I did not enjoy this one from the start and found myself struggling to get into it. Unfortunately I put it down and didn’t want to pick it up again

The plot was way too contrived, I could not care less about the characters and their nonexistent chemistry, and the whole "bit twist" is one of the things I personally despise and had I known about it, I would have avoided this one to begin with. It just makes any character immediately irredeemable to me.

The style also wasn't much to speak of, I couldn't really feel the tension and the humourous moments mostly fell flat for me. Overall, just not my cup of tea.

Talk Bookish To Me follows the enemies to lovers (to enemies to lovers) tale of romance author Kara and her first love Ryan. I think there was a lot of potential for this book to be a fantastic summer read, but for me, it tried to deal with far too much in far too few pages. The relationship was so rife with conflict that I honestly wondered if I even wanted them to get together at the end (they do become exhausting ). The steamy scenes were hot but not hot enough to convince me of this out of this world chemistry they claimed to have. I think there were many layers to the book, but some layers were flimsier than others, so it fell slightly short of what its potential could have been.

The main stickler for me was the subject of the 3rd act conflict. There were many conflict misdirects that made the story somewhat repetitive and annoying. Still, they were all relatively forgivable aside from this one. For the sake of avoiding spoilers, I won't go into detail, but this really ruined the book for me, and the resolution of this issue just didn't feel believable. So this did lower the rating to 2.5.

These critiques aside, I do think it's a nice summer/holiday/beach romance read. One of its merits is the story within that Kara is writing ( at a point, I was 100% more invested in that HEA than the main couples), and I would *love* to read that story at some point. I also enjoyed some of the bookish culture references, they did seem a bit trite at a point, but they were sweet. It was enjoyable but not a favourite for me, so rounding up from a 2.5 to 3.

This book was everything that I needed. It was funny, it was emotional and it was just beautiful.

I loved how Kara is not only an author but a bookstagrammer! As a fellow bookstagrammer I loved seeing it represented in this book and the honest struggles of getting the right picture! Hahah. I also loved the snippets we got of the historical fiction that she was writing!

Kara was a character I loved from the very beginning. It was easy to connect with her on so many levels and she was just so funny, quirky and all round a good character. It was also impossible for me not to fall in love with Ryan, I mean apart from all his mistakes in this book, he was such a gentleman and the chemistry between him and Kara was just off the charts!

This is such a great summer read that I wish I could have read on the beach!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Oh I really rather enjoyed this. For those of us who like value for money, it's also a book within a book as Kara is an author and we get to read the first draft of her historical romance novel tucked within the pages of Kara's story. It's also a virtual trip to New York and Rome from the comfort of your favourite reading chair.

Ryan may not be the traditional squeaky clean love interest for Kara but it was clear from the moment they met in college that they were meant to be together. Ten years have passed since they broke each other's hearts when fate throws them together again and the pages virtually crackle with sizzling chemistry. Kara thinks she can avoid Ryan throughout Cristina's wedding but before she knows it she is offering Ryan (and his overweight bulldog) a sofa to sleep on.

The minor inconvenience of having Ryan to stay has an unexpected side-effect for Kara as the novel she was struggling to write suddenly bursts back into life. All the feelings that Ryan has awakened are transferred to Kara's novel and Kara needs to make the most of this before she leaves for 6 months in Italy just a few days after the wedding. As the sexual tension increases it's no longer a case of will they/won't they it's more a matter of when, but neither of them are being completely open and honest with each other. Will Kara ever get her own happily ever after?

Reading this book really reminded me how you should always listen to your heart. It's like a horror novel when you look back over your own dating history and realise how often you have settled for Mr Not Quite Right on the assumption that he's the best you're going to get. Don't ever settle - someday your prince (or princess) will come and you really will 'just know'.

Talk Bookish to Me is a fun and charming read that sizzles with chemistry. Even though it's a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, I read most of it with a smile on my face. Talk Bookish to Me is like catnip for booklovers as you can't get more bookish than a book about books that is also a book within a book. Book-tastic!

I received an ARC from the publisher to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Kara Sullivan deserves better. And I deserve a better bit of chick lit.
So, this is the story of a romance novelist, Kara, and her ex, Ryan, meeting up again at a wedding. It was obvious right from the off that their relationship rekindling was going to be endgame. But, Ryan is not a great choice. I suspected it straightaway and it was confirmed when a certain something was revealed later. And okay he provides inspiration for Kara's new novel after a bout of writer's block but seriously, love, go get your happy ending with someone else.
Mind you, Kara is not perfect. She is whiny and selfish at times. And FYI, size 8 in American or British clothes is not big.
The writing could be better. I don't know whether it's the Netgalley ARC I've got or if the proper book is like this but it needs more editing. While the spelling and grammar is okay, some words are used incorrectly. For example, the author used "poignantly" when I believe she meant "pointedly". I don't want to be too pedantic but it did distract me from enjoying the story a bit.
Overall, this book is not bad but it's not great either.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Loved it and would throughly recommend. I was totally engaged in the story and wanted to know what came next.. Great characters, settings and twists. Thank you.

