In terms of cuteness, this book delivers! Joelle and Max have been working next door to each other for over a year now. He owns the bookstore, she owns the bakery. They’ve been flirting forever - he cones in with his regular daily order and she’s all cute, awkward and unintentional food innuendos. Fate lends them a hand when their building’s landlord tells them they have to vacate their spaces for renovation work, and he’s arranged for them to share a space behind the building. Things get interesting when they work in close quarters.

Let’s put aside the fact that throwing a bookstore and bakery together at the last minute in a small space is kind of implausible. Safety issues etc etc…it’s fun to see Max and Joelle flirt in close proximity. Though there’s always grave tension that pops up between them. Max’ is traumatized by his dysfunctional relationship with his addict mother. It’s a sore subject, one he hasn’t learned how to deal with which sees him lash out negatively. Gotta say, I wasn’t fond of him in those moments, but it’s also a lot to process. Joelle doesn’t have that perspective as her family is tight and always there for each other even through their financial woes. Together she and Max help each other through to become better and stronger, and even reconcile.

I adored this grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity romance. It was delightful and go read it!
Thanks to @netgalley and @berkleypub @berkleyromance for my ARC. This is my honest review.

Book Review…The Boy With the Bookstore by Sarah Echavarre Smith

Max Boyson looks good from a distance. But after a year and a half Joelle has learned why you shouldn’t judge a book by his delectable cover.

When she first learned about the massive renovation to the building they share, Joelle imagined that temporarily combining her Filipino bakery with Max’s neighboring bookstore would be the perfect opening chapter to their happily ever after. Reality, however, is quite different. Her gallant prince turned out to be a stubborn toad. But when they discover the real reason for the renovation, they’ll have to put both their business senses and their feelings for each other to the test.

First, I really like the cover! It's colorful and eye-catching! This was a cute enemies to friends to lovers story! Joelle's character was nice and I really liked the relationship between her and her family. I didn't really care for Max. I understand that he had a lot going on and a lot to deal with but he still could have been a little nicer but his character was well done. I really liked the banter between them. Overall it's a well written story with a cute and sweet romance! Thank you Let's Talk Books, Sarah Echavarre Smith and Berkley Books for sharing this book with me

This book was cute but not remarkable. First of all, it felt like having it written in dual points of view was an afterthought, given that the hero’s chapters were outnumbered by the heroine’s chapters four to one, and they were shorter chapters on top of that. It would have been nice to see more from Max’s perspective in the beginning so we saw more than him simply being a jerk. I almost gave up around the 35% mark because I didn’t understand Max’s behavior and it was bordering on irredeemable. Ultimately I did end up finishing it and enjoying it, but I thought both main characters, especially Max, could have used more development.

Much thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a super cute enemies to lovers, dual POV with lots heart and secret pining. Bookshop owner Max gets forced to share a temporary business space with baker Joelle when their buildings need renovations. These two neighboring business owners have had crushes on each other for over a year and when they finally act on their attraction things go sideways. Max decides they're better off as friends while they have to work so closely together but a series of misunderstandings quickly ratchet up the tension and hurt feelings.

I thought this was good but was hoping for a little more depth to the story if I'm completely honest. I've loved the author's previous books but this wasn't her strongest in my opinion. Recommended for fans of books like The enemy by Sarah Adams or Meet cute by Helena Hunting. Overall this one felt too formulaic with the enemies to lovers trope and then an easy HEA marriage and baby included.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Such a good book! I mean…romance, a bookstore owner and a baker? Yes, please! And Sarah always nails it with the steam level. Pun intended. She knocks her books out of the park and this is a must read. If you’re a Meghan Quinn or Tessa Bailey fan, you’ll need to full immerse in all of Sarah’s books! To notch!

I feel like I was not paying enough attention to the rebrand and got suckered into another book by this author. But it has been two years and this one focused on different tropes so I figured why not. Unfortunately, I still found this unbearingly unrealistic and a big ball of nope.

A baker and bookshop owner are neighbors in shop and when a massive renovation happens, Joelle thinks it’s her chance. Joelle thinks Max is the handsome man of her dreams, that is until his attitude makes him her enemy. Can Joelle find a way to soften his grumpy heart.

