I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

The doors, the hallmark Christmas movies this book hat where your main character ends up in a small town that is from the book that your favorite author created is a delight from start to finish. I really enjoyed all the character interactions and the romance itself was a slow build And in Sharm Ing as well as emotional because there is some grief involved. As you read, you are delighted by all the characters who meet and as a book lover it’s understandable to want to be in the story that you love. I really love this book.

Ashley Poston is probably my favorite romance writer and I really enjoyed this exploration of why we love the tropes we do. Her characters always seem very real-- even when, in the case of this book, some of them are explicitly fictional! Highly recommend to anyone who loves a good romance.

So I really wanted to like this one, but I just couldn't sink into it. I enjoy magical realism but it just wasn't fleshed out enough for me. I think the biggest issue was the romance, I didn't feel that the author conveyed chemistry and they were in love within moments. I didn't finish it, so I won't leave a goodreads review.

Can you imagine accidentally ending up in a fictional small town? Being in a low spot and winding up somewhere fictional sounds like a daydream- which is what so many of Ashley Poston’s books read like, in the best way.

Eileen wanting to disappear and read? I instantly liked her. Anders, her grumpy love interest, took more time for me to warm up to, but I couldn’t not. Their connection was hard-won, and by the end they won me over as a couple. (Side note: kudos for this author making seemingly impossible romances work, again!)

For a cozy read that will have you alternately laughing and tearing up, with some familiar faces from previous books, I highly recommend this! As well as everything this author has ever written. <3

I am normally a huge Ashley Poston fan, but for some reason, this one didn't hit my heart as strongly as her other two. It literally took me 2.5 months of picking it up and down to get through. I couldn't connect to the characters even though in retrospect they were endearing ones. I think it might be a case of it's not. you, it's me, with this one. So don't let my review keep you from reading this. I wouldn't recommend reading it as your first experience with her writing though.

I read this book ahead of my event with Ashley Poston in DC this past summer and it was a joy just like her.

The premise of this is really wonderful and I loved the little thoughtful touches that made the town seem straight out of a real romance series. I am also very impressed she could keep all of the details straight!

I LOVED THIS BOOK just as much as all the there I’ve read by Poston. I laugh, I cry, I have ALL THE FEELS. I’d read her shopping list with rapt attention.

was such an amazing and magical story! I loved how different this storyline and concept was from other. especially as a book lover it was so wholesome to see the idea of living in your favorite book!!

Ashley Poston never disappoints in perfectly bridging paranormal and romance but making it feel believable. Characters are so fun and lots of depth

Ahhh I wanted to love this book so much. I really enjoyed The Dead Romantics and LOVED The Seven Year Slip, but this one just didn't do it for me. I wasn't a huge fan of the FMC and didn't feel the chemistry between her and the MMC. I did love the idea, just not the execution. Confident some folks will absolutely love this one and Ashley is still a one click author for me. Can't wait for the next one!

I was highly anticipating this book coming out. The author has a chokehold on me ever since I read her first novel I came across. I didn’t read her last one and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

The chapter headings were cute and clever. I love how there seems to be a type of magical realism throughout the books of this author’s that I have read. It brings something a little different than straight up romance.

“A book doesn’t have to be pretty to be able to read it.” Was one of my favorite book quotes ever!

Nobody writes magical realism quite like Ashley Poston! I was swept up in this beautiful world she created and found myself wishing her magic could seep through these pages into the real world 😂❤️ A brilliant read that will leave you feeling so much joy for the characters and stories that she creates!

I loved the concept of this book it was so different from anything that I've read. I always enjoy Ashley's writing style and the way she makes you connect with characters- this book was no different. Another cute rom com book perfect summer read.

I’ve heard so many wonderful things about Ashley Poston!

This was actually my first book by this author. I had such high hopes for this book due to all the praise I’ve seen.

I really loved the plot and how unique it was! Such a cute and cozy feeling.

The romance fell really flat for me. I didn’t feel much chemistry for them and when I did it was over the top and not really believable.

I feel like a lot of rhe story was about her helping the fictional characters not so much about the romance.

But also, that third act that was really odd. It was just thrown in there I feel?

Overall, it was a cute cozy read

3 stars

Thank you to @netgalley @berkleypub and @berkleyromance for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston is a charming and whimsical story that transports readers into a magical world where fiction and reality intertwine. Narrated by Dorothy Dillingham Blue, this story is a delightful escape for romance lovers and book enthusiasts alike.

What I Loved:
Narration: Dorothy Dillingham Blue’s performance is exceptional. Her ability to bring the characters to life with distinct voices and emotional depth adds a rich layer to the story. Her narration makes the magical realism elements feel even more enchanting.
Unique Premise: The concept of a literature professor finding herself in the fictional town of her favorite romance series is both creative and engaging. It’s a love letter to book lovers who dream of living in their favorite stories.
Character Dynamics: The interactions between Eileen (Elsy) and the grumpy bookstore owner, Anders, are filled with humor and heart. Their evolving relationship is a highlight, providing both tension and warmth.

What Could Be Improved:
Pacing: At times, the story’s pacing can feel uneven. Some sections drag slightly, which might test the patience of some listeners.
Secondary Characters: While the main characters are well-developed, some secondary characters could benefit from more depth. This would enhance the overall richness of the narrative.

