Love Story by Lindsey Kelk

Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 1/5 🌶️

A huge thank you to HarperCollins, Harper360, Netgalley, and Lindsey Kelk for granting me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Lindsey Kelk always writes such entertaining and heartfelt romance and Love Story is certainly one of her best works so far! The main characters felt genuinely relatable and the supporting characters really tied the story together. This was an absolute joy to read. From the humor to the banter to the pop culture references, this read perfectly encapsulates what makes contemporary romance so much fun!

Sophie and Joe had incredible chemistry and you’ll find yourself rooting for them all throughout the story. I also loved all the references to other romcom works/authors. I devoured this wonderful, witty read in less than a day and the gorgeous book cover is definitely another added bonus!

Tropes:
- Enemies to lovers
- He falls first
- Insta-love
- Forced proximity
- Writer FMC

Love Story is a miscommunication story that is a bit chaotic and wild, so hold on tight. While it did have predictable scenarios, it was a fun story with great characters.

Thank you netgalley for Love Story by Lindsey Kelk

⭐️3.5⭐️

I’ve never read a book about a FMC that is an author but man did I enjoy it!! I loved Sophie’s relationship with her family, best friend, and of course Joe! I think the author did a very good job at writing Sophie’s character development, because beginning Sophie wouldn’t have punched CJ… even if she wanted to so badly. Also that plot twist!! I did NOT see that coming at ALL. Overall I enjoyed this book a lot! Especially Sophie and Joe!
Thank you for the ARC!!

I like Lindsey Kelk, having read four of her books previously, and was excited for this new one, Love Story. The premise is very relevant, an author of a world renowned best selling romance novel is hiding under a pseudonym for fear of lack of acceptance and derision by her famous publishing parents, the headmistress at her school, and the judgment of the world. This theme is so prescient because romance is the highest selling genre right now, but it is looked down upon by public and publishing elite alike.

I agree with Sophie about the progression of the genre. When I was a teen this was called Women's Fiction. Already a problematic category because there is no men's fiction. So all books in this category were deemed less than general fiction books. Back then (the 90s) romance were novels with shirtless Fabios on the cover. They were seen as tawdry and less than literature, so that's what I thought as well. I liked the next term, Chick Lit, because it seemed to be biting back at the world, reclaiming the misogyny that categorized them as other. But now everything is categorized as romance. And people are saying that sex scenes make these books smut! What? There are sex scenes in mystery/thrillers, general fiction, everywhere. Why are these smut? Because they are written by women! And women should be ashamed of being sexual.

So this is the lense through which this book is written. And the book is rather enjoyable. Kelk writes novels through a dreamy gaze, often on the edge of being realistic. They are enjoyable, quick, escapist, and full of characters who you pull for. This is no exception. I understood and related to Sophie. I have been embarrassed about reading so much romance, and also revel at a world where things go well at the end. I liked the character of Joe; he was a different kind of intelligent rake than I had seen before. Will and Charlotte were fun siblings, and the parents specific and fun.

My biggest problem with this book is it doesn't call out the misogyny loudly enough. I almost stopped reading when Sophie's mom created a book club to celebrate the book because it was deemed worthy when they was written by a man. No one acknowledged this at the time. I consoled myself with the thought it would be addressed later, but it barely was. This made the way viewpoint here less wry and more "aw shucks, what can we do?"
I dislike 3rd act miscommunication. And I think this one was totally unnecessary. Instead, a bigger deal could've been made about the veracity of romance and she could've esteemed herself more and told off everyone.

Instead we have a very Bridget Jones- Daniel Cleaver, Mark Darcy type fight at the party and a misunderstanding between Joe and Sophie. The BJD reference was cute and enjoyable. It made the book more cinematic.

I definitely enjoyed this book and will continue to read Kelk's work, I just wish she took this a little further. 4 stars. Thanks to Harper Collins and Net Galley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

“Love Story” by Lindsey Kelk was such a hilarious, fun, and swoonworthy read.

I found myself laughing out loud so many times while reading this book. Joe and Sophie were so well-matched and witty and I was rooting for them the whole way.

While the story was a little goofy and ridiculous at times, I really loved how Kelk addressed misconceptions over romance and its legitimacy as a genre despite its negative perception. This book reminded me exactly why I love romance— even though it may be escapism at times, it is also feminist literature that helps women to understand their worth.

☁️↳ “What did you dream about last night?”
💗↳ “You”

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is definitely a romance book written for current day romance readers. It’s very “of the moment” and self-referential. There were a number of things about this one that I liked — the chaos of the party scene, the drama of the author’s persona in hiding etc. However, I thought the third-act breakup was wholly unnecessary and I found myself really struggling with the FMC’s family — her parents were insufferable and the younger sister was such a spoiled narcissist. It made it harder to appreciate the lighter and more fun parts of the book.

3.5 stars

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was my first Lindsey Kelk book and definitely won’t be my last! Thank you to NetGalley, Lindsey Kelk & HarperCollins for the ARC of Love Story.

