DNF @ 49% - it got to the point where I was dreading listening to this audiobook. If a book does not bring me joy then it does not get finished. I was reading another book with a female lawyer at the same time and I couldn’t even distinguish between them. This was just so boring. To be fair, I did not read the other companion novels with this book but it shouldn’t matter if they’re truly just companions.

Alright, here me out. This book was not my
Cup of tea. I love a good friends to lovers storyline but I couldn’t get over the cringy moments or the fact that Jack’s character acted like her had never talked to a woman at the ripe age of 30.

That said, it was super cute! Lizzie is a strong, independent woman living in LA as an attorney but also still trying to figure out who she is. She doesn’t want to live her mother’s dream anymore. Jack lives outside the city but wants more for his life & to step out of his families shadow.

It’s quirky, it’s cute, it’s cheesy, but overall if you are a true romance lover, I think you’ll enjoy this book!

Story about being in love with your best friend and trying to live up to your parents expectations. Sexual content. I enjoyed the story.

I enjoyed the plot and the direction the story took, but I felt that the pacing was a bit off and the book dragged at times. I like how our main characters find their path independent of each other and come back together stronger in the end. I thought the audio narration was well done. I will check out more from this author in the future.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media, St, Martin's Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read Booked on a Feeling!
I feel this novel is a cute, friends-to-lover story with dual POVs. Our MMC carried a torch for the FMC for over two decades! It absolutely adorable, but the pace of the story is a tiny, bit too slow for my taste. I'm over halfway into the book and the main characters have only shared a kiss.
I tried the audiobook, but to no fault of the narrators', I zoned out several times just because the pacing of this book is too slow.
Again, the concept of this book is good. I loved that it was about a burned-out lawyer who loves needs a moment to recuperate. But the beginning of the book was a tiny bit to long, like a little too much emphasis on the courtroom incident. I enjoyed reading about a high-powered attorney have a panic attack, but I thought the legal jargon may be a bit for anyone unfamiliar with the legal system However, the author's writing is good and there are solid context clues for assistance.
But to summarize, the book is cute, but too wordy and stagnant in certain areas. There is no "take-off" of the story, so it falls a bit flat at times. I found myself bored, and unable to preserve through around 56%. This book has potential. There are just a few elements missing from this rom-com.

A childhood best friends-to-lovers book that is absolutely adorable. Lizzy is a headstrong lawyer in LA trying to make a partner, and her best friend Jack is living in his small town while working at his family's brewery. As Lizzy gets closer and closer to her, or should you say her mother's career goal, she starts to panic and looks at her life in a different light after winning her first case. Lizzy decides to vacation for three weeks in Jack's hometown, spending time with him and helping out a local bookstore owner revamp her store. Jack is also making big life-changing moves under the noses of Lizzy and his family. The two quickly transform their relationship into something more while they keep essential details about their plans from each other.

I found this such a cute and easy romance to get through. Jack's pining for Lizzy was so sweet to watch as his inner dialogue showed how much he truly loved and cared for her inside and out. While I loved the plot and characters, I felt their turn from best friends to being in a relationship was sudden. There wasn't much slow burn or build-up to them elevating their relationship, making it hard to connect at some points. While it did seem rushed, I still thought it was a super sweet story with a great epilogue. I also found the audiobook version to be great as well. I loved the narrator and what she did to bring the characters to life in my mind.

Just the light romance that I needed and as a bonus a lot of the plot takes place in a bookstore!

This book is a long time friends turned romance, second chance at romance, and following your dreams kind of read.

I liked Lizzy and Jack's characters since they seemed relatable. Of course their romance sparked when Lizzy decided she needed a break from her lawyer career and spent some time helping at a bookstore for a few weeks. The fantasy few week new romance was nice, but of course reality of real life creeps in complicating things. What are Jack and Lizzy's true dreams and can they make everything work?

If you are looking for an easy light read then this book is for you. It was a nice break in all the darker and more serious books I have read lately.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy of this Audiobook for my honest review.

I received an arc of this in exchange for an honest review.

Friends to lovers + small town romance + VERY bookish as the setting is a small town bookshop needing a makeover.

Conceptually wonderful, in actuality is was lack luster.
Friends to lovers is such an elite trope because of the foundation and trust the characters have with each other. And unfortunately there was none of that. The characters seemed to only have chemistry sexually, which is weird since they were FRIENDS FIRST...? And they lied to each other alot. People that have been best friends since childhood would likely have better communication skills.

This was a cute romance. I found myself getting frustrated at some of the silliness of the back and forth before they got together. I didn’t fall in love with either character so I felt disconnected. It was cute though!

