The beginning of this story felt like a love letter to Bookstagram/bookish social media and I LOVED IT! Omg IN MY feels! The excitement of finding your bookish people! I am so grateful to Booksta for giving me all you wonderful people! Wooooo and she had me almost crying AGAIN! Poston knows how to land a punch right in the feels!!! I absolutely LOVE IT! The connection is remarkable! Also Anders for the win with Team No Naps! I am not a fan of naps I always wake up more tired than I was, it’s a curse! And I just loved the personal growth throughout this story. Eileen was one of the most relatable characters I have ever read and I am just so grateful to have read this book. Ashley Poston is absolutely one of my favorites to read and I think she is just TOP TIER! 🥰

Ashley Poston's "A Novel Love Story" reimagines the classic Grumpy x Sunshine dynamic, reminiscent of Gilmore Girls' beloved Luke and Lorelai, through the narrative of Eileen Merriweather, a literature professor, and Anders, the owner of a quaint bookstore.

Eileen, also known as Elsy, embarks on her yearly retreat to a cabin in the Hudson Valley. She is accompanied by her book club friends for a weekend of relaxation, wine, and homage to their cherished author, the late Rachel Flowers. This year, however, Elsy finds herself on a solitary journey.

Her adventure takes an unexpected turn following car troubles and a storm, leading her to the idyllic town of Eloraton, a place lifted straight from the pages of Rachel Flowers' novels and the setting of Elsy's favorite stories. Here, Elsy's path crosses with Anders, the gruff bookstore owner. As Elsy navigates this seemingly perfect town, she discovers anomalies that hint at unresolved mysteries. Torn between her love for this bookish haven and the pull of the real world, Elsy faces a dilemma. However, as she unravels Eloraton's mysteries, she unwittingly authors her own love story.

"A Novel Love Story" is an engaging read that captures the essence of its characters and their emotional journey with captivating detail. This novel promises a delightful escape for those yearning for a romance that transports you into the heart of a place as magical as Stars Hollow or Eloraton. Engaging, heartwarming, and utterly unputdownable, it is a fantastic read for a cozy weekend.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for my galley! Unfortunately this just didn’t work for me from start to finish. I think the authors style is just really not for me. I found the writing and pacing really uneven and downright stilted and over complicated. This could have been 150 pages shorter easily or at the very least the first third could have lost 50 pages to get us to the main set up of the town sooner.

The romance didn’t really leap off the page for me. I didn’t get the chemistry or honestly the charm of the supposed love interest. Our main character felt a tad too pathetic, as I felt she didn’t really contribute a lot to the characters or her own story. Her paralysis and sadness was a downer and I couldn’t tell if I should focus more on her failed romance, her own self esteem, or her friendship with her best friend— it seemed like they were all fighting for space and quotable moments without really coming together.

Add to that the ultimate reveal of the love interest and the book series she loves and it felt too cringe for me, like an obsessive stalker gone too far. I don’t think I’ll continue reading from the author but I did appreciate the chance to try again with her to see if her writing style grew on me.

It pains me to write this review. The premise behind this novel was amazing, I have never read anything like it. Getting stuck in your favorite fictional town??? That's a dream.

Unfortunately this story fell a little flat for me. I was completely hooked for about 40%, I was having the best time reading this, it was cute and fun and had sooooo much potential. I just think the chemistry wasn't there for the love interests and there was little to no build up. Then when you find out more details later, it made it even worse because what???

There was a lot of repetitive descriptions, like I get it he smells like books and his eyes are minty. Also the FMC would not shut up about her best friend, every time anyone did anything she was like "oh Pru did this, Pru said that" I was sick and tired of hearing her best friends name and she wasn't even present. I get maybe the author was trying to show how the FMC gets attached to people she loves and that's one of her flaws but it was just getting really annoying to me.

Overall the plot of the book was so interesting that I rounded up to 3 stars but I just felt like it could have been a 5 star read.

Huge thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the eARC, because I do love Poston's writing and was very excited to read this!

I don't know how many more times I can say that I love an author but I'll say it again here. I love Ashley Poston's books. This one was near perfect for me and I can't wait to add it to my bookshelf.

