Ashley Poston has become a must-read author for me. My gentle-hearted, HEA-loving sister has declared this a victory and success in convincing me that romance books are good. I disagree, I still think most romance books are awful and have cringy stories and I don't want to waste precious reading time reading something I won't enjoy.

For me, Poston's work sits firmly in the cosy world of magical realism, skirting the boundaries of fantasy and contemporary with a touch of whimsy. It's not romance. That's like saying The Seven Year Slip is about time travel. ACOTAR is about fairies. Dracula is about a sea voyage. LOTR is about a road trip. These are side notes - a plot device to get from A to B. They're not the main event.

Of course my sister disagrees that the real victory is mine as I've successfully got her to read and enjoy fantasy books. We are at an impasse. Aren't books great! Still bringing the whole family together since the invention of words.

A Novel Love Story was a great rainy day read. For me, The Dead Romantics and The Seven Year Slip were all about the characters, but A Novel Love Story is all about the mystery. What has happened for the MC to arrive in this fictional town? Is she dead? Is she alive? Is SHE the character in a book? How did she get there? Tell us the secret, Ashley! Enquiring minds need to know.

What bookworm hasn't turned to their favourite stories and imagined worlds for comfort and security in their time of need? Poston's talent isn't writing about love. It's writing about grief and all the ugly emotions and thoughts we have during our dark times, and she does it very very well.

Overall it was another delightful read. I had a few minor quibbles, (view spoiler) and I dearly wish there had been more done with the use of the song-character-names instead of them only being used on occasion to goad the MC. I don't know anything about IP and Copyright laws using song lyrics in novels, but if they could be integrated more, in the hands of Poston, she could create something truly magical.

BUT, the MOST exciting thing for me, was confirmation that all of Poston's books exist in a shared universe. This was hinted at in With Any Luck, but that novella only exists on Kindle and Audible in a world governed by the Amazon Overlords, so having the breadcrumb pop up in this book makes it even more official-ly-like. This reveal makes we want to go back and re-read all of Poston's previous books to uncover any hints I may have missed, and am also very excited about future works set in this world. Seriously, Poston! Tell us the secret for how to escape to our favourite book worlds!?!

Recommended for fans of: Alix E. Harrow, The Eyre Affair, Shark Heart, Sharks in the Time of Saviors, Ghosted, Space Hopper, The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep, The Library of the Unwritten, Fangirl

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ Publishing for the arc.

The premise of this book is something that I think every bookworm wishes would happen and slipping into Eloraton with Eileen was nothing short of magical.

I really enjoyed Eloraton and the small town vibe while seeing it through Elsy’s eyes. Her relationship with Anders was so fun to read, they had such great banter and the simmering slow burn of their relationship was just delicious.

I would have loved being in Anders head just a little bit more, however as the story reached its conclusion it was obvious why this could not have been the case. I did enjoy that little twist and how that led to some friction between the couple.

The ending of this was so sweet and the perfect ending to this romantic tale; in more ways than one.

4⭐️- Ashley Poston wrote this for the book lovers that grew up wishing they could climb into the stories they were reading and Iive amongst their favourite characters, and still do this now even as adults.

Ashley Poston is known for her magical realism stories and the way she writes unique plots that still feel like contemporary romances rather than fantasy. A Novel Love Story follows Eileen ‘Elsy’ Merriweather, a heartbroken teacher on her way to an annual book retreat that she is flying solo on for the first time ever. On route to the cabin, her car breaks down in a small town she doesn’t remember passing by any other year, only to have found herself in the middle of her favourite book series and its very fictional town called Eloraton.

Ashley writes magical realism like no other - her language is spellbinding and the way she draws you into the story leaving no room for confusion is no easy feat. This book felt so cosy and comforting but also extremely relatable with how Elsy viewed how her life
hadn’t turned out as she hoped. I think all readers can relate to wanting to escape into their favourite fictional worlds when reality is lacking, which is exactly what Elsy ends up doing in A Novel Love Story. Her presence in the town causes ripples and she encounters a grumpy bookstore owner named Anders whose love story seems unresolved and one she wishes she could be the heroine for.

