Lindsey Kelk is truly a star. Laugh out loud, feel good and sweet- Love Story was a pleasure with depth, humor and surprise.

The tropes of mistake identity, enemies to lovers and family of origin expectations were written in a way I couldn’t anticipate but absolutely loved.

Lindsey Kelk has done it again !!! I love her writing :)

First off, who doesn’t love a book about books? Most importantly, a book about romance books !! Also add a bit of Romeo & Juliet vibes & I am SOLD

I flew through this book ! I thought it was very well paced which I think the short chapters helped this, I love a short chapter !

I loved how there was a conversation about romance books within. It’s so nice to see that on a page instead of online.

I will say, I am not a fan of third act breakups so this made me sad to see. There were a lot of authors named within the book as well which wasn’t a huge issue but it did feel repetitive in parts.

Overall I really enjoyed this book (as I knew I would) & would recommend to any romance lover ! I also can’t end this review without mentioning how amazing the cover is !!!!

Lindsey Kelk has created a delightfully entertaining romantic comedy that expertly discusses the discourse between literature and romance and the snobbish attitude that is used against the genre. The combination of sweet with occasional notes of spicy scenes has built a beautiful narrative and an absolutely enticing read. This is such a fun summer read, lighthearted and perfect if you need something to get you out of a slump.

I loved the premise of this novel. Apart from that, I enjoyed some scenes with the main characters and how they grew from hate to love,
However, I found it slightly too cliche and it just didn’t work for me. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC!

It's always fun to read a romance about romance books! I really enjoyed how Lindsey Kelk wrote about romance books and how they are often viewed by the literary community! Sophie's family was also fun and made me laugh a lot!

Sophie and Joe had great chemistry and their Romeo and Juliet-esque situation with their father's being rivals was fun. I liked that Joe loved Sophie's book. However, there were some twists in their story I didn't love. I felt there was some unnecessary drama.

If you like reading about romance authors with some great comedy and some romance this book is for you! It will make you laugh and romance readers will feel vindicated!

I rated this 4 stars - a wonderfully enjoyable rom-com. The enemies to lovers trope was done well, but the enemies part definitely more came from her side. The arguments and bickering were intense, and built a lot of sexual tension between the two. They have such a strong chemistry, that it only took them a short amount of time to cave into their feelings. The forced proximity trope is seamlessly wove into the enemies to lovers trope, forcing Joe and Sophie to confront how they feel about each other.

Her ex boyfriend is a dreadful human being, and I’m glad she, Joe, and her brother William gave him an earful, and not that I condone violence, but he so deserved the punch Sophie threw. Misogyny has no place in literature. Her sister, Charlotte, is relatively unlikeable for a good chunk of the book, but really redeems herself in the end.

It’s actually really sad that Sophie felt she had to hide behind the name of Este Cox in fear of judgment of her book. To be a bestselling author, and feel ashamed is really saddening. But I feel like there always has been and always will be a prejudice around romance books, especially spicy romance books, but there really shouldn’t be. Literature is literature, and there should be no shame over our favourite genres. I believe romance books to be just as important a genre as the rest, and I’m glad Kelk explored this.

I’m glad Sophie got to revel in her success with her family in the end, and it was incredibly sweet, if not slightly chaotic, of Joe to jump in and save her until she was ready to admit she was Este Cox.

There are so many book references in this, and I got all giddy when I saw many of my favourite books or authors pop up!

One thing this book is missing is an epilogue - yes, we get a time jump with a glorious love confession, but, I’d have loved to see a bit further down the line, with ‘Butterflies’ being turned into a movie, her revelling in the success of future books, and of course, where her relationship with Joe was at.

📖 BOOK REVIEW 📖
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#LoveStory by @lindseykelk @harpercollinsuk

➡️synopsis

I’m really becoming a fan of this author - it was quirky, it was fun, had loads of nostalgic elements and I read it super quick ✔️ ✔️ ✔️

It all all the hallmarks of a chick lit / romance read without a hint of cringe. Yes the characters and situations were on the stereotypical side but Kelk has a way of making them work, be relatable, feel original and allows you to get emotionally connected and invested in their plight. The plot was interesting, felt full of possibilities and completed satisfyingly.

With thank to author #lindseykelk #harpercollins and @netgalley for allowing me to read this one!

OUT TODAY! 🙌

-EMILY

@the_book_girls_1

really cringey. just didn’t enjoy how it was set out. there was a lot of potential but unfortunately just not for me

I have been a fan of Lindsey Kelk for what feels like ever. Certainly since I first made that leap from YA and started reading adult fiction so it was an absolute must that I read her new release Love Story.

This book follows main character Sophie who is a best selling author under a pseudonym. Only a few select people know but most of her family, who she thinks will look down on her, have no idea. The story really only takes place over a weekend and a lot of drama unfolds over that period of time, including the revelation of the real author behind Este Cox.

Also over that weekend is a romantic plot between Sophie and Joe which has all the usual Lindsey Kelk hallmarks of banter and chemistry.

There are loads of references to other popular romance authors and TikTok and the influence it can have in the book community and just in the wider world of things now going viral on social media. It felt really relevant and up to date in this respect.

If you’ve not read the I Heart series then I would urge you to as they’re timeless and probably some of my favourite books which I’ve read over and over again.

