and social growth reminded me a lot of Archer Hale from Archer’s voice. I was so happy to see him reunite with his brother and begin repairing his relationship with his siblings. The epilogue was super sweet.

And, Georgie/ Peach/ Little Red Georgette/ every cute nickname you could ever think of was such a charming and endearing character. I loved her journey of finding herself. In the beginning of the book she could only see all of her faults and could only feel the “blankness” but by the end of the book she had a lot figured out and realized that she didn’t need all the answers.

I loved everything about Georgie and Levi together. Levi is solid and strong, but oh so soft with Georgie. He is so adoring, and I loved how easily she fit into his cozy life with Hank. Georgie was the perfect person for Levi, seeing him past his rough exterior and the mistakes of his childhood; constantly reassuring and gently encouraging him. I loved how protective she was of him and his reputation, his heart, so proud to be with him.

I also loved all the moments of them completing the friend fic. Jumping in the lake with wishes, making their mark and the grand gesture at the end was the most perfect finale to the friend fic journey.

Georgie’s parents, Bel and Harry were all so lovable. Her relationship with Bel was so sweet. Georgie’s parents, despite being unconventional, were so wonderful and supportive. And we cannot forget about, Hank, the sweetest dog and always able to provide comfort or comic relief depending on what the situation required. Levi and his relationship was adorable.

I only have good things to say about this one! I am dying to know what the last wish was.

I will post a more detailed review to my Goodreads and IG closer to release date.

Thank you so much to Kensington Books and Net Galley for this ARC.

You know that feeling of wanting to savor something and devour it all at the same time? Yeah? That's what it's like reading Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn.

When I was in college, I remember struggling to pick out what was most important in the textbook reading assignments and I would end up highlighting almost everything because it was ALL important to me. Fast forward to me reading this lovely work of art and I was bookmarking literally every page because every page is full of the most gorgeous prose and the most heartbreaking and heartmending emotions you can imagine.

Georgie is a messy, lovable character who, even if you don't relate to being a messy person, is so relatable. Clayborn writes Georgie honestly and lets us delve into her struggles with finding "what's next" or if "what's next" is even the right question for her life right now.

Levi comes in and you think he's going to be the classic "grump" in a grumpy/sunshine trope, and Clayborn just turns you on your head for thinking that. The depth with which she writes these characters is bottomless. You feel everything they feel. When they hurt, so do you. When they embrace joy, you do, too.

I loved that this was also a love story between Georgie and herself. She dives into her teenage fantasies and moves forward so earnestly in hopes of finding her truths. She struggles with her fear and reservations and still keeps going. She's an inspiration in a glamorous robe and I love her all the more for it.

And just to avoid any spoilers, just know that SWOON. SO much swoon. So many swoonworthy moments between our main characters and so much honest introspection that leads to such beautifully written moments between them. This is not a book to miss. So grateful for Clayborn's beautiful tribute to these characters and this part of their lives.

Georgie Mulcahy returns to her small hometown after the woman she was a personal assistant to decides she wants to leave her Hollywood life behind. What's Georgie to do now without a job or even an inkling of what she wants to do with her future? Get two strawberry milkshakes from a local business and head straight to her best friend Bel.

Georgie's best friend has always been the picture-perfect person. She always had a set plan and goals that she set her heart to. Even now, while only a couple months away from having a baby, Bel managed to unpack the majority of the house that her and husband recently moved into.

While looking through a box of high school memorabilia at Bel's, the best friends come across a "friendfic" diary they wrote. A book fantasizing their goals and accomplishments is the exact push in the right direction Georgie thinks she needs. What better a way to get in touch with her past self than to accomplish the goals she made for herself in her younger years?

Georgie scurries off to her childhood home, friendfic diary in hand, and settles in. She's comfortable until a complete stranger unlocks the door with his dog in tow and says that he arranged to stay over at her parent's house while they were away to plant-sit. The stranger is Levi Fanning: a living, breathing nightmare to the town as a teenager, but very hot, broody, and silent in his current, 30ish year old form.

This was such a fun, emotion-packed read. I loved reading Georgie complete all the tasks in her friendfic and I loved reading her and Levi spend time together and unravel one another little by little.

Something that felt super special about this book were Levi and Georgie's character journeys. Both of their storylines felt fully fleshed out within their own relationship, as well as the relationships they held in their own lives. Georgie was lost in her own life and Levi was damaged in his own way, so reading their journeys from beginning to end was an emotional rollercoaster and I was STRAPPED IN, LAP-BAR DOWN, take me on this ROLLERCOASTER!

I ESPECIALLY loved Georgie's friendship with Bel. I was a sobbing MESS over them at one point in the book. Such a beautiful showcase of friendship that illustrated being there for one another through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.

This was my first Kate Clayborn book and it will NOT be my last. The friendfic diary was such a fun way to integrate character growth into the story. I was rooting for these characters SO strongly and patiently waited for their character journeys to reach their final form.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books, and Kate Clayborn for the early copy in exchange for an honest review!!

Rating: 5 out of 5

Cute book with a perfect main character. I loved her! She is so chaotic but in a funny way you kinda want to be friends with her. Definitely a great weekend read. Perfect if you love a lighthearted story to keep your mind occupied.

4.5 stars rounded up. Kate Clayborn’s books are some of my favorites and her latest did not disappoint. This novel, like the others, is a romance but has friendship and self discovery and once again, I finished loving the characters. One of my favorite romances I’ve read this year! Thanks Netgalley and Kensington for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't love it, I didn't hate it. Unfortunately, I found it to be forgettable. I did have to get the full arc from the publisher at ALA because this was just a 30 page excerpt.

Ohh my goodness! There was so much to love about this book! I went in prepared to settle through another nice 30-something girl loses job, returns to home town, struggles with her life choices, finds herself and realizes she was there all along and reconnects with love while there, story, who doesn't love it? Nothing wrong there. But I was NOT on Levi's sturdily built dock, book friends! I was not prepared to be swept away by these characters and a giant metal rooster of love!

Kate Clayborn manages to bring a beautiful humanity to the messy realities of being exactly that: human. Georgie is a hot mess AND outrageously skilled in her own right, in spite of the perception of those around her. Bel? Is a hot mess. But is genuine, kind, generous and honest, even when she's barely holding it together. Georgie's parents? Hot messes, but what an extraordinary example of familial and romantic love in a non-traditional way showing that love can be as flexible and delicious as we make it. And the siblings? H-o-t messes in every direction! But what family doesn't host it's cracks and fissures? Everyone, at some point, has to rework how they relate to their parents, their siblings, their friends and themselves. Clayborn grasps this on an absolutely masterful level and manages to bring it to word in a way that is not oppressive and depressive, but provides a reality and levity as the reader is allowed to grow and anticipate with these individuals. She unfolds the truths that no one has to have it all together to be whole, to be valued and valuable, to be loved and love. That it is not our job, our home, our history, our school, opinions of others, even our skillset that makes us who and what we are, because when all of that was stripped away? It was Georgie, All Along.

Fans of Emily Henry, Ali Hazelwood and Talia Hibbert will likely enjoy this title. I'm new to the genre, having chosen to expand my reading horizons in 2022, and I personally could not put it down and was through in 36 hours.

I was provided with an E-Book copy of Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity and I look forward to seeing this book splashed across must read lists and in book clubs throughout 2023 and reading through Kate's previous releases as well as catching upcoming titles!