Leighton has had it with dating after being ghosted one too many times. One night, she stumbles upon a second-hand book that whisks her away to the charming small town of Lakeville Hills, where she dreams of billionaire cowboy Killian St Clair.

Leigh finds comfort in her nightly escapes to Lakeville Hills, making her real troubles more bearable. But one morning, she wakes up to find Killian in her apartment. Now, she must help him to blend into reality and also try to protect herself from falling for her book boyfriend that came to life.

Camilla Isley's stories are adorable, heartwarming romances that really tug at your emotions. I devoured this book in a single day and loved every moment. Killian is the perfect book boyfriend brought to life, and his transition from a fictional character to a real person is fascinating. Leighton, a determined grad student who can't seem to find the right guy and is surrounded by couples, often finds their "couples wisdom" annoying. At first, it seemed repetitive, but then I realized it was a reflection of Leigh's own unhappiness, not a jab at relationships. By the end, her perspective shifts beautifully.

This is a charming, low-spice romance that's perfect for a summer beach read.

Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books.

Love love loved this! A super cute story. I love that it’s about a bookish girl who is now living out a literal dream. Because how many times have we drooled and dreamt of these book characters hoping they were real? Loved it!

I usually thoroughly enjoy Camilla Isley’s books, but I have very mixed feelings about this one. The idea of a book boyfriend magically brought back to our world is funny, but I just couldn’t love it. Leighton is pretty annoying as a character for a very long time, the duality of real life / dream-book goes on for too long at the beginning, and once Killian is in her life everything was just too easy. There were a few funny moments but they weren’t enough for me to enjoy it as much as Camilla’s other books.

If only. If only the hunky swoony man could be conjured into reality from the pages of a book! My house would be overcrowded If that was the case.
It’s a cute concept and I ran with it, drooling over Killian as Leighton dreams of him every night. I’ve been guilty of that many years ago, preferring my fantasy world instead of the reality of the world I was in.
I did get exasperated with Leighton because Killian was bending over backward to do everything she wanted and made her aware of his feelings—the perfect man- and all she can do is drag her feet and refuse to take the plunge. I may have actually yelled move over idiot while reading because I was so frustrated with her lack of action. I would have tackled Killian after the first day!
I wasn’t impressed with her research work in AI, that had to be my least favorite part of the book because I have a profound dislike of AI since in my real world I’m in academics and deal with the darker side of it.

I love the concept of this book so much! It's every reader's dream to have their book boyfriend come to life and this book explores that fictional possibility. I read this right after "The Love Algorithm" by the same author, and I'm kinda disappointed. The idea was brilliant and obviously hooked me. I've always loved Camilla's writing style and that's what got me through the story, but I don't think the plotting and detailing on the characters was deep enough on this. There characters feel so incomplete and add that to the fact that there's so many random scenes thrown everywhere, it makes no sense. There was repetition of the same sentiment which I got quickly tired of. I'd also appreciate an explanation to how the magical realism in the book came to be. Also, it's crazy how easily Killian faked his social security, especially after reading "Wish I Were Here".
PS: I think Killian not having all of his memories was a super cool idea.

what a fun read! i enjoyed the concept—it is something a fellow romance reader like me would resonate with. i mean who hasn’t read a romance book with a swoony hero and not fantasize about dating them? killian st. clair is the kind of hero i love. so much rizz.

even though the concept of this book is fairytale-like, i liked that the author didn’t shy away from depicting leighton’s inner struggle with the whole situation. her fear that he didn’t love the real her. her fear that he was gonna disappear at any moment. even i was scared that was going to happen! it felt like a realistic response.

overall, i loved the book and would def recommend it to my fellow romance readers with a book bf!

I have really enjoyed all of this author’s books, so I was immediately intrigued with the synopsis of this one! I mean, as a single woman who is pretty sure she is always going to be single, what could be better than the book boyfriend of my dreams popping out of the current book I’m reading or me being able to pop into the book to fill out the rest of the story?

So much of this was a single romance reader’s dream come true story. But what made this even more fun was when Killian actually showed up in Leigh’s world outside the book, in her bed even! Suddenly this billionaire enemies to lovers romantic interest from her book must figure out how to go about his new life in the real world. Figuring out if he was real, or if he was a figment of her imagination took some time to decide as well.

