˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ ★★★☆☆ (2.75 ⭐️)

Thank you NetGalley and Headline publishers for the arc in exchange for a review.

A cozy rom-com with sizzling tension, banter and a touch of mystery. This book follows the love story of two rival bookstore owners who try to ignore the heat between them. Until it boils over and a scorching kiss makes things interesting…

📚 Enemies to Lovers
📖 Grumpy x Sunshine
📚 Rival Bookshop owners
📖 Small Town
📚 Suspense/Mystery

The story was ok but there were a lot of times when I felt like I wanted to pull my hair out. The back and forth POVs were good but sometimes it felt so annoying reading each of their sides. Kate for example, left a mentally abusive partner and then she said she’s gonna forget him and not think about him anymore, yet every few pages she’s thinking about him, comparing Sebastian to him as if all men were gonna be the same as her ex. Then there’s Sebastian and how he’s basically been in love with Kate the moment he saw her, yet it took him sooooo long for him to accept his feelings for Kate. It literally took his father coming back and telling him that he had their family’s story all wrong for him to expect it (which by then was 97% of the fricking book!)

Despite those little things that just had me smh, the story was enjoyable (to some extent ^^) I liked the whole idea of the book festival and the touch of mystery involved with Sebastian’s great-grandfather. However, it was predictable which made the lead up to the mystery being solved not as exciting.

I did also hoped there’d be more tension with the enemies to lovers trope, but Sebastian was already in love with her and didn’t want to act on him emotions, so it left his character feeling grumpy, moody and stiff (in the sense that he seems to always brooding, especially when he keeps repeating he wants to take her into his bed, but doesn’t at the same time: contradicting himself). The grumpy x Sunshine trope felt forced imo only because the tension of the “enemies to lovers” wasn’t enemy-ing enough. It did feel a little repetitive in some chapters too.

Overall, who doesn’t love a book involving more books! It was nice to see what other booksellers go through, although sex in the bookshop 🤣 bruh…

I'd like to thank Netgalley and Headline | Headline Eternal for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and could connect to the characters. I loved the idea of dueling book stores and the idea of coming together for the book festival. The family history they have in common and the letters between their great grandparents was so endearing. I think the only thing that drove me crazy was Sebastian's back and forth with is feelings for Kate. Cute read!

Thank you #NetGalley for the advanced copy of #BookPeople by Jackie Ashenden in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a little bit to get into this story and I didn't like Kate off and on throughout the book but I'm glad I kept reading because overall, I enjoyed the story. I found the book festival very interesting and wanted to find one in my area to go to and buy lots of books.

The dynamic between the "Sunshine" and "Grump" characters is both charming and entertaining. The rivalry between the two booksellers in the small town sets an intriguing stage, but what starts as a simple disagreement soon reveals deeper, more complex issues at play. The story's addictive nature lies in the interconnected, unsettling events that affect both Kate and Sebastian—not just personally, but within the context of their families’ history. Their undeniable chemistry and growing attraction add to the narrative’s intensity.

I particularly appreciated the author’s skillful portrayal of a brooding, damaged alpha male, with Sebastian’s emotional struggles providing a fascinating layer to the story. The mystery surrounding C and H and Sebastian’s quest for happiness kept me eagerly turning pages.

The book’s many twists and turns were thoroughly enjoyable, and I loved the satisfying, heartfelt conclusion. If you're looking for a compelling read with depth, mystery, and romance, I highly recommend this book.

I loved the setting for this book - a small village in the UK with two neighboring bookstores who don't get along. It had all the right components, but some parts of it just fell short for me.

3.5 ⭐️this was a cute story with enemies to lovers and grumpy/sunshine tropes set in a small town. Kate and Sebastian own bookstores across the road from each other and when history and a festival forces them to spend more time together their dynamic changes. This was a cute, quick read. My only gripe is that the MMC was more whiny vs. grumpy to me. His emotional immaturity took away from the allure some get from the more proper grump tropes contain,

An absolutely amazing read. Just what I need on days when I'm in a reading slump. <3 Books about books is a foolproof book plot formula and I feel like I could never go wrong with it. The truth is, I can read books like this for days and the chance of getting bored is slim to none

'Book People' by Jackie Ashenden is a charming enemies-to-lovers rom-com set in the world of bookstores. The story of rival bookstore owners Kate and Sebastian is entertaining, but Sebastian's character feels more whiny and elitist than the typical grumpy hero. This affects the romantic chemistry, making it feel rushed. Despite this, the book is a fun read for book lovers, though it may not leave a lasting impression.
2.5 stars, rated up to 3.