This book had two tropes I love, enemies to lovers and grumpy/sunshine. Our main character who is pure sunshine and brings the grumpy broody man out of his shell. Joelle gave us her dreams of traveling and becoming a pastry chef to help her family’s bakery. She’s always had a crush on Max, who also has secretly liked her. Ugh it’s just the sweetest story. I loved the characters and their inner struggles. The angst was perfect and the storyline was well done.

Now I need my hands on a finished copy, because this is one I will definitely re-read.

I loved the idea of this! A bakery owner and a bookstore owner forced together? There were moments where I enjoyed them together, but both characters were hot and cold with each other. Max in particular seemed to take it out on Joelle when he was stressed or things were going wrong. I hate not to root for a HEA (happily ever after) but I was honestly torn if I wanted them to get together.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing the ARC.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did, but overall, it just felt a little flat.

The plot seemed very disjointed and kind of all over the place. I felt like there wasn't enough of a build up between Joelle and Max before they were going and then simultaneously stopping. It felt very inauthentic when they were angry at each other, so much that I couldn't see how it could have been resolved in a way that led the main characters to fall in love with each other.

Overall, not my favorite book. It's a perfectly serviceable rom-com, but not that well executed.

I just love bookstores and bakeries!

And a romance between owners of those two businesses sounds so perfect.

This is told in dual perspective which I love getting to hear both mcs thoughts. Since our male mc would get overwhelmed and not help them but internally you could figure him out.

There were so many family conflicts and tense relationships. But they are so adorable together.

They had some forced proximity when they were forced to share a business space which caused major stress on their friendship and caused some conflict. But after awhile they got close again.

The epilogue as usual was just the cutest.

Btw where can I get an Ube latte? I love everything ube!! 

Thank you berkleyromance and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

I loved this fun twist on a workplace romance with a forced proximity twist. I also appreciate and prefer the dual POV because I like knowing how both characters feel. I was just in Portland and the Oregon Coast for the first time a few weeks ago, so this setting was everything to me! Joelle and Max have great chemistry. I loved how Max is a cinnamon roll character inside a rough, misunderstood exterior. Thank you, Berkley Publishing and Penguin Random House Audio, for my complimentary copies for my honest review.

Max Boyson looks good...from a distance. But up close and personal, the tattooed hottie Joelle Prima has been crushing on for the past year and half is not what he seems. As they have to combine their businesses during renovation, she realizes the problems of looking only from afar. She sees the problems with the actual person, and discovers the fact that maybe a person isn't what they seem, but maybe they could be better than they seem.

I'm a self proclaimed thriller junkie that can't stop reading romances. I jumped at the chance to read this one and while I liked it, it wasn't a home run for me. I think the characters came out a little immature for being over 30 or maybe I was just in a bad mood.

But either way, there is a lot of good to say about this one. Who doesn't want to read a book about a baker and a bookstore owner? We also have a bad boy and a good girl and to some extent miss sunshine and a grump. Throw in some pets that make cameos including a cat, dog and even a hamster that reminded me of my childhood when he goes missing. I kid you not, my pet hamster went missing for days in a house with a cat and
survived.

I rooted for Max and Joelle. That is the number one thing I need out of a romance. Characters I like that I want to see together. Both are POV characters, but the story definitely skews to Joelle's POV more. My favorite character
might have been Joelle's best friend Whitney, who was uber-supportive and started a STEM .program at her work.

This was a quick read with an epilogue that tell how life turned out for all.

Joelle, the owner of a Filipino bakery, and Max, the owner of an indie bookstore, are tenants in the same commercial building. They've had a crush on each other for a while but never acted on it until one day when they have a make-out session in Max's office. The next day, they find out that the building's owner wants to do major renovations that will negatively affect their businesses. Max and Joelle are forced to share a small space until renovations are complete. The stress of sharing a cramped space and problems in Max's personal life quickly turn their budding romance into animosity. Will they overcome their differences and save their relationship, or will it fizzle out before it even begins?

