Not Exactly a Small-Town Romance by JJ Knight is such a good friends to lovers celebrity romance story.
This book kept me entertained from beginning to the end.

Thank You NetGalley and Montlake for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I liked the premise and how it started too: A girl who has her future "foretold" and has to embark on a journey to find her love who turns out to be in a small town? Let's see, I liked it, but let's say I couldn't connect with the protagonist and her way of seeing everyone (very superficial), the protagonists had no chemistry at any point (in the few scenes they had together), the more I read everything became weird and more so with her search for her "happily ever after", it wasn't how I really expected and that saddens me because I was really looking forward to this book.

📌I received an e-arc through netgalley, and this is my honest opinion/review of it.

this is a fun road trip into the world of romance, blending heartfelt emotion with relatable fears and some of my personal favourite tropes. as a big fan of the coworkers/friends-to-lovers trope, this book was right up my alley.
this story revolves around Kelsey seeks her fortune at a fortuneteller, she sets out to orchestrate a meet-cute , like the ones we know from hallmark movies(saving the Christmas farm!)
her attempts to force a meet-cute leads to a series of hilarious and embarrassing situations that had me giggling throughout. J.J Knights ability to weave humour and heart into the narrative made this book a joy to read from start to finish and had me finishing it in just a few days.
in conclusion, " not exactly a small-town romance" is a beautifully and enjoyable book.

Kelsey and Zachery are a fun pair, and there are lots of laughs in this book. Kelsey is very entertaining, and her meet-cutes are funny. Zachery is a sweetheart who has gotten himself confused about who he is. I liked the parts of the book that were about them and their friend/coworker Jester. But there was also a certain amount of deception in what Kelsey is trying to do, and she just lights out of Wyoming like she isn't the one who created the situation. She is bothered by the fakeness of Hollywood, but she puts her toes right on the line of being the same way. I'm not sure Zachery ever confronts his fakery either. Overall, this is a fun romcom with a unique twist. But I'm not sure I would want to be friends with these people.

Kelsey is a casting assistant, an expert in perfect rom-com pairings, but she failing in finding her own perfect match. After a session with a fortune teller convinces her she's running out of time to find her own meet cute, she sets out on a road trip through small town America, searching for her own Hallmark story. Her best friend Zach, while secretly in love with her himself but knowing they're all wrong for each other, tags along to be her wingman and to protect her.
I like the banter between these two and the funny situations they run into on their trip. I felt bad for Zach and wish he would just tell her the truth. Especially at the end of the story when I was so frustrated with how selfish and shallow Kelsey was acting. But overall their friends to lovers story was fun and sweet and I enjoyed riding along on their road trip.

Kelsey is sick of being taken for granted by her odious boss. She has made some perfect pairings for Rom Com movies but her boss takes all the credit. Whilst the boss is away she decides to take romance by the horns and find her own HEA. She's going to have an epic, but long, road trip across the USA to see how man small town meet-cutes she can conjure up. All in the hope of meeting Mr Right.

Zac, her colleague and bestie, has had a huge crush on Kelsey. One he's refused to acknowledge or act on, after all he is over a decade older than her. When she floats her road trip idea he initially supports her and helps her to fool the boss. But then a little guilt and a lot of jealousy kicks in - can Zac make her see him as something other than her workhubby?

I have never seen so many meet-cutes crammed into one book, lol. I get the concept and I actually enjoyed all Kelsey's dating disasters. The dual pining was actually quite funny, especially as neither wanted to admit the pining to themselves!

The humour was strong and the array of secondary, small town characters were a colourful backdrop for the will-they-won't-they. I did feel we could have done with a bit more time with Kelsey and Zac together, I felt they could have done with more joint screen time.

Well paced romance with little spice but lots of pining and an epic "at last" big romantic gesture.

I love an age gap romance and this hits the spot, and this proves that friends to lovers trope is superior in romance.

I swooned over this.

The pace of this book were done brilliantly as Kelsey x Zachary just quietly fell in love with each other ,it wasn't rushed at all.

This book was a journey of self love and discovery, like a hallmark movie with spice.

