Kate and Sebastian (from both times) have an interesting and rollercoaster romance. Highlighting both mental and physical abuse, as well as how addiction can impact those we love was a strong choice and was written really well.

There were a few parts that countered what had been stated earlier in the plot, so that was a little frustrating. I liked the Wuthering Heights reference and the epilogue being the original Sebastian and Kate was so cute!

My main issue with the book was the current Sebastian. He seemed almost as problematic as Jasper had been, just in a different way. He didn’t want anyone else to be with her, but he was still ridiculously possessive of her at the same time.

Probably 3.5 ⭐️ rounded to 4.

What an incredibly captivating read! The character development was truly outstanding, as each character evolved beautifully through their unique journeys. I was utterly drawn in by the transformation from fierce rivals, brimming with sexual tension, to what felt like truly destined partners.

One of the highlights of the story was the letters they unearthed. Each one was a blend of romance and heartbreak that added so much depth, making their journey even more compelling—though we’re left hoping for a happy ending!

This situation also provided a fascinating opportunity for the two characters to delve into each other’s family histories, revealing how the echoes of the past significantly impact their present lives. I was thoroughly engrossed in this story, and I can't wait to explore more works by this talented author!

I felt like this had your typical trope throughout the book. The plot was predictable but the cute main character made up for it.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy to honestly review.

The idea of rival bookstore owners in a cozy small-town setting had so much potential to charm me completely. But while I loved the setting and the potential for a swoony, bookish romance, I feel like Book People didn’t quite deliver for me.

Kate and Sebastian had the kind of opposites-attract dynamic that should’ve been a slow burn filled with tension and banter, but instead, their relationship felt rushed and mostly fueled by lust. Don’t get me wrong, their chemistry was there, but I struggled to see a deeper connection beyond their physical attraction. I also couldn’t fully warm up to Sebastian, he came across as whiny and a little too stuck in his “broody literary snob” vibe, which made it harder for me to root for him. The subplot about the letters and the history of their bookstores was really sweet and added some charm to the story, but I couldn’t help but wish it had been explored more. Similarly, the ending left me wanting closure, there were a lot of loose ends with Sebastian’s family drama and Kate’s involvement in Lisa’s book.

That being said, I think Book People still has its moments. The small-town setting is cozy, and the nods to bookish culture made it a fun escape. If you’re a sucker for romance with a bookstore backdrop, it’s worth picking up. Just go in with tempered expectations.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not for me. I tried so hard to get into this, as it had all the makings of a delightful romantic comedy. The quaint English small town is usually a fun backdrop that adds playful layer to the main story. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to connect with the town or the characters, I thought the way they interacted to be very forced and cringey, and I just didn’t buy in. Hopefully others will appreciate this book. Thanks NetGalley for an advanced copy of this ebook!

I love books about books so I was very excited to read this! I thought it was cute and overall enjoyed it. I also enjoy the small town romance trope. Unfortunately something I don't love is instalove and it kind of felt like this with the two main characters.

I thought this was a super cute book and I really enjoyed it! I love romance books that are set in a bookish setting, especially combined with my love for small town romances.

Overall I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others who love small towns and book shop settings!

What a perfect read for this retired bookstore owner, admitted bookaholic, and Jackie Ashenden fan! Ms. Ashenden had me at just the title. Dueling booksellers on opposite sides of the street in a small English village was a perfect setting, and her two principal characters, Sebastian and Kate's enemies to lovers relationship made this a 5-star read.

Kate moves from London to Wychtree, leaving her former boyfriend and his 4 years of his put-downs, controlling, manipulative, and narcissistic behavior. She inherited an empty shop that was previously owned by a number of her forebears and decides to open the bookshop she's dreamed of, Portable Magic, which caters to the genre fiction crowd in this small town. Sebastian Blackwood, descendant and current owner of Blackwood Books, which caters to the more highbrow literary readers in down isn't happy that some of his clientele has been frequenting and ordering books from Portable Magic, directly across the street and having a negative impact on his sales. It doesn't help matters that he's attracted to Kate the very moment he sees her, but after 2 months of ignoring her, Kate hears about the literary festival he's planning and wants to be included.

