This romance/fantasy crossover looks at what makes a memorable romantic fiction book and pays homage to the memorable characters we come to know in our favourite books. It is a wonderful tribute to how a reader can be truly moved by an author and the world/s they create, and this part I really did love about this book.
In other parts some of the dialogue seemed to switch a little that was confusing and the descriptions of Anders (especially his eyes and his smell!) got repetitive throughout each "romance" scene which detracted hugely from the chemistry and the moment for me after the first couple of mentions.
Overall a sweet, escapist romance with a unique angle .

I loved the concept behind A Novel Love Story, but I didn’t enjoy it anywhere near as much as The Dead Romantics or The Seven Year Slip.

My favourite part was the graveyard of deleted scenes. That’s the kind of meta I want in a story about visiting a fictional book world. There are other glimpses too, like Four Shadow Street, and the fact it always rains every day, giving them the perfect opportunity for kisses in it. I thought the haunted toilet storyline was fun too.

Eileen is more interested in meddling in the lives of the characters she thinks she knows than finding romance. It’s like an extreme case of parasocial interaction; she had spent so much time reading about them, knowing their inner thoughts, that she incorrectly acts like they’re friends. In reality, she is a busybody stranger who is due to leave town any day. But of course, these characters aren’t bound by the laws of reality, so no one is annoyed for too long.

Honestly if this was fan-fiction for books I’d read, it might have worked better. Instead we are dumped into this word that Eileen already knows so well. She tells us the characters’ backstories in snippets, and we’re expected to care about them the way she does. Perhaps if I read more small-town romances, I would’ve seen the well-worn tropes between the lines.

Sometimes a romance sparkles so much that the surrounding story doesn’t matter, but I didn’t feel the chemistry between Eileen and and Anders. And neither did they for most of the book. Eileen gets an idea that he’s a hero, just waiting for his love interest, and she’s not interested in being that. I just wanted Eileen to leave Eloraton and stop interfering!

Every book written by Ashley Poston get's better and better. She writes a magical realism so well, that it fits into a romance book effortlessly. No time spent on determining the rules of the magic, the worldbuilding, like in most fantasy books, her magic is always a quirk of our current world, and brooks no questions. She invites you to look at the world around you, and spot the tiny hints of everyday magic, exactly like a starling chirping the song you are named after.

The characters in this book were superb - Eileen bought out the best in Anders, opening the grump bookshop owner up to a little fun. Eloraton was a fabulous town, and the characters were written with such history and personality that I almost wish we could read the Rachel Flowers books ourselves.
Although a charming romance was obvious from Eileen and Anders' rainy meet-cute, I found myself falling in love with the relationship between reader and author, between Eileen and Rachel. Poston somehow gets down on page that reliance and connection with an author that we've all felt when a book speaks to you at the exact right point in your life. How their books provide comfort and give you the strength to move forward, even when you have no personal connection to the writer. Eileen's investment in the future of Eloraton, the resolution of the town's problems, is one we've all felt. Friendship, or perhaps kinship, with a character that doesn't truly exist.
The metaphor of the courtyard garden was excellent also - they way Eileen identified the character traits that Rachel had pulled from the people in her life, where they sat within the characters, was lovely depicted as discarded statues and monumnents.

Another 5 star read from Poston, and I can't wait to see what she does next!

A love letter to romance novels, Ashley Poston did it again…funny, heartwarming and heartbreaking all at once. 5 stars, I can’t stop thinking about this story💗 thank you for allowing me the opportunity to read this arc, I could not recommend this book enough!

4.5/5 stars

oh wow. this was so so so good i don't even know what to say. i loved the characters, i loved the story (within a story), i loved everything about this book. it really felt like a warm hug and even though i've not read the daffodil inn series i still felt like i knew the characters and i completely understood how eileen felt because i would feel the exact same way if i ever stumbled inside my favourite book. and oh my god i genuinely did not see that plot twist coming at all. all in all an amazing amazing read. ashley poston is officially one of my favourite authors ever.

Ashley Poston NEVER MISSES!!!
A Novel Love Story is one for the 'right where you left me girls,' and I'm SO ready for everybody to fall in love with it.

The way that Ashley Poston endlessly writes love stories so steeped in grief, character analysis and heartache, all whilst weaving magical realism and joyousness within them, is astounding to me. She has undoubtedly become one of my favourite authors and having such immense expectations for A Novel Love Story off the back of The Seven Year Slip, has not let me down at all. I fell in love with every part of this story!

