This is a magical, amazing book! I believe this is Ashley Poston’s best book yet!
In this book, Elsy is still reeling from the worst year of her life. Heading to a cabin for a much needed vacation, she gets lost and finds herself stuck in the fictional town of her favorite book, with all her favorite characters. There she meets the grumpy Anders, who is the only one that knows the town and everything in it is from a book series that was never finished. Frozen in time, nothing changes in the town, until Elsy starts interacting with the characters. As Elsy helps solve the townspeople’s problems, she might just find herself healing along the way, and falling in love.
First off, I loved the concept of this book! As someone who would love to visit the fictional town of one of my favorite book series and get to interact with all the characters, Elsy’s fangirling was so relatable. Who wouldn’t be excited about the prospect? It felt very much like a mash up of the first season of Once Upon a Time, Gilmore Girls, and something unique thrown in.
Second, I really liked the characters in the book. Elsy is a strong protagonist who despite going through a hard time, makes some real changes along the way to herself. Anders is mysterious, brooding, and grumpy, but still charming and caring. The townspeople all felt vivid and lively and unique from one another. The only character I wish we got to know more of was Pru. For most of the book she’s mostly seen in flashbacks or thought about by Elsy and while we’re told they have a strong relationship, it’s hard to see.
I would say this book is more contemporary literature and magical realism than romance. Romance is definitely part of the book, I just feel like it takes a back seat to the overall plot of Elsy growing as a person and the fictional town. I was totally happy with that, but readers looking for a stronger romance plot may be disappointed.
5 stars, and already looking forward to Poston’s next book!

I really enjoyed this book, it was unique. I loved seeing books come to life and MAN I wish the other books were real. It was a liiiiiittle hard keeping track of the characters in the town because I didn't really know their stories or tropes. It broke my heart that he was the fiancee but then he STAYED because of that girl and then he showed up and everything was fine...Just a little confusing.

Ashley Poston has such a way with words and as always this book was so beautifully written and heartwarming.

Imagine getting dumped in your favorite fictional small town, to discover all the characters from the books are real and right in front of you, existing as they did on the page. This is exactly what happened when Elsy, romance reader obsessed, has her car break down in a random small town. Just to find out she’s in Eloraton, her favorite Novel’s town to be specific, and all her stand out couples are real!!

This book is a love letter to readers really, especially to romance readers and readers who love to imagine being in their favorite stories. I connected so much to this aspect of the story and found it so comforting. There was a lot I felt was missing in this story but the biggest takeaway for me was the connection I felt to Elsy as a reader.

I did not feel as though this book was truly a romance, the romance was secondary if non-existent for the majority of the book. I think this is a good expectation to have going into the story in order to appreciate it for what it actually is, a story of finding yourself when you’re lost and desiring maybe a different reality to the one that you imagine.

Elsy was such a wonderful character and her adventure in this town was fun to follow, however the middle did feel slow to me as the story tended to be more side character driven at times, and less focused on the romance or even the primary plot, I just felt a bit lost as a reader for a portion of time.

I do however recommend this book for those looking for a story dedicated to one’s love for fictional stories and how our imagination can really teach us about our own lives. I found myself a bit disappointed overall, but the ending was so so sweet and there are definitely some amazing lines in the book that I was remember and go back to!

3.5/5

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for the arc.

I AM IN AWE! 5 Stars! This was everything I wanted and more. I stayed up til 2 am to finish this book and it left me in tears. I think this is going to be my new Roman Empire....

"A Novel Love Story" by Ashley Poston is a delightful tale that sweeps readers into the enchanting world of romance and literature. If you loved The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston and Book Lovers by Emily Henry, this one is for you! I have never felt so seen and relatable to a character as I did with Eileen. This book is for the hopeless romantics at heart who dream of their own book boyfriend and find solace in the pages of romance books.

Poston masterfully weaves together the elements of romance and literature, creating a narrative that is both captivating and heartwarming. The chemistry between Elsy (Eileen) and Anders is so electric and it is the sunshine x grumpy trope we all know and love!

