Love Story

Sophie has a big secret and when she returns home to her spend time with her bookish family things come to a head. She has to make a split decision, fill her enemy in on her secret or tell the truth. He’s the least person shed tell under normal circumstances but she’s desperate. Her family cannot find out she’s Este Cox the bestselling romance author the entire world is desperate to unmask.

This felt like a love letter to all the romance readers. For the fans of Lindsey Kelk, “Beth O’Leary, Fallon Ballard, Ali Hazelwood, Sarah Adams, Hannah Grace, Lucy Score”, the list goes on. The bookish community better get ready because its a good one.

Joe pushes all her buttons, some good others not so much but ebbing stuck together for the weekend quickly brought them closer. They can relate to one another, trying to make their own path in the literary industry without their parents. Their sexual chemistry is palpable, the forced proximity making it all the better, you can’t help but root for them. Although there are layers to the story mainly due to Sophies use of a pen name. Her family is very opinionated and navigating that isn’t an easy task.

The balance between comedy and romance is incredible, one of the things Kelk always excels at in my opinion. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and will most likely end up being one of my favorite 2024 reads. Can’t recommend it enough.

Read this if you like
⚡️Enemies to lovers
🛏️One bed trope
🩷Romance
🌶️Spice
🎤Pop culture references

A book about a writer in the romance genre, and her own love story?! What a cute idea; I really enjoyed this one!

Sophie Taylor has written the hottest, international, bestselling romance novel, but no one knows she wrote it. She released the book under a pseudonym. A chance encounter with Joe Walsh, the marketing director at her publishing company, sends her life into a tailspin. Will she decide to come clean to the world and her family to take credit for her writing? And what will Joe Walsh have to do with it?

I have read a couple of Lindsey Kelk’s novels, and her writing always makes me laugh. She has a great sense of humor, and I always love the chemistry between her main characters. Sophie and Joe had great chemistry from the beginning. This was definitely Lindsey Kelk’s spicest novel to date, and I loved it!

I would recommend this romcom to all romance lovers!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper360 for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

This was an absolute gem to read! I devoured this with quickness, I could NOT put it down. I loved all the pop culture references and the banter and comedic relief had me crying from laughter.

Love love love!

Add this to your TBR now!! I absolutely devoured this sweet, and incredibly darling love story. It was just too good!! I was not wanting it to end.

Lindsey Kelk is one of the queens of romance who never ceases to amaze me with her heartfelt and entertaining romcoms. Especially when she adds obnoxious, very eccentric family members into the equation, so much is guaranteed. I have to admit I never resist the charm of my favorite tropes: forced proximity (separated by curtains is a great tribute to "It Happened One Night") and enemies to lovers! (Later it added love at first sight and he fell first tropes that I don't much enjoy, like main character Sophie Taylor does, but they still blended perfectly into the entire formula I truly enjoyed.) There's even Montague vs. Capulet-like fight between enemy families that made me guffaw a lot!

The steamy chemistry that set most of the chapters on fire between Sophie and Joe was brilliant! Hate at first sight slowly turns into lust when they first meet under the wrong circumstances: when Sophie makes a secret meeting about her book, perfectly hiding her identity using the pseudonym Este Cox, she's ambushed by the creative director of their publishing company, the smug, privileged, but also hot-as-hell Joe Walsh, who's questioning the identity of the author and mocking her book. Sophie doesn't leave without a fight, even though she has a train to catch to her family's countryside house to celebrate the festivities of her powerful editor father, who has already secretly shared his activity spreadsheets and invited tons of people created to irritate her.

Sophie stays for lunch to share a few shots of Baileys with the disgusting-at-first-sight Joe Walsh while their pissing contest banters take an extra turn. They continue day drinking, finding themselves singing duets on the stage of a karaoke bar. But drinking fuels the lust, and hatred forces Sophie to dramatically leave the bar to hop on her train.

When she's ushered by her brother William, who's also her agent and one of the few people who knows her secret bestseller identity, at the train station, she realizes she forgot her tote bag carrying a special edition of her book, her drafts for her second book, and her laptop! This is truly a disaster! Anyone who finds it will also discover the secret identity she's kept from her very literary snob parents: her criticizing editor father and harshest book critic mother who easily end authors' careers. And let's not forget her 19-year-old sister Charlotte, who is spoiled and extremely self-absorbed, recently opened a bookstore, conducts marketing campaigns as a BookToker on TikTok, slams books, and is interestingly a big fan of Sophie's "Butterflies" (Sophie is not sure her sister would highly defend her book if she found out her big sister wrote it!)

When William and Sophie arrive at the family house, Sophie thinks she can manage only a few days without killing anyone, plastering a smile on her face as her parents talk trash about her book in her vicinity (what if they find out she wrote it?!) Yes, she knows her father is a typical drama king wearing clown costumes to emphasize his sarcasm towards the literary world, her mother keeps spoiling her younger sister, creating disasters in the kitchen, and gossiping with her pretentious bunch of friends, while her sister Charlotte makes it her biggest mission to reveal the real identity of Este Cox on her TikTok account, nosing around Sophie's belongings. They've also invited her least favorite misogynistic, xenophobic uncle and aunt! Her father even invited her ex C.J.: the same man she knew as Colin and dated, lived with for five years, and even financed so he could concentrate on his book, who then stole her book idea and, as soon as he had a publishing agreement, dumped Sophie. The reason? Well, he became too famous to date a small-town school teacher.

But this is not the only disaster she has to get through. Her father also invited his arch-nemesis Geoffrey with a secret agenda, and Geoffrey's son decides to join his father: his son is none other than Joe Walsh! And that's not all: her father forces them to share a cottage because there's not enough space at the house for their guests! Oh boy, you think this is the last straw! Nope, this is just the beginning because it seems like Joe Walsh has found out her secret and, interestingly, he calls a truce and helps her keep it safe! But why? Does he have a secret agenda other than getting into her pants? Well, she can let him do that even though she highly doubts she can trust him, but sparks keep flying, attraction is palpable, and she doesn't know where to stop. Oh boy, does she even want to resist his charms?

Overall: It seems like the end part of the book is a little rushed and a big conflict is solved a bit faster than expected, which made me feel there could be a sequel because I had some unanswered questions in my mind, and it felt like there should be more adventures awaiting them. I wish there would be another book! I'm so open to spending more time with Sophie & Josh and Sophie's eccentric family! (In the beginning, I found them too irritating, but they kept growing on me! William is an exception, whom I loved from the first chapter he was introduced.)

I highly recommend this very entertaining romcom! It's captivating, funny, and so much fun is guaranteed! I'm looking forward to reading more Lindsey Kelk books in the near future! She never disappoints me!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for sharing this entertaining romcom's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I can not begin to express how much I enjoyed this book! Even though I felt personally attacked throughout the book, I was laughing almost the whole time because something was either relatable or just genuinely funny. Sophie is an author to an erotic novel, but she can't let her parents know. Both her mother and father are both well known in the publishing/critic industry and would be ashamed if they knew their daughter wrote such a novel.

Her journey leads her to cross paths with a guy named Joe. He works for the publishing company that her novel is under. I loved their relationship throughout the book. They were so quick with their snarky come backs which constantly left me laughing.

Sophie's father has a 60th birthday party with quite the questionable guest list. Her father's frenemy, his son Joe, her ex CJ, and several other family members attend. What could possibly go wrong? Will her family find out her true identity as the author Este Cox?

I personally loved all of the mentions of authors, book titles, and other tid bits that I could relate to or understand. Did I start reading a bunch of popular booktok books when I first started reading? Yes. Was Iron Flame one of my favorite books? Also yes. I don't even want to mention the minotaurs. This novel was just downright humorous the entire time. I would LOVE to see a special editon of this book with sprayed edges so that I can add it to my growing collection.

Thank you so much Netgalley, Lindsey Kelk, and Harper360 for an ARC! This was one of my favorite books this year. 5/5🍓

Fans of enemies to lovers romance books need to pick up Love Story! This is the book for you! A must read!

This book was so much fun to read. I love books where we can escape. I especially love the author and I'm glad I pre-ordered this book. I love the romance genre and it was fun to get a behind the scenes of the publishing world. I laughed and cried. The characters were lovable and hilarious.

It's such a weird description an overrated book. I think books and authors deserve the hype. Let's hype the books we love and that help us feel things.

Everyone thinks Sophie is just a schoolteacher, but she has a secret. She has also written the smash hit romance, Butterflies, under a pen name. When she meets a hot marketing executive named Joe, she can’t stand him and his self assured nature. She can’t believe her bad luck when she returns home for a birthday party to find that she’s sharing a cottage with… Joe.

I really enjoy Lindsey Kelk’s writing! She is funny and writes such relatable characters, and I was so excited to have a chance to read this book early. I loved how she incorporated so many nods to other romance authors, romance tropes, and the genre in general, while also pointing out how it is looked down upon by some people in the literary world. She also pointed out how teaching as a profession can be looked down upon by others, which I have personally experienced as a teacher, so obviously I found that very relatable! The tropes in this book were excellent: enemies to lovers, he falls first, instalove, forced proximity, and only one bed. It was fun how the characters actually discuss their own tropes too!

Thank you to Lindsey Kelk and Harper 360 for the arc and the opportunity to be an early reader and reviewer.

4.5 stars! This book was so fun! I loved the storyline and the writing. It was fast paced without getting sloppy, and also dialogue heavy without losing the plot! I also appreciated the references to Bridget Jones and Pride & Prejudice etc. Sophie, the main character, felt relatable but also unique and not a copy paste of every other female main character I’ve already read! I would recommend this book to those who love light hearted fun romances (especially set in England!) and look forward to reading more by this author in the future! Thank you to NetGalley, the Publisher, and Lindsey Kelk for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Thank you to Harper 350 for the ARC of this one! I have never read a book by Lindsey Kelk before but I definitely will read more now. I devoured this one in an evening and I just loved it so much! The main characters seemed so real and I just love an unlikely love story!

Sophie is a primary school teacher who has written a bestselling romance novel under a secret pseudonym. She does f want to reveal her identity for fear of other people's judgement. Joe works at the publishing house where her book is published and their first meeting is anything but stellar. He comes across as judgemental of romance in general and Sophie feel judged and irritated by his presence. As she travels to the country for her dad's birthday celebration, she runs into Joe, who is there with his father who is a friend of her dad's. They spend them together and forge an unlikely connection. There's some miscommunication which isn't always my favorite but I truly loved this one. Perfect book for fans of people like Sophie Cousens, Falon Ballard, etc. Thanks for the opportunity to review it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for providing this book, with my honest review below.

I love Lindsey Kelk’s books as there doesn’t seem to a be a bad one, she is just a guaranteed great story with heart, characters who are light and funny, and excellent writing every time. Of course I was not disappointed with Love Story which continues her stellar record.

