“For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.”
William Shakespeare

Good news for fans of star-crossed lovers! Poppy Alexander’s The Battle of the Bookshops has a better ending than The Bard’s original tale. And, while the story may revolve around Jules and Roman, Aunt Flo is absolute perfection as a supporting character.

Mark the August 19, 2025 publication date on your calendar immediately, then go find the rest of Poppy’s books and read them.

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This was a cute book!! A little too on the nose at times. It starts slow but the second half was much faster. A great beach read.

I love books with bookshops and this felt like a cup of hot tea on a cold day. This book does have very cute moments but Julia and Roman’s chemistry needed more time to blossom and this book definitely lags in the beginning. By the time we get to the meat of the story, the romance just isn’t sharp enough.

This fun summer romp was exactly what I needed to read on a cold and rainy day. I thought the banter between the two leads was excellent and I loved the character development. I’m excited to share with my audience when the book releases.

One of the best books I’ve read in a long time! Just absolutely darling. I love the storyline and just the realness of this book. It was adorable! Such a fun read. Highly suggest.

This was overall a cute read. However, I feel the plot would have benefited from a dual POV between Julia & Roman-- I wish Roman's character was given more descriptive sections that highlighted the person he was. I love the classic spin of Romeo & Juliet but I do wish the story was a bit more fast paced at times. Given the slow burn nature of their forbidden romance, I wish were were given more scenes. that showcased their tension and desire (but I do feel like this was a good execution of love at first sight & forbidden romance-- just not my style). I enjoyed the ending & all the characters we met along the way. I would love to see a possible sequel of their continued romance!

3.5 rounded up. If you are looking for a warm and cozy book, this would be a good choice. Though the nods to Romeo and Juliet became a bit on the nose, I still really appreciated the story.

Jules returns to her home town to work with and care for her Great Aunt Flo. She runs the bookshop in town. A wrench is thrown in when the feuding family’s son, Roman, opens his own bookstore across the street.

I wish there was a bit more time spent building out the MMC and FMC, and their relationship, but I enjoyed it overall.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars ⭐️
The first half of this book was slow and hard to get into. The second half of it made the whole book. The rivalry between Jules and Roman was fun to read. The Romeo and Juliet tie in to the story was cute but wanted more between Roman and Jules

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! I really enjoyed this book. Very cozy and the authors descriptions really make you feel like you’re there with the characters. Would and will recommend!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! The enemies to lovers shift was really sudden and didn’t feel organic. The pacing was overall a little off and I didn’t believe that the main characters were as in love as they said they were. The side plot however was engaging and I did enjoy reading this book.

If you’re looking for a cozy, seaside, literary, comfort novel, look no further!! I fell in love with the scenery of this story, but also loved the bookshop element even more. This is a bookish girls perfect cozy read that will transport you to a small town for all the good vibes. Thank you so much for the chance to read this early copy!

The main characters, Jules Capelthorne and Roman Montbeau, and the centuries old feud between the two families is an obvious and intentional allusion to Romeo and Juliet. I liked that the author embraced it by having Jules and Roman make Romeo and Juliet jokes. Jules is back in Portneath to help her Aunt Flo run Capelthorne's Books, after Flo, who is of advanced years, falls and breaks her arm and leg. Roman is also back in town for business reasons, which will directly conflict with Jules, as he is opening a competing bookstore across the street. The changing relationship between Jules and Roman is enjoyable as they go from enemies/rivals to friends to something more to enemies again (at least in Jules eyes, because of a devastating secret Roman has been keeping), and then find their way back to each other again.

The story behind the Brynlee character, which the author explains in the acknowledgements, is cute. However, my favorite aspect of the story is the discovery of the grimoire in the antiquarian books in the bookstore and the revelation that it belonged to a Capelthorne ancestor, Bridget Capelthorne. I enjoyed the discussion of the contents of the manuscript, the speculation about what her life would have been like, the speculation about why the manuscript takes a dark and paranoid turn and ends abruptly, the connection to the witch trials in England, the discussions of various spells and treatments that would have actually been helpful, or at least harmless, and some of the more fanciful spells, and the efforts by Jules and Charlie and others to find out more about her.

Who doesn't love a story with hints of Romeo and Juliet? Roman and Jules descend from two families with a notorious rivalry. After spending time in New York (Roman) and London (Jules), the two are reunited when they return to their hometown and the rivalry continues. This story about the two of them attempting to navigate their budding relationship while operating competing bookshops owned by each family is absolutely adorable. I loved the history of their families and their connections to the town. It was complete with British humor, secondhand books, and an ancient cat. Trust me when I say you will want to read this book!! (And then immediately buy your own book store.)

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

The book was slow and hard to get into but had Romeo and Juliet vibes

📚 The Battle of the Bookshops📚

2 ⭐️⭐️

I wanted to love this book, it just did not capture or keep my attention. It’s got Romeo & Juliet vibes. Rivals to lovers (but really the romance wasn’t there for me). I’m not sure if it was too slowly paced or what but something was just underwhelming . A positive is the book cover tho, it’s so cute & colorful & eye grabbing.

Thank you to NetGalley & publisher for an eARC for an honest opinion!

This was my second Poppy Alexander book and I adored it. It was kind of a Romeo and Juliet retelling and was such a cute read.

What is it like to live my dream? It was reading this book. The rivals to lovers book shop owners had my heart from the first page. I loved reading this and kicking my feet with joy as their relationship progressed. It was a great read and one that you won't regret taking the time to enjoy

I had never read anything by this author before but this book made me an immediate fan! Was such a quick read and I loved it!

The romance element was good, featuring a classic Romeo and Juliet trope that brought a captivating dynamic to the plot. However, I felt the ending was rushed and abrupt, which left me wanting a more satisfying conclusion.

A modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet. The first chapter really hooked me in, however I felt as if the “enemies to lovers” trope never really took flight. This book took a while to get going, but when it did, I found myself enchanted with the small town, Flo, and Bridget’s book. The eventual love between Jules and Roman was expected but did feel rather rushed.

I wouldn’t classify this as a romance but instead simply a fiction book.

3/5