While it certainly had its sweet moments, I was not convinced by the magical elements of the story, nor its underdeveloped romance. This was such a shame, as I appreciated the concept and the author's adoration of the romance genre was clear.

The writing style was easy to read. It leant heavily into sentimentality, which created a cosy feeling. However, certain phrases were way too repetitive - you'll know them when you read them.

Some of the plot didn’t quite make sense. I felt plopped into the fictional world, but not necessarily in a good way. I don’t think I ever properly orientated myself. I probably would’ve understood it better if I was able to read the book within the book, or at least given snippets. In a similar way, I was never certain of the logic of the fictional town. I wished there was at least one steadfast rule.

There were so many characters in such a small town. The ‘tight-knit’ community felt manufactured. Likewise, Elsy’s band of friends (who we never met in present day) didn’t feel authentic.

For some reason, Elsy and her love interest, Anders, were immediately annoyed with each other. I didn’t understand this instantly frosty dynamic, nor their sudden jump to ‘love’. Anders himself never felt like a real human. He could have been way more interesting if the story delved more into his history.

When all the questions started to get addressed in the final act, I wasn’t totally convinced by the answers. It didn't help that the characters' behaviour and their lack of urgency in the lead up to this was at times infuriating.

I liked the premise of the mfc literally falling into one of her romance books. The author did a great job of painting the picture of Eloraton and its unfinished story. The story did take a little time to get into and I felt Elsy’s friendships with the characters in Eloraton felt a bit artificial but I suppose given that she had fallen into the middle of a book series that she had so much love for it made sense that the made those connections so easily. Ultimately I enjoyed the journey Elsy went on and how her time in the town helped her to start moving forward. Anders was an interesting one, took a little time for me to warm up to him but I like what the author did with his story. The chemistry and romance between Elsy and Anders was a mixed bag but overall I did end up liking them together . Not my favourite from this author but overall this is worth a read. 3 🌟

I enjoyed this so much, I think we’ve all dreamt of being able to visit our favourite book series (or TV, looking at you Gilmore Girls!) and to be able to interact with the characters as if it were real life. To actually fall in love in this situation would obviously make things ever so slightly complicated.
I loved the concept, the characters and I was pretty jealous a lot of the time, but there were just too many repetitive descriptions that stopped this earning 5 stars.

After reading and loving The Seven Year Slip earlier this year, I highly anticipated Ashley Poston’s newest release.

A Novel Love Story follows Eileen, who gets stuck in the world of her favourite romance book series whilst trying to navigate a broken heart and a changing friendship. It is definitely charming, and should be an instant pick up for lovers of the romance genre, and anyone who loves to read books about books. It also has a whimsical quality to it, so is a perfect summer read.

Poston had to find a perfect balance between portraying the peripheral characters in this book as just that, book characters in (Rachel Flowers’) books, but also make them feel real enough that we could invest ourselves into them. Unfortunately, I don’t think that was achieved and left everything feeling very surface-level.

This extended to the hero and heroine too. I didn’t feel like they had a natural relationship progression, it was hard to visualise who they were as people, and as a result, it left me with a central romantic plot that I wasn’t rooting for.

This hasn’t dissuaded me from picking up another one of Poston’s books, but this wasn't my favourite of hers!

Ashley Poston is the queen of romance with a twist. This book is completely unique and fresh, I ate it up! I loved the concept of being stuck in her favourite romance. The characters were well thought out and relatable in a very genuine way. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romance and wants to make their heart smile

This romance novel is a love story about love stories, and it won my heart. As somebody that doesn’t typically read this genre, something about its synopsis piqued my interest and I was delighted to be approved for a galley. Eileen is a romance reader, recently unengaged, en route her annual book club retreat when her car unexpectedly breaks down on the way, leaving her stranded in a quaint town that feels strangely familiar, as though it were straight out of a novel. Eileen finds herself in Eloraton, the town where her favourite romance series is set – it feels like home.