Sophie Taylor & Joe Walsh are great characters who draw you in and leave you wanting to learn more. Love Story is written from the POV of Sophie in first person. I typically like multiple POVs but this did not disappoint. Sophie’s brother William was probably my favorite character from the book. His sense of humor was unmatched. This book definitely had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion. I loved Kelk’s insights into real life books, TikTok, Bookstagram and booktok. I left wanting more from the story, I feel like it was just starting to get really good. Maybe that’s Kelk’s point, to leave it open for a potential sequel.

Sophie Taylor is an elementary teacher who wrote the book, Butterflies, under the alias, Este Cox. Only her publisher/Godfather, Mal, and her agent/brother, William, know she’s Este Cox but will she be able to keep it under wraps? Joe Walsh is arrogant and extremely handsome. Sparks fly the first time Sophie & Joe’s eyes meet for the first time. A trip back to her home town and a one-bed cottage makes Sophie question loyalty and whether she can trust Joe with her big secret or not.

International best-selling author strives to remain anonymous while navigating her the publishing world that most of her family reigns in. She is somehow dominated by everyone, even her little (very spoiled) sister, and when sparks start to fly with a new director, she runs from that too. Miscommunication abounds with a cast of odd characters and a lot of filler text.

She does it again folks! I finished this book in less than 24hrs, so stinking cute reading a romance that takes place in a booktok world. Kelk’s writing is so good, you can’t help but cry when Sophie cries and celebrate with her. Amazing book and author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lindsey Kelk's Love Story delivers a charming blend of romance and wit wrapped in a classic enemies-to-lovers trope. Sophie Taylor, a small-town schoolteacher, hides a major secret: she's also Este Cox, a bestselling romance author. Her world turns upside down when she’s forced to spend time with Joe Walsh, a hotshot creative director who’s not exactly her biggest fan. As they share a cottage in the countryside, the chemistry between them sparks, complicating Sophie’s attempt to keep her dual life under wraps.

The novel excels in its playful banter and sizzling moments between Sophie and Joe, but it struggles with a bit of chaotic execution. While the concept of a secret identity and the publishing world backdrop offers a fresh twist, the constant pop culture references and the insta-love dynamic might overshadow the story's deeper emotional beats for some readers. The forced proximity trope leads to engaging interactions, yet the pacing sometimes feels uneven, with moments of high tension giving way to more predictable resolutions.

Despite its flaws, Love Story stands out for its humor and exploration of the romance genre's value. Kelk's writing is lively and entertaining, making it a delightful choice for those who enjoy a lighthearted romantic comedy with a touch of literary insight.

3.5 ⭐️ Rounded Up

This book felt chaotic, in not always a bad way, but man.

Sophie the FMC is a school teacher who, under a pseudonym, wrote a bestselling romance author and no one knows but her agent and editor/publisher. She is keeping it a secret from her family because they’re in publishing and snobbish. And honestly for most of the both I hated her parents and sister. They were *slightly* redeemed at the end…but it was rough.

And Joe, the MMC, was…not bad, but again, chaotic.

It was a quick read and if you like a look into the publishing world, you’ll probably like it.

Some people may be annoyed by it, but I’m all for a Swiftie-coded romcom. When I saw the blurb for Love Story on Netgalley, I was immediately intrigued and ready to dive into what I anticipated to be a spellbinding emotional romance. In also love books that are about authors and/or about books in general, so I jumped at Love Story hoping for a new favorite.

Unfortunately, this book was a disappointment.

Don’t get me wrong, Love Story has all the “right stuff” to make a thoroughly interesting book: a secret identity, a (relatively) diverse supporting cast, set in London & the English countryside… Regardless, it was poorly executed. I thought the limit of Taylor Swift references did not exist, but oh, boy… was I wrong. By the time I hit 20% I was exhausted by the name-dropping and culture-mining the story obviously relied on to make it relatable and entertaining. Sometimes it felt like Sophie Taylor (FMC) was attempting to shatter the fourth wall and jump off the page screaming “See!? I’m part of your world, too!”

As far as the romance goes, I was amazed at how little connection I felt between Sophie and Joe for most of the time reading. They just didn’t seem to have much in the way of chemistry, beyond physical attraction to each other. This was largely due to Sophie’s inability to see beyond her own nose, though, I fear. From the get-go, she really had no true reason to dislike Joe and spent half the book pretending he was some awful, sleazy, bad news guy. He never did anything to warrant her behavior, and even admitted he was wrong about the assumptions he held about her book prior to reading it. When she finally let go of her animosity towards Joe, I expected more connection than I received.

Sophie’s older brother, William, was — by far — my favorite character in this story. I felt that he was the only member of her family who truly saw, supported, and stood up for Sophie when she needed it. He was a breath of fresh air compared to the other truly insufferable members of her family.