DNF at 33%.

I really wanted to like this book but I just don’t, and I’m not enjoying it at all. I liked that Kara was a bookstagrammer and I liked the idea of a story within a story, but it just didn't pay off for me.

I didn’t like that within the first 10% romance as a genre was being disparaged so much. I realise that it was for Kara to show her passion and so they could have a bit of dialogue but I think it’s incredibly unnecessary coming from a book that’s meant to be a rom-com.

I also didn’t like how Kara was hiding her romance novels and hiding the spines because Ryan was coming over. She is literally a romance author— why is she ashamed?! I think the actual author made too much of this and it doesn’t help the general misconceptions around romance as a genre and romance readers.

As I haven’t finished it, I have given it two stars. I may come back to it at some point but it isn’t likely- I’ve seen spoilers for the ending and I know it will just make me like the book less.

A very light summer read which was pretty enjoyable but there were some parts I thought could be improved. I don’t think the romance book she was writing needed to be in the story (the actual chapters) as it didn’t add anything.

I struggled to see at the start why Kara would let Ryan stay at hers given how much they supposedly hated each other, but things did make more sense as it went on. However, I did predict the shocking reveal quite near the start and also couldn’t see how Ryan could compare her not mentioning her trip to Italy to it. I also found Kara to be so selfish and have no idea how she’s kept friends so long, I couldn’t warm to her.

I did like Ryan’s character and could feel his emotions coming through, plus I loved Duke! I also quite enjoyed reading a book that didn’t require much brain power so it was a nice break between my thrillers.

Overall, a pretty fun will they, won’t they light-hearted read though I’m not sure I would read other books by Kate in the future.

Oh I was hooked from the very title! “Talk Bookish to Me” I can’t think of anything better.

I definitely haven’t been disappointed by this actual gem. It has been the perfect read which is filled with fun, frolics and a great mix of characters.

I have loved Kara and Ryan, both are brilliant characters in their own way. I have literally been rooting for them throughout this one.

I have had moments of laughing and crying reading this one. The author has completely pulled me in and kept me prisoner- completely unable and unwilling to put this one down. I have been completely immersed in this one.

There have been twists that have made me want to scream, but this is a beautiful and brilliant read which absolutely must be added to the TBR. This is the perfect read for a busy hectic week.

A definite five star read.

Kara is a bestselling author of historical romance novels, but she is struggling writing her latest novel and the deadline is very close. But then inspiration arrives from the latest person she expected: Ryan, her first boyfriend, her first love, the man who broke her heart and who she hasn’t seen in ten years, until he turns up at her best friend’s pre-wedding party. So what if Kara has to spend time with him so that she can write?! She has no feelings for him, right? The more time Kara spends with him, the more she writes, even if that means old wounds, regrets, and feelings resurface…

Talk Bookish To Me has many elements that will keep you captivated. First of all, the protagonist, Kara Sullivan is likable and relatable. She talks a lot about books so we could easily be best friends. She is also loyal, smart, and funny so you have no choice but to like her and wish her a happy ending. This is a rom-com with a bit of drama: the chemistry between Kara and Ryan is strong from the very beginning and I loved their witty exchanges and their easy relationship, but their past is always there haunting them and secrets could risk their relationship. Also, if you like the book-within-book novels, you’ll enjoy reading passages from Kara’s novel with two fantastic characters and more romance.

I almost forgot one of the best characters in the novel and, without a doubt, my favourite: Duke the dog. He created some of the funniest scenes in the book and I adored him!

Talk Bookish To Me is the perfect escapist and entertaining novel, full of humor, romance, friendship, and books. Highly recommended!

I took a while to get into this second-chances romance. The voice struck me as odd - do people really say low-key ecstatic and similar to themselves in their internal monologues?

Anyway, I just don't think these characters ever came off the page and felt real. The secret Ryan was hiding was pretty bad, and the end of the novel felt so dragged out. Also, I don't want to be mean but the historical romance that was featured was truly awful.

I also felt there were a lot of random things like the bookstagram that was mentioned a weird amount, it didn't really add to the plot and it felt like an aside rather than there for any real purpose.

I can see her next novel being better.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I think I may have gone into this book expecting more than I should have. Having only just finished several whip-smart, clever and engaging romances, I was expecting something similar here. That's not what this is. Talk Bookish To Me is a fairly standard, easygoing tale of a second chance romance, which leans into several tropes and does a really very good job of adhering to a lovely romantic arc in the first 75% of the book.
The last 25%, though, from major conflict to HEA, was disappointingly rushed, and the romantic conflict was resolved without the leads ever actually talking to each other. I'm all for situations where friends help the MC to see that she's being pig-headed and should just get over her pointless grudge, but I would prefer a healthier dynamic which involved the main characters actually resolving their conflict, rather than by proxy through a fictionalised account of their story.
The book also fast-forwards through several years at the end to present a schmaltzy resolution that feels undeserved - I hadn't spent enough time with these characters, nor seen a healthy dynamic between them that made their experience sufficiently heartwarming.
That's not to say that this is a bad book - it's not. The first 75% is delightful, and has a series of lovely encounters between the romantic leads, as well as a supporting cast of interesting characters and one entirely fabulous dog. It just felt, overall, a little thin and underdone.

