A Christmastime rom-com, Look Up, Handsome centres around a queer bookstore in Hay-on-Wye, Wales, that's under threat of closure due to a developer's desires for more profit. It just so happens the developer is family. Truly a gay Hallmark premise if ever there was one.

Quinn Oxford owns Kings and Queens, a bookstore that's more like a community centre and safe haven for folks in Hay to learn, feel listened to, and just have space to exist. Unfortunately, Quinn's step-father, Harold, is a developer who's redoing the castle and he owns the old chapel that houses Kings and Queens. Harold wants this to be the site of ticket and information sales for the historic restoration once it's complete. Simultaneous to this struggle is the joint anxiety of townsfolk felt by celebrities Hermione and Noah Sage. Hermione was a Hollywood actress, but recently she has been a recluse with quasi-delusional paranoia about the media ever since a man secretly filmed her having sex. Her son, Noah, is a famous romance author who fled Hay when he was 16 because his mental health couldn't handle being in town anymore. These stories intersect as the book continues, with Quinn and Noah becoming an obvious pair - there's just one problem... Noah's Instagram hottie boyfriend, Matty.

Despite the seemingly ridiculous summary I've given, this was a powerful book. The underlying messages were to protect queer spaces and ultimately stand up for one's self after, and during, tumultuous times where things have been taken out of your control. Quinn's story demonstrates this as he reluctantly, but then passionately, leads Hay-on-Wye through protests to protect his shop. Even after losing this battle with Harold, because "it's just business", he's still come out the other side stronger and knowing what is possible when creating community. Hermione's and Noah's stories demonstrate these by how they both face their demons and learn that not everyone wants to harm them - including each other, and especially including their own minds. Other characters also got in on this redemption, such as Claire (Quinn's mother) who thought she was protecting her son's best interests and respecting his life choices, only to realise she'd misunderstood him and had been inadvertently participating in his harm.

Outside of these plot-based pros, there's also the nice detail that Hay-on-Wye is (1) a real place, that's also known as a pilgrimage place for booklovers, and (2) appears to be quite accurately portrayed in the book, with only minimal fictionalization.

Now, for the negative side of my review, the main thing I want to express is that this really didn't work as a romance for me. To me, this would have been so much stronger as a contemporary or literary fiction, focusing more on the parallels between Quinn's and Hermione's struggles. Noah could still be there as a current boyfriend, rather than a new boyfriend - that would add depth to the characters since he's boyfriend and son to Quinn and Hermione, respectively. However, by adding the romance into the struggle for Quinn's shop and the struggle to express Hermione's side of the events, I felt it only muddied the story. Adding on top of this, unfortunately, is that the story used two tropes I personally can't stand: third act breakups and the other man. For the first point, even though they weren't yet dating, there still was a "third act breakup" where Noah and Quinn have a heated "argument" (it's one-sided, Quinn being the upset character), and then Noah leaves, only to return at the 11th hour. For the second, I really hated that Noah was flirting with and trying to get close with Quinn when he was still actively dating Matty. Sure, you can say the relationship was "already over months ago", but it's not actually over until you end it, buddy. Be kind to both Matty and Quinn and don't start something until you've ended the last thing.

✨4 stars✨

This was a really cute, Christmassy read! I really enjoyed the writing, characters and the LGBTQ+ romance! There were several moments that made me properly laugh and I loved the development of the characters’ relationships and how all different people came together in an attempt to save Quinn’s bookshop in true Hallmark fashion… which of course meant there was a happy ending!

Was it cheesy in parts? Slightly, but was a Christmas read without a bit of cheese? I would recommend if you want a quick festive read!

I received an ARC from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, for the ARC of this title. What could be better than a wintery Christmas holiday in a Welsh book town? How about when the famous author falls for the bookseller? This charming story is one to read in a comfy chair beside a warm fire with a hot toddy. It's super sweet and funny, mostly because its main character, Quinn, has some very fun inner dialog happening at all times. But also the setting, Hay-on-Wye, is that charming book town in the UK that hosts a well-known annual literary festival. It's a book lover's dream but made even more dreamy because of the snow and decorations and fairy lights and Santa. Yes, Santa. But it doesn't stop there. Since Kings and Queens is Quinn's LGBTQ+ empowerment bookstore, there are drag queens and an old Hollywood starlet. So many fun characters!

At the center of the story, however, is the empowerment Quinn finds for himself by speaking up and saying what he wants and what he doesn't want. It's not only that he wants to keep his store, but he also wants to strengthen his bonds to the community and mother he loves. When Noah, the handsome and famous author, meets Quinn, it becomes a challenge for both of them to stand up for themselves and not get swept up in their emotions.

Look Up, Handsome is a lovely escape with lots of romance. While there are real life tensions, it's hard not to find yourself smiling through this one.