Thank you for the chance to read early!

What a fabulous premise for a book. Who hasn't read any number of books that so clearly described the location and the characters that if you stumbled across the place you would know it and everyone in it? Ever read and reread a book because the locale descriptions and characters were where and with whom you wanted to be? I definitely have, and I hope you have, as well. It makes for the perfect retreat any time you need it. A Novel Story is exactly that for the two primary characters. Ashley Poston takes her readers along to the town and introduces the characters with a rare precision. On occasion, I have been known to peek at the final pages of a book. Not advisable for this story. All in due time.

I really liked Poston's writing in this novel. Elsy's really living my dream of being in my favorite series. I adored the ending and I loved the resolution between Anders and Elsy. My only quip with this book was that I felt like the book focused on Elsy's favorite book characters rather than the relationship itself. It was hard for me to buy into the relationship they had together because they're moments together felt so few and far between. The ending of this book REALLY makes it though.

I don’t read romance - ever. But, an autobuy author for me is @heyashposton and has been since reading The Dead Romantics (which is still one of my absolutely favorite books ever). So, when I saw she had a new book coming out, I requested it so fast on NetGalley.

I absolutely adored this book. I laughed and cried and then laughed some more. Such a unique plot can you imagine getting stuck in your favorite book’s fictional town? Sign me up! I loved the MC and I loved that this wasn’t just a romance in the traditional sense, but it also focused on a love from your best friend and growing on your own. Ugh such a heart warming read!

I didn't really love how the book started off, especially as it was building the setting in Eloraton because it would jump back and forth between the present with Anders and the past with Pru and how they read about the town in the books. It made things quite confusing since it was change randomly in the middle of the chapters. Honestly, I didn't care about her friendship/moments with Pru and I would have loved if there was more focus on the town itself.

As I read more and more, I realized how dense Elsy was sometimes. I don't understand how she didn't realize Anders was the only one aware of things other characters weren't and I was just waiting for her to put things together. There were interesting parts in the story, like when we realize again how she's in a book with other characters and she gets to experience them through conversations. But as a whole, the book moved so slowly. I wanted more of the romance between her and Anders but even more than 70% through and there were crumbs of their developing friendship/relationship. I feel like the book could have moved a lot faster, especially as Elsy wasn't asking questions she should have been asking. I also was not convinced of the romance between Elsy and Anders. The romance definitely took a backseat for me in this book and I feel like they barely focused on getting to know each other. I wanted more of the town, more character interactions, and just more between Elsy and Anders. The ending was definitely a letdown for me and I expected much more. I didn't feel connected to any of the characters and though I understand most of them were characters in the "book", I still think there could have been more personality and voice. I love the idea of Elsy stumbling upon a town right out of her favorite book, but it was just lacking in the romance department and I think the ideas could have been fleshed out more. Despite this, the author's writing was comfortable and I did grow to like this book more as it progressed.

Another winner from Ashley Poston! Imagine being transported to the pages of your favorite small town romance novel - but you'd have to leave your real life behind - this is the question that A Novel Love Story touches on - I always love how Poston intersperses magical realism into her books, but not enough to teeter on fantasy. Fans of Poston will definitely adore this one come June publication.

Thank you to Berkley Romance for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this book! Such a unique take on a romance and finding yourself. I cried with this one at the part where the MC meets the author and the author says she doesn’t care if people don’t read her book she just loves writing! I don’t know it just made me realize how much I love reading, especially romance. I also love that she made fun of her own book in this book.

I wanted to like this more than I did. I felt like nothing really happened in the first half of the book. There's only so many times you can read about burnt hamburgers, mint green eyes, and someone who tastes like black tea. I also felt like the main character new the people in the town, but the reader didn't. It was hard to have them be familiar to the character, but not to the reader. The plot picked up in the last quarter of the novel and I enjoyed that part the best. However, it wasn't enough to redeem the entire read for me. Still, patrons should enjoy this book. Although, I wish that I liked it as much as I did the author's previous titles.

