Our protagonist, Eileen, is a romance aficionado, deeply immersed in a series by the late Rachel Flowers. Despite her literary love for romance, she avoids it in her own life—totally relatable, right?

While her best friend moves forward, Eileen feels stuck, endlessly repeating the same chapters of her life. When plans for her annual book club retreat fall through, she impulsively ventures alone to Eloraton, the fictional town from her favorite series. Cue the excitement!

In Eloraton, Eileen meets her beloved characters and a grumpy bookstore owner who seems straight out of her novels, yet she doesn't recognise him! Beyond the plot twists and charming characters, Eileen's journey mirrors the struggles of many in their twenties—feeling stuck and searching for direction. Ashley Poston masterfully weaves themes of self-discovery and growth, making it a poignant read for young adults.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

this book followed eileen, who is a professor who looooves reading. books are safety and comfort for her. she is travelling to attend her annual book club retreat when her car breaks down on the way and she finds herself stranded. i loved the plot of this book so so much!! the characters were so much fun and i adored them 💗

I love Ashley Poston's Dead Romantics so was really excited to read this.
I'm afraid it didn't really do it for me for a few reasons. I wished there was more chemistry between the Eileen and Anderson. I found there were loads of side characters that I couldn't care about as much as Eileen did. A personal growth story with a dash of romance.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

A book lovers dream! Ashley Poston yet again takes us on a whimsical, magical journey in A Novel Love Story. Thank you HQ and NetGalley for gifting me this ARC to review!

Have you ever wished to take a walk through some of the settings from your favourite books? To meet the characters you connect so deeply with? Well, Eileen is granted that wish when she travels solo to her book club's cabin and finds herself in her favourite fiction town Eloraton with a broken down car. Eileen is elated to meet all of her favourite fictional characters from her favourite romance series, but cannot place the face of Anders, the grumpy bookstore owner whose acquaintance is a frosty start when Eileen nearly pancakes him with her car in downpour rain. Yet Eloraton is not all that it seems and Eileen is desperate to right wrongs with all the characters she loves so dearly... even if Anders' scolding has told her to do otherwise. Will Eileen listen to Anders advice? Will Eloraton return to the town that Eileen once remembered?

A five star read for me, pushing Ashley Poston into an auto-buy author status! As a book lover, I loved the unique plot within A Novel Love Story and felt as though this was classic escapism in a book, that I binged in two days and found myself smiling, laughing and swooning as I read. Ashley's writing is truly beautiful, meaningful, poetic and lyrical, where I highlighted many quotes to cherish and remember. As events unfold, A Novel Love Story keeps you guessing and has you holding your breath for that happy every after. I cannot wait to see what else Ashley Poston brings us!

3.75 Stars!

Ashley Poston once again showcases her talent for weaving thought-provoking narratives with a touch of whimsy. A Novel Love Story dives into romance, identity, friendship, love and BOOKS! After Eileen's break-up from her fiancee a week before their wedding, she has never dated anyone. With her best friend Pru going to Iceland with her boyfriend, Eileen decides to take her trip alone to the cabin for a book club they had planned. A car breaking down took her to the whimsy town of Elerton- the town of her favorite book.

All of Poston's books have a beautiful way to interlace the story with nuggets of wisdom, that have been highlighted on my Kindle,

The setting adds an extra layer of charm to the story, particularly with the inclusion of the graveyard of drafts. It's these little details that truly bring the narrative to life.

While the ending may be somewhat predictable, it was sweet nonetheless. The Seven Year Slip will always be my favorite Ashley Poston book and this did not take it's crown but was pretty good.

Thank you Net Galley for providing me with an ARC :)

Eileen has had a rough couple of years, so even though her entire book club has bailed on their annual reading retreat, she is determined to still go on her own. However, before she reaches the cabin she stumbles into a familiar small town inhabited by people she recognises... From her favourite fictional romance series.

I love Ashley Poston but this wasn't my favourite. Still fun and full of heart, something just didn't hit me right. Definitely pick up though if you're after romance with a fantasy twist - it's still a beautifully written book!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in your favourite book series’ fictional world? Elsy is lucky enough to stumble into the quaint small town of ‘Eloraton’ on the way to a book retreat when her car breaks down. Right off the bat, this caught my attention because I’ve definitely thought about what my favourite book world would be like and this is such a unique story.