Look Up, Handsome is a simple and sweet holiday romance. The setting is charmingly cozy and while the main plot involving the bookshop is a bit predictable, it's still plenty heartwarming reading about the outpour of love and support to save the only LGBTQ bookshop in town. Quinn as a main character is someone you really want to root for, and I'm glad by the end of it, he learns to stand up for himself. Noah, however, wasn't my favourite. I found his lack of emotional maturity disappointing and hard to sympathize with. I feel if this had been a dual POV, we could maybe understand him a bit better. Overall, this is a wholesome read perfect for the Christmas season

Mein Leseerlebnis

Den Einstieg in die ruhig erzählte, interessante Liebesgeschichte empfand ich als unterhaltsam und spannend zugleich. Ich habe die sympathischen Charaktere gerne näher kennengelernt und mich auf den weiteren Verlauf der Geschichte gefreut.

Spätestens ab der Hälfte des Romans musste ich allerdings feststellen, dass das romance Buch nicht genug zu bieten hatte, um mich über seine gesamte Dauer gut unterhalten zu können.

Zusätzlich fand ich die Familienverhältnisse eines der beiden Helden teils etwas anstrengend.

Als Kurzgeschichte hätte ich “Look up, handsome” sehr wahrscheinlich toll gefunden. In der vorliegenden Form hat mir der Liebesroman eine nette, aber nicht vollständig überzeugende Leserfahrung geboten.

🖤🖤🖤

PS: Ist das Buchcover nicht zum Verlieben schön?

Für wen?

Wer ruhig erzählte Liebesromane mag, in denen einer der Helden lernt, für seinen Traum zu kämpfen, und wer Geschichten mag, die in idyllischen Ortschaften spielen, für den könnte das Buch eine schöne Sache sein.

Man sollte es mögen, wenn die Familienbeziehungen der Hauptcharaktere eine wichtige Rolle im Buch spielen.

A very cute and cozy Christmas themed book. I loved the main characters and their relationship very much. I felt like they were both developed very well and I understood why the characters were together. The supporting characters were amazing as well. Each supporting character had a reason to be there, and I was just as invested in them as I was the mains.

A sweet holiday romance featuring a queer bookshop owner trying to save it from closing when his stepfather tries to evict him.

I was touched by the community coming together to support the town's only queer bookshop. The romance was my least favorite part of the story, though. Noah wasn't a great love interest. But this is a great read for people who love messy queers.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

This book is your typical Christmas rom-com about saving a bookshop, but make it immensely queer. And although that should have made me love it from the first page, it didn't catch my attention as much as I would have wanted. Where the story is amazing, it lacked some emotion, and the characters felt pretty flat.

Look Up, Handsome is a simple and sweet holiday romance. The setting is charmingly cozy and while the main plot involving the bookshop is a bit predictable, it’s still plenty heartwarming reading about the outpour of love and support to save the only LGBTQ bookshop in town. Quinn as a main character is someone you really want to root for, and I’m glad by the end of it, he learns to stand up for himself. Noah, however, wasn’t my favourite. I found his lack of emotional maturity disappointing and hard to sympathize with. I feel if this had been a dual POV, we could maybe understand him a bit better. Overall, this is a wholesome read perfect for the Christmas season!

Well I didn't think I'd be reading a Christmas novel in the swimming pool in Croatia but Look Up, Handsome was the perfect read for the sunshine, despite being set at Christmas. it had everything I love from a book: more books and a cute romance.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy. This book was super cute and will be recommending it to all my friends coming up to Christmas.

Look Up Handsome by Jack Strange was such an enjoyable read. It’s exactly the type of cozy and sweet you know there will be a happy ending type of book. Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.

Look Up Handsome follows Quinn, a bookshop owner whose own stepfather has decided to evict him and force him to close up his bookshop right at Christmas. Quinn’s bookshop is the only LGBTQ+ bookshop in Hay-on-Wye, a town known for its book festival and the many book stores that inhabit it. Right from the start Quinn is a character that you root for. He is a bit of a mess and relatable in a way that makes you want everything to go well for him.

When Quinn meets well known author, Noah, it’s the start of a slow burn romance. Their flirting and the way that Quinn is completely taken by Noah makes you root for them as a couple even when there are obstacles set before them. While I think the book doesn’t spend nearly enough time building up the romance, it doesn’t take away from how perfect for each other Quinn and Noah are.

What the book does really well is to give a full picture of what small town life is like. Where people know each other and rally together when something unjust is happening. If you want something light and fun to read set at Christmas time this is the book for you. 4/5 stars.

This was adorable! The conflict of the bookstore being taken away was a nice contrast to the romance, it gave the story stakes beyond your typical romcom. I also loved the storyline with the recluse celebrity slowly coming out of her shell to share her story….i kind of want a follow up book following her story!

I am not going to lie, reading a Christmas-themed book at the end of August felt odd, but the incredibly moving and emotional story brought me right where Strange wanted me.
"Look Up, Handsome" is a perfect queer read to immerse yourself in once December strolls around, so I hope everyone can gift it to their buddies and also to themselves, because you won't regret it.

This novel follows Quinn, owner of the first and only LGBTQIA+ bookstore in the city of Hay-on-Wye, a little town known for its tens of bookstores and its book festivals. However special his shop may be, it doesn't escape the wrath of capitalism and of property developers, and so Quinn faces eviction right before Christmas, unless he acts and shows everyone how precious the place is to the community.
Enter Noah Sage, queer author of straight romance novels, born in Hay but reluctant to go back there and face his own past. When Noah and Quinn have a fated meeting at Hay's winter book festival, it is the start of a friendship, of a lot of emotions and realisations for the both of them.