Love Story introduces us to Sophie, a teacher and low key romance writer of the most famous book out there right now. Sophie hides her identity as the author due to her parent’s very high brow book ties (her father is a publisher of very serious books, her mother a literary critic of very serious books), but when Sophie attends her father’s big top birthday weekend all bets are off. Post drunken karaoke and blow up with her publisher’s creative director, Joe, she is shocked to have him arrive for the wedding weekend and stuck with him in her family’s shed turned dream cottage for the duration. While he is absolutely gorgeous and sweet, he says some jerky things early on and doesn’t want a relationship. Very quickly we see the two’s chemistry and are laughing at their shenanigans and banter…. Until the weekend goes in the wrong direction thanks to horrid exes and secrets revealed.

I loved the humor in this story and the way the plot’s main conflicts could have been very real (if you wrote a spicy book would you want your parents and boss to know as first instinct?). I couldn’t put this down and can’t wait for more, but especially encourage you to read this if you want a strong romantic comedy and are intrigued by a writer slipping in her own perspective and experience with a genre that can have conflicting opinions associated with it.

Lindsey Kelk brings her trademark humour, a touch of satire and Taylor Swift references to 'Love Story', a love story about love stories and how its a derided genre.

Daughter of two literati and publishing titans, school teacher Sophie the secret author of a blockbuster romance novel. The only two people who know are her agent brother William and her godfather publisher Malcolm. That is, until Joe, Creative Director at her publisher crashes her celebratory lunch with Malcolm and promptly guesses who Sophie is. Throw in Sophie's lost laptop containing her long-awaited second book and a weekend birthday party in the country with the who's who of publishing and Sophie finds herself caught in the madness while trying to hide her simmering attraction to Joe and big secret.

I really enjoyed this book and I liked the budding romance with Joe, who finds himself baffled that he's found himself falling in love on first sight. I hated the way Sophie and her parents let spoilt 18-year-old younger sister Charlotte get away with everything from stealing Sophie's handbag and generally just going through her stuff. I found her absolutely insufferable and thought she needed to be taken down a peg or two. That said she was so well written. For me, though, the highlight was Sophie's relationship with her brother William.

I think its Lindsey Kelk's wittiest and spiciest. Kelk makes some very sharp observations about the publishing world (cackled at the name of Sophie's publisher who bared a very close resemblance to Kelk's) and literary snobs.

However, at times, I think this book is too heavy-handed in making its point about the romance genre and how its derided because women love it. I think this is partly because I've lately read a lot of romance books about romance books/authors that the meta-ness of it all is becoming old. At one part of the book, Kelk spends half a paragraph listing real-life romance authors and tropes are called out as they happen. And while sister Charlotte's dialogue, while spot on characterisation of a Gen Zer, also belabours the point about woman and romance. For a book that will be read by this same audience, surely this is a captured audience?

Thanks to Harper 360 and NetGalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Sophie and Joe were everything. The family dynamics were crazy. It was such a fun and entertaining book to read and I didn’t want to put it down. It made me laugh while also making me feel punchy at times. It was great!

A huge thank you to Harper360 and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions expressed above are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read! 4 / 5 stars.
This is such a love letter to romance novels and the publishing industry. I think in some ways this has been overdone (we know, we know, romance isn't just ding-dongs and fabios anymore) but I really enjoyed the perspective of Sophie, a daughter to major elites in the publishing industry who has written the best selling romance book of the year under a pen name. I loved seeing the family dynamic of pride and self worth play out over a very short period of time, and I particularly liked the yo-yo of her mom as she grappled with who the author was and then her feelings about the book. This felt SO real to me. Also her brother is just straight up adorable.
I've said before and I'll stick with it: I think British banter is by FAR the best,so there were points that were truly laugh out loud funny to me. Instalove is not one of my favorite tropes but I thought this was done pretty well. Its slightly open door and very chemistry heavy. I didn't love the third act break up...I knew with how quickly Joe and Sophie got together it was going to have to be a little messy, but it just didn't feel the most believable. I also really really missed an epilogue. I got to the end and thought wait...thats it?
But a wonderful read, particularly if you love romance books!

Okay my bookish Swifties - if you’re anything like me and Love Story was your jam back in 2009 let me introduce you to your next read!
Filled with some of our favorite artist’s Easter eggs, Love Story is all about Sophie Taylor - a grade school teacher in the UK who happens to write one of the best selling romance novels of the year….except no one knows because she wrote it under the name Este (!! Ahh I see what you did there Lindsey) Cox. That is until publishing dreamboat Joe Walsh finds out Sophie’s secret. I won’t spoil anything for you but omg I loved this book - and not just because of the Taylor Swift references. Romance novels sometimes get a bad rap - with people often implying they’re smut with no substance, not actually literature, the list goes on. Sophie is fighting all of this throughout Love Story and Lindsey does an amazing job at addressing the importance of these books, how many of these stories helped readers realize that they deserve more in their relationship, physically or otherwise and I adore how Lindsey addresses this through Sophie dealing with her secret. Not to mention Joe is definitely your golden retriever type guy hidden under a “players” skin. While Joe and Sophie’s enemies to lovers story is a part of it, the heart of this book is about owning what you love and if that includes romance novels - be HELLA proud of it. Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC! I can’t wait to add this one to my trophy shelf when it comes out!

With the anticipation of the reveal of who Este Cox is, everyone thinking the author is Joe, and the drama with Sophie's parents I could not put Love Story down. I enjoyed all the modern references in the book, especially to real-life romance authors. I loved 95% of the book, but I thought the ending could be better, and less rushed. The drama with Joe's marriage of convivence was random and felt unnecessary. Overall, I enjoyed the book, I just wished we got more of Sophie and Joe being in a happy relationship.

Love Story is for the romance readers, it truly is a love story to the genre. Sophie has a big secret, she has written a romance book that has become a huge hit, but struggles with wanting to keep her identity as the author anonymous. The story starts in London, where she meets Joe who works at the publishing house for her book. They spend the afternoon together before she heads home to her family for a weekend long celebration of her father’s birthday. Joe ends up at the weekend party, and the story continues from there.

As a fan of Lindsey Kelk’s books I was very excited to get to read the advanced copy of Love Story. The book had some similarities to her book, In Case You Missed It, for me. While I didn’t love it quite as much as The Christmas Wish and Love Me Do, it was a fun read and I highly recommend it to fans of the genre.

Love Story had a great central story and I really enjoyed the dialog between the main characters. Along with that we had a number of side characters and a story surrounding the weekend celebrations. I really loved some of the side characters, but others were truly awful. If you love a lot of drama in your romcom’s then this book is for you.

This book combines a lot of quick paced fun and hijinks with a really solid romance story. I recommend this for anyone who loves an exciting and heartwarming romcom!

Thank you to the publisher Harper 360 and NetGalley for the gifted digital ARC to review in exchange for my honest review.

LOVE STORY is a sweet and highly entertaining love story. I enjoyed the humor and writing. Sophie Taylor, a teacher (and also a highly successful anonymous romance writer) crosses path with Joe Walsh, a very short path much to Sophie's liking, thinking she will never have to set eyes on Joe again. Days later, Sophie finds herself having to share a cottage with said Joe Walsh, who also finds out Sophie's secret of being the famous author Este Cox. Now Sophie can do nothing but trust and hope Joe will keep her secret. Chaos and hilarity (and dare Sophie say, feelings?!) ensue.

Thank you to Harper 360 and NetGalley for the arc in exchange or my honest review.

This was so much fun to read!
It felt like a good classic romcom
I did skip some steamy bits, but I didn’t feel like I missed anything significant to the story by skipping them.

I haven’t been this giddy over a book in ages! Absolutely kicking my feet and giggling. The queen of witty banter, hysterical one-liners, and oh so much more. This was fantastic.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Harper 360 for allowing me access to this e-book! (What a gorgeous cover!!!!)
It's a delightful enemies-to-lovers romance filled with witty banter, sizzling chemistry, and just the right amount of tension!
Sophie Taylor, a small-town schoolteacher with a big secret, and Joe Walsh, a confident creative director, clash from the start (honestly wasn't a big fan of Joe at the beginning)
The twist of Sophie being the elusive romance author, Este Cox, adds an intriguing layer to the story, and their forced proximity in a charming countryside cottage leads to some truly memorable moments!
I loved the humor and how easy it was to read! I definitely want to read the other books by this author now!!

Everybody in this book’s universe wants a love like Jenna & Eric, but excuuuse me for wanting a love like Sophie & Joe’s. (But not like how Sophie Turner’s & Joe Jonas’ end up, obviously.) A beautiful story with a series of unfortunate events, an awful & pretentious ex, and the seemingly scheming world of literary families, resulting in the remembrance of romance stories and (finally!) a realistic relationship. Get you a man who would go to lengths to help you with your secret identity and apologize in front of a room of romance lovers <3

Thank you Net Galley, Harper360 and Lindsey Kelk for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun read! The story follows Sophie Taylor, who has written an international bestselling romance novel under the pen name Este Cox. Only her agent and publisher know her true identity, which she's chosen to keep secret for a couple reasons. First, she's a kindergarten teacher and knows the school and parents won't approve of her spicy debut novel. Second, her mom is a book critic and her dad is a big name in publishing. Neither of them appreciate romance novels.

Sophie meets a handsome man, Joe Walsh, who is a creative director for her publisher. He's handsome, polished and arrogant; three things Sophie doesn't need in her life. But the more time they spend together, the more she realizes maybe there's more to him than the handsome face that's worthy of a romance novel cover.

This book was especially enjoyable because it talks about the stigma associated with reading romance novels and names many influential authors who are working to break that stigma. (Many of whom I've read and love.) The subtext of this book was that it's ok to read and love romance novels, which is good because I really do!

Lindsey Kelk's writing style is quick moving, entertaining and funny. I had several LOL moments while reading this book.

I took off 1 star because I'm not a huge fan of the insta-love trope (to be fair, she does call it that out in the book). I just feel like there could have been a little more depth to the relationship between Sophie and Joe. Second, there's no epilogue! There's a grand romantic gesture and that's it! The story ends!

Hopefully this is the first in a series (I'd like to see Sophie's best friend Sarah find love) so we can see some finality in the relationship between Sophie and Joe.

This was such a great contemporary romance. It's a book that is literally a love story for this genre of book, shouting out all of the female authors who have made these stories we love so much possible. This book is so funny and heartfelt. The banter is top-notch and the characters are both relatable and wonderfully written. Sophie and Joe were experts at pushing each other's buttons and their romance felt genuine and well earned. Lindsey Kelk is a pro at mixing humor, and romance to get the perfect balance. will legit be recommending this book to anyone and everyone. It was such a feel good story and I didn't want it to end.

I forget how much I love British humor until I start reading a new book by a Brit. They really lean into the comedy of misery..not in a second hand embarrassment way, but in the deeply relatable, “if I don’t laugh, I’ll cry” way.