This is a romance novel written for romance readers.

Year after year after year, books that ferried me through heart- break and hope and those terrible nights after Liam left. They were words that tucked me into bed at night when I was alone, they were words that played the soundtrack of my heartbreak, the what-ifs, the second guesses, the nights I sat alone and wondered, Why not me. Those books were like arms I fell into, armor that protected me from the world when life got too hard.

Elsy’s road trip to her smutty book club cabin retreat ends up with her staying in the loft of a grumpy bookseller in the town of her favourite romance series. She is sure she must be here to bring the town its storybook ending.
Aware of this, she knows she can’t get involved with Anders, the supposedly new hero of the series. That would cause ripples and mess everything up. Besides, he’s fictional and she’s got a life outside of this quaint little town.

Per usual, Jimenez turns every troupe on its head and delivers a subversive novel that is an ode to all romance books whilst simultaneously goes against everything you think you know.

I was so mad at the ending. And then Jimenez pulled it out of her magical bag.

It wasn't the end that mattered, but every word to it.

This is about life and how we can become accepting and accustomed to the ‘fine’. How we grow numb, convince ourselves we’re happy with staying still to save us the heartbreak.

This is more similar in style to The Dead Romantics.

Thank you to HQ for providing an arc in exchange for a review.

I received this arc in exchange for an honest review. 🤍

ashley poston can do no wrong, this was such a lovely read. the writing and plot were so unique but there were the familiar aspects you’d wish for in a romance novel.

the story was so refreshing and unlike anything i’ve ever read before. ashley poston is such a smart writer and her ideas never fail to amaze me. this is definitely one of my favourite books ever.

It was a letter of love to the readers. It was more of a love tale between the heroine and books, romance, and fictitious characters than it was a story about the romance between the two main characters.

It dealt with the heroine's infatuation with the series and the characters who occupied a significant portion of her existence. It's hard to convey how much she loved and felt connected to those characters. Not too relatable?

Her discussion of romances, novels, elaborate gestures, book clichés, and book boyfriends was fascinating to me. It was so realistic and heartwarming. similar like conversing with a person who genuinely gets you. I marked far too many quotes that were relevant to me!

I initially picked up this book because I've been fascinated by storylines like that ever since I watched the television programme W Two Worlds a long time ago. And the notion of the heroine being able to reside in her most beloved romantic comedy series? What a mystical sensation!

I adored the story since it was so enchanted and poignant. I was warm and comfortable inside thanks to it. The books by Ashley Poston are genuinely charming in some way.

4 stars! I love her writing, so comforting to read and it felt like a love story for those who love to read, and so it was such a fun read. I guessed the plot twist and for me I felt it made me root for romance less - however, it was such a unique concept and overall a lovely read. I will always read whatever she writes!!

I loved the writing but the plot in this wasn't my favourite. The main character I found to be really annoying and unlikeable to read from her perspective. I feel like the blurb of the book was misleading and not what the actual book is about. It wasn't as fun as I was expecting and at times quite boring. It didn't read as a romance more like general fiction. Overall I loved the concept but not the execution. I didn't believe the main characters had any romantic connection which made this romance difficult to read.

I enjoyed this book where a writer finds herself in a fictional town from her unfinished book. Poston’s writing is always lovely. There’s tenderness that draws me in. Just like other books by her, this book gives you a good life advice that makes you feel more positive. I unfortunayely couldn’t connect with the romance part of the book. I don’t know if it’s the premise with magical realism that’s a bit far stretched to me or not, but I just couldn’t get into the romance. I was also a littile bit confused by the ending too. So 3-3.5 stars from me, but I still like Poston’s writing, so I’m looking forward to her future works,

When everything in life sucks—still in pain after being dumped a week before your wedding ceremony, stuck in a job you don't like, seeing everyone in your life already found happiness, moving on with their lives while you're suffering in your miserable, lonely life—don't you want a chance for a quick escape like the fictional small town your favorite romance author created? That's what Eileen Merriweather did, not intentionally but accidentally.

After each book club friend ditched her for a reunion, including her best friend who decided to fly to Iceland with her boyfriend for a probable wedding proposal, she decides to drive 18 hours to reach a cabin in the woods to drown her sorrows, read romances until her eyes bleed (just like my regular day routine, but her plan fails when she takes a wrong turn and finds herself in another small town, breaking her car by hitting the brakes too hard to avoid hitting the gorgeous man appearing in the middle of the road. That's how she arrives in Eloraton.

