EARC Book Review: *Be Your Best Self* by Maxine Morrey**

Rating: 5/5 🌟

Maxine Morrey’s *Be Your Best Self* is an enchanting and heartwarming romantic tale that effortlessly combines humor, charm, and the magic of serendipity. This delightful story is a perfect escape into the quaint village life, where opposites attract and love finds its way in the most unexpected of circumstances.

The story follows Willow, who has moved back to her childhood village for a fresh start. Settled in her dream cottage with her adorable dog Spud, Willow embraces the tranquility and close-knit community of the countryside. However, her peaceful existence is soon disrupted by the arrival of her new neighbor, Henry Darcy, who is quickly dubbed "Doctor Dishy" by Willow’s best friend, Abby.

Willow and Henry are as different as night and day. Willow’s world is filled with nature, vibrant colors, and a touch of whimsy, while Henry, a brooding scientist, prefers minimalism and practicality. Their initial interactions are filled with tension and disagreement, setting the stage for a classic enemies-to-lovers dynamic.

Morrey’s writing is engaging and witty, capturing the essence of small-town life and the quirky characters that inhabit it. The chemistry between Willow and Henry is palpable, and their banter is both amusing and endearing. As they navigate their differences, the story delves into themes of acceptance, understanding, and the beauty of embracing someone’s unique qualities.

The subplot involving Willow’s quest for her perfect man adds an extra layer of intrigue to the narrative. When a new man arrives in the village, Willow wonders if fate has finally answered her call. This twist keeps readers guessing and adds an element of suspense to the romantic storyline. Morrey skillfully balances humor and heartfelt moments, making the journey to discovering true love both entertaining and touching.

One of the strengths of *Be Your Best Self* is its rich character development. Willow is a relatable and lovable protagonist, whose journey of self-discovery and acceptance is both inspiring and heartwarming. Henry, with his initially gruff exterior, reveals layers of depth and vulnerability that make him an equally compelling character. Their growth as individuals and as a couple is beautifully portrayed, making their eventual union all the more satisfying.

The idyllic village setting adds to the charm of the story. Morrey’s vivid descriptions of the countryside, the cozy cottages, and the vibrant community events create a picturesque backdrop that enhances the romantic atmosphere. The secondary characters, including Willow’s supportive best friend Abby and the lovable dog Spud, add warmth and humor to the narrative.

The conclusion of the story is both satisfying and heartwarming. Willow’s realization about what truly matters in love and life is a beautiful culmination of her journey. The resolution of her relationship with Henry is handled with authenticity and tenderness, leaving readers with a sense of joy and fulfillment.

Overall, *Be Your Best Self* is a delightful and uplifting read that will leave you smiling long after you’ve turned the last page. Maxine Morrey has crafted a story that is as charming as it is insightful, with characters that feel real and a romance that’s both sweet and compelling. Highly recommended for fans of romantic comedies and heartwarming love stories.


#BeYourBestSelf #MaxineMorrey #NetGalley #BookReview #RomanticComedy #MustRead

A cute small town, when opposites attract romance.

Willows life is going well the only downfall is her love life is not, So she she decides to manifest into the universe the perfect man instead she receives a new neighbour broody doctor Henry Darcy and he is NOT the man she was hoping for,
This book includes
- small town
- opposites attract
- enemies to lovers
- Grumpy x sunshine

This story was beautifully told, it had likeable characters with wonderful character development. The MMC was a secret softy and every interaction the main characters had was filled with chemistry, the story had me invested and rooting for them to be together the whole time. The book wonderfully portrayed how you can be in a relationship with someone that is your polar opposite and even with complete difference of opinion still respect and be open to that person.
Plus spud was the best doggo

I love Maxine Morrey's books and look forward to seeing what else she will bring to us in the future.

This was an absolutely adorable story of two neighbours who, after one moves in and starts to rip all the plant life out, fall out, but have to learn to be friends who live side by side, even though they are complete opposites. You’re in for a laugh a minute as these two have to go from not speaking at all to making conversation!!! Hilarious!!
The dashing Dr Darcy is a bit of a cold fish and very restrained, not seeming to allow any emotions through . He has moved from the city to this quiet country town. He then proceeds to rip out all the plants and trees in the garden, which is what next door neighbour Willow is met with after arriving home from a dog walk. Her memories are being ripped out by a digger! She’s horrified!!
Many thanks to Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this arc copy via Netgalley. My opinion is my own.
#Netgalley, #TheBoldBookClub, #Scribbler_Maxi.

Stunning book I absolutely loved it, once I started it I just couldn’t stop reading it was just so good. It’s a very heartwarming book and it just shows that you never know when you will find the one he might be next door all the time.

I would highly recommend reading this book if you are a romantic at heart and love when the right person finds the one.

I would like to thank Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book early.