I think I smiled through this whole book, and if it wasn’t because I was laughing, it’s because I was swooning. You know the tummy drop feeling when the tension is pulled taut?? Sooooo much of that here!

And of course we love the defense of the smut! But for a book about smut, there is a conspicuous lack of it. The spice here is tasteful, which I will admit balances nicely in its contrast with the described “filth” Sophie has written. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want just a teensy bit more!

Something else that I desperately wanted was an epilogue. I need to see a couple be happy for a little bit after we put them through it!

Sophie has a secret--she's the writer behind the best selling spicy romance, Butterflies. After she meets hotshot making executive Joe Walsh, she has to work double time to keep her identity secret from him and her family.

This book, man....it is one big love letter to romance novels and their readers and I adored it. Here's what I loved:

The humor: Kelk has an amazing sense of humor and this shines through in her new novel. I found myself laughing so hard at her one-liners that are slipping into every inch of this book. The sibling bickering was also top tier.

Sophie and Joe: These two were amazing. Joe was literally swoon worthy. I found myself highlighting all of his declarations of love because there were just perfect. And Sophie was hilarious.

The cast of characters: Everyone was so well developed in this. Sophie's family and friends, her delusional Ex, Joe's family...it was just perfect. I wanted to be in this book and at the weekend celebration.

All in all, this was an amazing romcom!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy.

Love Story by Lindsey Kelk

Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 1/5 🌶️

A huge thank you to HarperCollins, Harper360, Netgalley, and Lindsey Kelk for granting me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Lindsey Kelk always writes such entertaining and heartfelt romance and Love Story is certainly one of her best works so far! The main characters felt genuinely relatable and the supporting characters really tied the story together. This was an absolute joy to read. From the humor to the banter to the pop culture references, this read perfectly encapsulates what makes contemporary romance so much fun!

Sophie and Joe had incredible chemistry and you’ll find yourself rooting for them all throughout the story. I also loved all the references to other romcom works/authors. I devoured this wonderful, witty read in less than a day and the gorgeous book cover is definitely another added bonus!

Tropes:
- Enemies to lovers
- He falls first
- Insta-love
- Forced proximity
- Writer FMC

I like Lindsey Kelk, having read four of her books previously, and was excited for this new one, Love Story. The premise is very relevant, an author of a world renowned best selling romance novel is hiding under a pseudonym for fear of lack of acceptance and derision by her famous publishing parents, the headmistress at her school, and the judgment of the world. This theme is so prescient because romance is the highest selling genre right now, but it is looked down upon by public and publishing elite alike.

I agree with Sophie about the progression of the genre. When I was a teen this was called Women's Fiction. Already a problematic category because there is no men's fiction. So all books in this category were deemed less than general fiction books. Back then (the 90s) romance were novels with shirtless Fabios on the cover. They were seen as tawdry and less than literature, so that's what I thought as well. I liked the next term, Chick Lit, because it seemed to be biting back at the world, reclaiming the misogyny that categorized them as other. But now everything is categorized as romance. And people are saying that sex scenes make these books smut! What? There are sex scenes in mystery/thrillers, general fiction, everywhere. Why are these smut? Because they are written by women! And women should be ashamed of being sexual.

So this is the lense through which this book is written. And the book is rather enjoyable. Kelk writes novels through a dreamy gaze, often on the edge of being realistic. They are enjoyable, quick, escapist, and full of characters who you pull for. This is no exception. I understood and related to Sophie. I have been embarrassed about reading so much romance, and also revel at a world where things go well at the end. I liked the character of Joe; he was a different kind of intelligent rake than I had seen before. Will and Charlotte were fun siblings, and the parents specific and fun.

My biggest problem with this book is it doesn't call out the misogyny loudly enough. I almost stopped reading when Sophie's mom created a book club to celebrate the book because it was deemed worthy when they was written by a man. No one acknowledged this at the time. I consoled myself with the thought it would be addressed later, but it barely was. This made the way viewpoint here less wry and more "aw shucks, what can we do?"
I dislike 3rd act miscommunication. And I think this one was totally unnecessary. Instead, a bigger deal could've been made about the veracity of romance and she could've esteemed herself more and told off everyone.

Instead we have a very Bridget Jones- Daniel Cleaver, Mark Darcy type fight at the party and a misunderstanding between Joe and Sophie. The BJD reference was cute and enjoyable. It made the book more cinematic.

I definitely enjoyed this book and will continue to read Kelk's work, I just wish she took this a little further. 4 stars. Thanks to Harper Collins and Net Galley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

“Love Story” by Lindsey Kelk was such a hilarious, fun, and swoonworthy read.

I found myself laughing out loud so many times while reading this book. Joe and Sophie were so well-matched and witty and I was rooting for them the whole way.

While the story was a little goofy and ridiculous at times, I really loved how Kelk addressed misconceptions over romance and its legitimacy as a genre despite its negative perception. This book reminded me exactly why I love romance— even though it may be escapism at times, it is also feminist literature that helps women to understand their worth.

☁️↳ “What did you dream about last night?”
💗↳ “You”

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was my first Lindsey Kelk book and definitely won’t be my last! Thank you to NetGalley, Lindsey Kelk & HarperCollins for the ARC of Love Story.

Sophie Taylor & Joe Walsh are great characters who draw you in and leave you wanting to learn more. Love Story is written from the POV of Sophie in first person. I typically like multiple POVs but this did not disappoint. Sophie’s brother William was probably my favorite character from the book. His sense of humor was unmatched. This book definitely had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion. I loved Kelk’s insights into real life books, TikTok, Bookstagram and booktok. I left wanting more from the story, I feel like it was just starting to get really good. Maybe that’s Kelk’s point, to leave it open for a potential sequel.

Sophie Taylor is an elementary teacher who wrote the book, Butterflies, under the alias, Este Cox. Only her publisher/Godfather, Mal, and her agent/brother, William, know she’s Este Cox but will she be able to keep it under wraps? Joe Walsh is arrogant and extremely handsome. Sparks fly the first time Sophie & Joe’s eyes meet for the first time. A trip back to her home town and a one-bed cottage makes Sophie question loyalty and whether she can trust Joe with her big secret or not.

This is definitely a romance book written for current day romance readers. It’s very “of the moment” and self-referential. There were a number of things about this one that I liked — the chaos of the party scene, the drama of the author’s persona in hiding etc. However, I thought the third-act breakup was wholly unnecessary and I found myself really struggling with the FMC’s family — her parents were insufferable and the younger sister was such a spoiled narcissist. It made it harder to appreciate the lighter and more fun parts of the book.

3.5 stars

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

She does it again folks! I finished this book in less than 24hrs, so stinking cute reading a romance that takes place in a booktok world. Kelk’s writing is so good, you can’t help but cry when Sophie cries and celebrate with her. Amazing book and author.

****Publishing September 17, 2024****

Sophia Taylor wrote a book that was a sensational hit under the pen name Este Cox. Her publisher is chomping at the bit to get the sequel published, but Sophia is not in any rush! Also, he wants her to do interviews, but Sophia is not ready to reveal her true identity due to her job and her parents would not approve of the steamy romance she wrote. Sophia finds herself in many predicaments, including losing her bag with her laptop and the printout of the unfurnished sequel. Will her secret identity be revealed? Sophia’s sister is determined to reveal who Este Cox is through her new bookstore. Will she figure it out? Can Sophia keep her secret identity a secret?

A fast-paced book that is entertaining, funny, and will have you shaking your head at times. The premise of the book is clever! I loved how Sophia had to grapple with people from her past, while trying to figure out how to handle the current pressures and issues she faced. A great book to take on vacation as it will keep you turning the pages!

Thanks to Harper360, I was provided an ARC of Love Story by Lindsey Kelk in exchange for an honest review.

There is something about Lindsey Kelk’s humor that just works for me. Some of the situations in this book are so “out there” but most of the time it made things all the more entertaining while reading.

Sophie finds herself at the center of nearly every single one of those aforementioned out there situations during her father’s birthday bash weekend celebrations, mainly because she’s hiding the secret of having written a romance novel that has taken the world by storm from her literary snob parents. Enter Joe, the handsome creative for her publisher who she’s undeniably attracted to but infuriates her at the same time and the drama kicks up even more. Add in her terrible ex and all bets are off. Mix in a whole mess of secondary characters of family and publishing rivals and who knows what’s coming.

Chaos. Chaos is what ensues. However, at its heart, this book is a love letter to the romance genre and a commentary on the ridicule and condescension it routinely faces despite its popularity. Sophie’s younger sister, Charlotte, for all her bratty entitlement has some of the best monologues on the subject direct toward their parents. One of my favorite things about the book were the strong convictions and evolving opinions that came through in the face of those statements.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper360 for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

What a good book! I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. This is a first by this author but will not be my last! I read this in one sitting because I just couldn’t put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

A new to me author. I enjoyed this book it was just a little too wordy for me. There were some parts that dragged but overall it was an entertaining read. Sophie has a secret and Joe Walsh ends up knowing it. He definitely rubs Sophie the wrong way but in the end….the secrets come out and a love is born.

Smart, witty, a little over the top…but an absolutely hilarious love letter to romance books. This one is definitely for the booksta girlies!

Thank you to Harper 360 and NetGalley for the ARC! Such a fun read.

4.5 ✨

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for my ARC.

This was so FUN and a total delight. A romance book about a romance book, a fantastic ensemble cast that was a total hoot, Lindsay Kelk’s signature humor and wit, a somehow spicy but still closed door romance. How does she do it?!

If you are a Lindsay Kelk fan, you’ll love her newest! I really enjoyed this and will definitely add it to my personal collection once it’s released.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this title. Anything Lindsey Kelk writes is GOLD. Five stars.

It’s obvious that Kelk is a student of romcoms. This book is her black belt test and she nailed it! It references classics like Bridget Jones to modern authors like Christina Lauren, Emily Henry, Elena Armas and more. This had funny scenes a la Bridget Jones that had me cracking up. The secondary characters were fun and even though this was closed door, the tension and chemistry were there. This British romcom is worth the read.

Thank you Harper 360 for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Browsing Netgalley I saw the cover for Love Story and I thought that’s cute; I'll shoot my shot for an ARC Copy and I’m so glad I did! So Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins and Lindsey Kelk for the ARC!

Lindsey wrote the cutest romance ever! I loved how all the characters, even the side ones really made the story what it was and that it was set in the literary world. This is my first read by Lindsey but I am definitely going to be reading some of her other books.

The characters are both so relatable and their development as a couple is grand! I loved the enemies to lovers, along with all the laughs. I found myself still thinking about this book when I would have to put it down. I also loved all the pop culture references– even if I’m a Swiftie (Please don’t kill me.) It felt very real and relatable with references to BookTok, and real authors we read and interact with on Bookstgram. I truly just loved the RomCom feel good vibes this book brought!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was super cute! The pace was quick and really engaging which is what I mostly look for when I’m reading. I loved the chemistry Sophie and Joe had and even all the side characters were fun and enjoyable to read. It was like watching a 2000s romcom but in book form!

