very cute just was missing something to me. i wish i enjoyed this book because everything about it was cute and sweet but it was missing something i ciuldn't figure out

Lindsey Kelk is one of the queens of romance who never ceases to amaze me with her heartfelt and entertaining romcoms. Especially when she adds obnoxious, very eccentric family members into the equation, so much is guaranteed. I have to admit I never resist the charm of my favorite tropes: forced proximity (separated by curtains is a great tribute to "It Happened One Night") and enemies to lovers! (Later it added love at first sight and he fell first tropes that I don't much enjoy, like main character Sophie Taylor does, but they still blended perfectly into the entire formula I truly enjoyed.) There's even Montague vs. Capulet-like fight between enemy families that made me guffaw a lot!

What truly made me choose this book was the fact that I love Love Story by Taylor Swift, and this book has the same name. And for that reason and also what was in this book I was not disappointed.

This book is such an addictively cute love story. (Yes I am being cheesy). The whole idea of being a secret bestselling author surrounded by an uptight book critic of a family has so much humor in it. Then adding in the idea that this big shot (and hot) marketer figures out who she is and pretends to be the author to help her hide the identity in front of her family. Comedy gold truly.

Love Story genuinely had me giggling out loud and kicking my feet around. It's been a while since a book has really had me enthralled based on its comedic timing. Then you add in the fact that the two main characters' romance was 10/10, and that's a fantastic five-star book. But does it stop there? no. The author somehow perfectly includes all sorts of modern-day references and I don't hate it?!?! Now that is a feat.

I read this book from 0% to 89% on my Kindle in one day, and I would have finished it that same day if my Kindle had not died while I was babysitting. And as a reader when I can confidently say that I read a book in a day (or in this case would have) then you know it's a damn good book.

If you are looking for a hilarious romantic book that appeals to all us book-loving swifties then look no further, because that's exactly what this book is!

Thank you to Harper360 for allowing me to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review!

"Love Story" by Lindsey Kelk is a delightful romp through the ups and downs of modern romance. The witty dialogue and relatable characters make for an engaging read that keeps you laughing and cheering them on. Kelk’s knack for blending humor with heartfelt moments adds depth to the story, making it more than just a typical love tale. The exploration of love, friendship, and self-discovery is both refreshing and inspiring. Overall, it’s a charming novel that leaves you with a warm heart and a smile.

Sophie has a big secret. To everyone she may be just a school teacher, but she is secretly bestselling romance author Este Cox. Not even her family knows of her literary success. But when roguish marketing director Joe crashes her meeting with her publisher, Sophie is not sure how safe her secret is anymore, especially when Joe turns up at her father’s birthday party weekend. When Sophie’s sister discovers her manuscript Joe covers for her by telling everyone he is Este Cox. As the two try to navigate their charade over the weekend they cut through preconceived notions and each other’s vulnerabilities. Can Sophie keep her secret or will it come out despite Joe’s help?

I’m a big fan of romance involving writers as the main characters, so this book was right up my alley. IT WAS SO GOOD! I loved how the romance genre was defended and how familial expectations were broken down. Such a fun and enjoyable read!

I really, really wanted to like Love Story, but it just didn’t do it for me. I didn’t think Sophie and Joe had any chemistry to speak of. Their will-they-won’t-they angst was minor at best. I didn’t think either MC had many redeeming qualities. The HEA was kind of just meh. The side characters were legitimately awful and only a handful BARELY redeemed themselves at the end.

I will say I thought the book was funny, and the plot itself was interesting, but those were about the only two things that saved this from being a one-star for me.

I received an ARC of Love Story from NetGalley. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

I’m a big fan of Lindsey Kelk’s books and while this one isn’t my favorite I still really enjoyed it! A rom-com about books, count me in!

3.75 stars

It was a quick, cute read. I liked getting to know all the different characters. I hope Charlotte gives Sophie her Chanel purse back because that will haunt me forever. This book was super relatable. Obsessing over a book, wanting all the special editions, all the pop culture references. I just feel like the beginning was a bit repetitive and then the end was wrapped up so quickly.

In my opinion, Lindsey Kelk can do no wrong! I have read all of her books and devoured this in one sitting. Highly recommend!

This book was a beautiful love letter to all romance authors and books. I loved all of the discourse and discussion around romance novels and their importance, I felt that very deeply.

I felt like the book leans heavily into certain tropes and I couldn’t really get behind all of the romance? It felt like I was watching a movie vs reading a novel, I’m not sure if it’s because we only got FMC POV throughout the entire book or not. I would say that if you’re someone who does not like a ton of current pop culture references, stay away from this book. The two best friends dialogue felt like me and my friend talking.