And so begins this on-again, off-again, totally addictive, enemies-to-lovers romance, with some added sexy heat between the two main characters, a touch of mystery about their forebears, and an old box of love notes, that made this novel absolutely unputdownable, and I highly recommend it.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions stated herein are my own.

An enemies t0 lovers romance. Kate and Sebastian run rival book shops, with hers the new shop in town. When they end up having to work together will they find they don't hate each other after all?

Book People by Jackie Ashenden

I can so relate to the two main characters, spending time with books is my favorite thing. And libraries and bookstores were a part of my childhood. So for all those kids who escaped into books, hello!

At its core this book is about finding yourself. Sebastian thought all his life he didn't need anyone. All it took was one person to call him out and the carefully maintained facade starting to crack.
Kathryn is starting over with her dream. She's still working through her past choices and finding her roots in the small town of her birth is more than she every hoped. And she deserves to be happy, with more than a book.

2.5 stars. If you are the kind of reader who likes to read how the two romantic leads in a book can't stop thinking about each other CONSTANTLY--like for 90% of the book, then this is the book for you. I liked the premise of two book shop owners working out a relationship--business and personal--and the back story of their ancestor's love story. For me it gets in the way of a good story when there is so much lusting. The relationship stuff was too descriptive for me to read too--lots of pages skipped!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Headlinebooks for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

Thank you to Headline and NetGalley for the ARC of Book People in exchange for an honest review.

Book People is an adorable read based in an English small town village setting and explores a romance between two rival booksellers. Our FMC, Kate, is fresh from London after leaving a four year emotionally abusive relationship. She’s inherited a building that is prime for creating the bookstore of her dreams and she’ll stop at nothing to make it a huge success. The only problem: the high brow bookstore immediately across the street owned by the annoyingly handsome and grumpy Sebastian. When Kate learns that Sebastian is throwing a literary festival and has zero plans to include her, she forces herself into the picture whether he wants her to or not. Now the question becomes, can they hate each other long enough to mask the fact that they may actually be perfect for each other?

This love story transcends time in the most unexpected way possible and I love the history between Kate and Sebastian’s families. Kate’s journey of self discovery is so empowering, especially for women who may be experiencing the same level of gas lighting in their own relationship today. While Sebastian may be some people’s idea of a handsome grump, there were some points in the book where his level of indecision and self doubt was annoying and rather unattractive. The author may have played into the “woe is me” theme a bit too much and his preconceived assumptions of why he couldn’t handle a relationship. At many points I felt as if Kate was actually too strong of a woman for Sebastian. Why be with someone who isn’t 100% committed to the relationship? You don’t always want to be convincing them why the relationship is worth it or that you’re worth fighting for. My fear was that Sebastian could be that type of person and that was a bit of a turn off. However, the unique historical plot twist the book has almost makes up for Sebastian’s less than stellar qualities.

Overall, this was a pretty effortless love story mixed with a tinge of mystery and I really enjoyed getting lost in it. Makes me want to spend the afternoon lost in the perfect bookstore!

I won't lie, at first, I was ready to hate this book, and wrote down a list of things I did not like:

Dislikes: the enemies trope was taken a bit too far — no two professional thirty-something year old adults attracted to one another would possibly exhibit this much extreme hatred towards one another. + The ex bf was also constantly brought up (are we going to get a backstory here?)

HOWEVER, its central mystery lured me in, and as I continued on with the story, everything began to unfold and make sense. Generational trauma. Abandonment. Feelings of unworthiness. Fear. These themes play such a big part and have severely handicapped our main characters Sebastian and Kate. Their growth and love story was beautiful as was the slow reveal of the mysterious letters. From about 50% on, I was unable to put down the book, reading it well past midnight.

While I was initially annoyed with Sebastian's behavior, I swooned over literary references, handwritten letters and historical fiction type vibes, as well as the mystery. I came to relate to and love these characters. Easy 4 stars, would recommend!!