Willow, deeply connected to nature, lives a peaceful life in her cottage with her dog Spud, nurturing a stunning garden and running a charming business repairing toys. Her new neighbor, Dr. Henry Darcy, is a meticulous and introverted doctor seeking tranquility. Their contrasting personalities lead to humorous misunderstandings, especially as Henry's noisy renovations and decision to install fake grass clash with Willow's values. Despite initial friction, a series of endearing encounters and the arrival of Dr. Wise at Henry's clinic create a dynamic that helps Willow and Henry appreciate each other's unique qualities. They ultimately form a sweet bond, finding love and friendship in unexpected places.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for an ARC of Be Your Best Self by Mazine Morrey

I listened to another one of Maxine Morrey's books earlier this year and enjoyed it but this book was better!

Willow and Henry were absolutely perfect and the plot line made me feel so cozy! This was such a good summer read and the fact Willow has a dog called Spud just made it even better.

Loved this one! Great and fun read. Highly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for my ARC.

Be Your Best Self is a fun and entertaining read with well developed characters and the cutest dog called Spud who was the real heartthrob for me!
I loved Willow's whimsical and earthy nature, her love of her garden & home was a real attention grabber for me. I'm not sure enough of her Green Witch practices were shown but for me I love alternative main characters. Henry was written as I'd expected for a Darcy-esque character and so frustrating and withdrawn at times, but inevitably that crack in the armour (& not being a dog person!) thankfully softened him and I appreciated getting to see that development.
I am hoping there's a chance of getting to see these characters again in further books as I really liked some of the side characters like Ed & Abby.

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

This was a great book. Reading it was a lot of fun!

This was a fun romance from Maxine Morrey. It’s a bit of a Pride and Prejudice in modern-day Devon. In case you needed a clue, the MMC is Dr. Henry Darcy. He moves in next door to Willow who is quite the opposite to him. She believes the universe manifests situations for people, but somehow it messed up and, instead of sending her The One, it sent her the grumpy doctor who doesn’t even like dogs. He’s a cold minimalist who has an astroturf lawn while she has a beautiful and bountiful garden. He’s a surgeon and she runs a teddy bear hospital repairing much beloved stuffed animals. I hadn’t thought that was actually a job, but I googled it and, apparently, that’s a thing.

They get off to a bad start and she thinks he’s looking down on her and her “woo-woo” beliefs. There’s even a Wickham character.

It’s a very enjoyable, quick read. And her little dog was adorable. I wish she had told us the breed he was or had a picture of him on the book cover.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Maxine is such a talent, love her stories, this is engaging, fun and well written, I absolutely recommend this feel good novel.

Willow lives her dream life in her cottage in a small town with her little dog, Spud, after having lived for too long in London and growing tired of the rat race.
Enters Dr. Darcy, who buys the cottage next door and needless to say, the don't get along. The renovation works are too noisy and worst of all, he decides to put fake grass on the garden, while Willow takes pride in her garden, that she tends to persnoally and lovingly.

As many Pride and Prejudice's rewriting this one was bit boring at first, but I really enjoyed it when the charachter who's supposed to act as Whickam, Dr. Wise, joins the clinic where Darcy works. This adds a much waited and needed clash between Willow and Henry Darcy, who had got along untile then, without going much further though.

There's nothing bad but nothing outstanding as well in the novel. If you like small town closed romance novel this is for you, and it comes out on July 16th!

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest review.

Fluffy romance that I had to skim read to finish due to its lack of substance. I won't be reading this author's books again. Some readers will love this book, however it simply wasn't for me.

Enjoyable, chaste romance between neighbors who both moved from London to small-town living to start new lives. I wouldn’t say this is enemies to lovers per se. More strangers who get off on the wrong foot and are complete opposites to lovers. If you’ve read Maxine Morrey before, this story is no departure from her usual books. A nice, light, summer read.

Thank you Boldwood Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

3.75/5

Be Your Best Self takes us along the journey of Willow, a newly divorced woman who is learning the power of manifestation. After moving back to her hometown from London, she discovers that she enjoys the simple things in life: being in nature, growing her own teas, and making tinctures. Everything seems calm, cool, and collected—until she gets a new neighbor, Dr. Henry Darcy.

Dr. Darcy is nothing like Willow. He is used to his sterile environment, which is reflected in the way he is renovating his home. Willow starts butting heads with Henry from the very beginning, leading her to question whether her manifestation skills need a little more fine-tuning.

This book had so many moments that made me laugh and swoon. Their banter was funny, and I loved seeing how everything unfolded. It touched on work-life balance and the importance of self-care in such a subtle but significant way. It was super cute!

Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC. This was a nice easy read that is set in a small town where romance blossoms. It didn't give me the wow factor however it was still such a lovely, easy and enjoyable read.

