4/5 stars

Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for providing me with an arc.

I absolutely love Ashley Poston’s books, I own almost all of them and I’ve read all but 4 of them. This was everything I loved about The Dead Romantics with the cozy small town, sorta mystical vibes, and a cute romance to tie it all together. This is a sweet romance so it isn’t spicy but does mention sex some, which some of y’all are confused why I liked this and it’s because the writing and story are amazing. Ashley Poston is able to create this world inside of a world that feels full of life even when we are being introduced to characters our FMC and MMC already know. It is beautifully thought out.

Eileen loves to get lost in a romance book where happily ever afters are guaranteed since imaginary men can’t break your heart. So when all of her book club friends cancel on their annual trip, she decides to go alone as she really needs just a week to relax and unwind. But on the way to the cabin her car unexpectedly breaks down in a rainstorm, in a quaint small town that feels really familiar. It’s a town that can’t possibly be real as it is from her favorite series but yet there she is in Eloraton seemingly trapped in the author’s unfinished story. She meets a grumpy bookstore owner that she can’t quite place in the novels she knows so well but when feelings start between them she starts to wonder if her happy ending is in Eloraton after all.

Andres, the grumpy bookstore owner, was everything I expected from Ashley Poston. It was the perfect combo of grumpy and caring. I also loved Elys (Eileen), she was a loveable character and honestly most readers can relate to wanting to be able to make sure their favorite characters got their happy endings. She felt very real and relatable, she reads to see her favorite characters be happy, she loves her friends, and she just is very caring. Them together was amazing, I wished we got to see a bit more mainly at the end but overall I loved their progression.

I highly recommend this book when it comes out in June and I definitely will be picking up a finished copy when it is out.

I absolutely adored the other two books in this sort-of-series or magic-tinged romances, and this has been one of m ymost anticipated reads of this year. Ultimately, I enjoyed it a lot, but it didn't quite have the special edge of the other two for me.

In a lot of ways, this book is a love letter to reading and fandom in general (always a win for me). I found the cast of characters to be enjoyable to read about, the writing style and setting charming, and all around a nice, easy read. For me, the romance was missing a little of the feeling that the previous two books gave in spades, but was still enjoyable.

4 stars

Elsy gets lost in a rain storm and ends up in setting of her favourite book series. No one knows that they're fictional and the town seems to be stuck in the middle of an unfinished story. The only person who seems to be aware of any of this is Anders, the very grumpy owner of the book shop.

This book is a bit meta in that it's very aware of romance as a genre. It's a romance about a romance reader, who is stuck inside a romance novel (and is fine about it - she doesn't want to leave, really). There is a nice, slow burn romance in the book that is tempered by her knowledge of how romance novels work.

Elsy is a relatable character. Anders is a great grumpy book boyfriend. His bookshop sounds wonderful - so do the honey covered pancakes in the Grumpy Possum cafe.

I love Ashley Poston and as a huge fave of the seven year slip, I’m so happy she’s bought out this new novel that, in classic AP style, toes the line between modern fantasy and romance.

There’s a certain magic that is weaved into this book and the small references to her other works is noticeable.

Would recommend it for those who love AP books usually but also for those who come from a fantasy background and want to give romance a go.

Elsy was a really endearing character to read and her journey of self-exploration tore at my heartstrings.

If you don’t like pop culture references, this book isn’t for you.

Title: A Novel Love Story By Ashley Poston

Release Date: June,25th 2024

4.5 Stars

"A Novel Love Story" by Ashley Poston is a captivating tale that reads like poetry and resonates deeply with the heartstrings.

Eileen Merriweather, a literature professor, finds herself stranded in the quaint town of Eloraton, which seems to be straight out of her favorite romance series. Convinced she's meant to help bring the town to its storybook ending, Eileen becomes entangled in the unfinished story left behind by the late author. However, she encounters resistance from a grumpy bookstore owner, whose presence challenges her perception of the town's fate and its connection to her own happily-ever-after. As Eileen navigates the mysteries of Eloraton, she begins to realize that the town's ending might be intertwined with her own destiny.


The concept was brilliant, and the conclusion surpassed all my hopes for the ending. Ashley Poston's writing is enchanting, creating a story that feels like a love letter to books and romance itself. With charming characters and a delightful storyline, this novel is a must-read for anyone who believes in the magic of storytelling and the power of love.

Tropes:

Bookish Romance
Metafiction
Happily Ever After
Love Letter to Books
Quirky Characters

Thank you to Publisher HQ , The author Ashley Poston & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

I was looking forward to this quite a lot as I loved the Seven year slip-however this did not deliver for me and I was left quite disappointed. 