A heartwarming and funny romance with road trip, friends to lovers, close proximity and reformed playboy tropes, lots of mishaps, LOL moments, a bit of steam and very likable characters. I really enjoyed their natural rapport as friends, their good-humored banter, Zach's support and Kelsey's slightly over-the-top romantic nature, even if I sometimes despaired at her naivety and short-sightedness about Zach. He and their coworker Jester were definitely my favorite characters. Kelsey unfortunately seemed a bit superficial and selfish herself at times.

Kelsey Whitaker is a talented casting assistant to the fearsome casting director Desdemona. However, the superficial, glamorous life in LA is hard to bear. She longs for true love. Her coworker and best friend is Zachery Carter, a former actor with whom she works perfectly. That's all there can be between them, as he's a well-known playboy. At a party, a fortune teller gives her her fortune: Kelsey has until the end of the summer to find the love of her life, and not here in LA, but on the way to her hometown in Alabama. Inspired by various Hallmark Movies, she plans some meet-cutes to help her find the man of her dreams and her HEA and sets off on a road trip towards Alabama.
Zachery was a celebrated actor a decade ago, but then his career went down the drain and he only stays in the limelight as a companion to actresses and through his work for Desdemona. He has had a crush on Kelsey for some time but believes that he is not the right man for her. That's why he paid the fortune teller to help Kelsey find happiness in love. But Zachery hadn't reckoned with a road trip and her obsession with Hallmark movie happy endings, so he decides to protect her and accompany her on her journey as her wingman...

If you like lighthearted romance novels with a mix of Hollywood glamour and provincial charm, you're sure to enjoy this book!

I received a free ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and left voluntarily.

So cute! A fun, enjoyable summer romance with a very happy ending.

I do wish I'd seen a little more of the chemistry between them. Zach is very good about leaving Kelsey alone after their night together, but I do wish there'd been just a little more longing. Like, he reaches for her but is hesitant and she can see it on his face but brushes it off because, in her mind, there's no way he's actually into her. Or something like that.....

3.5 Stars!

This is the story about Kelsey, who grew up on farm in Alabama but is currently working as a casting assistant in Hollywood, and Zachery, a former actor who works with Kelsey. Zach doesn’t need to work but stays so he can be close to Kelsey. They clearly are attracted to one another, but neither feels they are a good fit for one another so choose to ignore any attraction they have.

After a fortune teller told Kelsey she needs to go on a journey to find love, she takes a road trip home with the intent to force a meet-cute and find her true love. Of course, things don’t always go as planned, so there were several funny and embarrassing moments. After a few days on the journey Zach couldn’t take it any longer and joined her on her trip. The story revolves around Kelsey trying to meet men while Zach has to stand back and watch. Thankfully they eventually figure out their perfect partner has been right in front of them the entire time

Note: One of Kelsey’s ‘gifts’ is looking at someone’s outfit and being able to assess the cost of it. She doesn’t do it in a judgmental way, but I still found it to be an annoying characteristic of hers.

I thought the ending was great. The story really came full circle and ended exactly the way I had hoped.

Super cute friends to lovers romance read! This was an easy and fun read and had hallmark movie vibes to it. I love the relationship between Kelsey and Zach and that we got both of their POVs. Kelsey is on a journey to find love, without realizing it's right in front of her. I adored the moment where they finally realize they have feelings for each other. It was perfection!

If you love meet-cute, romcoms, and hallmark movies, than this is the book for you! Will recommend this to all of my romance genre loving friends!

After a reading with a psychic, Kelsey is desperate to find love, roaming through small towns on a road trip. Zach, her best friend follows her closely to help her, but mostly protect her and in the hopes she finally sees him.
This is a coworkers, best friends, age gap, road trip romance with secret pining. I was excited for this onw, but I feel it fell a little flat. There were some cute moments, but both main characters had no dimension at all. And the premise? Who dumps their entire life on a whim to go find love on a road trip because a fortune-teller (aka an actress trying to get noticed) told them that's what would happen? I would also have liked to see less of Kelsey on the hunt for the perfect meet cute and more of the two MCs together. How am I supposed to believe in the romance between the two if I never see them together and when I do, there is zero chemistry? Anyway. I've read many fantastic reviews, so I feel this just wasn't for me.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Absolutely Loved This Book! I fell in love with this story from the beginning. Kelsey and Zach had a good connection and the fake/quasi-real relationship gives the reader something to root for throughout the blossoming romance. Thanks to the author for this wonderful read! Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this read.