One of my favorite things about the story was the banter. I found myself laughing along with every joke and rolling my eyes at the others. I’ll say it again but it really did feel straight out of a romantic comedy. Like the attention to detail?? Incredible.

Plus the Taylor Swift references?? 10/10

Love Story gave me all the butterflies!
If you were into British popular culture from 2012-2017, this book is for you!

Remember, Zoella/ Tanya Burr/ or Sprinkle of Glitter? This book transported me right back to my early college self of watching British Youtubers in all their glory. And, I mean that in the best way possible. (Joe himself may have given me some Marcus Butler vibes and that's why I was so smitten.)
The storyline isn't set around youtubers but it's filled with British terminology, trends, and language that are my guilty pleasure. So, if you're like me and love all things BritPop, this is the one for you!

The book itself is set in present day, but the feeling has me rushing back to what it felt like to be OBSESSED with something or someone. The way this entire city is, with the infamous Butterflies. The way this book had me WISHING I could open up my kindle and start Butterflies right along with everyone else.

Love Story was cute, romantic, a bit steamy, and in some parts I actually LOL'd (legitimately, I laughed out loud!) I loved the TSwift name drops, and I have to think her Fearless album would make a great backdrop to this book.

My only critique, I wish there was more steam as Sophie and Joe have major BED CHEM!

This is my first read by Lindsey Kelk and it definitely made me want to add all of her books to my TBR, immediately! For fans of Abby Jimenez, Tessa Bailey, and Ali Hazelwood!


Thank you Harper 360 for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Homage to old movies!

Sophie Taylor is a primary school teacher with a really big secret as the best-selling author Este Cox. But her secret hits a glitch when she runs into Joe Walsh who is the editorial director for the publisher and she accidently leaves her tote bag with him with the draft of her next book thinking that it was gone forever.

Sophie never expected to see Joe at her parent’s house for her dad’s birthday party because he’s the son of her dad’s editorial enemy especially when they had to stay in the stay in the cottage that has only one bed and a couch.

Love Story is a homage to old movies where you can pick out the specific movies and scenes that are over the top and make you laugh because she doesn't want anybody to know that she wrote Butterflies

P.S. I loved Sophie’s sister Charlotte!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This novel was Lindsey Kelk's ode to romance novels and the best romance novelists. After a painful breakup, Sophie authored a salacious romance, under a pen name, that became a best seller and was optioned for a movie. Only her manager brother and publisher godfather know she is author Este Cox. Super handsome creative director Joe finds out, she loses the manuscript for her second novel, along with evidence of her identity, and everyone convenes at her family estate for her father's birthday. Along the way many nods to romance tropes. It was fun and funny.

My take: 4.25 out of 5. A sweet romance I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish this and that is as strong endorsement as you can get from me. I loved the banter, the enemies to lovers, the family shenanigans, and as absurd as her hiding her persona is I kind of felt for her too. Also Joe Walsh was a great book romance. In general I loved how much of a love letter to romances and female authors it was and an empowerment of all reading habits. Two of my favorite quotes:

"instalove is my least favorite trope" i strongly agree!

"that's why I think modern romance novels are so brilliant they celebrate women exactly as they are"

Sophie is a brilliantly funny FMC that wants to keep her success quiet, mainly because she doesn’t think her work is good enough for her parents. You see, they are giants in the literary world and Sophie knows that if they ever found out that she wrote an internationally best-selling “smut" book, they’ll be terribly disappointed.

What Sophie doesn’t count on is a pain-in-the-arse marketing director who’s hot–literally–on her trail! Joe knows that something is up with Sophie and he’s up for the challenge in discovering what it is. When the pair are thrust together for a family weekend event, it’ll take all Sophie’s willpower to keep her secret under wraps, and… to keep her thoughts to herself while sharing close quarters with Smokeshow Joe. Cue the hijinks, and the blazing chemistry!

Love Story is a fun read that had me laughing, swooning, and tearing up right alongside the characters. The storyline is brilliantly written, the characters are quirky and relatable, and the journey Sophie takes is an endearing and heartfelt one.

Love Story is also a great defender of the romance genre as a whole. Why we constantly have to defend why we love romance is ridiculous. It’s a no-brainer. Who wouldn’t want to get lost in a book where a character (that’s easily relatable) finds their confidence and the courage to become their authentic self and accept that they are worthy of the gifts they’ve been given, that they are worthy of love, and of being treated with respect. That their thoughts and opinions matter. The romance genre gives strength, encouragement, and inspiration. It gives us permission to dream our impossible dreams and to love freely and without apology.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Love Story and highly recommend it. This is my first read by Lindsey Kelk and she’s definitely made a new fan.

Sophie Taylor is keeping a big secret. She’s the author of an international, bestselling romance novel. No one knows, especially not her snobby literary family, because she wrote it under a pseudonym. After Joe Walsh, the marketing director at her publishing company, finds out that she’s the author of the world’s hottest book, Sophie must decide if she’s going to come clean and take credit for her novel, and how exactly Joe is going to fit into all of it.
This book was so much fun. It’s enemies to lovers romcom with lots of great banter. It is one of the funniest books I’ve read in a while. I really enjoyed it, and I highly recommend that you check this one out.
Thank you to NetGalley, Lindsey Kelk, and Harper360 for providing me with a free digital reviewer copy in exchange for an honest review.

If Lindsey Kelk writes it, I will read it. I loved this book and devoured it. The banter between Sophie and Joe was amazing. I didn’t want this book to end and was sad when i read the last sentence. I would love to see a sequel and see what happens to Sarah.

i loved this so much!! the perfect short and sweet romcom that will leave you swooning. i loved the characters and their chemistry. the pacing and writing were also fantastic. i would read more from this author

Love Story is a cute, romantic comedy that will leave you in stiches.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper360 for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

Hilarious and fresh! I adored reading Lindsey Kelk’s delightfully entertaining latest, Love Story, an original take on the worthiness of the romance genre. The dialogue is snappy and often laugh out loud funny, but still manages to be insightful. I love the many pop culture references. The characters are interesting and well drawn. And Kelk is a fine storyteller to boot.

Highly recommended to fans of Katherine Center, Emily Henry and Christina Lauren and other intelligent, uplifting romances - and, of course, those who have enjoyed any of Kelk’s prior books. I also loved 2022’s The Christmas Wish, and 2023’s Love Me Do.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the privilege of a complimentary ARC. Opinions are my own.

4/5 I received a free copy of Love Story by Lindsay Kelk for an honest review! Thank you @harpercollins360 for the ARC

I really enjoyed reading this book! It has a lot of modern references and I loved how involved the siblings were in this story. It’s a cute love story with a twist! I did think some parts were a little cringey but overall it was a good, quick romance read!

Sparks fly, secrets unravel, and you won’t be able to stop smiling!

Small-town schoolteacher Sophie Taylor has a secret. She is Este Cox, the world-famous romance author no one can seem to unmask. But here's the kicker: she needs the help of Joe Walsh, this ultra-conceited creative director.

Of course, nothing brings out the tension (and the laughs) like being forced to share a tiny cottage.

This book was seriously such a blast to read, complete with nods to authors we already fangirl over.

I loved the way the story unfolded like you’re watching a rom-com on the big screen. It’s light, it’s flirty, and you’ll fly through it in one sitting.

This is perfect for those cozy nights when you want something that’ll make you laugh and melt your heart at the same time!

Thank you NetGalley are Harper 360 for this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 36o for providing the ARC.

I really loved this book! It had a great mix of humor, sarcasm, banter, crazy shenanigans, and a swoony love story at the center of it. Sophie is the middle child of middle children, constantly feeling overshadowed by her hotshot older brother and her hellbent-on-world-domination younger sister. Dealing with her parents who are literary darlings in their own right. And trying to extricate herself from a pretentious idiot of an ex all while trying to come to terms that she has just published one of the biggest bestsellers in publishing history. There's also the the hot, smarmy guy who just keeps showing up when she really doesn't want him to, but needless to say, life is a mess.

This book was charming and funny. I love that the author focused on how romance as a genre is often viewed by other people, despite being the highest grossing genre out of them all. And I love how she took those arguments and demonstrated to everyone why romance books can and are great for so many people. I loved the central storyline with Sophie and Joe, and Sophie's family provides some needed levity to the story. If I had to criticize anything, I'd probably say the pacing, as almost all of the book takes place over a weekend. But it is not a deal breaker.

Excellent and hilarious book!

Here is such a fun and feel good story and one that confirms what author Lindsey Kelk believes-that we love happy stories during difficult times. Her protagonist and, I think the author as well, see a role for romances as fiction that is just as worthy as any other reads.

Este Cox has written a book that takes off and becomes a huge bestseller. But…there is no Este, she is really teacher Sophie. Sophie is from a literary family and does not want to acknowledge her authorship of a sexy, romantic read to them. Lots of shenanigans ensue from this decision.

Playing against Este is Joe. As this is an enemies to lovers tale, readers watch as these two spar and come together. Watching them and the other characters in this story made for a delightful read.

I could pretty much say that, moving forward, I will read anything that Ms. Kelk writes. She knows how to help readers escape and enjoy her world for a few hours. Kelk gives readers a nice mix of plot, character, humor and heart.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for this title. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Harper 360 and NetGalley for the ARC of Love Story in exchange for an honest and independent review.

Without a doubt, Love Story has quickly become one of my absolute favorite reads of 2024. The one thing that sets this book apart from all others is the seamless dialogue that occurs between it's characters that allows the book to read as if you are watching a movie. That is impossibly hard to achieve, but Lindsey has hit it out of the park. The back and forth is truly priceless and I found myself laughing out loud to all of it's witty banter and Taylor Swift references (huge Swifty over here myself)! At it's core, the plot is so relatable and I know it will resonate with readers around the world. The fact that Lindsey references and calls out all the notable romance authors that have impacted our lead character, Sophie, was a wonderful hats off to all the work contributed by these incredible authors that have brought romance novels to where they are today at the forefront of literature. I also loved the dynamic that was created by making Sophie's character an undercover romance author. There has always been a stigma associated with those who read romance novels vs other genera's of literature almost as if romance novels are less than or a stain on other literary works. I love that books like Love Story address that misconception head on and take a stand for not only the talented authors that create these works but also those that turn to romance novels for a sense of empowerment or belonging allowing women and men to stand up for what they want out of a relationship or partnership. Barriers are being broken down across readers of all walks and this book is testament to that and it's wonderful to see and be living in a generation that embraces literature from all avenues.

Honestly, standing ovation to Lindsey Kelk on this wonderful addition to romance novels and a sincere thank you from those of us that love to get lost in their pages. This one stands apart from the rest for me and I'm so thankful to have had the pleasure of getting lost in Sophie's story and Lindsey's own Love Story to all romance novels out there. Please run, don't walk to pick this one up September 17th!

