The thing I love most about her books though, it’s that it’s never just about the romance. There’s always so much more. It always make these characters relatable to me in some way. And I could see myself in these characters. It was beautiful. Plus, the way they love each other was absolutely breathtaking.

Adorable historical romance love story. This book was a little bit outside of what I am used to but I was pleasantly surprised!

This book fallows the life of Evie who runs a small book store that was left to her by her deceased father. When her bookstore floods and unlikely friendship with a Duke develops. Max offers Evie his help and comes clean about a bet him and his friends made about her.

The more Max and Evie spend time together and get to know one another the more tension builds because they begin falling g for one another without admitting it to each other.

They are from different worlds and Evie does not with to take on the responsibilities of a duchess. But at the end she cannot help how undeniably in love she is with him.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (grand central publishing) for my copy of the book.

🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

I am so happy that I buddy read this book with @picture_pretty_books @wearecompletelybooked and @sogladtoreadyou 🩷 Thank you lovely ladies for our fun conversations!

Evie is a bookshop owner who has been struggling for awhile to stay afloat, and of course, matters get worse for her as the book progresses. I wish we got more of the bookshop in this book than we did. Unfortunately it was more focused on the romance and the Cinderella plot line of turning her forms rags to riches rather than business owning.

Max’s friends make a bet with him that Evie has to go to a ball and dance every dance that night with society’s most eligible bachelors. I loved that Evie was strong enough and determined enough to see this bet through the end. And I did love that Evie was in the know about the bet the entire time rather than being blindsided by that later.

Bookshop Cinderella wasn’t that long, but I did feel some scenes were a bit wordy and could have been cut in half. But alas, I still enjoyed the story. I liked both Evie and Max’s characters. And I liked the “villain” of the story, although I felt that was sort of added in just to add extra layers to the story and could have been fleshed out more.

Overall, I think the story was super cute and I loved watching Evie grow and mature through the situation and overcome her station. The romance seemed natural and the chemistry was palpable, especially in the short few chapters towards the end that had some spice. So if you’re looking for a cute romance that is both unique and filled with fan favorite tropes, than this is a book you need to add to your TBR!

Lovers of historical romance, rejoice! Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke is an absolute delight. This Gilded Era romance is perfect for fans of Lisa Kleypas and Joanna Shupe. Evie Harlow owns a small bookshop and earns a small but adequate income to support herself in London. One day, Maximillian Shaw, Duke of Westbourne walks into her shop, and her life changes forever. After he hears his friends disparaging the shop owner, he and his friends place a bet--can the duke can transform the bookish miss into the belle of the ball?

A vacation at the Savoy Hotel, new clothes, and dance lessons provide Evie with a respite from her ordinary life. The budding friendship with the duke doesn't hurt, either, but when those feelings evolve into something deeper, Evie is faced with question: could a bookshop girl transform into a duchess?

While it definitely indulges in "Romance Math" (how are there so many handsome, single dukes in England?), Bookshop Cinderella is an immensely fun reading experience! It's a wonderful additional to my historical romance shelf.

I have really enjoyed several of the books I've ready by Laura Lee Guhrke but this one lacked some of the heat and emotional heft I've seen in her other books. The first half is slow and while the second half picks up a bit, the romance is still a bit rushed at the end. Evie is a really great character and I appreciated that she agreed to help Max with his wager because she recognized it as an experience she couldn't pass up. I did get annoyed that all the men in the story, even Max at times, let her down. And I never really felt the connection between Evie and Max. I finished this a couple weeks ago and am having trouble remembering any specifics. Overall a rather unmemorable and lackluster story. I'm giving it 3 stars but just barely, more because the quality of the writing is better than 2 stars and not because I'd necessarily recommend the book.

Overall a solid friends to lovers historical romance inspired by Cinderella and My Fair Lady/Pygmalion! I really enjoyed Max and Evie’s sweet slowburn relationship there was the right amount of angst thrown in.

**thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review**

Laura Lee Guhrke gives us an unusual romance between a young lady bookshop owner and a high society duke in 1896 London. There are menaces from their families and associates that neither anticipated. Frothy romance with unusual setting. Enjoy Bookshop Cinderella.

Anything with a Cinderella vibe, sign me up. Add in some She's All That vibes and the fact that Laura Lee Guhrke also happens to be one of my favorite historical authors - Bookshop Cinderella had the makings of a perfect historical romance read for me! Evie was relatable - she was reluctant to leave her comfort zone and reluctant to participate in a bet wagered about her.  
 
