Member Reviews

Everyone wants to find their Mr. Darcy. The handsome gentleman whose bluntness induces Elizabeth's anger, but his sweet heart would melt anyone's walls and beg for romance. Walters' protagonist, Liv, is no different. Striving to complete her book, her lack of a love interest infuriates her, but when an old acquaintance reappears in her life and takes the spare bedroom in her shared flat, Liv may have just found the inspiration she needs (not that she would admit it).

The Love Interest was a fun, cute book; a perfect read for Valentine's Day. The humour and hijinks reads as your typical Rom-Com but Walters adds a hint of irony, for what can Pride and Prejudice be other than Romance's most beloved enemies-to-lover novel? Liv has to see beneath Aiden Rivers's veneer to find her Mr. Darcy and it was well worth reading.

Overall, The Love Interest brings the Romance of Jane Austen into the 21st Century (something that isn't new, but fresh to read as its own story rather than a retelling) in a charming, fun Rom-Com where not everything goes the way you think it will.

Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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Ah, a rom-com following someone who wants to become a romance author. Books like that are always such fun. Though I hadn’t heard about this one before seeing it on NetGalley, I knew I had to check it out. Books, movies, roommates and enemies to lovers? Yeah, that sounds pretty damn good to me.

In this book, we follow Liv, a librarian who has been dreaming of writing her romance novel for years. She just doesn’t have the inspiration for a love interest as good as Mr Darcy. As she finally decides to sit down and try to write, her brother’s best friend, Aiden, moves into the flat she shares with her brother for a bit. The two of them don’t get along, but he begins to inspire her romantic hero, and Liv decides to just go along with it. Especially, when she figures out that she is still attracted to him.
I will note this review will have spoilers as I wanna rant.

This did sound like a lot of fun, and it had its good moments. I loved that everyone was encouraging Liv to write her book, and I loved that both she and Aiden were so passionate about specific forms of media. But that was…kind of it? I thought I’d have more thoughts as I gave this book 3 stars when I finished it, but a few days have passed, and I just feel meh about it now.

I struggled with suspending my disbelief in parts. Especially, related to publishing. When we get to the end of this book, what Liv’s best friend and LI do to ‘support’ her would kind of have me screeching no. I get it was supposed to be supportive, but ooof? Also, how’d it go well so quickly when this was her first novel? I just can’t believe that.

Plus, I just didn’t care about the romance. I wanted to, and I thought I would. I managed to make my way through the book, but I just didn’t care in the end, unfortunately. I wish I had more to say about this one, but sadly just didn’t wind up with many thoughts.

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The good thing about this one was the not-the-love interest wasn’t an idiot. It always baffles me when the heroine falls for the awful smarmy man’s charms and seeing her not fall for someone for just normal reasons was great. The fact she wasn’t described as hideous looking also helped because books always seem to describe their heroines in a false self-deprecating way which makes them sound insane, good to read a book about two normal people making it work. A great read.

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If there were an award for least self-aware main character - this one wins! I’ll admit this was slow to get into, but once I did, I started to really enjoy the obvious chemistry between Liv & Aiden! Towards the end, it did fall off again and I found myself skimming more than I would’ve liked. The miscommunication throughout the book was a bit of a turn-off, but if you’re into the Mr. Darcy thing, this could definitely be for you. Catch this one when it comes out next week on 2/12!

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Librarian Liv is an aspiring romance author but is stuck when it comes to creating a hero. When her brother's best friend who's also her nemesis starts staying at their shared flat, she's annoyed at the very least. Aiden pushes all her buttons. It doesn't help that he reminds her of her all-time favourite character, Mr Darcy.

This story was interesting for the first half of it but when the conflict arose, I didn't get why the FMC tried to reconcile with the MMC by using the one thing that tore them apart. The grand gestures were honestly too much of a cringe fest for me. I lost interest from then on and just skimmed till I finished.

Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Meet Olivia and Aiden. She's an assistant librarian, romantic and wants to be a writer. He's everything she hates [or thinks she does]. When these two are in the same room, sparks fly... but they usually result in insults. What will happen when the two are forced together, will the enemies become something else?

I just love Victoria Walters' Glendale Hall and Dedley End mysteries, and I was excited to pick this one up. From the very first page I was hooked. I wanted to read faster and faster, to find out if Aiden and Olivia get together, but at the same time I didn't want the story to end!

