⭐⭐⭐ - DNF @ 42%

My rule is to 3-star DNF's to not affect the overall rating.

I really wanted to enjoy this, but it was probably a result of my mood that I DNFed. There was too much going on in this story, far too much. I was expecting a cute Christmas romcom read, and it wasn't hitting the marks it needed. I might come back to it at Christmas, but even then, it was the most Christmassy read.

Set in Wales, UK, this book delivered a heart-warming, small-town romance/rom-com novel that should be read before the holidays to get yourself into the spirit.

Quinn Oxford owns Hay-on-Wye's only queer bookshop situated in an old chapel, and it's a place that is safe for anyone to come in, feel welcome and able to be themselves and even ask questions. When the store is threatened with closure by Quinn's stepfather, who owns the building, Quinn must figure out how to save his store, potentially by stepping out of his comfort zone. He usually pretends that problems don't exist by simply ignoring them, as if that will make them go away. When he receives his final eviction notice, he and his BFF Ivy need to come up with a plan.

Enter Noah Sage, Hay's most famous romance writer, who's returned to his hometown for a book signing, with intentions to leave right after. Those intentions are thwarted by snow, and he's stuck for a bit.

This being a small town, Quinn and Noah run into each other with frequency, and slowly but surely, something develops between them.

I really enjoyed the relationship building in this book, I enjoyed Quinn's awkwardness, and I really enjoyed watching him grow a spine. He initially views himself as a failed writer, despite his degree in English Lit. The death of his father some years back, who also owned a bookstore, has made him withdraw, and he's never really warmed up to his stepfather. As his livelihood is threatened, Quinn, awkwardness and all, finds that once the news makes the rounds, the locals want to help him in any which way they can to keep his store.

There be drag queens, and a famous reporter, storming the castle, and Quinn's mother who finally finds her formidable spirit again, too. Told entirely from Quinn's POV, we get great insight into what makes him do what he does, and glimpses of what Noah's back story is, until Noah eventually, albeit reluctantly, tells Quinn why he's unwilling to return to Hay full time. Noah's mother Hermione's story is also fully explored, and it was heartbreaking to hear what she has gone through. Seeing her reclaim her life was wonderful to watch unfold.

The writing style lent itself very well to the story told within the pages, with lovely dry humor, and the ever present English stiff upper lip making an appearance every so often as well. While this isn't a light read, as one might expect from its title and description, considering the themes within, the book explores dealing with adversity, and how different people react in different ways, and how a community can come together to save something worthwhile.

This appears to be the author's debut novel, but hopefully there are more books on the horizon. Recommended.

I was lucky enough to visit Hay-on-Wye, the town of books, earlier this year, and so when this book appeared on Netgalley, I had to request it. The owner of Hay’s only queer bookshop fighting to keep his shop open, a quirky best friend, and a sexy author that keeps appearing at the best times? It sounded like a perfect Hallmark movie.

Well … it was, like a Hallmark movie, very cute. And very cliched. Which is sometimes needed in a romance novel, and I’m not complaining about it. The thing that was disappointing about this book was the fact that I felt like the majority of the time I was being told something, and not shown … there was a lot of stuff happening in the book, but I didn’t get a sense of the characters or places at all. The descriptions of people and events were generic, and so many scenes began and just either faded to black or ended abruptly. This book had so much potential, but it felt unedited, and this is where it fell short. Nevertheless, I loved Hay (and the gay bookstore there, Gay On Wye) so I wanted to finish the book. I feel like Look Up, Handsome would’ve benefitted from some more editing, but it’s definitely cute and an easy (if somewhat frustrating) read.

I received a copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Having spent time in sweet Hay-on-Wye, I jumped at the chance to read a romance set there! I loved the sense of place and the cozy holiday vibes that this book evoked, but Quinn, our primary perspective character is up against a lot of challenges and they just keep coming as the novel goes on. I loved feeling like he'd grown and spread his wings by the end, but would have liked to see a little more of that growth on page. His relationship with Noah had some very charming moments, but the pacing was a bit stilted as Quinn and Noah found their way to each other. Overall, this book was very charming and will make for a fun little holiday escape for anyone who picks it up!