As I said, I highly enjoyed this novel. It has all the sweetness and heart of a Hallmark movie, but with better quality writing. Quinn is a relatable character for many, he has a lot of passion and heart, but he's also a bit awkward and struggles with speaking up for himself. This novel is the story of a man who learns that if he wants to achieve all that he wants in life, he must learn to face the music. Nobody else will fight for him otherwise.
The book delves a lot into familial relationships as well, as we find out more about Noah's family and we reckon with Quinn's past too. I don't want to give too much away, but there's a couple of female characters that are absolutely stellar, and at least one of them made me weep.
This is the type of novel that will make your heart grow three sizes, and will give you the happy ending you look for in Christmas books.

This book definitely gave similar vibes to a Hallmark Christmas movie, and as someone who is a sucker for them, I was here for it. Quinn not only had me rooting for him the whole time, but also had me cracking up. I enjoyed this one from start to finish!

This is such a cute romance. I really enjoyed the characters and the comedic aspects. It’s definitely hard for a book to make you laugh but I thought it was executed well here. Some parts of the book could become repetitive and a little cringey, but it’s easy to get past those moments.

I would definitely recommend this to someone looking for a holiday romance.

I am a sucker for holiday books, so this one seemed perfect for me. I loved the cover and thought the plot seemed really interesting. Although it wasn’t my all time favourite book or anything, I still thought it was a really good holiday read!

I enjoyed the main characters, but I felt like the side characters were also really great! Iris, Hermione, and James in particular I thought were really fun and I liked any scene they were in.

I was so pleasantly surprised that Quinn ghostwriting Hermione’s book wasn’t kept secret from Noah. I fully expected that to end up being a big reveal and conflict, but I’m really glad that didn’t happen.

The biggest thing I disliked was the whole situation with Matty. Although he was not a character I liked, I don’t like how his involvement played out.

If this becomes a series, I would absolutely read a book about Daniel and his relationship.

The story follows Quinn Oxford running the only queer bookshop in a small town called Hay. On the verge of closing down, Quinn meets author Noah Sage and sparks begin to fly. While struggling to save his bookshop, Quinn begins to navigate his life, all while receiving help from unlikely places.

I loved reading this story although there were some hiccups along the way. The plot is simple and primarily focused on romance. I enjoyed how the story weaved saving the bookshop with Quinn’s budding romance and the tension that grew from both. The story flows smoothly with a core supporting cast and then some others who appear more for background noise than anything.

The relationship and chemistry between Quinn and Noah is questionable on many levels but I love them both. They both had great chemistry with each other, however because Noah’s character needed a somewhat pitiful past, it was becoming hard to justify their relationship. Noah was in a relationship before he started leading on Quinn and he shamelessly admitted it all while knowing Quinn’s feelings for him. I hated it but I also loved their interactions and yet, I also don’t endorse cheating. I was conflicted so I honestly just removed the fact that Noah was in a relationship while reading the book.

This story has a lot of LGBTQ+ representation in both characters, discussions and events. I loved how they were part of the story but it felt disconnected. They didn’t feel natural to the story as if they belonged but felt more forced, as if they were inserted just for representation.

The supporting cast of characters were entertaining but nothing really stuck with me. I think they added some depth to both Quinn and Noah characters, but the majority of them either had their own unfinished stories at the end or a quick ending. I wasn’t attached to any but I loved how most were supportive and positive.

This story is set in the winter months around the Christmas season. I absolutely love that season but it’s also one that makes me very lonely. This book does a great job in transporting us to that small town during winter. The writing is simple yet descriptive enough to make out each character’s emotions, the setting and the combined beauty of both.

Overall, I enjoyed this story mainly for the romance between Quinn and Noah. I would have loved to read a little more about their combined life in the future but I’ll settle for this. Quinn’s endeavor to save his bookshop and the family issues discussed throughout were interesting but it was not enough for me to feel captivated by this story. Definitely a good read if you’re looking for romance but don’t read if you’re not okay with cheating.

Look Up Handsome is a cosy, sweet, and heartwarming romance.

With Hallmark vibes, but far less cheesiness, this book was a lovely escapist read. I found the pacing a little slow, but the ending satisfying and warm. Quinn’s character had substance, and both he and Noah were wonderfully endearing. I loved the supporting cast of characters, particularly Ivy and Hermione. The small Welsh town setting of Hay, and the validating and empowering bookshop were my favourite parts of the story, making for a truly cosy Christmas read.

Thank you HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for this arc. Opinions expressed are my own.

Loved this and read it in one sitting! I love MM romance books that take place outside the United States and I felt the setting for this novel really shined and I want to visit Wales now. This is truly a cute festive romance that felt just a few cheesy moments away from being something you'd see on Hallmark during winter. But this is not a detriment to the writer. It comes across as intentional and fun. I loved both characters but Quinn really held my heart.

Super sweet, cosy and heartwarming LGBTQIA+ romance. I loved it. I hope there’s a sequel.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.