I for one would absolutely love to dive into the town/setting of my favorite romance novels and meet those characters. This book had funny, captivating, tearful, and moments with shocking twists that will keep you wanting to turn the pages. I absolutely adored The Seven Year Slip and it stands to be one of my TOP romance novels, but I feel like this one is about to take that spot for me. It was that good!

I am so excited for this release, thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to receive an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ashley Poston's gift is crafting romance with an element of science fiction that's still believable and enchanting to the readers.

From psuedo-ghosts to time slips--- love finds a way through barriers in her previous books (The Dead Romantics and The Seven Year Slip) and she continues that trend in A Novel Love Story.

"A professor of literature finds herself caught up in a work of fiction… literally.

Eileen Merriweather loves to get lost in a good happily-ever-after. The fictional kind, anyway. Because at least imaginary men don’t leave you at the altar. She feels safe in a book. At home. Which might be why she’s so set on going her annual book club retreat this year—she needs good friends, cheap wine, and grand romantic gestures—no matter what.

But when her car unexpectedly breaks down on the way, she finds herself stranded in a quaint town that feels like it’s right out of a novel…

Because it is."

For any reader that's lost themselves in a fictional world when the real world is too much-- A Novel Love Story is for you.

Elsy is lost in the world of her favorite book and getting in person lessons from the characters she's been reading and re-reading for years. Through Elsy we meet a woman who's lost herself and is stuck in a holding pattern going through the motions of life.

Once she's in Eloraton there's a freedom she finds to trusting her instincts and trusting her voice. Is it enough to pull her out of her shell when she enters the real world?

And who is the grumpy bookstore owner she doesn't remember reading about? The reader can take their own lessons from him... but I don't want to give away his journey.

Elsy's reliance on fiction to buoy her staid life is so relatable, and the journey she takes to go from avoiding things to tackling life head on is one the reader will fall in love with.

A Novel Love Story is truly every reader's dream of a story. Eileen Merriweather, lover of romance novels just like so many of us readers, stumbles into her favorite fictional small town following the events of a broken engagement and feeling like she is disconnected and falling behind in the life in comparison to her friends. This book wasn't my favorite, but it had many stand out elements, I just am unsure if it came together in the best way possible. To start, I think this book was missing having a "main driver" of the book, while shelved as a romance novel, I think the romantic build of the relationship felt secondary/potentially underwhelming. I don't think this would have bothered me much if this story had a stronger plot and really leaned into the women's fiction aspect, but I also found the plot to be lacking. The events of this book stay relatively self contained to Eileen existing in this small town and interacting with her favorite fictional characters as real people. I was fairly entertained by this, but from the 40-70% mark I found myself wanting a little more action going on. I absolutely love Ashley Poston's writing and the main stand out of this book for me was her beautiful prose and the eloquent way she described what it MEANS to be a reader, I don't think I have ever felt my love for fictional worlds and characters so perfectly described. This book is VERY descriptive, which didn't totally bother me because I viewed it more or less as a book within a book so the more lengthy descriptions made sense to me, but it did lose me slightly when I saw certain descriptions be repeated time and time again. Overall, not my favorite, but I would still recommend reading this one.

This book was so cute, charming, and whimsical, and honestly felt like a Hallmark movie in book form. Elsy lives out every book lover's dream of getting to experience and live in her favorite book series, and I really enjoyed the overall premise. This was only my second Ashley Poston book, and this was definitely my favorite of her two books that I've read.

Given that the ARC copy I received was an uncorrected proof, there were some minor grammatical/mechanical errors that I picked up on - but nothing was really distracting from the story itself. I did find myself getting bored with some sections where it felt like the chapters were dragging on longer than needed. By the time I reached the 65% mark, I was fully engrossed in the story and the characters, and finished the book in that one sitting.

