I’m so glad I picked this one up because I was in such a reading slump and it pulled me right out! Starts off fun with a big secret and an awkward interaction, and goes from there! I loved the characters! Also can we talk about how cute the cover is?!

This was so cute! I requested this ARC after seeing that Lindsey was doing an event with Ali Hazelwood at one of my favorite book shops. Sadly the event sold out before I could get a ticket, but bright side is I got the ARC! I’m so happy I did. I loved it.

The story line of Sophie being the author of an international best selling romance novel but no one knowing it was her was so real. Growing up in a family full of publishing gurus for literature, she knew her parents wouldn’t accept her as an author of “smut book”. Watching her navigate keeping this secret and also coming to terms with her success was perfect.

Sophie was hilarious and I loved her from the first page. Her snarky, quick wit was so funny but she was also so vulnerable when she needed to be. Her standing up to CJ was probably the funniest part of the book. He was such a baby 😂

Joe… Joe, Joe, Joe. He matched Sophie’s energy and sassiness perfectly and it made for some great banter. I loved how he got Sophie to be vulnerable and see her success for what it truly was. The secret was not what I was expecting and now I also just need an epilogue!

The other side characters, especially Sophie’s family were just the cherry on top. I enjoyed this whole book. Devoured it.

Love Story was a heartfelt, enjoyable rom com and my first from Lindsey Kelk. Sophie Taylor is a teacher by day, but is also hiding behind the secret identity of Este Cox, a best selling romance author. She is introduced to Joe Walsh who accidentally discovers her true identity. There is initial attraction as well as animosity between the two and they later find out they will both be staying in Sophie’s parents cottage for the weekend for her father’s birthday celebration. The banter between the main characters was quite comical and the entire premise of the book and plot was unique. There was a bit of an insta love trope, which is not my favorite trope, but it was so well done here! The tension between the two main characters was palpable and the way it was written still gave a bit of slow burn vibe. I loved the various family dynamics we got to see play out during Sophie’s father’s birthday celebration. We also got so many pop culture and millennial references thrown in, which I ALWAYS enjoy. I mean a flashback to our days of having pen pals and writing on groovy chick stationary with gel pens? Yes, please! The ending did feel a bit rushed, and I wish we got a bit more when the two reunite.

Will publish on IG in the next few weeks @therunaway.readera

•Title: Love Story
•Author: Lindsey Kelk
•Genre: Romance
•Format: physical book/eARC
•Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

•Premise: Sophie is schoolteacher but a secret romance/smut author on the side. She has a best selling book that is taking over the Bookish community, but no one knows it’s her, they think it’s the mysterious “Este Cox.” She has a run-in with playboy/hotshot, Joe Walsh, the creative director for her book - and the two can’t stand each other. They find themselves in a “one bed” situation on a trip to the countryside and have a surprising, eventful weekend.

•Thoughts: This is a true, classic, brilliant *ROMCOM* It’s for all of the romcom lovers and bookish people, and I absolutely LOVED this story! I laughed so many times…I’m not going to be able to see large amounts of chicken or circus items without chuckling & thinking about this book 😂. And I LOVE Sophie’s family, their dynamic & banter was hilarious. Honestly all of the characters, good or bad, were perfect.
I gotta say, I’m not an “insta love” lover. I often find it’s unbelievable and cheesy. But it looks like if Lindsey Kelk writes insta love…then I’m all in.
Sophie and Joe gave such a quirky, funny take on enemies to lovers, and it was sooo easy to root for them! *swoon*

This is a must read if you are a romance reader, or if you are looking for a funny, light read. 💖

Thank you to NetGalley & Harper 360 for an advanced copy to read and review. All opinions and thoughts are my own!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (mildly descriptive fade to black, discussions of moderate open door scenes)

Sophie Taylor is a teacher with a secret. She's really Este Cox, the best-selling author of the smutty romance book Butterflies. Because of the stigma surrounding romance novels, as well as the judgment she would certainly incur from her parents, Sophie is determined never to reveal her secret. When she meets Joe Walsh, the man who helped design her newest book cover, she soon realizes that her secret is at risk. Not only that, but Joe is exactly the kind of man she needs to avoid: smug, charming, and handsome. Will one weekend together ruin both her career and her love life?

