Fun romance. The spicy scenes were steamy but nothing too out of the ordinary. The sexual tension between the two main characters is strong, which leads their rivalry to be short-lived, but I get it. When the sex is good, you can forgive a lot.

The small business owner aspects of this book was adorable, and the bookbinding process was fun to experience through these characters.

The idea of this book was super cute. But the miscommunication left a sour taste in my mouth and the book did way too much telling instead of actions or dialogue. If the relationship part was less and the friendship group part was more, I would have liked it a lot more. The sex scenes in my opinion should have been fade to black as well.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is honest, unbiased, and completely my own.

Unfortunately really nothing about this book worked for me - not the romance, the plot (there really wasn't one), the miscommunication 93% in. I think my expectation was a bit off for this book because I really thought that there was some sort of paranormal element (which is actually kind of funny since the town thinks that the best friends in this story are witches even though they aren't). There's also a HP reference within the first few chapters and we just do not need that, to say the very least.

What I liked about this book: It was short. I would have DNF'd otherwise and probably still should have.

The writing was very simplistic and the dialogue was very robotic and obvious....there was just no nuance anywhere. Everything was very surface level, even the grief that both the characters were experiencing. I didn't buy the chemistry, the sex scenes did nothing to move their relationship forward. And truly I don't know how there was so much 'will they, won't they' when they were legitimately dating at the time.

I'll leave you with a quote or two that really rankled me:

"What did it say about him that he immediately understood her not trusting all men? That he had always felt that way about women?"

"They'd had sex so many times, but this was different. He was making love to the woman he loved"

I will give this book the slight benefit of the doubt that when I am immediately annoyed by a book, I often notice little things throughout it that continue to bother me, where I would in other books perhaps be able to ignore some of the little things. Needless to say, this one did not work for me at all, but it might for you!

Thank you to the Publisher for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Bookbinders Guide to Love by Katherine Garbera!

I really love book binding & old books, and to know there’s a story that’s supposed to include all of this with magic sounded too good to pass up. The story was sweet but a bit too insta-love internal dialogue for me. Anyway, it’s a really quick spicy one and overall an enjoyable, modern romance. I just wanted more magic. :)

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Books for providing an ARC. All opinions are my own.

3/5 ⭐️ 2🌶️
This was definitely a quick, interesting, easy read. However, it equally was a little frustrating at times. I think the source of most of my problems with this book was that it had way too much telling. The real estate the telling took up far exceeded the dialogue and actions combined. And I honestly could go into more detail about what I probably would’ve flagged or suggested if I had beta read this story, but at the end of the day, it delivered what I kind of was hoping it would. It was a very quick read that I finished in one evening, kind of spicy sex scenes, and I really enjoyed that the two main characters were into bookbinding since I’m a newbie binder myself. So yeah, I would probably recommend this book to others, but I would probably warn them that it is a very heavy telling book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Publishing for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin-Romance/Afterglow Books for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
As a lonely foster kid, Serafina Conte sought refuge in handmaking journals. After the death of her mentor, all the loneliness and insecurity of her past returns. The only balm is the box of antique books he left to her. But his suspicious brooding grandson, Wes, is ready to think the worst of her—and get his grandfather’s books back. Then Sera and Wes fall in live within 24 hours of meeting and have to work through their individual insecurities and traumas in order to decide if they can ultimately be together. The romance fell flat for me, but the found family, healing journeys, and love of all things bookish saved the story from being a complete flop. Readers who enjoy insta-love open door romances without much angst may enjoy this cozy romance more than I did.

So my quick thoughts aren’t exactly quick but these are some of the other things I’ve been reading lately ;).

A Risk Worth Taking by Jessica Joyce. This novelette is so good! I got major swoons from it, from the steam to the romantic moments where they do things like hold hands *exclamation point!!* Everything about Joyce’s writing feels thoughtful & precise & the softness & tension are divine. Basically these leads have one magical night together before one of them is about to leave town—but could they have more too?! The only thing I wanted was more at the end. But your girl is greedy. It was a touch shy of perfect for me for that reason but also I feel like my expectations in that regard are a bit demanding and also the book is close enough that I’m saying 5 ⭐️. Out now!

