In a Nutshell: This book has overthrown all my earlier Jaimie Admans novels to settle at the top favourite position! Loved the main characters, the setting, the connection to ‘Beauty and the Beast’, and of course, the nod to ‘Pride and Prejudice’. Much recommended to readers of clean romances. You can’t go wrong with Jaimie Admans!

Note: I apologise in advance for sounding like an enthusiastic puppy in the review. But oh my God, this book!

Story Synopsis:
Since her mother died about a year ago, Marnie Platt has become a semi-recluse, shunning her concerned friends from Ever After Street. Her attitude also affects the sales in her beloved bookshop. However, when an unknown neighbour files a complaint about the abandoned bookshop garden, Marnie gets a wake-up call. She knows that if she has to save the bookshop, the garden, and herself, she can’t afford to waste more time grieving. Luckily, her grumpy neighbour, a gardener and florist, hears about her problem and by some miracle, decides to help with the garden. Soon, a begrudging friendship forms between them, even though her neighbour is determined to remain as mysterious as ever. Can Marnie convince her new friend that life is worth embracing, when she herself isn’t sure about what it holds?
The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Marnie.

Where do I begin praising this book!? It hits almost all the marks at a 100% level!

Bookish Yays:
😍 The journey: Everyone knows that romances are predictable. You read these novels not for the ending, but for the journey. And the journey as well as the destination are adorable in this book.
😍 The homage to ‘Beauty and the Beast’, one of my all-time favourite fairy tales. Admittedly, most of this is based on the Disney version, but Admans sneaks in a few references to the original as well. Does great justice to the ‘tale as old as time.’
😍 The references to ‘Pride and Prejudice’– what a way to trick an Austenite into gushing over a contemporary romance story!
😍 The setting: The gorgeous Ever After Street, a place I would gladly love to visit.
😍 Marnie: The garrulous introvert with a giant heart. She acts her age, which isn’t something I can claim about most romance heroines of today. Loved her character!
😍 Darcy: Ahem… what can I say! If ever there were a competition for the second best Darcy of all time, this Darcy would easily win! I was totally unprepared for his name, so when I first saw it, you should have seen the big Cheshire-Cat grin on my face! 😁
😍 Miss Potts the cat: Awwww! 😻
😍 The secondary characters: Except for Rick, every single character has a well-sketched personality. Cleo is a good addition to the set. Witt and Sadie from the first book also make a strong appearance.
😍 The focus on grief and mental health: Well-handled for both Marnie and Darcy.
😍 The bookshop and all that is connected to it: What book lover will hate these elements!?
😍 The romance: A perfect combination of friends-to-lovers as well as grumpy-vs-sunshine tropes. As someone who passionately (What an ironic word choice!) hates insta-romances, I loved this slow development of feelings between the lead characters. Give me this old-school love any day! No steam, all clean except for a few kisses – Yippee!
😍 The physical “flaws”: The focus on physical perfection and the stress on attraction based on looks is a hallmark of almost all romance novels. This book ignores both these elements, and offers to us a love story that is more a meeting of minds than of bodies. The only complaint I would make in this regard is that the book over-compensates on the word ‘beautiful’ after the “reveal”, as if we the readers need to be convinced that you-know-who is gorgeous. We don't!
😍 The open secrets: Marnie faces two minor mysteries in the story, but to the readers, both of these are as clear as day. This isn’t a mystery novel, of course, so the guessability of the suspense wasn’t a disappointment to me. Rather, the anticipation of when she would realise what was so obvious to the reader adds to the fun.
😍 The missing “touchy-feely” stuff: Now, you won’t really understand this point without context. In each of my reviews of a Jaimie Admans novel (three so far!), I have complained about how much of the focus is on touch (in non-bedroom scenes), and why it doesn’t work for me because touch isn’t my love language. A small part of me feels like Ms. Admans saw my earlier reviews and went, “Good Lord! This Rosh just doesn’t shut up about my dear characters’ need for touching each other! Let me teach her a lesson!” She then formulated the devious plan of writing a romance story where her characters literally cannot touch each other for a major chunk of the book, and for perfectly genuine reasons. What can I say now? Jaimie Admans-1: Rosh-0.

