Suddenly widowed and looking for a change of scenery, Imogen moves to the cottage her husband purchased just before his accident. She finds comfort in her new home. She also finds herself newly pregnant, A bit scared, and feeling alone, she makes an effort to become part of her new village. She finds herself gaining self confidence. The only fly in the ointment is her new neighbor, Gabriel. She can't figure out what to make of him. Then she discovers an archaic clause in the purchase documents for her new cottage gives Gabriel the power to take her new home from her..

Despite the threat he poses, Imogen is drawn to her enigmatic neighbor. But there are things about Gabriel that Imogen doesn't know. As her worries grow, she still finds herself spending time with him, unknowing he may just be the solution to the problems she's facing.

I was drawn to the idea of the book by the setting and the cover art. The story was just as cozy as the feeling the cover art conveyed. Imogen was lost and alone when she arrived in Middlemass. But I loved the characters she met as she made the effort to become part of the community. They were friendly and welcoming. And, even though she was wary of Gabriel, he was the one she ended up turning to for help.

This was a heartwarming story, offering all the feels you think of when you think of a small town. It's perfect for anyone looking for a delightful, cozy read with a happy ever after ending. Just like the title promises.

"Storybook Ending" by Poppy Alexander is a charming and heartfelt novel that follows the journey of Imogen Hewitt, a newly widowed children's book author who moves to the quaint village of Middlemass to escape her grief and start anew. Settling into Storybook Cottage, Imogen hopes that the peaceful countryside will help her heal and provide inspiration for her writing. However, her new life is far from simple and Imogen soon finds herself entangled in a series of challenges including a difficult obstacle with her new home and the arrival of her baby on the way.

Adding to the mix is her brooding blacksmith neighbor, Zach, whose presence is both irritating and intriguing. The novel beautifully captures Imogen's emotional journey as she navigates her grief, new responsibilities, and the budding romance with Zach.

At its core, "Storybook Ending" is about the power of love and the importance of believing in oneself. Alexander skillfully weaves in themes of resilience, the impact of friendships, and the notion that life can indeed have fairy-tale endings, even when things seem bleak. The story encourages readers to embrace their dreams and to understand that it’s never too late to rewrite their own narratives.

"Storybook Ending" is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of love and friendship to help us overcome life's obstacles. If you enjoy heartwarming stories with a touch of romance and a lot of emotional depth, this book is a perfect choice for you.

Having visited previously, it was a real treat to explore Middlemass again, but it felt reassuringly familiar to return to the community that I became so familiar with a few years ago. This time, it was to discover a new set of characters and a completely different perspective for the story. I soon felt myself slipping into the welcoming embrace of the tight-knit community whilst also squirming at the occasional pointed comment from the supporting cast.
Imogen was a character that I instantly took to, and I felt that she had been dealt an unfair hand in the current game of life. Arriving in Middlemass widowed, pregnant and desperate to make some new friends and a success of her new circumstances, she takes a while to start functioning fully. Her only comfort is the presence of her decidedly grumpy cat, Tango; his only contribution is providing a name for a character in her planned children’s storybook.
Gabriel was of the dark and brooding pedigree of book boyfriends, and I was determined to see them find a happily ever after, despite his determination to scupper my hopes by announcing that he had the backing of a missed clause from the house sale could see her homeless and destitute.
Imogen and Gabriel had a fantastic burning attraction, but their personal baggage made it difficult to explore their connection beyond a fleeting kiss and some meaningful eye contact. Each was also distracted by additional issues, including a love letter that suggested her husband may be a love rat and the determined advances of the events manager at the grand hall.
Poppy Alexander has imagined an excellent cast of characters for Middlemass, and I genuinely loved getting to know them. In particular, I loved the doctor and his schoolteacher fiancée. I needed to make allowances a couple of times as the story was underdeveloped, and I saw opportunities to add some more texture, but it didn’t spoil anything. I’m already looking forward to another visit.
This is a gorgeous, romantic story, and I am delighted to recommend it.

This was such a heartwarming and sweet story about resilience and love.

I found myself just so lost in this story and there were times I wanted to cry tears of sadness and times when I wanted to cry tears of joy and happiness.

