I feel like some reviewers gave up too soon on this one, and I would recommend sticking with it so you can read the twist and see how the narrative wraps things up by the ending. The author has set things up beautifully. Yes, the pacing is a bit uneven and some parts are long-winded. But I really enjoyed the payoff. The magical realism aspect makes this a very charming story, and I look forward to more from this author.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me this early e-book. The love scribe follows Alice as she has just had a friend break up with her Besty Gabby. Alice writes a story to make herself feel better and she continues to make this a common theme in her life, as she goes through difficult themes. I found this to be an interesting way of dealing with grief and loss, which was beautiful, but I also found that there were too many stories. We didn’t spend enough time with an each of the sections of Alice his life to feel like we really connected to her so I had a hard time getting into this book and I had a hard time being entertained by the book but I think the idea was good overall this book it’s around a three star for me. I think it could’ve been improved, but I did really like the idea.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins/Park Row for the ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.
This was hit or miss for me. It had a great premise but the narrative got bogged down just when it was moving along at a good clip. I admit to skipping ahead to get to the next part - a lot. I didn't like the main character of Alice at all which influenced the lower rating. Can't say I'd recommend this one.

The Love Scribe is a uniquely beautiful and thoughtful book. The main character Alice was somewhat quirky yet fully lovable. The journey of Alice's love scribing was so unique. I loved that this book took such an unexpected path. Honestly, I am unsure how to fully describe my thoughts with out giving away spoilers. Let's just say I adored this book. My only hang up was that at times the pace of the book felt was uneven.

Overall I was wrapped up in this story. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about love and relationships

Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row for my e-ARC of this wonderful book.

This is a very different book, and was a nice change from what I typically read (thrillers/mysteries). I wasn’t expecting the way this story was told (as some others have mentioned there is an element of “magical realism”) and although a bit choppy yet long winded in parts, I found myself enjoying it as a whole by the end.
I enjoy Amy Meyerson’s writing (this is the second book I’ve read from her) and look forward to her next novel. This is an ideal pick for a slow, cozy, weekend read.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an ARC of this book!
3/5

I am charmed. The Love Scribe hit me at the perfect time. After reading many thrillers, I flew through this and felt at home. This book shows how powerful words can be, especially when used by someone like Alice. The magical realism was done perfectly and I truly enjoyed this.

In THE LOVE SCRIBE, Alice is the protagonist unable to complete anything in her life while existing on the sidelines. On a whim, she writes a brief story to help her best friend overcome another messy breakup. Much to Alice’s surprise, the short story leads her friend, and other readers, to sudden love. If this was the entire book, it might have been a light-hearted read. But Alice wanders down a rabbit hole of magical realism and her own struggles with life and love play out in ways both charming and creepy. Author Amy Meyerson has some trouble reining in her considerable talents with this big, juicy tale of a life not yet embraced. The book wanders at times and some extra fluff is not always helpful. Nonetheless this is a joyful experience not to be missed.

The Love Scribe by Amy Meyerson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A big thanks to @netgalley and Harelquin Trade for the eARC. This one is expected to come out February 7, and trust me, you want to pick it up then!

I’ve loved @amy.meyerson since The Bookshop of Yesterdays. I’ve eagerly anticipated each new book she writes, so when I found out I was approved for the ARC copy, it made my ENTIRE week.

The Love Scribe was unlike any book I’ve ever read before. It was about love, friendship, grief, and stories with magic sprinkled in. It explored finding yourself and letting go of past hurts and being brave. And while it was not magical in the traditional word, this book was magic.

I took a half star off because sometimes I felt the plot was a little disjointed. It abruptly switched to some different element. But other than that, this book and reading experience was fantastic. I’ve found another book I wish I could experience for the first time again.

THE LOVE SCRIBE by Amy Meyerson is incredibly slow. I enjoyed Meyerson's debut, titled The Bookshop of Yesterdays, which is a wonderful reflection on the value of books, bookstores, and reading. Her latest, though, feels like it will have narrower appeal. The main character is an unhappy young woman named Alice Meadows. She is barely drifting through life and working as a caterer (a temporary job which began eight years ago) until she discovers a seemingly magical talent for crafting stories which help desperate people to fall in love. It's exciting to read about the creative urge and the surprising impact which Alice's prose can have. However, nothing much else happens – even meeting an older woman with a similar skill barely moves the story along. Enjoy Meyerson's debut work; then pick up THE LOVE SCRIBE only if the title and its romance vibe has personal appeal.

Words are powerful and what if you had the ability to make people fall in love simply by writing a story.
Alice seems to be gifted with just that power. Stories she writes has people falling in love in a short turnaround time.
I liked,the concept of the book but I found Alice to be quite one dimensional. I thought the dialogue was a bit dry too.
I liked Gabby the best because she finally realized her own self worth and wasn’t relying on someone else to define her.

This novel was so beautifully written and I enjoyed this storyline so much. The characters were wonderful. Alice was so unique and I loved her journey in discovering more about her gift. Her connections with the people she was writing stories for and with Madeline were really special. I thought the magical realism piece with the love stories was really remarkable, because it wasn’t something I had seen before in a novel, and it was just so well done. The themes of grief, forgiveness, love, and connection were woven throughout. These themes worked so well together and the stories showed readers that love looks different for everyone and that not all relationships are meant to be forever but you can learn valuable lessons along the way. I did not want this book to end, it was truly such a special book. I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I finished it and love the impact it has on me as a reader.

