The story of Leigh and Killian who meet in her dreams and then he appears in real life - is he real or a figment of her imagination? An unexpected plot and a fun read.

I really enjoyed the story even if the way Killian came to appear in Leighton's life from a book was never explained. One night she's dreaming about him and the next minute she wakes up in bed with Killian next to her, both naked and wet after reading a magical book that appears from nowhere! I feel like this could have been explained a little better, or at least more time spent trying to figure out how it happened.

As she helps him adjust from being the cowboy billionaire MC in her cowboy romance to real life in Chicago, the two form a bond that really can't be broken. Even when Leigh refuses to let herself believe that what they have is real and Killian leaves for a night at a hotel to give her some space to think about what she wants. Of course, Leigh tried to spin it into something else, that he was leaving her just like every other man she'd dated but he makes it perfectly clear that he's only giving her space, he's not walking away from her.

Leigh finally realises that she loves him and that she's willing to see where it takes her, even if he's not real, she's willing to risk him disappearing again. Killian is the perfect book boyfriend, he's attentive, he listens, he remembers things about her and he supports her 100%.

I did not like the nickname "Spoon" though. I get that it's part of her last name - Witherspoon (which isn't really explained before the nickname comes about) but I found it cringy. Sugar, though, that was a great nickname from a cowboy and one I can definitely get on board with!

Thanks to NetGalley & Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun book. I really enjoyed reading it!

In this fun twist on the modern romance novel, computer science major Leighton swears off dating after being ghosted again, instead finding romantic refuge in romance novels and her TBR. One book in particular captures her imagination and transports her to Lakeville Hills where billionaire cowboy Killian St. Clair lives rent-free in Leighton’s imagination. The ultimate escapist novel, Leigh finds comfort and refuge in the pages in this novel until Killian St. Clair literally appears in her apartment, backstory, smolder and all. Helping a romance novel’s leading man navigate the twenty-first century was definitely not on her no-dating-only-novels list, especially since Leigh is running the risk of falling in love with her real life book boyfriend. With its unique premise and wonderfully tropey ways, fans of the romance genre will love this book and sympathize with -- or perhaps envy -- Leigh’s dilemma. Leigh is a realistic heroine with real world problems that most readers can resonate with, while Killian is literally pulled from a book in all the best and worst ways, and watching him navigate real life is just hilarious at times and cringey (in a good way) at others. A clever, charming, escapist romance novel, readers are sure to enjoy Isley’s latest novel.

I had some issues with the voice of the book and the banter between the MCs didn't quite work for me. I may have pushed through but I really can't see myself rooting for an MC who's working on developing an AI program for writing. I DNFd pretty early in so maybe that resolves okay but I just completely checked out once that was revealed.

thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for giving me this read! thoughts and opinions are honestly my own.

have you ever dreamed of a book boyfriend coming to life? if so, this book is for you!
it's a interesting book with interesting characters.
it was definitely different than what i'm used to but it was a cool spin. overall, it was a good book.
📖🐎🍹👗💪🏻

This was a light-hearted, funny, cute romance where you have to suspend your disbelief and just enjoy it! The story is told from Leigh's POV, a lonely woman who escapes into books (so easy to relate to) and finds herself dreaming of the sexy cowboy, billionaire from a mysterious book she found. Eventually he leaps from the page into her apartment, I feel like this could've been fleshed out a bit better but it was a fun concept and I enjoyed it! Killian was a hunk and I loved him, I wish there had been a bit more angst from him about dropping in our world and found he adjusted to everything too quick but he was so obsessed with Leigh that it made up for it.

I love Camilla's books!

This one was fun.

It was cute, had a 'cinnamon roll', good characters.
It was a little slow with the story though.
So much so, I put it down several times.

The last 25% was great! 🫶🏼

Will always be a Camilla fan.

I am very sorry, but the writing wasn’t for me at all 😣

Since I dnf’d the book at chapter 5, I was planning on not letting any star ratings but apparently it’s impossible on here.

I asked for this book mostly because the blurb made this story sounds funny and entertaining, but … I wasn’t entertained.

