Nobody does magical realism quite like Ashley Poston and pair that with a book about books and you get a home run. She had me laughing and crying with this love letter to readers and even though I wish there was a little more romance, I loved every page.

Huge thanks to Berkley for the copy to review.

This book is adorable. I love the theme of renewing your commitment to living your life after heartbreak.

I had heard that Ashley Poston is an author known for infusing magical realism into her love stories. She's new to me. The set-up in A Novel Love Story is both sweet and imaginative, with some truly delicious chemistry between Anders and Elsy that thrums under every stolen glance and clever bit of banter.

Ashley Poston's ingenious concept – being magically transported into a beloved book world – is pure delight. She gleefully subverts romance tropes, injecting humor and self-awareness. A bookshop cat named Butterscotch? Of course! Poston also sprinkles in delightful nods to other fandoms, a charming reminder of bygone eras like the Twilight craze.

The novel is a heartfelt ode to romance readers. Elsy, a devoted fan of author Rachel Flowers, navigates the enchanting town of Eloraton with genuine passion and humor. The bookstore scenes are pure magic, and the bookish surprise at the end is truly unforgettable (though I'll keep my lips sealed!).

Books about books hold a unique charm, and this one is no exception. I adored the entire cast, particularly the vibrant Book Club, and yearned for even more of their camaraderie.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for introducing me to Poston, an author I will be reaching out to read again soon!

This was so good! A Novel Love Story was my first of Ashley Poston's adult novels that I've read but it definitely won't be my last. All these characters and their relationships were just so wonderful.

I do have to complain about Kyle being in this though, and so much more than I was expecting to. But other than that, I was entirely charmed by this book and romance.

Ashley Poston can do no wrong! Took me a bit to get into but the writing is always so beautifully done. 4/5 stars!!!

This was such a good romance and I fell in love with these characters! I really connected with the FMC and really enjoyed their growth throughout the book. I will now be reading all of Ashley Poston’s novels

Ashley Ashley Ashley, one of my new faves ever. She's so good . Her books are so beautiful and different. I love the little magic she brings. This is her third romance and I can say they were all amazing

This is my first read from author Ashley Poston and I absolutely adored this book. When I first started reading I had trouble suspending reality (the setting is a fictional town from a book that doesn’t actually exist), but as I read more and more I fell in love with the characters and plot. Magical realism at its finest. For fans of Sarah Addison Allen. Highly recommend.

There are many days where I wish I could stumble into my favorite book and the allure of that, and this being Ashley Poston, are what made me pick this up. I liked a lot of the secondary characters, but the book felt like it should be Anders' story instead of Elsie's and I think that led to a lut bit of underwhelm. I guessed what the twist was going to be so I wasn't really surprised by that, and the magical realism left some plot holes that nobody in the story seemed to question but I sure did.

A super cute story of a girl who finds herself in the world of her favorite book series. The pacing was a little off for me, but still enjoyable.

Ashley Poston's books never disappoint! They are a wonderful mix of romance and magical realism with unique set ups and interesting characters.

I really like that her characters experience a significant amount of individual personal growth in addition to the relationship development. This story is no exception. Eileen really finds herself after being adrift for so long after a relationship ended badly. It was so interesting seeing her favorite series and characters through her eyes and how she knew every beat of what was supposed to happen but then realized things needed to move forward as well.

I ended up listening to part of the book on audio and the narrator did a fantastic job. It was an easy and engrossing read in both formats. I cannot recommend this book enough and it is definitely one of my favorite reads of this year.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for an honest review.

I’ve really enjoyed how Ashley Poston adds magical realism to her books, and this one was no exception. Our narrator embarks on an ill-fated, post-breakup road trip, takes a wrong turn and finds herself … in the fictional town where her favorite book series is set.

I usually find books about bookish people way too cheesy and gimmicky. I didn’t feel that way at all with this one. “A Novel Love Story” is truly an ode to books and reading with a love story on the side. If you liked the author’s previous two books, you’ll enjoy this one.

An Enchanting Escape into Fiction and Love

I just finished A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston, and honestly, it felt like stepping into a daydream. From the very first page, I was completely swept away by the story’s charm, whimsy, and heartfelt romance. It’s one of those rare books that reminds you why you fell in love with reading in the first place.

The story follows Eileen Merriweather, a literature professor who, after hitting rock bottom in her personal life, somehow ends up inside her favorite romance series, Quixotic Falls. Yes, you read that right—she’s literally transported into the pages of her favorite books. As someone who’s always wondered what it would be like to live inside my favorite stories, I was hooked immediately.

Poston does an amazing job of bringing the fictional town of Eloraton to life. I could practically smell the coffee from Anders’ little bookstore and feel the cozy warmth of the community. Speaking of Anders, the romance between him and Eileen is pure magic. It’s slow-burn perfection, with witty banter, tender moments, and just the right amount of tension to keep me rooting for them the whole way through.