I am definitely looking forward to reading more from this author and plan to read her backlist.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Storybook Ending was an absolutely baffling and confusing read. The pacing felt abrupt, with scenes jumping from one to the next in a jarring manner. At a few random points, the point of view shifted from Imogen to another character, which added to the confusion.

Imogen, a 32-year-old pregnant widow and children's book illustrator, seemed to be perpetually mopey and oblivious to how anything in life actually works. Life seems to be happening around and to her. At no point did she feel like an active participant in the story, even though she was the main character. Despite her decent social media following for her art, she never has her phone on her and it is always dead, which was a recurring and somewhat baffling detail.

Gabriel, as a character, felt all over the place. With little background provided on him, it was hard to understand his motivations or connect with his character.

The romance between Imogen and Gabriel developed slowly, and I struggled to see how or why Imogen would fall for him. Gabriel was rude and cross with her at nearly every turn and even tried to bankrupt her. The lack of character development and the cluttered storyline made it difficult to become invested in their relationship.

I had hoped for a cozy and quaint read, but this book wasn't for me. The story eventually nearly drew me in, but it was a slow process. The trustee and estate plot points were confusing and poorly explained, adding to the overall frustration.

Many plot threads were mentioned once and never revisited, leaving a sense of incompleteness. The ending felt abrupt and out of nowhere. Gabriel supposedly loved Imogen the whole time, but his behavior throughout the book was nothing but horrible and dismissive towards her.

Overall, "Storybook Ending" left me more confused than satisfied.

The writing style in this was absolutely not for me. It felt like I was being told about a lot of conversations rather than actually reading them. She also just decided on a random page that she loved Gabriel and it made no sense at all. They did not spend enough time together.

I received an arc from netgalley.

I had no idea the author had a brain tumor whilst readying. Such a good story and much more meaningful knowing it was autobiographical. Just lovely.

Poppy Alexander’s new book, Storybook Ending, follows Imogen, a children’s book author, is pregnant and in the midst of a move to the countryside when her husband unexpectedly passes away. Imogen wants to make a fresh start and a good life for her baby so she decides to go ahead with the move. For those familiar with Poppy Alexander’s The Littlest Library, Imogen’s new home is in Middlemass. I loved Middlemass so I was excited to be returning to the quaint and charming little village. I knew the residents there would take good care of Imogen and her baby.

After a rough start, particularly in terms of dealing with her gruff neighbor Gabriel, Imogen soon settles in to life in Middlemass. Gabriel reminded me a bit of Luke from Gilmore Girls, grumpy as heck on the outside, but would do absolutely anything he could to help someone he cared about. It becomes pretty clear early on that Gabriel cares about Imogen. I loved their scenes together, and especially all of the small things here and there Gabriel would do to make Imogen’s life a little easier.

There’s a bit of drama throughout the story surrounding Imogen’s home that kept things interesting, but overall I’d consider Storybook Ending to be a heartwarming, feel good story about finding yourself and your path forward after grief and loss, and about second chances, especially when it comes to love.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

This story had great potential! A young widow who discovers she is pregnant after her husband's death (and suspects he has a secret life...) While there is a twist in what that secret is, the direction of Imogene's feelings toward her deceased husband gave me whiplash. Then there is the grumpy neighbor, Zach. The push and pull, and romantic tension were there, but I just didn't feel a genuine connection with our couple. I enjoyed our eventual happily ever after just like my sappy, romantic heart would hope for, I just didn't truly buy the whole love story.

3 stars

Storybook Ending is a sweet romance story about a woman who recently becomes a widow and has a new home. She is trying to figure out how she will be able to provide for herself in the future when she gets a shock, she is pregnant. Just when things are starting to look up she gets kicked back down. And instead of fighting for her new life and another chance at love, she ends up running scared. Will her old and new friends let this stand or will they intervene for her own good? Read Storybook Ending to find out.
I loved the overall story and several of the characters, but I didn’t love the female protagonist. She was quick to jump to conclusions at times. I also thought it was odd that right after losing her husband and moving to a new place, she is kissing a total stranger.