Max, on the other hand was a breath of fresh air - he didn't try to decieve Evie into the wager. He was up front and provided her the tools with which to win - and improve her station in life (outside of her comfort zone). Together, they were a historical power duo - their banter was witty, the chemistry was great, and they packed the perfect amount of swoon!  
 
I also loved the con man / smarmy childhood friend subplot - it added a layer of chaos and intrigue that I really, really enjoyed. Overall, if you're looking for a really good historical romance to kick off fall with - pick this up!

Laura Lee Guhrke has been one of my favourite historical authors for a while now and I am so glad she has new books coming out. I love this story and the characters and I look forward to reading more from her!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

I love a good romp through a historical romance, and I was especially excited since our FMC is a bookshop owner. Basically unheard of through her times! While I enjoyed the idea behind the bet and the similarities to certain 90's romcom movies, I couldn't quite feel the chemistry and classic YEARNING between the two mains. Dukie doesn't feel like enough of a character to hold the title of MMC, if that makes sense. I didn't quite blame her for running away so much. All-in-all, it was good but I don't think I'd reread.

I got a ARC for my honors opinion so here it is.

I’m not one to read too much of historical romance but this book was so wonderful to read. The beginning did had a bit of a rocky start but it ended up being a wonderful book. I do wish we got a bit more for the ending. But overall it was a wonderful book.

I absolutely love that Laura Lee Guhrke did the wager trope without making it the catalyst for the third act breakup. The transparency and teaming up of the MCs to win the bet was a great way to bring them closer together without her being under false pretenses.

I thought that both of their backstories were believable and interesting, and I loved the side characters. The plot held my attention and I binge read this book!

The romance was so sweet and I appreciate that it was a bit slow burn and didn't take over the plot. I thought it was really well balanced between the character development and their obvious attraction for each other. This was a total win for me.

This book was ok. I liked the characters It’s a cute historical but not something I would buy and read again

I know some people would love this but personally I found it was just ok .

The cinderella name in the title is not entirely accurate. this book is more of pygmalion retelling than any other storyline. I was very relieved that Evie was aware of the bet she was involved in so that was never turned into a betrayal. The beginning of the book took quite a bit to get going but once the storyline was established the book moved well. I really liked both Evie and Maximillian.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was great from the very beginning.

I received a free copy of Bookshop Cinderella from Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) in exchange for an honest review.

Full of forbidden moments and flashed calves, Bookshop Cinderella is a steamy opposites-attract romance that will have you itching to read faster. On a bet from his friends, Max Shawe, Duke of Westbourne, tells Evie Harlow that he will turn her into the diamond of the season and find a husband. Though reluctant, disaster strikes, and Evie finds herself having no choice but to accept the Duke’s help.

Max’s unwavering confidence in Evie was to-die-for hot. He knew that she would succeed in drawing in the gazes of the other men and supported her from the first moment they met. I loved watching them fall for each other and unknowingly steer others away. It’s a great beach read because of the lack of heavy topics and the short length.

Cute story, more pygmalion than Cinderella, with characters that are nice but completely forgettable. A ton of telling instead of showing, exhaustive time spent in the characters' heads and a villain who is more a caricature. Ok, but nothing to write home about.

Starting a book blurb with a comparison to Lisa Kleypas and Julia Quinn is a bold move; in this case, it doesn't live up to the hype.

"Bookshop Cinderella" doesn't feel historical - very little sense of place or time, and the characters' actions feel quite contemporary. There is little chemistry between Evie & Max, and the whole plot drags. I would not read another title by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

A 5 Kisses Read, and a superb start for a series! Bookshop Cinderella is a book that uses the fairy godmother part of Cinderella in a new light. I am a lover of retellings, and this story brings an interesting take, intelligence, and brightness to the classic fairytale set in Regency England. Another cute part is that Evie is called "Bookshop Cinderella" by some of the characters that bring Max into the bet. The chemistry between Evie and Max might not have been "instant" like some novels, but thier love grew, because to they were able to see each other as equals. Also, they could go farther than attraction and into the lasting love. I couldn't stand the neighbor, how he used her, and after he thought she was valuable, wanted to marry her. He's a scammer and will not try to find real love, but a meal ticket.

This was such a fun and charming read! Despite being historical, the vibes read She's All That and even a little Pretty Woman, and of course, it helps that Evie's a bookstore owner with excellent research skills. Max, the duke, and Evie get along so easily, and while their different life experiences and stations make figuring out their path forward complicated, their genuine and sweet affection is really enjoyable. I really enjoyed reading as Evie got to experience some of the finer things she'd been on the periphery of her whole life, and I can't wait to read more in this series.