Gahhhh I really loved this. Ashley Poston has a way of adding elements of magical realism into all of her romances and they have all drawn me in and kept me captivated. This one was extra unique and I want to hug it.

Imagine a broken romance lover getting lost on her way to her book club’s cabin (where she’d be alone) and winding up in the small town that inspired her favorite romance authors series. And having the Wizard of Oz moment when she realized that all her favorite characters were there and she was living in the books.

This one was just next level for me and I can’t wait to get a hard copy of my own to share with my book club.

If I ever need to get lost in a cozy romance, A Novel Love Story will be THE go-to cozy book that I want to be transported to.

Have you ever wanted to run away from life and just get lost in your favourite book (or TV show)? Or better yet, have you ever dreamed about being able to visit your favourite cozy fictional world (like Stars Hollow) and befriend your favourite fictional characters? Well, that's exactly what happened to Elsy.

This Inkworld-meets-Gilmore Girls story is about Elsy who gets lost on her way to her book club retreat (in which she was the only one who could make it to the retreat anyways) and finds herself stranded in a lovely small town where everything and everyone seemed oddly familiar. She ends up taking up lodging with Anders, the grumpy yet alluring bookstore owner, and soon realizes that she has somehow found her way to Eloraton - the fictional town from her all-time favourite romance series, Quixotic Falls.

Everything and everyone in Eloraton was exactly like how she imagined except they seemed to be stuck. Ever since the author of Quixotic Falls died before the final book of the series was completed, the town of Eloraton and its residents were left in limbo. And so Elsy sets out to find out how all her favourite characters are doing and to get the closure that she needs even if that means meddling around and falling for a certain bookstore owner...

I'll admit, this book and I got off on a bumpy start. I didn't really like Anders at first (but then, neither did Elsy) and I found the story to be quite predictable (C'mon, Elsy! It took you way too long to figure out the plot twist!) but then Anders started growing on me. Maybe it's because I've been obsessed with Dramione fics lately but Anders seemed very Malfoy-esque (white blond hair, minty green eyes, grumpy exterior, but actually a real softy who loves reading romance novels and hates peas! Is he even real? This is the Malfoy of my dreams!) I also found myself constantly wanting to slowdown and savour all the moments between Elsy and Anders. In fact, there were numerous occasions when I would flip back to early chapters and re-read previous scenes because I wasn't ready for the next chapter to begin or for the story to end (by this point, I've probably already re-read the book 3 or 4 times in the span of 2 weeks).

Elsy kept bringing up how great it feels to lose yourself amongst familiar characters and cozy, comforting moments when reading and re-reading your favourite book and that's exactly how I felt when I was reading (and re-reading) A Novel Love Story. I've never felt cozier than when I was reading this book. I don't remember the last time a book made me feel this way and for that alone, this book deserves 5/5 stars.

Ashley Poston really nailed it with this one. Like I am fully obsessed with the way she writes her adult romances, they're always so quirky and different from anything else I've ever read. This was no different. I loved the characters and the idea of falling into a storybook and wanting to stay forever. It also made me want to read this hypothetical made up series.... Anyway, I'm obsessed.

SUCH a cool premise. Elsy loves the Daffodil Daydreams romance series, which is cut short after the author's untimely death. On her way to a secluded cabin in the woods to partake in her annual romance readathon with her book club, despite being the only one to attend this year, she is waylaid in a town that looks suspiciously familiar. It is indeed Eloraton, the famous and entirely fictional setting of Daffodil Daydreams. But how is this possible? And why is she so drawn to Eloraton's grumpy bookstore owner who seems to be the only one who knows they're both in an impossible situation?

My love of the premise knows no bounds. How often have we wanted to slip into the fictional towns of other people's stories, fixing their problems or maybe causing chaos? It's the perfect set up. Elsy herself is a cute character--wanting desperately to see where her favorite characters have ended up and worrying over how they all see so stuck where the author left them. They're all so unfinished, tortured by will they/won't they relationships, perpetual renovations, and bad work schedules. Despite being warned not to cause ripples by Anders, our grumpy bookstore owner, Elsy does just that. But then she starts causing ripples with Anders, falling for him instead of trying to find his fictional heroine. Elsy has to leave--it's predetermined because you can't keep living in fiction. But what's a girl to do when she falls for an actual book boyfriend?

