This enemies to lovers rival book store owners had all the potential. There were a lot of cute and fun moments but there was too much flair in the pages. I love books about books so it made it pretty enjoyable.

I love a bookish hook and enemies to lovers – Bookishly Ever After has both (and love the title too). This was a super cute concept with adorable chatacters, I whizzed through. Light reading and both charming and enjoyable. It's one of those books that's just easy to read and is fun while you're reading it.

I really wanted to love this book because the premise and storyline was so promising. However, the characters and storyline were quite underwhelming and had no real depth. There was little to no chemistry between the characters and unfortunately it just fell flat. I honestly think if it wasn’t written in the third person it would have been easier to read

This wasn’t a bad book, nor did it blow me away. I think that there wasn’t a balance between the bookish elements of the story and actual character development. It was a bit much. The characters last names are based off of famous authors, in which one is obsessed with Jane Austen. Because of this I think it really affected characters development and other than their interest in books, authors and rivalry. I couldn’t really tell you much more about the characters. I also think that the plot didn’t make much sense to me. Originally it was for lexi to make him fall in love with her using technics from Austen’s books, to distract him from his own bookstore. But then it turned into an actual project to see if she could do it using those techniques. They were together and then not and then together again. Because of this, I couldn’t connect with the characters. I do have to say I don’t usually like romances in third person but this one really felt right for the story. I think if there was less bookish elements and more descriptive elements and characters beyond those passions I think it would have been on a better track for a more enjoyable read.

I wanted to absolutely love this but it just fell short for me. The characters were moderately likeable but also not developed enough. The enemies to lovers was non existent in my eyes and they had not enough chemistry.
The plot was a good basis for a story but underdeveloped and poorly executed

Lexi and Sam starts with a quirky and promising premise—two rival bookshop owners attempting to outmaneuver each other in business and love, with a little inspiration from Jane Austen. The idea of Lexi using Austen-inspired antics to win over Sam initially seems like it could lead to a delightful and entertaining story. However, as the plot unfolds, the charm wears thin.

The flow of the book feels disjointed at times, with dialogue that often comes across as unnatural and forced. The characters' internal monologues, filled with convoluted mental gymnastics, can be frustrating and detract from the overall enjoyment of the story. Despite these issues, the book still offers a light and quick read, particularly for those who appreciate bookish themes and a sprinkle of Austen-inspired antics. While it may not be for everyone, fans of lighthearted romantic comedies might still find some enjoyment in it.

"Bookishly ever after" is an enemies-to-lovers romance about two rival booksellers in DC, one with a cozy romance bookshop and one with mostly rare books and special editions. Our female main character, Lexi, makes a plan with her friends to seduce Sam, our male main character, in order to make him lose control and have the upper hand. However, her scheme might backfire…

This fun and thoroughly readable romance is a must if you love books ! I also found it very relatable as a bookseller : it talks about the pros and cons of working in the industry as well as maintaining your shop alive, while still being light and cozy. While I’m usually not the biggest fan of stories written in third person, this one didn’t bother me. In fact, I grew quite attached to our protagonists as well as their relationship. Would 100% recommend !

So I started this book and I found it really hard to get into and ended up DNFing at about 15%. Although I dnf’d, I did like the concept of enemies to lovers through rival bookstores, and I think I sensed an element of potential fake dating, which is my favourite trope! I enjoyed reading about owning and running a bookstore and the difficulties that came with it. I liked the misdelivered boxes of books which forced the main characters to interact. I think it was setting up for a slow burn so if that is a trop you like, check it out! You might like it more than I did!

What's not to love about this moving and entertaining book about enemies to lovers with a backdrop of rival bookstores no less!
Really great chemistry, compelling back stories and lots of soul this is a brilliant read for all romance novel fans

The right book to read if you want to have a good time and escape reality.
A more extensive review will follow
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The story blurb sounded very intriguing and I was initially very interested in seeing how this story unfolded. However, the book was hard to get into and the slow burn was a bit too slow to start. I wasn’t very far into the book before I stopped reading.

Unfortunately I couldn’t get into this book and the characters felt very flat to me. DNF’d at around 10%.

