Nevermore Bookstore was my first Kerrigan Byrne read, and I found it to be both cosy & charming but not necessarily something that I would find myself picking up again in the future. I found the number of coinciding plots to be a bit over-the-top although I guess the amount of small town drama going on was reminiscent of an episode of Gilmore Girls. I found both the main characters to be endearing enough, EXCEPT for Fox referring to Cady almost exclusively as 'Woman' - yuck. Fox's backstory was intriguing enough, an ex-serviceman with PTSD living in a tent in the forest (that somehow still had good enough town views to watch Cady through the window of her building... also where was he storing all these books he was buying from her????).
If you're looking for a cosy and quick rainy-day read, with splashes of humour, spice and mystery then this may very well be the book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an e-arc of this book in exchange for a honest review

I wanted to love this one so so much!

First things first, this isn’t AT ALL what I expected! I went into this story hoping for a cozy paranormal romance and instead got an in depth character study on CPTSD and autoimmune issues. I’m not mad about it, but it was definitely a bit jarring especially when you look at the cover!

This story is definitely more character driven than plot driven and I was intrigued enough to keep flipping pages, even if I was a little disturbed by the stalking that was essentially taking pace.

All in all, this one wasn’t my favorite. I was intrigued enough to keep turning pages but the funny moments were cringy boarding on inappropriate, the “sexy” parts weren’t my cup of tea, and although the characters were fine there wasn’t enough time to get to the big emotional main parts of the love as it didn’t even really begin until way late in the book.

I wanted to like it, but I just couldn’t get there.

Thanks you so much for the chance to read this story, I truly appreciate it.

I received this book for free for an honest review.

I can't wait for the next book to come out. So very fun and sexy.

Review in progress and to come.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

I was confused from the get go with this one and still have absolutely no idea what I just read. When I first saw this book I thought it would be something I would enjoy, however, I was so wrong. I feel like this book was the reason we were all brought up not to judge books by their cover. Because I did and I got a literary punch in the face and a month long concussion.

All I wanted was a cute bookstore romance but instead I got a cave? Idk either. I was more attached to the bookstore that lasted two chapters than I was these two mariam characters and IM STILL CONFUSED AS TO WHAT IS GOING ON.

From page one I knew I was going to love this book. The characters are realistic and human. Sometimes romance novels create too broody and helpless of characters, but not here. The FMC struggles with back pain, and was a condition I’d never heard of! Now I know! How real is that?! I also appreciate that there’s already a relationship formed between the two. 8pm on Thursday is a preset time, not something new. I really enjoyed that they already had some sort of history to go into this. I found myself frustrated watching the romance unfold and cheering the couple on. I wanted Fox to reveal his secrets and fully trust Cady. And ultimately all I wanted for Cady was her happiness. I also appreciated the pop culture references. Some authors put in references that are super forced and cringe. Not here! They fit seamlessly into the story. All in all, I highly recommend this book to anyone needing a romance that starts over the phone and leads to some tricky situations. You don’t want to miss this one!

Thanks to Oliver Heber books, Netgalley and the author for an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily. I was really in the mood for this book and enjoyed it so much. It took me a little while to figure out was going on with Fox, but that kept me guessing the whole way through.
The plot was interesting and the other characters were well-written so I know we’ll see more of them in their own stories, I hope Gemma finds her own happy ending at some stage.
I look forward to more stories from these authors, as there was a perfect combination of humour, spice and mystery.

I love books with any type of bookstore setting omfg. However, it didn't hit the spot.

Mystery man calls the bookstore sounding sexy as hell, I'd fall for his spell too. Then he hears someone breaking in one day and he hatches a plan to get some payback? What a man. I really, really loved the idea of this book; however, the execution wasn't my favorite. This book just didn't click with me, and honestly I'M distraught about it. The book felt like two different books into one, and I had such other expectations that didn't turn out at all which is obviously no one's fault really, it just wasn't for me. The spice was decent. This was a cool cozy mystery with some romcominess in it. There were some parts I enjoyed. I really liked the mental health and physical illness rep and such. However, just because it wasn't my cup of tea, that doesn't mean it wouldn't be yours (if you're reading this), so if you think you'd like it, check it out!