Books about books make my heart sing and this was no exception. Eileen – or Elsy, as she is nicknamed – is a little scatty and clumsy and her internal monologues are so believable and relatable. The author conjures up a gorgeously quaint world to phenomenal effect and the small details are excellent, it creates a cosy Stars Hallow ambience, where everybody knows everybody. And the romance is really sweet as well, Anders is a brooding, mysterious bookish guy, and their relationship develops in a semi-believable timeline. I adored the fantasy/magical realism element of ‘A Novel Love Story’, it kept my brain tingling and always looking for that elusive hidden thread. However, I found Elsy to be a tiny bit shallow in terms of character development, and I couldn’t cope with the ridiculous number of times that the author writes about how Anders smells (cedarwood and black tea appears on every. damned. page.) and the endless repetition of his eye colour. Still, an enjoyable summer read and I’m looking forward to reading the author’s previous work (since it’s supposed to be much better!).

I am an enormous Ash Poston fan… The Seven Year Slip is one of my favourite books ever, and The Dead Romantics has my heart 🥹 But sadly this one isn’t a new favourite.

Starting with what I loved about this book - and that’s Ashley’s very distinctive whimsical and magical prose. Everything she writes feels like a fairytale, and I find myself annotating every other page of her books! Whilst the plot let this one down for me, there were still some lines that had me tearing up 🥲

On the flip side… for a book which to all intents and purposes is an ode to romance, this felt very unromantic! I really struggled to feel any chemistry between Anders and Elsy, and this truly was insta-hate to insta-love over the span of four days 🫠

And don’t even get me started on Anders’s actions at the end - this put him firmly 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 of book boyfriend territory! (Also if I ever read eyes being described as minty green again it will be too soon 🙃)

I also think that the premise was just a bit too weird for me?! Whilst I really enjoy a touch of magical realism, Elsy’s interactions with fictional characters whom she knew intimately (quite literally given they are MCs of romance novels 👀) just felt quite uncomfortable at times!

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, so I was expecting a new favourite - but sadly this isn’t it.

This book is definitely for us who love to read and get so connected to books that we would love to go and get stuck in that story. It’s for those who dream to make fitness with our favourite characters and get our dream book boyfriends.

I went into this book blind and it did not disappoint. Ashley has a way of making her so magical and entertaining to read. I honestly recommend everyone to go blind into this book, it won’t disappoint anyone. The amount of times I have giggled throughout this book is honestly surprising.

This book follows Eileen who gets stuck in her favourite book series and follows along the journey of making friends with the town and falling in love with a book shop owner. Which is the only one who knows that they are in a book and therefore warns her to ensure that she doesn’t change the story at all.

I loved how Eileen got along with everyone in the story and tried to fix things even though she was told not to. The romance between her and Anders was so cute. Anders was the perfect soft but grumpy hero.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Happy release day to A Novel Love Story!

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ for the early copy of the book in exchange for my review.

Can I just say I really love the title and the beautiful cover - I think they really tie the story together and gives it a super polished feel!

This was my first foray into magical realism and Ashley Poston was definitely the right choice. The story is really rich, with an interesting cast of characters. The book inside a book setup will certainly be a big hit with book lovers everywhere and I found that it lends itself really well to lovers of different genres. The pace of the romance is really excellent and I really enjoyed having other pieces of the story missing that gradually unfolded over the course of the novel. The mysteries and magic really complemented the romance, and Poston has a very literary style that is easy to enjoy.

I maybe would’ve liked a bit more of Eileen’s backstory. I felt like her job for one was a bit brushed over but being a literature professor could’ve tied in to the story a bit more. I think the ‘real’ characters seemed to pale in comparison to those in the fictional world at times. It makes a lot of sense given the story and how it is set up but I would’ve liked to have had the real characters just fleshed out a little more. I felt a little bit out of sorts with some of the twists and turns towards the end of the book, as I felt it started to detract from the arc that had been building and the story lost a little bit of its momentum.

On the whole, I think that Ashley Poston is a really skilled writer and I would very much recommend this to readers wanting to dip their toes into magical realism. Personally, I’m not 100% sold but I really enjoyed a lot of this book and I would be happy to read more of Poston’s work if the premise called to me - like the book within a book aspect of this story did.