I’m a huge fan of Ashley’s books and will read anything she writes! If you’re looking for a charming and comforting read full of characters that have so much emotional depth they feel real, this is a book you need to pick up immediately! It’s one I highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I very much appreciate the opportunity to read this ahead of its release on 25th June.

I had such high hopes for this one after loving the Seven Year Slip last year. I thought the premise sounded intriguing and I was excited to read it. However, I’m sad to say that this fell short for me.

This book follows Elsy as she ends up in the fictional town of her favourite romance series, after the death of the writer mid-way through the end of the final book. Elsy has to help to bring this series to a close, but will Anders let that happen, given he’s not actually part of the story, is he?

What did I like? Well, I enjoyed the writing style, it never felt over explained or forced, and there was a good amount of descriptive scene setting. Ashley’s ability to make things feel a bit more magical felt true. I enjoyed the underlying message in the book of being happy with your own story, and not living for someone else’s. There’s a lot of weight to this, and I think a lot of people would find this relatable.

So why did it fall short? The storyline ended up feeling a bit… strange. Elsy was talking about people that she’d just met as if she was their best friend and had known them for years, because she knew them from the books she loves. A main part of the story was Anders, but he didn’t seem to feature enough to bring this to life. They go from insta-hate to insta-love in a matter of days, but with very little actual interaction, or even being all that nice to each other.
Then the end… wow. I won’t give specifics, because it would give spoilers, but that is the strangest end to a romance book I’ve ever read. It made me quite angry with Anders.

So disappointed that I didn’t love this.

2.5 stars out of 5

4.5 stars - Ashley Poston does it again!!!

Eileen is determined to have her holiday despite the rest of her super smutty book club cancelling on her. but while driving to her cabin escape her car breaks down and she finds herself stuck in the fictional town where her favourite romance series is set. to add to complications - a grumpy stranger who she doesn't recognise as a character is present, and it is only so long before she finds herself falling for him...

I loved this book, it really felt like it was written for me (or at least people like me; those who live their life in a book, with book boyfriends and book best friends)
I have so many things to say about this book:
-it felt relatable, despite the magical realism aspect. the characters had enough depth to feel fleshed out but it felt as though it could still be happening inside Elsy's head.
-characters. CHARACTERS!!! I loved the integration of learning about Eloraton's characters both through Elsy's knowledge of the series, and also what she witnesses. Elsy felt like someone that you could easily become friends with and had many desirable friendship traits for literally any book lover.
-Emily Henry was mentioned.

This book was fun, sweet, entertaining, had a fabulous plot and made me think of all the places I wished I could visit and the characters I wished I cold meet.
It felt so nostalgic and comfortable even when reading it the first time - helped by the fact that it triggered me to think about series I love (for me it was Chestnut Springs by Elsie Silver and Lake Wisteria by Lauren Asher)

Ashley Poston has cemented herself as an instant buy author for me - if she hadn't already with The Seven Year Slip

"My story wasn't that interesting, anyway. A three-star read at best."

"Life never panned out like a romance novel, no matter how well plotted and meticulously planned."

"Sometimes, a book can change your life. It's hard to explain 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. [...] I'd met countless stories by the time I read a book that changed my life"

"You don't like naps? What's wrong with you? Who hurt you as a child?"

Thank you to NetGalley, HQ and Ashley Poston for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The premise of this book is lovely - the joy of a small town romance mixed with some whimsical magic and add a little philosophical pondering about truly being lost in a good book. For the most part it lived up to that for me. The lead character's platonic love for her best friend was the relationship that i was most invested in tbh - I found it hard to fully believe in the romance. Also there was a couple too many false endings for me. Lovers of a little extra tension/cliffhanger may disagree, but i felt like it was the book equivalent of the end of a marvel film, just when i thought it was done a character pops back up with some more information!

I read an arc of this while in Greece and I had very high expectations going into this. The writing was brilliant and the plot was intriguing but there was no chemistry between the main love interests. Not my favourite Ashley Poston book.

"If this was a romance novel, we'd kiss."

Another soft romantic read featuring sparks of whimsical magic.

I enjoyed the magical element in this story, it was really fun to see a story use the 'what happens when you fall into your favourite book'. It was fun to see how it was shown and used to help the story move and develop - it's not the typical 'character falls into a book' set up that I think readers will expect.

