This was a super cute, comfort romance. Not too dramatic, just enough to make my blood boil towards certain characters. Satisfying ending. I didn't want to put it down and I really enjoyed the romance brewing between the main characters.

Freya is offered an opportunity to take her career from assistant to literary agent. That opportunity takes her to a conference in New York with her idol and favorite author, Jake Richards. Her mission: save Jake’s reputation. It proves to be quite the challenge since she’s quirky and awkward, and he’s a bit of a grump who seems intent on destroying his career. But as they get to know each other, it turns out their biggest hurdle might be their attraction to each other.

I liked the premise of this book, and enjoyed the bookish theme. There were moments of humor, romance, and drama. I especially liked the way that Jake expressed himself and became Freya’s champion.

However, I felt Freya’s maturity level was a bit lacking, especially compared to Jake. She lacked self confidence and didn’t handle situations well that didn’t go her way.

Overall, I liked the concept of this story but felt the execution fell a little flat.

this book is major cute. its the tropes that are tropes because we love these tropes. and i cant deny im a cynic or falls for the tropes every single time when done well. and this for me was done well. i couldnt help but smile and root for the characters.
Freya has the chance for her big break as literary agent. but one thing is very much standing in her way. hes a romance author who been heard heard talking badly about all things romance novels. great. not only that but he goes one step further in ridiculing the fans who adore him. or so they did adore him. no he is a PR night mare.
so its up to Freya to sort him out because this needs turning around fast. Freya has more in the game than the job though. she loved his books too. and she believed in the whole big romance love of your life thing. can he really be the one to destroy that.
but does needing to be the big love in her OWN life need to be her big love. and is there more to Jake than people are now assuming or his determined to give off to the world. theyve got a romance conference to find out.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Victoria Walters for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This book is written from the POV of Freya. She is trying to break through the literary world and become an agent. She is tasked with the job of going to a romance conference in NYC with Jake, an author who just got blacklisted by the romance community for getting caught saying that writing romance is easy and he just does it for the money. As Freya works to fix things, Jake and Freya get closer. However, there are many ups and downs in their story as they navigate work, rivalries, and their own insecurities. Will they be able to make things work?

I went into this book a little apprehensive after reading through the reviews. There are many negative reviews and the average star rating is 3.19 on Goodreads and 2.97 on StoryGraph. I tried to go into the book with an open mind, and I’m glad I did. While there were things I didn’t like about the book, I still enjoyed reading it! I’m honestly a little confused where some of the really negative reviews came from as I either missed those parts of the book or it has been revised. I didn’t love Jake, but he wasn’t misogynistic as noted. Overall, combining the positive and negative things about the book, it ends up being mid.

Freya, an assistant literary agent, is given the opportunity to attend a romance conference in New York, a place is she has always wanted to visit. Her role at the conference is to assist best-selling romance writer Jake Richards salvage his career. Despite the difference in age, economic status and experience, their relationship starts to develop over the course of the conference.

The romance conference setting intrigued me and I enjoyed some of the insights about the industry. However, I found myself getting frustrated with Freya and Jake. For two people whose careers were on the line they didn’t seem focused on the task at hand.
The pacing of the story was a little problematic for me and there were a couple of times when the dialogue made me cringe.

While rom-coms can be predictable, there were a few surprises which added to my enjoyment of the book. The development of the side characters also added interest.

Thank you to Victoria Walters, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the eARC.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. The premise seemed amazing. He messes up big time and she has to help him gain a good public image once again. The setting (New York) is beautiful and well described and the romance seemed even better just because they were in New York. Nevertheless, I think Freya was a bit too childish and her lack of self awareness was really weird, starting from her outfits to her behaviour around a client. I also didn't particularly enjoy the writing style, but that's highly personal so take from this what you want.
Bottom line is, it's a cute romcom and there is some good to it, but it really was not for me.

Long Story Short is the fourth book in an interconnecting standalone series centring around a publishing house and the romance writing industry, and I love each of them. This one is Freya's story, and Freya is Liv's cousin [Liv's story is in The Love Interest - Pride and Prejudice fans HAVE to read it!]. They are all interconnecting, which I just love, but if you are new to the series they can also be read as standalones.

Freya Harrison works as an assistant to a literary agent and when an opportunity for her big break [to become a literary agent] appears, she can't let it slip through her fingers. Even if that involves accompanying disgraced author, Jake Richards, to New York. It's a trip of a lifetime for Freya, who has never been to New York. The city has a romantic effect on them, as they discover a romantic attraction for each. But first they must work together to save both their careers.

I really love that this one has a male romance writer front and centre. He lashes out at the genre [not a good thing to do if you want a career!] to save himself from a rival finding out more gossip about his life. There is so much chatter in the industry about romance novels lately and I feel like it does get looked down a lot, which is why I think books like this are so important.

Freya loves romance books and believes in her own HEA one day and I love watching her initially clash with Jake and the slow burn their romance takes.