Quinn owns a LGBTQ+ bookshop which is facing closure.
This story follows the journey he goes on to save his shop with support from the community. Alongside the ever growing romance between himself and Noah the handsome author..
I really did enjoy this cosy, festive read. I loved that it was set in Hay-on-Wye and I now definitely want to visit.
I loved all the characters.
Quinn was awkward but relatable and I was really rooting for him when he found his voice.
Ivy was hilarious and the perfect best friend for Quinn, I need someone to tell me my aura colour daily too.
Noah was the classic mysterious love interest.
Hermione however I feel was such an interesting character and had such a great storyline but I was left feeling more could of been told for her story.
Overall great read and will definitely recommend.

Thank you Netgally and OneMoreChapter for this ARC in return for an honest review.

This was a lovely, Christmas-y cozy read that will be absolutely perfect for the upcoming holiday season. It is relatively undemanding in terms of overall plot, which is both a blessing and a detriment to the overall story.

Quinn is a fun, anxious mess of a lead character. I fully understood every decision he had made to get him to his current situation, even if it was frustrating to follow him at times. The story of his bookshop, and his friendships with the townsfolk (especially Ivy), are both so lovely! Hermione the mysterious town pariah (and one-time world famous actress) was such a fun character.
On the other hand, I never quite bought into the romance between Quinn and Noah. Noah, since we never get his PoV, just felt like a largely blank slate for Quinn to love, and by the end, I didn't leave convinced of their longterm prospects as a couple.

I really loved this book, I thought it was extremely cute and the characters were so loveable. I live near Hay on Wye and the description is very true to life. This is a MM Romance and also includes found family. I will definitely be reading this again and I look forward to reading more from Jack Strange in the future.

Do you ever just read a story and know that you could happily exist in the world on page? Well Look Up, Handsome is the world that I think I would love to live in. It’s cozy and quaint and cutesy! Noah and Quinn had me kicking my feet and giggling like I was the one being romanced. Loved this! Wishing I had saved it to read over some cocoa while the snow falls.

I was hooked on this from the 1st chapter, and read the whole book in a couple of days. The vibes were so cozy, and i loved the main character, and his amazing bff Ivy, I could not get enough of her. I really enjoyed the whole story, the romance was sweet and I am definitely looking forward to reading more from this author! A great way to start on my cozy holiday romance reads :)

I really enjoyed this book!
It's a funny emotional book which centers on Quinn, he owns the local LGBTQ+ book shop in hay. During the book festival an author, Noah is talking about his book at an author talk. Noah grew up in hay but ran away at the age of 16 leaving his mother in the town. His mother is a famous Hollywood actress who's career was destroyed by a man. And she has became a recluse.

There is a lot of storyline in this book and I don't want to go into to much detail as it may spoil the story! It was all interesting, funny and I almost got what I wanted from the story. It was a good HEA and It also made me want to read anything by Jack strange!

I really enjoyed reading Look Up Handsome, it was written really well and I loved the storyline and how it all played out. I felt so sorry for Quinn but loved his interactions with Noah and Ivy, in fact I loved how he interacted with all the characters. I felt the characters were created realistically and they really brought the story together. For a debut novel I really think Jack Strange has a fantastic book on his hands, the wit and the cosiness of this novel is superb and I highly recommend it to all.

Look Up Handsome
Author: Jack Strange
⭐️ Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book would probably be your cup of tea if you like cozy holiday romance books, grumpy sunshine trope vibes, bookstores, and fun side characters.
This was a super sweet and quick read that is absolutely perfect for when you want to cozy up with a warm cup of something and feel that holiday comfort. I not only enjoyed the main story and characters but the side characters had good feel to them and I loved how the whole thing intertwined to create such a dynamic story.
A big thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK and One More Chapter for allowing me to have an ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book had small town businesses, fighting bigger company powers, drag artists, lots of writers, and Christmas magic.

Simply a sweet holiday romance with a cozy setting in a bookshop. Quinn owns and operates a LGBTQ bookstore that's being threatened with closure. A community comes together, including a famous romance author, to save the bookshop. Quinn and the author, Noah, form a bond over the love of words and fall in love.

Stange is a debut author, and I look forward to his next book.

Thank you, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter | One More Chapter

Set in Hay-on-Wye, this queer romcom follows Quinn Oxford as his LGBTQ+ bookshop faces closure at the hands of his step father.

