My thanks for the advance reader's copy goes to NetGalley and Boldwood Books. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Romcom, Magical Realism, Book About Books
Spice Level: Fade to black
Language: A few bits of swearing and one f-bomb

For a book with fade to black scenes, IT STARTED WITH A BOOK sure has a lot of talk about sex and references to former lovers.

I thought this book was such a fun concept. The changes in Killian were pretty subtle at first as he moved from being in the book world to the real world. I actually thought he was a lot of fun even though alphas are not my normal thing. This book leans into the tropes and faces them square on, and this self-awareness added to the fun. I also liked Leighton and how she grew. She was a tad whiney for a bit . . . but I gave her a pass since she had so much on her plate with coming to grips with the new reality.

I really enjoyed this book.

Happy reading!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if your favorite romance hero suddenly appeared on your doorstep? Or how you might react if you woke up as the heroine of the latest romance novel you're reading?

As a romance genre enthusiast, I often find myself daydreaming about such scenarios. I've lost count of how many times I've fallen in love with fictional heroes or imagined myself in the shoes of a romance heroine, navigating their dramatic and heartwarming situations.

Camilla Isley captures this fantasy perfectly in her book "It Started with a Book." The story follows Leighton, whose dating life has been so unlucky that she can’t find a man to commit. Everything changes when she discovers a magic book that transports her to Lakeville Hills in her dreams, where she becomes the female lead and catches the eye of the dashing cowboy billionaire, Killian St. Clair.

As Leighton gets to know Killian, she finds herself genuinely falling for him, despite his existence only within the book's pages. That is until one day, she wakes up with Killian in her bed.

The premise of this book is a romance reader’s dream come true. It explores the whimsical idea of a romance hero coming to life and a heroine being pulled into the pages of a romance novel.

Leighton and Killian are both well-crafted characters. Leighton is a smart, independent woman struggling with the pressures of being the only single person in her circle of friends. She's also dealing with the financial strain of graduate school and the costs associated with attending numerous weddings. Many readers will find Leighton’s character relatable, especially the challenge of being surrounded by people who have found their partners while being on the receiving end of their well-meaning advice on love. The book also touches on the difficulties faced by women in male-dominated fields and the struggle to make ends meet.

Killian, on the other hand, is a refreshing constant. His unwavering love for Leighton, whether in the book or the real world, makes him the epitome of a perfect book boyfriend.

The book is filled with humorous moments, particularly the scenes involving Killian’s growling when he becomes overprotective of Leighton. I laughed out loud at Leighton's reactions, as it mirrored my own curiosity about how such growling would sound in reality.

One aspect I felt was missing was the conflict of Killian potentially returning to the book. Given that Killian is a fictional character and Leighton is from the real world, it seemed there should have been a challenge involving Killian being pulled back into the book, adding a magical twist to their love story. Instead, Killian remains permanently in the real world without any significant issues, which felt a bit too simple.

Despite this, "It Started with a Book" is an enjoyable read that kept me turning pages eagerly. The events the characters navigate are interesting and entertaining, even if they follow predictable romance tropes.

"It Started with a Book" will be available for purchase on July 5th. It’s another masterpiece by Camilla Isley that romance fans won't want to miss.

Thank you to Netgalley, Camilla Isley, and Boldwood Books for providing an early copy of "It Started with a Book" in exchange for an honest review.

"It Started With A Book" by Camilla Isley had such an original and promising concept, but the execution didn't quite hit the mark for me. Leigh's negativity towards men, relationships, and dating was really off-putting, making it tough to root for her to find love.

The magic element in the story was never fully addressed, which would have been fine, but even the characters' questions about it were brushed aside and forgotten. I loved how Killian started as the stereotypical book boyfriend, but once he entered the real world, I wanted to see him grow into a real person. Unfortunately, he remained a flat, walking trope.

For a book commenting on misogyny in the workplace, especially for women in academia, it was disappointing that every female character failed the Bechdel test.

My favorite part of the whole book was the story Killian created for their meet-cute. That is a book I would eat up!

3.5 stars 🌟

This was a really intriguing concept, and I wasn’t expecting it. I loved the idea of combining all the tropes into this unique reading experience. It was great getting to see the difference between ‘reality’ and ‘fiction’ and I loved how the FMC had her little booktok too.

Unfortunately, just a few things fell a little flat for me, I think we missed out on some character developments and the excitement sometimes dipped in and out.

Overall though, it was a cute and unique read and I loved what the author created for us booktok girlies with our many book boyfriends.