I enjoyed the characters, it was nice to experience a slower build up of the tension and romance between the main two leads. We still get lots of interactions and chemistry between the two but it gradually builds, which I think worked really well for the story. I liked how the main characters weren't only used for the romance between them, but were used in adding to the mystery of the story and in creating movement and flow with the side characters.

Without spoilers, the tension within me truly rose near the end and I did not know what to do with myself.

The only thing stopping this from a 5 star is, completely personally to me, I was missing that final spark. I have loved the previous sparks of everything coming together in Poston's previous works. I think, for me, I would have loved to have see more given to the final bits of the story, just giving a bit more depth to the ending and fleshing it out a bit.

"I had buried my head in stories so long that I'd forgotton to live the real thing."

This book is for us! It is for all the book lovers out there who dream of their book characters, the fictional worlds, and fall for the book boyfriends. It is for all of us that dream of living in the book worlds along with the characters and lose themselves in the happily ever afters of their romance novels ❤️

Ashley Poston set the bar with The Seven Year Slip pretty high, but this was in no way a disappointment. I went in blind, and I will make this my way to go with Ashley Poston's books. I did not want to take away any surprises, and it was perfect that way ❤️ Ashley, you made it with only two books (well, actually only one), and I will buy your books blind and love it.

"You're cute," he went on, "when you're pretending to be angry with me."

This book, like The Seven Year Slip, combines a beautiful love story with magical, surreal, but unique scenarios. AND I AM OBSESSED. This was exactly the kind of book that I CRAVE.

"Your mouth is better at kissing than lying, Elsy."

This was cute, full of different romance stories, had an amazing smutty book club, STUNNING world building, relatable main characters, and plot twists that I did not see coming. It had supporting female friends, and that's what I really love to see. It missed a tiny little thing that's very hard to describe and did not get the full 5 stars by a margin. But, oh, how I will recommend this book to you all ❤️❤️ And I envy all of you who will go in blind and be surprised for the very first time. My butterflies tip their hats to you 🎩

"Well, I was certainly in trouble tonight.
And the worst part was, I feared I was going to like it."

Thank you, Netgalley, HQ, and Ashley Poston for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

I loved the idea of this book and ran to request it as soon as it became available but unfortunately it ended up being a bit of a let down.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what I didn’t like. It had so much potential but never actually got there and I found myself a bit bored more than once, perhaps because I found it very descriptive (like when Elsy was describing the town and giving us the backstory of all the many cheaters).

I did like the romance and was rooting for them but would have liked to see them interact more. As for the side characters, the relationships were obviously very one-sided, what with Elsy knowing pretty much everything about them all, so I never felt like they actually connected.

Overall, not my favourite but if you’re a book lover and a fan of magic realism, definitely check it out!

3/5 stars

Thank you to HQ And Netgalley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to get an early copy of this book. I read her novella earlier in the year and absolutely loved the writing and figured I need to give her full novels a try. The premise of this is so cute and I loved the small town setting. However I found the story quite slow and a bit confused. I didn’t really get a sense of romance or connection between the two MCs and really went off the FMC when she slapped the MMC? Still not entirely sure why she did that, it was a hugely inappropriate reaction. I found it hard to warm to her after that and ended up a bit disappointed by the story sadly.

*ARC review* *potential spoilers*

This is my second Ashleigh Poston novel I have read and I really enjoyed the story and actually think I may have preferred this storyline to “ the dead romantics “. I have seen a lot of people say that despite enjoying this book, they didn’t think it was level with her other books, however I haven’t read “ the seven year slip “ to compare.

When reading about this book, I was really intrigued by the concept of the story, where the main character Eileen goes on a solo trip and ends up getting lost in the town of Eloraton, the town from her favourite book series.

The idea of being lost in a book (literally) and being able to experience your favourite fictional town, exploring all the wonderful places the town has to offer and meeting your favourite characters sounded like a dream so I was really excited to dive into this story.

I really enjoyed the book for the most part, I like Ashley’s writing style and as mentioned the storyline. It was lovely to see Eileen take on this solo trip a few years after her heartbreak and be able to learn to be herself again and find love in herself and other things. I definitely shared her elation when she was wondering through the town and getting a dirt hand experience with the world she had been reading with her best friend and book club for years.