Our FMC Eileen ‘Elsy’ is a literature professor who enjoys to get lost in a good happily ever after. She is such a relatable character with her people pleasing tendencies and how she sometimes feels like the side character in life. I also loved how she unapologetically adores the romance book genre.

Anderson ‘Anders’ is a mint-eyed grumpy bookstore owner in the town - but there’s more to his character and I loved seeing his other sides, like his quiet caring nature. The banter between Elsy and Anders was top tier and both characters have their walls high but I loved seeing the slow burn of their romance come to fruition.

The side characters in this book truly added so much to the storyline, with their varying personalties and backstories. There is Elsy’s strong-willed best friend Prudence, who’s quick wit was a joy to read. The townsfolk were the main characters from Elsy’s favourite book series - each being a couple from each book in that series. The subplots with these characters and the interactions between them and Elsy were so wholesome.

This was a truly delightful read and I found myself highlighting a lot of beautiful quotes about life and relationships. I appreciate when a book can invoke deeper feelings and get you to reflect a little too.

What to expect:
- Small town romance
- Grumpy sunshine
- ‘Enemies’ to lovers
- Magical realism

Thank you NetGalley for the E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was such an interesting and unique concept for a book, however the story missed the mark for me. There just wasn’t enough chemistry between Eileen and Anders, it felt like they developed feelings for one another a bit too quickly and a little out of nowhere.

This is my first Ashley Poston book and I absolutely loved it! Her voice is so strong and this was such a unique concept, I couldn’t put it down! I absolutely flew through this book and I can’t wait to check out her other books.

Ashley Poston consistently writes the most unique romance plots, and A Novel Love Story was no exception. From the initial logline depicting the fictional town of Eloraton, it is clear the plot is fitting for fans of small-town romance and other worldly places (the first thing that came to mind was Barbie, but it definitely also has Wizard of Oz qualities). While the romance part was slower-paced, the true heart of the story is Eileen’s friendship with Pru (as well as the fictional characters she meets along the way).

This is something else. Death of the Author on romance steroids. In a good way. Elsy finds herself stranded in the small town setting of her favourite romance book series. The author died suddenly and tragically and she finds the characters there stuck where they were left. She also finds the grumpy bookstore owner surely just waiting for his heroine, but she can’t help falling for him instead.

This is not your standard fluffy romance. It’s actually pretty heartbreaking at several points, dealing with very different sad endings to both MCs previous relationships. I just felt so sad for Elsy reading about her wedding that didn’t happen, and even more so for the revelation of what happened to Anders 💔 Ashley Poston’s writing always feels like the best of both worlds in this way - firmly romance novels, but something almost high brow about them with complex characters and magical realism that isn’t entirely straightforward.

What to expect:

- Once Upon a Time Vibes?!
- Gilmore Girls/Stars Hollow esque setting
- grumpy x sunshine
- magical realism - book series come to life
- small town romance
- moving on from heartbreak

A Novel Love Story is about Eileen Merriweather. She’s making the solo trip to her book club’s annual getaway after everyone else has called off. She finds herself in the town of Eloraton along the way and gets swept off her feet by the setting, the townspeople and a grumpy bookshop owner.

Ashley Poston firmly situated herself in my must buy author category after I read her short story in the Improbable Meet Cute collection. I promptly read The Dead Romantics and The Seven Year Slip and loved them both! I really enjoyed this one too so Ashley is just hitting it out the park for me!

Like Ashley’s other books you need to let your imagination take over and imagine the impossible scenario. Who wouldn’t want to be transported to their favourite fictional town with their favourite fictional characters? The way the story turned out was very heartwarming and emotional for Eileen and Anderson.

Give this a go if you enjoy -
🏘️ Small town romance
🌞 Grump/sunshine
👩‍❤️‍👨 Enemies to lovers
👫 Forced proximity
🧙🏻‍♀️ Magical realism

Thank you to NetGallery and the publisher for providing me with the arc of this book!