What I loved most about this book, though, is how much it celebrates book lovers. Eileen’s journey felt so personal, like a love letter to anyone who’s ever found comfort, adventure, or even themselves in the pages of a novel. Poston has this incredible way of balancing humor, heartache, and hope, and it all came together beautifully in this story.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Just finished this book. If you're a fan of Emily Henry or enjoyed "Prime Time Romance" by Kate Robb, then you'll enjoy this book. It wasn't my favorite. I feel like it was a tad boring until around chapter 28. It was cute and held some beautiful quotes to save, but I found myself fast-forwarding.

Ashley Poston can keep me in this universe forever. I first started reading Poston when she was primarily writing for teens, but watching her writing mature and falling in love with characters my own age has been a wonderful journey. I've adored the world she has created starting with The Dead Romantics and getting to see little Easter eggs has been so much fun. A Novel Love Story did bring back a certain nostalgia for Dead Romantics and does feel like the separated at birth sibling to the first book. The idea of living in a world that a favorite person, whether that be favorite author or lost love, created was a special kind of magic. Not going to lie, the end did come close to breaking me, but that last minute swerve did put it back together. While this is not a traditional second chance romance, the MMC being given a second chance for love because of his late wife was heartbreaking in a beautiful way.

This book helped solidify for me that there is absolutely nothing Ashley Poston could write that I will not swoon over.

If I could live inside her mind for even just 24 hours, I would 100% take that opportunity, because all I can think whenever I read her books is HOW did she come up with this idea?? And this story is no exception.

Many of us have dreamed about what it would be like if we could actually step inside our favorite romance novel—and here, Ashley gives it to us. Because Elsy’s car breaks down at night in a small town and when daylight hits the next day, she realizes she’s in the fictional—or not-so-fictional?—town of Eloraton, the setting for her favorite romance series.

I loved watching her explore the town and meet characters she already knows in her heart and loves, even if they don’t yet know her. And I especially loved when she meets the grumpy bookstore owner. The one person in Eloraton she can’t remember from the books. But the book series was never completed, because the author passed away before she could finish the last book.

The twists in this book had me holding my breath and I truly just want to know what Ashley’s plotting process is like because her stories give me life. I loved how Eloraton was basically reliving the same day for years until Elsy stopped by and brought the town back to life. I feel inspired to write and find more books I absolutely love every time I read one of her stories.

“There were still happy endings to be found…even if they weren’t my own.”

I’m obsessed. Hands down. I highly recommend checking this one out, as well as her other adult romance/magical realism stories: The Dead Romantics and The Seven-Year Slip.

Read if you like:
- Magical realism
- Unexpected romance
- Forced proximity
- Small town romance
- A book within a book
- Outliers

DNF @ 45%. I wanted to love this so much, but I found myself dreading to read it. Even by 45%, I couldn’t tell where the story was going. Unfortunately not my favorite of hers, but definitely still plan to read her in the future.

Thank you so much for the gifted copy of this book!

Another hit by Ashley Poston! I mean, who wouldn't want to get lost and then find themselves in the fictional town of their favorite book series??? What a creative concept, and the author really lets her creativity shine through with this one.

I loved all of the descriptions of the town and the characters, and it made me want to read this fictional series! There's a fine line in how Eileen being in Eloraton could impact the books and characters. I kept waiting for a domino effect, but all of her missteps ended up being corrected before she left to go back to her real life.

I think the most fascinating part was how Poston addressed the author having passed away before finishing the final book in the series, and how Eileen had an impact on the eventual ending. I knew it was going to be a HEA, because this is a romance, but I didn't know how she was going to swing it.

This wasn't my favorite of Poston's books, but I still really enjoyed it!

Cute as button. Imagine getting lost on a drive and winding up in the town of your favorite romance series. You recognize the main characters from the books, secondary and tertiary characters too. They are all just like you imagined them, well almost. And whoa, I don't remember that guy from the series! Very fun.

I just love Ashley Poston’s writing and unique style of blending romance with magical realism elements in each book she writes. So many of her novels have become favorites of mine, so I was excited to read this latest release.

In A Novel Love Story, Eileen “Elsy” Merriweather finds herself in the fictional town of Eloraton. The very eerily familiar town of her beloved and favorite romance novel, Daffodil Daydreams. In the idyllic town of Eloraton, you can always find the sweetest honey taffy at the candy store, burgers that are somehow always burned, and rainstorms that only last minutes.

There’s also a grumpy bookstore owner named Anders, and he happens to be the only other person in town that suspects something strange is going on in this quaint town.

I loved pairing the book and audio, and found this to be the perfect escape read full of emotions, character growth, and undeniable chemistry.

*many thanks to Berkley Romance, PRH audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review