There's no place like Eloraton. Where a rain shower comes in the early afternoon, though it clears up in minutes, the inn is always under renovation, the burgers at Gail's bar are always burnt, the honey taffy is always sweet, and the starlings always make their nests in the eaves. Nothing changes, and its fictional townsfolk, created by Rachel Followers, live the same day over and over until Elsy finds her path accidentally into this town that doesn't exist and creates ripples in their universe. Things start to move. She finds herself in the middle of a romance manuscript her favorite author couldn't finish because Rachel Flowers died two years ago. Could the reason she's here be that she has to help the rest of the characters have their happily ever afters?

The grumpy bookstore owner, Anders, she was about to hit with her car, is the only person who realizes these ripples, and he doesn't like how Elsy has affected the townsfolk's lives. Elsy realizes she has complex feelings about this man who denies his own HEA. Could she help him with a sunshiny attitude to defeat his grumpiness, to save him and save herself? What if helping the Eloraton people may also help her find her own path, her own home that she needs to find?

No more words. I love Elsy's self-worth exploration, her facing the choices she's made, her development, and of course, her slow-burn, heartwarming love story. This book is like a realistic fairy tale if you consider it a brand new genre. I wholeheartedly loved it and absolutely recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this AMAZING book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

4.5 STARS

I am absolutely obsessed with Ashley Poston's brain! I have no idea how she consistently comes up with these amazing scenarios for her novels, but they work so well!

I think as romance readers, we can probably all relate to Elsy. She was wonderfully optimistic, despite being somewhat downtrodden and hesitant to embrace love. Anders was not your typical book boyfriend. (I mean he's BLONDE?!) but he was sweet, and charming, and lovely.

This book was very much a light-hearted romance, but it still dealt with some big emotions. I think Ashley Poston approaches these difficult topics with care and her writing just feels healing, like a warm cup of tea.

P.S.
Get some tissues ready for the end of the book!

** Thank you to the publisher for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own. **

I cannot understate how much I loved this book. It is a joyful ode to romance readers of their commitment to the genre, the solidarity for the community and the hopefulness for happy endings. Elsy is a great main character with enough nosy curiosity to keep the plot moving for both herself and secondary characters and Anders is the right side of aloof to make this grumpy/sunshine enemies to lovers leap off the page. Eloraton, even with the blurry bits, was really well described so I had a great sense of place and it was a really satisfying ending for me. Ashley Poston is quickly becoming an auto-read for me as she is playing to my romantic magical realism addicted heart. Thank you NetGalley for this brilliant arc but I will send you the caffeine bill after I stayed up all night to finish it!

I think i could talk about this book for hours and hours and still have more to say.

This book was just utterly perfect, a quintessential romance and yet so much more. Ashley Poston’s writing is literally poetic, I swear I highlighted sentences every other page of phrases and quotes i want ingrained in my head forever. The plot line was so unique, so different to what i’ve read before that I devoured it and honestly, i want to go back and re-read this all over again.

It follows Elsy, a woman who’s a little lost in life, stumbling across a fictional town from her favourite romance series, a series that was never finished after the author passed away. She meets the quiet, but soft Anders, a mysterious character in this fictional town whose story she’s trying to figure out, who she doesn’t remember ever existing in the word of Quixotic Falls.

Elsy was such a heartbreakingly relatable character, a people pleaser who had gone through life not really wanting anything for herself, forcing herself to be the secondary character in other people’s stories. Anders was a wonderful mystery to uncover, he was quiet and grumpy and yet soft and gentle and kind, and he reminded me in some ways of Gus Everett from Emily Henry’s Beach Read.

I loved their dynamic together, the witty banter had me giggling (and literally kicking my feet), and the build up of their relationship felt beautifully natural. It was ironic almost, watching her fall in love with a person living in her favourite romance series, all the while she searched for the story that Anders fit in, not realising that perhaps this was her story.

And don’t get me started on the invisible thread between them (i swear i won’t shut up about it otherwise).

This book is for the hopeless romantics, the book lovers, the fangirls, the people people pleasers who might be feeling a little stuck in life.

