This book was a true delight to read!

It's very low angst and very high in swoony moments.

I really enjoyed the plot and felt it was fresh and exciting. It made me want to have a Cinderella moment of my own.

If you love bookshop settings, strong female characters and steamy scenes, this is the book for you!

3.5 stars. This was a solid historical romance that mostly delivered based on strong characters. I liked the heroine, Evie, who is sassy and scrappy and basically has already pulled herself up by her bootstraps. I loved that she didn't need anyone to survive and made her own way as an orphan and bookshop owner. I loved that despite that, she was a believer in true love.

And I really liked Max, the cool, smart Duke who doesn't want to want love. I loved that he was a widower, a person who had previously believed in love, and followed his heart to ruin. His closed off-ness and unwillingness to risk it all made total sense - and yet, his charm was really evident. The two of them together were an interesting mix that really brought out the banter.

A lot of this book was really about believing yourself worthy of good things, and both characters had major issues on that. That part was believable. The part that was less so was the Cinderella aspect and Evie's acceptance into society so easily. I also found a lot of Rory's actions kind of cartoonish. And in general, I felt that the writing was a bit flat and didn't quite sing as much as it needed to in intense moments.

Bookshop Cinderella is one of those books where the concept was better than the execution. I think the characters were really strong, but the romance felt a bit hampered by the prose,. And yet, I still found it very compelling, and still wanted to cheer on the characters, even though the middle of the book slowed significantly for me. A good read and I will be looking again at this author's books in the future.

After a slow start, this book ended up be far cuter than I expected. When a Duke finds what others claim is a "plain" bookshop owner Evie Harlow, he sees her for anything bet. One questionable bet and some amount of convincing later the Duke sponser Evie for a season and a break from the hard work of running her bookshop. After a few dancing lessons it becomes clear they have chemistry with each other even if they continue to deny it... This was a sweet and quick read that took elements from a classic Cinderella stories and gave me She's All That vibes!

I cannot stress enough how much I was obsessed with reading this story. I could not put down my copy at all, because I was so invested in what happened to Evie and Max. The premise of how they end up meeting was cute and I thought the excuse of the bet implausible but fun for romance purposes. I also really appreciated the fact that Evie was in on the bet, because I dislike any stories that involve bets, but the other party doesn't know about it.

I was at first surprised by the duplicitousness of Rory, but I thought that he did give Evie's story some flavor except that he felt a bit underutilized and I forgot about him until he'd pop up again in the story.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I cannot wait to read another one from Guhrke. Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the copy.

This was a very entertaining book to read that follows in the vein of the movie My Fair Lady. Evie Harlow is 28, a spinster who inherited her father's bookshop. She's taking in other jobs to help support herself given she has no family left in her life. Things get very interesting when she meets Maximillian Shaw, Duke of Westbourne. I can't wait to dig into the next book in this series as the secondary characters have so much potential. It's wonderful that one of my favorite authors is writing again. Welcome back Laura Lee Guhrke!

Maximillian Shaw, 32 and the unmarried Duke of Westbourne, is spending the season at the Savoy to keep his four sisters and mother out of his townhouse and his life. They are all pressing him to marry and he's not interested as yet. His cousin Delia is an event planner for Cesar Ritz and has a permanent suite at the Savoy. Cesar sends her off to Italy unexpectedly and she asks Max to pick up some research for the upcoming event she's planning, from Evie at her bookstore. He's also exploring the idea of courting the latest diamond, Lady Helen Maybridge. He got roped into watching over her troublemaking younger brother Freddie and friends. When he meets Evie the boys are a bit tipsy and rowdy in her vintage bookstore.

Evie's old childhood friend Rory Callahan is back in town and working all the angles to make money. He flirts with Evie to help him with his plan to run for politics by using her back room and sponging off her refreshments for the meetings. This is happening while Max is waiting to pick up Delia's research. The interaction starts the ball rolling for the rest of the book. The boys disparage her while Max defends her. She asks him to return in two days because she's not done with the research.

That evening while drinking, he and the boys have a discussion about her again. This time they end up wagering a bet. The boys don't think she's pretty and not worth anything in their circles. Max on the other hand believes she'll shine if dressed and polished a bit. So the bet is made that the boys will be on their best behavior and get a letter to get them back in school if they win. If he wins if she has a full dance card for Max's ball in six weeks. When he returns for the research, he has to figure out how to get her to agree to the drunken bet he made with the boys. She's dumfounded and turns him down. When her boiler explodes and he intercedes with the insurance man to cover the costs to fix everything she agrees to help him. Especially since she has no where to stay and no income to buy food until she's back in business. This starts a delightful journey as he sees her blossom into the woman he saw the first time they met.