As much as I adored this story, and totally got the direction the author took it in the end, I did have a few things that didn’t quite work for me. For instance, the fact that Leigh’s work had to do with AI made me think maybe there was going to be some kind of connection to Killian coming out of the book. But there was not. And honestly, we never really got a reason for how he came out of the book, and my brain needed just a little bit more about that. What they did about the book later in the story, well, again, it was a bit anti-climactic for me.

Besides those things though, it was a fun read, and I did really enjoy this fun little foray into a world where a book boyfriend comes to life. Now I’m off to bed, hoping to dream about one of my own many favorite book boyfriends, even I don’t get them appearing in real life out of my dream when I wake up in the morning.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book. What romance reader hasn't fantasized about the male MC coming to life and sweeping her off her feet?
The banter was light-hearted and fun and I particularly liked how the author dealt with a character coming to life and the real-world applications like lack of an ID etc.
I think the female MC will appeal to a lot of readers. She is working in STEM, facing misogyny, and is the forever single in the group. It's certainly issues I have dealt with. Overall I think this book will appeal to readers who are looking for some light-hearted escapism.
I received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Some people are way too chill about identity theft let alone people appearing out of thin air. I feel like most people would not have the reaction of "okay, weird" then got on with their lives if the MMC in the book theyre reading appeared in their bed overnight

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Oh, how many times I have wished my book hero could jump out of the pages and be mine! 😍This book has combined that very idea with a bunch of my favorite tropes! It is a cute, enjoyable light read. Recommended for someone looking for a light romantic comedy. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC of this Novel.

For me the perfect man lies between the pages of a book. One that I can happily take to bed but also pick up and put down as I choose. They also don’t make a mess or hog the duvet.

I loved the premise of actually being transported to the book you are reading as you fall asleep. With cowboys being very on trend book boyfriend Killian St Clair was great on paper but how would that translate to real life when the tables are turned and he ends up in her real life. I have to say the coffee shop scene was pure perfection and put the com in the romcom.

Killian was believable for a fictional character but Leighton I struggled to connect with. The subplot of her misogynistic supervisor felt a little tacked on and I felt this book could have left the STEM behind and been better for it. Cowboy book yes, STEM book yes, Cowboys and STEM possibly not.

That being said, this book was still a really good read and the author remains one of my go to authors for romcoms. Her character banter is always sharp, the funny is guaranteed and I look forward to seeing where she goes next.

4.5stars.
My first Camilla Isley book and let me tell you I thoroughly enjoyed this one! I was instantly addicted and made me feel the feels.
For all you romance book lovers out there, if you like a touch of magical realism then this is definitely the book to read!
Do you ever find yourself swooning for the male lead in a romance novel? Ever wish you could pop into the book you're reading? Well that is exactly what happens to Leigh. She single and in a bad way. Everyone around her is happy coupled up and she can't get a guy to commit to her past the 3rd date! When she starts reading a mysterious romance book that seems to have just appeared on her bookshelf she find herself dreaming she is in the cowboy romance book. The male lead a 'beautiful bastard' named Killian. Full of romance tropes (on purpose) you will find enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, cinnamon rolls and something totally unexpected that will have you gasping and turning those pages.

Let me say for me the first 40% of the book was pure 5stars, I was literally addicted. The hot swooniness of Killian and the chemistry between then was unreal however I was a little disappointed by the lack of serious drama past real life mundane problems (although totally understandable) once the unnexpected thing happens. Although the banter was amazing and I loved the use of bookish language, it was just the lack of a real struggle, a real pining for which just dropped the ball slightly. Otherwise a fantastic read and I highly recommended it!

Thanks to Boldeorld books who provided me with a copy for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Release Date: July 5, 2024
Date Read and Reviewed: July 5, 2024
Ratings: 2.5⭐️

°

The beginning was really promising to me, and I did hope that it would be delivered. However, in general, the story ended up being superficial, shallow, and forced to me.

The storytelling or writing definitely needs improvement, in my opinion, as well as making the characters more in-depth and natural?

Although the chemistry was there, it didn't endeared the story to me because of the storytelling.

Overall, I was disappointed.

Thank you, BoldwoodBooks via Netgalley, for the e-arc opportunity.