Thank you Boldwood Books and Net Galley for the ARC of Be Your Best Self by Maxine Morrey.
The story follows Willow, a woman who is content with her quiet life in a rural England town with her dog Spud, her plants, and her teddy bear patients. Life gets exponentially louder and more frustrating when she gets a new neighbor, Dr. Henry Darcy, whom she butts heads with immediately. As the two get to know each other, however, it’s clear that the first impressions they had of one another may have to be re-evaluated.

Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite novels, so I love to read books that are even loosely based on the premise. This one, unfortunately, fell a little flat to me. I did appreciate Willow’s ability to speak her mind to Henry, but her character’s maturity level felt inconsistent at times. Also, when she and Henry finally get together, the novel has them kiss and then jump weeks ahead in time, so we miss the sweet interactions that come with a new relationship. I understand that the plot needed to advance, but I was not a fan of the progression. I also thought that the end with Wise (think a Wickham character) was unbelievable.
There were parts of the book I enjoyed, but overall, it was not my cup of tea.

Sinopsis:

Willow le pide al universo que la encuentre, pero ¿lo reconocerá cuando aparezca?
Cuando Willow regresó al pueblo en el que creció para comenzar de nuevo, ella también estaba lista para una nueva forma de vida. Ahora felizmente instalada en la cabaña de sus sueños con su amado perro Spud, disfruta de la paz y el sentido de la vida comunitaria en el campo.

Eso es hasta que su nuevo vecino rompe su tranquilidad. Seguro que el inquietante Henry Darcy, o el Doctor Dishy, ​​como lo llama Abby, la mejor amiga de Willow, puede ser agradable a la vista, pero los nuevos vecinos no tardan mucho en descubrir que no están de acuerdo en nada.

Donde Henry hace ciencia, Willow hace naturaleza. Mientras Henry hace minimalismo, Willow hace multicolor. Cuando Willow le pidió al universo que manifestara a su hombre perfecto, o no fue lo suficientemente específica o Henry no lo fue.

Pero cuando Willow lo intenta de nuevo y un nuevo hombre llega a la aldea, el destino acertó esta vez y le entregó al indicado, o necesita mirar más cerca de casa...










Willow es bruja, trabaja en el hospital de ositos, o sea arregla peluches, se pelea con el nuevo residente del pueblo quien resulta ser su nuevo vecino. Una lastima que no se tratara mas el tema de la magía porque me quedo la duda si se le llama así a tener mano para las plantas o de verdad había magia.

Henry es el nuevo doctor, algo le pasó porque siempre esta triste y enojado. No quiere saber nada sobre amor y cuando ve que Willow se le esta metiendo en su corazón hace algo grosero para alejarla.


Me gustó que se fueron conociendo y no entraron de inmediato con el romance. Algo innecesario hacer tan grande el problemas el la ultima parte.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another book where the dog was the star of the show for me. And I loved the bits of the main character being such a good dog owner cause I too love my little dog. It also sounded like a cute little cottage with a perfect garden that I liked imagining.
However; I couldn’t stand the two characters talking to each other. It felt repetitive and dramatic 😅

📚 PRE-PUBLICATION BOOK REVIEW 📚

Be Your Best Self
By Maxine Morrey
Publication Date: July 16, 2024
Publisher: Boldwood Books

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
(Rounded up to 5⭐)

📚MY REVIEW:

No need to scroll up and be sure you're in the right place... Yes, this is still my account. Yes, this is the second rom-com I've read in less than a month. And yes, I'm surprised by this turn of events too. 😂❤️😂

Honestly, rom-coms just make me feel good. I smile. I laugh. I feel life's stresses melt away as I get pulled into an often cheesy and predictable love story. They are the perfect palate cleansers for all the thrillers that terrify me.

I was drawn to Morrey's latest book because it's advertised as an uplifting rom-com. I'm happy to tell you -- the book was exactly as advertised!

I loved this book's female MC, Willow, whose somewhat jaded ideas and beliefs about finding Mr. Right are lovably endearing. This book features everything you want in a rom-com: the MC's return to her small hometown in England after a failed marriage; a super supportive best friend and her husband, madly in love for 15 years, whose romance is the envy of our MC; a hot new doctor in town who just so happens to move into the house next door to our MC; and plenty of "no way" & "not on my life" attitudes from our MC and hot new neighbor doc about their fated romance.

As it is with pretty much every rom-com (well, in the two I've read recently), you know how this one is going to turn out before you even finish the first chapter. But do we care? No. No we don't. The fun is in all the pages leading up to our anticipated ending... And this one definitely brought the fun!

Be Your Best Self kept my interest, made me laugh, and was a really fun & fast read. Today was a perfect sunny summer afternoon for sipping a Paloma on the patio, and this was the perfect read for that sunny summer afternoon! A huge thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

#BeYourBestSelf #MaxineMorrey #NetGalley #ARC #BoldwoodVIPs #bookreviews #bookrecommendations #romcomreads #romcoms #bookcommunity