This was such a cozy read! I love bookish romance and this did not disappoint. The Battle of the Bookshops included likable characters, Shakespearian connections, enemies to lovers vibes and even a witchcraft subplot!
The Montbeau and Capelthorne families have been rivals for years. Julia Capelthorne returns to her home town to help her aging great aunt with the small, independent bookstore that's been in the Capelthorne family for 100 years. Roman Montbeau, her very wealthy and handsome rival, opens a large contemporary bookstore right across the street from her aunt's bookstore. There is an instant attraction between the two rivals but can their relationship last through the competition and family history?
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for a fun and charming book!

Thank you, NetGalley and Publisher for this ARC! I really enjoyed this book. It had an enemies to lovers and Romeo and Juliet vibes . I love the characters and the premise of the book was great. I love how the two bookstores were dueling together and how the two main characters catch feelings for each other! It reminded me of the movie “you’ve got mail” . I will continue to read more from this author and I highly recommend this book. It was funny, exciting and heartwarming!

This was my first time reading something by Poppy Alexander, and I enjoyed this modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet. This is a nice and cozy story set between two feuding families and just a perfect ending. I will have to say that the romance building, the dates and overall chemistry, is off page so it does feel like we are skimming through their story. While I did enjoy the ending, I wish we got to see more of their chemistry and development of their relationship.

⭐️ 3/5
Third person POV, single narrative
FMC: Jules
Linear timeline
MF romance, closed door romance

This is a delightful and heartwarming read, perfect for book lovers who enjoy a bit of romance, rivalry, and community spirit. The story follows two competing bookshop owners, each fighting to keep their stores afloat, leading to witty banter, unexpected alliances, and plenty of charming small-town drama.

The chemistry between the protagonists is slow-burning, and the supporting cast adds warmth and humor to the story. The plot is predictable with the enemies-to-lovers trope but executed with charm.

Overall, this is a feel-good read that celebrates the magic of books, love, and the power of community. A great pick for fans of cozy romances and bookshop settings!

Thank you Avon and Harper for providing me this ARC of the book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you @netgalley for the e-arc of Battle of the Bookshops by Poppy Alexander in exchange for an honest review! Giving this a generous 3 stars because it’s about books and I love an enemies to lovers trope. However, this was a pretty lackluster story, that was hard to stay interested in…I got the whole Romeo and Juliet, dueling family vibes, but the romance between the two main characters wasn’t really there for me. As a story, it was pretty wholesome, had a happy ending, and nothing really high stakes, but it just wasn’t for me.

Oh my goodness, this was the cutest book! I absolutely loved it! It was literally the perfect spring romance, in my opinion and I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Sometimes, you just need a light, heartwarming read—especially after heavier books—and this was exactly that. A charming mix of romance and women’s fiction, this story provided the perfect escape.

Jules returns to her seaside hometown in Devon to help her great-aunt run their beloved family bookshop, a place steeped in history. But trouble arises when Roman, the town’s wealthy golden boy, decides to open a competing bookstore right across the street—just because he can. Their rivalry is complicated by an old, lingering crush from their teenage years, setting the stage for plenty of tension, banter, and, of course, romance. But this story isn’t just about business competition or rekindled feelings. A university student, Charlie, arrives to catalog the shop’s secondhand books and uncovers an incredible find—an ancient manuscript dating back to the 1600s, written by one of Jules’ ancestors. The historical layers woven into the plot add an extra touch of depth, making the bookshop feel even more magical.

Overall, this is a cozy, feel-good rom-com with just the right amount of charm and humor. Even the misunderstandings are mild, keeping the story light and enjoyable. And for those who prefer cleaner romances, this one sticks to sweet moments, with just a hint of implied romance. With everything going on in the world, sometimes you just need a book that feels like a warm hug—and this one delivered. Big thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read and review!

It was cute but a little slow for my liking. I enjoyed the banter and the angst but it felt a little predictable. It was an easy read, and I think ideal if you like cute romances.