The Bookbinder’s Guide to Love by Katherine Garbera. My fave parts of this one are the way the leads bond over their love & appreciation of books & the soft, awkward way they try to open up to each other. But while this one has its positive moments by the end it tumbles into “not working for me” territory. Both of these leads have their fair share of family trauma & that definitely plays a part in how the disappointing ending plays out. But I couldn’t understand the heroine’s actions at the end & it has one of the things that frustrates me: when IMO one lead is clearly in the wrong but for some reason *the other* leads ends up making the big gesture & apologizing? In the end this one has some definite positives but it’s 2.5 ️⭐️for me. Out 02/23. (Thanks @harlequinbooks @harlequinpublicityteam for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.)

The Bright Spot by Jill Shalvis. I was such a Jill Shalvis fan in my younger years & I still see many of the reasons why: lovable leads, a sense of community, sweetness. But this book started being taken over by a plot featuring secondary characters & I was frustrated with how it played out, to a degree that it affected my feelings about the overall story. There is some real sweetness here with some lovely gestures made by each lead & by the other characters that work at the farm they all love, but I wanted less focus on the other couple. 3.5 ⭐️️, out 01/16. (Thanks to @avonbooks & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.)

This book was super cute. Gave me the same vibes as the show The Good Witch. Just add in a little spice. I definitely wished there was a little more angst between Sera and Wes before they really came together but overall a sweet and fun book.

Rating - 4/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Date Read - November 4, 2023
Publication Date - January 23, 2024

*I received an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review* - Thank you @katherinegarbera @harlequinbooks and @netgalley!

The Bookbinder's Guide to Love makes you think about any fights you've had with someone in your life and anyone you stopped talking to because of anger. Sometimes, you don't get the chance to make amends and apologize. Do you really want those last words to be your last words ever to that person?

At one point in the book, a character dog-eared the page to mark where she left off and I just want to apologize to books everywhere for people who dog-ear their pages! Are you the type of person who uses random objects as bookmarks or do you dog-ear pages?

Also, I loved the Princess Diaries reference! The Bookbinder's Guide to Love has a lot of descriptions and the imagery is strong. I always love books where it feels like you are watching a movie because you are able to visualize everything so well. This book is one of those.

If you’re looking for a fun, slightly witchy read that’s perfect for the fall vibes, The Bookbinder's Guide to Love is the book for you!

Get excited to read The Bookbinder's Guide to Love by Katherine Garbera, available January 23, 2024! 🎉

*Please check trigger warnings*

Unfortunately I DNF'ed this book. It was fine, just not for me. I didn't really care enough about the characters to keep going.

This was a cute read that heavily focused on healing and confronting past hurt and insecurities. I gave this a solid 3.5. Thanks Net Galley for the ARC!

The premise was adorable and I loved the sprinkles of book repair and binding talk. Sera’s relationship with Ford was so wholesome and although things started out rocky, I’m glad she was able to properly say goodbye to him. I really enjoy stories about families getting over their stubbornness and changing for the better. I dislike that a death needed to occur for it to happen, but that’s sadly life. I wasn’t 100% sold on the depth of the relationship in such a short time, but I was glad that is didn’t end with some of the popular cheesy tropes like marriage or pregnancy. They are for sure not ready for that yet.

Overall, this was a low stakes romance that gave me warm nerdy feels and was a quick read. I’d definitely recommend! Lastly, I needed closure/more deets about this Liberty and Merle.

It was a fast read which was good.
Let’s start with what I liked about the book. I like the story of you can find family in your friends. You don’t have to let your past control your future. The author did a good job showing this with Sera in the book. Even showing the Sitwell’s trying to do better despite the past. I hope there’s a book for Poppy and Liberty stories.

