Honestly at this rate every time I see a Camilla Isley book is coming out I jut know I am going to love it. This premise was super fun- Leighton is having a BAD time dating and picks up a mysterious book and poof all of a sudden the Cowboy Billionaire MMC is in her bed one morning!! Every readers dream. Killian St Clair is every readers brooding, hot bastard- book boyfriend (wannabe cinnamon roll). I loved how the two main characters talked in book tropes, it felt dazzlingly appropriate given the setting and it was very fun to watch Killian acclimate to the real world while still chasing after Leigh. I didn't love the Booktok references, given the context of the story it made sense but I don't usually love when books reference tiktkok (it's too real for me lol). If you are looking for a slowburn rom-com, this one is perfect

A 4.5 star book for me! This book is for all you fellow maladaptive daydream girlies out there.

I haven't read a book with such a unique concept in a while. The idea of a fictional character coming to real life sounds like it could be very hit or miss and for me, it hit. The FMC is lacking in real life romance, so she turns to a cowboy millionaire book for some feels. She starts to dream as the main character, interacting with the MMC and feeling real feelings for him. Somehow, the MMC pops up in her "reality" and they begin to navigate how to help him fit into the "real world" and see if there is potential for a "real" relationship.

I definitely think that the magical realism in this book would have been hindered if there had been some sort of "catch" for having the MMC stay in the real world. I kept waiting for it but was pleasantly surprised. Given the nature of the FMC's work, I was worried that it would tie in to some kind of plot twist. Luckily, it didn't. It focused on the relationship and made for a very cute (albeit meta) love story.

and here i come with a bad review for a book that everyone else loved!
this was just not it for me. where to even begin?
first of all there are SO. MANY. PlOT. HOLES. like things that I just could not overlook because why was there this magical element that's just never mentioned, and nothing about this made sense at all.
reading it, there was virtually no growth in their relationship from the beginning to the end so it just felt like reading the longest epilogue ever.
killian has no depth as a character and is just ~hot~ and "emotionally mature" but that's it. like that's his whole character right there.
and then leighton was just meh.
also the grad school stuff was interesting but felt like it was just shoved in there? i wanted to see more of badass women in stem taking names and kicking butt :(
honestly what really did it for me was when killian fabricates this story about how they met and it was better than the actual plot. definitely would have dnfed this one if not for the review.
thank you to net galley and the publisher for the arc!

3.5/5

This book was slow to start but did get good.
I think the book missed out on some plot building about Killian
Overall, a cute read! I did like Camilla Isleys other books better than this one. The True Love series was amazing

✨Book Review: It Started With A Book by Camilla Isley✨

I was lucky enough to receive this book as an Arc reader through NetGalley. This book follows Leighton who swears she is off dating for life and is sick of “couples wisdom”. She is a fellow booktok girlie and knows all the tropes off by heart. Opting from dating apps to books, she comes across a second hand book on her shelf which seems to only have a few chapters which she continues in her dreams. Until one morning she wakes up to find the grumpy cowboy billionaire Killian St. Clair next to her in the real world. They now need to navigate life together and see if their connection is as good in the real world as in her dreams. I absolutely loved this story, the use of the book boyfriends, the tropes and mentioning of booktok/book girlies made me feel so seen. I loved how down bad he was for her in the real world. Honestly this book is just like a breath of fresh air, it’s so lighthearted and fun with the romance also. I would highly recommend getting your hands on this book once it releases on July the 5th 2024! 🔥🌶️🤠📖

This storyline was not for me. I read It Started with a Book to see if it was possibly a storyline I could get into (if that makes sense), and it just isnt (much like Regency romance). I am giving it 2 stars but not because it was poorly written. It just wasnt for me.

This book offers a refreshing and delightful take on romance, blending magic with modern dating struggles. The unique concept of a book boyfriend coming to life kept me hooked, and the characters were well-developed and engaging. While I wish there had been more backstory about the magical book and a deeper dive into Killian's perspective, the plot was compelling and the humor spot on. Overall, this is a charming and light read that leaves you smiling. Perfect for anyone looking for a fun escape. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This was a gripping read, I thought the characters were intriguing and I'm going to keep an eye out for more from this author.