Through Elsy, Ashley Poston explored all the questions us romance readers have, posing the way a story can live on within us readers despite it ending on the last page, how a story might not have a happy ending but it was the journey there that made it memorable. It reminded me why i love reading this genre to begin with, not for the end of a book (though i am a sucker for a happy ending) but for the joy of the journey it takes to get there and perhaps sometimes doesn’t but is equally okay because it was okay for that moment. It reminded me of the power words and stories have on us as readers, how much of a distraction they can be and equally an entertainment.

And how perfect it could be to experience your comfort fictional town and meet characters that you’ve held a special place for in your heart.

As Elsy would say to Rachel Flowers, I will say to Ashley Poston, thank you for this story and these characters! This book, no doubt, is one of those stories i will forever cherish <3

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for this beautiful arc!

This book was so so cute and it was what I needed right now.
The main female characters is all of us bookworms really.
She loves a good romance book with some spicy and once she stumble into Eliraton, a town which happen to be the setting of one of her favourite series she’s more than excited.
She’s making her goal to make sure that everyone gets the happy ending they deserve., that they didn’t get in the books cause the author died before she could finish writing the last book.

It was so cool to see her interact and becoming friends with “fictional characters”. But when she meets Anders, the grumpy bookshop owner she can’t tell which character he is.

The more they start to get to know each other the more there is a pull. And they can’t leave each others alone.
But she still think he is not made for her and that he’s waiting for his HEA, which she believes is not her.
But the more they interact the more they found out things about each other.
And finally after years she decides that it might be worth to have your heart broken for the right person.

Thank you so much NetGalley for granting me this arc. This was a special one for me.

Ashley Poston for me stands out within the romance genre because of her unique storytelling and distinct voice. This book felt like a love letter to every reader who’s felt seen more by fictional characters than the people around her. For people wishing to escape into the pages for a while. This was absolutely everything I could’ve wished for. The plot was something I couldn’t note because it leaves you both satisfied and pissed off you’re not told the full story!!

For me the primary love story wasn’t the one I fell in love with. The love story between a certain two transcended fiction and it was a beautiful reflection on grief. Plus as a writer who takes pieces of my loved ones and puts that within my writing. Hearing about a writer who could never get a loved one right, never being able to encapsulate them properly on a page. It made my heart so happy. I don’t know if I’ll ever be over this. It’s hard to explain how smart this book is without sounding even more like a wet wipe but this was stunning.

Thank you so much for this arc, it was a dream.

I really, really liked this book.

I have read anything by this author before and I was torn between thinking the book sounded great and thinking it sounded like it could be very cringe. Its a hard spot to hit but Ashley Poston manages it.

I worked out fairly early on how Anders fit in to the story (and, as always, told my husband my prediction just so I could have the joy of telling him I was right) but it didn't take away from the enjoyment of the book and, in no way, meant that I didn't have any moments of surprise or delight.

A Novel Love Story is beautifully written and I will absolutely be reading this author's work again. The connection between the two main characters, even the side characters, was so evident and I actually want to read the Quixotic Falls series now!

I honestly cannot fault this book at all, and while it might not be everyone's cup of tea, it's definitely in the top 10 I've read so far in 2024.

This book felt like a hug. The storyline was just so dreamy and creative. Hearing Elsy speak about the characters she loved so much and how she felt so unexplainably connected and attached to them, made me gush as a reader. It’s a feeling I experience all too often. Reading this just felt incredibly relatable in a lot of different ways. It just truly encapsulates what it means, deep down, to be a reader/book lover.

Giving this 3 stars for a few reasons. I struggled to really feel in to in until a good 40% in. The first 25% I was actually very bored. I was waiting for the storyline to pick up, waiting for something interesting to happen. It definitely did get better, so if you read this, just power through the first third of this book. I definitely would’ve liked a bit more back story on how Elsy came to stumble upon Eloraton. The author kind of just… put her there. (Which I guess is fine - I just think it would’ve had more of an emotional impact if we had a bit more lead up to it. And some sort of glitch in the universe that was told as part of the story which meant Elsy ended up there? Just SOMETHING!)

This book is also not very romance-heavy. I would’ve liked a bit more of that too, considering it’s a romance book. They went from disliking each other (and I don’t even know why?) to loving each other pretty abruptly. Their romance for me just didn’t quite scratch the romance-itch in my brain. It fell a bit flat for me, and like they didn’t actually have all that much chemistry. Their connection was cute and sweet, but not obvious. It didn’t get me in my feels.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I do recommend it - for that cozy feeling. Don’t expect the world from this, though. I enjoyed Ashley Poston’s The Seven Year Slip a lot more.