Sweet story answering the question what might happen if book boyfriends came to life.
Leighton is chronically single and sick of trawling through dating sites. After finding a strange book in her house she loses herself in realistic dreams about the story and it’s leading man Killian St Clair. Until the night she finds Killian in her house and she has to decide what is real.
This is a cute low stakes romance where the drama is minor and there are some sweet romantic moments.
For me I felt everything was just a little too easy and I would have liked some more hardship for Killian.
Loved seeing the romance hero behaviours in the “real” world and seeing some of them flunk.
A good feel good read.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for this opportunity. I voluntarily read and reviewed an early copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

This concept is SO unique and I adored every second! Seeing a romance novel come to life and tropes play out and get called out was so enjoyable. I had no idea where it was going to go and I felt like it all panned out exactly how I wanted it to! I also wanted to note that the author did really well steering clear of typical stereotypes and traps and that helped the book be even more fun to read! I really love reading this author and can’t wait to read everything she’s written!

Romance with a bit of magical realism thrown in? And your book crush coming to life? My hopes were high for this one.
It was an enjoyable read. But didn't meet my incredibly high expectations. The main female character Leighton irritated me a bit and I just didn't relate to her like I thought I would.
The pacing of the book seemed a little off. Numerous times it would skip ahead multiple weeks, and it just didn’t flow as well as I think it could have.
The idea was super cute, but I wasn't invested as I thought I would be based on the premise. Still worth checking out if you want a cute quick romance.
3.5 stars from me!
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion. This title releases July 5!

This was a fun romcom that attempted to tick all of the trope boxes between the two main characters in a very lighthearted manner. For me, this wasn’t my favourite by this author unfortunately. I couldn’t overly connect with either character and found the storyline was lacking something for me personally. But it was a fun read and an interesting take on romance novels!

4 ⭐️

Yet another stunning work from Camilla Isley!

This book follows Leighton, who quits dating after being ghosted yet again, turning to her romance novels for solace. One night, she discovers a magical book that transports her to Lakeville Hills, where she meets her dreamy book boyfriend, Killian St Clair. When Killian unexpectedly appears in her real life, Leigh must decide if she can handle loving a fictional character come to life.

One thing I love about reading Camilla Isley’s books is that I get so immersed in them that I I stop having thoughts of my own, it’s just the book playing in my head like a movie —her books feel like a hug to romance readers.

My only complaints are that I wish we saw more of the book where Killian came from and how it was his transition to the real world in a deeper way. I also felt like I needed more tension between them but the banter was amazing as always in this author’s books…

Camilla Isley has the perfect recipe for writing romcoms— if you’ve read and liked and enjoyed Lynn Painter and Ali Hazelwood’s books, I’m a 100% sure you’re gonna love Camilla Isley’s books as well 💌

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It Started with a Book by Camilla Isley will be coming out on July 5th.

This is already the second contemporary romance that I read within 48 hours about a romance book. It must be the newest trend and I didn't know it. Other than that, the characters are interesting, but throughout the novel I shared the same dread as the main character and I don't think I'm over it yet....

Questo é già il secondo contemporary romance che leggo nel giro di 48 ore e che parla di un libro d'amore. Deve essere il trend piú recente e io non lo sapevo. A parte questo i personaggi sono interessanti, ma per tutto il libro ho condiviso la stessa paura della protagonista e non credo mi sia ancora passata....

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

Das war eine herrlich leichte und unterhaltsame romantische Komödie. Der humorvolle Dialog hat mich durchweg zum Lachen gebracht, und Leighton als Hauptfigur, mit ihrer realistischen und leicht skeptischen Art, passt perfekt zur Geschichte. Es war toll zu erleben, wie sich ihre Beziehung zu Killian entwickelt hat, und die Handlung selbst war ebenso mitreißend. Ich kann dieses Buch nur wärmstens empfehlen!

It Started With a Book by Camilla Isley

It's a cute story of Leigh, a chronically single woman, tired of the dating scene. One night, she grabs a book off her TBR and then dreams about the main character, Killian. They feel so real. Until they are.

I enjoyed the concept of the book character coming to life. It was unique. The dialogue between the main characters was entertaining and amusing.

Thank you, Boldwood Books and Netgalley, for my advanced reader copy

If I am being totally honest, I did not really enjoy this book. I don't think this style of book/genre (however you want to say it) is for me. I am glad I read it though, as it is alway good to broaden your horizons!
I found the writing style easy to read, but I thought the dialogue between characters was cheesy, or maybe not authentic. I don't think anybody would talk to each other like that in real life. BUT, I also understand the book is quite simply a made-up story and is designed to give you an escape from real life. This book definitely embodied that and it was fun to think of what it'd be like if your book boyfriend/girlfriend/partner came to life.
I did enjoy the comparison towards the end of not having a book pre-destined about your relationships or life choices. It would be so neat if we could have one of those to see how things are supposed to go, but alas, we do not. I am glad that the characters had that discussion as well. Overall, my biggest gripe was just that the dialogue and interactions between characters felt a little cheesy.

