she was cutie! this was such a cozy read i finished it over the weekend and had a very enjoyable time! now, was it positively life changing? not necessarily but i liked it for what it was!

Well, I’m done. I have some feelings and I’m struggling to sort them out, mostly because I feel misled into what this book is about- mostly because of the books description. The text was accurate, but the emotional tone was not right.

While it is “about romance”, I wouldn’t call it a romance novel (how it’s labeled on publisher’s site), and certainly not “playful”, and that is where I feel let down. At first I was excited to read about the MMC, because I love bookish flannel boys, but by the end of this book I was tired of him. Although I can’t even blame him- I think the amount of time the author spent bringing up how hard his life was because of how attractive he was became tiring and downright boring. While it doesn’t bother me so much that a MMC has cheating in his past, I know a lot of readers do, so I imagine this was another mark against him. But, there’s a real chance this was on purpose as this is not a true romance novel anyway. Maybe I’m supposed to not care about this guy.

While the setup and plot was wild and clever and good, I wish I was prepared for it. I went in thinking it was a romance novel and was let down- so I spent the whole time cringing in preparation for how this would end. If I had gone in knowing this was a book more so about friendship and found family and more of ensemble book where everyone comes together (the name should have given me that clue- but I took it the wrong way), maybe I would have felt more satisfied. The description also called it “hilarious”…at no point did I find any of this book funny. I felt sad for these two women who were falling for someone based on a misunderstanding. One was lonely and depressed and the other was a widow, attempting a connection for the first time since her husband’s death. Should I have been laughing at them?

All of this to say, I do believe it’s a good book and very well written and think it could be a hit for those who love stories about friendships, found families, “getting back out there”, feeling lost in life, etc. Just not to be read as a HEA romance novel. And not hilarious.

4 stars because I think this is on the publisher, not the author, to market accurately.

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

This was a very sweet noonish themed story that felt very empowering for women. However I felt that the pacing was slow and that whole it was marketed as a romance felt more more like a friendship so was not what I expected.

A lighthearted love letter to readers and bookstores.

Even with its slow pacing, Macdonald's writing can certainly be appreciated. Sadly, I felt disconnected from the story and can't help but wish we got to spend more time with our three main characters broadening their personalities.

Such a fantastic plot! I could not put the book down once I began reading it. I cannot wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

I really enjoyed reading this amazing book Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald.
A delightful story about romance, friendship, and a love of books.
This was a heartfelt and hilarious read that was truly captivating.
I thought these characters were so fascinating and well developed.
It was so much fun being with these characters.
The writing was great and I was hooked once I opened my Kindle.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Dutton for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

A charming story centered around a love triangle sparked by a mix-up with an anonymous letter. The pacing slows at times, but overall, it’s an enjoyable and easy read.

This book is just a cozy hug for book lovers. One handwritten note brings three strangers together as they try to figure out what that note means for their own lives.

This book is a nice and cozy romance read! Perfect for your Valentine's Day TBR.

I love when bookish elements such as libraries or bookstores are in books so I knew I would enjoy this one.

Some parts are a little bit slower paced but I did enjoy seeing the full character development progress throughout the story.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the eARC!

Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald. Storybook Ending was a fascinating story about a customer who finds a letter in her book she buys and tries to find out who is sending the letters.

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. The premise of the book was phenomenal - April is lonely and works from home, but has her eyes set on her bookstore's worker, Westley. She leaves him an anonymous note in between the pages of a book. That same book is picked up by Laura, a single mom who no longer dreams of love, who assumes the note was left by Westley for her. To top it off, Westley is quite oblivious to his own world and interests to realize what is going on with these women. Both women strike up a correspondence with "Westley", not realizing they are actually writing each other.

This story can be marketed as a romance, but its strong point is really the amazing friendship that forms between two women. This book is also about womanhood in general. I thought the writing of the author was very descriptive and brought a different element to the book - it was multi-layered in its descriptions, but also the feelings it evoked. This is one of those books that you didn't know you needed to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one was a little slow for me, took a while to get into it but, wow, once I did then it took off. This book is super sweet and I ended up loving it. When I finished it, I was in a great mood for the rest of the day :)

2.5 stars rounded up. I loved the premise the the character growth arc for all of the characters but this was not the lovestory I was expecting or hoped for. Told in three points of views, I wished we spent more time diving deep into the characters heads and that the big reveal happened earlier so we as the readers could get to see the relationship dynamics play out as I only felt semi-connected to one of the characters (Laura) by the end of the book. There was a lot of time spent with supporting characters as well and the story felt spread too thin for the length of the story. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for the ARC.

Romance and books and bookshops and love... yes! Yes, to all of this. Macdonald's book is full of fun and I was entertained throughout. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC. This is a cute story about a book store and customers leaving notes in the books and who finds them. At times it feels a little uneven, but I really liked the ending. 2.5 stars rounded up.

Westley (why yes, he was named after that Westley) is very handsome and he’s also very tired and embarrassed by all the attention his looks get him. He just wants to work in peace as the used books coordinator at a bookstore. April admires Westley from afar and decides to leave him a love letter in a book she drops off. Unfortunately, Laura buys the book and assumes Westley is leaving notes for her…

This is a cozy and delightful read! It was fun to get to know April, Laura, and Westley. There are plenty of characters and side plots and the author does a nice job of weaving them altogether and giving the characters distinct personalities.

Thank you very much to Penguin Dutton and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

Storybook Ending had all the makings of a book I’d love—a cozy, bookish theme and a unique premise where a misplaced note leads to an unexpected friendship. While it’s marketed as a love triangle, I found it to be more about personal growth and the bonds between women. The character development was strong, and I enjoyed watching April and Laura’s friendship unfold. That said, the pacing felt slow at times, and I found myself losing interest in certain moments. The ending was sweet, but overall, it didn’t fully grip me the way I had hoped. Still, it’s a light, comforting read, perfect for anyone who enjoys stories about friendship and connection.


Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton | for an advance eCopy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin House for the ARC opportunity.

This was such a fun easy read. It definitely fit into the "cozy" vibe for me.

I am very particular about love triangle tropes, but this one worked for me. The characters were likeable and that helped alot as well. Plus, i love a good bookshop centered story.

All in all, i think Moira did a wonderful job writing this, and pulling the story together in a way that anyone could enjoy, even the ones who dont typically like this type of trope or story. I can't wait to see what else she does!

Such a cute story about books, friendship, and love!!!!

April left an anonymous note in a book for Westley. He works at the neighborhood bookstore. Laura then buys the book, finds the note, and thinks Westley has left it for her. So then it starts the love triangle with Westley being clueless about what's going on.

I loved reading about these characters. They are funny and cute!

Thank you for allowing me to read this story!