A 'will they won't they' book.
Will Lexi manage to save her bookshop because of the competition from the handsome but arrogant bookshop rival. Will a romance blossom between them? Will there be a happy ending?
An easy enjoyable summer read.

This was a sweet, easy to follow romance full of books, bookshops, and booksellers. As a reader it is almost impossible not to root for the cause in this book, of course we want to save the bookshop and for everyone to have their happy ever after - so there were a number of positive elements there.

I didn't love the pacing and structure of the actual relationship itself, maybe I'm just a romantic but getting told (pretty firmly) to get out of someone's bed and go home first thing in the morning with no chance to communicate isn't really my cup of tea (and there's a lot of tea drinking in this book). For me, I think their romantic arc was slightly less than convincing - was it really rivals to lovers, did we need to repeat the same monologues over and over?

However, did really love the piano lessons plot line. I found it really refreshing to have a character who is so clearly wrapped up in so much (work, relationships etc) manage to find time for a newly discovered passion. As someone who loves to champion hobbies and arts whenever she can, I couldn't get enough of this.

Quite a mixed bag for me overall!

Could have been....

Should have been...a home run. Like a knock it out of the book ballpark.
The potential and premise were all there. It just did not deliver and fulfill the expectations of the reader.

Lexi Austen and Sam Dickens are book store enemies. Neither character was very engaging, It was a missed opportunity.

** spoiler alert ** Toda la historia es mecánica y forzada, no me cayeron bien os protagonistas ni ningún personaje.

Lexie heredó la librería de si abuela, todo va bien hasta que Sam abre otra librería cruzando la calle, entonces las ventas empiezan a caer.

Me molestó como ella olvidaba que Sam era su rival y todo porque me gustaba, pero él no, él hizo todo lo posible para arruinarla sin importarle sus sentimientos por ella, incluso dejó que Lexie creyera que regresó con la ex.

No era necesario que dijera en cada oportunidad que era británica, lo entendí desde la primera vez y muchos comentarios de las diferencias entre los británicos a los estadounidenses lo sentí como burlas.

Hizo falta que Sam tuviera povs, me quedé en que tiene dinero, era un mujeriego porque alguien le rompió el corazón (la ex que regresa), no se lleva bien con su papá, tiene una librería y ya.


¿Para que traer a la ex y hacer que este con Sam, que trabajen juntos para que al final él diga que no son nada?, ¿por qué la recibió con los brazos abiertos y dejó que Lexie pensara que estaban juntos??

Lexie pensaba que él había regresado con Amanda y eso no le impidió buscarlo y besarlo. Tal para cual.




Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When you have characters who own bookstores: a heroine named Austen and a hero named Dickens, you know that there is going to be a clash of characters. It was a fun set-up, but I just never warmed up to the characters and it became a disappointing slog.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

A cute story about rival book store owners falling in love sounds right up my street, but this was just a bit too slow and drawn out for me. I liked the characters individually, but wasn't totally sold on their romance. It was still an ok read, but not one I'll go back to.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Unfortunately I had to DNF this one as the writing and chemistry wasn't working for me. I love a bookish related book more than anything but this one wasn't gripping me or bringing anything new to the table that kept my attention. I'm sure with the correct reader though this will be an enjoyable read!

This book wasn’t really for me. I couldn’t connect with the characters , found it a bit of a slow burn. However it might just have been the mood I was in.

Thank you to Avon Books UK and Net Galley for the ARC,

I don't like leaving low rated reviews on ARCS but sadly this one was not for me. I was very excited to read this one as it sounded right up my street.. enemies-to-lovers with two rival bookstore owners. It sounded like the perfect recipe for a rom-com worthy of Emily Henry, but this one just fell flat.

I didn't feel connected with either of the main characters and the writing style felt very strange, being a mix of 3rd and 1st person all in one.

Such a shame that this one had to be such a low rating.

Bookishly Ever After was such a fun and cute story. Overall it was an easy read and very entertaining, however, it sometimes felt a bit too wordy and repetitive. Some of the tropes this book included were enemies to lovers, slow-burn and found family! There wasn't anything that stood out as super unique to me about this book, but it was still a nice read that I would recommend picking up if you just need a light, feel-good story or a palate cleanser after reading something too heavy!

A cute enemies to lovers tale set in the world of bookshop owners. When Sam Dickens starts encroaching on Lexi Austen's book genres, the two become rivals but the sparks soon start to fly, hatred become sexual tension. This was a easy read with some good characters. Lexi is at a cross roads, should she give up on trying to keep her bookshop afloat or go home to London where she has family. Sam is trying to prove he can be a success to his family but his true passion is playing piano. They help each other realise what is important to them and the paths they should follow. This is an amusing read, perfect for reading on holiday. There are lots of fun nods to other literature like the play on Dickens and Austen as well as romcom's like 'Youve got mail'.