Bookish Nays:
😐 The only thing I didn’t like about this book is the character of Rick, who is clearly based on Gaston from the Disney adaptation of ‘Beauty and the Beast’. I wouldn’t say that self-centred people like him don’t exist in the world; they do. But I didn’t get why he was so bent on getting Marnie back. The motive stays unclear, and his behaviour sticks to the expected obnoxious level throughout. As a result, his character is the only one that feels clichéd.

😐 A tiny complaint about the cover as well. Though I love the two shops, the castle in the background, and the roses, the couple on the cover doesn’t match the description of the couple in the book.


That's it! The rest? *Chef’s kiss!*
I think the author totally didn’t play fair towards ensuring my strong approval rating for this book. Imagine throwing Darcy, ‘Beauty and the Beast’, a bookshop, a cat, a fairy-tale based street, and an old-fashioned romance at me like that! What’s a girl to do!
Admans recently revealed on her Instagram page that she is currently working on Book Four of this series. All I will say is: You have some super-high expectations to live up to after this one, Ms. Admans!
Strongly recommended to all lovers of the romance genre who prefer their love stories slow and steady rather than steamy and speedy. You can read this sequel as a standalone book, but seriously, why would you want to disregard the first of the series? Read both!

4.5 stars, rounding up. (As if I could round it down with this Darcy in the lead role!)

My thanks to Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of “An Enchanted Moment on Ever After Street”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I will be leaving feedback for this book in the future :)
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4.35⭐
Genre ~ contemporary romance
Series ~ The Ever After Street Series, #2
Others in the series ~ A Midnight Kiss on Ever After Street
Setting ~ England
Publication date ~ January 11, 2024
Est page Count ~ 330 (22 chapters)
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ grumpy/sunshine, small town, slow burn, no 3rd act breakup, no steamage

I am thrilled to be back on Ever After Street for a A Beauty and the Beast retelling.

Told solely by Marnie who owns A Tale As Old As Time, a bookshop. Darcy owns The Beast's Enchanted Rose Garden, the flower shop next door.

Marnie is an introvert who would love to have a successful business with little hassle, so she can just curl up with Mrs. Potts, the cat, and read the day away. But sadly the bookshop is in danger of being shut down, so Marnie has to act fast and figure out how she can save it. Luckily she comes up with some nice ideas that turn out to be a big hit.

Darcy is a grump with a guarded big heart, who understandably has trouble letting people in. You can just tell he wants to be accepted even if he thinks he doesn't deserve to be. Slowly, very slowly, he realizes he can trust her with his true self. Their ballroom scene was just magical and I was singing while they were dancing.

All of the friends on the quaint street are a delight and come together to lend a helping hand. We meet Cleo, who is lovely as well, and will be the star of the next book in the series. Gaston, I mean Rick, was a real douche canoe that needed a good swift kick to the rear.

Overall, it's totally predictable, but that in no way took away from my enjoyment.

Side note ~ British sayings are the best ~ the cat was "making pie on my knees." The same thing in the USA would be "mixing bread."

Series notes:
I suppose not mandatory to read A Midnight Kiss on Ever After Street first, but the 2 characters make a some appearances here, so you might as well just read it.

We are back on Ever After Street where Marnie and her mother used to own the bookshop: A tale as old as time. Now her mother is gone and Marnie is alone with everything. Devastated by the loss of her only friend who used to take care of the garden that surround the shop they rent, on top of that sales are going down with no bright future.
When she receives a letter warning her of an eviction unless she resolves the issues, she encounters her neighbor Darcy a reclute scary shop owner who no one really knows.
His philosophy is: “If you never form attachments to anyone, you never get hurt. And you never hurt them”
The only thing we know is that his father was the castle’s gardener, and now he took over his work besides being the town florist.
Being both quiet people who preferred to spend their time alone with their favorite past times,they start to socialize through the fence that separate both shops.
This encounters are helping Marnie, she even has a plan to save her beloved bookshop.
Untypical story of two lonely, self conscious, book lovers who find each other under unusual circumstances.
Love, love, love the story, the setting and the dialogue between the two main characters. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy.