After having a panic attack during her first trial on her own, Lizzy takes a vacation. She decides to go to Weldon, where her best friend, Jack, lives. There for three weeks, she needs to find something to keep herself busy while Jack works. Fortunately for her, she has rented a place over a bookstore that needs a lot of help. Lizzy offers that help so that she can have something to do.
Jack, having been in love with Lizzy forever, has to decide what he is going to do. Will he finally fess up and try for something more? Is his friendship more important? When he offers to help Lizzy on his off time, he has a hard time staying away but is afraid of what will happen in three weeks when she leaves. He is also trying to figure out what to do with his life instead of just working at the family brewery.
Opinion
This is a sweet best friends romance. The slow build is enough to keep the reader intrigued. The minor plots offer up some of the small town life that Lizzy is missing in a way that adds so much to the overall plot.
Since Jayci Lee jumped into more contemporary romance, I simply cannot get enough of her books. She is one of my "instant purchase" authors. If her name is on the book, I pick it up. This book follows with the two before (A Sweet Mess and The Dating Dare) in this series in that it is a lovable, behind the scenes, sweet romance. I would feel comfortable putting this book in the hands of my teenage daughter and confident that she would like it.
I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of the audiobook and it did not disappoint. The narrator's voice held a gentle quality that fit this book perfectly.
Many thanks to Net Galley, Dreamscape Media and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.

DNF @20%.

My god this book is so dry. Lizzie feels more like a cardboard cutout with the emotional range of a centimeter. I get that she’s an accomplished lawyer who ignores her anxiety to succeed at work, but damn…give the poor girl some semblance of a personality.

This is supposed to be a swoon worthy romance but instead, you’ve got some really weird pacing where the trader goes from an overworked attorney who passes out thanks to neglecting her anxiety (because who needs those pills anyways) to winning her case but needs a break because she ignored said anxiety.

I’m just tired of the “I deserve to slow down and find love after damn near killing myself” trope.

Booked on a Feeling was a pleasant surprise. I was a little hesitant when it was full of issues and anxiety right out of the first chapter, but as we watched Lizzy and Jack navigate their own personal struggles while balancing their friendship was just right for an easy romance.

Jack and Lizzy have been best friends for most of their lives. When she decides to take a break and spend three weeks in his hometown, sparks fly and tensions get high. The push and pull of friends to lovers makes for a slower burn, but a sweeter pay off. I enjoyed so much seeing characters from Lee's previous books and the community that we have already grown to enjoy.

This was just right to listen to while cooking and then finish on my kindle when I just needed to see that HEA happen. If you are ready for low angst, but very bookish and easy, pick this book up.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC! I wanted to love this much more than I did. It had a lot going for it: childhood friends, a love of books, and starting over. I found the characters to be relatable and I was rooting for their relationship, but the main character was exceedingly dense about her own feelings and the two of them acted like they couldn't talk things out or work through possible solutions. I get the need to have that crisis point, but this was didn't hit as believable to me.

Booked on a Feeling was a very sweet, friends to lovers story. Definitely worth a good 4 star rating - I’m very surprised by many of the extreme low ratings I’m seeing out there! They are totally unwarranted and unfair. This story is excellent, with Lee’s usual great writing, and everyone should give it a chance.

Lizzy is a lawyer and extreme overachiever, pushed by her parents. She’s in court trying her first case as lead, and passes out during a panic attack. After winning, she decides this is her time to take a break, and with a 3 week leave, goes to visit her best friend Jack in his small-town a few hours away, renting an Airbnb over a bookstore. She’s always wanted to run a bookstore (childhood dream), so helps the bookstore owner during her downtime, along with Jack, who’s also going through a bit of a job crisis. Spending all their time together brings them even closer…

Audio version (I love being able to get both ARC and ALC! Read and listen together): I’m always a fan of Cindy Kay! She did another excellent job narrating Booked on a Feeling.

I highly recommend this great friends to lovers, book lovers, escape from a high-stress and unloved work situation book to absolutely everyone! It’s very sweet and cute and has just the right steam level. It’s a solid 4-star, trending towards a 4.5 but not quite all the way there.

I received an advance listen copy from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media. This is my honest feedback - thank you all so much!

A long time friendship is quickly complicated when two childhood best friends reunite in Jayci Lee’s delightful new novel Booked on A Feeling. Since she was young Lizzy Chung has always had a plan. Her life is playing out exactly as she always imagined. A high paying job at a respectable law firm, a modest apartment in Los Angeles, and the chance to make partner at her firm. Much to her dismay, an anxiety attack during her most important case to date causes these plans to come to a screeching halt. Suddenly Lizzy finds herself booking a three week vacation to the small town of Weldon to recoup and recharge. The chance to be near her long time best friend Jack Park is just an added bonus. Lizzy’s plans to relax and take a break from work are quickly dashed as soon as she walks into Sparrow Bookstore. She quickly decides to spend her vacation helping this local bookstore with a much needed facelift. Jack jumps at the opportunity to offer his service in exchange for more time spent with his best friend. However, the pair quickly realize their feelings towards each other are different than they were as children. What Lizzy doesn’t know is that Jack has been harboring a secret crush on her for the past twenty years. Will the pair act on these feelings? Or is their friendship too important to risk? In this steamy slow burn romance, Lee expertly captures the nuances of long term friendship along with the butterfly inducing tension of a budding new relationship. With a main character you can’t help but adore, and a love interest that is truly swoon worthy, Booked on A Feeling is a definite must read for all lovers of romance. Thanks Net Galley for sending me an advanced copy for review.