Elsy is going on a solo road-trip to read her favourite romance series alone and in peace as she is going through a rough patch. On the road she has car troubles and stumbles upon this small town. She quickly realises she has seen it before or well, read about it. It is, in fact, the town of her favourite book series. She knows all the characters and that feels like home, except for one...The concept sounded SO interesting to me but this one felt rushed, fragmented and unfinished. 
There were lots of cute elements to the writing, the small town description was probably the best part but the characters lacked depth and to be honest, sense. 
Elsy is too fragmented, she doesn't make sense. And not because she is the 'quirky','chaotic' character- she does a lot of things without reasoning- she annoyed me quite a lot. The romance was lacking, there was no build up, no tension, no longing. All of a sudden they liked each other? Too short amount of time to be believable and it felt like I wasn't rooting for them to get together at all. He also lacked personality, he was just...there. Their back stories felt incomplete and, again, rushed. And the reveal at the end...not my cup of tea.

 I am disappointed that I could not love this one but it really fell flat for me. 


Thanks to NetGalley for the arc

Ashley Poston is an auto-buy author for me since I read Geekerella. Her books are full of nerdy fandom titbits and I always know I'll read a book story with her books. This was no different.

Eileen Merriweather loves a good love story. The fictional kind, anyway. After all, imaginary men don’t break your heart.

Ater her car breaks down - Eileen finds herself in Eloraton. A town where every meet is cute, the rain always comes in the afternoon, and the bookshop is always curated with impeccable taste. It feels too good to be true . . . because Eloraton is the setting of her favourite romance series.

But there’s one character she can’t place. The grumpy bookshop owner with mint-green eyes, and an irritatingly sexy mouth.

It's hard to explain that to someone who doesn't read, or who has never felt their heart bend so strongly toward a story that it might just snap in two. Some books were a comfort, some a reprieve, others a vacation, a lesson, a heartbreak.

"Elsy" the main character is feeling a bit lost in her life and wants a break from every day life. She feels her friends are moving on without her. I loved that the book club was called "The Super Smutty Book Club" it made me chuckle. It doesn't take her long to realise what is happening and where she has ended up. Eloraton has a quaint, cute vibe to it with a sweet shop, old bookshop and a diner where all the locals gather.

The side characters are like all book characters should be - loveable and endearing. Anders and Elsy have electric chemistry. I looked forward to all their interactions. I would love to see more of them.

I could vividly imagine everything about this book, from the town, locals and the main characters. Ashley has a way of making every book seem real. I wished I lived in Eloraton.

4.5 Stars as I don't understand how Elsy ended up in a fictional town and why it disappeared afterwards but I'll just ignore that bit!

Sometimes, that's how it happens. Sometimes your favourite book just hits you out of the blue like a bolt of lightning

Because even after the people were gone, there were still stories. There were always stories. Other took the heart of her books, and kept them close, and nurtured them, because nothing could ever stay in stasis.

Thankyou to Netgalley for the e-arc of this book but all opinions are my own. I can't wait for more by Ashley Poston <3

4.5 stars
Ashley Poston wrote two of my all time favourite books 'The Seven Year Slip' and 'The Dead Romantics' so when I saw this book I knew I wanted to read it even before reading the synopsis.
This book is a romance book lovers dream; a reader ends up stranded in her favourite romance book and falls in love with the cute bookshop owner. Doesn't that just sound perfect?
I loved loved loved this book. Whilst I don't think this is my favourite Ashley Poston book (I think that has to be 'The Seven Year Slip') I couldn't help but fall in love with this book and the magical world that she creates. I loved all the side characters and the small town vibes throughout the book. I even loved the mystery element that was weaved throughout and did not guess the plot twist at the end.
I fell in love with both Eileen and Anders and couldn't help but root for them to be together despite all of the elements that were going against them.
There's something so magical and special about Ashley Poston's books and I cannot help but fall in love with every single one of her books. I cannot wait to have a physical copy of this one on my shelf and to read all of her future releases.

‘There once was a town, and I was so certain that it would feel like home if I ever made it there. There once was a town, and it didn’t exist.’

This is the second book I’ve read from Ashley Poston and it definitely didn’t disappoint. The premise itself is an interesting set up- Eileen (the FMC) ends up stumbling in a town which only exists in her favourite book series. It was an enjoyable read but it’s definitely slow. The actual story didn’t go anyway until about halfway and even then not much happened. Maybe because I’m not drawn to the characters in the town I don’t feel how the FMC did to be surrounded by people she’s read about it and lived through vicariously. I just think more could have happened to make it an entertaining read. I do love how the author’s books always focus on self development and how the MCs are having personal struggles and how they overcome them. It’s not just about the FMC and MMC getting together but instead the realisation they need to work on themselves before that can happen which is refreshing.

