I liked the premise of this book but I found that I just couldn’t engage with the characters or the story. Nothing wrong with it but it just wasn’t for me I’m afraid.

I had the opportunity to read 'Storybook Ending' by Moira Macdonald thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury, who allowed me to dive into its pages. This book is a massive hug for the reader's heart. I was immersed in the cosy world of the bookshop and its customers' individual and connected stories. The book takes place in Seattle. The main meeting place for all characters is the bookshop where the scent of old paper, and second-hand books is alongside a cafe. The stories were told through the characters' voices, with vivid descriptions of the bookshop and its atmosphere. It was an enjoyable and heartwarming read.

The main characters are April, an isolated real-estate website manager, Laura a single mum and a clothes stylist and Westley, a bookseller, a handsome love prospect. Each one of them individually and accidentally mistakenly builds a connection that will lead to something unexpected. One wants to find love, one wants to find friendship and one wants to find meaning. This book builds meaningful moments in all characters' everyday lives. A single handwritten note pulls the strings and brings strangers together for life to develop meaningful bonds.

The author's writing is sweet, tender, and warm and includes humour, leaving the reader with hope through reading her book. Thank you NetGallery and Bloomsbury.

I love nothing more than a bookish themed story however I felt this book lacked something and therefore didn't grasp me in as I initially thought it would. The book needed some more pace and a few more key moments to make it stand out. Storybook ending is more marketed as a love triangle but in my eyes its more of a friendship development plot. The character development was consistent throughout and their love of books made for a really cozy read.

I feel sort of neutral about this book mainly due to the pace however I would say its a relatively easy read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

A wonderful cozy read, that has friendship at its heart.

A slow burn that builds up a bit of pace towards the end (very loosely used). Lovely prose and a nice easy read.

I enjoyed this book but found it a bit slow paced at times. I did enjoy the friendship that blossomed, and the descriptions were lovely; I’d quite like to visit Seattle now!

A woman leaves a note for her crush in a book but a single mother picks it up instead.

This is a very sweet and simple story and shows how friendship can develop in sometimes the most unlikely situations. At times the story can feel a tad slow placed.

I enjoyed how April and Lauras friendship developed in the end. It made the story feel so much more enjoyable. Personally I am a sucker for a book about Womanhood and female friendships developing,

The character stories are extremely relatable and most readers can find a part of themselves in each of the 3 people. The book is perfect for people who want an enjoyable, slow paced yet relaxing read after a stressful day.

'Storybook Ending' is a gentle read set in a gorgeous sounding bookshop/café called 'Read the Room' in Seattle where the "air smells like old paper, coffee, and possibility." At its best, this had the feel of an Anne Tyler novel mixed in with the James Stewart movie 'The Shop Around the Corner'. While the (gorgeous) cover led me to expect a love triangle romantic comedy, the story's more about friendship.

There are some lovely descriptions, for example: "Sometimes the old building just seemed to need to stretch out its bones and make mysterious sounds, like little whispers from inhabitants past." Work colleagues who had a drunken snog at the Christmas party among the 'Self-Help' bookshelves, and are still feeling awkward about it months later, are described as "still talking as if they were rehearsing for a play."

The plot felt a bit incidental - a gentle comedy of misunderstandings/miscommunications as characters leave/find notes in books, and a movie crew decide to film a scene in 'Read the Room' - but it didn't really matter. Like a good bookstore, this story was nice to spend time in.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy.

What a lovely little read!

Cosy bookstore vibes, with friendship at its heart.

Is it the paciest book in the world? No. But, I'm not sure people will pick this up for that. Instead, there is a slow development of character told through, mostly, the perspectives of April, Laura and Westley - all of whom I loved by the end.

A little detail I particularly enjoyed were the nods to real books throughout the story. As silly as it sounds, it really makes me feel like the writer of the book is a reader, and it speaks to me.

I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys character-led stories focused on friendship, love and the art of human connection.

This was a really sweet book with friendship at its heart. I found the characters very relatable—especially April, who I absolutely adored. I think many readers will connect with her feelings of loneliness; I certainly did!

I loved seeing all their worlds collide as the puzzle pieces began to fall into place.

For me, the book started off a bit slow, and I struggled to get into it. However, once I did, I was thoroughly engrossed in the story. If it had hooked me earlier, this would have been an easy 5 stars. As it stands, I’m giving it 3.5 stars, but I’ve rounded it up to 4 stars here.

Thank you so much to Bloomsbury Publishing (UK & ANZ) for the ARC via NetGalley and for the opportunity to share my honest thoughts on this book.