The Bookbinder’s Guide to Love by Katherine Garbera is an absolute delight—a heartwarming, whimsical romance with just the right touch of magic. From the very first page, I was completely enchanted by Serafina Conte, a bookbinder with a gift for crafting journals that are rumoured to bring wishes to life.

Sera’s world is beautifully drawn, from the cosy, witchy bookshop she shares with her friends to the emotional journey she embarks on after inheriting a box of antique books from her mentor. Enter Wes, the grumpy yet undeniably charming grandson of her late mentor, determined to reclaim what he believes is rightfully his. Their reluctant partnership is filled with tension, banter, and slow-burning chemistry that kept me turning the pages.

Garbera’s writing is wonderfully atmospheric, weaving together themes of love, loss, and finding where you truly belong. The characters are richly developed, and the romance unfolds in such a heartfelt and satisfying way.

If you love bookish romances with a sprinkle of magic, The Bookbinder’s Guide to Love is an absolute must-read. I adored every moment!

I liked the witchiness of this, and it was a fast read but I didn't feel the romance as much as I was hoping. But I'm going to go on and try the next book, and see how that goes.

This was a cute and fast-paced read that was well written and enjoyable. I liked the friendship element of this one and how close the three women were.
I do think the romance was a bit quick and felt like I struggled to fully connect with the characters and the romance.

I will definitely pick up the next book to see what happens in Liberty's storyline.

Thank you so much NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. Not enough storyline between the spice and during the spicy sections they start talking about the grandfather's death........ not exactly what you want to picture during those chapters.

After finishing it I still don't feel like I got to know the characters apart from their shared childhood trauma

From the go, this just did not do it for me. I can't even tell you what happened because... nothing happened. I ended up DNF'ing because I everytime I picked it up i had to go back to see if I could remember what I'd previously read.

I had quite high hopes for this book which is likely one of the reasons I felt let down by it.
I’m a sucker for a book with bingeable writing and this definitely delivered that and alongside its short length it’s one of the reasons I persevered with the story. Although I enjoyed the fast pace of the writing, it still felt a little stagnant? at times, and I think the main reason is because the plot felt so underdeveloped and unimportant. The romance also was missing the spark I needed to really be invested in the outcome and after the typical third act misccomunication conflict, I just didn’t have the passion for our characters to root for the romance at all to be honest. I will probably still give this author a second try as her writing had promise, but in the future I’ll hope to see a more hooking premise, perhaps with a magical/supernatural element and a better developed romance.

While I usually love Katherine Garbera's writing, this one was a total miss for me. There felt like zero chemistry between the leads, and I kept being 'told' the other is hot, without seeing it much less experiencing it in the POV. The references to sex and the other character being sexy felt forced, and just didn't mesh with the writing, which also felt clunky and disjointed. Another detail where the author lost me is The Moon card in Tarot being 'hidden enemies' - in what guide did she find this? The Moon is definitely about what's hidden, but hidden enemies? No - as a Tarot reader and lover, this was just a huge no!

This was a fun and fast paced witchy read with enchanting characters and an intriguing premise. This book provides a cosy and warm feeling throughout and is a perfect read for the gloomy weather.

This story was a fast read and it was ok. It was a bit too fast for me.

Instant love connections I personally struggle with. Within the first 15% they are starting to connect. However I find that it's too fast for me to build a connection with them, I found the characters falling a bit flat.

This sounded like the kind of book I would love- cozy, witchy and bookish- but sadly I just couldn’t get on with the pacing/style of this and found myself struggling to connect with the main character :(

This book enchants readers with a tale of magic, love, and self-discovery. Serafina's journals, imbued with her heartfelt wishes, take center stage in her witchy shop, sparking rumors of their remarkable powers. When faced with the challenge of Ford Sitwell's legacy and his enigmatic grandson Wes, Sera must confront her past and embrace unexpected connections. Katherine Garbera skillfully weaves a story of grief, healing, and the transformative power of love. As Sera and Wes navigate their complex emotions, readers are drawn into a captivating narrative filled with warmth and enchantment. A spellbinding journey that reminds us of the magic within our own hearts.

I really desperately wanted to love this book but I just couldn't get past 20%. I'm not sure why as it seems like my sort of story but I found that I couldn't connect with the characters enough to stay interested.

This book has a unique premise, sincerely funny moments, and was a quick read. The plot was a bit thin at times and predictable at other times, however, it was a cute enough story and I loved the bookish/book binding references.

I’m not sure what to say about this book. I love the witchy vibe and the start of the book was so fun and fast paced. I loved the focus on female relationships and found family trope in this book. HOWEVER, the fmc was very irritating in my opinion. The amount of times she declared she was a ‘leading lady’ but neglected any emotional intelligence in many situations with Wes made it a hard read after 55%. I loved Liberty and Poppy and Merle and hope they have their own stories in the future but I think I’m happy Sera’s story is over.