I love a Camilla Isley read, but when I read the synopsis for It started with a book, I was so excited, I was like little kid jumping on the spot saying me, me, me over here that’s for me !! I mean straight away the name Killian for our fictional book boyfriend was a winner for me (Hook in Once Upon a time may have jumped into my mind)

It’s also full of some of my favourite enemies-to-lovers, one bed, forced proximity and my favourite touch her and die vibes. If that wasn’t all I just couldn’t help but love the Rom in this, Killian is just the perfect book boyfriend and everything he does for Leighton, well you have to read for yourself, but just ‘sigh’.

The only criticism is I would have liked a bit more tension, because the only real tension or drama is when he isn’t real, there are a few minor things such as lies, but it’s all resolved fairly quickly, but as I say that’s my only criticism as I loved this so much. I’m now scouring the country for my own magical book.

If you’re looking for something different, something romantic, magical, a clean romance, the best book boyfriend ever and so much fun, then you need to read It started with a book.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A sweet book with enjoyable characters that poke fun at many of the romance novel tropes but ultimately fails to satisfy as too many unanswered questions and not enough character building. Enjoyable but not amazing. Possibly squeaks a 3.5, but two strong MCs was not quite enough to push this book to a 4* recommendation

Is this book cute? Yes. Is it steamy? Absolutely! Does it make sense? Nope!

The book boyfriend come to life idea is cute but strange.

Otherwise, a really enjoyable book with great chemistry.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Net Galley for the eARC!

Having a book within a book was a little annoying to me. It was just a little difficult to get behind the story and I didn’t connect with the characters as much as I would’ve liked. I did laugh quite a bit throughout the story so far that I have to give credit.

Favorite Quotes:

Any respectable romance heroine has to be a hot mess for her grand meet-cute. Maybe that’s where I’m going wrong. I should’ve come here un-showered and wearing granny underwear. Nice clothes equal no Mr. Right.

“What’s a cinnamon roll hero?” “A golden retriever kind of sweet guy in a romance novel. Ideally, he’d be a veterinarian, a middle-grade teacher, or a single dad. The cinnamon roll is goofily hot, possibly even a hot nerd. He has some heartbreak in his past but has never stopped being open to love. And he’s spectacular in bed, of course.”

Spotty looks as threatening as an overcooked noodle.

And I know we all love it when men growl possessively in romance novels, but trust me, in real life, it’s beyond ridiculous. “Stop it,” I tell him firmly. “You sound like a lawnmower with indigestion.”

I’m sure an ECG would show a severe case of arrhythmia because that poor organ is hammering against my ribs like it’s trying to break free.


My Review:


I have to give proper kudos to an author who can cleverly make fun of overworked romance tropes while deftly employing every single one of them. I fell into this one head first and didn’t want to come back out. Camilla Isley has honed and perfected her craft so well, her unique arrangements of words produced a smooth scrolling of sharp visuals across my gray matter as I perused her latest missive. I adore her wit and covet her skills.

DNF at 16%

*I don’t have star ratings for DNFs but for the Netgalley feedback (which is needed) I’ll be putting 1 star*

I love the premise and the idea of having a fictional book boyfriend come to life. Not only is it something we, romance readers, do wishful thinking of, I think it will be of great potential as a plot device especially in a magical realism romance. That was what prompted me to try this book out.

From the start though, I was already struggling to connect with the writing. I feel like I was in too much in the character's head without seeing how the story is moving forward. There's a lot of rambling, almost like a really long diary journal, and it feels like an opposite of a "show don't tell" because the writing feels like it's describing and telling way too much instead of relying on the reader's instinct and intelligence to follow along. There is a lack of setting and placement of where we are, where the character is at, and how the story is moving.

I did like the scene where we first see the character interact with the fictional book boyfriend in her dream. There was banter and the writing with it feels like an active story that is moving, so I had hopes there.