If you love books about books and a sweet 'n spicy romance then Long Story Short is just for you!!! It's perfect for readers that enjoy a slow burn to spice, and once you read one you're going to want to read all of them!

Had a really great time reading this one. Was rooting for both leads and enjoyed their story. Will recommend this book to other romance fans. I really enjoyed the way the MMC started to open up to the FMC throughout and their chemistry.

I really loved this book, it had me hooked from the start, the chemistry between the characters was exactly what I was looking for!
I will be looking out for more of Victoria Walters books!

Long Story Short by Victoria Walters
3 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Victoria Walters for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Summary:
Freya, a hopeless romantic and aspiring literary agent, finally gets her big break: wrangling the grumpy, disgraced romance author Jake Richards at a high-stakes book conference in NYC. Jake needs a PR miracle after slamming romance novels (and their readers), and Freya needs this win to launch her career. Cue forced proximity, snappy tension, and an NYC backdrop made for swooning.

What I liked:

The premise is fun—love letters to romance books, reader fandom, and a conference setting with meet-cute potential.

The climactic romantic moments? Genuinely swoon-worthy and spicy.

The setting (first trip to NYC, first class—living the dream!) adds a splash of fun and glamour.

What didn’t work for me:

The plot and characters felt underdeveloped. Freya spends much of the book in a spiral of self-doubt, over-explaining and second-guessing herself to the point of frustration. Jake stays a little too gruff and cardboard until the final stretch.

Banter and chemistry were lacking outside the big romantic moments—dialogue felt flat, and I was wishing for more genuine connection and spark.

Pet peeve alert: the age gap vibe and lines like “Good girl” during spicy scenes just weren’t for me (your mileage may vary!).

Overall:
A quick, easy read with a fun concept, some steamy romance, and a sweet tribute to the bookish community—but it left me wishing for more character depth, better banter, and a bit more NYC magic. If you love grumpy/sunshine, workplace romance, and bookish settings, you might still enjoy the ride!

I love this author. This was a good book, I really enjoyed the premise and the book conference. Seeing how it all worked and how people got really interested in the author and their books. I felt for Jake even though he had said romance writing was 'easy money.'

The ending was good, the investment that the readers had with romance books was enjoyable to read! We become very invested 😂

I just finished reading this book. The plot was absolutely fantastic! It was quite the page turner, and I could not put the book down once I began reading it. I can't wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

I liked the premise. He messes up and she has to help him restore his relationship with his readers. They head off to a literary convention together to do just that. Sparks ignite, etc.
But, sigh, I just didn’t like either of them. There’s a line between sweet/broody/scared to open up and arrogant/moody/withholding the truth and he crossed over the line into the latter. He was a walking red flag. And she was immature and desperate. Not a winning combo.
Unfortunately, I DNFed at 55%.
2 stars for this one.

Feel a bit cheated with this one, the blurb said for lovers of Emily Henry and unfortunately this was not really the case.
It was a bit too ‘fluffy’ and far-fetched for me, Boy meets girl and they live happily ever after.

It’s a quick easy read if that’s what you’re looking for.

Jake Richards is a best selling romance author who was recently overheard by a journalist trashing the industry and its readers. His career is flailing and the statement that his agent had him put out, claiming that the article was a lie and that his lawyers were looking into it, did not change his fans' opinions. His agent decides that he needs to make an appearance at the romance conference in NYC but sends him with her assistant, Freya, as she will be attending her sister's wedding. Freya wants to become an agent and exclusively reads romance novels. She is striking out finding a man like the romantic novel heroes in real life. While she's eager to impress her boss, she's intimidated by Jake and definitely against the method they're using to try to revive his career.

I love Emily Henry and Christina Lauren so I excitedly requested this on NetGalley. The description sounded like something I would enjoy, but the execution was lacking for me. There were a lot of things that I felt weren't fully fleshed out - the differences between Freya and Jake, especially their age difference, was constantly referenced but none of the obstacles felt insurmountable and there wasn't anything in description of the characters to make the age difference obvious other than constantly mentioning it. I did enjoy the plot, but was constantly distracted by what I felt to be rudimentary writing/story telling. One of the secondary characters, Davis, was more fleshed out than either of the main characters. The story had a lot of potential but just didn't get there.

I was lucky enough to get an ARC for this book. Sadly, I didn't like it.

Although the premise of the story was very promising, I had a few issues with the book and the FMC.

First, I felt like she was overthinking and overreacting all the time. This may be because we only have her point of view, but it may also just be a character trait.

Second, the book was very repetitive, in that we had multiple mentions of the same issue the MC needs to overcome throughout multiple paragraphs. It felt like the story wasn't moving on, or that it was done to add more drama when there wasn't much to begin with.

This brings me to my next issue: the book was overdramatic. The issues were described as if it would be the end of the world if the FMC didn't solve them, even if she had nothing to do with them in the first place.

I also wasn't feeling the romance. I didn't feel that the MMC was interested in the FMC, and the FMC seemed mainly intimidated by him.