Story moved into quick love and f**** too fast. I couldn’t find myself to get into the characters and I usually love an enemies to lovers romance story but I think my standards have become high

Book People was a solid read, loved the enemies-to-lovers and grumpy/sunshine tropes. Was definitely a cute rom-com with a small touch of mystery twisted in.

Kate, seeking a new start, decides to use the property left to her to open a book store. This was a dream of hers since she was a little girl, unbeknownst to her, until she got to the property, the store across the street was also a bookstore. Sebastian, the owner of this bookstore thinks Kate is a threat to his livelihood. However, neither one can ignore the instant attraction and chemistry they have with each other.

Add in the quirky small town, financial struggles, anonymous letters from ancestors and an upcoming festival they are hoping to draw enough attention to help with their financial troubles and Book People was a good read. I did feel like it was a little long and dragging in some areas of the book but would recommend.

This book follows Sebastian and Kate, two rival book shop owners who end up falling in love. It’s a simple story, but had some quirks.

I enjoyed the subplot regarding the letters, and thought it added to the story- though I must admit I did figure out who the mystery C was long before it was found out by the characters!

I had a few problems with the book itself- I found the MMC to be jarring at times. His whole I hate her because she’s just too gorgeous thing just didn’t really do it for me. Their dynamic I think could’ve been improved if he just wasn’t quite so grumpy- I think there’s grumpy x sunshine and then there’s sort of going a bit over the top with it, and I think this did fall victim to that.

The setting was nice, I liked the small town vibe and I loved the bookshops! I just thought the characters needed a bit more dimension to them if I am completely honest.

But it was an easy read, and I’m sure others will really enjoy it- I think I just have too high standards when it comes to romance novels as I’ve read so many!

Jackie Ashenden’s Book People is a sweet, heartwarming romance that’s perfect for book lovers. It’s a story about two people who find each other through their shared love of books, and the connection they form is so relatable and genuine. The romance is slow-building, but it never feels forced, and you can really feel the chemistry between the characters. The supporting characters are also a nice touch, giving the book even more depth. The pacing is just right, and Ashenden’s writing is witty and full of charm. If you’re looking for a feel-good romance with lots of heart and a bit of humor, this one’s a must-read. thank you for this arc copy

I'm a shoe-in for a book set in a bookshop and there was quite a lot of bookshop and book festival detail (as well as celebrations of the power of reading) in this enemies-to-lovers novel, although it's a trope of course to have rival shops and their owners setting up opposite one another. Kate is feminine and sparkly and has opened a genre bookshop in the village she didn't really know she came from. Sebastian runs the literary bookshop that's been there for generations, as of course has he. Will they join forces or continue their (admittedly very amusing) window display wars? The problem here was that the two of them were too damaged, and while it's good to have coercive control highlighted in a book for a popular audience, it's not great Kate rushes from that into the arms of a man who literally holds her down. It was a bit ruder than I like, too. There were some funny village characters and as I say, I liked the bookshop detail; the mystery from the past was well-plotted and worked out with the reader feeling clever for working some of it out before the characters.

My blog review: https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2025/01/15/three-netgalley-reviews-by-ashenden-trevaldwyn-and-su/

How could I not love this small town, rival bookstore owners, grumpy x sunshine forced proximity romance? The cover was fab, the characters had great chemistry and the romance had the emotional depth I always look for. Recommended for fans of authors like Ali Brady and Emily Henry and a new fav by a new to me author. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

first of all thank you netgalley for sending me this e-arc. unfortunately i had to give this 1☆ and dnf this one. i was really excited to read this book. from the cover and description it looked exactly like the type of book i'd enjoy but the pacing was so slow i just couldn't finish the book. i want to belive it gets better but i'm almost 40% through and nothing happens. i'm really sad about it but even tho the characters were growing on me, the pacing just made it too difficultfor me to continue it :(

Sebastian and Kate were everything I wanted in book form, they made me want to keep reading. I really struggled to put this down. I love a grumpy x sunshine one and this did not disappoint.