Books, witchy vibes and a cute romance? Safe to say that this book was always going to be high on my list. I think I’ve only ever read one other Mills & Boon book before and I don’t remember it being particularly spicy but for all I know, this level of spice could be par for their course.

Sera grew up as a lonely foster child, bouncing from home to home. That was until she found the wonders of bookbinding and set up a witchy store with her two best friends Liberty and Poppy. Sera’s handmade journals are highly sought after and are thought to bring only good things to those who buy them. But when Sera’s friend and mentor Ford, a wealthy bibliophile, dies and leaves a large box of rare books to her, she appears to have ruffled some feathers within Ford’s family. So, when his angry yet handsome grandson Wes shows up at the store with plenty of suspicions about Sera and demands his grandfather’s books back, she isn’t giving in easily.

The bond between Sera, Poppy and Liberty was one of my favourite parts of the book. There is a real found family/sisterhood vibe between them and although they’re not really witches, it’s easy to see why so many of the town suspect that they’re a coven. It was really lovely to spend time with the three of them in their cosy store and I honestly felt like I fitted in with them.

I would have really liked to have known more about Sera’s journals. I wasn’t entirely sure what gave them so much power, as I knew there was no real magic going into them. Perhaps it was just the power of belief in good things manifesting into those good things but it was all quite vague.

Sera is determined to channel main character energy, as she feels that she has always taken a back seat in her own life. I’m always really admirable of women who suddenly decide to do this and I can definitely relate, as I never feel like the main event myself. I think this is the first book in a series and I suspect that the subsequent books will follow Poppy and Liberty (just a guess!), so I like that Sera got to be the heroine first.

Wes starts with the horniness immediately and I was instantly turned off by it. I’ve realised that I like romantic heroes to be respectful and reserved, so that strong ick rears its head when they get sexual right away. I also totally get that it’s probably a very realistic urge for a straight man but I hate being reminded of it.

I also thought having Sera resemble Hermione because she’s bookish and witchy was really lazy. Why did she have to look like that? She could have had literally any other physical feature other than brown curls, delicate features, white skin and a slim body but she didn’t because that’s apparently not what bookish, witchy women look like.

Once Wes had calmed his hormones down, he actually started to fall for Sera. Wes is also a bookbinder and apparently saw her as an old book in need of repair, which is perhaps one of the least romantic similes I’ve ever read in a romance novel! However, I somehow didn’t mind their relationship as it progressed. It just took quite a while for me to start shipping them.

I do think that Sera and Wes may have been better as friends. They could have helped each other through their shared grief of Ford just as well as friends as they did as a couple. I was never hugely excited about their romance but I did like and believe in their connection. I just wish it had contained a different energy.

The Bookbinder’s Guide To Love is about finding joy in unexpected places and learning to put yourself first. It didn’t quite land as a romance for me but I loved it as a celebration of women and friendship. It’s witchy, bookish and spicy, so if those are your buzzwords, grab a copy!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'The Bookbinder's Guide to Love' by Katherine Garbera.

I'm really sad about this book. When I read the blurb to 'The Bookbinder's Guide to Love' I was so excited to meet Serafina and just fall in love with her story but I didn't. This book felt like a white-noise book to me and I'm absolutely devastated about this. There is definitely an audience for this book but that audience isn't me.

I loved this book, the story of Serafina and Ford. Both book binders who learned from the same person, but clash on their first meeting. Loved both characters and wanted everything to work out for them.

I had really high hopes for this book but it sadly fell a bit short for me. I didn’t find the plot particularly gripping, and I wasn’t invested in the characters or what happened. It seemed the big drama of the books from the will was resolved pretty much right off the bat and then all that was left was a slow burn romance between two people who didn’t want to be in a romance. They weren't really enemies after their first encounter at all. I’m sure it will be the right book for others but for me, I need something more to drive the story and keep me invested. Especially since I wasn’t really feeling any chemistry between the two main characters, and found myself skimming all the steamy scenes.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

A very light-hearted romantic novel with a nod to the spiritual but with the emphasis on friendship becoming family. Cosy and warming.

I found this to be an adorable and swiftly enjoyable narrative, featuring charming characters and a delightful touch of spice in their chemistry. The incorporation of witchcraft, which initially drew me to the book, added an extra layer of allure to the story.

While I developed an affection for the characters, I couldn't help but feel that the romance unfolded a bit too hastily. Personally, I would have preferred a more gradual exploration of the characters' chemistry, allowing time for a deeper connection to develop. Although the romantic elements were good, I believe they have the potential to be truly great with additional attention to building a more extended rapport between the characters.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.