This was a lovely cozy read with a likable main character and a delightful English village setting. Plus, how can I resist a place called the Dower Cottage. It sounds like it came straight out of an Agatha Christie. The last little bit has not been kind to Imogen. After a not quite successful marriage ends with her being left a widow she finds herself the owner of a little cottage her husband had bought just before he died.
Imogen has a lot to sort out. She still has to figure out her feelings about her marriage, figure out how she's going to earn enough money to live on, and just how she fits into life in a small village. Along with that she has a few new neighbors to make friends with - including her neighbor Gabriel who manages to fascinate her and annoy her all at once.
But this isn't all cozy garden parties and country walks. A major problem is looming over Imogen's head connected to Gabriel and Imogen finds herself more conflicted. I do like books involving characters figuring out what they want out of life and this had that in spades. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and also really liked the writing style. This is the second book I've read from this author and the second one I've really enjoyed.

Poppy Alexander spins a charming yarn with sympathetic characters, a well crafted plot line and great dialogue. A perfect weekend read.

Imogen meets Gabriel when she moves to the country after losing her husband. Given their pasts and what they have happening now, will they have a chance at being together?

I absolutely adored The Litllest Library so I jumped at the opportunity to read Storybook Ending, I mean, who doesn’t love a happily ever after?
Imogene is a children’s author who decides to the countryside with her husband but he is killed tragically soon thereafter. She decides to go ahead and move into the cottage alone except for her cat to keep her company. She soon discovers that her husband left her with a surprise before he died-she’s pregnant and so she finds herself even more determined to make a good life for herself in the country but she can’t seem to shake her brooding neighbor Gabriel m who she can’t decide if is a friend or foe, especially once she realizes that he is the lord of the local manor house and has the power to take back her home when it needs a lot of repairs and leave her broke and homeless. And for some reason, he seems determined to do just that, and despite that, Imogene finds herself drawn to him and in her darkest time, Gabriel may just be her saving grace.
Such a cozy and enjoyable read and that cover 😍😍 I am definitely a fan of this author.
Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

Storybook Ending isn't really a romance. It's more about starting over, creating a new life in an unfamiliar environment when life throws you a big curveball, and discovering strengths that you didn't know you had.

I kind of loved Imogen, a rather whimsical and wispy young woman, who married a buttoned down lawyer and was kind of floating through her own life until he died unexpectedly in an accident, just as they had completed the sale of their London townhome and were about to move into a cottage in the country. For the first time in her life, Imo has to step up and actually run her own life, especially when she finds out she's pregnant. She finds unexpected strength and depth in herself and is able to meet these big challenges, even as life keeps trying to knock her down again.

The romance with her neighbor is rather rushed and undeveloped and to me, wasn't really the point of the book. I preferred when the story focused on the other characters, on life in a small English village, and on Imo herself. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

I simply adored this book. I loved the characters. I love the small knit community and Imogen’s starting over.

Imogen's husband dies unexpectedly ... just after he concluded purchasing a home in the country.

I had previously read 25 days til Christmas by Poppy Alexander and felt that I needed a break after reading some other books with "heavier" content. Storybook Ending was a nice and easy little romance. Nice characters and fairly straightforward plot. There was definitely one twist that was unexpected (to me).

I was glad to have the opportunity to read this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Paperbook for approving my request to read the advance read copy of Storybook Ending in exchange for an honest review. 352 pages. Publication date is Aug 20, 2024

I really really wanted to like this book. I loved the premise and the idea, but the execution just wasn't for me. It felt very bland and boring and that the main character was just reacting to things that happened to her. You also didn't have a lot of internal narrative going on so as a reader I could never tell what she was thinking. Was she happy about the baby? What emotions did she feel around it? How did she feel about anything? It felt like she was going through life in a numb state, and I don't think it was written on purpose. There was random POV's without warning, and I couldn't tell time in here. One minute she was finding out she was pregnant and the next she had a bump? No scene of her seeing herself pop and the feelings that came with it now that she could see she was pregnant with her dead husband's baby, a husband who may or may not be faithful to her? It felt like a chore to read and I was rooting so hard for the book and story in general. But overall it just wasn't my cup of tea.

This book was a charming little gem of a read. Amazing detail of the english countryside, fabulous friendships and delightful romance that will tug on your heartstrings. A wonderfully entertaining story with characters that are true, funny and heartwarming. I immediately wanted to be friends with Imogen. I loved every page including the darling book cover.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!