3.5 but I'm denied half stars!

I loved Kellogg's first book, and this held on to the lovely writing and characters who have flaws ( and are called out on them) brilliantly. The first quarter of this book felt very heavy handed. You're spoon-fed a lot before I feel like the footing of the story gets going. Some of it reads as a PSA that Queer People Exist & Anxious People in a way that makes the story feel immature? In particular the first chapter. It was jarring.

That vanishes as the story picks up pace but it made getting into the work a bit harder than I wanted and felt very off compared to the rest of the story.

Very excited to add this one to my shelf and see what Camille Kellogg writes next!

This is such a sweet book with sharp writing, well-developed characters, and the kind of crisp, clear detailing that makes you feel like you’re right there in the story experiencing the scenes for yourself. A quick read with a solid plot that is nicely buttoned up by the end. Really enjoyed this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!

I loved Kellogg’s debut novel, so of course I had to come back for more. Notting Hill used to be one of my favorite romcom movies, so when I found out this book was going to be a sapphic retelling of Notting Hill, I couldn’t be more exciting. I was not disappointed. This book had all the drama, silliness, romance, ridiculousness, and fun that I would expect from this premise. I loved all of the queer representation and the (somewhat) queer bookstore.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest rating and review.

If you're looking for a fun, heartfelt read with romance, humor, and personal growth, this book is perfect. It's packed with charm, wit, and just the right amount of emotional depth!

I thought the concept for this book was really good! It missed the mark by a little bit for me though. To start, I thought Kat was an irredeemable character. For someone with trust issues, she sure did a lot of lying. I liked how the author did now shy away from including panic attack and eating disorder rep in the book and thought it was done very respectfully. I loved Jude’s character and only wanted the best for her. I loved the resolution we got for her character, but wished we talked more about her anxieties and her panic attacks and how she progressed as that is a big part of who she is.

Thank you to NetGalley, The Dial Press, and the author for an ARC :)

Notting Hill is one of my favorite movies so reading a reimagining of it in book form was so lovely. I did get a bit frustrated with the characters at times and parts of it felt a little rushed, but I did really enjoy this. Camille Kellogg’s debut was also great so I would read anything she writes.

I love the cover of this book! I’m a sucker for pretty book covers! Jude works in a bookstore and Katrina is famous. When they meet, they decide their meet cute maybe a great opportunity. Who would love for their meet cute to be in a bookstore?! So cute! They soon realize that they both have feelings for each other. The book does touch on some serious topics. I wasn’t able to connect with the characters but I still thought the story was interesting.

Publication Date: June 10th 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley, Camille and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for the e-ARC!

#NetGalley #TheNextChapter

My review will be posted https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/157725419

I enjoy this book a lot. The book is about a famous former child actress meeting a queer bookseller in a bookstore. Their romance turns into a publicity moment.

really really wanted to like this book. I love the bookseller premise and the whole idea in general. But I could not like Kat-I respect the myriad of traumatic things from her child stardom but she really was just unforgivable to me. And Jude was an extreme doormat for her. I was just overall disappointed.

I will say the sex scenes are pretty hot which is a plus and I took book recommendations from Jude which was nice.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Unfortunately I didn’t love this one as much as I wanted. Kat was *incredibly* hard to root for (since she massively sucked) and Jude did a little too much therapy speak for my taste

It had a lot of potential but I don’t think it really nailed it

I enjoyed this book SO MUCH. What I loved most about this book was how well developed the characters were. The differed POVs were interesting to read and I thought the entire book was well written. I LOVE A GOOD ROMANCE! I will definitely miss reading about Jude and Kat.

Camille’s research into child actors I think knocked this book out of the park as an outsider to that world I don’t fully understand the people in it nor what they (or the people who are attached to them) face. I really felt as though the story made me think more about the world of celebrity and how people face it and its consequences.

While I loved that this queer romance touched on some heavy topics, I had a hard time getting into it. I didn't feel any connection with the characters. Kat was by far the worst character I've read about in a long time! My hatred for her definitely took me out of the story.