I loved The Dead Romantics so I was so excited to read another another book by Ashley Poston. I'm so happy to say that A Novel Love Story did not disappoint! Ashley Poston has a great way of weaving fantasy with romance and I can't get enough! Definitely recommend

Ashley Poston has done it again! A beautiful, modern love story, this time also in the form of a love letter to books, specifically romance novels.

Eileen "Elsy" Merriweather is an English professor who spends her free time reading romance novels with her best friend from childhood, Pru. Her favorite series is Quixotic Falls, four books that got her through an especially painful breakup that has left Elsy lost for direction in life. When her romance book club's annual reading retreat to the Catskills gets cancelled, she decides to go on the retreat by herself, planning to leave her real life behind and immerse herself in Quixotic Falls--and she does!

I always open an Ashley Poston novel wondering what the magical twist will be. After reading The Dead Romantics, I wasn't sure what to expect but The Seven Year Slip was entirely its own thing, the only similarity being how much I loved the characters and how the magic of the story only enhanced it, never pulling you away from the love developing on the page. A Novel Love Story is its own thing yet again. It sets a path that is swoonworthy but also feels very adult. The issues that Elsy and her MMC face are grief and loss, not something as simple as a miscommunication trope to be written out in a couple of pages. For that reason, their love story seems even sweeter. Elsy finding her HEA might take a bit of real soul-searching but since she's the expert on romance novels, we as the readers know she will get there in the end.

A gorgeous book that I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to read. Now I just have to figure out how to wait for the next one.

I was so excited to dive into this book because I absolutely loved The Seven Year Slip. The premise is so intriguing and I was excited to see what happened when the FMC entered the town where her favorite books take place. Unfortunately it missed the mark for me a little bit. I felt that there were a lot of writing discrepancies that had me rereading lines over and over until I just had to keep going.

The romance was a very slow burn, but I loved when it started to pick up. But then it slowed down again and it lost me a little bit.

All that being said, I LOVED how Elsy came back into herself and started to fully appreciate her found family / her best friend. I will always read Ashley Poston and I did have a good time reading this! Thank you so much to net galley for the arc💗

I went into A Novel Love Story with an open mind, as I do with any Ashley Poston novel. This author’s books are so very unique, I’m not even sure how to categorize them when I’m writing my reviews. So far she’s tackled main protagonists who can see the dead (and fall in love with them), slips back and forth in time, and now a book about getting stranded in the setting of a beloved romance series.

First let me say, I wouldn’t necessarily say this is 100% romance, but more a mixture of romance and women’s fiction. Eileen Merriweather is a dedicated romance reader who has recently gone through a terrible breakup. Her coping mechanism lately is to get lost in her books and hide from the rest of the world. As a member of a book club dedicated to one specific author and series, she supported by a group of likeminded people. When everyone drops out last minute for their annual retreat, she decides to go alone. And ends up in the last place she expected–the lovely small town of Eloraton– the setting of her favorite romance series.

It takes Elsy a bit to realize exactly where she’s ended up. Everything feels so familiar, but it’s not until she starts meeting the real-life versions of these characters that she begins to understand, and she decides to stay for a bit, even though the proprietor of the local book shop seems to be in hurry to get her to leave. But things don’t seem to be as perfect as they are in the novels she loves so much, and her favorite couples are stuck in time, frozen just where the author left them in her series arc, before she passed away and left the last book in the series and the conclusion unfinished. So, she begins to “help” where she can, and give advice, but it seems that she’s also messing with the characters relationships and the town itself, and the only person who understands the ripple effects is that grumpy bookstore owner, Anders.

I have a lot of complicated feelings about this book and its execution. As a romance reader I loved the entire premise of getting stuck in the setting of your favorite romance series. Meeting the characters, discovering their motivations, and helping them make decisions along the way. I liked that Elsy eventually came to the realization that her happily ever after was entwined with the towns. I didn’t think the romance aspect was particularly strong, but then again, the revelations about the identity of Anders didn’t really come to the very end, and I understand why this story and romance played out the way it did. Just as an FYI, as with this author’s other novels, this is very much a grief book. I don’t want to give too much away, but grief and the stages of grief do play a big part in the overall story arc.