When she’s ghosted by yet another Tinder match, Leighton swears off dating for life. Who needs apps and blind dates when she has the perfect-in-every-way (apart from being fictional) heroes of her beloved romance novels? That night, Leigh finds a second-hand book on her TBR pile that transports her to the small-town of Lakeville Hills, where the heroines wear short-shorts and the men drink bourbon.

And as Leigh drifts off to sleep, she dreams of billionaire cowboy Killian St Clair, who could win a gold medal for smoldering and bicep flexing. For a while, Leigh finds it easier to stomach misogynistic supervisors, newly coupled friends, and extravagant bridesmaid duties knowing she can return to Lakeville Hills each evening. Until one day she wakes up to find she’s brought a bit of Lakeville Hills back with her: the impossibly sexy and entirely implausible Killian St Clair is in her apartment.

Books, magic, and a magical book boyfriend coming to life! Count me in. This was such an original concept, and I loved it! I'm not sure I would have picked Killian if I were going to choose a man to pop out of a book, but this story worked so well. The characters complemented each other so well, the plot was very original (and well done), and I totally loved every minute of this one.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

Cute & light! Because the book is written using romance novel tropes, it includes the meet-cute story and all your favorite parts of romance books: the fake dating, the overly protective, smoldering hot cowboy, sharing a single bed, the nicknames, the forehead kiss, etc. etc. The book is adorable. It's a closed-door romance, but you will be smiling throughout much of it. I was provided with an ARC copy of this book on NetGalley.

Thank you, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest opinion.

Have you ever read a romance book and wished the mc would be real? Then this book is for you!

It Started with a Book was incredibly entertaining and the fmc's thoughts were hilarious. When I finished the book, my face hurt from smiling so much – no joke! I loved how light this book was, that it didn't take itself too seriously and read like a parody while still being a great romance.

With my rating, I'm torn between 4 and 4.5 stars because would've liked to know where the magic book came from. Additionally, I think a chapter of Killian's pov would've given him a little more depth.

Still, the story was truly unique and is perfect if you're in a reading slump!

I had so much fun reading this book: who hasn’t read a book and hoped for the main character to be real?! Multiple times I was laughing at loud at the inner thoughts of the fmc and I stayed up all night completely taken with the story. Such a fun take on a romance!

Leigh is a 24 year old grad student who has had enough of flaky tinder dates who only want one thing. Like a modern Bridget Jones, she is fed up with 'coupled humans' sharing their pearls of wisdom and trying to set her up. Finding an intriguing 'cowboy billionaire romance' in her TBR pile she delves in one Friday night she's stuck home alone. Falling asleep while reading, she becomes the book's protagonist in her dream and the story continues as Leigh sleeps. Leigh quickly becomes obsessed with early nights to continue her vivid dreams and encounters with beautiful bad boy Killian St. Clair - until the morning she wakes up and he's in bed beside her!
This was an enjoyable read, however I found that I was impatiently waiting for the moment Killian would enter the real world and wondering how he would cope. It's worth sticking through the slower opening chapters as 'real world' Killian is quite entertaining.
Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the review copy.

What would happen if your book boyfriend stepped right off the page into the real world?

It Started With a Book by Camilla Isley explores this enchanting premise in a fun, trope-filled romance with a side of all things BookTok. This delightful novel will resonate with all romance lovers and bookish social media influencers and enthusiasts.

I thoroughly enjoyed the blend of fun and magical realism that brought the story to life. It's a perfect book to curl up with for a cozy, entertaining read.

This was such a fun concept.

It Started with a Book by Camilla Isley follows Leighton, who after a slew of failed dates and relationships decides to give up on dating after a getting stood up by a Tinder date. That night she decides to immerse herself in her favourite pastime– reading. She picks up a romance novel that she thought was left behind by her previous roommate, and she ends up dreaming and she finds herself transported to the town of Lakeville Hills– the same fictional town as described in the romance novel that she fell asleep to. There she meets the dreamy billionaire cowboy Killian St Clair and they go on adventures together.