This book perfectly encapsulates why romance readers adore love stories. With Sophie being a romance reader and a majority popular romance author, but under a pseudonym, it brings so much fun and relatability to book. I loved how other romance authors were named and tropes and trends were discussed. This book felt like being in the bookish community while still understanding why romance isn’t always accepted into the greater literary world. However, I found that Sophie explained so well why romance is such an important genre and how it’s more than just smut that some people see it as. As for the actual love story within the book, I loved how Sophie and Joe met and how they ended up connecting later. I love how Joe supported Sophie, but when that twist was revealed! My goodness, it was so perfect! I like out both Joe and Sophie were flawed people, but their chemistry felt dynamic and tangible. This took the trope of instalove and made it feel like something that could actually happen. There were so many layered nuances in this book that I loved, and the supporting cast of characters was *chefs kiss.* Give me more William and Charlotte literally any day of the week. I absolutely fell in love with this offer over this book and I cannot recommend enough for anyone who loves romance. I was in a massive slump and started this book one evening and stay up past 1 AM finishing it because it is that level of perfection. 5⭐️, 2🌶

Love Story **review**
I absolutely LOVE this book. This is my first book by Lindsey Kelk, and I can 100% say I will be reading more of her books. I enjoyed this book from start to finish. Before I get into the main characters, I need to say that her references, were on POINT!
If you're a swiftie you will love this book. I loved all the references, from mentioning my favorite authors, to being so transparent on what's being talked about currently. I just loved the Taylor references; I loved the mentions of books and authors.
Now, to the actual story, OMG!!!!!
I devoured Sophie & Joe relationship, I thought their connection was perfect, the fighting hahah was awesome, their moments with each other were more than what I could ask for, and I can definitely say that they're one of my favorite couples!
(I would love to describe everything, but I do not want to give any spoilers)
Now, the reason why I did not give it a 5 stars... Charlotte :( I could not stand her the WHOLE book until the last chapter :)
I understand her personality, which was great, but OH MY GOD there were some things she did, that I just could not believe. I am so grateful I only have one sibling, because Charlotte was just testing my patience the whole book. However, I did love her the last chapter, but I wished Charlotte had apologized, that's what I thought would have redeemed her for me. However, this is my opinion, and no one is obligated to agree with me:)
Overall, please read this book!!! it's more than what you can think of. I love you Lindsey and cannot wait to read more of your books.
One last thing, Thank You Net Galley for allowing me to get an ARC, as well as whoever is in charge of approving it.

Great story and plot for a contemporary romance. Love the dynamic of the characters. Super quick read. Recommend for everyone

This was so good!!

Thank you NetGalley for this ark! I enjoyed the read and will be purchasing a hard copy!!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for this arc to read in exchange for my honest review!

Let me start off by saying I think Lindsey and I could be bffs if we met in real life, but in a not weird way.

Love Story is a modern Romeo and Juliet for swifties who read romance.
I’m obsessed with the banter between Sophie and Joe, sometimes laughing OUT LOUD IN PUBLIC (embarrassing) at some of the back and forth. ESPECIALLY when CJ was the victim. That guy sucks.
As for the other characters, the bff is everything you would want.
Sophie’s siblings are a chaotic mess, but who wouldn’t be with those parents? I love Will!!! Charlotte’s drive is inspirational but her selfishness in some parts stressed me out.

This book is so much fun and a sweet, door half-open (cracked? ajar? etc), love story.

It meant so much to me to read about a fmc with a love of romance novels who understands the stigma of romance readers.
“We’ve been trained to be grateful for what we’re given rather than ask for what we want,” THANK. YOU.
The fmc’s growth into celebrating her achievements (in writing a best-selling romance novel) instead of trying to hide behind a pseudonym is so beautiful to watch.

And while I did love to see some of my favorite romance authors name dropped, it kind of brought me out of the escapism I was searching for. Regardless, this book was such an easy and lovely read.

Also you know how if an actual man were to read you scenes from your spicy books you’d immediately call the cops? Well turns out if the man is fictional it’s actually hot. Who knew?

All the stars! This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Ms. Kelk is a true rom-com phenom. As in any great rom-com not only do we get a great love story of the two main characters but all the bumbling side characters and funny situations that come along with it. This was a fantastic love story for Sophie and Joe but it also was a love story to fellow rom-com authors and readers. Gone is the stigma that rom com’s are just fluff and sexy scenes. In today’s world when life is sometimes scary, overwhelming we need an outlet to just shut the world out and exist in happy moments. There is no shame in romance writing or reading. It’s one of the top selling genres. This wasn’t the first book I’ve read or authors have mentioned the criginess of Goodreads! With often being gifted of ARC’s I take in mind in my review that this is someone’s blood , sweat and tears put in their story along with their village behind them every step of the way. I am never rude and when I read another’s review as with movies they are entitled to their opinion but I have my own. Thank you to NetGalley for this free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily

I really enjoyed this book. It was really funny at times. It was so witty. I loved the interactions between the siblings. I’ll be thinking about this book for some time. Loved it.

This was really cute. Loved the storyline, good humour and I just had so much fun. I highly recommend it

Lindsey Kelk is always great at adding romance and comedy together. Her books are so cute and impossible to put down. Love Story is a great book!

I loved Sophie, Joe, and all the wacky characters in this book. That is another thing that Lindsey Kelk does. She brings so much life to every character. Sophie was so worried about her secret that she didn't see that her family would support her no matter what and they show that.

My only issue with the book is the 3rd act breakup that was kind of just shoved in there though it did explain a bit of the mystery that is Joe.

Thank you to Netgalley, Lindsey Kelk, and Harper360 for the e-ARC. This review is my own opinion.

I love books with characters in the writing/publishing biz. Sophie (w/ other character support) remind the reader why romance novels are impactful and meaningful. Lots of screen-adaptable scenes. This book gives all the feels & is an enjoyable read.

Lindsey Kelk can do no wrong in my book (pun intended) and this is one of my favorites of hers. I love books about writers and this was such a fun look behind the scenes of publishing, and in particular, romance publishing. Also, I want to be Charlotte when I grow up.

Love Story is an ode to the romance genre. It's a self-aware delight that acknowledges the various romance tropes, highlights favorites, and makes the reader fall in love with the genre. I laughed several times and just loved this book! It's perfect for readers who loved "The RomCommers" by Katherine Center. Kelk has gotten better with each book she has written, and I think this is her best yet.

There were so many things I loved about this book! Was it the most well-written literary masterpiece? Nah…so if that’s what you’re looking for then look elsewhere. BUT, was it laugh-out-loud funny, filled with popular references, snarky to the brim, and a book with a few great life lessons? ABSOLUTELY!!! So if that’s what you need, look no further than “Love Story” by Lindsey Kelk (not to be confused with the popular Taylor Swift song)!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this ARC! Happy release day to this absolutely adorable book!

So first I would like to say I was torn on whether or not to rate this four or five stars. I had such a hard time at first getting past all the references to “booktok” and name dropping other authors, butttt when you realize the setting this book is taking place in it really does make sense and I actually really like how relevant it is.

As a romance reader people constantly make snide remarks about my reading choices and how I just read fluff, but romance (and smut) as a genre is so much more than that. I really appreciate the way this book approached that topic.

Also, this book had heart and was laugh out loud funny multiple times. The banter between Sophie and Joe is absolutely top tier. And the writing was so cozy. I felt like I was best friends with Sophie and we were just hanging out during this whole book.

Thank you again for the opportunity to read this book and I will be recommend it to everyone forever. I’m going to go read every other book by Lindsey Kelk now.

***4.5 STARS***

“Do you believe that exists? The all-consuming, overwhelming romance novel love?”

What does exist is another spectacular romcom by Lindsey Kelk who writes with such wit, depth and passion. Her newest novel Love Story will make you laugh out loud, swoon hard and fall further in love with the romance genre.

Sophie Taylor has written a bestselling romance novel under a non de plume. As a teacher and a daughter of parents who are big in the publishing industry, writing anonymously seemed like the best idea. Joe Walsh is a creative director for the same publisher that handles Sophie’s book and he inadvertently discovers her secret. He’s willing to help Sophie even though they have gotten off on the wrong foot.

A birthday celebration for Sophie’s dad turns into mayhem and hilarity as chemistry is burning, secrets are threatened and trust is crumbling. Sophie will learn that keeping secrets is lonely and isolating and that secrets kept from her are even more difficult to handle.

This book is a love letter to romance novels—I adored the shout outs to many favorite authors, the many pop culture nods and the wonderful mix of very entertaining characters. This is a fun, sexy and heartfelt novel, a must read for the devoted romance reader.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I found this book to be utterly delightful! The characters are engaging and well-developed - Sophie is just adorable and completely relatable - and I really appreciated all the pop culture drops. It's funny, it's charming, and the third-act breakup is tense but not overwhelmingly so. Even in its most predictable moments - which, let's be honest, all romance novels have - the story feels fresh and exciting.

Overall, “Love Story” is a must-read for anyone looking for a feel-good romantic comedy.

I offer this honest review in exchange for an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for the ARC of Love Story by Lindsey Kelk.

Yet another author I’m experiencing for the first time and again falling in love with her stories. Now proceed with finding all her other books and devour them. Seriously though, I requested this one thinking it would be similar to all the other romcom type books and in short words it is. But it is also all romcom troupes tossed in there, plus make your main character Sophie a romance writer herself, it’s just delightful. I loved how Sophie’s books were spicier than this book so it was like a medium spicy level to it. Almost like a layered bit of spicy. And then the main male, Joe Walsh, the man you just want to love but you can’t help but hate and you really aren’t sure why…probably because he’s that type of guy! Just loved Lindsey Kelk’s way of writing about the very type of book she was writing. Fun and enjoyable read.

Love Story is an absolutely stunning story & the best book from Lindsey Kelk thus far! The story of Sophie & Joe is full of twists, turns & secrets to keep the reader turning the page. The book is filled with many laugh out loud moments & plenty of banter back and forth between all the characters. Sophie & her siblings are especially funny when together; they have some of the best comebacks for each other when together (I am a particular fan of William & his commentary!). Kelk focuses on a number of popular tropes but the enemies to lovers has to be the best. There is so much attraction between Sophie and Joe yet they constantly go back & forth on fighting the attraction to the other and hiding their true selves from each other. Kelk hits on points that are relatable to all readers while keeping it light and entertaining from the first chapter to the end of the book. And since this is a rom-com, the best is the happily ever after of the book. The romance is just perfect. This is a definite for all TBR lists!

4.5 stars!! Never before has a book so closely captured the feeling of the climax of Crazy Stupid Love, and yet here we are!!!!