There was one thing that did irritate me a bit and that is the use of one specific descriptive when talking about the MMC’s eyes. The word mint was used 33 times and it about drove me crazy. My brain kept telling me there has to be a reason why this word is used so many times…like maybe it will come back to mean something later on, and I was kind of correct for thinking that, but for me to actually do a search to find out how many times the word appears should tell you how it stood out to me.

All in all, this was a very enjoyable read. The premise is so different, and I can’t help but be swept into any story this author pens. I’m also always happy to see easter eggs from her other novels appear. I had a few quibbles, but those were negligible to my overall satisfaction.

A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston is the third (and a half) book I have read by this author. I really enjoyed the others, and I loved the concept of this one! I love the side characters in A Novel Love Story, and wish the in-story book series and Rachel Flowers were real so I could read them too.

I wish every situation, every couple's story, was longer and explained more. I think it's purposely written to make the side characters feel more like main character, but we didn't get to know enough about each of them and their relationships to really cement them as characters we should care about.

Additionally, I read a lot of fantasy and love world building! I really wanted to know a lot more about the fictional world they live in. Give me all the details about how it works... Are they stuck there? We know time moves on, so how do they function week to week?

So I like the concept and like the book, but just wish there was more detail!

Thank you Berkley and Netgalley for an advanced edition to review.

"A Novel Love Story" was everything I hoped for, especially since it's from Ashley Poston! It seriously tugged at my heartstrings and gave me all those intense emotions!

Our protagonist, Eileen, is a romance aficionado, utterly consumed by the world of a series written by the late Rachel Flowers. Despite her fervent love for romance in literature, she adamantly avoids it in her own life. Like, can you relate?? Because I definitively can.
As her best friend moves forward in life, Eileen feels like she's trapped in a repetitive cycle, much like flipping through the same pages of her beloved novels. However, when plans for her annual book club retreat fall through, Eileen impulsively decides to go alone, leading her on an unexpected journey to Eloraton, the fictional town from her favorite series. Cue the excitement!

In Eloraton, Eileen encounters all her cherished characters and even stumbles upon a charmingly grumpy bookstore owner who seems ripped straight from the pages of her beloved novels. Yet, shockingly, she doesn't recognize him at all! But beyond the thrilling plot twists and charming characters lies a deeper resonance. Eileen's journey mirrors that of many of us in our twenties – feeling stuck, frozen in time, and searching for direction. Ashley Poston deftly weaves themes of self-discovery and growth into the narrative, making it a poignant read for anyone navigating the tumultuous waters of young adulthood.

And can we talk about Ashley's writing? It's positively spellbinding! Her prose is witty, charming, and rich in detail, painting a vivid picture of Eloraton that leaps off the page. The premise of Eileen attempting to bring the town to its storybook conclusion adds an intriguing layer to an already captivating story, leading readers on an enchanting journey filled with surprises and heartwarming moments.

If you're a fan of Ashley Poston's previous works, this book is an absolute must-read! And if you're in the market for a romance with a hefty dose of heart and a sprinkle of magic, look no further – "A Novel Love Story" has got you covered. So, do yourself a favor and snag a copy of this delightful read – you won't regret it! 📚💖

Biggest plot twist ever : I loved this book and even cried at the end ???
I started this book vehemently disliking it. The main reason was that my stupid brain could not understand why the character would end up in a fake town with fake people that i actually had to invest myself into. Then, and that’s due to my stupid brain again, I did not like how the flashbacks were brought and written but I must say I still don’t like it.
The other part though? It grew on me and I’m now happy to announce that i’m obsessed with the idea of ending up in the fake town from your favourite book. I loved the way our main character had to find a way to end her favourite series that couldn’t be finished due to the author’s sudden death.
The romance was absolutely brilliant, the banter and the backstory of our main male character (this is why I cried). I also obviously loved the morality of this book : your story is always only just beginning.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

I wanted to love this -- I thought the premise was really interesting. But I struggled to get through it. As other reviewers noted, there was some repetition, or it felt like it was dragging on in the middle. I was also really distracted by the premise! I'm not sure I understand how the main character came to stumble upon a fictional town, or how the townsfolks presented (were they really real? How did they leave the town if it was fictional?). That distracted me as I was reading, and I don't feel like I had answers.