Really good book which I will recommend to others.

Thanks for the opportunity to read & review it.

In a Nutshell: A contemporary fiction about a misunderstanding that lasts too long. Character-driven, with some well-sketched characters in the lead. Interesting story, though it is built upon a plot hole. Slightly slow-paced and repetitive. Recommended but not to all. Better if not read as a romance, and definitely not as a romcom, despite that cutesy cover.

Plot Preview:
Seattle. April, who works from home in a tech job, finds herself increasingly lonely. In desperation, she leaves an anonymous love note for Westley, an employee of a local indie bookstore whose job is to sort out the piles of used books. However, Westley, who is lost in his own issues, doesn’t even notice the note, and when he sells the book to Laura, a middle-aged single mom who hasn’t even considered dating after the death of her husband five years back, she assumes that he has written the note for her. Thus begins a strange correspondence involving three people, where one of the parties isn't even aware of the letters being written to and “by” him.
The story comes to us in the third-person perspectives of the above three characters, with some first-person interludes and email exchanges from the POVs of some key secondary characters.


Bookish Yays:
📚 The three main characters:
🔖 April, with her paradoxical personality of being an overthinker and yet not thinking enough. Her frustrations with her personal and professional life comes across well.
🔖 Laura, with her conflicts as a single mom and a working professional. Probably my favourite character in the book as she felt the most realistic in emotions.
🔖 Westley, who is not like typical romance leads. I mean, he is extremely handsome (as expected), but he is aware of his appeal but doesn’t take advantage of it. He is also not ambitious, quite awkward, not highly educated, doesn’t enjoy sci-fi… So his personality is quite refreshing for this genre, even when he isn't entirely likeable.
📚 Several other good characters, some of whom are nicely quirky. Laura’s seven-year-old daughter Olivia is the sweetest and written in an age-appropriate manner.
📚 The characters range in age from single digit to fifty-something and they mostly act their age. We do get one immature thirty-something-year-old, but there are indeed several immature thirty-somethings in the world to make him convincing enough.
📚 Everything about books and indie bookstores.
📚 The description of Seattle. Always good to see a story make proper use of a place. Also nice to see a different location pop up. High time NY and LA get a break!
📚 The first-person interludes from secondary characters and the emails offer a good break in between the main characters’ narration.
📚 Though a debut, there is no overload of themes, all the more relevant because each character faces a key personal issue. The narrative is focussed on the core idea of urban loneliness and wanting to making connections.
📚 Despite the potential for grief and sadness in each character’s arc, the plot focuses more on their path ahead rather than on their sad past. I like that it doesn’t forcibly attempt to wring out the emotional drama.

Bookish Mixed Bags:
📖 The title and the cover are quite cute, but they probably indicate ‘romcom’, which isn't valid. The book is better read as a contemporary/general fiction than as a romance or a romcom.
📖 As the story is character-focused, the pacing is on the slower side, with the first half mostly focussed on divulging the character’s personalities. We get to know them intimately because of this approach, but those wanting a quicker storyline might be slightly bored.
📖 The ending is too perfect, but that's a hallmark of this genre so I can't really complain too much about it. But a part of me wishes that at least some characters would have got a HFN instead of a HEA ending.


Bookish Nays:
📕 The plot stands on quite a farfetched premise. If you found a letter in a used book that you purchased, would you assume that the owner left it for you, or that the earlier owner of the book left it in by mistake? The very fact that Laura didn’t question even once that it could be the latter case was odd. Plus, the key characters meet in real life at times, but they don’t even bring up the letters for some flimsy reason or the other. Basically, a whole load of suspension of disbelief is required, which I always struggle with.
📕 The repetition of some information. Several facts related to the characters are mentioned time and again, which gets annoying after a while. Readers should be trusted to retain character detailing in their minds; too much telling isn't ever required.
📕 Minor complaint: In emails, the ‘From’ column is always before the ‘To’ column, and this format is retained even in fictional works containing e-correspondence. Why was the order reversed in this book? I was often confused while reading the emails because my head kept inverting the sender and receiver.

All in all, this is quite a decent debut, with its characters outshining the plot. It's even a good contemporary fiction work, as long as you aren't looking for a romcom. Had the repetitions been ironed out, it would have been compelling.
Recommended to those looking for a character-driven contemporary novel about life and relationships in the city.
3.5 stars. (I would have rounded up, but the Nays were a bit too hefty for me.)
My thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for providing the DRC of “Storybook Ending” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this as much as I had hoped I would.

April sends a secret message in a donated book. It's intended for the Cute Clerk(TM) working at the second hand books desk, but it ends up in the hands of another customer. Now both women communicate with each other through secret messages, both thinking they are writing to the Cute Clerk(TM).