What can I say other than I adored this book. I really could not put it down. It had such an interesting premise and honestly one I really enjoyed. I adore the grumpy/sunshine, enemies to lovers, forced proximity tropes in this novel and the writing was just incredible! So beautifully sculpted, each character was so unique and lovable, every scene was explained with gorgeous detail and you could truly just immerse yourself into this universe. Anderson is an absolute dream. That man? I’m obsessed. He is honestly one of my favourite male protagonists that I have encountered in a long time.

Elsy, I also loved (most of the time)! Apart from her obsession that Anders was a fictional book boyfriend(?) and his heroine was about to step in and steal him away, she was very easy to relate to when it came to her past and her emotions. So easy that I found my heart squeezing with pain and sadness when Ashley Poston described certain scenes, and others scenes causing butterflies and kicking my feet kind of vibes. I highly recommend this novel and I will 100% be reading more of Ashley’s writing as soon as possible!!

This is my first Ashley Poston book and I enjoyed it. Our main character Eileen loves romance novels and after an unexpected detour on her way to a yearly trip that she usually takes with friends, she finds herself stranded in a peculiar town that feels awfully familiar.

I enjoyed the premise it is different and fun. The characters I found them relatable and they showed growth throughout the story. I liked the love story; it is unique and not like anything I have read recently.

Overall I enjoyed it and I can't wait to read her other books!

ASHLEY POSTON DID IT AGAIN!

I loved this book!

Eileen is heartbroken after her ex-fiancé dumped her a week before her wedding. In an attempt to escape and take a little vacation, she ended up inside her favorite romance book, however, the author of these books tragically passed away a while ago and she never finished writing the series. Time inside the town is frozen, everything is the same, except for one character, Anders, the grumpy new owner of the bookstore, and now Eileen wonders who was he in the books? Was he going to be the hero of the next book?

I'll be honest, I wasn't a fan of Anders at first, there was something about his attitude that I didn't like; However, in the end I understood his motives and the reason for his grumpiness and I ended up loving him!

The romance was good, although it started almost 50% into the book and for a moment it felt a little rushed, but I still enjoyed it and loved them both!

Eileen's journey was amazing, I really enjoyed and loved her character so much, she is probably the best character in the book!

A Novel love story is a cute, fast paced book and I'm pretty sure Ashley wrote it for all the romantic girls out there!

100% recommended!

Thank you so much to the HQ and Net galley for giving me a chance to review the advance copy of this book (arc).

Have you ever imagined literally walking into the universe of your most favorite book? That's exactly what our female protagonist does: heartbroken and tired of life, she walks into the fictional world she loves so much, where she ends up meeting the love of her life. I love the cool premise and setting of this book because who wouldn't want to live in the fictional world they adore? Eileen's story is inspiring, lovely, heartbreaking, and very beautiful. However, what I didn't like is the pacing of this book. Ashley Poston is one of my favorite romance authors; she made me a lifelong fan when I read, The Seven Year Slip. The problem I have with this book is the same as I had with The Dead Romantic, but this time everything was intensified. There weren't many domestic moments, and they barely had any time together. I felt like the intimacy between them was missing. I also didn't like the revelation (though that's totally subjective because I don’t usually enjoy that particular kind of thing ), but it just felt half-cooked. I can't quite explain it, but there were many great moments. I loved so many things about Anders and Elsy."

This is a romance dedicated to readers.
Have you ever wanted to live in your favourite romance book? Meet and talk to the characters of your favourite series?

A Novel Love Story is about our main character Eileen, who recently got out of a relationship. On her way to her annual book club retreat this year, Eileen’s car unexpectedly breaks down and she finds herself stranded in a small town that feels all too familiar - because it is!
Eloraton , the town of her favourite romance series, is perfectly intact, just as in the late author’s unfinished story.
When Elsy meets a character that she cannot place - a grumpy bookstore owner who is all too occupied with getting her out of this town - she suddenly is intrigued by him and asks herself what his story might be. Which is a problem because Elsy is beginning to think the town’s happily-ever-after might just be intertwined with her own.

