This was an enjoyable quick read. I love a good enemies-to-lovers romance especially when rival bookstores come into play. While I enjoyed this book overall, I did struggle with the pacing, at times the story seems very slow. I loved the moments between Jules, her Aunt Flo and Charlie and I greatly enjoyed the side story about their distant relative. I enjoy Romeo and Juliet retellings and found that element of the story to be really delightful. It was fun to see all the little references to it throughout the story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC to preview.

Overall, this book was a very enjoyable read. At times, I felt like the choice of vocabulary did not flow with the writing style and read like someone who uses a thesaurus to find word replacements. The twist of Romeo and Juliet for character names could have been more creative instead it came off as if the author couldn't think of any different names.

Overall, this book was a very enjoyable read and I would recommend to any of my soft romance book loving friends. At times, I felt like the choice of vocabulary did not flow with the writing style and read like someone who uses a thesaurus to find word replacements. I also felt the twist on Romeo and Juliet for character names was a little thoughtless and could have been more creative.

This story is part love story, part family history, and part saving her family's bookshop.

The MFC is Jules Capelthorne and the MMC is Roman Montbeau. Their families have a long sorted history. Jules moves back home to take care of her ailing aunt and her bookstore. Roman has moved home after time in NYC and opened a new bookstore across the street from Jules. They knew each other in High School, but didn't interact much.

I did not find the love story between Jules and Roman not super believable. They go from bickering to being madly in love very quickly. I think they borrow from Romeo and Juliette to sell their love story.

I enjoyed the parts about saving the bookstore and Jules family history. These parts seemed to run parallel to the love story. In my opinion, this part of the book was more interesting and well-developed.

Thank you NetGallery for the ARC. This is my honest opinion of The Battle of the Bookshop.

3 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and Poppy Alexander for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts! This book took me a little longer to get into but after that, it was better. It’s written in 3rd person and I do not like this style of writing 😭 The main focus was the battle of bookshops between the two families and the tension between Jules and Roman was felt through the pages. Although sometimes it did feel their tension overpowered their chemistry as a couple.


Tropes:
- Enemies to Lovers
- Slow Burn
- Rival Bookstores

Thank you for the arc. I dont feel that it held my attention throughout the whole book but wasn't bad. Overall. I'm not sure if I'd reccomend this one or not.

Thank you, NetGalley for this ARC in return for my honest review. This book unfortunately didn't do it for me. The premise is cute and had big potential. Romeo and Juliet esque family rivalry involving bookshops across the street from each other. There was no build up in romance, I just turned the page and they were together? The only characters I really had any feelings toward were Aunt Flo and Charlie. Was over all a cute storyline but sadly very slow and emotionally flat.

This book is painstakingly bad, it is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet which I was unaware of because it wasn’t mentioned anywhere in the information about the book.

I don’t mind a good retelling but this was not a good retelling, the similarities in names where awful and clearly forced which made me cringe every time I read it

The book was incredibly slow going and the inserts of “clues” the author put in throughout the book to try and “hint” that this was a Romeo and Juliet retelling (as if it wasn’t already obvious) was over the top and annoying.

Thank you Netgalley Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for the arc

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Unfortunately I don’t think it would appeal to most American readers due to the very British wording.

I was hoping to get You’ve Got Mail meets Book Lovers in the UK but unfortunately this book wasn’t for me.

If you enjoy Hallmark movies or small town stories you might enjoy this no spice sweet romance with a nod to a Romeo & Juliet retelling.

Tale as old as time. Feuding families, misconceptions, and enemies to lovers. Nice play on Romeo and Juliet. Cute book. Would recommend.

If you are a bibliophile like I am you will absolutely adore this story! The description of the setting and characters are so well-done that I could really visualize myself in a quaint English village while reading. Part love story and part mystery, this is a feel-good story that left me wishing the book wasn’t over yet!

This was what I classify as a "palate cleanser." It was an enjoyable read. The only downside to me is that I wish it had focused a bit more on the romance & not as much on the bookshops themselves. It diminished the story somewhat for me. The characters were likeable and the writing style was easy to follow. Overall, not a bad book. If you're looking for something light and easy, this is it.

A charming, bookish delight set in a picturesque seaside town, The Battle of the Bookshops is a heartfelt story of family legacy, rivalry, and the power of a well-loved bookstore.

Jules Capelthorne has always adored her great-aunt’s bookshop, a beloved but struggling literary treasure in Portneath. When she returns home to save Capelthorne’s Books from financial ruin, she quickly realizes she’s up against more than just a dwindling customer base—her lifelong rival, Roman Montbeau, has opened a sleek, modern bookstore right across the street. As the heir to a wealthy family that has long clashed with the Capelthornes, Roman is determined to prove that Jules’s shop is outdated. But Jules refuses to go down without a fight, and as the competition between them heats up, so does an unexpected attraction.

This novel is a delightful blend of small-town charm, witty banter, and slow-burn romance. The literary setting adds extra warmth, and Jules’s determination makes her an easy protagonist to root for. The nostalgic love for bookstores and the enemies-to-lovers dynamic make this an utterly enjoyable read. If you love bookshop-centered stories with romance and heart, The Battle of the Bookshops is a must-read! I cant wait for everyone to read this book!

Cute story about bookshop rivalry. Well, kind of a rivalry. I was expecting more enemies to lovers, but it felt more like insta love with family drama miscommunication. I found the pacing of this book to be quite slow and that in combination with it being in third person made it hard for me to connect with the characters. There was also fast switches between points of views from different characters which I felt did not help gel the storyline.

Thank you to Netgally for providing this ARC.

I enjoyed this cute story. Strong grandma vibes is a favorite for me and of course bookstores. I liked that it was a closed door story but had some characters who had some struggles. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

Welp the title of this book explains it all. Jule’s family’s bookshop has been around for century when a new bookstore comes to town. Owned by a posh family Jule’s does not like. After coming home to the bookshop in a dire state Jule’s also has to deal with Roman and his bookshop.

I didn’t love this one. The writing was slow and characters just weren’t lovable. Maybe if you’re a huge enemies to lovers fan this one might be for you… it just wasn’t for me.

Enemies to lovers
Family feud
Books!!!

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

unfortunately this was a bit too british for me, i really liked the idea but had trouble following along with the way the characters spoke :/

Cute, quick read. Enemies-to-lovers trope. Medium-paced plot centering around the trope. A bit predictable but still a fun read. Characters were diverse and well-written.

This was a cute little closed door romcom, something light to take the edge off some of the darker stuff I read. The pace dragged a little at times, and I wish the romance part of the storyline was more prominent than the bookshops. It felt a little “You’ve Got Mail” on a budget.