I really loved Elsy and her relationship with her best friend, Pru. All of their thoughts and feelings towards books mirrored so much of the ways that I feel about books, so a lot of it felt like I was just talking to a bookish friend about our love of books. Ashley Poston really knows her audience with this one and I'm looking forward to possibly giving this a reread once it's officially released! And thank you to NetGalley for the arc! ♡ ♡

This was genuinely one of the best books I have read so far this year. It felt all at once familiar and brand-new, and I found myself lost in the subtle magic of the story. I laughed out loud, I cried, I grieved and celebrated. I enjoyed falling through every page the way Elsy fell a little bit more in love with the world around her each day. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who has enjoyed Poston's other books, anyone who ever wished they could live in a literal Hallmark small town, anyone learning how to do life after loss, and generally anyone who likes a well-earned and well-deserved happily ever after. 10/10!

This is a cute story. It’s not my favorite Ashley Poston book but it was cute and original.

A story that comes to life before her very eyes, Elsy stumbles upon Eloraton, the town of her favorite book. We watch her meet her true to self characters except one person isn’t mentioned in the book but is a pillar in the town. So what’s up with him? Well, a cute story tells this tale.

Thank you for this copy!

I have LOVED both books I've read by Ashley Poston, so I was excited to open this book immediately. Right from the start the concept is intriguing....a book lover ... in a personal rut...takes a road trip and gets lost...ending up in the fictional town from her favorite book series...the one that never finished because the author passed away before the fifth and final installment. I had to figure it out, I had to know what brought Anderson there and how would Eileen be able to leave these characters? If I ended up in my favorite book series, I'm unsure I could pry myself away either.

I will admit, I was partially distracted through portions of this book, wondering if Anderson was real or fictional...He seemed real, but was it too good to be true? I did enjoy the ending of the book that was one where it could come full circle for not only Eileen's life and friendship with her best friend Pru, but also where life could come full circle for Anderson. That made your heart happy,

I will continue to look forward to Ashley Poston's books, as they have an extra element of "what's going on here" in a magical sense that your traditional romance books don't typically have.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Expected publication June 25, 2024

This is a wonderful whimsical read for any romance reader who has fallen love with the setting of their favorite book and the world the author has created. A sweet read with likeable characters with a lot of appeal for readers. Get lost in the charm of this book.

Poston's third novel is essentially every reader's dream come true. Who among us hasn't dreamt of living in a book, becoming a part of the setting, down to the book boyfriend? I can think of at least 4 or 5 books off the top of my head that I would, without hesitation, jump into right this second. So, yeah, the premise is genius and essentially a love letter to readers - especially romance readers. Is it perfect? No. I have some issues with the female MC, and the slow burn was a bit TOO slow for my taste. Well worth the read, though, and a must for romance lovers.

This book basically a love letter to the romance genre - and a bigger “fuck you” to the haters.
It’s a dream we all have - you suddenly find yourself in the world of your favorite series. You meet the characters you e always loved, relive iconic moments in places you’ve always wanted to see. And the best part? You get your very own book boyfriend.
As a person with many, many book boyfriends, how could I not love this?
I love Poston’s prose - it’s lyrical and gorgeous, sad and hopeful and full of banter. I found myself smiling so many times. Her use of magical realism is fantastic, as well. It just works.
I could really relate to Elsy, the FMC. Probably most readers can in some way, especially if you’re the type to get lost in books when things are difficult, or have favorite stories you revisit again and again. She also struggles with her identity and being a chronic people pleaser. It’s so easy to drown in someone else until you can’t recognize yourself anymore, and I loved seeing that in text.
And Anders? Top tier book boyfriend. Would marry. (Despite being blonde.)
What I didn’t like - some repetitive phrasing and spelling/grammatical errors. That’s it, really. And given that this is an uncorrected proof, I assume a lot of it will be fixed during editing.
𝐀 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 will be available to the public on 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒.

Thank you @berkleyromance, @berkleypub, @netgalley, and @heyashposton for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

After devouring Ashley Poston's novel, The Seven Year Slip, I eagerly delved into A Novel Love Story. Poston's unique storylines and compelling characters never fail to charm me, effortlessly blending depth with a refreshing, entertaining tone.