3.5 Stars*
I received a copy of this book through Net Galley.
"Bookishly Ever After" follows two rival bookstore owners: Lexi and Sam. Lexi loves the classics, especially Jane Austen, and she loves her little bookstore that she inherited from her grandmother. She lived a quiet life in her bookstore until Sam showed up and started stealing her customers. In a business that is already difficult, having extra competition just down the street could mean financial ruin, so Lexi devises a plan. Lexi is going to make Sam fall in love with her, just like the fair maidens of her beloved classics. However, Lexi never anticipated that she might actually fall for Sam too.
This was a such a wholesome and sweet romance. Lexi and Sam, though both quirky in their own way, are just all-around cute characters to follow. I think any book lover will find comfort in reading this story. For those that like more explicit smut on the page, this story might be a bit of a letdown, but I think this book did exactly what it set out to do. I also think it is a great suggestion for people who like more innocent romances.
This novel definitely relies heavily on bookish cliches, which some people might find off-putting because they are not original ideas or done in a fresh way. Both main characters run a bookstore, Lexi is a quiet woman who just wants to be able to have time to read more, there is a bookstore cat, and Lexi wants nothing more than to have a whirlwind romance straight out of a Jane Austen novel, just to name a few.
Lexi is your stereotypical main character who gets herself in trouble with the other main character. She has the idea to try to seduce Sam, which ends up failing because she falls in love with him too, and when he finds out that she was using him as part of a game, he is obviously upset, and the relationship swiftly ends. She is also a little too into her books. Lexi is an endearing character if you have not read a ton of books with a similar protagonist.
Sam is the picturesque guy, straight out of a romance novel. He is kind, even when Lexi does not deserve it. He goes out of his way to make her day or make her life easier. He also is always rooting for her success, even if they are fighting. I think he was a great stereotypical romance man, and a beautiful match for Lexi's sometimes chaotic energy.
The inevitable third act break up scene because Sam finds out Lexi started their relationship motivated by trying to distract him happened a little sooner than I would have liked. I felt like the story was just heating up, they broke up, and then it took a while for them to get back on track. I wish there was a little more build up.
This novel is not an original idea, but it is a fun time, and a sweet romance between two broken people who love books.

Whilst I did initially think this book was going to be a bit annoying (and it was in some places), I felt that overall it was a pleasant read. Predictable at times, sure but most books can be. I felt the book could have been maybe a quarter shorter than it was if we didn’t spend so much time reading about the bookstore needing to be saved and what it meant - this was very clearly identified in the first third of the book. I think it was a nice read, despite the above.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.
5 stars book from me. Loved the plot and the stories in this book. Loved every single second reading it.

Well it's been a long time since I've disliked a book as much as this one. Dreadful writing, awful characters and really repetitive. It got to the point where I thought I might burn my kindle if I had to read about how the FMC had inherited the bookshop. It also really annoyed me that the FMC was always apologising to the MMC when often he was in the wrong! Almost didn't bother finishing this one.

DNF @33% - I think this book had a lot of potential, but it just needs lots of editing down. I couldn’t keep reading. The fmc is not super likeable (for example, it mentioning her not liking to share the spotlight and feeling “neutral” about dogs). I think the idea of rival bookshop owners sounds fun and I was honestly curious to find out how the mmc felt about the fmc, but there was just so much extra exposition, I couldn’t make myself pick it backup.
I liked the cute cover, but she describes herself as a “curvy” girl and the cover really doesn’t give that.

The main female character is so insufferable like I had to put the book down. I was really excited for the novel as the opening feels like a "You've got mail" premise and I really enjoyed that movie. But the characters and writing are so bad it was hard to want to keep reading.

I was every excited on starting this book . A Bookshop and Jane Austen. it sounded like the perfect combination. What could go wrong. Unfortunately it went wrong with the outlandish plot which bordered on the ridiculous at times which was a pity as the idea of a Jane Austen fan owing a bookshop is a great one. There are a lot better books of this genre out there.

to be completely honest, I really didn't enjoy this.

I thought it would be really fun but it was slow, could have been better hashed out and really not for me.

I liked the setting and really want to visit the bookstores but that's where it stops for me, sorry!