Overall I would give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️ since it’s an easy read.

Thank you netgalley for providing me with the ARC!

imagine you were on a solo road trip and got lost, ended up in a small town and said small town was the one from your favourite book series. that’s exactly what happens in this book. feel like this book is every reader’s dream because who hasn’t thought about that happening to them?

elsy and anderson’s love story was genuinely so cute and beautiful, was sooo well written just like their characters. i loved the other characters too, the town felt so magical and everything about this book was just so good. it will have you crying and laughing and giggling!! will make you play detective to try and figure out what’s going on with certain things, why she ended there and why he’s there.

i loved the plot twist, loved the way it ended and i really wish i had more !!! wish i could read the actual book series too.. so how do we make this happen!

also, loved the cameos! 🤭

a really unique concept! thank you so much for this arc! ashley’s writing is honestly breathtaking and like nothing i’ve ever read before! a love story with a hefty dose of heart and a sprinkle of magic 💛

I was so lucky to receive an ARC of Ashley Poston’s new book, A Novel Love Story.

We follow Eileen, who, at the lowest point of her life, decides on a whim to take a road trip to a remote cabin she used to visit with her book club. Only, her car breaks down and she’s stranded in an idyllic small town, like something out of a story. And as Eileen explores, waiting for her car to be repaired, she realises this town might be far more storybook-esque than she ever imagined. She might just be stranded in her favourite fictional romance series, Quixatic Falls.

I *adored* this premise. A fictional town come to life, the characters real and tangible? It’s every book lovers dream come true. I loved reading about the Eloraton characters

Anders was bookish, introverted and thoughtful, qualities that immediately draw me to a male main character. Poston intertwines this romantic narrative with themes of self-discovery, with her usual emotionally hard-hitting writing that I’ve grown to expect from the Seven Year Slip and the Dead Romantics.

I occasionally felt the writing could have benefited from being more concise. There was a bit of repetition, which got a bit tedious. I also didn’t love being in Eileen’s POV, and some of the decisions she made frustrated me.

However, Ashley Poston has a way of making her books feel so comforting and warm, so familiar, and this was no different. It felt like everything I could ever need in a romance. Poston’s books have such depth, and deal with heavy themes such as grief with such sensitivity and care.

Overall, such an engaging and intriguing premise, executed well to create. It wasn’t especially romance-heavy, instead focusing more on Eileen’s journey, which I loved. It was reminiscent of Emily Henry books, with Poston seamlessly blending romance with general fiction.

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC!
Publication date: June 25th

I gave this one a go after reading The Seven Year Slip – I enjoyed it, but I was a little annoyed by it and I wanted to see if I'd like another Ashley Poston novel more. I actually liked this one less tbh! Although I don't think it was a bad book, small town romances are never my thing, I never really vibed with any of the characters, and it was way too earnest and insta-love for me. Glad I gave her another go though!

‘He taught me things about myself that I had yet to know, and I taught him things, too, and that was love. Love was patient and meticulous and it never ceased to surprise me.’
.
Honestly, Ashley Poston, never stop writing 😭 This book was everything I wanted from my romance and I got it.
.
Eileen finds herself lost on her way to a one week stay at a cabin, but as it happens, she stumbles upon the fictional little town from her favourite romance series, Eloraton. Sure, it takes her a while to realise that and then she’s doing her best not to influence the lives of the friends she’s making aka the characters, but living in a fictional town with no script is not easy!
.
I loved how, on the surface, it's a very cheesy novel full of insta-loves and those cute little moments that make you say, 'of course this is happening.' However, it’s actually so much more. In the middle of all that chaos, Eileen finds herself. She’s finally taking time to think about what makes her happy in life and the type of relationships/people she wants to surround herself with. And then, we all need someone to warm our hands when they get cold, even though we can do it ourselves.
.
Who’s your favourite romance author? Ashley Poston has been one of my favourites ever since I read 'The Dead Romantics.'
.
Thank you @hqstories for the copy, I loved it! 💗

Thank you to NetGalley UK and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for a review.

3.5 stars rounded up.

There was a lot I like about this book. I think AP is a very clever author. The twist that she makes on a traditional romance trope, in each of her books, to make it slightly other-worldly has fascinated me every time. I deeply admire her creative mind and will read as many different versions of this as she chooses to make.

In this instance, her main character finds herself inside the fictional town of her favourite, unfinished romance series. It really does feel like a dedication to the fans of the genre - for so many, romance is belittled and dismissed, but Elsy and the writer who created her are firm in their championship. They acknowledge the comfort and happiness that a good love story can bring, that the happy ever afters really mean something to the reader (whether realistic or ultimately perfect after the story has ended.)