Quinn is devastated and close to giving up but the town rallies round in support for the only safe place for the queer community in the area, a place that everyone knows is needed.

At the same time, romance author Noah Sage returns to his hometown for Hay festival and, Quinn is delighted to meet him. The romance that blossoms between these two is sweet, slow and not the easiest.

While fighting for his bookshop, Quinn takes on the role of ghost writer for reclusive star, Hermione Sage, Noah’s mother. I expected this to cause tension between the two MC’s but was pleasantly surprised that Noah was on board.

This is a super cute, easy read for the festive season.

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for the ARC!

If you are looking for a queer rom-com set in a small town at Christmas time, this is for you!

Quinn Oxford is the owner of Kings & Queens, a LGBTQ+ bookstore in Hay-on-Wye. The local castle is being renovated and Quinn's stepfather Harold is leading the renovation team.

To Harold, business comes first and as he is the owner of Quinn's premises, he issues Quinn with an eviction notice, stating that he wants to make the bookstore a ticket office for the castle.

Quinn is understandably devastated but the whole town rally round in support as his shop is not only a bookstore, but a place for the queer community and is very much needed.

At the same time, romance author Noah Sage returns from London to his hometown of Hay for a festival and, Quinn being a massive fan, is delighted to meet him. The romance that blossoms between these two is beautiful and of course, not an easy road.

I really enjoyed the spin off aspect of Noah's mother, actress Hermione Sage and her downfall caused by the media. Can we get a story about her please? The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is one of my favourite books and that aspect gave me similar vibes.

This is a super cute read for the festive season with a stunning location and wonderful characters.

Today, we celebrate the release of #LookUpHandsome! Huge congrats to Jack Strange for this remarkable achievement. The #OneMoreChapterReadalong of #LookUpHandsome has been an absolute delight. Immerse yourself in this heartwarming tale where Quinn's determination to save his beloved bookshop is captivating and inspiring. Noah's lovable grumpiness adds a unique charm to the story, making it an unforgettable read. The portrayal of parent-child relationships is beautifully touching, resonating with readers deeply emotionally. Like those cosy Hallmark movies that warm your heart, this book leaves you feeling fuzzy. Let's continue to spread the magic of #LookUpHandsome and share the joy of reading. #booklovers #bookcommunity #readingtime #newrelease #literaryworld #celebration #fiction #inspiringreads #mustread #heartwarmingstories.

I've loved everything about this book. It's set in Hay-On-Wye, with book festivals and loads of bookshops.

The MC runs the lgbtqia+ Kings and Queens bookshop, but his step dad wants the shop back, so he is evicting him. His mantra is to do nothing and hope it goes away. The storyline follows his journey to save the shop with the help of the community.

Set over Christmas, it's lovely to see the Christmas magic when he falls for a local author. Unfortunately, it's not all plain sailing as he tries to find love.

There are some great side characters. I did feel for Hermione, who has lived like an hermit for so long. And who could forget Bloody Blair Beckett, I did chuckle at his nickname

It is a very enjoyable storyline that is already on my 're-read at Christmas list'.

Thank you to HarperCollins & OneMoreChapter for this e-arc!
I think this is an adorable book for many readers and I loved the fact that this romance was written by a man (we need more of those)
Im sure its not for everyone but i enjoyed it and i think i would've enjoyed this more if i was in the christmas spirit already. Jack's writing is inviting and I would be excited to see what's next!

3.5⭐️

Wow! This book completely blindsided me. I was just expecting romance but instead I got a whole sub-plot which turned the story on the head.

This follows the story of Quinn, who is about to lose his bookshop and his encounter with romance novelist, Noah.

It touches on deep and sensitive topics such as non-con p*rn, bullying and ostracising.

The sub plot involving Noah’s mother was the highlight of the book for me. The unfair treatment she received highlights the plight of women till date regarding consent and the attendant media coverage and demonisation.

It was fun and filled with quirky moments and characters who will not be forgotten in a hurry. There were definitely laugh out loud moments.
I love the LGBTQIA representation and all that the bookshop represents.

As far as romance goes, I didn’t see much chemistry between Quinn and Noah. I wanted more. Maybe it would have helped if Noah had his POV.

Nevertheless, if you are looking for a MM holiday romance then you should read this. If you also love books about books and bookshops then you will enjoy this