Thanks boldwood books and Netgalley for the chance to review this ARC for Camilla Isley.
I loved the bookish theme to this story, all the talks of tropes and the absolute freak out over dog-eared pages, I loved the banter between killian and Leighton, I loved the pet names and the chemistry. I did however really struggle with the main theme of a fictional character coming to life, this is probably because there is absolutely no answers to how or why it happened. It took some real perseverance to get through this book. A hard book to review because I loved a lot, but was frustrated a lot.
This is a fade to black story with a good amount of anticipation and chemistry. There is some swearing. These thoughts are entirely my own.

**Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!**

2.5 stars rounded up!

This book had a lot of promise with the concept, and honestly, which romance reader hasn't once wondered what it would be like to have a book boyfriend come to life? It started off really strong but then it quickly lost momentum for me as it wasn't really explained how Killian came to life. No one really questioned it, especially not Killian, and everything seemed to get answered away or just brushed off. I wanted a more fantasy aspect to it in the sense that they at least tried to figure out what was going on, but that wasn't really there. I just had too many questions and I wasn't really invested in the romance. At some point I got really bored and just couldn't pick the book back up until I went through to skim it. If you are looking for a book that is more than just the swoony romance and want more of the "how" and "why" (like me), then maybeeee not for you.

I enjoy Camilla Isley's writing and this book was delightful. It's light, original, and fun! It Started with a Book depicts what happens when Leighton, a bookworm, falls asleep while reading a romance novel and finds herself in the book she is reading. Killian St Clair, the fictional hottie billionaire cowboy in the book she was reading when she fell asleep is there with her in Lakeville Hills.

This goes on for a time, Leighton being in her world during the day and going to sleep and finding herself in Lakeville Hills. But one morning she wakes up and Killian St. Clair is with her in her apartment....


This was a unique and cute book. I found the idea of being transported into a book to be a charming idea. Isn't that what all readers experience while reading to a degree? I enjoyed how Isley used several romance tropes in this book and that the story was light and charming.

We all get that moment where we wish a fictional man were real. But what happens when that character comes to life? Will it be everything we wanted it to be? This delightful light hearted and humorous enemies-to-lovers clean rom-com might be the thing for you! It also features magical realism and many beloved romance tropes (enemies-to-lovers, insta-love, slowburn, fake dating, forced proximity, only one bed, don't-touch-her). Fans of Ali Hazelwood and Tessa Bailey will enjoy this.

This was an excellent light read! It’s a unique concept and super adorable! I loved that there was a lot of witty banter and general humour from various films/books and pop culture references. Some of the vibes, particularly the Computer Science tech aspect, reminded me of Ali Hazelwood novels depicting the problems women in STEM face, which is always an important issue and I am glad it is once again being addressed in a book.

Indeed, I like that this book covers a lot of relatable things for someone in their early 20s. Having turned 25 myself recently, therefore around the same age as our protagonist, and both reads books and has a master’s degree in Computer Systems Development (a nerd and geek, exactly like her), and also now the single pringle in my friend groups, hates the dating apps, just want a good man to show himself – let’s just say, everything and I mean everything about this book was super relatable to me. This is the age when everyone is either dating or married or having children or you are single and sit by watching this, wishing and waiting it was your turn. That alone is deserving of a high rating because it was done very well.

There are so many things I like about this book. Camilla Isley uses the title of the book, at the beginning of Killian and Leighton’s meet-cute story. The romance is lovely! It is sweet how many things Killian does for Leighton, from making meals for her to buying her outfits to defending her in front of her advisor to teaching her things. The cover is really cute!

In terms of the plot and story itself, I loved the idea but some of it was executed poorly. A lot of the issues are from this story’s lack of depth and description. I felt Leighton's storyline with her parents was left incomplete as she never visits them again, Some may find it difficult to actually get into this story as it was slow-going at the start. Killian is very accepting of the sudden turn of events leaving him stuck in the real world. I think what would have made a better concept would have been if he had struggled to adapt more, and had homesick vibes.

It Started with a Book by Camilla Isley

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

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, which transports her to the small-town of Lakeville Hills, where the heroines wear shorty-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 smouldering 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 the impossible sexy and entirely implausible Killian St Clair is in her apartment.

Now Leigh must help Killian navigate the real world. But as she gets to know the man behind the trope, can she keep her heart safe, or does she risk falling in love with her book boyfriend in real life?