The fictional town of Eloraton is charming, described with a warm familiarity, as the characters who live in it are. Though Elsy is deeply enthralled with meeting each of the people she knows from the books so loves, I did find it a little hard to connect with those characters, to feel the same excitement for them. There are several subplots where Elsy tries to fix problems emerging in the town, so a lot of the book is spent with them.

Elsy's love interest is Anders - owner of Eloraton's thoroughly inviting bookshop. Elsy believes him to be fictional and the love interest of the final book that was never finished due to the author's death. They have a rocky start, bickering and untrusting of each other until their boundaries start to melt away and they give into their attractions to one another. The beginnings of their romance is charming. I did manage to figure out Ander's connection to the stories, not as a character but as the author's fiance before her death - I liked the subtle clues left, like him seeming so familiar to Elsy because his mannerisms and attributes and scattered throughout the books, pointed out to him in a very heartfelt conversation once Elsy discovers who Anders really is, as well as her recognising his initials because they featured in the book dedications. I didn't enjoy so much the fleeting introduction of Bea - the character most similar to the author who Anders is fascinated with. It felt like it came very late, and far too swiftly concluded. It was nice that it allowed Elsy to overcome an issue she'd had with letting someone she loves go, but it felt a little stilted and very quickly resolved by the end of the book. I think it could have been explored a little more deeply to create a more meaningful impact.

There was some lovely descriptions, though a bit repetitive in places. The truest love story of the book was Elsy and her best friend Pru, and of course their love for books. I enjoyed Elsy's character growth throughout the book.

An overall enjoyable book - not my favourite Ashley Poston but I will still be looking forward to many more books from her.

This book was such a good concept and it was Ashley Poston writing, so I thought that it would be amazing but unlike her previous books, I didn’t feel the romance in this one or any true empathy with the main character which was such a shame. I think this was down to how it was written because, while were told by the author that everyone was enamoured with Eileen and that she was the only one who could solve the “problems” of the unfinished fifth book – I just didn’t see it on the page. What she did for each of the couples to give them their happy ending felt minimal and low effort and we were told a lot as an audience this time, rather than have anything shown to us.

When I originally read the blurb of the book, I thought this was going to be a groundhog day situation where the two were spending every moment together – replaying the same day, her trying to fix the issues, him trying to undo it, then reluctant allies perhaps… but none of that happened.
The initial meeting between the two was great and I felt so much potential in that moment thinking he was going to be an amazing new love interest but all the sparks I felt in that initial moment never amounted to anything more.

Whilst I enjoyed reading this book and didn’t want to just give up because some descriptors were nice and the overall concept was good the book just didn’t improve like I’d hoped.

I do love literary themed stories and this one hooks you with magical intrigue from the beginning; where we see Elsy becoming stranded in a fictional town, which has come to life from her favourite romance series; and she finds herself in the middle of an unfinished romance manuscript, which her favorite author died before completing. Elsy feels compelled to conclude the story, whilst at the same time seemingly falling in love with a fictional main character - which clearly offers its own set of challenges. The story is truly unique, whimsical and super imaginative and I loved everything about it. Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for allowing me to get an early copy of this book, which is out June 25, 2024 - it’s well worth a read when it’s out, if you are looking for a book which is a romance, but not in the traditional sense.

Who doesn’t want to read book that
A) is written by Ashley Poston and B) is set in a fictional town?? No one I know. I had such high hopes for this one and especially after the first two books were so beautifully written. But this one didn’t hit the mark for me. I liked Elsy, she was brill. But I struggled with the insta-love with her and Anders. I didn’t feel much chemistry between them and really wanted a lot more.

It was a lovely idea and I think if the ‘series’ the town is based in had been finished, it wouldn’t have made the plot of the actual story feel so incomplete.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3. This was a DNF due to the extremely poor editing making it unreadable. There were numbers on every line marking the no of lines, but these were in the middle of dialogue, not just to the left of the words, which made it even worse and made the story unreadable. I would’ve persevered despite how painful it was to continue had the story grasped my attention, but sadly the first 3 chapters didn’t make me want to keep up the effort of coping with the bad editing

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC to review!

3.5 stars rounded up!

Ooo this was cute! This had moments that had me grinning like a maniac. All I really do know is thst I need an Andersm this was such a fun different romance story! I loved seeing how excited Eileen was to be surrounded by characters and within the town of her favourite book. The only thing I wanted was more scene of Eileen and Anders, but the ones we did get I really enjoyed them.

Cute, fun, had even a great discussion on grief and wanting love!