I don't mind character driven stories, but this one fell flat for me.

A super fun romance book that’ll be perfect for a beach summer read. Thanks to the author, NetGalley and publisher for the arc.

Actual rating 4.5.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one, and mostly chose it for the cute cover and blurb! But I ended up absolutely loving this heartwarming story set primarily in a bookshop, with a big cast of colourful characters!

Whilst it may come across as a romcom, that actually felt like a small part of the story - there was more of a look at loneliness, loss and friendship, which I loved! I ended up listening to the audiobook and also thought the narration was great!

I liked the premise of this book and a lot of the set up plots but I did feel that it was a little bit baggy and drawn out with not all of the characters ever being fully rounded.
The ending when it came was satisfying and certainly had that storybook "and they all lived happily ever" vibe which was sweet but I did just want a little bit more the whole time I was reading it.

Storybook Ending was a fun romance with a love triangle. Although this wasn't the best romance I've ever read this made for a nice fun read and the female characters were intriguing and well written. I think this would be a fun summer read.

A love triangle worthy of a rom-com. April leaves a note in a book for bookseller Westley, Laura finds it instead and assuming it's from Westley she replies. So begins a mixed up tale of mistaken identity and looking for love via a copy of The Hunger Games in a bookstore.

This was an enjoyable enough read but for a. very long time nothing seemed to be happening. April and Laura exchange notes and it doesn't look as though it will end well. Westley as the object of literally everyone's desire is a bit of a waste of space. His main characteristic is his handsomeness and flannel shirts. Thankfully a good ending which classically toes everything up into happy endings helped this review up to 3 stars.

Attention to all lovers of films such as Love Actually, Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve... think that but with our love for books and bookshops!

April is tired of being lonely and not knowing who she is anymore. Laura is ready to be the leading lady in another part of life, aside from being a single mother and widower. And bless Westley, he's just wanting the bother from his good looks to go away and for this movie he's stumbled into to be over. Their lives were never meant to cross, but when an innocent note from April to Westley mistakenly finds it way to Laura, the anonymous correspondence between the two women kick starts a beginning... a beginning to a very different storybook ending they had in mind.

I'm a huge fan of films like Love Actually, Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve, where we follow different characters whose lives interconnect. So when I realised that Storybook Ending was similar, I did feel a surge of excitement. Whilst I was eager to see what played out within the correspondence between April and Laura, I was really happy to get little snippets from other characters too within the bookshop. It felt as though there were multiple plots you were invested to see the end to. I would say that this falls more on the side of Women's Fiction than Romance, which is something I didn't mind at all but wanted to warn romance lovers out there if Women's Fiction isn't really your cup of tea! It was also a little too cosy for me, but if you're a fan of Laurie Gilmore I think you'll really enjoy Moira Macdonald. It was a cute read!

If you have patience and enjoy stories about bookstores, books and FOUND FAMILY, this could be a book for you.

This was a fun read, it was not quite what I expected (romance) but I still had fun reading it. The friendship theme was lovely to read.

This was a lovely and amusing story about loneliness and friendship, which I really enjoyed. The main characters were delightful and charming, but there were several side characters so it was a bit confusing at times.

April works at home helping people with virtual listings of real estate, not her ideal job after studying English Literature! Her refuge is the bookstore nearby, ‘Read the Room’,where she spots the handsome and shy Westley. She decides to go out on a limb and leave a note in a book for him,hoping to create her own fairy tale romance.

Laura, a young mother who is a personal shopper, also has her eye on Westley, reads one of these notes thinking that it is for her! Laura is also a widow, struggling with her grief for her wonderful husband Sam, but after five years, her babysitter thinks that it is the right time for her to find romance.

I especially liked the story revolving around a leap of faith which changes several people’s lives. I can also see this as a mini-series or a film - it is a pity that Julia Roberts is too old to play Laura! Lily James would be perfect for either woman but the story is set in Seattle so maybe an Amercian actress, such as Mandy Moore would be a better chouce.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

3-

Hmm. Okay. Not what I was expecting. First off, the blurb (and You've Got Mail reference) was giving me romance vibes, and while there is a hint of romance in here that's definitely not the focus of the story. It's about loneliness and friendship, which are both great themes but the execution was somewhat lacking.

I usually roll my eyes when people complain about telling vs showing, but this book is SO MUCH telling. Just like info dumps about characters' lives and summaries of interactions that left me unengaged and unable to make a connection. Particularly with Westley whose personality seems to consist of liking books and not liking The Princess Bride.

And there's too many side characters. Some of them have great potential but don't get enough time on the page. Also how does Jeanie have time to micromanage April's blind date (never mind continuously setting her up), but no time to respond to basic texts?