My Opinion

What reader doesn't sometimes imagine that they have a book boyfriend? In Leighton's case her book boyfriend actually materialises. This was a great concept and it was such an enjoyable read. A book about a book, this is going to make for a great book club book. I have read quite a few books by Camilla Isley as I feel the need to keep coming back for more, and this book certainly lived up to my expectations.

Rating 4/5

In her latest romantic comedy, "It Started with a Book" by Camilla Isley is a delightful escape into the whimsical world of Lakeville Hills. It’s here that the lines between fiction and reality blur in the most enchanting way. Isley has crafted a story that is both enchanting and relatable, with characters readers will fall in love with. Whether you're a fan of romance novels or just looking for a feel-good read, this book is sure to delight.

Meet Leighton. She’s a woman who has had her fill of disappointing dates and decides to swear off dating altogether after being ghosted by yet another Tinder match. Instead, she finds solace in her beloved romance novels, where the heroes are perfect and the endings are always happy. One night, she picks up a second-hand book that transports her to the small town of Lakeville Hills, a place where the heroines are bold and the men are ruggedly handsome.

As Leighton drifts off to sleep, she dreams of Killian St Clair, a billionaire cowboy who seems too good to be true. But when she wakes up, she finds that Killian has somehow crossed over from the pages of her book into her real life. Now, Leighton must help Killian navigate the real world while trying to keep her heart safe from falling for a man who is literally too good to be true.

Leighton is a relatable and endearing protagonist. Her frustrations with modern dating and her love for romance novels make her a character that many readers will see themselves in. Her journey from a disillusioned single woman to someone who finds love in the most unexpected place is both heartwarming and inspiring.

Killian St Clair is the epitome of a book boyfriend. He is charming, handsome, and has a heart of gold. His struggles to adapt to the real world add a layer of humour to the story, and his growing feelings for Leighton make for a compelling romance. The chemistry between Leighton and Killian is palpable, and their interactions are filled with witty banter and tender moments.

The supporting characters in Lakeville Hills add depth to the story. From Leighton's friends who are navigating their own romantic entanglements to the quirky residents of the town, each character brings something unique to the table. They help to create a vibrant and engaging world that readers will want to return to again and again.

"It Started with a Book" explores several themes that will resonate with readers. One of the central themes is the idea of finding love in unexpected places. Leighton had given up on finding love in the real world, only to discover it in the most fantastical way. This theme is a reminder that love can come when we least expect it and that sometimes, we need to open our hearts to the possibilities around us.

Another theme is the power of books and storytelling. Leighton's love for romance novels is what ultimately leads her to Killian, and the story highlights how books can provide comfort, escape, and even inspiration. For anyone who has ever found solace in the pages of a book, this theme will be particularly meaningful.

The novel also touches on the idea of self-discovery and personal growth. Both Leighton and Killian go through significant transformations over the course of the story. Leighton learns to open her heart again and to believe in the possibility of love, while Killian discovers what it means to be truly human and to live in the real world. Their journeys are a testament to the idea that love can help us grow and become better versions of ourselves.

Isley's writing is engaging and full of charm. Her ability to blend humour, romance, and a touch of magic makes for a captivating read. The dialogue is witty and natural, and the descriptions of Lakeville Hills are so vivid that readers will feel as though they are walking the streets of the town themselves.

Isley's pacing is spot on, with just the right balance of romantic tension and plot development. The story moves along at a brisk pace, but never feels rushed. Each scene is carefully crafted to build the romance between Leighton and Killian, while also advancing the overall plot.

This is a five-star read that will leave readers with a smile on their face and a warm feeling in their heart. In a world where dating can often feel like a series of disappointments, "It Started with a Book" is a reminder that love can be found in the most unexpected places. It's a celebration of the power of books, the magic of storytelling, and the transformative power of love.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A great story . Leighton has no luck with the men she meets . When she starts reading a book about a billionaire cowboy she ends up dreaming about him every night . He is the alpha male and she falls for him . When suddenly Killian St Clair appears in her apartment alive . She is afraid he will vanish and she id holding back . Will she give them a chance to be happy together ?
I received this book from netgalley and the publicer as an ARC . Thank you . All thoughts and opinions are my own .