I feel like I have a pretty high standard for romance books - it’s my favourite genre but I get second-hand embarrassment very easily and so I sometimes find it difficult to find books that toe the line between selling me a dream without making me cringe too much. I was so pleased to find that A Novel Love Story finds that balance perfectly!
It does even more than that - it somehow predicted my every complaint and clapped back at my every eye roll. Amidst all the hallmark tropes and the sickeningly wholesome setting, this is a very very clever book and it plays on expectations very well. It knows exactly what it’s doing and I think that even if sometimes it becomes slightly cheesy, it does it in a very self-conscious and intentional way.
I will say that the dialogue was the weakest point for me - sometimes it felt a little bit overwritten, over the top and unnatural but once you get into the story, accept that you are, after all, reading a romance book about romance books, and figure out how to suspend your disbelief, it becomes a lot more palatable.

Honestly in the end I think the fantasy element was the books main selling point. It sets it apart (which is important because a lot of it felt very similar to Book Lovers by Emily Henry) and kept me reading.
Even though I did guess the main plot twists straight away, wanting to figure out the rest of the story had me unable to put the book down and I finished the whole thing in a day. An overall lovely experience!!

a novel love story ~ 3.5☆

Ashley never fails to create the most beautiful romance novels with a sprinkle of fantasy and i’ll forever enjoy diving into the worlds she creates. close knit small town, a grumpy bookstore owner & physically falling into a book! isn’t that all of our dreams? this book felt like a realistic fairytale that dealt with real life issues and complex feelings whilst also feeling magical and heartwarming. Although i enjoyed this book, compared to her previous books, i felt disconnected to the characters and personally didn’t feel the attraction was strong between Elsy and Anders🥲

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the setting of the fictional village and I found the main concept of the storyline both charming and unique.

The only thing that I didn’t enjoy about the book was the continuous mention of Anders mint green eyes. It was mentioned that much that it got very tedious to read.

All in all a great book.

Thank you for my earc of this book. I adore Ashley Poston and was so excited for her next release.
I loved the premise of this book, who wouldn’t want to find themselves inside their favourite romance book/series?
I have to say that the writing style felt quite different to the last few of Poston’s books, to the point that it threw me off a little. I did enjoy the story and the style but it didn’t pull me in quite as much as previous novels by the same author. I think the ideas are lovely and I had a good time reading it but something felt a little superficial and flat and for that reason I never really got drawn in as much as I would like.

I’d still recommend this to romance readers but I’m sadly not as in love with this one as some of her previous books.

5 stars. All the stars.

A Novel Love Story is a love letter to readers. It's a love letter to books, to that one comfort book/series that you reread over and over again until the cover falls off and it's hanging on by a thread. It's a love letter to literary theory, to romance books, to book clubs, to authors and their readers and the bond between them. But most of all, it's a love letter to that feeling that you get when you completely lose yourself in your favorite book, how the stress and anxiety and general chaos of reality falls away.

Eileen is going through that moment in life where everything changes- things haven't worked out the way that she thought that they would, everything that she thought that she knew and wanted is being challenged, and, as it is in life, everything keeps moving and changing when all she needs is the comfort of consistency. So she does what most readers do- she gets lost in her favorite book series. Only in this case, she quite literally gets lost in her favorite book series. I love what the author did with this phrase, and how she turned it into a story that perfectly encapsulated finding yourself in your late 20s/early 30s.

At the heart of this book is a love story, obviously. But there's also small town, found family, friendship, nostalgia, life after love, slow burn, and self discovery. If you ever wondered what happened to your favorite book couples after "The End", that's in this book.

So yes, I adored this book. It felt like a warm hug, a hot cup of tea while curled up on a rainy day, and nostalgia all wrapped up in a gorgeous love story.

Did this just become my favourite Ashley Poston novel?

I love her little romance-meets-fantasy books, and this one just hit all the cosy loving, small time town vibes, marks for me!

I became absorbed in this fictional world within a fictional world. The way this has been written still leaves my mind metaphorically blown! I had all the small-time town vibes. It felt like wandering through the streets of Stars Hollow. I could picture every scene so vividly in my mind, every interaction between characters, every heartbeat in my chest! I was absorbed and hooked in Eloraton, where life felt perfect, even when the honey taffy was stuck to your molars, the burgers were always burnt, the Inn was constantly under reconstruction, and it always rained like clockwork every day.

The thing I love most about Ashley Postons romance-meets-fantasy books is the pop culture reference. They always catch me by surprise and make my smile the widest! They're highlighted and stored away in my little pop culture loving heart for when I need to believe again.

Added to this is the nods to The Dead Romantics and The Seven Year Slip, from little references you will only notice if you've read her other books, to characters reappearing further along in their story from where we left them.