Original review on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7239737398

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House / Dial Press for this ARC! I really enjoyed this one and was so excited to read it after loving Camille Kellogg's first book Just As You Are. I found it very thoughtful that the book started with a content warning and ended with resources for folks who may deal with the same issues as these characters. Other things I loved were the little references to queer culture, and the relatability of having a super intense female friendship evolve into romantic feelings and then evaporate or crash and burn.

i knocked off a star because 1) I felt there was little to no build up in the crush which is less satisfying to me as a reader than a more gradual lead in, and 2) it was difficult to suspend disbelief enough to get behind the idea of an out-of-work child star causing a mob in an old navy. Kat's fame does not feel on par with her credits; i picture her more like ashley tisdale (not mob-worthy) than miley cyrus (mob worthy). all in all, a fun read!

The Next Chapter

I received this book as an arc through NetGalley!
Have to admit this was my first queer romance.

Kat and Jude’s individual journeys adds layers to this story to come together and create a heartfelt romance with depth and added humor.
I do love a good meet cute— and at a bookstore is a HUGE PLUS!

This book isn’t only a queer romance it touches topics on panic attacks and ED.. grief. I enjoyed the fast pace and it was well structured.

Thank you again for this opportunity.

The Next Chapter is a heartfelt and charming story about reinvention, healing, and unexpected love. Former child star Kat is determined to break free from her past and prove herself as a serious actress, while Jude, a bookshop clerk, is still grieving the loss of her mother and trying to figure out what comes next. Their meet-cute turns into a PR opportunity, but neither of them expects real feelings to develop.

Camille Kellogg delivers a beautifully written queer romance with depth, humor, and emotional resonance. The chemistry between Kat and Jude is compelling, and their individual journeys—one of self-discovery and the other of finding peace—add layers to the love story. Fans of coming-out narratives, sapphic romance, and finding true love will adore this book.

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

Five out of five stars ✨

I'm suing for emotional damage! This book ripped my heart out, stomped on it, and then slammed it back in my chest all the better for it. Camille has absolutely knocked it out of the park with her sophomore novel, the most perfect Notting Hill retelling that catches all the best beats of the original, while inserting all the best bits of Queer New York culture (seriously, my mouth was watering just thinking about some of those meal orders). But most impressive is how deftly and gently Camille handles the topics of grief, the impacts of child stardom, and queer self-discovery. I found myself in both Jude and Kat, each coming into their own and learning to trust themselves amidst the pressures of their pasts. The Next Chapter gave me hope in an otherwise hopeless time, and made me believe in myself again. And for that, I will be forever grateful.

Kat is a former child actress who is trying make it in adult Hollywood- Jude is working in her mother's bookstore now owned by a business first tycoon (not just any book store but the lasrgest queer representing bookstore in New York state Kats publist feels that new york is the place for her to try and reinvent her self (think broadway-ish) Katie also feels like it's time to come out after one disastrous encounter when she younger, June and Kat meet cute and with a little help from one of her book store besties (a really cool group with awesome representation) they begin talking Kat is scared but gives the romance a go but the problem with her publicist always in her ear telling her she knows best will she choose Jude or her career, meanwhile Jude whose mother has passed away a few years ago is at am impass with what she wants to do she's living in the same apartment and holding onto the bookstore cause its the life she wants or just to hang on to her mom- can she break free and form her own life- it's a very good romance and a good story, definitely a different view of what I'm sure child actors have to go through, it has a little spice too if that's your thing

Thank you net galley for the arc in exchange for an honest review

This book is so go and I simply adored it! The queer found family was beautifully portrayed, and I loved the messy, fun, swoony relationship. Kellogg is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me.

I absolutely adored the vibrant cover! I’m all about the pink!

Unfortunately, this book just my cup of tea. I didn’t feel like I was able to connect with the characters like I wished I was.

I did love that the book was able to touch on some heavy topics in a great way but beyond that, I found myself just wishing for something more from this book.

3 stars! Just because I didn’t connect with it, doesn’t mean you won’t!

Thank you for an eARC of this book - I would definitely give this author another read in the future!

This was a fun and cute queer romance read. The cover really sparked my interest! Love the bookish elements and that they met at a bookstore.

As someone who suffers from panic attacks, I appreciated that this was discussed in the book in various ways.

Thank you NetGalley and The Dial Press for the eARC!