Such a fun book! It started a little slow and took awhile to get into but once I did, I really enjoyed the storyline and overall theme. My only real criticism is that the conflict between Joe and Sophie at the end came out of nowhere and the resolution felt rushed.

thank you netgalley for the e-arc. love lindsey kelk's books! i was excited to read this before any of my friends. love the trope of enemies before lovers. i thought the characters were so good together and loved watching their relationship take shape. i will say the weakness was overuse of pop culture references and such.

Thank you Netgalley and harper360 for allowing me to review with my honest opinion.

Wow. I truly could not put this Arc down. The enimies to lovers with solid banter and jokes. I could not get enough. Sophie's family was hilarious.. this is one I'll need for my physical shelves. A romance readers romance read. Lol

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper360 for the e-ARC.

I was unable to put it down. I adored the jokes, comedy relief, and pop cultural references. I cannot convey how much I enjoyed this book. Reading this book was a ton of fun. I love novels that allow us to escape. I like Lindsey Kelk's writing so much! I was thrilled to get the opportunity to read this book ahead of time because the author creates incredibly realistic and entertaining characters. I liked how she made so many references to other romance authors, romantic tropes, and the genre in general, while also highlighting how it is seen negatively by some in the literary community.

4 stars!

Lindsey Kelk's "Love Story" starts out slow, but eventually blossoms into an engaging, intriguing book, complete with a crucial discourse about writing romance, being a romance reader, meeting expectations, staying true to yourself, and of course, falling in love with your enemy. This enemies-to-lovers story hit all the right notes for me. I liked Sophie and Joe, the main characters. Their quick banter and penchant for disagreeing make this a fun, well-paced romp. The bickering side characters also helped keep the narrative moving. By far, the best part of this book is all about the criticism the romance genre had faced as being "less than" other genres, that it sets unrealistic expectations for readers and is somehow less prestigious for writers. Critics and reading snobs alike relish in $hitting on things people love, and, well, people love romance. I've never understood the need for people to "yuck" someone else's "yum." Honestly, that's loser behavior rooted in misogyny. Let people like what they like and keep your trap shut!!! My one complaint is that Sophie and Joe's third-act break-up and subsequent reconciliation felt very much like a hastily thrown-together afterthought. Overall, though, this is a relatively quick, easily digestible read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lindsey Kelk, and Harper 360 for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Sophie has secretly written a best-selling romance novel, but has not told her pretentious family about it. And the smug and charming Joe is somehow involved in the process and knows her secret. They’re all at her family home for her dad’s big birthday bash and Sophie and Joe keep getting thrown together at various circumstances. They’ve got loads of bickering and bantering and flirting, which is really fun to read. Plus, I loved all the references to the romance genre and its media criticism. Sophie’s family was chaotic and hilarious and just what you would expect in a rom-com situation with a big event that everyone’s gathered at. If you’re a regular romance-reader, I highly recommend this book.

This was a great enemies-to-lovers book, it had good pacing and fun characters. The storyline was really interesting and I liked that it addressed the stigma that I always feel still surrounds romance books. Once I started I couldn't put it down, I highly recommend this book!

Super cute and light RomCom. It hits all the best tropes: enemies to lovers, small town, cottage life. Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Sophie is a schoolteacher who has a hidden life as a Romance author. Joe Walsh is a creative director and of course, extremely attractive. I do love a book when the MMC falls first, and maybe my only whine is about how quickly he falls for seemingly very little reason. The best parts of this book are about writing and Romances. If you are interested in these fields, then you can learn a lot from reading this, If you aren’t interested in the genre, you might be overwhelmed by how much of this book is about it. Overall, I found it an enjoyable read.

A light hearted, hate to love, small town romance. Sophie is a school teacher who is hiding her “side gig” of being a successful romance writer by using a pen name. No one can know if she wants to save and continue her day job. And she really does want to stay under the radar all while the internet is desperate to find out who she is. Then there is Joe. He is a creative director who has the personality of rough sandpaper. He’s the guy who thinks he is the smartest guy in whatever room he is in and uses his incredibly hot looks to get away with being well, kind of a pompous jerk. Through circumstances, they are thrown together. Can her secrets remain buried and can they be civil to each other when they both really can’t stand each other? The blurb drew me in, plus I adore this author, but just didn’t really find any real chemistry between the main characters. Glad I read it, just not my favorite by this author who is on my “must read any and everything” she publishes list.

I just finished reading Love Story by Lindsey Kelk, and I really enjoyed it! The book follows Sophie Taylor, a small-town schoolteacher who secretly writes romance novels under the pen name Este Cox. When she loses her laptop with her latest manuscript, she has to team up with Joe Walsh, a hotshot marketing director who is way too sure of himself.

The chemistry between Sophie and Joe is fantastic, and their banter kept me laughing throughout. The story is lighthearted and fun, with just the right amount of romance and humor. I loved how the book explored Sophie’s double life and the challenges she faced in keeping her secret.

Overall, Love Story is a delightful read that’s perfect for anyone who loves a good rom-com. It’s funny, engaging, and leaves you with a warm, fuzzy feeling.