Now for what I didn’t like
I know it’s fiction but still they’re gonna hook up the same night and not use a condom but it’s cool because she’s on the pill and he says he’s clean. Are HIV and STDs no longer?
The other thing I didn’t like there’s a part where Sera says she didn’t get abused, either physically or sexually while in foster here so it was an OK experience for her. I don’t think it is okay to sum up foster care in that way. This didn’t add anything to the story.

This book was a cozy romance that brings together sera (who works at a new age-y shop handmaking journals), and Wes(the grandson of sera’s mentor). When sera’s mentor dies and leaves Sera some antique books Wes is determined to get them back. A slight enemies to lovers vibe in the beginning at the main characters first meeting turns into instant attraction. While emotionally the characters explore flaws within themselves before they can make any commitment towards each other..

Totally thought I was going to hate Wes the love interest for the entirety of the book because he was a jackhole to Sera about the funeral, but Garbera was able to melt my heart. The love story between Sera and Wes was redeeming to them and me as a reader. Give it a chance.

Thank you to HARLEQUIN - Romance (U.S. & Canada), Afterglow Books by Harlequin, and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

This is 100% a book where the grandfather is trying to set his grandson up from the grave. I loved the bickering and banter that occurred in this book. Also the idea of whether are witches real or just fortunate people was intriguing. All in all, I really enjoyed this book.

Serafina Conte countered the loneliness of her foster child upbringing by making and writing in journals. She’s found acceptance and a place to belong in the book and magic shop she opened with her two best friends when an A-list entertainer brings her unexpected fame after the wish the woman recorded in one of Sera’s hand-made journals comes true. She’s struggling to keep up with the demand for her creations when her elderly mentor, bookbinder and book collector Ford Sitwell, dies, leaving her a box of antique books. Her distress over Ford’s loss is exacerbated when Ford’s grandson Wes shows up, demanding that she return the books he suspects she conned out of his “vulnerable” grandfather. The two reach an uneasy compromise: Wes, who also has a background in bookbinding, will help out at her shop for six weeks while she tells him stories about his grandfather, proving her affection for the man and her right to keep the books Ford gave her. While the two begin to bond over their very different but equally strong ties to Ford, the powerful physical connection between them becomes increasingly emotional as well. Garbera’s story illuminates the gradual coming together of two individuals who have both suffered alienation and loss while the picture she paints of Sera’s supportive relationship with her two partners is a paeon to the joy of female friendship. Highly recommended

-Insta Love
-cozy small town vibes
-Found family

Serafina works with her best friends at a bookshop where she hand makes ‘magical’ journals. Sera learns that her older friend/mentor has passed away and that she has been banned from his funeral by his grandson, Wesley. Wesley is suspicious of the friendship that his grandfather had with Sera and confronts Sera about it. The book follows Wesley as he gets to know Sera and know more about his grandfather whom he hasn’t spoken to for some time. Both have issues with trust so we see them navigate their feelings for each other while also struggling to trust those feelings.

I loved the bookstore and the friendships Sera had. This book definitely felt like a cozy small town read and I felt immersive in their world and feelings. While this book is romance, it also is a story about personal growth and healing from past wounds. It is overall a cozy, heartwarming read!

Serafina Conte has sought refuge in handmaking journals since she was a lonely foster kid. Now, as an adult, she and two friends run a new age store, and her handmade journals have a reputation for manifesting great things for their new owners.

When Sera's mentor Ford Sitwell dies, her loneliness and insecurities return, and the only thing that calms her is the box of antique books her left to her. But Ford's grandson Wes wants the books back.

This is a magical story about manifesting your dreams, believing in magic, finding family, and finding love. The romance piece didn't really engage me as much as Sera's magic and intention did. It was a cute read, especially if you like witchy romances and the power of transforming your own dreams!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

good romance and loved the romance between the bookbinder's and family. loved her friends owning the shop and making their dreams come true. loved the sexy times and finding oneself in the relationship.