Although A Novel Love Story didn't quite reach the heights of The Seven Year Slip for me, its charm and endearing qualities were undeniable. While the initial pacing felt a tad sluggish, I found myself increasingly engrossed as the story unfolded, particularly drawn in by its midpoint. Admittedly, I felt like the conclusion lingered a bit longer than necessary.

However, despite these pacing nuances, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel. The characters, notably the dynamic friendship between Eileen and Prudence, along with the endearing camaraderie within the book group, added layers of depth and warmth to the narrative.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Loved this! Another heart warming, slightly magical tale from Ashley Poston. I'm loving the collection of work she's building and she's nailed it again this one. I finished it in two days!

Ashley Poston has a way with Magical Realism that is refreshing to see in adult, contemporary romance spaces. A Novel Love Story feels like a love letter to the Romance genre. What book lover hasn't imagined what it would be like to find themselves a part of the world that their favorite author created? The author gave us small town vibes, romance and a view into what it means for characters (real and imagined) to get 'unstuck' and finally be the main characters in their own lives. I love this lady's author brain!

4.5 stars. oh how I loved this. This book perfectly captures what it is to be a book lover through and through. It’s written for the people that wish they could escape into their favorite fictional world when life gets to be too much, for the people that find comfort in books.

Elsy is heading to her book club’s cabin when her car breaks down in a small town she’s never been to…only she has.

This book felt like a big, warm hug. I related to Elsy SO MUCH in how she finds comfort and safety in books. Her whole personality as a book lover is literally me as a person. I loved her love for her favorite series and characters and loved that they were literally THERE for her. Being in her favorite world with her was so fun. Elsy also feeling like she gives so much of herself to people but never receives anything back was so relatable and I loved watching her grow out of that and into her own person.

This is not a romance heavy book and I was totally okay with that!! I was seriously so invested in the town’s story and Elsy. The bits of romance we did get were excellent & I love how their story unfolded. I also really appreciated the positivity & attitude towards romance books & romance readers in this book.

This was such a whimsical, magical time and I loved it so much. The plot was seriously so unique and had me absolutely captivated. Absolutely recommend.

Read this if you are a romance super fan, love fan fic, or if magical realism is your jam. Our FMC gets stuck in a rain storm and ends up in a town that is straight out of her favorite series. The characters, the businesses, EVERYTHING is exactly as it is in the books. It's magical realism and romance fan swoony language. It made me think about some of my favorite books and which ones I'd want to visit!

😬I LOVE Ashley Poston and was beyond excited to read her new book. Having said that, Dead Romantics was literal GOLD and this one felt less polished to me. I enjoyed parts of it and got lost in the fictional town, but the insta romance and lack of depth to the characters made it less than 5 ⭐ for me.

I really liked Eileen and Pru but felt like Eileen was clinging to their past really hard. Maybe because I'm almost 40 and have gone through these changes in my friendships, this seemed like kind of a tough friend to have.

I can't wait to read more from Ashley Poston and maybe I'm not the right reader for this book. The romance is there and if you embrace cheesy/swoony insta love, you will adore this book.

Thanks to netgalley and Berkley for an ARC of this book to review.

Ashley Poston is quickly becoming one of those authors whose books I will automatically buy and read. I love the little surprises and unexpected twists in every book. This is the first book in a while that I’ve felt myself not wanting to put down. Very well developed characters and storyline.

I will admit while this wasn't my very favorite by Ashley Poston (Seven year slip still holds that honor), A novel love story was very enjoyable and perfect for fans of Book lovers by Emily Henry or the movie, Pleasantville.

With a fun premise - a woman finds herself wandering into a fictional town of her favorite romance book series - a swoony grumpy bookstore owner MMC and a romance loving FMC, this book ticked a lot of my fav things.

That said, I felt it was missing the essential spark that catapults books into my absolute all-time memorable, must reads. Long-time fans won't be disappointed and this is sure to get great reviews. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest opinions!

Steam level: mostly PG with a couple mild, open door scenes