Sophie Taylor has a secret- she’s secretly an international bestselling romance author, and only her publisher and agent know. She loves the romance genre, but having grown up in a family of literary giants (and giant snobs) has pushed her into keeping this a secret from them. On a fateful weekend celebrating her dad’s birthday, secrets are made, kept, and broken; confusing love runs rampant; and everything culminates at the bouncy castle. (Enjoy that as a chekovs gun)

Sophie is an inspiring, intelligent, empathetic, tough, and sweet main character. She knows who she is, understands the people around her and works to keep the peace with all the competing big personalities, and has a gentle romantic spirit. Being able to go with her on this journey to accepting how others feel about her, losing her fear of being perceived, and letting her heart take over a bit was such a fun adventure! She’s also absolutely hilarious, both in her internal musings and her banter with literary designer Joe (who just so happens to sneak an invite to this big shindig)! She is a bit of a pushover with her little sister, but her relationship with her brother was almost my favorite relationship in the book!! The two of them could drag anyone and I would laugh (and pray I wasn’t next)!

Thank you so much to Lindsey Kelly, HarperCollins (MullinsParker??), and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review! Lindsey’s writing is always great and this was an extra special one!!

There’s so much to love in Love Story.

What sucked me into the book was how Lindsey writes family dynamics, honestly. The complicated dynamics felt real, from her parents to her siblings. The minute her brother picked her up to take her to their father’s party, that’s when I couldn’t put the book down. Maybe it’s because I can relate to the dynamics with my older brothers, but something about how you always become an annoying sibling when that ONE sibling is around at your parents house, despite how professional and adult you are… yeah. I loved that. The side characters in this book are lovely to read about. I just want to know more!

Now onto the actual Love Story of it all… this was SO cute. The pop culture references might get one some readers nerves but I loved them. The dialogue and banter felt seamless. The romance between Sophie and Joe starts as enemies to lovers but the chemistry and attraction was always there from the start (we love to see it). The only thing that knocked this down from 5 stars for me was how the ending felt a bit rushed. Couple that with the miscommunication? I usually don’t knock books down for the third act break up since it’s almost expected in romance, but the reasoning for it felt silly.

Overall, 4.5⭐️ still a cute book and I love Lindsey’s writing!

Having trouble sleeping (falling asleep at an earlier hour than 4 am, hot flashes waking me mostly) thanks to perimenopause has been giving me headaches during the day, to the point where this particular day’s headache made me vomit and feel generally like garbage.

This was the day that I began Lindsey Kelk’s newest novel Love Story.

So I started this one because I knew if anything would make me feel better on this day, it was this new book (it did help).

*instalove
*enemies to lovers
*a capital ‘B’ for banter
*forced proximity
*third act issues/breakup

What I didn’t love -
*secondary characters - many of them were such jerks that I was aggravated because Sophie didn’t put some boundaries in place
*the ever consistent TikTok / social media mentions
*instalove (sort of)
*the ending - this really needed an epilogue as it just felt so abrupt after the buildup of the story

Ms Kelk is an autoread author for me but this one wasn’t my favorite. Absolutely looking forward to reading more in the future.



Thank you to Harper360 and NetGalley for the DRC

I’m so glad I picked this one up because I was in such a reading slump and it pulled me right out! Starts off fun with a big secret and an awkward interaction, and goes from there! I loved the characters! Also can we talk about how cute the cover is?!

This was so cute! I requested this ARC after seeing that Lindsey was doing an event with Ali Hazelwood at one of my favorite book shops. Sadly the event sold out before I could get a ticket, but bright side is I got the ARC! I’m so happy I did. I loved it.

The story line of Sophie being the author of an international best selling romance novel but no one knowing it was her was so real. Growing up in a family full of publishing gurus for literature, she knew her parents wouldn’t accept her as an author of “smut book”. Watching her navigate keeping this secret and also coming to terms with her success was perfect.

Sophie was hilarious and I loved her from the first page. Her snarky, quick wit was so funny but she was also so vulnerable when she needed to be. Her standing up to CJ was probably the funniest part of the book. He was such a baby 😂

Joe… Joe, Joe, Joe. He matched Sophie’s energy and sassiness perfectly and it made for some great banter. I loved how he got Sophie to be vulnerable and see her success for what it truly was. The secret was not what I was expecting and now I also just need an epilogue!

The other side characters, especially Sophie’s family were just the cherry on top. I enjoyed this whole book. Devoured it.

Love Story was a heartfelt, enjoyable rom com and my first from Lindsey Kelk. Sophie Taylor is a teacher by day, but is also hiding behind the secret identity of Este Cox, a best selling romance author. She is introduced to Joe Walsh who accidentally discovers her true identity. There is initial attraction as well as animosity between the two and they later find out they will both be staying in Sophie’s parents cottage for the weekend for her father’s birthday celebration. The banter between the main characters was quite comical and the entire premise of the book and plot was unique. There was a bit of an insta love trope, which is not my favorite trope, but it was so well done here! The tension between the two main characters was palpable and the way it was written still gave a bit of slow burn vibe. I loved the various family dynamics we got to see play out during Sophie’s father’s birthday celebration. We also got so many pop culture and millennial references thrown in, which I ALWAYS enjoy. I mean a flashback to our days of having pen pals and writing on groovy chick stationary with gel pens? Yes, please! The ending did feel a bit rushed, and I wish we got a bit more when the two reunite.

Will publish on IG in the next few weeks @therunaway.readera

•Title: Love Story
•Author: Lindsey Kelk
•Genre: Romance
•Format: physical book/eARC
•Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

•Premise: Sophie is schoolteacher but a secret romance/smut author on the side. She has a best selling book that is taking over the Bookish community, but no one knows it’s her, they think it’s the mysterious “Este Cox.” She has a run-in with playboy/hotshot, Joe Walsh, the creative director for her book - and the two can’t stand each other. They find themselves in a “one bed” situation on a trip to the countryside and have a surprising, eventful weekend.

•Thoughts: This is a true, classic, brilliant *ROMCOM* It’s for all of the romcom lovers and bookish people, and I absolutely LOVED this story! I laughed so many times…I’m not going to be able to see large amounts of chicken or circus items without chuckling & thinking about this book 😂. And I LOVE Sophie’s family, their dynamic & banter was hilarious. Honestly all of the characters, good or bad, were perfect.
I gotta say, I’m not an “insta love” lover. I often find it’s unbelievable and cheesy. But it looks like if Lindsey Kelk writes insta love…then I’m all in.
Sophie and Joe gave such a quirky, funny take on enemies to lovers, and it was sooo easy to root for them! *swoon*

This is a must read if you are a romance reader, or if you are looking for a funny, light read. 💖

Thank you to NetGalley & Harper 360 for an advanced copy to read and review. All opinions and thoughts are my own!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (mildly descriptive fade to black, discussions of moderate open door scenes)

Sophie Taylor is a teacher with a secret. She's really Este Cox, the best-selling author of the smutty romance book Butterflies. Because of the stigma surrounding romance novels, as well as the judgment she would certainly incur from her parents, Sophie is determined never to reveal her secret. When she meets Joe Walsh, the man who helped design her newest book cover, she soon realizes that her secret is at risk. Not only that, but Joe is exactly the kind of man she needs to avoid: smug, charming, and handsome. Will one weekend together ruin both her career and her love life?

This was another fun novel from Lindsey Kelk. I liked how Sophie's story was all about books and how literary critics, agents, publishers, authors, and fans can have vastly different opinions. It also pointed out the way some people view romance books as trashy or mindless entertainment. Sophie was so scared of her family or friends thinking less of her, even though her book was beloved by readers everywhere. I thought the discussions about the intimate scenes in her book were hilarious, especially since Sophie had to listen to her family members talking about them! There were quite a few name drops and pop culture references, so readers who don’t always like that might want to keep that in mind ahead of time. I didn't feel too bothered by it, luckily. The romance between Sophie and Joe did have a bit of an insta-love vibe, considering the book takes place over one weekend, but I thought their banter was really playful and full of tension. I wasn't quite sure how the third act breakup would be resolved, but I thought things were explained well even though they were resolved rather quickly. Overall, this was a fun read for romance lovers who want a book that examines the industry in a fun and playful way.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper 360 for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so much fun!! It has the classic Lindsey Kelk punchiness and charm that is so consistent across all her writing. Most of this book takes place over the course of two days, and yet it still feels like a slow burn. Not to mention, the tension was *delicious*! Sophie felt extremely relatable, despite being a wildly successful author with a secret double life. Joe felt very human while still pulling off the dashing MMC character. I did feel the ending was a bit rushed, but it did very much play into the big, romantic climax notion, so it doesn’t entirely feel out of place. Overall, this read was extremely enjoyable, and I do foresee myself reading again!

Thank you to Harper 360 and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this book so much, I read it in one sitting. This is definitely my favorite book of September and probably my favorite rom-com to read on Net Galley!

I found Sophie so relatable and down-to-earth. She’s worried about what her family thinks, she scared to chase her dreams and maybe lose her job, and she bites back with snarky remarks before hauling off the the garden for a small panic. I also love how Kelk uses Sophie’s book as a catalyst to talk about the benefits of the romance genre as well as its popularity, and to call out the misogynistic biases in the publishing industry and the women who are tired of being othered and considered trite. I also really loved the calling out of the pretentious, male-composed literary fiction that shows how little the male writer understands, knows, or even talks to women.

I really liked Joe— he was the perfect blend of annoying and attractive, and I found his actions and reactions to Sophie totally believable— he’s definitely in-love-with-but-denying-his-attraction-to-a-prickly-woman. I loved their story overall.

Kelk knows her genre, and she deftly uses— and often subverts— the tropes. We see enemies to lovers, forced proximity, secret past, one bed, and more of our favorite tropes but popping up in new and surprising ways.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Everyone believes Sophie is just an ordinary schoolteacher, but she’s hiding a big secret—she’s the author behind the bestselling romance novel Butterflies, written under a pen name. She can't stand his smug attitude when she crosses paths with Joe, a confident and charming marketing executive. But to her dismay, when she heads home for a family birthday, she discovers she’ll be sharing a cottage with none other than Joe.

I enjoy her writing style and will definitely read more of her books :)

Thank You Netgalley and Harper 360

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lindsey Kelk just knows how to have fun. her books always feel like a quintessential rom-com and I love it. I wasn't totally obsessed with the romance itself, but I don't even really care because everything else was just so fun.

Love Story
by Lindsey Kelk
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Love Story had me laughing, swooning, and tearing up. It’s a beautiful celebration of romance, reminding us to embrace our dreams and worth. I loved it and can’t recommend it enough! This was my first book by Lindsey Kelk, and I’m definitely a fan now!

Thank you to Lindsey Kelk and Harper 360 for the ARC of Love Story.

I really enjoyed Love Story! This was my first read from this author and it did not disappoint. The banter, the tension, the character growth, the plot - it all delivered for me!