I really enjoyed Book People by Jackie Ashenden! The small-town vibe was so charming and gave the book a cozy, inviting feel that made it hard to put down. I loved how the bookshop setting added to that warm atmosphere, and the wide cast of side characters was so interesting to me. The enemies-to-lovers storyline was brilliantly done. Watching the two main characters go from tension and dislike to understanding and affection was such a rewarding experience. Their chemistry was great, and the emotional growth they went through felt authentic. I loved the aspect of the festival and other minor conflicts. I prefer books that aren’t completely focused on the romance, and thought that this was excellently done. Overall, it’s a delightful read for fans of romance and small-town charm! I can’t wait to see what other books this author puts out in the future!

This was a charming enemies to lovers rom com but I loathed the MMC. He was so immature and really turned me off. Not the kind of grumpy morally grey MMC I gravitate towards. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy.

Book People is a delightful, bookish rom-com that delivers everything I love in an enemies-to-lovers romance! With rival bookshop owners, small-town charm, and a grumpy-sunshine dynamic, this story was such a quick & fun read!

Kate is a passionate bookseller determined to bring fun, genre fiction to her community, but she quickly discovers not everyone shares her enthusiasm—especially Sebastian, the uptight owner of the highbrow bookshop across the street.

If you love stories about books, forced proximity, and characters who can’t resist each other despite their best efforts, this one’s for you. It’s charming, funny, and just the right amount of spicy—a must-read for romance fans!

This was cute and quick. It made me giggle and I liked Sebastian right off the bat. I would say this book is a nice palette cleanser!

This was a sweet enemies-to-lovers romance. Great book for any romance, trope loving people!

Thanks to netgalley for the arc.

Ideal for readers who like a romance with a little spiciness and banter! I had a great time reading this novel, even if I would have preferred it if there had been more tension and passion. I still thought this novel was enjoyable to read. I admired the people, their individual stories, and their ability to overcome obstacles. I would recommend this book to readers who love an enemies to lovers romance but them not really being enemies.

What a fun, sweet romance! I loved the dual timelines of the modern love story and the love letters, and the quaint small town was really charming. The classic grumpy/sunshine hit the spot, though sometimes I worried that the MMC might be too emotionally illiterate to bring us to a satisfying conclusion. As someone who loves a cute, breezy romance, this was just right.

3.5 stars

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Insightful, cute, and great interaction between the main characters. I truly liked this take on a trope that I love.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy!

Thankful to @netgalley for accepting me for this ARC!
I went into this with high hopes and whilst I enjoyed it, it fell a bit flat for me. I fully understand these types of books will always be predictable however this felt a bit run of the mill for me! I also really didn’t like the FMC to begin with however did like reading her character development. Initially this was going to be a 2⭐️ but the ending managed to bump it to a 3!
(3⭐️’s is still good in my opinion!!)

Book people was a very interesting story!
Absolutely loved the dynamic between Kate and Sebastian.
Kates life has turned upside down so she moves to a new town to open a bookshop. A dream she’s had for years. But not everyone in the town is so welcoming. Across the street another bookstore owner despises everything Kate does.
In this thrilling enemies to lovers story you fall in love with both characters and how their differences don’t set them apart but draw them together!
Really enjoyed this story! Highly recommend!
Thanks to NetGalley and Headline for the arc!

* I want to start by thanking the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. HUGE fan!

Oh man, I really wanted to love this book. Rival bookstore owners? A cozy small-town setting? A hint of enemies-to-lovers? That’s basically my dream setup. But somewhere along the way, it just didn’t work for me.

First off, everything moved "so fast". One minute Kate and Sebastian are at odds, the next they’re tangled up together like they’ve been secretly yearning for years. Except… they weren’t. The build-up was barely there, which made the romance feel less like slow-burn tension and more like an abrupt plot jump. And Sebastian? I don’t know, something about him just gave me "the ick". He had this weird superiority complex about books (dude, you run a bookstore, not a literary court), and the whole “brooding alpha male” act felt way over the top.

There were some nice moments; the small-town book festival subplot was charming, and Kate was likable enough. But overall, I just didn’t feel the chemistry. It was like watching two people be told they’re supposed to fall in love rather than actually "falling" in love.

Would I recommend it? Maybe, if you’re just here for the steamy moments and don’t mind the romance being all lust and little depth. But if you’re looking for that longing, tension-filled rivals-to-lovers magic? This one might leave you wanting more.

Thank you NetGalley and Headline for this ARC publication for an honest review.
#BookPeople #NetGalley