Battle of the Bookstores is a book lover's fantasy put to paper. Two people, who are complete opposites, fall in love while talking about and selling books. It's rivals-to-friends-to-lovers, a la You've Got Mail. It's chock full of nods to the things readers love, from punny bookish merch to full on romantic gestures.

I had a hard time rooting for these characters at the outset. They are pitted in competition against one another and with the dual POV, we definitely see them at their worst or based on snap judgments. I actually enjoyed the book a lot more once things begin to thaw and they enter friendlier territory. This surprised me because I usually love it when the characters walk the thinnest of lines between love and hate. I'll say the trope game is strong with this novel, it manages to hit many favorites such as opposites attract, rivals-to-lovers, one bed, epistolary, forced proximity and he falls first. It will undoubtedly be a satisfying summer read for romance readers who love books about books!

Thank you Berkley Publishing for the ARC. Battle of the Bookstores will be out 6/3!

A big thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for providing me with an eARC to read and review. This doesn't affect my opinion in any way!

You guys! This book! Like I can't even tell you how much I freaking loved it. I've read all of Ali Brady's books and every time I finish one I think to myself "This is my new favorite" and this one is seriously my new favorite! I mean I love all their books but this one with its enemies to friends to lovers tropes, romance author mentions and call outs, the banter (Oh the banter!), and everything else about this bookstore competition was perfection.

It is definitely You've Got Mail feels but the setting between these two bookshops took it up a notch. I enjoyed every minute of it and found myself laughing out loud and falling in love with Josie and Ryan.

I 100% recommend this to all the romance readers out there! You will not be disappointed!

Queue music from
“🎵…Romance in F Minor, OP 11, B. 39 …“🎵
~ by Itzhal Perlman

(Now, “cue internal squeeing”!) I know that it is only February, but I am going to go out on a limb and say that Battle of the Bookstores will be THIS SUMMER’s HOTTEST ROMANCE NOVEL! I am also going to say it will be one of my top 5 of 2025!

What can I say, but that Battle of the Bookstores was THE PERFECT romance novel for me. I literally could not put the book down until I finished it. From the dual POV, the slightly flawed characters, the banter, the competition, the spice level, THE BANTER, I felt like it was written for me! What stood out the most was how Brady captured the essence of reading, and the heartbeat of stories, of novels, truly breathing life into them and giving them a character (and for that matter, a starring role) of their own.

I am so thankful to @alibradybooks, @berkleypub and @berkleyromance for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced copy. I am even more grateful to @literarymediatours / @musingsofru for the introduction to the authors and the novel! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

ICYMI
↘️⬇️↙️
TROPES:
🔥Enemies to lovers
📚Opposites attract
💻Online Epistolary (You’ve Got Mail vibes 😍) “Read it! I know you’ll love it.”
🛏️Only One Bed
💕Forced Proximity
❤️‍🔥He Falls First (and hard)

This book is for the booklovers! It has charm, wit and so many puns. I love the characters are amazing and it reminded me of You've Got Mail! I cannot wait for my friends to read this when it comes out and I will be recommending it to everyone!

OK, was this book written just for me?! Maybe! I loved it! So many of my favorite things all in one book - enemies to lovers, closed proximity, fake dating, You've Got Mail retelling, sister bond, and LOTs of talk about books.

This is the story of Josie and Ryan, two managers of bookstores separated by a coffee shop. When the owner of the building decides he's going to redo the building and combine the bookstores, the rivalry intensifies as both managers try to have the financials in their favor as the owner decides who to promote.

I loved the You've Got Mail/anonymous blooming friendship that happens in an online chat. It's so fun to see the emotional relationship grow. I also LOVED the enemies part of the book - such great banter and tension.

If you are looking for a fun romance, I recommend this book!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own. 4.5 rounded up

Everything you love about books, bookstores, and the book community all rolled into one AMAZING story! Filled with your favorite tropes, witty banter, and characters that you will want to have as your BFFs! Ali Brady hit it out of the bookstore with this one! Every book nerd out there will find themselves in the pages of this hilarious and heartwarming story.

This is a book for all book lovers especially romance book readers. The competition is on for two very different bookstores that are combining into one large one. The two managers are competing for the one job. They are enemies in person but little do they know that they are friends online in a booksellers forum. Every one is going to enjoy the references to all genres of books, authors and tropes. Any the many tropes that are used in this book are also referred to in a cute way.

Books, banter, and a battle for the best bookshop—sign me up! Josie and Ryan are rival managers at two indie bookstores, but when their boss decides to merge the stores, only one can stay in charge. Cue the competition, awkward moments, and sparks flying in all directions!