All in all, 3.5 stars from me.

Thank you again to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy!

Firstly thank you @netgalley & @heyashposton for my arc I'm so grateful! I absolutely devoured this in one sitting I was hooked! I adored the whole book town setting & storyline. I don't want to give to much away but the whole concept was truly magical 🫶🏻 I just wanted to be there with Eileen in Eloraton it truly sounds like the perfect place - right out of a romance novel (quite literally) I loved Anders and the whole gang! I loved that it centered around Eileen's love for romances and finding herself. It put me through all of the emotions and I honestly just found this so heartwarming and such a delight! It really hit home and I know I'll be recommending this for a long time! 🥰 would highly recommend reading angels this most definitely won't disappoint!!!

A beautifully written book about Elsy, an avid book lover as she stumbles upon the setting of her favourite romance series.

Ashley Poston has a gift for magic- realism and this was no exception, with delightful characters and an intricately woven narrative.

When her book club can’t attend their yearly retreat, Elsy decides to make the trip on her own and ends up in a town straight from the pages of her favourite romance novels… literally!

Ashley Poston is a true ‘reader’s author,’ and ‘A Novel Love Story’ gives us everything we could ask for.
Dreamy fictional men? Yes.
Assertive women and supportive friendships? Absolutely. Cute small-town vibes? IN DROVES.
Plus bookshops, references to other books we’ve read and, to top it off, a little bit of magic ✨

Blessed to have read this book early (thanks NetGalley!) but have ordered a physical copy and will be revisiting Eloraton all over again.
Oh, and Ashley, if you ever feel like writing Daffodil daydreams and the others for real, I will absolutely be buying!

I’m a huge fan of Ashley Poston’s stories and writing, so I was extremely excited to get an e-ARC of A Novel Love Story. This book did not disappoint, a charming read that tackles themes that Poston does so well whilst weaving in magical realism. I described The Seven Year Slip as “beautifully crafted and emotionally impactful” which is apt for A Novel Love Story too. Of course it is also a great romance.
What it’s about:
The story follows Elsa, who whilst on her way to her yearly book club retreat ends up in a fictional town from her favourites books; but how is this possible and is it all that it seems?
Things I loved:
•One of things I loved most about this story was how it is a book celebrating readers and reading, it is a love letter to books and reading and the special place they can hold with a reader. I have so many passages I adored exploring this. How this blends into descriptions is wonderful.

“I couldn't remember the last time someone kissed me this passionately - savored me, like I was the last sentence in his favorite book.”

•Characters that had depth and were very likeable and relatable; not just the main characters either but Eloraton residents too.
•References to other characters from Poston’s books.

I cannot wait to get a paperback of this book and annotate it!

I think the premise is something every book lover has dreamed of—I know I certainly have! It was such a fun, sweet, and entertaining read.

This book!! I loved this whimsical, fantasy feel. Perfect magical realism. 👌💕 Finally out today!! 🥰

Here we have Eileen who finds herself stuck in a rainstorm in a unknown place. Someone is kind enough to put her up for the the night. And as the starlings start to sing, things start to look all too familiar. She has stumbled upon Eloraton... her favourite cosy, small town book setting.

She explores the much loved book setting, orders secret things from the menu, and falls in love with the local library! 📚

This book found me at the right time! Ashley's lyrical writing is stunning! So much of what is said rang true!

Perfect magical, cosy romance! Enimies to lovers at its best! I can't wait to but a physical copy!! 💗

Thank Netgalley, HQ and Ashley Poston for this early copy in exchange for an honest review!

