Eileen Merriweather loves to get lost in a good happily-ever-after. The fictional kind, anyway. Because at least imaginary men don’t leave you at the altar. She feels safe in a book. At home. Which might be why she’s so set on going her annual book club retreat this year—she needs good friends, cheap wine, and grand romantic gestures—no matter what.
But when her car unexpectedly breaks down on the way, she finds herself stranded in a quaint town that feels like it’s right out of a novel…
Because it is.
This place can’t be real, and yet… she’s here, in Eloraton, the town of her favorite romance series, where the candy store’s honey taffy is always sweet, the local bar’s burgers are always a little burnt, and rain always comes in the afternoon. It feels like home. It’s perfect—and perfectly frozen, trapped in the late author’s last unfinished story.
Elsy is sure that’s why she must be here: to help bring the town to its storybook ending.
Except there is a character in Eloraton that she can’t place—a grumpy bookstore owner with mint-green eyes, an irritatingly sexy mouth and impeccable taste in novels. And he does not want her finishing this book.
Which is a problem because Elsy is beginning to
think the town’s happily-ever-after might just be intertwined with her own.
Hellie’s Heeds
*swoons* This is the summer read I’ve been looking for. I’m sorry this review took a bit longer (since review books usually come to us before the book comes out)–but I had already pre-ordered the book when PJ asked if I’d be willing to read it* and I told her I already ordered it and would it be better to offer the review copy up for swag? She heartily agreed. We all love free swag AND great summer reads–and this is definitely both.
I am a little picky on my rom-coms, as is evident by some of the other rom-coms I’ve reviewed of late, but this one is *chef’s kiss* Perfection. A grumpy hero, a slightly bumbling heroine, and a little magic? All my favorite tropes. Best of all, in the resolution, when I was very worried: “is this going to work out?”--when it did, I realized the author did the absolute best thing for the characters and the kind of story we need in the 21st century: a story where people have worked through their crap before hooking up and declaring they want to spend the rest of their lives with each other. It’s so healthy! It’s so novel! It’s so…nerve-wracking because I didn’t know what was going to happen. I hope I didn’t give it all away when you and I both know this IS how romance novels work. There’s a Happily Ever After. From beginning to end, it’s adorable…and a little Brigadoon-esque. (Another love story that left me with a panicky sort of Black Moment.)
The premise lends itself to daydreaming–because we have all fallen in love with book series over the years and who wouldn’t want to go to their favorite “book story world” and meet all the characters you’ve fallen in love with over the years? (I’m sure I could find a handful of Jane Austen spin-offs where the modern day heroine got to meet the real Mr. Darcy!) Of course, I would love to explore every inch of Hogwarts, but when it comes to romance novels and romance-landia worlds, I think I would be torn between hanging out with the Bridgertons or Eloisa James’ Desperate Duchesses. Wait, I really love indoor plumbing, so maybe…Maisey Yates’ cowboy series (any of them!)
*I love being married, but it causes havoc in my
reading life. I don’t read nearly as much as I used to. Granted I also exercise
(and travel) more than I used to, which my doctor is much happier about, so
here we are.
Discuss: What romance-landia world would you like to wander into and meet all the characters?
One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, August 21 will receive a print copy of A NOVEL LOVE STORY.
*U.S. only
*Must be 18
Carley Fortune's novels about Barry's Bay and the summer spent there would be wonderful to experience.
ReplyDeleteI have three places. First, nearly any place in a Susan Mallery story or a Robyn Carr story. They both make their small towns populated by kindness and caring. And their small towns are filled with good people. And Cindy Kirk's Good Hope. I would even wear fur lined underwear to be able to survive in Wisconsin's small town of Good Hope. The families there are some of the most giving people you would find. And the care they have for one another is exactly what I wish we all could find in real life. Thanks for this review. It really does sound like a terrific book.
ReplyDeleteI would love to visit Marie Force’s Butler Vermont, Shannon Stacy’s places in New Hampshire and Maine, Janet Chapman Spellbound Falls, Maine, Jill Shalvis’ Lucky Harbor, Debbie Mason’ Highland Falls, NC, Virginia Kantra ‘s Dare Island
ReplyDeleteExcellent review
I love Ashley Poston's books, so I can't wait to read this one! And I'd love to hang out with Sherry Thomas's Lady Charlotte and Lord Ingram, but I'd also love to work and socialize with some of Lauren Layne's glamorous Manhattan-based characters.
ReplyDeleteThere are to many to count but in modern times I love to be in one of Carolyn Brown 's cowboy small towns or in one of Eloisa James or Janna MacGregor or Sabrina Jeffries books. If in a paranormal world then Patricia Briggs.
ReplyDeleteI would love to be in Julie Garwood's medieval Scottish Highlands romances. However, indoor plumbing, refrigeration, and medical care are things I'm not willing to give up. I love the mountains and the Virgin River series locale is perfect for me. I would be very happy there with those characters and the area.
ReplyDeleteSorry, we are traveling and I forgot my laptop does not put in my name when I post. Patricia Barraclough
DeleteI would love to visit the fictional town of Charm in NC which is located in Bree Baker's Seaside Cafe mystery series. It sounds like the kind of small town you would love to be in to celebrate holidays with all its quirky residents.
ReplyDeleteI would like to visit Susan Mallery's town of Fool's Gold. I live in a small town with plenty of events and festivals, but I'd like to see Felicia at work.
ReplyDeleteThere are a ton of worlds from historical series that I would love to visit - however, I am a huge fan of electricity and all the related benefits of it (AC, plumbing - especially hot water, etc). I'll stick with contemporary worlds like Pippa Grant's world and live in Copper Valley with all the athletic teams and fun people.
ReplyDeleteI would just daydream.
ReplyDeleteRose Ward
rmward92@yahoo.com