I truly loved this story! Small coastal town in England with rivals families. So of course, they have to fall in love, but they also have bookshops across from each other. What will happen, how will they both keep their beloved bookshops? I loved Jules and Roman

Thanks to NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for a review.
All opinions are my own.
This is a light, cute, easy reading novel about two competing book shops and two competing families in a small town.
It’s ok, but I found the littlest library a little more fun and engrossing. This story just goes the way you think it will.
3 stars rounded up.

While I loved the premise of this book, the Romeo & Juliet meets modern-day, small-town booksellers story fell a bit flat for me.

I feel like we only got the surface-level story with so much unexplored depth to Roman and his family. The ending felt rushed and tied up just for the sake of finishing the story. I would’ve loved to see another 30-40 pages to wrap everything up a little neater with a nicer bow tied on top, rather than a stick-on ribbon.

Thank you Poppy Alexander for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Battle of the Bookshops had the cutest concept, rival bookstores (and owners), enemies to lovers, Romeo and Juliet parallels… overall sounded so cute! Sadly, this book fell flat for me. Although I enjoyed the history of the bookshop and Jules’ close relationship with her aunt, there was very little romance between Jules and Roman. In fact, there was very little interaction between the main characters and I felt like romance/relationship development suffered because of it. Overall a cute story, but I would say this is categorized under fiction rather than romance. Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

The Battle of the Bookshops by Poppy Alexander is a charming, bookish romance set in a cozy seaside town. Jules Capelthorne returns home to help her great-aunt save their struggling bookshop, only to find herself up against Roman Montbeau, the owner of a sleek new bookstore. Their families have a long-standing feud, but as competition heats up, so do unexpected feelings between Jules and Roman.

The novel blends humor, heart, and literary charm, making it a delightful read for fans of small-town romance. While the enemies-to-lovers dynamic is fun, the romance could have used more depth. The setting and side characters, however, add warmth and charm to the story. Perfect for readers who love bookshop settings and lighthearted romance with a hint of rivalry.

This did not do it for me. The Romeo and Juliet of it all was very heavy handed and I just could not connect with the characters. Thank you NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyage for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not my favorite. The storyline was a little bit all over the place, and leaned too heavily on the Romeo and Juliet reimagination. I just did not connect with the characters or their stories and think it could have been edited a bit more heavily.

This one didn't do it for me... I just found the characters to be so unlikeable and the writing to be stilted at times. I think the idea is strong but the execution of the romance wasn't quite it. Jules family history and trying to save the bookstore was really the redeeming aspect of the book.

Refreshing to read a romance novel that centers around a woman's work and non-romantic relationships. I enjoyed this book, but the romance was a bit undeveloped. An enjoyable read that made me want to visit the English seaside.

3.5 stars

I’m so disappointed because this book seemed right up my alley. A Romeo and Juliet themed romance with rival bookstore owners in rural England? Sign me up! Unfortunately the execution just fell flat for me. Roman was so unlikeable. He gets better throughout the book but at first he is just so insufferable. Jules initially hates him (like, HATES him) but after seeing him a few times and thinking about how hot he is suddenly she’s in love. Roman did have some sweet moments but because of how pretentious he was they just felt out of character. And then when they do start hanging out there’s no buildup of the relationship, they’re just all of a sudden completely in love and in a happy relationship.
Other plot points, like the selling of the bookstore felt underdeveloped and not well resolved. After all this buildup everything kind of just ends. It felt like this book had no payoff and wasn’t really worth dealing with unlikeable characters.
I usually love Poppy Alexander’s books so I was really sad that I didn’t like this one!
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC!!

I was looking for a fun, simple romance book... which is technically what I got. HOWEVER this book was to on the nose for a Romeo and Juliet modern retelling. I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and I don't feel like that aspect was part of the book's information. As an avid Romeo and Juliet hater I don't think this book was for me. It was cute though and I wish we got to hear more about the bookshops once the "feud" had been resolved.

Cute cover, romance, bookstores, and rivalry? Sign me up, immediately! This was a fun ride! I'll definitely recommend it to my romance book club.