Overall, A Novel Love Story is a delightful and heartwarming audiobook that offers a perfect blend of romance, humor, and magical realism. It’s a must-listen for anyone who loves a good story about love and the power of books.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #berkleypub #berkleyromance #berkleybuddyreads #prhaudio #ltbreaderteam #berkelywritesstrongwomen #anovellovestory #ashleyposton

Oh man, I am a bit disappointed in A Novel Love Story.

The premise was so fun — Elsy (Eileen???) was living my DREAM falling into the town where her favorite romance novels were set. But the problem…. Those romance novels sounds boring asf. If I had to hear Elsy (Eileen??) wax poetic about those one dimensional characters or utter the word “quixotic” one more time I was going to absolutely lose it. And it took FOREVER for ANYTHING to happen. By 1/3 through the book we were still meeting new characters from the romance novels and still hearing Elsy (Eileen?) blabber on about her past and about how awestruck she is by Eloraton. Come on, let’s go, please Queen Poston let ANYTHING happen.

I’m not big on books where nostalgia is the character’s main driving force. I want to live through the story, not listen to them whine on about what could’ve been and what wasn’t.

So I’m disappointed in this one, but I’m still 100% on the Ashley Poston train and will auto-buy any of her future books because I adored The Dead Romantics and The Seven Year Slip.

Once again, Ashley Poston has moved me to tears with her incredible magical-realism and devastating romance writing. I truly think Poston is unique amongst her peers in her writing style, and that her ability to weave a touch of fantasy into her otherwise realistic worlds is unmatched. In Novel Love Story, our main character Elsy becomes stranded in her favorite book series’ fictional town, right down to the candy store and characters from her favorite novels. Confused but unwilling to miss an opportunity of a lifetime, Elsy stays in Eloratown, lodging with the only other person in town not found in the books: Anders, a grumpy bookstore owner who seems as confused as Elsy is about her appearance. As time passes, Elsy realizes her purpose in Eloratown is to bring a permanent happy ending to her comfort characters, whose lives after their own final pages seem to be going less than ideal. And, the longer she stays, the more Elsy realizes that maybe Anders isn’t grumpy as much as grieving.

I truly cannot decide if this is my new favorite Poston novel as I loved The Seven Year Slip so much, but I will say this is definitely my favorite female friendship. While the romance and mystery of Eloratown is obviously the main focus and delight of the novel, I was especially moved by Elsy relationship with her best friend in the real world and the friendships she formed with the women from her favorite books in Eloratown. Poston does just a fabulous job of rounding out her narrators to demonstrate all facets of themselves, including the areas that need work, and I loved watching Elsy grow and learn throughout the story, especially her journey with her self-worth and image.

As always, Poston’s books are out of this world amazing, and I can’t wait to be a fan of hers forever and ever. Fans of Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez, and Beth O’Leary will love this romance.

After a terrible breakup, and being ditched by her friends, Eileen finds herself in the small town of her favorite fictional romance series. She loves everyone there, except the grumpy bookstore owner, who was not a character in any of the published books. She believes she has landed in the last book, the one left unfinished when the author died suddenly and is determined to give all her favorite characters their happy ending.

I absolutely loved the concept of the book, and we quickly get into the fictional world of the story with Eileen beginning to intertwine herself into her favorite characters' lives quite quickly which I appreciated.

However because I as a reader did not have a special bond with these characters the way Eileen did this part sort of dragged on for me, I was much more interested in her focusing on the mystery of who the new character of the bookstore owner is and how these characters would all get their happy endings. She also never seemed too concerned with leaving or if she'd be able to make it back if she left. The stakes felt incredibly low for me and she came across as very unbothered by it all, despite having her dream come true. I never connected to the story the way I wanted, despite being in love with the concept and loving Eileen immediately.

Slight spoilers ahead ---

The character I loved most was Eileen, and whenever she was going through heartbreak it had me in tears. I wasn't so convinced by the ending, although I loved the message I felt was being conveyed. I wish we had taken less time with all the fictional characters and focused on her.

There was so much I loved about this, it had me sobbing, twice! There were also quite a few things I didn’t like, or rather didn’t feel connected to, that pulled me out of the story and felt unfinished.

It’s left me pretty torn - but overall I think most romance readers will like this to some degree. This was certainly the most unique and surprising romance I’ve read all year. And I loved parts of it But I also I had a lot of issues with it.

Aww, I thought this was super cute.
I couldn't even imagine how geeked out I would be to find myself in one of my favorite fictional towns. I thought Elsie handled this revelation pretty well, and how could you not help but get involved in all the lives you've been reading about forever?

At first, I really loved the idea of Elsea and Anderson together. Their first meeting was pretty spectacular, and he owns a bookstore, so he definitely has a really big point already in his favor. Then, after they had some words, which I think Elsie needed to hear, I wasn't sure how they were going to get to any kind of romantic feelings. But of course, being the kind of book you know is going to have a happily ever after I knew we were going to get there somehow.

I loved all the people that were living in Eloraton, and how Elsie helped them move forward out of the rut they had been stuck in.
I loved the setting, and I really loved how everything turned out in the end.