I have mixed feelings about The Boy with the Bookstore. It has a few elements that I really like: a romance between a baker and a bookseller (a perfect pairing), Portland setting (my backyard), grumpy/sunshine, and forced proximity tropes. But it also has elements that disappointed me. Mainly an immature hero and a heroine who did not behave like responsible adults by jeopardizing each other business, despite having a crush on each other. I was exasperated with both Max and Joelle and found it hard to root for them. I recommend this book to readers who like the tropes mentioned above and don't mind immature thirty-something characters.

Many thanks to Let's Talk Books Promo and Berkley Publishing for an early, gifted copy of The Boy with the Bookstore. I was apprehensive going in because I read a book by this author under a different name and I wasn't a big fan. I am pleased to say that this book absolutely did not disappoint.

First, it's grumpy sunshine which is my absolute favorite. Second, it's set in a bakery and a bookstore. It doesn't get much better than that in my opinion. Third, super cute animals. It's all my favorite things in one book. There's also forced proximity, I've loved you forever, banter and a strong support system. Seriously, the book has it all.

I had fun reading about Max and Joelle even if I did want to punch Max a time or seven. The book tackles some serious issues but they are dealt with in a way that doesn't take away from the rest of the story. My romance loving friends are definitely going to want to check this one out.

The Boy with the Bookstore comes out on Tuesday September 6 and is available for pre-order wherever you buy books.

First of all I would love to visit this bookshop! This was a cute premise. Max owns the bookshop, Joelle runs a bakery and their renovations of the building is supposed to draw them together. However, reality is not exactly what either of them anticipated. While, I don’t love miscommunication as a large plot point this was still a cute one.
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I did like the ending and the story of how a certain baby got their name!
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Huge thank you to @berkleypub and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A romance between a baker and a bookstore owner. I mean, just - can anything get cuter than this OMG! There were a lot of things that I loved about The Boy With the Bookstore, and then there were some things that made me uncomfortable with the whole dynamic between the male and female lead. Overall, this was a solid 3.5 - 3.85 star read, with some hiccups along the way - but an enjoyable read nevertheless.

I love Sarah Smith's writing style ever since I first read Simmer Down - but wow, her craft has improved so much in the last 2 years! All the pining paired with the forced proximity trope made reading The Boy With The Bookstore such a cute ride. I loved the representation of Filipino culture that was incorporated into the story, especially throughout Joelle's baked goods! Books about books is the best combo, but this book had a food theme as well. All of my favorite things together - such a dream. Joelle's family won my heart, especially because of the growth that was presented in the relationship she shared with her family members. It was really sweet and heart-warming.

Unfortunately, though, the romance felt a bit short for me. I loved Joelle with my whole heart, but ummm... Max? He was kind of a jerk all throughout the book. I think I am kind of done with mean characters in books, and as much as I wanted to ignore Max's attitude because of the amazing setup of the story, in the end, I just couldn't. This is the main reason why it was difficult for me to rate this book. I kept thinking that Joelle deserves better!

Overall, if you want a cute romance read, definitely pick this one up. <3

I really wanted to like one. The cover is gorgeous, the story premise was great and I love Sarah's other works. This one just didn't work for me. I got about half way through and actually had to put it down. The characters were too hot and cold, one minute they liked each other the next minute they hated each other and it was all over little minor things. The miscommunication was unreal and I don't really like reading fight scenes every other chapter. Also, Max was at times downright mean. I think the overall idea for this book was fantastic, I just think the characters could have been a little softer around the edges in places and there could have been a lot less hot and cold. A slow burn or even a true enemies-to-lovers would have been perfect for this one.

okay suuper cute idea, a baker and a bookstore owner, it’s such a cute combo i was seriously so excited for this book but it kind of wasn’t as exciting as i expected to be honest. it’s a friends to lovers, which is always hit or miss for me, but enjoyed the story nonetheless!

The Boy With the Bookstore is a solid contemporary romance. After their landlord decides to renovate their shared property max and Joelle are forced to share a temporary space that is neither large enough for his bookstore nor her bakery. Joelle has given up much to care for her family and is finally building a business that she can be proud of. Max’s bookshop though newer to the neighbourhood has made a name for himself. They realize fairly early that they have both be nurturing crushes since their first meeting about 18 months prior. For me, there wasn’t enough angst and the hot and cold way Max treats Joelle even after they are together sat wrong with me. I’ll be looking for more from this author in the future.