Absolutely loved this book!

Dual POV
Friends to Lovers
Age Gap
He falls first
Co-workers

Kelsey sets out on a road trip to find love. Zachary follows to protect her. Something changes along the way between the two and leads into a lot of self discovery and love for one another.

Thank you NetGalley, Montlake and JJ Knight for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This dual POV story follows Kelsey and Zach through their time at an industry party and then on a quest to find Kelsey love after a misguided session with a fortune teller.

Kelsey is convinced she needs out of Hollywood and will find love with a small town, flannel wearing, hardworking man. She meets a few on her trip but she keeps hitting road blocks.

The book was an easy read and fun. I enjoyed all the movie meet cute talk and Hallmark bases vs Hollywood bases.

Overall a cute story I think many would enjoy, 3.5 rounded up.

Coworkers.
Best friends.
Secret crushes.
Quest for love.
Road trip
Just one night.
Reformed playboy
Hallmark meet-cutes

Funny & sweet with a bit of steam😊

4.5🌟 stars
The two main characters were great. I especially felt sympathy for Zachery, the male lead former actor who fell first, and the way he supported and wanted the best for Kelsey when it might mean losing her to another guy. His emotions were so believable and most of his actions so altruistic. And some of Kelsey's schemes for orchestrating the perfect meet-cute with a flannel-shirted country guy: pricelessly slapstick and funny. Plus her naivety and optimism about finding her perfect country man were endearing.

The best parts of the story were definitely on the road and not set in Hollywood. Whether relearning how to order a coffee outside the sophistication of the city or simply interacting with people whose lives do not revolve around the movie industry.

The steamy stuff is concentrated in one scene towards the middle of the story so, if you are less inclined to that, it would be pretty easy to just skip over in favor of the fun and pursuit of romance.

Thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Kelsey, a matchmaker for on-screen romances, tries to create her own real-life Hallmark-style meet-cute after visiting a fortune teller, unaware that her best friend Zach, who deeply cares for her, is her perfect match. Zach supports her in every way, but Kelsey takes him for granted while chasing love elsewhere.

Her efforts lead to funny, embarrassing situations, and she eventually realizes the small-town romances she seeks aren’t for her. The story blends humor and heart, though Kelsey’s dependency on Zach becomes more apparent when she struggles without him. Overall, it’s a lighthearted, entertaining read.

SO. Kelsey and Zach, who work in casting, set out on a road trip so that Kelsey can have a meet cute and meet the man of her dreams. And surprise it's Zach. This is a little cringey in spots thanks to a bit of disdain toward the small town characters. Knight also spends more time on Kelseys failed relationships than on the one with Zach. That said. it's a quick read with some chuckles. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Over to others.

A fun, light Hallmark style romance. Kelsey has moved away from her family dairy farm to work for a casting agent in Hollywood. She works with Zach, who is a former movie actor of low-brow comedies. Zach’s movie career dried up, and he now works with Kelsey for a she-demon boss (think the boss from the Devil Wears Prada), helping to cast Hollywood movies. Kelsey is tied of the phonies in Hollywood, and when a fortune teller suggests she takes a journey to find true love, she decides to hit the road while her boss is out of town. She decides that she needs to have a meet cute, like they do in a Hallmark movie, is a small town somewhere in middle America. Of course, Zach ends up taking the trip with her, and acts as her “wingman.” Zach and Kelsey are very likable characters that have a hard time realizing that their happily ever after is right under their nose. This is a fun, mostly lighthearted friends to lovers romance. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

Not Exactly a Small-town Romance by JJ Knight is the perfect rom-com for those looking for something out of the ordinary when it comes to romance. After receiving some guided advice at a party, Kelsey decides to take a road trip to romance to find her true love. Co-worker and best friend Zach takes this as an opportunity to follow along with the intention of protecting her when really he's secretly in love with her and can't stand the thought of her with another man. He's is supporting and encouraging Kelsey along her path to love but it looks like he's got himself in a pickle because he may loose out on Kelsey forever. I loved the spontaneous moments Kalsey takes us on when looking for her meet-Cute match. Even more, I love the unexpected moments with Zachary when it comes to Kelsey. The chemistry between the two of them is warm, loving, and heated, and you'll be hoping for the two of them to connect.