I received an ARC of THE LOVE SCRIBE from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Genre: Women's Fiction
Spice Level: Low (kissing and talk about sex)
Representation: LGBTQ side characters

When I started this book, I couldn't figure out why we had to know how opposed the main character, Alice, was to having a romance. (I still think some of it could have come out more in chapter 2.) But it is essential to the plot of the book—even the root of the book.

Do we allow ourself to try and find love?
It could be messy.
It could be dangerous.
Is love a gift?

Alice has a gift. She can write, or scribe, a short story that helps a person fall in love.

Everything changes when she meets Madeline Alger—an ancient woman in a house in the woods, just past one of the places Alice loved to visit with her father.

This tale caught me, and I didn't want to stop reading. Seriously? How would it work out? Would it work out?

The mystery within the book was as intriguing as the path of the people who fell in love. The mystery of Alive unravelled slowly, deliciously. I was rooting for her from the beginning.

Happy reading!

Love the title and cover of this one! Not your typical love story! Very original! Different that anything I have read due to the magical realism. Several sub-stories that tie into the bigger story. This book wasn't really for me but I think its well down and others will love it!

The beginning of this book reminded me so much of Before the Coffee gets Cold and i loved it. Alice’s stories and the people she meets because of them were so interesting to learn about and I have never seen anything like this book

This story is one that I will keep thinking about. I love a clever and unique story and this was certainly in that category.

This novel is like no other I've read. Though I wouldn't say I loved it, the concept took twists and turns that captivated me. The protagonist, Alice, becomes a writer of stories for those seeking true love. Her friend Gabby helps her get a business started and her act together. Soon, Alice is in high demand as a writer for hire.

The plot takes a weird twist when Alice receives a note asking her to high tea with an old lady living in a remote location in a forest. Alice goes there, and finds a magical place where wonderful food is served up at perfect temperatures, then cleaned up - all without any other humans around. Cats abound at this place. As Alice continues to write her stories and sees her new business thrive, her new and odd friend Madeleine takes her on wild goose chases to track down subjects of her own stories about love. On top of all that, Alice seeks love with the bookbinder of her stories, her mother finds new love, Alice deals with the death of her father, and her friend Gabby finds herself in an unlikely love story herself. It's a lot to take in.

Overall, I'll give this a 4/5. Most of the book worked in a roundabout way, but it was definitely an odd book. I appreciated the occasional navel gazing on writerly matters, though these passages seemed a bit self-indulgent on the part of the author. This novel was like 15 different fruits thrown in a blender. All good, and somehow it came out okay. But would you couldn't exactly repeat the recipe. A unique book.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Though she didn’t believe in love for herself, Alice unwittingly had the power to write stories that helped others find it for themselves. A new client proves to really challenge Alice making Alice question her ideas about love and her place as the Love Scribe.

Filled with curiosities and whimsy, I found this story to be a great delight. Here are some highlights from The Love Scribe.

1. The stories – Alice wrote these stories that were personalized for each client. They were sort of like parables or folk tales, in that each had a lesson for the reader. It was lovely the way they helped the reader see the best parts of themselves so they could find their match.

2. The magic – There were a few magical elements woven into this tale. Some were hugely surprising, and that’s all I will say about that. The book magic was something I found rather fascinating too, and I thought it was brilliant the way Meyerson used this aspect to drive part of the plot. I sound vague, but I feel it’s necessary because these elements will hit harder if you go in blind.

3. The exploration of love – Obviously, love was a huge theme in this tale, and it was throughly and beautifully explored. Attention was given to good love, bad love, passionate love, steady love, love that’s run its course, as well as love for family, friends, and oneself. It was a rather thought provoking examination.

4. Alice’s personal journey – I could respect Alice’s lifestyle, if I actually believed it was what she wanted, but it didn’t seem that way. She had fear and pain that she carried from her past, and she needed to confront before she would be able to fully open her heart. The stories, the books, and the mysterious client was an ingenious way for Alice to work through these things.

5. The romance – I was treated to multiple romances in this book. Some were told via flashbacks, some via stories, some unfolded in real-time, and all were wonderful.

Overall: This book was fun and full of surprises which resulted in an entertaining and emotionally satisfying story that was really something special.

I really loved this book.
The timeline of the story was fascinating.
I loved the secret library and house and how the books changed colors.
AWESOME!
Thank you so much!

This is a book about happy endings, with a magical twist that separates it from others in the genre. The worldbuilding is well done and unique in comparison to other books I've read. Alice is an enjoyable character, as is the remainder of the cast. The prose style writing feels a bit longwinded at times, and it may have some readers wishing the author would just get to the point, but it does seem to work for the story overall. Fans of romance stories will likely enjoy this.

The cover is what caught my eye to start and wow am I forever grateful that it did. This was like the best book for book lovers ever and I could not put it down. And the twist?! *chef kiss*