For a while, all is well for Leighton– she may have to deal with her demanding professors, nosy friends, and the financial burdens that come with being a graduate student, but she gets to come home at the end of the day and dream about her fictional cowboy boyfriend. Imagine her surprise, when it seems like she brought the sexy cowboy to life and he's standing inside her apartment.

Leighton must help him navigate modern life while grappling with her own true feelings for a man that looks (and acts) like he stepped out of a romance novel– literally.

This book was such fun read. The concept in itself is bizarre when you first look at it– a girl falling in love with a fictional man and then he's magically appeared in her apartment. But let's be honest– who hasn't dreamed about that happening at least once before?

During the first half of the book, I love that we almost get to read a story within the story whenever Leighton gets transported to Lakeville Hills. The chapters also go back and forth between Leighton's current reality and Leighton's adventures with the sexy cowboy. It was a quick read– I managed to read it in one sitting and it kinda left me wanting more.

The only reason why I bumped it down a star is because there are some questions that I still had– like where did the magically book come from (because I want one), and how did the magic element work. While I usually would not mind the bits of unexplained magic, for some reason this was a lingering question that kept popping up in the back of mind; hence, the bumped down rating.

Everything else about this book I really enjoyed– the characters, the romance, the low stakes plot, and everything in between.

If you want a quick light-hearted romance, that's bit extraordinary, then this book might be for you.

"Our love is so strong as to transcend time and space, that our souls were destined to find each other, no matter the impossibility of it."
"It doesn't matter what we are, Sugar. Our story, our rules."

In this romcom, Camilla Isley takes us through a world that us, bookworms, have imagined many times: a book boyfriend becoming a reality. Leigh (our FMC) is tired of a world of Tinder dates, blind dates set up by 'wise coupled friends', falling asleep one day hoping that the MMC of a book she is reading - Killian St Clair, a cowboy billionaire - is a real person.

The pages fly by, as we read about Leigh's life and her dreams, where she lives her romance with Killian, until the day that he materializes in the "real world", straight out from the pages of a book, and we read about our book boyfriend keeping up with how he adjusts to the real world and Leigh comes to terms with her feelings.

This book was a brilliant read, that deserves 5 stars. I will defnitely keep an eye out for more books by Camilla Isley.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you so much to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this arc. I was not disappointed and I must say wouldn't it be nice if all our book boyfriends became real?!? Killian was *swoons* the perfect book boyfriend and the fact that he became real was an added bonus. When is it my turn to be happy?!

First off, I loved Leigh as a character, and I felt an extra special connection to her as a fellow avid reader, book reviewer, and woman in computer science. I went into this book knowing that I'd have to suspend reality a little bit, but I really enjoyed the interesting experience of "book character comes to life." I liked the story within the story aspect and how it all became intertwined. This book hits on just about every romance trope you can imagine, but it doesn't feel cheesy at all because the characters are actively pointing it out and joking about it. I loved watching Killian and Leigh adapt to their crazy situation. The romance is definitely a slow burn, but I think the character development along the way validates it. It was great to see Leigh gain a sense of trust and the ability to speak up. This was just an overall enjoyable, quick read from an author who doesn't disappoint!

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the advance review copy of It Started with a Book! The opinions in my review are completely my own.

Unique, cute and fun! Don’t ask any questions because you won’t get answers but it’s a nice romance.

Oh, what would we all do if book boyfriends came to life? This was a fun and interesting read. Leighton finds a book in her apartment and decides to read it one night as an escape after her another lousy online dating experience. She's intrigued that the FMC has the same name as her and starts to get lost in the story. Literally. She soon realizes that the story is writing itself in her dreams. It's frightening, mysterious and exhilarating all at the same time. After realizing that she's falling for a fictional character (I mean, who hasn't??), she gets scared during one of "the chapters" and somehow manages to pull herself and Killian(her cinnamon roll, billionaire cowboy book boyfriend) back into the real world. It was interesting to read that adjustment. Although it's a little depressing to see a fictional character come into the real world and do better financially than the real people(😂). Overall, this was a fun and interesting read, but I wouldn't have minded a little more explanation about maybe how this happened, or what happens next or what happens with Oliver. Oliver was only in the story briefly, but he made enough of an impression to hold our interest.