I really enjoyed Book People by Jackie Ashenden! The small-town vibe was so charming and gave the book a cozy, inviting feel that made it hard to put down. I loved how the bookshop setting added to that warm atmosphere, and the wide cast of side characters was so interesting to me. The enemies-to-lovers storyline was brilliantly done. Watching the two main characters go from tension and dislike to understanding and affection was such a rewarding experience. Their chemistry was great, and the emotional growth they went through felt authentic. I loved the aspect of the festival and other minor conflicts. I prefer books that aren’t completely focused on the romance, and thought that this was excellently done. Overall, it’s a delightful read for fans of romance and small-town charm! I can’t wait to see what other books this author puts out in the future!

This was a charming enemies to lovers rom com but I loathed the MMC. He was so immature and really turned me off. Not the kind of grumpy morally grey MMC I gravitate towards. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy.

Book People is a delightful, bookish rom-com that delivers everything I love in an enemies-to-lovers romance! With rival bookshop owners, small-town charm, and a grumpy-sunshine dynamic, this story was such a quick & fun read!

Kate is a passionate bookseller determined to bring fun, genre fiction to her community, but she quickly discovers not everyone shares her enthusiasm—especially Sebastian, the uptight owner of the highbrow bookshop across the street.

If you love stories about books, forced proximity, and characters who can’t resist each other despite their best efforts, this one’s for you. It’s charming, funny, and just the right amount of spicy—a must-read for romance fans!

This was cute and quick. It made me giggle and I liked Sebastian right off the bat. I would say this book is a nice palette cleanser!

This was a sweet enemies-to-lovers romance. Great book for any romance, trope loving people!

Thanks to netgalley for the arc.

Ideal for readers who like a romance with a little spiciness and banter! I had a great time reading this novel, even if I would have preferred it if there had been more tension and passion. I still thought this novel was enjoyable to read. I admired the people, their individual stories, and their ability to overcome obstacles. I would recommend this book to readers who love an enemies to lovers romance but them not really being enemies.

What a fun, sweet romance! I loved the dual timelines of the modern love story and the love letters, and the quaint small town was really charming. The classic grumpy/sunshine hit the spot, though sometimes I worried that the MMC might be too emotionally illiterate to bring us to a satisfying conclusion. As someone who loves a cute, breezy romance, this was just right.

3.5 stars

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Insightful, cute, and great interaction between the main characters. I truly liked this take on a trope that I love.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy!

Thankful to @netgalley for accepting me for this ARC!
I went into this with high hopes and whilst I enjoyed it, it fell a bit flat for me. I fully understand these types of books will always be predictable however this felt a bit run of the mill for me! I also really didn’t like the FMC to begin with however did like reading her character development. Initially this was going to be a 2⭐️ but the ending managed to bump it to a 3!
(3⭐️’s is still good in my opinion!!)

Book people was a very interesting story!
Absolutely loved the dynamic between Kate and Sebastian.
Kates life has turned upside down so she moves to a new town to open a bookshop. A dream she’s had for years. But not everyone in the town is so welcoming. Across the street another bookstore owner despises everything Kate does.
In this thrilling enemies to lovers story you fall in love with both characters and how their differences don’t set them apart but draw them together!
Really enjoyed this story! Highly recommend!
Thanks to NetGalley and Headline for the arc!

* I want to start by thanking the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. HUGE fan!

Oh man, I really wanted to love this book. Rival bookstore owners? A cozy small-town setting? A hint of enemies-to-lovers? That’s basically my dream setup. But somewhere along the way, it just didn’t work for me.

First off, everything moved "so fast". One minute Kate and Sebastian are at odds, the next they’re tangled up together like they’ve been secretly yearning for years. Except… they weren’t. The build-up was barely there, which made the romance feel less like slow-burn tension and more like an abrupt plot jump. And Sebastian? I don’t know, something about him just gave me "the ick". He had this weird superiority complex about books (dude, you run a bookstore, not a literary court), and the whole “brooding alpha male” act felt way over the top.

There were some nice moments; the small-town book festival subplot was charming, and Kate was likable enough. But overall, I just didn’t feel the chemistry. It was like watching two people be told they’re supposed to fall in love rather than actually "falling" in love.

Would I recommend it? Maybe, if you’re just here for the steamy moments and don’t mind the romance being all lust and little depth. But if you’re looking for that longing, tension-filled rivals-to-lovers magic? This one might leave you wanting more.

Thank you NetGalley and Headline for this ARC publication for an honest review.
#BookPeople #NetGalley

Still grieving after her mother passing, Kate leaves behind her narcissistic boyfriend to open a delightful little bookshop. Unfortunately the other bookstore owner in town, Sebastian, is not so happy with her arrival...

Seb is organising a bookfestival to support his bookshop, and although he doesn't really wants to, he finds himself suddenly working with Kate on it together. Seb and Kate are starting to get to know each other and realising there is space for 2 bookshops in one little village especially when they can built on eachother's strengths.

Kate's bookschop sounded like such a wonderful place to visit and he has built a real reading community in a short amount of time. I would love to join Kate's romance novels bookclub!

I loved this book about books. The plot was well written and I loved the characters of Kate and Seb. It's a perfect feel-good read!

I loved this book so much!!!! It was such a joy to read!

I don’t know if I can properly articulate just how much this book has my whole heart.

It was beautifully written! There was so many layers to this story. It transcends generations and it was such an incredible read!

I would definitely read more from this author especially if there’s another book based on this little town.

Sebastian and Kate were just such a wonderful pair to read about!!

There was discussions of the realities of running an independent bookshop, dealing with loss and grief, vulnerability associated with love, etc.

Thank you NetGalley, Headline, Headline Eternal and Jackie Ashendenfor giving me an ARC for this spectacular book! I definitely see myself re-reading this in the future. It’s one of my fave books I’ve ever read.

I had a great time reading this. The bookshop setting is always a plus, and I really enjoyed the characters' chemistry! Emotion and romance were expertly balanced in this book. This story captivated me right away! The clichés of opposites attract and enemies to lovers go hand in hand. enjoyable and simple to read!

I really enjoyed the idea behind this story - two rival bookstore owners falling in love and discovering their shared history - but the execution just didn't work for me. I thought both characters were too busy denying their feelings in a way that felt completely unneccesary for the story.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Jackie Ashenden for this arc.

My Review:

If you loved Beach Read by Emily Henry you will love this.

Think beach read but instead of authors, they are book store owners and instead of a summer holiday they are in a small english village, with snoopy neighbors and old ladies that like to read smut 😂

The Plot:
They are book store rivals, he is uptight and uppity with his beautifully historic bookstore that has been in his family for generations, while she is light and bright and a romance lover (a girl after my own heart ❤️). So naturally they clash!

After finding some old letters they start to unravel a whole lot of family history that brings them surprisingly closer together.

Unfortunately we do get a “you shouldn’t love me” walk away, but in true HAE fashion all is right in the end.

Its light, its funny at times, it touches on some deeper issues like emotionally abusive relationships and addiction, all in all its an easy read.

What's not to love about dueling bookshops and enemies to lovers and small town. Kate's book shop includes everything that's popular and fun while Sebastian's is more highbrow. So add in opposites attract. I didn't think that I would like this one but I ended up loving it.

Want a contemporary romance with a literary twist? Check out BOOK PEOPLE by Jackie Ashenden. While the book has many great qualities, for me, it fell short.

The good?
I loved the writing style - it was captivating and really created a sense of place. The premise is unique, and the romance that develops between the two main characters feels genuine, with emotional depth and chemistry.

The bad?
Pacing. Some parts are a bit repetitive at times while others are fully fleshed out. Some of the character development also felt rushed - leaving you feel disconnected with parts of the story

If you’re looking for a light, heartwarming story with a bit of predictability, this book will fit the bill

I wanted to love this book - I find myself often really loving books about bookstores/readers. However, the characters just didn't do it for me.