This sounded like the kind of book I would love- cozy, witchy and bookish- but sadly I just couldn’t get on with the pacing/style of this and found myself struggling to connect with the main character :(

This book enchants readers with a tale of magic, love, and self-discovery. Serafina's journals, imbued with her heartfelt wishes, take center stage in her witchy shop, sparking rumors of their remarkable powers. When faced with the challenge of Ford Sitwell's legacy and his enigmatic grandson Wes, Sera must confront her past and embrace unexpected connections. Katherine Garbera skillfully weaves a story of grief, healing, and the transformative power of love. As Sera and Wes navigate their complex emotions, readers are drawn into a captivating narrative filled with warmth and enchantment. A spellbinding journey that reminds us of the magic within our own hearts.

I really desperately wanted to love this book but I just couldn't get past 20%. I'm not sure why as it seems like my sort of story but I found that I couldn't connect with the characters enough to stay interested.

This book has a unique premise, sincerely funny moments, and was a quick read. The plot was a bit thin at times and predictable at other times, however, it was a cute enough story and I loved the bookish/book binding references.

I’m not sure what to say about this book. I love the witchy vibe and the start of the book was so fun and fast paced. I loved the focus on female relationships and found family trope in this book. HOWEVER, the fmc was very irritating in my opinion. The amount of times she declared she was a ‘leading lady’ but neglected any emotional intelligence in many situations with Wes made it a hard read after 55%. I loved Liberty and Poppy and Merle and hope they have their own stories in the future but I think I’m happy Sera’s story is over.

Books, witchy vibes and a cute romance? Safe to say that this book was always going to be high on my list. I think I’ve only ever read one other Mills & Boon book before and I don’t remember it being particularly spicy but for all I know, this level of spice could be par for their course.

Sera grew up as a lonely foster child, bouncing from home to home. That was until she found the wonders of bookbinding and set up a witchy store with her two best friends Liberty and Poppy. Sera’s handmade journals are highly sought after and are thought to bring only good things to those who buy them. But when Sera’s friend and mentor Ford, a wealthy bibliophile, dies and leaves a large box of rare books to her, she appears to have ruffled some feathers within Ford’s family. So, when his angry yet handsome grandson Wes shows up at the store with plenty of suspicions about Sera and demands his grandfather’s books back, she isn’t giving in easily.

The bond between Sera, Poppy and Liberty was one of my favourite parts of the book. There is a real found family/sisterhood vibe between them and although they’re not really witches, it’s easy to see why so many of the town suspect that they’re a coven. It was really lovely to spend time with the three of them in their cosy store and I honestly felt like I fitted in with them.

I would have really liked to have known more about Sera’s journals. I wasn’t entirely sure what gave them so much power, as I knew there was no real magic going into them. Perhaps it was just the power of belief in good things manifesting into those good things but it was all quite vague.

Sera is determined to channel main character energy, as she feels that she has always taken a back seat in her own life. I’m always really admirable of women who suddenly decide to do this and I can definitely relate, as I never feel like the main event myself. I think this is the first book in a series and I suspect that the subsequent books will follow Poppy and Liberty (just a guess!), so I like that Sera got to be the heroine first.

Wes starts with the horniness immediately and I was instantly turned off by it. I’ve realised that I like romantic heroes to be respectful and reserved, so that strong ick rears its head when they get sexual right away. I also totally get that it’s probably a very realistic urge for a straight man but I hate being reminded of it.

I also thought having Sera resemble Hermione because she’s bookish and witchy was really lazy. Why did she have to look like that? She could have had literally any other physical feature other than brown curls, delicate features, white skin and a slim body but she didn’t because that’s apparently not what bookish, witchy women look like.

Once Wes had calmed his hormones down, he actually started to fall for Sera. Wes is also a bookbinder and apparently saw her as an old book in need of repair, which is perhaps one of the least romantic similes I’ve ever read in a romance novel! However, I somehow didn’t mind their relationship as it progressed. It just took quite a while for me to start shipping them.

I do think that Sera and Wes may have been better as friends. They could have helped each other through their shared grief of Ford just as well as friends as they did as a couple. I was never hugely excited about their romance but I did like and believe in their connection. I just wish it had contained a different energy.

The Bookbinder’s Guide To Love is about finding joy in unexpected places and learning to put yourself first. It didn’t quite land as a romance for me but I loved it as a celebration of women and friendship. It’s witchy, bookish and spicy, so if those are your buzzwords, grab a copy!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'The Bookbinder's Guide to Love' by Katherine Garbera.

I'm really sad about this book. When I read the blurb to 'The Bookbinder's Guide to Love' I was so excited to meet Serafina and just fall in love with her story but I didn't. This book felt like a white-noise book to me and I'm absolutely devastated about this. There is definitely an audience for this book but that audience isn't me.

I loved this book, the story of Serafina and Ford. Both book binders who learned from the same person, but clash on their first meeting. Loved both characters and wanted everything to work out for them.

I had really high hopes for this book but it sadly fell a bit short for me. I didn’t find the plot particularly gripping, and I wasn’t invested in the characters or what happened. It seemed the big drama of the books from the will was resolved pretty much right off the bat and then all that was left was a slow burn romance between two people who didn’t want to be in a romance. They weren't really enemies after their first encounter at all. I’m sure it will be the right book for others but for me, I need something more to drive the story and keep me invested. Especially since I wasn’t really feeling any chemistry between the two main characters, and found myself skimming all the steamy scenes.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

A very light-hearted romantic novel with a nod to the spiritual but with the emphasis on friendship becoming family. Cosy and warming.

I found this to be an adorable and swiftly enjoyable narrative, featuring charming characters and a delightful touch of spice in their chemistry. The incorporation of witchcraft, which initially drew me to the book, added an extra layer of allure to the story.

While I developed an affection for the characters, I couldn't help but feel that the romance unfolded a bit too hastily. Personally, I would have preferred a more gradual exploration of the characters' chemistry, allowing time for a deeper connection to develop. Although the romantic elements were good, I believe they have the potential to be truly great with additional attention to building a more extended rapport between the characters.

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.

I liked the premise of this- the bookshops, the witchy vibes and the found family.

It was a cosy read, each character navigating their own personal issues. I liked the normality of the characters.

The pacing, however, felt slightly off to me. I was confused at the beginning at the timeline. I think the ending felt super rushed and the third act shakeup was like 5 pages from the end of the book. It wrapped up too neatly, too soon.

A gentle and charming love story, heavily steeped in herbal tea, moon rituals, manifestation and witchy vibes. I loved the regular (and accurate) use of tarot by our FMC's Wiccan best friend and business partner.

Going into this, I think I was expecting a paranormal or fantasy plot to emerge but I found I was pleasantly surprised to find all the rituals and magic within the book were very true to life practices. The author even directly mentioned a real witchy deck of oracle cards readily available to purchase by name.

The nod to Taylor Swift and Swifties was cute, in the fictional superstar who visited the shop. As a reader, it's hard to resist the allure of classic second-hand books, bookbinding and restoration weaved into this love story.

The Bookbinder's Guide to Love is a very low-stakes, cozy (but spicy) romance book with plenty of sisterhood and found family feels. The storyline follows our main characters processing grief and abandonment trauma, as well as how that impacts their ability to open up to love and long-term commitment.

Thank you Mills & Boon and Katherine Garbera for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I thought this was a cute, quick enjoyable story with some lovely characters , some good chemistry with a lil bit of spice.. I loved the witch aspects as is what drew me to the book. Although I liked the characters I did find the romance too rushed and would definitely prefer some more time spent developing the chemistry over a longer time, building more of a rapport, it was good but it could be great if worked on.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

3.25/5 stars! I'm not really sure what to say about this book. As a former foster child and hopeful future bookbinder, I had a lot of expectations heading into this story...expectations that it didn't quite live up to. It works as an enemies-to-lover type story and there was a magical element to the tale. It just felt kind of like a mash-up of ideas, rather than something original.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

I adored this romance between a journal maker and a book restorer. Serafina and Wes support each other in grief and grow their relationship from colleagues-with-benefits to a deep romantic connection.
‘The Bookbinder’s Guide’ is a remarkably tender book - the characters all care about each other, a care which provides the core, beating heart of the story. I loved Sera’s friendships with Liberty and Poppy, how unwavering their devotion to each other was.
Emotional but not angsty, this is a genuinely charming romance about love in all its forms.

I wanted to love this book. Witchy vibes, small town romance, books and bookbinding - all the good stuff.

Unfortunately, it didn’t quite come together for me. The romance was too insensé, too quickly to be realistic. The conflict / barrier towards the end felt forced and thrown in because you “need” a moment of peril before the happy ending, and I’m not sure having two characters that were quite so in their head worked well.

I preferred both Liberty and Poppy to Sera, and I suspect I’d enjoy future books with those characters more. It’s a shame they weren’t fleshed out a bit more fully. Sera on the other hand felt a bit cliched.

The sex is decent, which is refreshing. I wish there’d been a bit more magic. And it would have been nice to have some genuinely conflict, it felt like it was trying to be like Freya North, but just didn’t have the depth.

All that said, it’s not an awful read by any means. It’s quick, fun in places, and there are some nice ideas (I loved the opening sequence with the pop star).

Just not for me I’m afraid.

Thank you to Mills & Boon and Katherine Garbera for a copy of the Bookbinder's Guide to Love in exchange for a honest review.

This was a quick, cosy and enjoyable read with some great dialogue, fun dynamics between characters and a dash of spice. I enjoyed the cozy, supportive friendships between the core cast of supporting characters. I liked the witchy vibe and bookish nods in the story. The characters are all likeable and mostly relatable, though I thought the emotions felt a bit rushed at critical points of the story and would build more connection with character with a little more insights to their character growth.

I thought romance was a little underdone for my tastes, I felt this was a happy for right now type of ending between Sera and Wes. The spark didn't catch for me, they seemed to fall into lust and then go to 100 mph into love in a melting pot of emotions, which left me feeling a little troubled about the happy ever after of the story. I would have little to seen a bit more foundation established given the story has a number of weeks duration for a firmer relationship basis to be laid.

First things first, thank you to NetGalley, Afterglow Books, and Katherine Garbera for a galley of The Bookbinder's Guide to Love in return for an honest review!

I am a sucker for books about books, and emotionally intelligent romcoms, and this ticked every box! Sera and Wes were two of the most communicative, emotionally aware romantic leads I have ever had the pleasure to read. Their introspection became a little repetitive, as they both came to terms with, but then couldn't push past, their issues. That being said, it was really refreshing to read them not only admit to themselves what was wrong, but communicate that so clearly with each other. For such a short book, it also felt like their relationship developed at a pretty sensible pace. I think in compact romcoms like this it can sometimes feel like the leads go from strangers to soulmates, Garbera gave herself the room to show genuine growth, and I think she did it so elegantly.

As well as the romance in this book there is a really strong found family element, I loved the vibe of the WiCKed Sisters, and their satellites (Merle especially.) You could really feel the warmth in every interaction between Sera, Poppy and Liberty. It was such an honest and yet deeply felt portrait of female friendship. I adored the way Gabera wrote them. I will absolutely be following this series, as it was going I was trying to guess at which sister might be next up.

On top of everything else I loved watching Sera and Wes interact with books, I work in an archive, and so seeing them talk about and appreciate old tomes just really warmed my heart. It was such a core facet of their relationship, and of Sera's relationship with Ford. I think it seeing them bond over something they both considered so important really helped to understand how their relationship could grow so quickly.

I have so many good things to say about this book, but I should say here I had a couple of small problems with it. In places the writing felt awkward, and some of the interactions just didn't add up. Like, physically the way people were moving or sitting read awkwardly. But I think that's a small things and it was easy to get over!

All in all I think this was a solid read, and of the two Afterglow books I've read this month this was by far my favourite.

The title says it all. A real emotional journey with a pinch of witchcraft thrown in the mix. Sera is great. She is strong, passionate and knows her books, however under it all she carries the pain of being unloved, or feeling unloved as she bounced through foster care. Wes comes from a cold, unemotional family and whilst he is loved, he struggles to give his all to Sera. There relationship bumbles along until they hit a bump in the road, a book that throws them a curveball
This book is delicious, enough tenderness to keep me happy, and enough spark to keep it fresh and interesting.