Elsy's self-exploration of her self-worth was what gave this book its heart. It touched mine from the pages and I'm not ashamed to say, made me tearful as I saw my own heartbreak in her pages, and my heart soared as she found the strength and love for herself to finally let go and leap forward in her dreams.

I always claim I'm not a romance reader, but when it's an Ashley Poston romance, I am becoming her biggest reader, and I'm so thankful to Netgalley, HQ Stories and Harperinsider for sending me a proof copy of A Novel Love Story just at the moment my reading needed this refreshing meet-cute.

This is the first book I’ve ever read by Ashley Poston, and wow what a great introduction to her writing! This book follows Eileen as she somehow finds herself stranded in the fictional town from her favourite romance series. If you’re a fan of romance books, then I would definitely recommend this story!

This book felt like a celebration of romance novels, the joy it brings us to read them and the community they can create. I enjoyed the writing style. It flowed nicely, it was very easy and enjoyable to read. Additionally the book was well paced. I felt like all of the characters and side characters were well developed and I enjoyed getting to know them all.

Overall, this was a great book, I rated it 5 stars and I would highly recommend it!

Like with Dead Romantics and Seven Year Slip, I found myself tearing up quite a few times reading 'A Novel Love Story', another exploration by Ashely Poston about grief, heartbreak and loss, all wrapped up in a magical realism romance.

Elys is a shell of herself after being dumped by her fiance two years previously. Her solace has been romance novels and the online romance book club she joined with her best friend. Every year the group meets in an upstate New York cabin for a week of wine drinking and reading, but this year no one can make it. Desperately needing the escape after learning her fiance married the woman he cheated on her with, she decides to go solo, only to find herself in Eloraton, the fictional town from her favourite series by author Rachel Flowers, who died before she wrote the final book.
Elys suddenly find herself surrounded by her favourite characters and also surly bookshop owner Anders, whom she can't remember being in the books but who is also aware he's in a fictional town.

I must admit I'm tired of reading romance novels about romance novels but this book was such a beautiful allegory for grief and heartbreak and the desire to escape into fictional worlds where you can't get hurt. Both Elys and Anders are nursing some deep wounds and I loved how they slowly came to trust each other. While I guessed the 'twist', I thought it was so well done, especially the resolution.

Ashely Poston has truly outdone herself again. This book will really tug your heartstrings but at the same time also leave you feeling hopeful that when life really does hurt you, you can find the strength to rebuild and move forward.

Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the ARC.

4/5 stars

Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for providing me with an arc.

I absolutely love Ashley Poston’s books, I own almost all of them and I’ve read all but 4 of them. This was everything I loved about The Dead Romantics with the cozy small town, sorta mystical vibes, and a cute romance to tie it all together. This is a sweet romance so it isn’t spicy but does mention sex some, which some of y’all are confused why I liked this and it’s because the writing and story are amazing. Ashley Poston is able to create this world inside of a world that feels full of life even when we are being introduced to characters our FMC and MMC already know. It is beautifully thought out.

Eileen loves to get lost in a romance book where happily ever afters are guaranteed since imaginary men can’t break your heart. So when all of her book club friends cancel on their annual trip, she decides to go alone as she really needs just a week to relax and unwind. But on the way to the cabin her car unexpectedly breaks down in a rainstorm, in a quaint small town that feels really familiar. It’s a town that can’t possibly be real as it is from her favorite series but yet there she is in Eloraton seemingly trapped in the author’s unfinished story. She meets a grumpy bookstore owner that she can’t quite place in the novels she knows so well but when feelings start between them she starts to wonder if her happy ending is in Eloraton after all.

Andres, the grumpy bookstore owner, was everything I expected from Ashley Poston. It was the perfect combo of grumpy and caring. I also loved Elys (Eileen), she was a loveable character and honestly most readers can relate to wanting to be able to make sure their favorite characters got their happy endings. She felt very real and relatable, she reads to see her favorite characters be happy, she loves her friends, and she just is very caring. Them together was amazing, I wished we got to see a bit more mainly at the end but overall I loved their progression.

I highly recommend this book when it comes out in June and I definitely will be picking up a finished copy when it is out.

I absolutely adored the other two books in this sort-of-series or magic-tinged romances, and this has been one of m ymost anticipated reads of this year. Ultimately, I enjoyed it a lot, but it didn't quite have the special edge of the other two for me.

In a lot of ways, this book is a love letter to reading and fandom in general (always a win for me). I found the cast of characters to be enjoyable to read about, the writing style and setting charming, and all around a nice, easy read. For me, the romance was missing a little of the feeling that the previous two books gave in spades, but was still enjoyable.

4 stars

Elsy gets lost in a rain storm and ends up in setting of her favourite book series. No one knows that they're fictional and the town seems to be stuck in the middle of an unfinished story. The only person who seems to be aware of any of this is Anders, the very grumpy owner of the book shop.