As many readers know, I love a good biblio-anything. Be it romance or mystery, I love when the setting has a biblio element, and the background of the University library was the perfect place for this modern day romance. With as many Pride & Prejudice references that my Mr Darcy-loving heart could handle, The Love Interest was an absolute pleasure to read from beginning to end.

For readers of the Glendale Hall series, this romance is a little steamier and I am completely here for it. Victoria Walters steps up to the plate and writes a story that is a little spicier, with chemistry and romance leaping from the pages.

If you're looking for a new romance to celebrate Valentines Day this February, pick up The Love Interest. It's the perfect story to make you believe in love and happily ever afters!

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This was such a cute, fun and sexy read that I couldn't put down! The premise was really enjoyable and all of the characters I absolutely adored. I really loved our two main characters, Liv and Aiden - the enemies to lovers trope between the two was a whirlwind in the best possible way and I was rooting for them every second. The side characters were also an absolute delight, you will find yourself also rooting for their happy endings! Having already been a fan of Victoria's previous work, I really enjoyed the different atmosphere and entertainment this book provided compared to others and look forward to what comes next!

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Olivia work as a librarian and also preparing to finish writing her first ever rom-com book. But she encounter one problem, which is unable to create a charming sexy love interest as Jane Austen's Mr Darcy. It did not help when her forever nemesis aka her brother best friend, Aiden is now working at the same university and has to stay at their place for one whole week. Her relationship with Aiden is never peaceful, as he always know how tease and pissed her off. Things gone unexpectedly when she begins to write her love interest character based on Aiden.

I'm gonna be honest, I truly did not expect much from the book. But it proves me wrong. Aiden and Olivia banter are so cute, entertaining. Their chemistry is top notch, I find myself looking forward to see them together and being in love. While some parts are a bit cringe and gives me secondhand embarrassment, I did enjoy it more than I expected. There is a slight misunderstanding and miscommunication, but the way it resolves was quite okay. I love that the conflict resolved pretty quickly instead of dragging it. Also to mention, while I love their relationship and Aiden feelings revealed it kind of giving me ick (don't want to spoil it but you will know if you read it). But of course it just what I felt.

Overall, would highly recommend this book if you want a good enemy to lover, brother bestfriend troupe, light and sweet read. This book is so good! Giving it 3.6 🌟 Thank you Netgalley for the review copy.

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Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book by Victoria Walter’s.

It made me laugh and I didn’t want to put it down.

The story was so well written and I loved the characters and their development throughout the book.

I highly recommend this book.

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Let me tell you about this gem of a book called "The Love Interest" by Victoria Walters! From the moment I cracked open its pages, I was whisked away on a rollercoaster ride of emotions, laughter, and swoon-worthy romance.

A Fun and Flirty Storyline:
Picture this: a lovable librarian named Liv dreams of writing her own romance novel but can't seem to find the perfect leading man—until her brother's friend, Aiden, enters the scene. Cue the witty banter, the undeniable chemistry, and the hilarious misunderstandings that ensue as Liv's imagination runs wild and her feelings for Aiden start to blur the lines between fiction and reality.

Characters You'll Root For:
Liv and Aiden stole my heart from the get-go with their playful banter and simmering attraction. Liv's quirky charm and Aiden's brooding yet endearing demeanor make them a dynamic duo that you can't help but root for. Their journey from reluctant acquaintances to something more is filled with ups and downs, laughter and tears, and moments that will tug at your heartstrings.

A Love Letter to Romance:
What I love most about "The Love Interest" is how it celebrates the magic of romance and the joy of storytelling. It's a book that embraces the power of love in all its forms, from the slow burn of enemies-to-lovers to the heart-fluttering moments that leave you grinning like a fool. Victoria Walters' writing is like a warm hug on a chilly day, wrapping you up in a cocoon of comfort and happiness.

In the end, "The Love Interest" is more than just a romance novel—it's a reminder that love can be found in the most unexpected places and that sometimes, the best stories are the ones we write for ourselves. So if you're in the mood for a feel-good read that will leave you with a smile on your face and butterflies in your stomach, look no further than "The Love Interest" by Victoria Walters. Trust me, you won't be disappointed!

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A hot enemies to lovers romance novel with great banter! If you’re a big fan of rom coms then you will absolutely devour this!