Super cute. Definitely oodles of points for the premise. The book feels a little unfinished/unpolished--lots of little continuity errors and far too many mentions of minty eyes and black tea breath. Like I get it, the man is a walking tea cup. I wish the book had spent more time developing Elsy's relationship with Anders rather than have Elsy get drunk with her fictional friends more often than not--that felt like a waste of time, so when Anders and Elsy finally have their sexual tension release the tension hasn't tensed enough for it to make sense to me.

Anyway, my ultimate verdict is it just felt like it needs another round of edits.

AHHHH


That was very different from what I normally read. I loved it.

5 stars
SO GOOD

THANK YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU to the publishers for approving my request

This was such a charming read! I absolutely loved Ashley Poston's previous book, THE SEVEN YEAR SLIP, so I was very excited to pick up A NOVEL LOVE STORY. And it did not disappoint! I have yet to encounter an author who's able to merge contemporary fiction and magical realism so seamlessly.

A Novel Love Story is a DREAM COME TRUE for book lovers! AHHHH! What a well-crafted and cozy story!

Read if you like:
* bookish books
* grumpy bookstore owners (that smell like black tea + old books)
* quirky book club characters
* bookstore cats
* small towns
* FMC on a journey of self-discovery

🩶 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this e-ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5 stars

Ashley Poston is just on another level. She consistently combines romance and magical realism flawlessly. In her newest book, A Novel Love Story, she writes a storyline absolutely perfect for book lovers everywhere. Elsy is at a standstill in life and decides to go on a road trip alone after her book club cancels on her. She somehow stumbles into a small town that is eerily familiar - it is the small town from her favorite romance series. And the grumpy bookstore owner she can’t stand? She’s never read about him in the books. Who is he and how is any of this possible?

I highlighted this entire book basically. Poston’s keyboard was on fire with this one. I adored all of the characters and just couldn’t get over how perfect the premise was. Elsy and Anders were perfectly flawed and I was invested in the mysteries of their town. Gah just the best. Ashley Poston can do no wrong.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ashley Piston does a great job writing a magical realism story. This book is for all the book lovers who find themselves immersed in the story. The concept is unique and fun. The romance had its issues but that is probably what makes the story.

Ashley Poston just doesn’t miss! It feels like this book was made in a lab for me. From the elements of magical realism to a cast of characters straight out of your favorite cozy read, A Novel Love Story was perfection. Can’t wait for this book to hit shelves this summer!

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for the ARC!

Half of this book is just some variation of one of the following:

“his minty gaze”

“he smelled like black tea”

“in the sunlight, his hair looked golden”

This book desperately needs an editor. why were these descriptions repeated so many times?? I don’t have the best memory, i’ll be the first to admit, but it’s not THAT bad. I don’t need to be reminded every two seconds that his eyes are green — and not even just green, there had to be some useless adjective in front of it like minty or emerald or forest. If i never hear those words again, it’ll be too soon.

Now i know this is trivial, and it’s probably not too difficult to look past if you’re enjoying the story. But guess what? Yes, that’s right. I wasn’t enjoying it. at least not the romance. and that is quite possibly the worst way to feel when you are reading a romance book. They fell in love in like… five days. Where is the chemistry?? Where is the angst and the tension and the longing? I was utterly unconvinced of their feelings toward each other. The way he just randomly started calling her sweetheart too? Where did that come from?? It felt like a cheap way to further their relationship without actually adding depth to it.

The reason this is getting three stars though is because there’s just something about ashley poston’s writing. It’s like being cocooned in a warm blanket. Her words and stories never fail to comfort and reassure me, and as someone who often feels lost and unsure of who she is and what she wants, i welcome that feeling. In this book, she stresses the importance of the journey rather than the destination. And she writes a character who, at first, isolates herself from the rest of the world to make sure she never has the opportunity to get hurt again and, later, decides that going after what she wants is worth it, even if it doesn’t quite end up how she expected it to. There’s a lot of good in this book, but it unfortunately wasn’t enough to outweigh the parts i disliked.