However, when it would go back to the present day, the same kind of monologue would creep up and there's way too many unnecessary information. I started picking up how much the character's voice is bitter and pessimistic. Don't get me wrong, I love to read a troubled character but in here the negative commentary feels a lot like a "woe is me" and "I'm better than everyone" voice and I personally can't connect with it.

Also, the AI project, yikes. I know I didn't see through it until the end but still, it brought questions and warning bells in my head.

The same cycle went on and on until 16% in the book when I realized I couldn't connect to the story. As much as I want to love and enjoy it, it unfortunately is not for me.

It was very hard to get into the story, I felt like I kept reading the same things over and over.. and it did sort seem a little to far fetched. I mean it was funny in certain parts but the repetition drove me crazy

3.5 stars

Leave your reality at the door with this one as a book boyfriend mysteriously comes to life out of the pages of a book.
Funny how two romance novels I've read recently both had a trope with fictional realities (the other was her stumbling into a fictional town of a series she loves) - this one is the better of the two.

Whilst he is a book boyfriend he has to adjust to actually doing things in this life, starting at the bottom career wise, working out to maintain his body etc. It was quite cute but kinda surface level but how deep can you really get with someone who doesn't really exist?

I'm not sure how keen I am on the new trend of weaving slight bits of otherworldliness into what is pretty much a chick lit romance. I get kind of frustrated in that there is never any explanation for the other-worldliness comes up in the stories - you are just meant to roll with it. And I find it a bit strange to find these books straddling the lines of two worlds - I still much prefer either pure chicklit based loosely on reality or pure paranormal.

This was such a unique premise and such a fun read! I love Isley's books and this one was no exception. It was just what I hoped for going in. Loved it!

Trigger Warnings
This book contains:
• Misogyny in the education system.
Characters
Leigh is completing her Masters in Computer Science, specifically, natural language processing in AI she’s also attempting to have a love life while running a Book-Tok where she reviews books. Through it all, she feels like she’s being beaten down by men – in the sense of being ghosted by dates and having to deal with a horribly misogynistic supervisor.
Killian we quickly learn begins life as a character in a cowboy themed romance novel that Leigh finds. He’s rich, talented, good looking and loves Leigh. At least, he is while he’s just a character in a book.
Storyline
Leigh finds a new novel when she finds herself unexpectedly stuck at home on a Friday night, and meeting the handsome, but irritating Killian St Clair. While Leigh falls in love with the character Killian, she’s getting more and more frustrated with her love life and lack of dazzling sparks.
Overall Thoughts
Camilla Isley is one of the authors I automatically ask to join tours for because I always enjoy her books (I have a bunch of them to catch up on with you this yr because I missed out on tour spots!). As a Contemporary Romance with a dash of Rom Com master, I know I’ll enjoy myself while getting a great dose of romance in my reading. So I generally don’t read the blurbs and jump into the books blind.
Which left me very confused for a while with this one!
I could tell that Killian was meant to be the main love interest, but he’s a book character. Which meant, for there to be any chance of a happily ever after, we’d need a touch of Sci Fi to bring him to life. Which isn’t something I’ve read from Camilla before.
In the end, I feel like the Sci FI element was an added layer of complexity to the book that meant Camilla’s lack of experience in this area does show through. More so in that there were elements that I feel are normally well done in other books that didn’t quite hit the mark with this one.
Since Camilla’s books all sit around 300 pages long, when you’re adding in a complex element that’s known for needing more time to properly set up. You’ve gotta be smart about how you use your words, what you introduce vs not. There were large sections in this that could have been shortened and written more succinctly to give Camilla the space she needed to nail the regular romance elements she normally does quite well.
I still absolutely loved it!
I just wish the balance between Camilla’s normal skill and experimenting with a new genre element could have been done better. Maybe even having an editor that’s done Sci Fi books before could have helped with those elements I think could have been done better.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Camila Isley for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

I really wanted to love this! The description was amazing! And I did genuinely enjoy the beginning however, I enjoyed when Leighton was dreaming about the book as opposed to Killian coming into her world.

At times it felt repetitive and it was difficult to get invested in their story.

Regardless, there were still some funny moments I enjoyed