I received this book in exchange for my honest opinions from NetGalley.

Leighton is the last single girl standing amongst her friends and family and is tired of the dating scene.  She picks up a battered, used romance book to distract her. The story spills over into her dreams where it continues to play out until one day she wakes up, and the billionaire cowboy in her book is real and in her apartment.

Thoughts 💭
I love anything, Camilla Isley.  She's an auto request author for me!  Her stories are cute, sweet, romances that tug at your heart strings.  I flew through this book in a day and have zero regrets.  Killian is an actual book boyfriend come to life, and I love his transition from story character to real life guy. Leighton is a tough woman in grad school who can't seem to find the right guy and is surrounded by couples.  She makes it very clear how annoying they all are with their "couples wisdom." It was starting to get a little repetitive until I realized it was just a reflection of how unhappy Leighton was, not a reflection on people in relationships. She definitely changed her tune by the end!  My only complaint is I wish we found out more about this magical book that brought Killian to life!  I would've loved to know where it came from. This is a simple romance low on the spice meter and the perfect beach read for the summer.

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

This was so disappointing. The book started off weird, the transition for finding a random book that came to life was just random. I understand what the author was trying to do with the misogyny in the workforce but it did not land at all (seemed so forced) and the whole “woe is me I’m single and everyone in pestering me to be in a relationship” was just so 2010s I couldn’t even deal. This one really wasn’t for me.

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.

This was a really fun read-- the premise is original and refreshing. I immediately gravitated to it. It reminds me of isekai manwha where the heroine is transported into a new world, except those tend to have the heroine reincarnated or inhabiting a new body, whereas in this book our heroine is safely still her and her new world is only in her dreams, where all her fantasies come true.

Until the man in said fantasies makes it into her real world.

I related tremendously to Leighton, she was such a wonderful heroine to follow and to root for her as well. I would have enjoyed more layers to Killian, nevertheless he's so fabulously swoony and I wholly enjoyed his interaction with Leighton, both in his world and in hers.

Overall, I had a good time reading through this one-- it was very much a comfort read; a story that saw the growth of courage, of love, and of endless possibilities.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this complimentary arc, I leave this honest review voluntarily.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if your fictional boyfriend suddenly appeared out of nowhere in the real world? If so, you should definitely read this book! From the moment I started reading it, I couldn't put it down!

Leighton is tired of living her everyday life. When she is ghosted by yet another Tinder match, Leighton swears she will never date again. She prefers losing herself in her fantasy world. One day she discovers a magical book that allows her to travel to Lakeville Hills, a little community. And she now visits there every evening. Until one day she wakes up and discovers that she unintentionally brought Killian back into her actual life.

Leigh is such a fantastic, grounded heroine. I identify a lot of common ground with her, including the bitter loneliness of being single in the face of your friends' marriages. Her cynicism, snark, and humor are all things I adore. I eagerly anticipated her next interaction with Killian.
And Killian is, well, the manifestation of every bookworm's dream. A gorgeous boyfriend who is also so very sweet. I simply adored him!

This was a great book about books that included all of the best tropes and clichés from romance. This was a short and delightful read from an author who never fails to impress! Highly recommended for all romance fans!

From the get go, I knew I was going to fall in love with the characters. Leighton is just your normal ordinary girl and I can see myself in her. And when the plot develops, it really brought me into the book strongly.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to fellow book-lovers, especially those fond of romance. "It Started with a Book" is a definite winner!

“It started with a book” is a declaration to all booklovers out there. It is a heart-warming romance for all romance novel readers that sometimes wish their bookboyfriend comes alive and would be there for them. This happens to Leighton who reads a cowboy-romance novel and fells in love with the main character Kilian St. Clair. Each night she dreams away and their love develops further. But then the man comes to real-life.
This novel is heart-warmingly written. It had great episodes that provoked laughter and I had fun reading it. The two protagonists are greatly characterised. I loved the way the author let them meet and how the story developed. Sometimes I had the impression that it is prolonged and that not much was happening. Otherwise, I was really enjoying my reading time.
The idea war clearly brilliantly and also well executed by the author. The writing style was well so that I could flip through the pages quickly. Both characters were enjoyable and also the side characters were cute.
I would recommend the novel to all book-lovers. Especially, for romance lovers this book is definitely a win!