This is a love story an ode to every reader’s fantasy of living in their favorite book, being with their favorite book boyfriend, and surrounded by the characters who have given us so much comfort and entertainment over the years. Ashley Poston’s books always hit hard in the feelings, and this one perfectly captures what it is like to feel like you are being left behind in life’s milestone and the joy we readers find in our favorite books.

After a hard couple of years, Elyse is on a long roadtrip from Georgia to the Catskills in her beat up Pinto, Sweetpea, when she nearly runs over a man standing in the middle of a road in the rain. While that does sound like the start of a horror movie, it is the start of a sweet, healing romance. Anders is the perfectly grumpy book boyfriend who runs the bookstore in the fictional town of Eloraton, a place Elyse has read about time and time again from her favorite romance author Rachel Flowers, and where she now finds herself. Elyse is Anders’ foil in her sunshiny and optimistic attitude. And of course their tension and chemistry lights up the book. Their banter and discussions about books and romance will make any reader smile.

Ashley Poston captures the desperation readers feel when needing to escape life and visit their favorite stories. But she also reminds us that while having our comfort characters and stories is important, we shouldn’t forget that reality can be just as great or better. And if not, we’ll just crack open a new book! I am always impressed with how Ashley Poston creates such inventive love stories with such depth. Fans of Katherine Center, Abby Jimenez, and Emily Henry will love this.

OBSESSED

I love Ashley Poston's novels and was SO excited to read this one. The premise sounded so unique and I knew it'd be interesting, and I am so glad to have gotten an arc!

It was a little slow and messy at the start, and about 45% through, I was honestly considering DNF'ing for the time being because while I was into it, I wasn't really INNNN to it. But it cleaned up nicely and I was glad I kept with it.

This one broke my heart. Not gonna lie. I was sobbing by the end because of Anders. His story made me so sad and I didn't see it coming. I truthfully didn't think that it'd hurt me THIS bADLY!!! It just tore me in two. Elsy's story wasn't as sad even though it was "the worst year of her life" (like, it was bad but come on. it wasn't THAT bad) and I did have a hard time connecting with her. Like Poston's other novels, the FMC is usually a secondary character even in their own book. Or at least it feels that way to them. And if it feels that way to them, it feels that way to us. So I don't particularly like how detached they are, how Elsy was, in her own life. But it's something I can overlook because the story is so worth it. I can also acknowledge the effect that had on the story overall and appreciate that effect.

There are times where the dialogue is choppy and weird. Like, who in the world would actually say that? Sometimes I'm convinced Poston has never spoken to another person because the dialogue is so odd. But if that's just her style, then fine! It's not my preference but again, the story is worth it. It's not even *that* bad, there are just those moments where I just have to roll my eyes.

I realize that my preferences in technique and writing style doesn't always align with the authors', but that doesn't necessarily mean it's bad. Poston is great at lyrical sentences, beautiful quotes and prose. This was no different, though it did feel to go in circles. How many times were "slightly burnt burgers" mentioned, or the honeyed taffy? Or his black tea and tweed jacket? A lot. It feels, when you read this book, that you're in a bubble. Which you essentially are because you are in a town that doesn't exist, that nobody knows exists, that nobody in the world knows isn't real. Poston's FMC's seem to hang on one marking point in their life: for Elsy, it was her ex fiance leaving her. Again, while I don't think what happened was as severe as she made it out to be, the whole book revolves around that instance, and the instances she runs into in the town that doesn't exist. Which is FINE! But you can't blame me for getting a little bored.

Now, I know I'm saying some negative things, so how can this be a 5/5? Well, it just was. Personal preferences aside, this book was fantastic and still overall very, very good. How could I not love it? In a small fictional town, she finds solace in an old loft bookstore, with a man who has minty (minty is also said a bajillion times) green eyes and tastes like black tea. Anders was this mystery that I wanted to uncover, and Elsy was quirky, and a mess, and I loved that. I finished this in one sitting, not being able to tear my eyes away. Even in the midst of it being a little confusing, I just HAD to know! And the reason *why* was devastating. Like I said, sobbing. Just in tears over it.

RATING: 5/5 STARS

Ashley Poston is my Rachel Flowers! I don't know how she manages to come up with the most unique premises and infuse them with such joy and charm, but she delivers every time. I loved Eloraton and all of the characters. The plot of this book is cozy, containing elements of mystery that are grounded in a natural slow-burn romance. It's no surprise that I loved this. More Ashley Poston-magical realism-adult romances, please.

