What would you do it you discovered the fictional town your favourite book series was set in? Well in A Novel Love Story the main character finds her fictional favourite place and the story is fab, slightly magical, but not too much, just to right mix for me.
Elsy stumbles upon Quixotic Falls when her car breaks down in a thunderstorm and she gets to meet all her favourite characters, but what happens when she starts to meddle? And what is different about the grumpy book store owner?
I enjoyed this one for the most part, the story was quirky and different, the love interest was just grumpy enough and the friendships were lovely.
The ending was just a little too quick and I wanted a bit more from that, but that aside it was another great magical realism by this author.

I love Ashley’s writing. The way that she adds a magical element always entices me to read her books. I will admit I found the start quite slow but once it picked up and then the ending, I was hooked.

She is becoming an auto buy author for me and I’m excited for her future works!

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
✰ 𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯
✰ 𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘺 𝘹 𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦
✰ 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺
✰ 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘹 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘣𝘰𝘺
✰ 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘮

What a delighftul book! Emotional as well as it deals with grief and healing but it was still a joy to read!
This book is magical realism in which our main character Eileen finds herself stuck in her favorite fictional world with her favorite fictional characters. Basically living book girlies dream... the only thing is that she happens to meet a man there who's the perfect man for her. The only problem is that he too is fictional... or is he?

Honestly this was such a feel good book. Not only the plot was engaging and entertaining, but I also adored the immersive and whimsical writing.
It gave me incredible joy and I highly recommend it!

Sorry but I had to give up on this one. I was incensed by the number of times the author described characters as having "a white face", "a light brown face" or "a dark brown face". This was not necessary and completely over mentioned.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I loved the premise and the magical realism element to it, and the writing was so beautiful. It was my first by Ashley Poston but definitely won’t be the last.
I loved the way Anders is written as this “fictional man” who must be perfect in so many ways but we see the way it’s those imperfections that make him perfect for Elsy. I loved the way the town allows them both to heal and grow, separately and together. And the way grief of a relationship and the person you can become in a relationship are woven through multiple characters storylines. I also loved the way we are shown the way some people’s happily ever afters are hard fought, they take work and that communication, lending that realism to the magic of the town.
4.5*

this was a love letter to romance readers and i will be re-reading my annotation until further notice

3.75 stars
As a huge fan of Ashley Poston's previous books (The Dead Romantics is one of my favourite romances of all-time), I was so excited to read her latest release. But instead of blowing me away, like I thought it would, this was just okay.
Normally I fly through these kinds of books but this actually took me months of picking it up and putting it back down.
I did still very much enjoy the concept of this and think that many a book lover or romance fan will enjoy it.
However, it just lacked that something special that I usually get from Ashley's stories. In a way, it just felt like a generic romance instead of her brilliant and magical writing.
I can't wait to see what she does next, though.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Novel Love Story centres around Elsy who becomes stranded in a fictional town, Eloraton, when her car breaks down on the way to a solo reading retreat. Whilst exploring the fictional book town, she meets and eventually falls in love with the owner of the bookshop Anders. This book also explores how books and reading can act as a form of escapism and comfort.

I will start by saying that I was extremely excited about the premise of this book and I loved the way it described books and how they can help you in your darkest times. Poston has a beautiful writing style and there were some stunning quotes in this book, particularly surrounding Elsy's reflections on how books saved her and the connections she has made with other people through a love of reading. For this reason, this book definitely seems like it was written by someone who adores books.

However, I feel that this book was let down by the plot and extremely slow pacing. I found this quite tedious to get through as most of the book is Elsy meandering around Eloraton and we get some fairly mundane backstory about the various characters who live there. As someone who prefers plot driven books, I felt this book had no momentum and I really struggled with getting the motivation to pick this book up. Additionally, I didn't love Elsy as a protagonist as it felt like she had no opinions of her own and was perfectly happy to follow and believe everything everyone else told her to do. This did improve throughout the book however I still never found myself fully backing her. I didn't feel any chemistry between Elsy and Anders so the entire romance fell flat for me.

Unfortunately I just don't think this book was for me however I did enjoy Poston's writing style so would be open to giving her other books a chance.

Ashley Piston has a beautiful way of mixing love stories with unique magical tropes and ideas and in A Novel Love Story, this trend continues. A really fun and enjoyable read that I could easily recommend to so many.