I absolutely loved this book. I have read and loved all of Jaimie Adman's books but I am especially pleased that she is writing a series now. I always fall in love with her characters and now we get to catch up the characters from the previous books.
I love Ever After Street, I wish it was real so that I could visit there. I loved the first story about Sadie and Witt so much, but I think that I loved Marnie and Darcy's story even more.
Beauty and The Beast which this story is based upon is my favourite Disney film (I also agree with Marnie that the Beast is better than the Prince). Being familiar with the Beauty and the Beast story I guessed most of what was going to happen next, but I didn't care, I just wanted to carry on reading and see how it happened. I was enjoying this book so much.
I loved the Cat Mrs Potts, I also have a female cat who I take for walks with a harness and lead. It definitely needs to be made more common. She loves going for walks like Mrs Potts.
There are some serious subjects in this book but they are dealt with sensitively. I did shed a couple of tears in places. Ultimately though this is very much a feel-good book, and I finished the last chapter with a smile on my face. I loved this book so much. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood books for my ARC.

An Enchanted Moment on Ever After Street by Jaimie Admans

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

A picture-perfect town, a place where dreams come true. Welcome to Ever After Street...

A tale as old as time…

Since her mum’s death, Marnie Platt has shut herself away from everyone who cares about her. Worse, her beloved bookshop on Ever After Street is suffering too. With sales down and the shop’s garden falling into disrepair, Marnie risks losing the very last thing she loves. Until a chance encounter with her surly and reclusive neighbour….

Dark and brooding, Darcy O'Connell likes to keep himself to himself. But when he hears Marnie needs help, he can’t turn his back on her. Soon they are spending most evenings together in her enchanted garden and a friendship starts to bloom…

With the help of old and new friends on Ever After Street, Marnie's bookshop begins to thrive again, and with Darcy's kindness, she starts to get her sparkle back too. She just can't understand why Darcy continues to shut himself away - especially from her. Can she convince him it isn't too late to embrace life, and maybe love, again?

Because every story, even theirs, deserves a happy ending….

My Opinion

Welcome back to Ever After Street, a charming street where all of the shop owners are welcoming. If you love books and Disney then this is a series that I would highly recommend and we are only on the second book so it is not too late to catch up. This was one of those books that I have been thinking about since I read the opening book in the series, it really made for a lovely escape.

This book was so difficult to put down that I ended up reading it in one sitting. Going into this book, I already knew that I was going to love it but it only took a few pages before I was hooked. This is a great read and you will not be disappointed.

Rating 5/5

This is another fairy tale like story set in Ever after street. This time the story revolves around Marnie the owner of 'The tale as old as Time' bookshop. Marnie and her cat Mrs Potts receive a letter from the landlord giving her six weeks to sort out the jungle of a garden, bring in more business to Ever after street and prove she deserves to have the lease of this beautiful building in such a wonderful location.
Feeling overwhelmed with life in general Marnie has no idea what to do until help is offered from a very unlikely source - her neighbour. Darcy the owner of the flower shop next door is a recluse and has a reputation of being a bit of a beast.
A beautiful story of hope, the power of friendship and how working together as a team can make the impossible possible. A truly uplifting tale perfect for this time of year when the nights are cold and dark and Christmas is just a memory.

I would firstly just like to say a big thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources who very kindly forwarded me an arc copy of this book, for my kindle, in return for my honest review.

I have previously read a few books from this author and i really enjoyed them, so when i came across this book it was definitely a no-brainer!

It was a wonderful and emotional book and i found myself slowly becoming engrossed in all of its yummy goodness.

I found this to be a very easy book to read and each chapter quickly pushed me along to the next one and i found that i had read the book in no time at all.

I loved the characters and really enjoyed getting to know them all and becoming immersed in their lives.