Thanks @berkleypub @berkleyromance for this @netgalley ARC of A Novel Love Story!

Nobody writes magical realism like @heyashposton !!! The Dead Romantics hit me hard. The Seven Year Slip gutted me. And this one? Got me right in the heart.

There are somehow multiple storylines going on at once without it being overwhelming. The characters are complex and heartfelt. The setting is idyllic and also… vaguely off (but like, in a good way?).

🌟🌟🌟🌟✨

After being left heartbroken in the worst way, Eileen Merriweather has turned entirely to books (same, girl). In her romances, she is guaranteed a happy ending no matter the turmoil in the lead up. They’re safe, and reliable, and they bring people together.

So when her annual book club retreat falls apart just when she needs it most, Elsy is bound and determined to make it work herself.

Except she gets lost in a storm. And then she almost runs someone over. And then her car breaks down, leaving her stranded.

But when the storm clears, Elsy realizes the cute little town she’s found herself in is straight out of the pages of her favorite series - as in, it’s actually that town. As in, it’s not real.

Her favorite characters are roaming the streets, unaware that Elsy knows every detail of their love stories. Every citizen is one she’s familiar with, every store somewhere she’s dreamed of going.

Except for the bookshop owner. Not only does he not belong in any of the books, he also knows Elsy doesn’t belong here, either. And he wants her out.

Unfortunately for both of them (but mostly for him), the town seems determined to keep Elsy around. And as she tries to figure out this mysterious new character, she’s beginning to find that there’s more to every story than just what’s on the pages.

This was such a fun and emotional book to read.

A Novel Love Story feels like a love letter to readers - anyone that has ever gotten lost in a book or made such a deep connection with a character. Elsy and Anders have a great relationship story but I think this book really shines in Elsy's personal journey. She grows so much as a character throughout the book that you can't help but connect with her experience and root for her success.

The side characters (both in Eloraton and in her real life) feel real and fleshed out - even though we don't spend a lot of time with them. The town is a character in itself and it was a lot of fun to read about.

You'll love this if you've read Ashley Poston's previous books. If you like your romances to have a bit of extra heart, you won't be disappointed with this book.

Rated 4 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC ebook.

Ever since reading The Dead Romantics, I've loved Ashley Poston. Romance with a bit of magic, written by someone who strings together beautiful prose. The problem is, I loved The Dead Romantics so much, I was always afraid that none of her other books would compare -- and boy, this one absolutely does.

Gilmore Girls lovers will really enjoy this, with a Stars Hollow-esque setting. Book lovers will love it, because, well, obviously. And boy, what a love interest Ashley Poston created in Anders.

It's hard to talk about this book without giving too much away -- all I can say is READ IT.

And Ashley Poston does it AGAIN. 😭😭😭

This book was so reader-coded, riddled with so many literary references, the funniest jabs at self-help books, BOOK BOYFRIENDS, and Pride and Prejudice… it was so easy to fall in love with everything about it. I’m convinced anything Ashley Poston writes is magic—because this one was brimming with it.

This book means so much to me, primarily because of the heroine’s own past and reality. There’s a focus on the crossroads aspect of her life—where she’s living in limbo. Add to that the fact that she feels like life has just been frozen for her and she can’t move, and it’s suddenly every book that all women should read if they’re also lost in their twenties (like me). As always, there’s that signature aspect of magical realism that I’ve really come to love and find comfort in and UGH this book is just 😭🩵 my frikin!! heart!!

God, I want to scream. I can’t wait for this to come out—I already KNOW what I’m going to physically annotate (to the death—hint: it’s all of the pages) and UGH I JUST WANT TO SCREAM ABOUT THIS BOOK WITH SOMEONE!!!!!

thank you so much @heyashposton, @berkleyromance, @berkleypub 🥹🩵 thank you for this love and magic that you constantly bring into our lives 🫶🏼

“Love was feeling valued. And accepted. Just the way you were. It was never feeling too much, or not enough, even though you were often both, because Love loved you anyway. Not in spite of it, but because of it.”

this is my soul book. My new #1 favorite read of all time. I know a book is absolutely amazing when I finish it wiping tears from my eyes. 😭

Eileen is romance book obsessed, but doesn’t want romance for herself. She feels stuck in life, turning the same pages over and over again of her favorite romance series by Rachel Flowers. Her best friend is moving on with her life, and no one can make it to their annual book club meeting at a cabin, so she decides to go alone…

And ends up in Eloraton, the imaginary town in her favorite romance series, which the author never finished due to her unfortunate accidental death. Meeting her favorite characters, exploring the town, & she comes face to face with a very cute & grumpy bookstore owner who is very book boyfriend material, but she doesn’t recognize him from any of the books.