This was another fun novel from Lindsey Kelk. I liked how Sophie's story was all about books and how literary critics, agents, publishers, authors, and fans can have vastly different opinions. It also pointed out the way some people view romance books as trashy or mindless entertainment. Sophie was so scared of her family or friends thinking less of her, even though her book was beloved by readers everywhere. I thought the discussions about the intimate scenes in her book were hilarious, especially since Sophie had to listen to her family members talking about them! There were quite a few name drops and pop culture references, so readers who don’t always like that might want to keep that in mind ahead of time. I didn't feel too bothered by it, luckily. The romance between Sophie and Joe did have a bit of an insta-love vibe, considering the book takes place over one weekend, but I thought their banter was really playful and full of tension. I wasn't quite sure how the third act breakup would be resolved, but I thought things were explained well even though they were resolved rather quickly. Overall, this was a fun read for romance lovers who want a book that examines the industry in a fun and playful way.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper 360 for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an ARC

Lindsey Kelk was one of the first romance authors I read back in my youth lol 
I picked up the I heart series and ran from there 
Love Story reminded me of that time. It was a nice, quick, read.



A couple of my issues was the dynamic with the family, I really wish Sophie ( the main FMC) had more of a back bone, don’t get me wrong in what I’m starting too see is typical behavior she had no problem casting judgement on Joe ( The Main MMC) but her family it’s cool for them to walk all over her I could not connect with that type of behavior.


Are you looking to a quick mind numbing none serious read? this is it.

There were so many things I loved about this book! Was it the most well-written literary masterpiece? Nah…so if that’s what you’re looking for then look elsewhere. BUT, was it laugh-out-loud funny, filled with popular references, snarky to the brim, and a book with a few great life lessons? ABSOLUTELY!!! So if that’s what you need, look no further than “Love Story” by Lindsey Kelk (not to be confused with the popular Taylor Swift song)!

2⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for an advanced copy of Love Story.

Sophie has loved romance books her whole life and she longed to be a writer. But having her parents being well known in the publishing world for “serious “ books she opted to go the teaching route. But she has a secret that only a few people know-she is the famed writer Este Cox! When she meets Joe she is hesitant to trust him but she cannot deny her attraction to him. Will her life turn into one of her romance books?

I really wanted to like this book but I could not stand Sophie’s character. She came off as unrelatable and annoying. Some parts in the book were a little too cheesy for me.

I am landing somewhere between 3 and 3.5 stars for this rom-com! I loved the quirky, quippy, quintessential British humor and dialogue. The premise was really interesting, featuring Sophie, who is a teacher by day and anonymous romance author on the side. From a family big in the publishing world, she embarks on a weekend at home for her father’s birthday party but finds herself desperately trying to keep her secret with the help of a man she absolutely does not trust, Joe.

This book was written as a defense of the romance genre and while I certainly appreciated the messaging (and the shout-outs to so many beloved romance authors), the portrayed negativity towards romance was a bit heavy handed at times. It kind of bummed me out at times to be honest and is my biggest complaint.

I liked the romance, it’s a little bit insta-love but still kind of a slow burn? We don’t get to know the MMC all that well but I think that was intentional. I would have loved to see some kind of epilogue to finalize their HEA. Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an arc to read and review.

Lindsey Kelk is always great at adding romance and comedy together. Her books are so cute and impossible to put down. Love Story is a great book!

I loved Sophie, Joe, and all the wacky characters in this book. That is another thing that Lindsey Kelk does. She brings so much life to every character. Sophie was so worried about her secret that she didn't see that her family would support her no matter what and they show that.

My only issue with the book is the 3rd act breakup that was kind of just shoved in there though it did explain a bit of the mystery that is Joe.

Thank you to Netgalley, Lindsey Kelk, and Harper360 for the e-ARC. This review is my own opinion.