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The idea of the book was sweet and the romance was cute, but the conflicts felt forced and a bit weak for me. The sentences felt a bit choppy, and could flow more smoothly. The elements of a romance book were all there, but it wasn't stitched together into a smooth plot as well as it could be.

I did enjoy the side characters! Her brother and her best friend were sweet, but all the characters seemed a little too perfect. No one seemed to have any flaws or difference of personality. There were no conflicts with any of the side characters.

I think the first half of the book was stronger than the second half. The enemies-to-lovers was great with their banter and the build up. The second half fell a bit flat for me. It became cheesy and felt rushed.

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This was the perfect Valentine's read!

Enemies to lovers is always such a fun trope if done well and this was DONE WELL! I loved our characters, the banter, the character arcs, everything really just worked. I look forward to reading more from Walters and highly recommend this when you want a sweet, rom-comy vibe.

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GETTING TWO STORIES IN ONE!! I loved it !!

I loved how she imagined this tall, dark-haired man from her bookish dreams and the next minute she meets him right at her university. It was a wish come true. Even if he was her enemy ... and also her brother's best friend. So many complications, but those two were meant for each other.

10 years off pretending to hate each other, that is just wayyy too much tension!

ALSO I highly recommend for fans of Pride and Prejudice ... especially if you love Mr Darcy *wink wink nudge nudge*

This was a quick-easy short read. The words flowed so well, I could definitely imagine the sexy irish accent ;)

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I liked the setting and premise SO MUCH and I love a hopeless romantic FMC but it was pushed just too far past believable. Not even an Irish MMC could make me overlook the lack of chemistry and tension in these characters. I love an enemies-to-lovers, brother's best friend, coworkers, roommates troupe as much as the next person but I felt like I was being whacked over the head with it. That's right all of those were packed into this one book- even more- the FMC is writing a romance novel, based on all of these tropes. Also the meta moments of writing about writing about writing about the troupes that were happening was just too on the nose for me. It just fell a bit flat.

*Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.

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Absolutely loved this book! I loved the brother's best friend aspect to the story as I feel that this always makes for an interesting dynamic.

The hints and odes to other romantic books & films really added to the story.

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From the first lines of THE LOVE INTEREST by Victoria Walters, the intelligence, warmth, and relatable characters dropped me into the deep pleasure of a well-told story of friends and enemies falling for one another. Aiden Rivers and Liv Jones are old acquaintances, fallen into bickering, fending off, and making fun. When they share the flat that Liv has been living in with her brother, everything changes. Among the many joys in this book is Liv's determination to write a love story when she has never had a lover remotely like Mr. Darcy -- the references throughout and her struggles to write a romance were a luscious layer in a delightful story. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

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It was a cute story, but nothing special. It was predictable and the dialogue was cringy, but I somehow still wanted to keep reading. I read the entire thing in one evening.

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I thought this was gonna be a slow one for me since miscommunication isn’t a trope I usually enjoy but DANG it was so freaking good!! The ending literally had me in tears!’ And her writing throughout it? Impeccable! Will definitely be on the lookout for more from this author!

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📚💻💝Movies, books, grand gestures and Mr. Darcy brought to life!

The Love Interest had a good enemies to lovers plot and any Pride & Prejudice and/or romcom fan will have a good time with the frequent discussion of MC Liv's "Perfect Love Interest" and references to Mr. Darcy and some modern classics in the romantic movie genre. Liv is a die hard romantic who has ambitions to be a novelist, and it drives her to write a romance novel. But she soon finds her own dreams and desires totally enmeshed in her plot and Aiden, her older brother's BFF, an unexpected inspiration for a hero.

I liked the selection of side characters, from Liv's family to her brother's boyfriend and Liv's university library colleague who Liv inspires to go after her own dream.

For me, the story was weakened a bit a) by Liv herself who seemed to act somewhat immature for her age, like her obsession for painstakingly matching her outfit, hair and makeup to an occasion, and b) by inserting a goodly helping of steam into what I thought should have been the most romantic scene in the book. I also would have liked to know Aiden better; most of the story concentrates on how Liv perceives him.

But, I must admit, Aiden's "grand gesture" was one lovely act. So much so that it got me thinking that I'd want this story made into a movie just so I could see it, too!😉

I would definitely read more by this author.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

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