Thank you to netgalley for the arc of nevermore bookstore. I am swooning over this amazingly witty romance. A nice touch of smutty, darkness, comedy, and romance of course. A rocky life for cady and a rocky relationship status too. Worth the read it was fantastic

Nevermore Bookstore is a quick and easy read for contemporary romance lovers who enjoy the grumpy meets sunshine trope in a slightly darker tone. I enjoyed the small town setting and the bookstore, however throughout the course of the book, we only ever visted 3/4 different locations which was a shame as it would have been nice to see other parts of the town and explore the lives of the other residents - particularly those in the book club.
While this book touched on the topics of PTSD and ankylosing spondylitis (which was refreshing to see in a book as I suffer from an autoimmune condition myself) at some points the portrayal felt widely unrealistic - for example the whole living in a cave situation because of inner-conflict, and how abusing consent and boundaries seemed to be the theme of how emotional attachment was shown. I felt that the daily struggles with living with a chronic illness was depicted well, especially how it appeared to be varying degrees day to day. The main love interests severe PTSD felt a little out of touch and intense at times which I was confused about as the book appeared to be more marketed as a 'cosy paranormal romance' and not as a 'darker romance'.
I did enjoy the sex scenes and the witty banter between the characters though and felt that this was what kept me interested throughout. Overall this was a very character-driven book.
I am curious to check out the next book in the series, Brewbies, which I believe comes out later this year.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Byrne and St. Aubin present a rousing romance with a dash of mystery in Nevermore Bookstore. Cady Bloomquist is bequeathed an Edgar Allan Poe-themed bookstore in quaint Townsend Harbor. The only problem is, she doesn't have the deed. Oh, and she doesn't have the money to repair its many issues. And the handsome local sheriff is sniffing around both her and the store. The only thing keeping her sane is a weekly phone call with a man she knows only as Fox, whose sexy voice and calming manner keep her grounded, but leave her wanting more.

Then someone breaks in, with Cady just upstairs, and Fox has to decide if he can risk changing the course of his life by coming to her rescue.

Nevermore Bookstore is bursting with great representation. We see people living with chronic illness, ADHD, and PTSD, observe their struggles, their accomplishments, and their normal daily existence. The story was highly readable, and Fox's character was unlike any romantic interest I've encountered.

I did, however, have a few issues with the book overall. I found some of the language and imagery surprisingly vulgar, even juvenile, which was unexpected. Fox's hyper-masculinity was a buzzkill for me; I couldn't relate to a highly empathetic, incredibly kind woman being attracted to a cop and a soldier.

I'd give it 6/10 stars and recommend it to people looking for something different, who like manly men, or who enjoy some intrigue mixed into their romance.

Cady is in need of a distraction after her aunts death... something to pull her away from her grief and all the legal and financial problems she faces. When Fox calls her bookstore, the ominous voice with no face, he is the perfect distraction she has been looking for. And so every week, same time, same place, they call. Fox orders books, single handedly keeping Cady's business... and sanity afloat. But soon after strange things start happening to Cady.
This was surprisingly very different to what I expected.
By the look of it I thought that it would be just another romance... with the same cliche characters and plot. But no, this was very different. Cady, a girl broken by grief and beaten by disease. Fox, a man who has suffered unthinkable trauma. An unlikely pair but they may be just what they need for each other...

So. I think it's pretty clear that the authors were going for something different here. What that was, I'm not sure..

First off, I was absolutely under the impression that this was a paranormal romance?? I was a third of the way in and still waiting for that magic to drop! Had to double check that the blurb and tags did not, in fact, indicate that this was meant to be paranormal in any way. Maybe it was the cover? (Which is fabulous, by the way.)

The beginning had me hooked: laugh out loud funny and had the rare romance reading experience of having absolutely no clue where this was going. It was odd and a bit confusing, but an interesting journey.

UNTIL two thirds of the way in. Details finally started being revealed and the story completely fell apart. And it went down FAST.

And a final note: I was incredibly uncomfortable with the first sex scene - had to squint really hard to see any consent there. And then continued with their new relationship without any discussion of safer sex? Felt really cringey in an otherwise very contemporary romance.