I do feel like there's a cute story buried in here, but - I'm sorry to sound harsh - this feels like it could have done with a few more drafts before publishing. It has good and sweet moments, and I like the idea of having bits about things found in used books, but this part too didn't live up to its potential. Actually, I would love to see a mini series based on this though cause I do think there's something here, just that the writing style was not for me.

Westley loves working at 'Read the Room' an independent bookstore based in Seattle, his job is to check the used books over before sending to be shelved. He's sometimes uncomfortable because his good looks seem to result in him being treated differently. There is a lot of excitement within the bookstore as a famous director is coming to shoot a few screens in the store. IT worker April has been struggling since the work from home directive meaning she seldom sees anyone except for occasional visits from her wannabe actor brother, she decides to contact the hot guy at the bookstore buy leaving a letter in one of the books he is sorting. However, Laura is the person who finds it, resulting an a lot of confusion. I loved the characters and the day to day happenings in the bookshop.

I had expected this to be a romance-focused book based on what I read in the blurb and, in a way, it was, but the main focus was firmly placed on friendship and it's importance.

The concept of leaving a note for someone in a book and having it end up in the wrong hands was fun, but it left the writing feeling a little chaotic for me at times. Two-person POV books are a bit of effort, but trying to follow three people's stories at the same time, in three different voices, took some getting used to.

I think I found it particularly challenging because I was struggling to relate to two out of three of those voices. Laura was a good character, and the one who left a lasting impression on me after the book had finished. April was ok as a character, but other than being the instigator for the plot in the first place, she didn't really seem to add much to the story. Westley was someone I actually found quite annoying to read - he was overly focused on his own looks and appeared to be a bit lacklustre in the personality department.

The book wasn't bad and I'm sure there are plenty of readers out there who will love it, it just wasn't for me in the end.

I thought the concept for Storybook Ending was cute and charming and I liked the bookshop setting but the story fell flat for me. Within the first half of the book, the story became stagnant. Nothing really happened. It did pick up pace three-quarters of the way through but the ending was rushed; as were the emerging relationships.

The author did explore themes of loneliness and finding connections but the characters lacked depth. Westley was so bland and boring that I actually felt sorry for April and Laura who were pining after him. I didn't care for the additional characters at all.

Told through the POVs of the three main characters, Storybook Ending is a rom-com that never quite goes where you expect it to. Tropes include miscommunication (or mistaken identity), and a love triangle (which only two people are privy to).
The book revolves around a quaint bookshop, which is the set of an indie movie, and is filled with many colourful side characters.
I didn’t quite click with the romance that wasn’t a romance, and wish we’d got to spend more time with the romance that was clearly blossoming – as I enjoyed the last 10% so much! However, I did love the premise and can see other readers really enjoying it.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. It's title called me but I was afraid this was going to be the usual love triangle, thankfully it isn't.

I've got to say the pacing and the character development wasn't the best for me but it's a good cozy reading where I liked the best the friendships that were developed not so much the romance. I also loved that it was a book in a world full of books. I think this book is perfect for a chill reading in the summer/winter when you need something that won't make you think too much.

Unfortunately, I chose to DNF 'Storybook Ending' by Moira Macdonald at 10%.

I was drawn to the title, cover, and premise of the book, which looked like the sort of sweet, cosy novel I would usually enjoy.

The opening was lethargic and the backstory of the characters was immediately dumped on the reader, which may be fine for some readers but I find that this grates on me. I can usually put aside lacklustre writing if the plot is action-packed and exciting, but I did not feel that this would be the case. I made it to 10% and knew that this would not be a book for me.

Really sorry, I have only ever DNF'd one other Netgalley approval before, and do not like to abandon books early.

No review was posted of this book on social media, I thought that would be unfair to the author's hard work.

- Katie

2.5 ⭐️

Storybook Ending had such a promising premise—an anonymous note tucked into a book at a neighborhood bookstore sets off a chain of miscommunications and unexpected connections. I love stories that revolve around books and bookstores, so I was immediately intrigued. And while there were definitely some lovely, cozy moments, especially in the setting and the writing style, this one just didn’t quite land for me in the way I’d hoped.

The narrative switches between three perspectives, and while I appreciate that kind of structure when it’s done well, I found myself more interested in some characters than others. Laura’s storyline was the strongest for me—grief, motherhood, and starting over are always compelling. But I struggled to connect with April and Westley. The romance element felt secondary at times, and pacing-wise, the story dragged a little in the middle.

That said, I did enjoy the overall warmth of the writing—it has that comforting, rom-com feel—and there’s a definite charm to the idea of bookish strangers becoming entangled through letters and literary references. I think this will hit the mark for readers who are after a slow, character-driven story that leans more into friendship and second chances than big romantic gestures.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the opportunity to read this early!