Lizzy is so close to making partner in her law firm and finally fulfilling the dream her parents had for her life in L.A. She may have won her first trial, but the panic attack that caused her to pass out at the start of it was definitely not in her trial prep routine. Acknowledging her burnout, Lizzy decides to head to Weldon for a three-week vacation to get her head on straight and spend some time with her best friend since childhood, Jack Park.

Jack is surprised to see overachieving Lizzy in his small town, but he’s eager to spend as much time as possible with her over the next three weeks. He just has to make sure she doesn’t find out that he sees her as much more than a friend. He knows he’s not good enough for her and doesn’t want to risk their friendship on the unlikely chance that she would reciprocate his feelings.

When Lizzy decides to devote her vacation to giving the local bookstore an overhaul, Jack helps so he can spend time with her. But the more time these two spend together, the clearer it becomes that there is far more between them than a mere friendship.

This was a really cute friends to lovers romance. I’m a sucker for the ‘I’ve loved you for years’ pining and I really liked the narration. Lizzy’s tendency toward anxiety and living for the expectations of others was painfully relatable, as were Jack’s feelings of inadequacy. I loved that these two decided to take the jump together, but I do wish they’d had a more open discussion of their feelings sooner. They both had excellent finding themselves character arcs, but I would’ve loved it so much more if they’d undergone at least some of that growth and discovery together rather than apart. I found it very interesting that it was the male lead’s insecurities that wound up derailing the relationship, rather than the female’s; I think it’s nice to see a man humanized, to show that men struggle with self-esteem sometimes just as much as women do. We don’t see that too often in the alpha hero dominated world of romance, so I thought it was worth noting here. I think Jack and Lizzy brought out the best in each other and I found it very satisfying when they realized this too. I think they made an adorable couple and I especially loved that this book read like a love letter to romance books in general.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a light, sweet read with loveable characters that I couldn't get enough of. I could relate to the anxiety of the mc and loved the relationships within the love interests family and other characters.

I’d like to thank Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, Jayci Lee, and Cindy Kay for an ALC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

“I’ve always felt so at home in bookstores, especially the small, cozy ones.”

Lizzy Chung, a practicing lawyer in L.A., is working hard to make partner at her prestigious firm. And she’s on her way…until she passes out from anxiety during her opening statement. Although she ultimately wins her case, her confidence is shaken. Realizing she needs a break she takes a three week leave and travels to the small California town where she summered as a child. And it doesn’t hurt that her bff Jack is still living there, working as a bookkeeper at his family’s brewery. When a local bookstore needs some life infused into it, Lizzy takes on the task. With Jack’s help, they plan to bring it back to life.

This book was cute. The friends to lovers trope was done simply but without a lot of depth. The characters were lacking in their backstory so I found it difficult to get invested in them. I loved the mental health representation, but a high powered attorney in the making running away for a vacation after a single panic attack during the trial seemed a bit of a stretch.

The best part of the book was the time they spent in the bookstore trying to breathe new life into it! I can spend endless hours in an indie store and I appreciate how unique each one is.

I will admit the audio wasn’t one of my favorites. There wasn’t much difference in tone between Lizzy and Jack, making it a bit more difficult to imagine each individual character. Although a sweet story, this one is not memorable.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, Dreamscape Media, and the author for the ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Lizzy Chung had her entire life planned out. She was going to make her parents proud, be successful, and live happily ever after. At least that was the plan. But plans go awry, and after a panic attack in court, she jumps in her car and heads to Weldon where she spent her childhood summers with her best friend, Jack Park.

Jack Park has had a crush on Lizzy for so long and is happy that he gets to spend three weeks with her. When Lizzy needs his help saving the local bookstore, he agrees and the sparks fly!

This was an enjoyable read with a sweet romance. It's all about the journey with romance books and this one was a sweet one. When you have feelings for a friend do you take the chance and risk the friendship? The struggle is real! I love how the author approached this in this book.

This is a very nice book for summer!


#BookedonaFeeling #NetGalley

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

I liked this one. I partially felt like the pace of the book moved too fast. However, I liked the storyline and tropes used. I'd also say that the flame rating is at about a 3 or 4.