Lindsey Kelk knows how to write good romance. Sophie and Joe hate each other at first sight. Sophie is a teacher by day and a secret romance author in her spare time. Joe works in publishing and is a tad arrogant. He is also handsome and he knows it. After a drunken karaoke afternoon Sophie has to rush off to catch the train to her parents house. Without realising she has left her bag with the unfinished manuscript to the sequel to her very popular book Butterflies. When she reaches her destination she realises she has lost her bag. When Joe shows up for her dad's birthday bash she isnt very happy to see him until it turns out he has bought her bag to her. Sophie doesn't want her family knowing she is Este Cox as they are big in publishing and like a lot of people look down on the romance genre. Cue lots of funny situations as she desperately tries to keep her secret. I have to say I couldn't warm to her younger sister she just came across as a brat to me. Love Story definately has more spice than Lindsey's other novels. An enjoyable read, its a five stars for me.

ARC requested via netgalley. This is my voluntary review. All thoughts are my own.

I love Lindsey Kelks novels and have ready pretty much all of them by now.

Love Story was a brilliant story and I devoured it within a few days.

We meet main character Sophie, who works as a teacher but she also writes novels under a different name of Este Cox.

The novel is just fun, great for summer, especially as there was quite a lot of spicy romance within the novel.

I loved the character Sophie and also Taylor, who both made for an interesting read. They were likeable and really relatable - well Sophie was anyway.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for allowing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first Lindsey Kelk book, and it was perfect for getting me out of a reading slump. It's a delightful, light-hearted read with an engaging plot and lovable characters that you can't help but root for. Although the conflict over her secret identity sometimes frustrated me, I appreciated the character development of the female lead. This was also the perfect read for my Swiftie heart, especially after just returning from the Eras Tour. I loved every reference!

Book Review 📚
Love Story by Lindsey Kelk 🫶🏻
4/5 ⭐
What a beautiful, delightful and heartwarming read by Kelk! We are thrown into the deep with the emotions and complexities of love, friendship and self-discovery. Complete with the most relatable characters, your in for a ride with this one.

The FMC (Sophie) is engaging and well-developed. She drew me into her world with such ease. Kelk has an undeniable ability to create characters who feel like old friends and it is really quite obvious in this book. They’re so relatable! Joining them on their journeys, their struggles and their triumphs with such genuine authenticity is mind-blowing.

Kelk has a writing style that is filled with wit and sharp humour but also moments that capture you and hold you tight. It’s a beautifully balanced book. Her descriptions of settings and scenarios are vivid without being overwhelming. It was easy to involve myself in the narrative.

The plot is engaging with a mix of romance, drama and humour. We join the journey of navigating the ups and downs of a relationship, with twists and turns thrown in to keep me hooked. The personal growth and self-discovery shows with the FMC evolving, learning and finding her path.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed Love Story and would recommend, there were moments were the pacing felt uneven. There are moments of keeping me hooked and on my toes, to slow and somewhat boring! But Kelk makes up for the boring, with the added humour and wit.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishing company for allowing to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

Love Story is definitely a book written for all the hardcore romance readers out there. This book meant so much to me in ways I didn’t expect it too.

Sophie is the anonymous best seller of the best romance book around. Everyone is talking about. But sadly for Sophie, her parents have nothing positive to say about the book at all.

It talks a lot about Sophie’s family hating on Romance books and not taking them seriously enough. I relate so much to this in my day to day life. All my loved ones have no time for me to talk about the romance I read, just the thrillers and the crime books.

One thing for certain is that there are a fair few annoying characters in this book. From her spoiled little sister or her awful ex-boyfriend.

They talked a lot about spice from her book Butterflies and there was a lot of built up tension but this was a closed door romance which I wasn’t expecting.

I wish we could read Butterflies as I know we would all love it, so Lindsey Kelk, when can we expect it?

Oh how I loved this! In fact I enjoyed it so much that I reread it straight away!

This story is funny and very sexy. In fact I think so far it’s my top book of the year.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book to read and review

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as all of the others I have read by this author and not really sure why. I was excited that this author had a new book out but I struggled to get into reading it.

There was great chemistry between the two main characters and I could picture in my head how some of the scenes would be played out if I was watching this on screen. There were a few humorous and laugh out loud moments as the story unfolded.

I am a big fan of Lindsey Kelk and hoped that this one would be as good as her others. It didn’t disappoint. Funny, heartwarming and many nods to Taylor Swift, it was great.

The main character, Sophie was likeable and real and the plot although a little predictable was still super enjoyable.

A perfect Summer feel good read. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review.

I can always count on a Lindsey Kelk book for a guaranteed good read.
I loved this story of Sophie, who has written the currently most talked about book, under the name Este Cox.
It is a secret from her entire publishing-background family as she knows they will not approve of her writing style.
Sophie goes to spend a weekend with them to celebrate her fathers birthday but is soon joined by the last person she wants to see - and he's discovered who she is.
The storyline was fabulous with lots of humour and such a easy read, wirh great characters.

Imagine being Sophie , a primary school teacher who is hiding a secret. She actually writes romance books under a different identity but imagine if you come from a family of high brow publishers.

Lots of wit and fun between Joe and Sophie .


Lindsey does it once again and I love the mentions of tropes and nods to Taylor Swift.

Are you ready to embrace a love story?

4.5⭐️s UGH i loved this sooo much, Sophie and Joe are hilariously sarcastic and i just loved the whole family weekend concept. I always appreciate a book about the publishing/writing world and this one didn’t disappoint. It was definitely a unique concept to me, I always read romance books but never once stopped to think how the author may feel when it comes to friends and family which this story really went into.
Although the book was largely about Sophie and Joe’s relationship, I do wish there could have been a little bit more between the two of them. The chemistry was great but there were some moments where I would’ve loved to have seen a tiny bit more vulnerability. Sophie’s sister did have my back up a little bit, she seemed a little too blunt and came across mostly rude at times however I see how she progressed the story.

And the Taylor Swift references were SPOT ON🥹

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC!