Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This book actually had a really strong start but did slowly lose focus and the quality of the plot progression started to fade fairly quickly. I do think the plot would have been a lot stronger if a bit more focus was put on the situation with her ex. For a person who was lied to and frauded in such a dramatic manner and also ended up being raided by the police, the MC bounces back pretty fast. While the romance is sweet in concept, it did lack proper progression and build up to get me properly invested.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

Avery has hit rock bottom When she learns her fiance's true identity, she starts searching for answers. She stumbles upon the last phone booth in Manhattan. The voice on the phone sends her to her college boyfriend's doorstep. Her second encounter with the phone booth sends her to the address of a place where auditions are being held for a new musical based on A Christmas Carol. Similarities between the musical and her life lead her to realize she needs to reconcile with "the one that got away". She finally takes control of her life and follows her dreams. Thanks to @NetGalley for the very enjoyable ARC of this book.

This is not really a romance. It’s more of an empowering story of a woman realizing she doesn’t need a man. Which sounds good in theory, but I was bored.

The beginning was very good and then I got bored. I did not feel the chemistry between her and Gabe at all. I guess that was the point? But it just made it boring.

I also was under the impression it would be Christmas themed and it was not. It was based on a Christmas Carol by Dickens, but it just was about like the future/past/present stuff. There was no actual christmas vibe. It takes place all throughout the year, which is fine, just surprised me.

Overall, this book wasn’t for me. I think it would appeal more to an older reader like middle aged woman based on the writing style. Maybe someone who likes broadway? Lots of acting/broadway/singing. It was overkill for me personally.

I wasn’t sure how I would like this book so I just decided to give it a try. I was hooked from the first page and I really enjoyed it! Avery was a delightful character and I loved seeing her journey from rock bottom to finding her voice and place in life. You couldn’t help but root for her. The supporting cast was excellent. I adored Charlie, Lyla, Sevyn, Oak, Gabe and the little we got to see of Marisol. This was a heartfelt, coming of age story that included magical realism, love, second chances, friendship, and learning what’s important in life! What a great read!

Who doesn't love a magical phone booth, especially a magical phone booth set in NYC at Christmas!?

This quick, whimsical read tackles rediscovering love AND self thanks to a few nudges from a magical phone booth. As a musical and Broadway fan, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and thank Netgalley along with the authors and publishers for the opportunity to read Avery's tale!

Avery Lawrence thought she had it all—a charming fiancé, a Broadway-themed star-studded engagement, and a picture-perfect life. But when her fraudster of a fiancé’s true identity is exposed and he’s hauled away in handcuffs, Avery’s world comes crashing down faster than the chandelier in Phantom of the Opera. Left stranded on Christmas Day outside the federal prison without her cell phone or wallet, Avery stumbles out of the cold and into the last phone booth in Manhattan. With nothing left to lose, Avery is directed by a mysterious voice on the line to the doorstep of the college boyfriend she thought she’d moved on from over six years ago.

When a second encounter with the phone booth leads Avery to a life-changing audition for Marley Is Dead, a new musical based on Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, Avery is blown away by the striking similarities between the show and her own life. Convinced the phone booth is somehow responsible for reuniting her with “the one that got away” and reigniting her acting career, maybe she will finally have the chance to rewrite her future. But as she grapples with the ghosts of her past and the uncertainty of her present, Avery must decide whether to follow her heart or pursue her dream.

I really enjoyed this story from start to finish.

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I could not get invested in this one. I tried getting into it on multiple occasions, and finally decided at 20% in to DNF it. It was a quick read (of what I did read) but I was just not engaged with the story or the characters. I'm sure plenty of people will find this to be an enjoyable read, but it just was not for me.

It was not a romance ☹️

I felt like a lot of it was drawn out and too long. I did not finish. I was hopeful but it just wasn’t giving me what I needed from this book.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6268167915
I absolutely loved this book. The characters were so much fun and I loved the Broadway references. It was such a fun read and it kept me guessing as to what would happen next. Such a fun, new take on romance with an essence of magic!

What do you do when you find out your boyfriend of 6 years, who just proposed, is actually a fraud wanted by the FBI?
You go back to your college boyfriend who you haven't seen in 7 years. Obviously.
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As much I didn't like the rushed pace of Avery and Gabe's relationship, I started to accept it because of the magical element.
In normal circumstances, I'd have been confused why Avery went from marrying Adam to dating Gabe. However, I understood her how she felt it was her second chance, not only with Gabe but her life in general.
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Avery was kind of an average character. I didn't dislike her particularly, but I was definitely not impressed. One thing that I loved about her was the dry sense of humor, her sarcasm won me over.
Gabe, on the other hand, was like a cartoon character. With how much his character is important in the book, he felt like a side character. He was just there to do the job, a lesson in Avery's life.
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The plot wasn't really strong or captivating, at times it felt like a fairytale. It just lacked something to get it more magical and engaging.
Till I was 95% in, the book was a solid 2 stars, 3 if I'm feeling generous.
Until the ending happened. I absolutely loved the conclusion, it was one where the author articulated a good point that others usually shied from. It was really touching to see what Avery accomplished and the decisions she made definitely redeemed her in my eyes.
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Overall, I think it's a good book. It's not really my style but I liked it enough. Would recommend to people looking for a palate cleanser after a heavy book.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

What a great book. This book is so well written and follows the FMC as she identifies what is and isn't important and enriching to her life. A must read!

3.5⭐️

The Last Phone Booth in Manhattan is a decent enough light read. It’s magical realism that’s light on the magic, and while it’s listed as a Christmas story it’s fully lacking in Christmas. Nevertheless it did manage to hold my attention and provide enough entertainment for a lazy afternoon.

Thank you Beth Merlin, Danielle Modafferi, Montlake, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

Loved this adorable story. Following Avery’s story from rock bottom of a jail cell and finding her way back to the people, places and things she loves most. Most importantly finding how to best love herself. This book had just a happy ending but in the untraditional book happy ending. Loved the originality of the tale with its inspirational of A Christmas Carol.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a really great read, especially over Christmas.
The book reignited my love for musicals. I enjoyed the references to different musicals and I liked the parallels between the storyline of the book and the musical.
I didn’t find Avery likeable at first but as she starts building her life again and finding herself, she becomes really relatable.
I did enjoy the ending, as I liked that she finally chose herself. It was a really powerful ending and everything worked out as it should.
Overall it was a fairly quick and easy read. The writing kept me hooked and I thought the pacing was perfect.
I would recommend this to others, especially those who love musicals.

This was a cutesy story. I enjozed reading it. I really don't know if would I pick this one if I didn't got it from Netgally, but it did not disappoint.

3 stars

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. This was a sweet story about a girl who hit rock bottom and worked her way to reclaiming herself. There were times when things within the story just felt so farfetched, so unreal and the conversations were very matter-of-fact. Despite this, I did find myself wanting Avery, the main character, to make sure she finally put herself first and foremost. Decent enough read!

A cheesy but romantic novel with a message of doing it for yourself and not relying on a man.

I liked the idea of finding a phone booth in a city that leads you on an adventure.

Cute and fluffy and lots of Broadway references which went over my head but if you are a fan of musicals then you would totally get this

A cute retelling of A Christmas Carol filled with lots of musical references. The scenes featuring the new housemates and boss were the most entertaining. I quess the only critique is that the main character never truly faces significant challenges. While she hits rock bottom, all her problems are almost instantly resolved with minimal effort. Additionally, I would have loved to see more of Marisol in the story.

I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is the perfect story if you enjoy books with just a little bit of magic in them. I love the New York City setting. The ending surprised me. I enjoyed this quick read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.