I loved how complex many of the characters were in this story. Many likeable characters and a few unlikable characters. I like that it explored negative stigmas around the romance genre and provided a unique perspective of what are typically considered “good” or even “great” books. It was thoughtful around what makes romance such a popular genre for many. But, this was accomplished in a witty romance and not in a dull narrative.

I like that the book also tackled topics like trust, commitment struggles, and confidence in oneself and one’s art. It explored family dynamics and the struggles of making parents proud as children but also doing right by your children as parents and the mistakes and learnings along the way.

While this was my first Lindsey Kelk book, I know it will be far from my last!

A love letter to romance novels with the normal witty and funny writing. This was such a fun one and loved the TS references!

This was a cute one! Think Romeo and Juliette meets the Crazy, Stupid, Love party scene sprinkled with ALL the TS references and heavy on the bookish talk/storyline. This enemies to lovers book has the quirkiest characters and it’s a wild ride.

I'm so happy to have discovered the wit and talent that is Lindsey Kelk. This is my first read of hers, and I will definitely add her to my TBR list. This was a cute romcom that alludes and honors so many of our favorite romcoms, by mentioning current authors and books. It had me laughing and swooning. It's closed door, so I think it's appropriate for both YA readers and adults. I will definitely recommend this to my fellow romcom readers!

A quick read for me that I enjoyed. It's a romantic comedy where we see Sophie, an erotic romance author, fights with becoming a best selling author, under a pen name. This book had banter and has great humor, though family expectations were somewhat relatable.

Lindsey Kelk is an auto-read, auto-buy author for me! I fell in love with her writing when I read Love Me Do last year and was so excited to see she was back with Love Story.

This is a bookish, enemies-to-lovers romance... some of my favorites! Sophie and Joe are both hardened by life and didn't exactly start their relationship out on the wrong foot. This is a classic "I know exactly who you are" without actually getting to know someone and then discovering that they are so much different. I loved the banter between these two, the cast of characters that Kelk included to surround Sophie and Joe, and all the quirky, bookish details that popped up throughout. I loved the ending and the different approach she took with it being a romance novel.

While I didn't love it quite as much as I loved Love Me Do, I certainly couldn't put this one down and thought it was super cute!

thank you Harper for Love Story, I had a lot of fun reading this.
TL;DR: A fun, lighthearted romance set in the publishing world, packed with favorite tropes, witty humor, and a style that really worked for me.

Kelk is an author I love for both her humor and her romance, and her sharp, edgy asides always hit the mark. I found myself laughing out loud a few times! As a fan of books set in the publishing world, I especially enjoyed the fun nods to the bookstagram and BookTok communities, along with the quirky but relatable family dynamics. This was a perfect weekend read—exactly what I needed when I wanted a good laugh, a solid enemies-to-lovers story, and a book that didn’t take itself too seriously (in the best way possible).

My only minor quibble is that there are a lot of tangents—family drama, time with a best friend, a budding romance, a hidden secret identity. It all flowed into a style I enjoyed, but I can see how some readers might find the bookstagram/BookTok elements a bit much (I thought they were spot-on and hilarious, though!). Others might feel that the range of side characters and secondary plots could be overwhelming, but for me, it helped flesh out the family dynamics and tied into the main plot seamlessly.

In short, it’s a fun, engaging read that struck the right balance for me!

This was my first Lindsey Kelk book (unfortunate, I know) and I LOVED it. The humor, the British references, the pop culture references, it was all amazing.

The hidden identity aspect of things for the main character was so much fun, and her family being so disrespectful and insufferable (mostly the sister) made you realize exactly why Sophie wanted to keep her pseudonym a secret.
The banter was out of this world. Not only between the love interests, but everyone in this book had the perfect dry humor that makes me cackle and I adored it.
I especially loved that Love Story was essentially a love letter to the romance genre and a challenge to the stereotype society has set that romance is lesser than. As a romance lover, the feeling of needing to defend my reads is so relatable, since some people don’t consider romance a “real” genre and it was so empowering to read something that completely flipped that stereotype on its ass.

I read this as an ARC, but it was absolutely the kind of book I will be buying immediately as soon as I find it in the wild because I fell completely head over heels for it and it needs to live on my shelf.

Thank you to Harper360 for this gifted ARC via NetGalley.

I love an enemies to lovers romance and this was no exception! So good!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Lindsey Kelk’s Love Story is a delightful romp through an English birthday party weekend that will have you swooning and laughing out loud. Trying to hide her identity as the famous writer, Este Cox, from her family of publishing high horses, Sophie is thrown into a weekend that tests her in every way. Between her unwanted attraction to publishing hottie, Joe, an intruding self-centered ex-boyfriend and a very meddlesome and spoiled little sister, Sophie is not sure how long it will be before she breaks. Full of witty banter and hilarious hijinks reminiscent of a 90s romantic comedy, Kelk’s Love Story is a definite must read for all romance fans.

I LOVED this book! I have a soft spot for a book about books and writers and it was such a delight seeing Sophie and Joe find the path to their happily ever after. The story was a genuinely funny romcom, full of antics and silly side characters, balanced with enough swoons to have me giggling and kicking my little feet. I also loved that underneath all of that, there was a beautiful message about learning to trust yourself and your dreams and an almost academic defense of why romance novels are important as an art form. So good and such a delight!

Reading 'Love Story' is like grabbing cocktails with your best friend! The writing felt effortless, and I thoroughly enjoyed the humor and well-placed pop-culture references spanning from TSwift to Pride & Prejudice, which felt so fresh and relevant!

In ‘Love Story’ our main gal, Sophie, is a contemporary romance author of a very steamy bestselling debut novel and is afraid to claim it as her own due to the polarizing nature of the genre. I appreciated how Lindsey Kelk addressed this complexity head-on and named some of my favorite romance authors while doing it!

What I loved:
✅ The story jumps RIGHT IN and you quickly meet both Sophie and Joe… BAM!
✅ Laugh Out Loud Humor –– especially from Sophie’s brother William (my fave character)
✅ Realistic character developments from both Sophie + Joe
✅ Plot Twists that I did NOT see coming – WHOA!
✅ Enemies to Lovers with spice, tension, and witty banter
✅ A cringy Ex who held her back… and gets what he deserves, #KARMA

Some quotes that made me SMILE!
- All I had to do was not kill my sister, pray that William was able to locate my bag with the manuscript before someone published the sequel on Reddit, avoid my ex, survive the rest of the family, keep my secret identity a secret, come up with a better ending for my book and never, ever let myself be alone with Joe bloody Walsh. How hard could it be? ‘Morning.’ …It could be impossible. 😳😆
- ‘Did you want something?’ I asked, eyes on the ground. It wasn’t safe to look at him, like the Ark of the Covenant or the sun or the sell-by date on a bag of Mini Eggs you find in November when you’re on your period. There were some things we were better off not knowing. 😜
- I’m not saying everyone’s husband needs to be able to explain how the Hadron Collider works but at least find a partner who knows Lord of the Rings is fiction and not something that happened a very long time ago.’ 🤣

THANK YOU Lindsey Kelk, NetGalley, and Harper360 for the Advance Reader e-Copy in exchange for my honest review!

I was so sad to turn the final page of Love Story! It is a such a clever plot - loved the school teacher/steamy romance writer main character. Joe seems so loveable. As with all relationships (new and old!) , a little communication could have gone a way and prevented some of the angst - but where is the fun in that! I found myself laughing out loud several times!

4 Stars Books about authors (especially romance writers) is such an underrated trope! Love Story is such a fun and sweet read. If you are a fan of enemies to lovers and forced proximity--only one bed in this instance--you will enjoy this one! I really liked Sophie's and Joe's characters, and their love story. A cute easy read!

WOW!!
What a novel. What a story. What an adventure we were just taken on. Thank you, Netgalley for giving me a copy of this ARC because this was just pure gold.
I've never heard of Lindsey Kelk before, but when I read the description for Love Story, I thought it sounded interesting and I wanted to read it immediately. I didn't have high expectations, I was just excited. But oh my goodness, this book was unbelievable. Not only was the writing spot on, but the plot line and characters were so believably written and executed that I was impressed. Fans of Emily Henry will love this book, I just know it (as a fan of Emily Henry).
Sophie and Joe had your typical we-hate-each-other-but-we'll-get-over-it vibes, but it wasn't forced like so many other novels that just want to push an enemies to lovers romance. This was just dislike and frustration at one another, but the romance developed so sweetly that the tension had me on the edge of my seat. I was just begging for them to finally become a couple. The author plot line was interesting as well, and I wasn't sure where that was going to go, but ultimately I was glad with how she and her family worked through their issues and made amends.
Another thing I adored was the humor. Sure, British writing is just so entertaining, but this author also had an uncanny dry humor that had me chuckling to myself. It was just so chaotic at times that I found myself laughing out loud. Keep that up.
And on another note, Charlotte was a brat. It made me so mad at times, so I wasn't sure if that was intended or not, but if I could change her, I would. Otherwise, this book was amazing.
5 stars, I will be reading more from this author.

Such a fun book! It started a little slow and took awhile to get into but once I did, I really enjoyed the storyline and overall theme. My only real criticism is that the conflict between Joe and Sophie at the end came out of nowhere and the resolution felt rushed.

Thank you Netgalley and harper360 for allowing me to review with my honest opinion.

Wow. I truly could not put this Arc down. The enimies to lovers with solid banter and jokes. I could not get enough. Sophie's family was hilarious.. this is one I'll need for my physical shelves. A romance readers romance read. Lol

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper360 for the e-ARC.

I was unable to put it down. I adored the jokes, comedy relief, and pop cultural references. I cannot convey how much I enjoyed this book. Reading this book was a ton of fun. I love novels that allow us to escape. I like Lindsey Kelk's writing so much! I was thrilled to get the opportunity to read this book ahead of time because the author creates incredibly realistic and entertaining characters. I liked how she made so many references to other romance authors, romantic tropes, and the genre in general, while also highlighting how it is seen negatively by some in the literary community.

4 stars!

Lindsey Kelk's "Love Story" starts out slow, but eventually blossoms into an engaging, intriguing book, complete with a crucial discourse about writing romance, being a romance reader, meeting expectations, staying true to yourself, and of course, falling in love with your enemy. This enemies-to-lovers story hit all the right notes for me. I liked Sophie and Joe, the main characters. Their quick banter and penchant for disagreeing make this a fun, well-paced romp. The bickering side characters also helped keep the narrative moving. By far, the best part of this book is all about the criticism the romance genre had faced as being "less than" other genres, that it sets unrealistic expectations for readers and is somehow less prestigious for writers. Critics and reading snobs alike relish in $hitting on things people love, and, well, people love romance. I've never understood the need for people to "yuck" someone else's "yum." Honestly, that's loser behavior rooted in misogyny. Let people like what they like and keep your trap shut!!! My one complaint is that Sophie and Joe's third-act break-up and subsequent reconciliation felt very much like a hastily thrown-together afterthought. Overall, though, this is a relatively quick, easily digestible read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lindsey Kelk, and Harper 360 for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Sophie has secretly written a best-selling romance novel, but has not told her pretentious family about it. And the smug and charming Joe is somehow involved in the process and knows her secret. They’re all at her family home for her dad’s big birthday bash and Sophie and Joe keep getting thrown together at various circumstances. They’ve got loads of bickering and bantering and flirting, which is really fun to read. Plus, I loved all the references to the romance genre and its media criticism. Sophie’s family was chaotic and hilarious and just what you would expect in a rom-com situation with a big event that everyone’s gathered at. If you’re a regular romance-reader, I highly recommend this book.