A Novel Love Story By Ashley Poston a NetGalley review. I have a lot to say about this as it’s really split my opinion on how I feel about it. At the beginning I could decided whether it was going to be a crazy mad read that was unlikeable or if it was going to turn out to be a memorable amazing read. In many ways I kind of stick with that first assignment. At first it’s an intriguing read that gets you thinking about the plot and what is actually happening. Eileen the main character is a people pleaser at first, she’s stubborn, heartbroken, strong and independent, slightly whacky and quirky and is obsessed with romance novels and a lover of words. Eileen feels like a genuine character, she’s feels real, has a warmth about her and is loveable. Yet she kind of stumbles into this place called Eloraton, a place where one of her favourite book series is set, everything there is exactly how the book is written, the characters from books are there, the lives they live and the plot is how these people are, like she’s step into the pages of the book; but and this is where I struggled with this book, it’s hard to know whether is real, her imagination or if she’s dreaming. For me unless I missed something that’s never made clear. This book made me feel so many things, in parts in seemed to drag, it was confusing, confusing, yet it kind of grabbed my heart the more I read it, in parts I was hooked and couldn’t put it down, it’s sad and it’s funny and something I will remember reading as I’ve read nothing like it before. Would I recommend it to others, yes I probably would, yet I really believe that it’s one of those books that you could read again and it would probably make more sense. It’s clear throughout the book that the author writes from the heart and just gets and understands people’s passion for reading. The fact that from this book i had so many opinions going around my head is a sure sign of a good book. I have this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ however it was very nearly a five star book, for me it was just the confusing nature of where the book was set. Despite that this book is without a doubt going to be a hit, I’m intrigued to see what @heyashposton other books are like. 📚

This was a 2.5 stars (rounded up to 3) for me and I am so gutted!!

I enjoyed the premise of this book, it was such a different style of story and really fun. I mean, who doesn’t want to end up in their favourite small town romance?! Sounds like the dream.

I really enjoyed Ashley’s writing style, for most of the book. However I struggled with some of the typos, I found they pulled me from the story which makes it hard to stay engaged. This was the same for some of the repetitive descriptions - his minty green eyes came up so many times.

The romance element of it didn’t click for me, Eileen and Anders just didn’t seem to connect, from the get go they didn’t like each other and then suddenly it was all cool and romantic. It didn’t feel natural or believable, it went from enemies x insta love really fast. There was no natural progression, no tension, no chemistry, no angst.

I really enjoyed the dynamic of the characters from the town, the interactions with them always put a smile on my face. I would say it felt like more went into the fictional characters than Eileen and Anders at times.

I do think a lot of people will really enjoy it this read. I just think for me personally it didn’t hit the mark.

Thank you to HQ & NetGalley for the ARC.

I have a soft spot for characters who are bookstore owners. There's something magical about people who are surrounded by books all day long, right? This story truly captured my heart and I couldn't put it down. Ashley Poston, congratulations on your new novel. I knew I would love it since the dedication page.

A fascinating read, not just another boring love story but something that keeps you intrigued all the way to the end.*********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

This was fine? Yeah. It was fine. Good, not excellent. The premise of the novel was much better than the execution which is a damn shame because I really liked the sound of this book — our protagonist gets pulled in to the world of her favourite romance book series and finds herself finding herself and falling in love…

I think Elsy’s personal character development was the best part of this whole book. It was a delight to see her grow and I think there are a lot of relatable moments within her story in regards to feeling stuck in life, to feeling lost, to feeling left behind and left out. Watching Elsy grow more confident in herself and her needs and her wants was wonderful and the true romance of this book was Elsy falling back in love with herself. I think the second best romance would be between Elsy and her best friend, Pru. It was such a beautiful friendship, not always perfect, but so supportive and I loved to see the journey they went on together even if it was (unfortunately) brief.

As for the actual romance, I mean it was okay? There was some good banter between Elsy and Anders but it feel short of the chemistry I wanted. I won’t dare to call it an insta-love as the author took a shot at that criticism within the novel itself (perhaps aimed at critiques of her other novels too where the characters have fallen in love within a short space of time?) but there was hardly any build up, they just went from not getting along to calling each other pet names.

Anders was an interesting character and I liked the mystery and twists regarding him, however despite all the layers there could be too him I don’t feel as if we got most of them until the end of the book which is a shame.

I liked how the fictional characters within the fiction played a role in the story, and it was fun seeing Elsy react to characters she’s read about for years and to imagine myself in a similar position. Like Elsy I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from meddling. I also liked how the characters in the story world (inside the story world lol) reflected back Elsy’s troubles and thoughts on happy endings and helped her grow.