A wonderful, heartwarming, full of feelings story…….

It was a complete joy to be back on Ever After Street.
This time we are treated to a Beauty and the Beast themed story. We are introduced to the lovely Marnie, owner of A Tale As Old As Time bookshop, who is struggling with her life since her beloved mum passed away. A real challenge is thrown at her, as she needs to increase her income at the bookstore and get the uncontrollable garden sorted or her landlord will evict her from the property. As she is a loner, shutting herself away from everyone around her she is struggling to cope, and at her lowest point in steps an unlikely person who despite his desire to also keep away from people, comes to her rescue.
Darcy owns the shop next door, a grower and seller of roses, he is even more of a recluse than Marnie.
However they connect over the garden fence, tea and biscuits shared and hours of conversation gives them a fragile friendship to build on.
It was so lovely to see them both overcome their difficulties and begin to trust each other. I loved the gentle support that Darcy gives Marnie, allowing her to be brave enough to host a book festival at the nearby castle.
As always some brilliant characters, most you love but one you definitely don’t!
Such a cleverly written story that was completely enchanting from the first page until the last one!

Such a lovely and heartwarming read. The references to Beauty and the Beast were lovely and Marnie's mission to keep the bookstore going were enjoyable. I really enjoyed her friendship with Darcy and how they discussed making friendships in adulthood were difficult. It was a truly heartwarming read.

If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I absolutely would, this was perfection!
Beauty and the Beast is my second favourite Disney fairy-tale (my first being Tangled), so this was such a delight to read. I absolutely adored the friendship and romance between Marnie and Darcy, it remained having the same beautiful message that the fairy-tale brings, with a lot more depth within how Darcy became the "beast". This was every bit the most gorgeous magical read and Jaimie's words were like one giant hug throughout.

I need to also praise Jaimie for writing the most irritating man to exist! I found myself saying "oh my god" out loud multiple teams at Rick, he was a nightmare! Taking on the villainous traits of Gaston, but ten times worse, that man had my blood boiling.

It was such a delight being back with friendly faces that we go to know in the first book and I can't wait for Cleo's adventures with an Alice in Wonderland theme. I already know it's going to be a dream!

4.5 Stars
One Liner: Oh, so adorable!

A Tale as Old as Time is a bookshop on Ever After Street run by Marnie Platt. She had shut herself from everything after losing a dear one, but a letter from the property owner forces her to take action or lose her bookstore. Marnie is distraught, and her wit’s end when help comes from the most unexpected corner.
No one knows Darcy O'Connell or has seen him. Many don’t even know his name, and that’s how he likes it. His is Marnie’s Scary Neighbor, who sells the most beautiful roses and flower arrangements. As he and Marnie start to interact with each other (with an overgrown hedge as a barrier), they become friends and slowly step out of their comfort zones.
Things seem to look up, but Marnie knows they have a long way to go. With some help from friends, maybe she can save the bookstore and live again. But she first needs to convince Darcy he is worthy of loving.
The story comes in Marnie’s first-person POV.

My Thoughts:
The author is now officially one of my favorites. She writes such beautiful characters- layered and flawed but not too annoying (except for the supposed villain who is 2D).
Darcy can win the grumpiest of grumps hand down. Yet, he is so human! Kind, sweet, and someone who can give without expecting anything in return (the author does grumpy men very well).
Marnie isn’t sunshine. She is an introvert (someone who can talk non-stop if she feels comfortable with the person). She is lively enough and can do well in a group, except that she has entered a shell and is struggling to come out of it. Her arc is well-structured, and we get many glimpses of what she was before tragedy changed her.
Marnie and Darcy’s relationship is slow and steady. It’s not without a few hiccups, either. They are both vulnerable, and it shows. The scenes where Darcy bonds with Mrs. Potts are too cute. Despite reading the whole thing in Marnie’s POV, we can feel the change in him and understand his emotions.
Of course, the plotline is predictable, and there’s no attempt to make it seem otherwise. The writing makes it apparent that the readers are supposed to guess. We know more than the characters (at least the FMC). The focus is on when and how the FMC will connect the dots and what happens next.
There are many bookish references given the premise. There are also several mentions of Beauty and Beast (all versions). In fact, this is an artful and contemporary retelling of the same, sans the fantasy elements, of course.
We also don’t have a third-act breakup. Since this is a slow burn, the storyline doesn’t need one. I loved how understanding the characters are and their response when the ‘secrets’ come out. A mature take that aligns with their ages (mid to late 30s).
Rick’s character feels clichéd, but then I know people who would give him company with their out-of-the-world delusions.
The community steps in only in the second half and towards the last section. That’s when the plot needs them, though we always know they are there in the background, ready to support their fellow entrepreneurs whenever necessary.
The pacing is slow and cannot be rushed. I’m used to it now. Can’t wait to see what the next book will be!