I love books with characters in the writing/publishing biz. Sophie (w/ other character support) remind the reader why romance novels are impactful and meaningful. Lots of screen-adaptable scenes. This book gives all the feels & is an enjoyable read.

Lindsey Kelk can do no wrong in my book (pun intended) and this is one of my favorites of hers. I love books about writers and this was such a fun look behind the scenes of publishing, and in particular, romance publishing. Also, I want to be Charlotte when I grow up.

Love Story is an ode to the romance genre. It's a self-aware delight that acknowledges the various romance tropes, highlights favorites, and makes the reader fall in love with the genre. I laughed several times and just loved this book! It's perfect for readers who loved "The RomCommers" by Katherine Center. Kelk has gotten better with each book she has written, and I think this is her best yet.

I really enjoyed this book. It was really funny at times. It was so witty. I loved the interactions between the siblings. I’ll be thinking about this book for some time. Loved it.

This was really cute. Loved the storyline, good humour and I just had so much fun. I highly recommend it

This book perfectly encapsulates why romance readers adore love stories. With Sophie being a romance reader and a majority popular romance author, but under a pseudonym, it brings so much fun and relatability to book. I loved how other romance authors were named and tropes and trends were discussed. This book felt like being in the bookish community while still understanding why romance isn’t always accepted into the greater literary world. However, I found that Sophie explained so well why romance is such an important genre and how it’s more than just smut that some people see it as. As for the actual love story within the book, I loved how Sophie and Joe met and how they ended up connecting later. I love how Joe supported Sophie, but when that twist was revealed! My goodness, it was so perfect! I like out both Joe and Sophie were flawed people, but their chemistry felt dynamic and tangible. This took the trope of instalove and made it feel like something that could actually happen. There were so many layered nuances in this book that I loved, and the supporting cast of characters was *chefs kiss.* Give me more William and Charlotte literally any day of the week. I absolutely fell in love with this offer over this book and I cannot recommend enough for anyone who loves romance. I was in a massive slump and started this book one evening and stay up past 1 AM finishing it because it is that level of perfection. 5⭐️, 2🌶

I loved reading this book especially the depictions of sibling relationship. I thought that the characters were very realistic and loved everyone of them. This book was very cute and I loved the story. As a teacher and a part-time writer, I especially loved the female main character and could connect with her and her story. Thank you so much for the ARC.

Love Story **review**
I absolutely LOVE this book. This is my first book by Lindsey Kelk, and I can 100% say I will be reading more of her books. I enjoyed this book from start to finish. Before I get into the main characters, I need to say that her references, were on POINT!
If you're a swiftie you will love this book. I loved all the references, from mentioning my favorite authors, to being so transparent on what's being talked about currently. I just loved the Taylor references; I loved the mentions of books and authors.
Now, to the actual story, OMG!!!!!
I devoured Sophie & Joe relationship, I thought their connection was perfect, the fighting hahah was awesome, their moments with each other were more than what I could ask for, and I can definitely say that they're one of my favorite couples!
(I would love to describe everything, but I do not want to give any spoilers)
Now, the reason why I did not give it a 5 stars... Charlotte :( I could not stand her the WHOLE book until the last chapter :)
I understand her personality, which was great, but OH MY GOD there were some things she did, that I just could not believe. I am so grateful I only have one sibling, because Charlotte was just testing my patience the whole book. However, I did love her the last chapter, but I wished Charlotte had apologized, that's what I thought would have redeemed her for me. However, this is my opinion, and no one is obligated to agree with me:)
Overall, please read this book!!! it's more than what you can think of. I love you Lindsey and cannot wait to read more of your books.
One last thing, Thank You Net Galley for allowing me to get an ARC, as well as whoever is in charge of approving it.

Great story and plot for a contemporary romance. Love the dynamic of the characters. Super quick read. Recommend for everyone

This was so good!!

Thank you NetGalley for this ark! I enjoyed the read and will be purchasing a hard copy!!