Fun concept, and surprisingly deep at times! I don't want to spoil it, but the author does a great job of subverting romance genre expectations...

A Novel Love Story has such a cute premise - who wouldn’t want to live in the town from their favourite fictional series with beloved characters? Despite the intriguing setting, this plot missed the mark a bit for me. I simply could not believe that Elsy wasn’t asking more questions about how or why this town exists, and I was frustrated when she wouldn’t pull at obvious threads in front of her. Additionally, I was not very convinced by the romance - Anders’ behaviour seemed to go from 0 to 100 without much explanation.

All that being said, it’s a sweet story for book lovers, and I did find myself reading on to learn more about the explanation of this fictional but real town. I loved the townspeople just as Elsy loves them, and Elsy’s relationship with her best friend was delightful. I didn’t adore it as much as the Seven Year Slip, but I will definitely continue reading Ashley Poston! Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book 🥰

"A Novel Love Story" by Ashley Poston is a delightful narrative that artfully blends romance with elements of self-discovery and personal growth. Poston, well-known for her ability to create engaging and relatable characters, invites readers into a world where love and life intertwine in unexpected ways. The protagonist, typically an everywoman character with heartfelt aspirations and relatable insecurities, embarks on a journey that challenges her perceptions of love, friendship, and herself. Poston's writing is accessible and infused with a warmth that draws readers into the emotional lives of her characters.

Within the story, Poston masterfully balances humor and poignancy, ensuring that the narrative remains engaging and emotionally resonant. The plot often involves a series of unexpected twists and witty dialogues, which keep the reader thoroughly engaged. The chemistry between the characters is richly developed, and their interactions are both authentic and endearing. Poston skillfully highlights the transformative power of love, not just romantic love, but also the love found in friendships and self-acceptance. Her narrative pacing is deftly handled, allowing for moments of reflection without losing momentum.

Overall, "A Novel Love Story" is a testament to Ashley Poston's talent for crafting stories that are both entertaining and profound. Her nuanced approach to character development and her ability to weave together themes of love, identity, and personal growth make this book a truly satisfying read. Readers who enjoy contemporary romance with a touch of whimsy will find themselves captivated by Poston's storytelling prowess, making "A Novel Love Story" a memorable addition to her oeuvre.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately this fell flat for me. It was definitely a sweet story but just not for me - it felt quite dragged out and slow.

I didn’t get along with the main character, I thought she seemed self-centred and unsympathetic to her friend’s lives. There were sad parts to this story and so the ending was lacklustre. It made sense for it to end how it did but even so I was disappointed. It wasn’t the happy ending I was expecting - it was bittersweet at best. I felt like they shouldn’t have ended up together.

I think a lot of people will (and do) love this book, but unfortunately I did not.

Always ready to give us some magic in our lives. This one is perfect weekend read to get lost in! Poston always delivers!

I loved The Dead Romantics and The Seven Year Slip so this was a highly anticipated release for me.. sadly I was very disappointed.

It took me weeks to read, in the end I’ve had to sit and force myself to get through it. I found it boring and repetitive- mostly the amount of times the name Liam was mentioned and the constant mention of Anders “minty” eyes (I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone with minty eyes by the way).

I did like the premise of the book but I didn’t care for the characters, the plot or the romance.. it didn’t even feel like an Ashley Poston book if I’m being honest.

Ultimately this one just didn’t work for me but I will read her next book!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely charming and written with Ashley Poston’s usual wit and warmth. I loved the small town vibes and visiting all the Eloraton locations alongside Elsy. What a sweet love letter to romance novels.

This was my first Ashley Poston read and I have to say she’s carved her niche really well. A warm, comforting blend of romance and fantasy which manages to stay on the right side of cutesy, this is the perfect book to escape to when when the world feels too much. And, coincidentally, it’s literally about escaping into your favourite book – complete with the town’s most eligible bachelor. 4/5.

I love that Poston always errs on the side of slight fantasy in her romance. There's something so fun and sweet about how she writes!

honestly, i think overall, my main problem with this book is simply that it felt too quirky/twee for me. i could just FEEL how hard this book was trying. this was one of my most-anticipated releases of the year, and while i will definitely still continue to read from ashley poston in the future, i was not a fan of this one

Dnf at 50% this was fine but I fell into a slump and never returned to it. The vibes were interesting and liked the magical side to it but not sure if I will return to read the rest