To summarize, An Enchanted Moment on Ever After Street is a heartwarming and poignant book that will make you laugh, smile, and even tear up a wee bit.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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The rating will be rounded to 5 stars on Amazon.

Based on the context of the epic Beauty and the Beast story, Marnie’s bookshop is in trouble. She also has the grumpiest growliest neighbor who makes fun of her crying (the comparison was hilarious).
But like the song says Something There as they spend more time together and learn to trust one another.
I figured out most of the plot after the first few chapter but B&B is my most favorite tale and I had swoony sighs during the second half of the book, especially with the dance.
Rick got what he deserved and I cheered out loud when it happened!
If you’re looking for a bookish beautiful love story with the main man named Darcy stop here.

My first five star review of the year. I absolutely loved An Enchanted Moment on Ever After Street. It's been a long time since I read a book in two days, I would have finished it sooner if I didn't have to work. Marnie was such a relatable character (who wouldn't want to own a bookshop?) and the chemistry between her and Darcy was amazing. Darcy was such a complex character. Underneath the gruff and slightly rude exterior was this tortured man with a heart of gold. His story broke my heart. This retelling of Beauty and the Beast is a must read for romantic fiction fans. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series.

An Enchanted Moment on Ever After Street was my first read of 2024, and what a way to kick off the year! This is quite possibly my new favourite book of Jaimie’s. It was beautiful, emotional, heartfelt, and romantic. There are so many relatable themes in this book: grief, reluctance to let people get too close, the difficulty of finding friends as an adult, and looking past physical appearances. Beauty and the Beast is my favourite fairytale and I loved that the story felt wonderfully fresh while still having many parallels and nods, both subtle and not-so-subtle, to the original tale.

I loved Marnie, the quiet, grieving bookseller, and Darcy, the reclusive florist who hid himself from the world and kept people away by making them think he was a beast. I loved watching their relationship slowly bloom like one of Darcy’s beautiful, carefully cultivated roses; there were so many poignant moments between them. The build-up between them was done so well, and their first kiss was one of the best, most intense first kisses I’ve ever read. The anticipation had me nearly breathless!

As a book lover, I adored the bookshop setting and how it became almost magical in the way both the shop itself and the books brought people together. I want to work in Marnie’s shop, be friends with her, and be part of the wonderfully eclectic Ever After Street community.

And because a proper Beauty and the Beast retelling wouldn’t be the same without some heavier themes, this book does deliver on that. Darcy’s reasons for keeping himself hidden away are revealed slowly (my mouth literally dropped open at the main reveal), and he deals with as many emotional scars as he does physical ones, as well as chronic pain. I loved how all of this was handled with so much sensitivity and care, and, like Marnie, I fell in love with Darcy’s beautiful spirit and resiliency. I also really appreciated how Marnie’s grief was dealt with, and found it incredibly relatable. Jaimie does such a wonderful job of weaving in these heavier topics with humour and heart to balance things out.

Also, I’d be remiss not to mention Marnie’s cat, Mrs Potts, who is a VIP (VIC?) in the story, and was highly amusing with her big personality.