I found Anders to be a lovely character in this story, a perfectly grumpy bookshop owner who, in my opinion, was perfect for this book. I loved watching the relationship between the two main characters develop, in their own pace, and finding out Anders story and connection to Eloraton was a really nice part of the story.

I did however, dislike and found myself confused by the ending of the book. It almost felt a little bit rushed? I was very shocked to realise that at the end of everything, Anders totally contradicted himself. I was soooooo annoyed for Eileen, and was suprised snd proud of how well she took this.

When Eileen comes back home to her best friend Prudence, it was lovely to see them bring their dreams to life together and watching them take pride in their business together was heartwarming.

What absolutely BAFFLED me, was the ending, where Mr Anders just skips back in to her story again?! Even though I did predict him to come back, the way it happened was just so underwhelming and again, felt rushed. It felt like there was a lot of information to take in, in such little time, that it just left my mind boggled. It made me feel unsure of him as a character in the end, although I do see his reasoning behind it, it just didn’t seem fair to Eileen !

Despite the underwhelming ending, I did really enjoy the rest and majority of this story and will definitely be reading “ the seven year slip “ and any other story’s Ashley releases in the future. I also loved the cameo from the charters from “ the dead romantics “ so overall rated this book 4 stars after thinking about it for some time.


Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an e-arc to review

I really enjoyed this, it was fun and sweet. A little harder to get into than her other books, but once I did I thoroughly enjoyed it. Can’t wait to see what she does next!

Another spellbinding, witty and heartwarming novel from Ashley Poston that captures the very essence of romance itself.

When her fellow book-club members pull out of their trip, Eileen decides to escape on her own for a week of books, wine and solitude. Only, the journey goes from bad to worse and after a close call with a mysterious man in a sudden rainstorm Elsy finds herself in a town that is oddly familiar. So familiar in fact that she knows everything about everyone....because somehow she's found herself in the small town from her beloved books.

The plot of this book was unique, beautiful and poignant. Elsy's struggle to not fall for a man she is convinced is a work of fiction is hard to look away from. Poston's style of writing draws you into the story within the story, with a wonderful sense of ease and romance. I cannot wait for her next book, and will have to resist immediately re-reading everything I have!

Eileen Merriweather could use a break after her ex crushed her heart just a week before their wedding. So she's looking forward to her annual getaway to meet up with her book club friends, but when they all cancel one after the other, she chooses to go by herself.

However, Elsy's old car, Sweetpea (so named because of its hue 🤢), breaks down during the lengthy drive, forcing her to seek help in the closest town.

The town of Eloraton seems remarkably familiar right away, and it can't be a coincidence that it is named after the town in Elsy's beloved book series.

Eloraton is a fictional town. Elsy knows this place and the people who live here better than they know themselves; she has read every detail of their lives. She can't believe she is actually here!

However, the books' author, Rachel Flowers, died in a tragic car accident, and Eloraton has been stuck on the same incomplete page ever since, unable to move forward.

The only other person who appears to be aware of the town's fictional secret is grumpy Bookshop owner Anders. He is the one character Elsy cannot identify in the stories...who is he? And how will the town ever move forward?

This is a wonderfully whimsical read—a romance with a magical twist.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for a gifted eARC in exchange for my review

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

What a unique premise! With it's vivid description, the town that felt like home but didn't exist, captured my heart from the very first page.

On her way to a solo book retreat, Elsy's car breaks down and she comes across the fictional town of Eloraton - a town with residents she KNOWS as she is obsessed with a book series which is set there. All the residents are fictional; all their stories having being written by Rachel Flowers, the author who created them. Flowers was unable to complete the book series due to a fatal car accident. Because Flowers wasn't able to finish the series, the characters' lives and stories have become stagnant. It is Elsy who sets their stories in motion again. Being in Eloraton heals Elsy from a past relationship and sets her on a path of self-discovery.

Elsy is star struck by all the residents apart from 'minty eyes' Anders, the bookshop owner. He wasn't written into the books, so who was he?
Within a matter of days, Anders and Elsy become romantically involved. He seems to be the only other person to know that the town was fictional. This is where things got a bit strange for me. If they both knew that the town was fictional, why didn't Elsy question him more?

