The unexpected becomes the norm when life changes in every way, and in ways you won't even realize until much later. Taking chances and discovering found family while rediscovering the family you have, and it indeed takes a village to get things on track. Delightful and fanciful, with a satisfying wrapup.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an eARC of this novel.

This review contains some spoilers.

I really enjoyed this novel. Imogen and Gabriel were likable characters although I did think there were opportunties for more character development -- which I will get to. The pacing was fairly good and I read this book over just two days -- although I sometimes it felt there were big jumps between chapters (that left me wondering -- how did that end? Or what happened during that time jump).


Okay so I mentioned chartacters could have been developed a bit more. It really really REALLY bothered that Imo didn't ever grieve her husband's death, I've read Alexander's other novels and I'm a huge fan and know she's a great writer. Maybe that's why I was just a bit disappointed. Clearly Imo loved Nigel at some point. Enough to marry him and be intimate etc. His death was a complete shock, but I never felt that she was really upset. If we remove the dreams (which isn't a tool I'm a huge fan of in books), we never see her truly upset he died. Then there's this whole side story of "is he cheating?" Then when we find out he didn't cheat, we just spent time hating a guy who was innocent and had in all other ways seemed to be a rather good husband to a woman who doesn't give a heck he died. There needed to be some form of grieving. I don't like the idea that someone's partner dies unexpectedly and they're like "Oh well, and oh hey I'm pregnant too, but no worries!" So again, while I really did like the concept of this novel and love the characters, this lack of feeling made me wonder if Imo was a psychopath or about to collapse from buried grief at any moment.

I liked Gabriel a lot. I got that he was gruff, and stoic, and hiding his feelings etc. but he also seemed underdeveloped. Also, the two characters didn't spend much time together. There could have been much more interaction (and less chapters about saving the school which seemed like a side-story just thrown in there). His grand gesture at the end of the novel was such a leap from completely avoiding Imo to basically kidnapping her and instantly moving in with her. I was willing to accept it b/c it was a HEA in the end but it would have worked better f the characters had more interaction. Also the love scene was -- well like a sentence long.

Last but not least -- what was the point of Sally and Alistair's marital issues? I'm not sure it even got resolved -- did it? Sally was a workaholic and I'm not sure that changed.

Ultimately it was a really engaging novel that just felt a bit more like an early draft. I still gave it 4 stars b/c I did like it a lot! Thank you so much for letting me read it!

Thank you NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and Poppy Alexander for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of the book interested me. Imogen finds herself newly widowed and moving to the countryside, once there she encounters a grumpy neighbor, Gabriel, who keeps finding ways to save her from sticky situations. There is as much chemistry as there is frustration between Imogen and Gabriel.

The execution of the story itself felt a little rushed and underdeveloped. There were abrupt and choppy jumps between storylines and questionable/inconsistent time references.

Gabriel at times was too caveman, strong-silent type for me and a few times made some pretty drastic leaps that seems extremely presumptuous. I found myself frustrated with Imogen in multiple situations so while I wanted her to get her HEA, it wasn’t as warm and squishy as they often are.

This was a DNF for me. I made it about 35% of the way into the book, and it couldn't keep my attention. It felt really disjointed and the ends to some of the chapters were abrupt. I really wanted to love it- especially because I know how much work goes into writing a novel, but I just didn't and cut my losses,

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 What if the persona we create on social media could really become the life we lead? When Imogen moves to the countryside perhaps she can manifest @Storybook_Ending into existence? Life has not gone her way - widowed and surprised by a pregnancy- she can use all of the good vibes she can get. Storybook Ending is a beautifully optimistic novel about the ebbs and flows of life and finding the balance through it all.

Review is on Goodreads and will be posted on instagram closer to publication date and on Amazon when published!

Loved this slow burn romance. A lot more to it than just romance though. The story of Imogene and her new start, including ups and downs along the way, and a wonderful found family.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Watch for Storybook Ending to come out August 20, 2024.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper/Avon Voyager for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my objective review.

2.5 stars. Overall, this was a sweet, romantic story. I enjoyed the main and supporting characters, there were a couple of laugh out loud moments, and a satisfying HEA. However, the transitions between the various storylines were a bit abrupt and choppy. Also, the characters' behavior in certain situations didn't make a lot of sense to me. For example, if Gabriel was only doing business with Louise, why did everyone think he was dating her?

No profanity and one PG-13 scene.

I found myself drawn to this cover. I thought the story was slow for my liking. The writing is good though, and Imogen was a memorable character. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Was definitely drawn in by the cover art and the story delivers the vibe I expected- very much cozy cottage core.

The romance and characters could have used more development, but I’m not that put out- the read was still enjoyable.

I throughly enjoyed Storybook Ending much more than I thought when I first started the book. Thinking it was another book where husband bullies wife and she has no backbone, I was happily surprised to discover the character of Imogene is so much more than what we see at first glance. I loved the chemistry between her and Gabriel, the cottage setting ( the cover is delightful!) and the storyline itself. I was invested in it all and sorry when it ended.

I requested this book on NetGalley because I was charmed by the cover, and it is still my favorite part of the book. This story was convoluted and weird, characters were underdeveloped and in some cases downright unlikeable, and mostly I just really did not like it. Gabriel was a pill, and Imogen was not much better. He was not so much smoldering as like aggressive and sort of creepy. She was completely out of touch with reality. The house sale subplot was illogical to the point of distraction. And aside from Gabriel, no other elements of Imogene’s life felt resolved by the end of the book. The ending was random and unbelievable. It just felt like a bunch of half stories- nothing substantial, and nothing resolved. Not a rave from me. I do still like the cover though. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc.

A fun laugh out loud read. I have not read anything else from this author but am excited too. The characters were easy to love and so much fun in their interactions. I know she wrote another book about this town and there was a nod to it at points in this book but this can totally be read as a stand alone. A sweet story about falling in love with and in the British country side.

I was hankering for a cozy little cottage read, and this definitely had the charming village/homebody/cat lady vibes I was hoping for. That said, the romance angle wasn’t super compelling to me (maybe not enough buildup or rapport between the two?), and I found myself getting frustrated with the main character at times—I feel like her apathy and incorrect assumptions got more unlikeable to me the more I read. Thanks as always for the opportunity to read!

Imogen is a fledgling storybook artist who just can’t seem to keep a job. She and her husband Nigel have not been married long, and the two decide to purchase a cottage in Middlemass, leaving the city life behind. Unfortunately, after an accident, Imogen is left widowed, with a new house in the country, and surprisingly pregnant. Her new life begins as she slowly incorporates herself in the village, meeting locals and battling her headstrong neighbor Gabriel, a roughly handsome caretaker of the cottage and the surrounding lands. Things come to a head when she realizes more is expected after Nigel’s death, and she is left to pick up the pieces of her widowed life.

I enjoyed this book. Imogen is a bit of a wispy character, she has a floaty artist's personality and begins to come to life on her bike in the countryside with her burgeoning belly and story book she creates. Gabriel is grumpy and a true broody hero who takes care of Imogen while still fighting with her. The story takes a minute to get going, but once it does, it is a charming tale that has a quiet pace and even as bad things are happening to our protagonist, the reader gets the feeling that all will work out, or maybe it’s just the gardens and sheep and Imogen drawing by the bridge. The writing and plot are solid, the end is sweet, and it defines a cozy, romantic cottage-core novel.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Another really good book by Poppy Alexander. I completely enjoyed this book . I don't know many places that are as connected as this village is. Although everyone knows everything about newcomers, it is not with malice that they intrude in one's life, but affection. I never put the book down, I was so engaged. I would recommend this book to anyone.