An Enchanted Moment on Ever After Street is utterly charming and delightful. These characters stole my heart, and the story made me laugh, cry, and swoon. I can’t wait to return to Ever After Street later this year.

Beauty and the Beast meets Hallmark...:what could be bad about that? Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this new Jaimie Admans book. I usually love everything she has written especially her Christmas books and this one was no exception. The story really pulled you in and though a little predictable and sappy at times it was full of magical moments. There were so many Beauty and the a beast tie ins and as a major beauty and the beast fan it was hard not to fall in love with the story. There were even tie ins to other Disney fairytales as well. I want to visit ever after Street for sure. I will definitely be reading the first one in the series as well. I also loved the references she had to other books/movies in the story. Overall Jaimie Admans is becoming one of my must read authors. I hope she continues this Ever After Street/Disney themed stories series. Now all she needs to do is a Tangled themed one and my world will be made!

Let's start this by saying if I could give it more stars, I would!
This book was beautifully written. The characters were believable, relatable, and downright, wonderful!
This is loosely based on Beauty and the Beast and has such a romantic feel that you can't help falling in love with everything about this book. Jaimie has a way of grabbing hold of you within the first few words and keeping hold of you long after you finish the last, and she just gets better and better with each book she writes

This book is highly recommended

The story is about a woman running a book store and her neighbour who runs a flower shop. He has things he is hiding, and they are both lonely. A tentative yet beautiful friendship begins, and this is just the beginning of the story.

This book really lived up to its name, it was one of the most enchanting books I read in the whole of 2023.

There were beautiful moments captured within the story that make your heart swell and a smile creep up on your face. Marnie was entirely relatable (I too hate gardening!) but her reluctance to accept help from others whilst also feeling lonely is something I'm sure lots of us have felt before.

Darcy was a charming character and I couldn't help but like him despite his grumpy and unapproachable behaviour. His past was devastating but the way he learned to trust Marnie and eventually everyone else on Ever After Street was so heartwarming.

There were a few moments that made me cringe but it was also like reading a dream come true and it was just me cynical, grown up self that made me feel that way.

If you're looking for a cute and cosy read that'll cheer you up and put a smile on your face then I absolutely recommend you give it a go

A magnificent fairytale book full of love, friendship and romance. The main characters of Marnie and Darcy are absolutely adorable. I could not put this book down and feel I need to immerse myself in the Beauty and the Beast film. I would also love to live on Ever After Street and have a job working in the bookshop A Tale as Old as Time.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early review copy. It was an absolute pleasure.

It was a real treat to return to Ever After Street and catch up with some of the residents and businesses that featured in the first instalment. Don’t worry if you’ve not read it, you’ll soon catch up. As we meet Marnie and Darcy, it becomes almost immediately obvious that we are revisiting a tale as old as time, Beauty and the Beast. Of course, the modern day must adapt to accommodate the story, so we have a bookshop named A Tale as Old as Time which is owned and operated by a bookworm. Next door, there’s a flower shop that specialises in roses and is run by a reclusive character who refuses to reveal what he looks like.
Of course, it’s impossible to pretend that you don’t know what will happen, but you cannot predict how things will evolve, and that’s where Jaimie’s talent lies. She takes a classic, much-loved story and adds her own special magic to create something perhaps better than the original. Maybe, it’s just that it can be adored as an adult, leaving childlike notions with the original story. You see, there are real-life issues and scenarios to overcome and that somehow needed the reader to have experienced life first hand.
Marnie is a character that is easy to take to. Her nature was borne of pure kindness, and despite the challenges that she had faced, she never lost sight of the fact that she had the power to bring real joy to the lives of others. Her development is wonderful, and I would love to meet her and browse her bookshop.
Darcy, on the other hand, is mysterious. There’s no back story as his development includes reaching back into his past and discovering what made him into the recluse that he presents himself as. As each layer is removed from his persona, it’s impossible not to be drawn into his story and feel a true attraction to him.
This story is beautifully told, and I really do encourage you to read it. It left me feeling enchanted by the incredible sense of support, acceptance, and community. You’re in for a treat.