The fantasy part kind of messed with my head. I was half-expecting Elsy to be imagining all this was happening whilst being in a coma.

There was a definite lack of chemistry between Elsy and Minty Eyes. There seemed to be much more chemistry between Elsy and her best friend Pru, who Elsy seemed quite fixated by. A major letdown for me was towards the end when Elsy was about to leave Eloraton. Seriously, what was that?

In fairness, despite the loopholes, A Novel Love Story proved to be quite entertaining and created a longing for book lovers to be a part of their favourite stories.

I loved this book so much. It was a joy to read. My Brigadoon moment. The cover alone makes you want to pick it up.
Elsy was a joyous character in a sad place when she took her journey and found herself in Eloraton. I loved the characters especially Junie and the descriptions of the place made you want to go there.
Anders was the perfect leading man - attractive, strong, funny, bit grumpy need I go on. Also every bookshop needs a cat like Butters.
Pru was fun and a great friend. I also liked the ending.
If you are looking for a fun read that takes you into another world this is it and what a world.
Thanks Netgallery.

Ashley Poston is one of my favourite authors. So I was beyond thrilled to have kindly received an eARC for A Novel Love Story. The Dead Romantics and The Seven Year Slip are excellent novels, so this new book had a lot to live up to!

Nobody can do magical realism in romance quite like Ashley Poston. Ashley skilfully weaves the magic in this novel - our main character Elsy finds herself in the small town her favourite romance novels are set in. Nothing is quite as it seems. and here we meet our love interest, Anders. Elsys self discovery journey of love and acceptance, while healing the characters in the town, as she forms a budding romance with Anders had me hooked.

Highlighting the importance in the popularity of romance novels was extremely well done in this book. I love the characters, the settings, the themes and the whole thing tied up together perfectly.

I loved that we had a little call back to The Dead Romantics - I won't spoil it here but see if you catch it when you read it!

I would recommend every single one of Ashley's novels. A Novel Love Story is a breathtakingly beautiful jewel in the crown of her work.

Ashley Poston has single-handedly managed to convince me that magical realism does belong in the romance genre. I love how her mind works. Magical time travel apartment? of course. Book series mega fan ending up in the fictional town and influencing all of the characters? only logical follow up!

And the book lived up to the premise!! The characters were funny, and Eileen acted exactly how any romance obsessive would (and I loved her for it). The romantic chemistry between her and the MMC was delicious. And I loved the ending, 10/10.

Also, I think it is important to note the incredibly talented writing at play here. There was a clear distinction between the fictional in-book characters and the fictional to us characters, without making any of them feel 2d.

Thanks to HQ, Ashley Poston and NetGalley for the free e-arc. All opinions are my own etc.

3.5 stars
first of all, i’d like to say a HUGE thank you to hq (& netgalley) for not only giving me an e-arc of this but also sending the most beautiful parcel with a finished copy & extra goodies. i am so, so grateful!! 💙🥹

in this book, we follow eileen & anders. eileen finds herself in the town of eloraton.. the town of her favourite book series. there’s only one road in & one road out. the town never moves, it always rains in the early afternoon, the burgers at gail’s are always burnt, the inn is always under renovation. just like clockwork, the same thing happens everyday..

anders is the grumpy bookstore owner in eloraton. he is the only person in this town that knows the town is stuck, replaying the same day over & over again..

while this book still had that element of whimsical, magical moments, it felt different? i don’t think it was as romance heavy as i would have preferred! there is no one else to blame here but myself because i set my expectations so ridiculously high after reading and loving ashley’s other two books! (the seven year slip is one of my favourite books to ever exist!)🥺

i feel like the ending wrapped up too quick! this book focuses more on elsy’s personal growth rather than chemistry & her relationship with anders. not to mention the fact that elsy almost felt like a second choice at the end? wont say more on that but if you’ve read it, you’ll know what i mean :(

despite giving it 3.5 stars, ashley’s writing still feels like such a warm hug. her stories are always comforting & reassuring. she creates the most magical worlds in which i want to lose myself in. i will always read anything ashley writes! ✨