I’m up for a great enemies to lovers/second chance romance all day every day.
This story though, didn’t hit any mark for me. From the mocking of being a bookstagrammer and then a romance writer, especially a historical one, to the wtf moments of him lying about his status for a good part of the story, this book wants to be funny and maybe similar to The Bromance series but for me it’s not.
I wanted to like it and loved the cover and sounded so intriguing but no, I just can’t accept many things in here.

Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy through NetGalley.

A truly joyful read!

I really enjoyed this easy and funny debut by Kate !

You get to meet Kara, bestselling romance novelist, going through a writer’s block spell.

When she meets Ryan (her ex boyfriend) at the pre-wedding party of her best friends Cristina, all the heart aches and mixed feelings come bubbling back up, but the block seems to disappear...

They haven’t seen each other in 10 years and you get to discover what happened throughout the book.

I just loved all the protagonists and their relationships. Kara and Ryan’s incessant banter was absolutely hilarious I laughed out loud the entire time!

They both are more complicated than one might think, and the emotional parts brought a great balance to the story. Kara’s father’s death at the same time as their breakup has shaped who she’s become and the way it all unfolded truly broke my heart!

You get to see how they grew together and then apart, along with their friends and family dynamics, comprised of great twists and turns! They never stopped thinking about each other...

I can only recommend you pick up a copy of this glorious ray of sunshine and embark on Kara and Ryan’s journey!

Will they get their second chance? Only one way to find out for yourselves!

Thank you NetGalley and Bonnier Books for the opportunity to read !

A romance full of humor, love and books? I am in!
Since the first moment I love the main character, Kara; a sweet writer that the only thing she wants is to be left alone to write. As you can imagine life will have other plans for her, planning her best friend’s wedding and meeting an old flame, Ryan.
The story between Kara and Ryan will not be easy, they both hurt too much and the wounds are still open, it will be their decision to overcome it or to say goodbye forever.
It was interesting how Kara’s creativity exploded after meeting Ryan again, but her brain doesn’t let her to trust him again until the whole truth is revealed. Because Ryan is keeping a secret, a big secret; not easy to forget or forgive (even as a reader), that’s why the story gets more interesting in the second half. I will not make spoilers, but it’s interesting how the writer puts the reader in a difficult situation; forgive him or not, what would you do in Kara’s place?
This had been a light and quick read, it was easy to be part of Kara’s life; her love for books and creating her own imaginary stories in her mind. I think that being a book addict made me relate a little too much with her…!
If you are seeking romance and a sweet main character, this is a book I would recommend, it will make you smile, believe me!
Are you ready to “Talk Bookish to Me”?

I loved this super cute, super bookish rom-com about first love and second chances. Kara is a bookstagrammer and romance novelist living in New York City, who ends up meeting Ryan, her college boyfriend from a decade ago, at her best friend's pre-wedding celebrations. Instantly hostile to each other, the two are forced into each others company and have to find a way to resolve their differences without causing wedding chaos. Meanwhile, Kara has some serious writer's block, a submission deadline looming and she discovers that sparring with her ex is inspiring her to write like never before.... Kate Bromley has written a romance full of interesting characters, a fun take on the enemies to lovers idea, with lots of bookish references. It is a great read for summer and I highly recommend it.

What can I say? I'm a sucker for a cute romance like this - a dramatic reintroduction of exs, one who's a writer with writer's block.... I just loved it. It gave me 'Well Met' vibes, which is probably another reason I loved it! Great debut novel, I look forward to seeing more from Kate Bromley.

Love love loved this!! So funny, so clever, so relatable, so good. I tore though it in one sitting and am desperate for a sequel!

Kara is a hopeless romantic which usually helps her with her work as a romance author, however she is really struggling with her new novel. What is worse is that her deadline is looming, but so is her best friends wedding which she really should be helping her get organised for. After which she is going to Italy for 6months spending the money from her book... which she hasn’t yet written.
Kara is about to give up, when an ex-boyfriend unexpectantly re-enters her life and give her a spark of motivation and creativity. Ryan broke Kara’s heart, but if getting close to him and using him is the only way to get her novel written she is willing to do it.
Ryan also wasn’t expecting to see Kara again. And when his dog gets him kicked out of his hotel and he has nowhere to stay he reluctantly moves in with her. Now is not a good a time for him to be reacquainted with the girl he never wanted to let go of.
I loved that although this book was typically cheesy and romantic, it was almost self-professed that way. I got quite invested into the characters and was just waiting for that bombshell moment, although I wasn’t completely sure what it was going to be.
I liked that we got to read extracts of Kara’s novel too and let’s be honest, what smutty romance reader hasn’t wanted to re-enact a moment from a book like Kara and Ryan do?
If you are after an easy, fun and romantic read this book is for you!