This was my first Ali Brady book, and I loved it. The banter is on point, the romance is sweet, and the Jewish rep was a lovely surprise. If you’re into romcoms and love a good indie bookstore vibe, add this to your summer TBR!

This is a love letter to Indie Bookshops, Romance Novels, and book lovers.

Thank you @AliBrady and Berkeley for providing me with an ARC copy. I couldn’t wait to read this fun romcom.

Josie Klein loves her job as the manager of Tabula Inscripta, a cozy bookshop she’s poured her heart into. Ryan is equally passionate about his role managing Happy Ending, a romance bookstore with a loyal following. But when their boss, Xander, announces plans to merge the two stores, things get complicated. He proposes a challenge: the manager of the most profitable store will be offered the position at the newly combined shop. Cue the friendly competition, plenty of banter, and a touch of rivalry—until feelings start to complicate everything.

This was my first book by Ali Brady, and it was such a delightful read! It’s a warm, charming romcom that feels like a love letter to both romance books and indie bookstores. The banter between Josie and Ryan kept me hooked, but it was their vulnerable sides that truly made them endearing.
I was also thrilled to see some Jewish representation woven into the story. It’s always refreshing to read books that reflect the diverse experiences of Jewish people in everyday life.

Overall, I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a sweet, feel-good summer read. Alternating perspectives between Josie and Ryan added depth to the story and made it even more enjoyable.

“It’s not about the happy ending, it’s about believing you’re worthy of one.”

Battle of the Bookstores is a love letter to Romance as a genre, but also to all books, all readers and indie bookstores especially. Through Josie and (B)Ryan’s story, I loved to explore how books make us think, change, grow, and –if we’re lucky– can save our lives.
I won’t list tropes here, as you can find soooo many of them in the book –which was such a delight, this book made me feel about reading what I felt about writing in Emily Henry’s Book Lovers and Beach Read.
Ryan is a walking green flag, the archetype of what I love in romances’ MMC. Nerdy. Attentive. Making Mistake. Sexy. He is the golden retriever to Josie’s black cat, at least in appearance. I loved the dynamics between the two of them, and the hidden identity part was so perfect (who doesn’t like a modern epistolary?) and helped to discover all Josie’s layers (I can’t tell much about her without spoilers). Their apparent opposite personalities, the competition created a large space for banter –and a lot of blazing sparkles– which made the book as funny as it made me cry.
I loved the a little bit nerdy side, with a lot of references to popular authors, in Romance but also in General Lit, how Romance as a genre is “dissected”, how the beats are discussed while being twisted a bit in this plot, while staying faithful to the genre (yes, I know, it seems impossible, but that’s exactly what the authors did!). The fact that it is Josie who doesn’t like romance is a very interesting take, and a way to step out of the stereotypes. It also allows that her own thinking about the genre turns into an articulation for her own evolution.
Inclusion was a recurrent theme, as much as diversity, consent and empowerment, which, in nowadays’ context, makes this book a gem, explaining with humor the importance of the genre –of books, of bookstores– to help people grow and feel they deserve their best possible life, while remaining true to themselves.

Thank you to the authors and Berkley Romance for giving me this ARC via NetGalley
My opinions are my own

What a lovely ode to indie bookstores and the romance genre! I picked this up intending to only read a few pages but it drew me in so thoroughly that I read the first half in one sitting. This rivals-to-friends-to-lovers romcom has major You've Got Mail vibes, with two indie bookstore owners unwillingly being pitted against one another. As they butt heads in real life, they each find solace chatting with a friend in an anonymous online group for booksellers.... and of course, if you've seen You've Got Mail, you know who they're talking to! Both characters are well-rounded and grow throughout the novel.

At times some of the antics were fairly contrived, but it wouldn't be a romcom if I didn't roll my eyes at least a few times over some over-the-top scenarios. Writing a romance novel about a romance bookstore is a bit meta, and yet there were several really beautiful moments waxing poetic about books, readers, and bookstores.

What a cute book!!!

A love story to books, readers, book sellers, there was just so much goodness packed into this book. So many things I loved about it!

💞 The personality, roles, character of the MMC and FMC were flipped, which I loved. The MMC managing the romance bookshop and being a little chaos goblin was such a delight to read, and also watching the ice queen slowly defrost and let him into her icy kingdom. So delightful!

📚 SO many references to books I love, spanning so many genres and publication years - from classics to contemporary romance - the love the authors have for books and reading just really shines through each page.

Just such a delight to read 💕

I really enjoyed this book! The pacing was perfect for me, and the characters felt so real. I do wish there could have been a deeper dive into Josie's relationship with her mom. However, I also understand having past trauma simply as character development and not wanting to analyze it too much to keep the story light-hearted. Overall, this was a perfect, quick, lovely romance that was a fun read.