This was a great enemies-to-lovers book, it had good pacing and fun characters. The storyline was really interesting and I liked that it addressed the stigma that I always feel still surrounds romance books. Once I started I couldn't put it down, I highly recommend this book!

I just finished reading Love Story by Lindsey Kelk, and I really enjoyed it! The book follows Sophie Taylor, a small-town schoolteacher who secretly writes romance novels under the pen name Este Cox. When she loses her laptop with her latest manuscript, she has to team up with Joe Walsh, a hotshot marketing director who is way too sure of himself.

The chemistry between Sophie and Joe is fantastic, and their banter kept me laughing throughout. The story is lighthearted and fun, with just the right amount of romance and humor. I loved how the book explored Sophie’s double life and the challenges she faced in keeping her secret.

Overall, Love Story is a delightful read that’s perfect for anyone who loves a good rom-com. It’s funny, engaging, and leaves you with a warm, fuzzy feeling.

A really adorable read! Secret identity writer meets enemies to lovers! Our main female lead is a teacher who comes from a long line of literature family members. She doesn't want them to know that she secretly a steamy romance author and very famous! Our main male character finds this out and tries to get to know her!! He is definitely a true gentleman a bit cocky but I love it! Lol this book was definitely like a fluffy light dessert with a few sweetened flakes! I gobbled it all up! 🍾

Bravo! 💗

I believe this is my first Lindsey Kelk book I’ve read and she did not disappoint. I want to thank NetGalley for my advanced copy.

When two meet and automatically hate each other, it’s fun to watch them out the pieces of the puzzle together and realize they really can’t live without each other. Kelk does a great job of showing this off and doing it in a way that is enduring on both sides.

There were a few iffy spots in the middle that could have been left out, the scene with Joe and Sophie’s aunt and the entire fight scene. I felt like I was reading about one of those comedy movies with a play fight scene.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book and I can’t wait to get my hands on other Lindsey Kelk novels!

Love story is a super cute rom-com, which was so much fun to read! The only thing i didn't like was the amount of pop culture references (at some point it was just too much)

This is such a cute quick romance. It's perfect to read in between heavier books.

I loved being taking on this journey. Sophie had major growth in this book. I enjoyed that she's a teacher. It was nice seeing her finally confess that she is Este Cox to her family.

Joe Walsh: ladies man, handsome and he knows it. When we are first introduced to him my impression of him wasn't the best. I thought he was so full of himself, which is a big turn off in real life for me. However as the story unfolds I ended up loving him. He is loving, protective and handsome.

Sophie, a small-town teacher, writes a bestselling romance under a pseudonym because her parents are literary critics and won’t approve of such a “fluffy” genre. Joe is her marketing director who also doesn’t approve of romance novels, but accidentally finds out her identity on a trip to her parents’ house for her dad’s birthday. This whole book is hilarious, and I loved Joe and Sophie! And when I tell you there is a PLOT TWIST?!?! This was such a fun read, and super quick to fly through.

There were a couple things I didn’t love: for one, the third act breakup and literal last-minute reconciliation. If you’re going to do a breakup, at least give us some time for the characters to actually work out their issues before getting back together. Another thing was how many references there were to actual romance books and authors. Like I understand this book is about romance books, but do we really need multiple name drops per chapter of popular authors and books? It really pulled me out of the story every time.

But in conclusion, this was cute and funny, and if you’re not bothered by a third act breakup, you’ll love this one!

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read before pub day! ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. LOVE STORY is out now!

I’m a sucker for rom coms that are a love letter to the genre. Sophie is secretly the author of everyone’s fave smutty romance book, but only known as such to her brother/agent and her godfather/publisher. Until Joe Walsh with his perfect blue eyes and strapping thighs enters the picture. My favorite quotes come then as Sophie finds herself the defender of romance books, while trying to not let on that she is a romance author herself.

“How come when a woman writes about sexual frustration she’s the butt of a joke, but when a man writes about his sexual frustration, he gets an Oscar?”

“If there were a few more men who tried a bit harder, perhaps there would be a few less books like this.”

Kelk is also so good at banter that reads like an actual conversation. I found myself multiple times laughing out loud and rereading the funny bits. Four and half stars only because I wanted a bit more yearning, but this is a v personal preference, not something that detracts from the book at all.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collins for a free e-book in exchange for this review!

4.5 stars rounded up.

I was surprised by the depth that this book had, while still being a light romcom. Romance is often not taken seriously as a genre and looked down upon, for reasons often steeped, in my opinion, in misogyny. This book explores these viewpoints on the romance genre as a whole, as well as exploring various romance tropes. It is incredibly well thought out. The only reason I give 4.5 and not 5 stars is the ending felt rushed - an epilogue would be perfect.

Sophie Turner is hiding a big secret. She is Este Cox, the extremely popular romance author. Coming from a family of literature professors and critics, this is a secret she holds very closely. Somehow she finds herself at her Dad’s birthday party sharing a room with Joe Walsh, her avowed enemy and one of the very few people who know her secret.

Sophie is the daughter of two editors who hate romance novels. So naturally when she wrote one, she did so under a pseudonym, Este Cox. The book became a huge hit and she was signed for two more. When she goes home for her dad's birthday party, she finds out that her sister is opening a bookstore and is obsessed with Este Cox and doing everything in her power to unveil her. On her way home, she misplaces her bag with her laptop and her draft of Book #2. Who should show up to her door with the book but Joe Walsh, the son of her dad's arch-rival. Over the course of the weekend, the two have a love-hate relationship. Can they overcome their differences and be together?

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC of this book. So i want to start out by saying that this book took me a while to read because honestly the beginning of the book was fairly slow and did not hook me right away. I'm glad i stuck with it as once I got past the first 8% or so it took a turn for the better and I really enjoyed it. The book took several turns that I didn't expect with the story line. Honestly I thought it was going to be like most Rom com books but it had a few new and interesting ideas.

I really enjoyed this enemies to lovers book!!

Lindsey Kelk wrote this hate at first sight perfectly! The chemistry between Sophie and Joe is SO good and who can resist the one bed trope?!

Sophie Taylor is a small town schoolteacher but she has a secret - she is the mysterious romance author everyone is obsessed with! Joe is our handsome MMC who is way too confident and sure of himself. Unfortunately for Sophie she needs his help! Here is where our enemies to lovers story starts!

This book was such a fun read and feels like a rom-com! I definitely recommend reading this one!

Thank you netgalley and harper360 for this ARC!

In my opinion, Lindsey Kelk can do no wrong! I have read all of her books and devoured this in one sitting. Highly recommend!

What truly made me choose this book was the fact that I love Love Story by Taylor Swift, and this book has the same name. And for that reason and also what was in this book I was not disappointed.

This book is such an addictively cute love story. (Yes I am being cheesy). The whole idea of being a secret bestselling author surrounded by an uptight book critic of a family has so much humor in it. Then adding in the idea that this big shot (and hot) marketer figures out who she is and pretends to be the author to help her hide the identity in front of her family. Comedy gold truly.

Love Story genuinely had me giggling out loud and kicking my feet around. It's been a while since a book has really had me enthralled based on its comedic timing. Then you add in the fact that the two main characters' romance was 10/10, and that's a fantastic five-star book. But does it stop there? no. The author somehow perfectly includes all sorts of modern-day references and I don't hate it?!?! Now that is a feat.

I read this book from 0% to 89% on my Kindle in one day, and I would have finished it that same day if my Kindle had not died while I was babysitting. And as a reader when I can confidently say that I read a book in a day (or in this case would have) then you know it's a damn good book.

If you are looking for a hilarious romantic book that appeals to all us book-loving swifties then look no further, because that's exactly what this book is!

Thank you to Harper360 for allowing me to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review!

Lindsey Kelk is one of the queens of romance who never ceases to amaze me with her heartfelt and entertaining romcoms. Especially when she adds obnoxious, very eccentric family members into the equation, so much is guaranteed. I have to admit I never resist the charm of my favorite tropes: forced proximity (separated by curtains is a great tribute to "It Happened One Night") and enemies to lovers! (Later it added love at first sight and he fell first tropes that I don't much enjoy, like main character Sophie Taylor does, but they still blended perfectly into the entire formula I truly enjoyed.) There's even Montague vs. Capulet-like fight between enemy families that made me guffaw a lot!

"Love Story" by Lindsey Kelk is a delightful romp through the ups and downs of modern romance. The witty dialogue and relatable characters make for an engaging read that keeps you laughing and cheering them on. Kelk’s knack for blending humor with heartfelt moments adds depth to the story, making it more than just a typical love tale. The exploration of love, friendship, and self-discovery is both refreshing and inspiring. Overall, it’s a charming novel that leaves you with a warm heart and a smile.

Sophie has a big secret. To everyone she may be just a school teacher, but she is secretly bestselling romance author Este Cox. Not even her family knows of her literary success. But when roguish marketing director Joe crashes her meeting with her publisher, Sophie is not sure how safe her secret is anymore, especially when Joe turns up at her father’s birthday party weekend. When Sophie’s sister discovers her manuscript Joe covers for her by telling everyone he is Este Cox. As the two try to navigate their charade over the weekend they cut through preconceived notions and each other’s vulnerabilities. Can Sophie keep her secret or will it come out despite Joe’s help?

I’m a big fan of romance involving writers as the main characters, so this book was right up my alley. IT WAS SO GOOD! I loved how the romance genre was defended and how familial expectations were broken down. Such a fun and enjoyable read!

“I’ve always loved the smell of books.” SAME ☺️

Haha Love Story is like taking a jump inside both the worlds of publishing and #bookstagram with a nice tea and some cookies. If you love quite literally ANYTHING about books…the cover art, smell, size, beautiful sprayed edges, limited specialty foiled book box editions, bookstores, booktok…then you will adore it. My heart swooned and I laughed out loud multiple times. What a gem of a book!

“I can never get over it, the thought of one person sitting down to write a story and all the different people who pick it up over the years and read it. The same words taking on a completely different meaning every time.”

The sibling banter is gold, the romantic interests swoon worthy, and the storyline such a clever play on the current state of books and social media. Love loved it!

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins publishing, and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

A fun and engaging enemies to lovers battle. Love Story explores pride and empowerment and relationships in a very authentic and refreshing way. Would recommend for any rom com lovers library!