Ashley Poston has written a novel for all of us readers, our own personal romance story.
As with her other books, the writing is absolutely poetic and beautiful. I could not stop highlighting quotes while I was reading. Her concepts are so fascinating and I love how she brings them to life.
A Novel Love Story had me hooked from the start. I went into this quite blindly - I will read anything Ashley Poston writes - and I was so invested into the story right from the start. Getting to meet the characters of your favourite book series, isn’t that every reader's dream? Eileen is such a relatable character, who wouldn’t want to stay in a town you’ve spent years reading about? But reality calls and Eileen needs to decide.

To get into my thoughts on the book, I did find it a bit slow on the romance side. I was expecting a typical romance novel. Girl meets guy, they fall in love, happily ever after! However, here, the romance didn’t actually start until about half way through, which I found made the middle drag a bit. I also did find it a bit repetitive in some aspects, it felt like we weren’t getting anywhere which was a bit frustrating.
I think calling this a literary fiction with a romance subplot makes a lot more sense, rather than marketing it as a traditional romance, as I was expecting a more romance-heavy plot. Once the romance does pick up though, it is everything we already know and love from Ashley Poston: lyrical writing and a beautiful, heartbreaking story.

Unfortunately, at the time of reading I did not enjoy the ending at all. It felt unsatisfactory and out-of character and it did not make sense to me after reading the story. However, after reflecting and thinking about the story as a whole, maybe it did make sense for what happened to happen. In the moment it did feel unnecessary and like trying to stir up a third-act-conflict out of nowhere, but when thinking about what happened to these characters, their actions do make a lot of sense, even if it wasn’t what you would expect.

I would recommend this to every (romance) reader who has ever dreamt of living in their favourite fictional story.

She’s done it again! Ashley Posten’s writing style is so cozy and magical and it packs a gut punch every time. I wasn’t really feeling either of the main characters for the first half of the book, but they grew on me. However, the magical realism setting was the strong focal point of the book for me; the characters felt like such a family and I loved all their interactions. By the end of the book, I had tears in my eyes because it felt so bittersweet knowing that the main characters couldn’t just live in the town with everyone together forever, but I was really pleased with how the book did end.

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Have you ever wished you could enter your favourite romance book, or that Once Upon a Broken Heart was written by Beth O'Leary or Elsie Silver? Then this is the book for you.
Whilst reading this book you do have to remember that the whole theme of this story is that it's set in a stereotypical, sweet, perfect ending romance book town, and that the FMC wants nothing more than to be the female lead in such a book.
Like all of Ashley Poston's book this story isn't just a rom-com, whilst it had me laughing out loud at points it also had me crying on the train home from work. It is another brilliant look at heartbreak, grief, and coping mechanisms.
The characters, whilst even within the book were fictional, felt real and relatable. Nothing was too easy or too simple.
Some of the writing was a bit repetitive, with certain phrases appearing multiple times on the same page but overall it was a beautiful story.

Novel love story

‘There was once a town that did not exist’
This book catched my attention from the start 👏

The dedication of this book was a masterpiece let alone the whole book. The concept of this book really stood out for me- imagine your favourite, no not just favourite but your Infinity ♾️ rated book becomes reality, and get to watch the characters lives after the book has finished.


Anderson- honestly the best quote to sum this man up would be
‘ This Man was tweed and argyle, sewn together by a Oxford comma’
I can’t lie I didn’t really connect with Anderson he felt blurry, like I didn’t really understand him.

This book to me was more of a adventure then a romance. The mystery of the characters really kept me intrigued, rather then the romance, I felt like in terms of romance it was lacking, we didn’t really get a lot of the MMC, at the start he was just mean but not in a hot way just I hate you way. The more you learned about him I felt like I could like him more but I just thought the author was more focused on building this magic town with not so perfect but perfect characters, that the romance was forgotten, which was really disappointing since I thought it had more potential.

Near the end the romance hit- but i felt like if the romance was threaded through the book more evenly i way have gotten along better with this book.

The references to seven year slip had me, and a lover of that book I was so happy to see references.

This is really hard for me to rate, the writing and the plot was five star material, but the main characters themselves really ruined the five star feeling for me. So I am going to give this 4 ⭐️ thank you NetGalley for sending me a arc for a honest review.