This was just so much fun, and Josie and Ryan's journey gave me the warm fuzzies.

Fans of Ali Brady's books will NOT be disappointed by this enemies-to-friends-to-lovers tale of two rival bookstore managers. You might think you know exactly what will happen, but the characters are so well-rounded and the specifics so perfect that you'll realize there are many ways to get to happily ever after.

I'm old enough that this gave me a "You've Got Mail" vibe, except both of the MCs are managers of small shops, which removes the element I liked least about that movie.

I'll be recommending this one widely. Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in advance of publication.

This rivals to lovers + bookstore romance was so fun! Ryan and Josie are bookstore managers for competing bookstores on the same street. A new owner decides to combine the stores and have only one manager. These two are "competing" to be the last manager standing. Their personalities are so different that it gives you the hope they will balance each other out. As a side note, these two are also online pen pals, unaware that they are talking to each other. Several reviews say this gives "you've got mail" vibes! There was great tension and build-up between the two characters! This is my first Ali Brady book, and I look forward to reading more of her work. Thank you for the e-arc!!

Thank you to @alibradybooks @berkleypub @berkleyromance @netgalley for the #gifted e-book.

This is my first novel by these authors, but it certainly won’t be my last.

In a charming neighborhood, Josie and Ryan each run their own bookstores on the same street. When the owner decides to merge their beloved shops, they find themselves in a fierce competition for the coveted manager position. Both harbor deep insecurities that come to the surface as their rivalry intensifies. Unbeknownst to them, however, they've already forged a connection as friends in an online community forum. What starts as a battle of wits and will becomes an unexpected journey from enemies to friends—and ultimately to lovers.

This heartwarming romance is a delightful exploration of love and vulnerability. Josie and Ryan grapple with their own fears while passionately defending their favorite book genres. The palpable chemistry between them is undeniable from their very first encounter, only deepening as they navigate their complex relationship. I particularly enjoyed the witty banter during their competition, which added an engaging layer to the story. The dual points of view invite readers into their innermost thoughts, revealing their fears and desires.

What makes this story even more special is its homage to indie bookstores—the magic of literature, the challenges of running a bookstore, and the powerful sense of community that comes from a shared love of reading.

If you’re searching for a sweet, captivating story that will ensnare your heart and keep you hooked until the very last page, look no further.

📚battle of the bookstores📚
rating: 4.75⭐️

🍰ARC provided by NetGalley🍰

okay— if you guys know me, you know i’m not a big fan of romance books. however, this book was so much more than that to me. i loved this book.

essentially, two bookstore managers have to compete against each other as the owner of the two stores are combining the store and needs to determine who will continue as a manager. it’s a cute rivals to lovers book and i found it wildly realistic and simultaneously beautiful and endearing.

each character is lead with purpose & backstory. even side characters hold growth in the story. there was enough drama to keep me entertained and enough sweet moments to keep me cozy. i loved this book & kept wanting to pick it up despite my busy week. there’s some spice but it’s pretty minimal.

i love the way the author connects us with these characters and i definitely recommend this book! this book definitely defied my expectations!!

publishing 06/03/2025✨✨

The concept was cute, but the writing style wasn't for me. I couldn't get past the first 50 pages, and the modern-day references kept pulling me out of the book. As much as I adore booktok, bookstagram, and booktube, seeing multiple social media references in books makes me enjoy them less.

This book was so cute! With bookstore owners falling in love as the overall premise, you know I was already sold. And the characters were just amazing. I loved reading and seeing their relationship grow, while also battling that hidden identity and the "you don't know who i am, but i know who you are". This made my enemies-to-lovers heart very happy!
Thanks NetGalley and berkley.publicity@penguinrandomhouse.com :)

Thank you, #BerkleyPartner, @Berkleyromance, and @netgalley for my #gifted (free) copy.

BATTLE OF THE BOOKSTORES by @alibradybooks. Pub date 6/3/25.

I read this book as slow as I possibly could because I did not want it to end. This book brought all the feels of walking into an #indiebookstore and browsing the isles and smelling the smell of fresh books. I loved all the nods of other books and authors throughout this book, and I actually added a couple to my wishlist. ALL #booklovers are going to love this one, and the romance was top-notch and so delicious! Pro-order and add this to your TBR list because this is a must-read 5-star romance!

Ryan is the manager of Happy Endings, a bookstore that sells only romance. Just two doors down in between a coffee shop, Josie is the manager of Tabula Inscripta, a bookstore that focuses on literature. When the owner of both stores decides to merge the two stores together, there will only be a need for one manager. The manager will be decided by who turns the most profit over the summer. Ryan and Josie both have their work cut out for them, and may the best man or lady win!