Book Review: A Novel Love Story

Author: Ashley Poston

Published: June 2024

Format Read: Library EBook

Genre: Adult Romance

Spice: Minimal, nearly closed door

My Rating: 4/5

I currently base my reviews loosely around the CAWPILE system developed by Book Roast on YouTube. I modify the categories depending on the format of the story I’m reviewing.

My star ratings are purely by my opinion and not measured by any particular metric.

SPOILER WARNING: This review will contain spoilers! Proceed with caution!

Summary/Blurb

A professor of literature finds herself caught up in a work of fiction… literally.

Characters

I relate to Elsy far too much. Aside from being the same age, we both tend to take care of others more than ourselves. And we both again want to believe in happy endings. To pick her apart would be to pick apart myself, I think. I love and envy her book club friends, who can openly and happily talk about their interests. Pru is a little irritating, but we all tend to have ‘that one friend.’

And Anders… I love him. Sweet and broody, he has his own secrets and can be a little too sweet and perfect in the end. Let’s be honest, if there are any real men like this, they’re already taken. T_T

Atmosphere

A sweet, too perfect small town, but intentionally so. You can find anyone you need a short walk away. It didn’t mention stoplights, but if there is one, it’s slower on the third blink. Sometimes it seems like a town I’d like to live in, other times it’s far too small. I did find it hard to envision at times because it seems like it went from desert/plains, then suddenly to a forest, potentially mountain town? I kept imagining when she went up the street, she literally had to walk uphill. Also, from a distance, she mentions a full town, but we never see past the main street. Is there a school? Other children besides Lilly? Who knows…

Writing Style

Easy to read, straightforward, and pleasant enough to potentially read another of her books.

Plot

It’s a romance novel that talks about romance novels. It talks about the tropes and cliches while following those same tropes and cliches. Small town. Broody man with a tragic past. Secrets and misunderstandings and miscommunication. Elsy, in a bid to make her own choices and prove to herself she can, heads off to a cabin on her own and gets lost in a small town. There is never any explanation or even a theory as to how this fictional town appeared in the real world. Interesting transposing the plots of the fictional books into the plot of the actual book. And of course, it has a happy ever after.

Intrigue

Trying to figure out who Anders really is because the main draw (which was spoiled a little when I glanced ahead and confirmed my suspicions) is what book he’s from and why Elsy recognizes him without knowing who he is. He keeps his secrets for a very long time and it takes her way too long to figure out who he is.

Logic

Again, it’s a romance novel. It follows the formula to a T. There were a few interesting bits, but still predictable. But that’s part of the draw, isn’t it? At least Elsy says so.

Enjoyment and Final Thoughts

I’m not usually one for romance novels (not least because most of them seem to be gratuitously open door anymore). Or at least, I didn’t used to be. Maybe it’s because I’m older or maybe because I’m lonely. I have definitely been pining for love for a while. (Pardon the sudden pity party) I very clearly see myself in Elsy, partially because I am the same age. And all the other things I mentioned before. And also because I understand that feeling that your friends are all moving forward and you are stuck standing still. (Hmm, there’s that pity party again) When I finished this novel, I felt light and inspired, more so than I have in a long time. I mean, I, too, have considered opening a little shop of some kind.

Would I Recommend?

Yes, particularly if you’re in that part of life where you feel stuck and long for your own happily ever after. In fact, before I even had to return the library book, I ordered a physical copy to add to my personal library. Again, there is a little bit of spice in it, but thankfully it isn’t super descriptive or super long.