This book is a bit meta in that it's very aware of romance as a genre. It's a romance about a romance reader, who is stuck inside a romance novel (and is fine about it - she doesn't want to leave, really). There is a nice, slow burn romance in the book that is tempered by her knowledge of how romance novels work.

Elsy is a relatable character. Anders is a great grumpy book boyfriend. His bookshop sounds wonderful - so do the honey covered pancakes in the Grumpy Possum cafe.

I love Ashley Poston and as a huge fave of the seven year slip, I’m so happy she’s bought out this new novel that, in classic AP style, toes the line between modern fantasy and romance.

There’s a certain magic that is weaved into this book and the small references to her other works is noticeable.

Would recommend it for those who love AP books usually but also for those who come from a fantasy background and want to give romance a go.

Elsy was a really endearing character to read and her journey of self-exploration tore at my heartstrings.

If you don’t like pop culture references, this book isn’t for you.

Title: A Novel Love Story By Ashley Poston

Release Date: June,25th 2024

4.5 Stars

"A Novel Love Story" by Ashley Poston is a captivating tale that reads like poetry and resonates deeply with the heartstrings.

Eileen Merriweather, a literature professor, finds herself stranded in the quaint town of Eloraton, which seems to be straight out of her favorite romance series. Convinced she's meant to help bring the town to its storybook ending, Eileen becomes entangled in the unfinished story left behind by the late author. However, she encounters resistance from a grumpy bookstore owner, whose presence challenges her perception of the town's fate and its connection to her own happily-ever-after. As Eileen navigates the mysteries of Eloraton, she begins to realize that the town's ending might be intertwined with her own destiny.


The concept was brilliant, and the conclusion surpassed all my hopes for the ending. Ashley Poston's writing is enchanting, creating a story that feels like a love letter to books and romance itself. With charming characters and a delightful storyline, this novel is a must-read for anyone who believes in the magic of storytelling and the power of love.

Tropes:

Bookish Romance
Metafiction
Happily Ever After
Love Letter to Books
Quirky Characters

Thank you to Publisher HQ , The author Ashley Poston & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

I was looking forward to this quite a lot as I loved the Seven year slip-however this did not deliver for me and I was left quite disappointed. 

Elsy is going on a solo road-trip to read her favourite romance series alone and in peace as she is going through a rough patch. On the road she has car troubles and stumbles upon this small town. She quickly realises she has seen it before or well, read about it. It is, in fact, the town of her favourite book series. She knows all the characters and that feels like home, except for one...The concept sounded SO interesting to me but this one felt rushed, fragmented and unfinished. 
There were lots of cute elements to the writing, the small town description was probably the best part but the characters lacked depth and to be honest, sense. 
Elsy is too fragmented, she doesn't make sense. And not because she is the 'quirky','chaotic' character- she does a lot of things without reasoning- she annoyed me quite a lot. The romance was lacking, there was no build up, no tension, no longing. All of a sudden they liked each other? Too short amount of time to be believable and it felt like I wasn't rooting for them to get together at all. He also lacked personality, he was just...there. Their back stories felt incomplete and, again, rushed. And the reveal at the end...not my cup of tea.

 I am disappointed that I could not love this one but it really fell flat for me. 


Thanks to NetGalley for the arc

Ashley Poston is an auto-buy author for me since I read Geekerella. Her books are full of nerdy fandom titbits and I always know I'll read a book story with her books. This was no different.

Eileen Merriweather loves a good love story. The fictional kind, anyway. After all, imaginary men don’t break your heart.

Ater her car breaks down - Eileen finds herself in Eloraton. A town where every meet is cute, the rain always comes in the afternoon, and the bookshop is always curated with impeccable taste. It feels too good to be true . . . because Eloraton is the setting of her favourite romance series.

But there’s one character she can’t place. The grumpy bookshop owner with mint-green eyes, and an irritatingly sexy mouth.

It's hard to explain that to someone who doesn't read, or who has never felt their heart bend so strongly toward a story that it might just snap in two. Some books were a comfort, some a reprieve, others a vacation, a lesson, a heartbreak.

"Elsy" the main character is feeling a bit lost in her life and wants a break from every day life. She feels her friends are moving on without her. I loved that the book club was called "The Super Smutty Book Club" it made me chuckle. It doesn't take her long to realise what is happening and where she has ended up. Eloraton has a quaint, cute vibe to it with a sweet shop, old bookshop and a diner where all the locals gather.

The side characters are like all book characters should be - loveable and endearing. Anders and Elsy have electric chemistry. I looked forward to all their interactions. I would love to see more of them.

I could vividly imagine everything about this book, from the town, locals and the main characters. Ashley has a way of making every book seem real. I wished I lived in Eloraton.

4.5 Stars as I don't understand how Elsy ended up in a fictional town and why it disappeared afterwards but I'll just ignore that bit!

Sometimes, that's how it happens. Sometimes your favourite book just hits you out of the blue like a bolt of lightning

Because even after the people were gone, there were still stories. There were always stories. Other took the heart of her books, and kept them close, and nurtured them, because nothing could ever stay in stasis.

Thankyou to Netgalley for the e-arc of this book but all opinions are my own. I can't wait for more by Ashley Poston <3

4.5 stars
Ashley Poston wrote two of my all time favourite books 'The Seven Year Slip' and 'The Dead Romantics' so when I saw this book I knew I wanted to read it even before reading the synopsis.
This book is a romance book lovers dream; a reader ends up stranded in her favourite romance book and falls in love with the cute bookshop owner. Doesn't that just sound perfect?
I loved loved loved this book. Whilst I don't think this is my favourite Ashley Poston book (I think that has to be 'The Seven Year Slip') I couldn't help but fall in love with this book and the magical world that she creates. I loved all the side characters and the small town vibes throughout the book. I even loved the mystery element that was weaved throughout and did not guess the plot twist at the end.
I fell in love with both Eileen and Anders and couldn't help but root for them to be together despite all of the elements that were going against them.
There's something so magical and special about Ashley Poston's books and I cannot help but fall in love with every single one of her books. I cannot wait to have a physical copy of this one on my shelf and to read all of her future releases.

‘There once was a town, and I was so certain that it would feel like home if I ever made it there. There once was a town, and it didn’t exist.’

This is the second book I’ve read from Ashley Poston and it definitely didn’t disappoint. The premise itself is an interesting set up- Eileen (the FMC) ends up stumbling in a town which only exists in her favourite book series. It was an enjoyable read but it’s definitely slow. The actual story didn’t go anyway until about halfway and even then not much happened. Maybe because I’m not drawn to the characters in the town I don’t feel how the FMC did to be surrounded by people she’s read about it and lived through vicariously. I just think more could have happened to make it an entertaining read. I do love how the author’s books always focus on self development and how the MCs are having personal struggles and how they overcome them. It’s not just about the FMC and MMC getting together but instead the realisation they need to work on themselves before that can happen which is refreshing.

Overall I would give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️ since it’s an easy read.

Thank you netgalley for providing me with the ARC!

imagine you were on a solo road trip and got lost, ended up in a small town and said small town was the one from your favourite book series. that’s exactly what happens in this book. feel like this book is every reader’s dream because who hasn’t thought about that happening to them?

elsy and anderson’s love story was genuinely so cute and beautiful, was sooo well written just like their characters. i loved the other characters too, the town felt so magical and everything about this book was just so good. it will have you crying and laughing and giggling!! will make you play detective to try and figure out what’s going on with certain things, why she ended there and why he’s there.

i loved the plot twist, loved the way it ended and i really wish i had more !!! wish i could read the actual book series too.. so how do we make this happen!

also, loved the cameos! 🤭

a really unique concept! thank you so much for this arc! ashley’s writing is honestly breathtaking and like nothing i’ve ever read before! a love story with a hefty dose of heart and a sprinkle of magic 💛

I was so lucky to receive an ARC of Ashley Poston’s new book, A Novel Love Story.

We follow Eileen, who, at the lowest point of her life, decides on a whim to take a road trip to a remote cabin she used to visit with her book club. Only, her car breaks down and she’s stranded in an idyllic small town, like something out of a story. And as Eileen explores, waiting for her car to be repaired, she realises this town might be far more storybook-esque than she ever imagined. She might just be stranded in her favourite fictional romance series, Quixatic Falls.

I *adored* this premise. A fictional town come to life, the characters real and tangible? It’s every book lovers dream come true. I loved reading about the Eloraton characters

Anders was bookish, introverted and thoughtful, qualities that immediately draw me to a male main character. Poston intertwines this romantic narrative with themes of self-discovery, with her usual emotionally hard-hitting writing that I’ve grown to expect from the Seven Year Slip and the Dead Romantics.

I occasionally felt the writing could have benefited from being more concise. There was a bit of repetition, which got a bit tedious. I also didn’t love being in Eileen’s POV, and some of the decisions she made frustrated me.

However, Ashley Poston has a way of making her books feel so comforting and warm, so familiar, and this was no different. It felt like everything I could ever need in a romance. Poston’s books have such depth, and deal with heavy themes such as grief with such sensitivity and care.

Overall, such an engaging and intriguing premise, executed well to create. It wasn’t especially romance-heavy, instead focusing more on Eileen’s journey, which I loved. It was reminiscent of Emily Henry books, with Poston seamlessly blending romance with general fiction.

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC!
Publication date: June 25th