I'll be sticking to Kerrigan Byrne's historicals for now.

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

Let me start off by saying Nevermore Bookstore was an interesting read and nothing like any book I have read.

Cady is a young girl that took over her Aunts bookstore after her passing. She is searching for love but finding romantic connections with a mysterious man, Fox, while placing a book order on the phone. Fox is a man with lots of mystery and a tough past.

The first half of the book was rather confusing and hard to get into. However, the second half was much for telling and less confusing.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion.

To start this book had a really great premise. Two people connecting over the phone gave a whiff of epistolary vibe. It seemed fun and quirky. However, things started to fall apart when we got to know the man on the other side of the phone - Fox. His SEVERE PTSD seemed out of sync with the romcom tone of the book. And Fox really doesn’t seem to have an interest in getting help, or not living as a wild man. And the duality of carrying on a relationship over the phone, while spying on her as Bob felt so dark. And it really did fit with the cutesy small town setting and characters. .The third act conflict and final resolution did redeem it a bit, it’s always nice to see the underdog win.. But overall the tone of this book was so all over the place I’m not sure who I’d recommend it to.
Read and reviewed this Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley.

First of all, I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the authors for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.


After the letdown from my last read, I went into this book with zero expectations.
And let me tell you that it surpassed everything I could hope for.
It gripped me from the beginning to the end and left me craving for more as I reached the last page.

This book is a binge-worthy mix of romance, spice, angst, mystery, and humor. Even when I had to put it down I found myself eager to return to Cady and Fox’s story.
And when I reached the end I was smiling so big my cheeks ached and I had happy tears rolling down my face. Not a perfect love story but a real, infinitely better one.

I am looking forward to reading the authors’ entire backlist and future releases.

5 stars

The begging was hard to read I was confused and the flow was choppy. Now the spice in this book is up there. Some of the sex talk caught me off guard. When it switched to MMC I was so close to giving up on the book.

As for the characters in the book. Fox is very odd, so odd… he lives in a cave and has PTSD. Also why is he stalking he with binoculars! CREEPY.
Then there’s Cady, I felt sorry for the girl but boy did she annoy me.
I really loved Ethan and hope book two gives him a story line.

Still a little lost on how I feel about this book.

This book was just what I needed! If you like a good grumpy/sunshine slow burn romance, this book is for you! It was cute. It was fun. It has just the right amount of spice to plot line. The characters are great, I couldn't but help falling in love with Cady and her friends. There should be a small trigger warning about PTSD included as you do hear of a traumatizing event that happened to one of the characters and how they are dealing with it. Overall I thought this was a cute read that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I will definitely be reading more from these two authors.

So this was ... an odd one, and that's making it hard for me to review. I think overall, Nevermore Bookstore was fine and generally entertaining, but Fox, our MMC, was confusing and problematic for the first 3/4 of the book. I was so confused by his character, I even thought he was paranormal for a while. By the end, I understood what the authors were trying to do by showing Fox's CPTSD through his actions and inactions instead of telling us, but until then, his character came off as a bit icky. I think in this case a bit more information about his past would have made everything he did more palatable or at least more understandable. And normally, I don't like seeing this in a review, because I'm like "what does that even mean?", but the ending wrapped up a little too neatly and quickly after the emotional turmoil the charaters went through.

Some things I loved:

Our FMC, Cady, who was caring, loving, sunshiney, but a take-no-shit kinda gal at the same time. I love how she stood up for herself and those she loved, cared about others' feelings and apologized when she was in the wrong.

The bookstore/small town setting. Although, for the novel being named after the bookstore, Nevermore did seem to take somewhat of a backseat in the story. Until the end.

The Grand Gesture. That was a good one.

The light mystery. Who was behind everything and what ended up happening to that person was *chef's kiss*.

So, not my favorite read, but I don't regret reading it! It is the beginning of a series, so I will give the second book a try when it comes out.

It was fine - I expected darker from Byrne but I didn’t dislike this. I think that it is very much for a newbie reader of Byrne and not the ones who found her in historical romance.