I’ll keep that synopsis short because I have so many things I loved about this book to discuss. Firstly, I related to Eileen in a visceral way when it comes to putting others before herself because of love. And then clinging to her favorite romances & book boyfriends because they never disappoint her and never leave.

The journey she goes through to get over her fear of love was so gut wrenching and amazing for me because I am currently going through this myself.

The. Banter. Was. So. Good. If you like a grumpy MMC then this book is the one for you. He’s so grumpy in a respectful way & he is so caring & shows his love in the absolute best ways.

I loved the mystery aspects to this book- the fact you feel like the character is getting to live a life in this imaginary town that is stuck in a loop due to the fifth book never getting published, and seeing all of the magic she gets to live through in her short time there. It was so much different than any plot I’ve ever read.

anyways, 6 million stars, I love you Ashley Poston & your romances w a touch of magical realism ❤️

Thank you to Berkley Romance & Netgalley for the free eArc in exchange for an honest review!

Each time I start another emotional romance-meets-fantasy book by Ashley Poston, I tell myself, "Don't let her wreck your heart and don't shed any more of your ugly tears; you're making disgusting noises." But each time, I eat my words and cry like an evil incarnated baby girl, making people nearby pray to be deaf not to hear me any longer.

I think I loved this book even more than "Dead Romantics." Yes, I admit, it's my favorite Ashley Poston book. It ruined me for other romances, making it hard to enjoy them as well. Yes, I fell for this book and the entire fictional small town with a romantic couples theme, reminding you of Wizard of Oz meets Once Upon a Time with Gilmore Girls and Groundhog Day vibes.

When everything in life sucks—still in pain after being dumped a week before your wedding ceremony, stuck in a job you don't like, seeing everyone in your life already found happiness, moving on with their lives while you're suffering in your miserable, lonely life—don't you want a chance for a quick escape like the fictional small town your favorite romance author created? That's what Eileen Merriweather did, not intentionally but accidentally.

After each book club friend ditched her for a reunion, including her best friend who decided to fly to Iceland with her boyfriend for a probable wedding proposal, she decides to drive 18 hours to reach a cabin in the woods to drown her sorrows, read romances until her eyes bleed (just like my regular day routine :)), but her plan fails when she takes a wrong turn and finds herself in another small town, breaking her car by hitting the brakes too hard to avoid hitting the gorgeous man appearing in the middle of the road. That's how she arrives in Eloraton.

There's no place like Eloraton. Where a rain shower comes in the early afternoon, though it clears up in minutes, the inn is always under renovation, the burgers at Gail's bar are always burnt, the honey taffy is always sweet, and the starlings always make their nests in the eaves. Nothing changes, and its fictional townsfolk, created by Rachel Followers, live the same day over and over until Elsy finds her path accidentally into this town that doesn't exist and creates ripples in their universe. Things start to move. She finds herself in the middle of a romance manuscript her favorite author couldn't finish because Rachel Flowers died two years ago. Could the reason she's here be that she has to help the rest of the characters have their happily ever afters?

The grumpy bookstore owner, Anders, she was about to hit with her car, is the only person who realizes these ripples, and he doesn't like how Elsy has affected the townsfolk's lives. Elsy realizes she has complex feelings about this man who denies his own HEA. Could she help him with a sunshiny attitude to defeat his grumpiness, to save him and save herself? What if helping the Eloraton people may also help her find her own path, her own home that she needs to find?

No more words. I love Elsy's self-worth exploration, her facing the choices she's made, her development, and of course, her slow-burn, heartwarming love story. This book is like a realistic fairy tale if you consider it a brand new genre. I wholeheartedly loved it and absolutely recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this AMAZING book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.