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

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. Love Evie and Max story. Evie runs a bookshop and Max trying to win a bet with friends, walks into her bookstore and he decides to "rescue" her by finding her a mate. Loved this storyline and the characters.

While I love Historical Romance no matter the timeframe they’re set in, I have to admit to being drawn to the stories of when the attitudes of the time are starting to change, when we see the beginnings of what will become our present. That is exactly how I felt while reading Bookshop Cinderella, which is the first story in the Scandal at the Savoy series. Evie inherited the bookshop from her father, and she’s managed to make it a profitable endeavor, enough so that her family is safe and happy. She’s more interested in women’s rights than in being the belle of any ball — but that’s about to change when a silly bet brought about by young men with more money than sense has quite the impact on her life.

There is a very real “My Fair Lady” feel to Max and Evie’s story. He’s about to win a bet (in his mind) with some foolish young men and whisk a lovely woman into a life that any spinster would appreciate and enjoy. Or would she? Evie is not just any woman who is close to what others think of as a spinster. She’s a business owner, an intelligent woman with an eye to the future, and her role in it as a supporter of women being given more power in their own lives. She doesn’t need Prince Charming to come along and wave a magic wand, she’s quite capable of running her own life. But… the attraction to Max is right there, even as he explains the foolish bet and his plan to sweep her into the madness of life within the ton. She’ll turn him down flat. Until one disaster at the bookshop almost guarantees that she’ll fall in with his plan but for reasons other than his need to win a bet.

I enjoyed my time in this world. And though Evie won my heart quite quickly, Max slowly grew into the man he became through knowing and loving Evie. The transformations (in some ways) for them each were part of the charm of their story. Of course, there are moments when we aren’t sure if they’ll ever get their heads on straight and realize they are perfect for each other. But watching them get to that point was a fun, charming journey.

Bookshop Cinderella is an engaging, well-written, fun, and delightful introduction story to this series. I will definitely be following along. I wish there had been an epilogue, but hopefully, we’ll see more of Evie and Max’s future at some point as the series continues.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

It's almost like My Fair Lady/Pigmalion... Max (The Due of Westbourne) has a bet going... he'll give Evie (bookshop owner) a makeover. He'll redefine her as a diamond. Unlike the original and subsequent versions of this tale, we do get our romantic HEA! Max totally doesn't see it coming, so it's all the more delicious!

Big thanks to Read Forever for the early copy of this book. This review is being given honestly and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

CW: dead spouse, class difference

Yeah, I’m not gonna lie. This book irritated the F outta me. I didn’t read all of it to be honest but I could only force myself so far before being so irritated I couldn’t force myself to keep going.

First of all, I HATE dead spouses I just have a very certain logic when it comes to dead spouses so I hate them.
Two, Evie was irritating me to no end because of the Rory situation and everything that mess entails
Three, Rory, just his annoying presence
Four, the hero, he is a grade A booty hole

All of these together made for a not so surprising irritating experience so nope

This was my first book by this author, but it definitely won’t be the last!

I was craving a sweet, slightly steamy historical romance and this was perfect. There was class mingling, humor, heart and most importantly- no miscommunication! I really appreciated that last bit. Max was extremely open and upfront with Evie in everything, especially about the “bet”, and as soon as he explained everything to her I knew there would be no big reveal of hurt feelings towards the end. This really propelled me forward to see how the story would progress, and I was not disappointed.

I’d definitely recommend this one for fans of historical romance, especially those who enjoy open communication throughout the plot.

Oh man, the book cover on this book is amazing. It’s got the historical romance model standing in front of her bookshop. Love! I’ll admit, it sucked me in.

Maximillian Shaw, the Duke of Westborune, has been in a disastrous marriage once and vowed to do things completely differently the second time around. He needs an heir and came to London to look for a bride. He starts being very particular to marry in the appropriate class for himself, that can handle British society. Evie Harlow is a bookshop owner. Proud of making a living for herself, during a time when that was not always the case for women, she still struggles a bit. Her shop needs work and she does not even consider any luxuries for herself. She is the opposite of what Max is looking for.