In the end, it was a DNF for me. The story didn't grip me enough to overcome all the issues I described above.

A great thanks to Netgalley.uk, Boldwood Books, and the author Victoria Walters for granting my request to read and review this e-ARC!

3.5 ⭐️
🇬🇧 I’ve read other books by Victoria Walters, but this one? Easily my favorite. What looks like your classic enemies-to-lovers rom-com turns out to be way deeper—yes, there’s romance, and swoon-worthy moments, but also a real journey of personal growth and selfestime.
Freya, a no-nonsense assistant at a literary agency, gets stuck babysitting grumpy romance author Jake Richards during a NYC romance book conference. He’s hot, arrogant, and recently fallen in disgrace for trash-talking romance novels and his readers. Sparks fly, egos clash, and somehow—between awkward Q&As and strolls through New York—they start falling for each other.
She calls him out, and basically teaches him how not to be a jerk (and how to save his career) by being more sincere and vulnerable. He, in turn, is smitten and jealous and dedicates her his new book (the one that was risking to never be published). Classic move! Of course, a dramatic misunderstanding threatens their happily-ever-after, but don’t worry—they figure it out, because they learn how to speak for themselves and for what is worth to fight for.
Lovely moments?An hilarious airport meet-cute, Jake being low-key jealous, some spicy scenes, Freya finally getting the recognition she deserves, and a sweet one-year-later ending.
Minus half a star for: the “we’re breaking up because we’re too much insecure” detour and a few scenes and dialogues that dragged a bit.
Still, totally worth it. I recommend this cute story to every rom-com affectionate reader.

#AgeGap #Workplaceromance #enemytolovers #meetcute 🥰 #miscommunication #slowburn #grumpysunshine

*ARC Review: *Long Story Short* by Victoria Walters**
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 stars)

*Long Story Short* is everything I crave in a contemporary romance — funny, emotional, sizzling, and impossible to put down!

Freya is the kind of heroine you immediately root for: smart, determined, and a little chaotic under pressure. Tasked with managing Jake Richards, the grumpy bestselling author whose reputation is hanging by a thread, she finds herself tangled in a hilarious, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers situation that had me *grinning* and *swooning* the entire time.

Jake is the ultimate grumpy hero — brooding, arrogant, but also *secretly vulnerable* in a way that made me fall for him fast. His "he falls first" energy is everything. Watching him soften toward Freya while still being deliciously gruff was *chef’s kiss* perfection. Their chemistry? Absolutely electric, with just the right level of *spice* to make their romance feel both intense and deeply tender.

Victoria Walters balances humor and heart so beautifully here. There are laugh-out-loud moments at the swanky New York romance conference, but also genuine, emotional beats as both characters confront their fears about love, trust, and ambition.

**Tropes I loved:**
- Grumpy Sunshine
- Slow Burn
- He Falls First
- Enemies to Lovers
- Age Gap
- Reputation Redemption
- Workplace Romance
- Spicy

If you love the emotional depth of Abby Jimenez, the banter of Emily Henry, and the swoon of B.K. Borison, *Long Story Short* deserves a top spot on your TBR. Prepare for steamy looks, hilarious disasters, heartfelt confessions, and a love story that lingers long after the final page.

*Thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for the ARC!*

Thank you to net galley and Boldwood Books for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book was super cute loved the idea of a fresh new potential agent and a seasoned hot shot author trying to fix his reputation take on a romance conference, fall in love in the process, and have an HEA. While I really liked both Freya and Jake I did not love he miscommunication trope in this book. It felt repetitive, unnecessary and easily resolvable. I did love the way Freya nd Jake handled Hayley and the consequences she faced for her actions was totally warranted. While, I loved the premise of the book and the writing style was good, this book wasn't really for me.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️



The Short Version (pun intended!)

This one didn’t quite hit the mark for me. Touted as a perfect pick for fans of Abbie Jimenez, Emily Henry, and B.K. Borison, Long Story Short felt more like the lite version—romance without the sparkle.



The Premise

Freya, an assistant literary agent, is tasked with salvaging the image of bestselling author Jake, who (plot twist?) doesn’t actually like romance. In fact, he thinks romance readers are a bit… silly. Freya’s job? Help him fix his PR problem and maybe open his eyes to the genre’s magic.



Where It Fell Flat

The writing? Very basic—simple, but not in a charming way.

The characters? Hard to connect with.

The romance? Predictable, and not in a satisfying, comforting way.

The spice? A bit bland.

Jake? Oof. Borderline misogynist vibes. Not the brooding-but-loveable hero I was hoping for.



Silver Lining?

Some behind-the-scenes glimpses into the publishing world were genuinely interesting—but honestly, that was the highlight.



Final Thoughts

Look, I never want to be harsh—but this just wasn’t for me. If you’re looking for sharp writing, depth, or chemistry that leaps off the page, you might want to keep browsing. Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.