Pros:
Well crafted banter
Accurate portrayals of how a book can influence a person & culture
Many very humorous moments

Cons: 

Leans into the Swiftie-coded arc too hard
Constant name-dropping of real authors, social media, etc.
Frustrating FMC who really just needs to grow a spine

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review the ARC!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Harper 360 for allowing me access to this e-book! (What a gorgeous cover!!!!)
It's a delightful enemies-to-lovers romance filled with witty banter, sizzling chemistry, and just the right amount of tension!
Sophie Taylor, a small-town schoolteacher with a big secret, and Joe Walsh, a confident creative director, clash from the start (honestly wasn't a big fan of Joe at the beginning)
The twist of Sophie being the elusive romance author, Este Cox, adds an intriguing layer to the story, and their forced proximity in a charming countryside cottage leads to some truly memorable moments!
I loved the humor and how easy it was to read! I definitely want to read the other books by this author now!!

Everybody in this book’s universe wants a love like Jenna & Eric, but excuuuse me for wanting a love like Sophie & Joe’s. (But not like how Sophie Turner’s & Joe Jonas’ end up, obviously.) A beautiful story with a series of unfortunate events, an awful & pretentious ex, and the seemingly scheming world of literary families, resulting in the remembrance of romance stories and (finally!) a realistic relationship. Get you a man who would go to lengths to help you with your secret identity and apologize in front of a room of romance lovers <3

Thank you Net Galley, Harper360 and Lindsey Kelk for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun read! The story follows Sophie Taylor, who has written an international bestselling romance novel under the pen name Este Cox. Only her agent and publisher know her true identity, which she's chosen to keep secret for a couple reasons. First, she's a kindergarten teacher and knows the school and parents won't approve of her spicy debut novel. Second, her mom is a book critic and her dad is a big name in publishing. Neither of them appreciate romance novels.

Sophie meets a handsome man, Joe Walsh, who is a creative director for her publisher. He's handsome, polished and arrogant; three things Sophie doesn't need in her life. But the more time they spend together, the more she realizes maybe there's more to him than the handsome face that's worthy of a romance novel cover.

This book was especially enjoyable because it talks about the stigma associated with reading romance novels and names many influential authors who are working to break that stigma. (Many of whom I've read and love.) The subtext of this book was that it's ok to read and love romance novels, which is good because I really do!

Lindsey Kelk's writing style is quick moving, entertaining and funny. I had several LOL moments while reading this book.

I took off 1 star because I'm not a huge fan of the insta-love trope (to be fair, she does call it that out in the book). I just feel like there could have been a little more depth to the relationship between Sophie and Joe. Second, there's no epilogue! There's a grand romantic gesture and that's it! The story ends!

Hopefully this is the first in a series (I'd like to see Sophie's best friend Sarah find love) so we can see some finality in the relationship between Sophie and Joe.

Thank you so much to the author and NetGalley for allowing me to read the eARC of this book so that I can provide my honest opinion!

This book was so cute and adorable! I wanted to experience more of her writing the book that took the world by storm! Anyone who loves the thought of writing their own book will really enjoy reading this. Seeing a debut author put something out there for the first time and becoming an instant celebrity is a dream come true. Her having to hide herself behind a pen name due to her career and literary critic parents was a bummer but in the end it ended up all nice and cute and fluffy.

One character I wanted to do without at first was Charlotte. That little stinker was nosy and if my sibling had ever gone through my things like that I’d have a conniption fit! But in the end, she was a character of empowerment and very supportive of her older sister.

I felt the story between Sophie and Joe could have dove a little deeper but all in all I would recommend this book. Cute and cozy!

Love Story
by Lindsey Kelk
2.5⭐️

This was such a promising book and there's a few elements that I absolutely loved but unfortunately the bad slightly outweighs the good. There was an insane amount of pop culture and bookish references. I am all for cute little easter eggs and pop culture mentions but literally anything and everything that could ever be mentioned, was mentioned. The first 30% of the book was so addicting!! I was ready to be so invested in Sophie and Joe but then it all fell apart for me because the romance wasn't giving enough and she never found her voice against her family. She kept allowing herself to be pushed in different directions. The Este Cox reveal was dragged out for 60% of the book. There were too many almost caught and fake reveal scenes. I don't have sisters but I did not like Charlotte's character at all, she was the worst to the point of making the book frustrating and unlikeable.

The few redeeming moments here belong to William. I am dying to know more about him and every scene he was in was actually great. Sophie and Joe had their sweet moments too but I wish the rest of the book hadn't overshadowed them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for this gifted arc!

This was such a great contemporary romance. It's a book that is literally a love story for this genre of book, shouting out all of the female authors who have made these stories we love so much possible. This book is so funny and heartfelt. The banter is top-notch and the characters are both relatable and wonderfully written. Sophie and Joe were experts at pushing each other's buttons and their romance felt genuine and well earned. Lindsey Kelk is a pro at mixing humor, and romance to get the perfect balance. will legit be recommending this book to anyone and everyone. It was such a feel good story and I didn't want it to end.

I haven’t been this giddy over a book in ages! Absolutely kicking my feet and giggling. The queen of witty banter, hysterical one-liners, and oh so much more. This was fantastic.

I liked that this book has fast paced writing and short chapters. The concept of this book was very interesting and fun but overall the book fell flat.
I’m not a fan of insta love so I couldn’t connect to the characters.
The mentions of social media, actual authors, scenes from actual books, and book tropes really took me out of the story.
Overall, I just didn’t connect to the story or characters.