As is alluded to in the title, Max tries to rescue Evie from a bad situation by helping her become the diamond of the season. She thinks it’s ridiculous, but also, it’s a nice change of pace from her life. Max is a bit like the fairy godmother in this situation. Things quickly take a turn. Max and Evie start to have feelings for each other. They definitely have the chemistry that starts to burn hotter the more they get to know each other. It is a slow burn romance, so the focus is on relationship building. Both of the characters grow throughout the story. They complement each other. This is just a really sweet romance that was fun to read. I highly recommend it.

Max, the Duke of Westbourne, makes a bet with three young bucks he can transform Evie Harlow into a beauty and a success at his charity ball in six weeks. Putting aside his own courtship, since the lady is out of town, he is confident of his success. With Max's help, Evie gains confidence in herself. Max can't forget the disaster of his first marriage, but Evie is an unexpected delight in his life. Is it really a matter of class? No matter what, Max will transform his Bookshop Cinderella into the belle of the ball and eventually make her his duchess. WHAT A TWIST! WHAT A HERO!
A Victorian fairytale romance.
Open bedroom door.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

You know one thing that I am incredibly proud of? Always being able to choose great historical romances to read. :') Many thanks to Forever for giving me the chance to review Bookshop Cinderella!

I absolutely adored reading this book! Bookish stories always, always mesmerize me, and Bookshop Cinderella was no different. Max and Evie were such great characters! Their chemistry was incredible, and I loved seeing how their romance grew throughout the book. :') The class differences between them added a unique touch to the storyline. I was really intrigued to see how Max and Evie navigated their differences as they belonged from different parts of the society. I absolutely adored how Max made Evie see how beautiful and incredible she was as a person - LOVE LOVE LOVE.

That being said, I wish Evie and Max got more time together on page! (maybe that's just me because I loved their romance a lot) I am definitely looking forward to the next books in the series! <3

Evie and Max, I love you. I might want to be Evie when I grow up in that she owns a bookstore and people seek her out when they need information. I'm enjoying the many Cinderella historical romance retellings that are coming out right now! Read this is you enjoyed My Fair Lady or She's All That, fun side characters and historical romance! I'm interested to see who the rest of the series will focus on! I would love a book about Max's cousin Delia.

I also really loved that Max was up front with Delia from the beginning about the bet he made involving her and she was a willing participant in the whole makeover/scheme to win.

I haven't read Guhrke before and I ended up enjoying this one, apparently the first in a series. The heroine knows about the bet from the very beginning, which I appreciate! We get to she her go off on the hero (deservedly!) and that the ridiculousness of the premise is interrogated by the characters - no stone is left unturned. It's full of banter, fun friends, solid consent, and is low-angst to boot, making for a new-to-me author that I'm excited to return to.

This book is Bridgerton meets She's All That! It was a great regency era take on the 90's movie without being too repetitive and predictable. The Duke was a little insufferable at the beginning but he quickly grew on me and Evie was a relatable character and headstrong. Looking forward to seeing what the next book in this series is about!

Historical romance meets Pretty Woman in Bookshop Cinderella. The fact that it centers around a strong-minded bookstore owner did my bookish heart good.

Evie is an ordinary spinster who is financially struggling to keep her bookshop afloat. If someone came along and offered to give me a makeover and a lavish two-month vacation—all expenses paid—I would jump at the opportunity. However, Evie is not so easily swayed by Max’s proposal to transform her into the diamond of the season—even if he is a duke with charisma to spare.

I loved seeing Evie overcome her insecurities as she prepares to dazzle at the ball. The banter and the simmering attraction and Max is really enjoyable. I wasn’t mad at the spicy moments either. My one complaint is that there’s all this build-up to the ball and the big bet, and the whole thing is over in just a couple pages. I wanted a chance to savor everyone’s reactions to Evie. Overall, an entertaining read.

Recommended for fans of:
Historical romance
Pretty Woman
Bookworms

I think I’m really falling for regency romance. This was a lovely book. I thought it was less Cinderella and more She’s All That/Pygmalion, but whatever it was it worked for me. And now that I see it’s part of a series, I’m very excited to read more.

I loved this one. As someone who is notorious for not reading the summary before picking up the book, I was so excited to learn that this one is a "My Fair Lady" trope, which I absolutely adore. And I knew right away that Max was going to be an iconic hero, and not be the more problematic elements that the trope usually falls into. I was giggling and kicking my feet in the air throughout this. I am absolutely obsessed.

I always love a good Cinderella inspired story but throw in a bookshop too?! This one was fun. I enjoyed her growth and the couple complimented each other well. Like the aspect of the forbidden romance due to his rules he had to follow and how he built her spirit up.