A delightful story of Lexi Austen who runs a book shop which she inherited from her grandmother in DC and finds it harder that what she thought and is struggling especially when a rival book shop owned by Sam Dickens, where as Lexi 's book shop is mainly old classics Sam's is modern.
Lexi is also trying to find love and decides to seduce Sam which makes for a funny and warming story thoroughly enjoyable read.
Would highly recommend.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Lexi Austen has inherited her late grandmother's bookshop in Washington D.C. and has been running it for the last 6yrs after moving over from England. It's not clear in the story which one of her parents was American but Lexi was at least born in America. There is another bookshop down the street from Lexi that was originally a second hand bookshop so no real competition for her, but then it was brought by Sam Dickens who is looking to turn into something more modern and fresh.

The two build up a rivalry of sorts over the years but things get more heated (at least on Lexi's side) when Sam starts adding more new books and starts broadening his scope into romance novels. Lexi decides the best way to stop him from ruining her shop is by using tactics from Jane Austen novels to make Sam fall in love with her, which he does and when he finds out she was playing games he got upset and kicked her out of bed. This happens again later in the book after Lexi tells him she's moving back to London - they're not even together and haven't even spoken about what they are or could be and he gets angry that she didn't include him in her decision and kicks her out bed.

Lexi was very whiney at the beginning, her best friend, Erin, has just got engaged and is planning her wedding and all Lexi can think about is how it affects her and what it means for her. She tries to be excited for her friend, but it really seems like Erin can tell she's not at all happy about. Even when Lexi comes home and talks to Erin, we're told that Erin is impatient with her and her woe is me attitude. She got better as the book went along but I didn't think she was particularly likeable.

Sam wasn't much better to be honest, he never stopped to talk about anything that he didn't like and instead just got angry at Lexi. Even after these things happened, they get back together again like nothing happened!

The story was ok but it dragged on quite a bit at times and I skipped over a lot of it as it was quite repetitive. There was also a number of unnecessary characters who show up but then disappear, they add absolutely nothing to the story and really could have been left out entirely.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Oh no what a shame, this book had so much potential, but failed.

It was initially giving Emily Henry vibes but this sadly didn't last long.

Thank you to Avon Books UK and Net Galley for the ARC but it wasn't for me.

It is a charming romance novel that celebrates the love of books and the magic of finding one’s soulmate. Page’s writing is warm and inviting, with a delightful mix of humor and heart. The characters are endearing. “Bookishly Ever After” is a feel-good read that will appeal to anyone who believes in the power of books to shape and enhance our lives.

Bookishly ever after - Mia Page
2.25🌟

The premise of this book sounded perfect, the two main characters have rival bookstores and I assumed it would be an enemies to lovers, but there was no chemistry there! I just know if you were to revisit this couple, the chances of them having split up would be unbelievably high.

Sam was the best thing about this book, (and Erin, I loved her) he was great and I felt sorry for him for the duration of the book because Lexi was honestly the worst. The idea of Lexi making Sam fall in love with her just so that she was at an advantage in regards to their bookstores didn't sit right with me at all, Sam didn't do anything wrong. Lexi was unbearable, I don't think I've ever been more annoyed with someone's actions in my life. There's one scene where Sam takes Erin back to her flat when she falls over the dog lead, and Erin and Sam are laughing about something Lexi has said and she throws a temper tantrum? I didn't know if I was reading about an adult or a child.

Overall, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I was going to but it is quick paced (I read it in one sitting) and boasts short chapters!

Thank You to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for sending me the Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review🤍.

Bookishly Ever After was a letdown for me, I was expecting some fun bookish enemies to lovers but it just didn't follow through. I don't like leaving low-rated reviews for ARCs, I really expected to like this book more and I'm sure someone else will love this book and have a great time with it - it just wasn't for me unfortunately.

The main character, Lexi, is so unlikeable! I found myself highlighting sentences where she annoyed me rather than nice moments, she thinks very highly of herself and is very judgemental about other people.

There's also nothing really going on with the plot besides Lexi trying to save her failing bookshop and blaming all of her failings on Sam, the other bookstore owner. She seems to see Sam as this big bad rival who's out to get her and I'm still not sure what the basis of that is, there's no rivalry from Sam's side and it all seems to be Lexi's interpretation of the situation. It was very odd.

Also, Lexi is obsessed with the fact she lives in Washington DC. The number of references to it was driving me mad to the point where I counted and DC is mentioned 101 times!

This book was a really cute and cosy romcom
I was initially pulled into this book by synopsis and the description had me thinking it was going to have a 'you've got mail' vibe and while yes it did have some similar premise with the rival bookshop owners it was also unique in it's own way.
This book included
- enemies to lovers
- small town
- book lovers
- work rivals

At first I did struggle to get into the book as there seemed to be some pacing issues and I couldn't connect with the FMC but as the book went on I did enjoy the witty banter and chemistry between Lexie and Sam. The books also included references to other authors and books which I thought was a cute little addition to the story

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

For me, the book just dragged in my opinion and Lexi just messing Ben over after a messy breakup was just not it for me. I liked the drama they did have at the start however the chemistry for me just faded. I just really didn't enjoy some of the monologue at times and unfortunately this just wasn't the book for me. Thank you fro accepting me to read this though!