Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC of Love on a Bookshelf!

As a huge fan of slow-burn romance, I was excited to dive into this story, but unfortunately, the pacing didn’t quite work for me. While I enjoyed the premise and the bookish setting, the romance itself felt like it took too long to truly develop. We didn’t get much in terms of tension or angst between the main characters until about 70% in, which made it hard to stay fully invested in their connection.

That being said, I did appreciate the writing style and the quieter moments of emotional depth. The characters had potential, and I enjoyed their individual arcs, but I just wanted more from their relationship earlier on—more chemistry, more longing, and more of that heart-racing tension that makes a slow burn so satisfying.

Overall, this book had a sweet premise and some charming moments, but the pacing left me wanting a stronger emotional pull earlier in the story. If you love an extra slow burn, this might be for you, but I personally prefer a bit more angst sprinkled throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC!

This was the perfect light read if you're looking for something fun and pretty carefree. Clarrie runs Brook's Books, the bookstore her grandmother signed over to her, but there are a lot of issues with the shop, such as the power, which causes the lighting to go out occasionally. This is when she meets Declan Archer, the author of a new book, who manages to catch Clarrie on what is one of the worst days of her life. Clarrie isn't in the mood for Declan, who's come to sign some of his new books, and tells him to write a better book.

Skip two years later, and guess who's back? And with a better book in tow, which has been helpfully dedicated to the very bookseller who told him to write something better. Clarrie is mortified, especially when the new book turns out to be a bestseller, with people equally interested in the book and the author. She's thrown in the deep end when Decland, begrudgingly, asks her to go on a publicity tour to sell his books whilst he gives talks. She doesn't want to do this, but she needs to find the money to keep the bookstore open and do repairs. As you can imagine, the story writes itself from there.

There was nothing too intense with this story, and it was written well to the point the pages flew past. This is definitely a bonus point for it, but I do feel like it was more of a self-discovery book than a true romance. There's nothing wrong this that, obviously, but I was expecting more romance and sparks to fly. By the end of the book, I didn't really feel like Declan and Clarrie had a believable romantic connection with each other, particularly as it only takes place over two weeks. What did happen was Clarrie discovering herself and what she wants, not just what others around her expect, and also coming to terms with having the legacy of her grandparent's bookshop and learning that it's okay to adapt and move forward.

I didn't particularly understand why Declan's book was so famous, as it sounded pretty boring to me, and there were brief attempts at some drama, which frankly felt unnecessary given how quickly they were resolved. Either way, it was an enjoyable read as long as you're not looking for something swimming in romance!

I enjoyed this book. I loved reading how Clarrie & Declan fell for each other over the 2 week book tour. I also liked Bri, Jed, and Yumi. Her mother was HORRIBLE.

3.5⭐️

This was such a cute romance especially for bookish readers. I highly enjoyed the chemistry between Bruno author Declan as well as relatable MC Carrie. This would make such a fun movie in addition to the book and I highly
Enjoyed it!

I thought this was an exceptional book and I laughed, cried and rooted for Clarrie and Declan the entire way through.
Aside from the romance and humour, this is a book that celebrates books, reading and bookshops- three of my favourite things. Declan is an author, Clarrie a bookseller and their first encounter does not go smoothly. Clarrie suggests Declan write a better book, which he does and dedicates to her, anonymously.
This starts them on an interesting path- one where they argue, smoulder and perhaps begin to actually fall for each other. In amidst this, they must survive a two week book tour together in the wilds.
There are some truly funny moments, a fantastic cast of characters and a deeply felt love of books.
I would read this again and again and will not hesitate to recommend it to library users when it publishes!