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Ms. March
Her dad kept his secret until his death, and her fiancé's secret ended their relationship...but it's Leo's secret that might break her.
Josephine Lord's life is imploding. She just inherited her dad's beloved but struggling bookshop. Saving the store is the one thing she feels like she can control. It's going to take something big to draw in more customers. So it feels like a sign from her dad when world-famous author Leo Evans chooses the picturesque town of Blue Bow to spend his summer respite. He's months from releasing his new book, the third and final in the series, and agrees to an exclusive launch event at Lord Books. Jo knows that nothing is ever this simple. Leo Evans is an arrogant ass and seems to take great pleasure in pushing her buttons. No matter how much she tries, Jo can't stop thinking about him. The only way to get through these next few months unscathed is to maintain an entirely professional relationship with him. As she tries to get back into the dating pool while battling the ex-fiance who can't let go, Jo begins a journey to find herself again.
Journeys are never straight and steady--mystery, betrayal, love, and self-discovery mark Jo's path to finding answers.
Josephine Lord's life is imploding. She just inherited her dad's beloved but struggling bookshop. Saving the store is the one thing she feels like she can control. It's going to take something big to draw in more customers. So it feels like a sign from her dad when world-famous author Leo Evans chooses the picturesque town of Blue Bow to spend his summer respite. He's months from releasing his new book, the third and final in the series, and agrees to an exclusive launch event at Lord Books. Jo knows that nothing is ever this simple. Leo Evans is an arrogant ass and seems to take great pleasure in pushing her buttons. No matter how much she tries, Jo can't stop thinking about him. The only way to get through these next few months unscathed is to maintain an entirely professional relationship with him. As she tries to get back into the dating pool while battling the ex-fiance who can't let go, Jo begins a journey to find herself again.
Journeys are never straight and steady--mystery, betrayal, love, and self-discovery mark Jo's path to finding answers.
333 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 4, 2024
1 person is currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Elle Riley
1 book10 followersElle Riley has been a bookworm her whole life, with a special love for romance and horror. While she's always enjoyed writing short stories for herself, it wasn't until 2019 that she decided to take her passion seriously. Elle adores a good book boyfriend and isn't afraid to tackle complex life issues in her writing, because let's face it - real life is messy! She resides in Alberta, Canada with her daughter, and two beloved cats.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 28, 2024
Ms March is a romance with so much to offer. This book explores grief and how loss can affect relationships. There is found family, a touch of mystery, and a steamy romance!
Jo has just lost her father and is trying to keep their bookstore afloat. She’s navigating a relationship, personal issues, and grief when Leo walks into her store. He’s an arrogant author who has traveled to Blue Bow for some peaceful down time and he’s a total pain in her ass. There are secrets to unravel, a store to keep in business, and ok-maybe Leo is kind of hot too. This book is a debut novel from this author and while I rated it as I would any other book, I was impressed that for most of the book, I did not feel as though I was reading a debut! The characters had so much depth and were so relatable, even their flaws. The realistic portrayal of grief over not just the loss of family but relationships was so raw and hit me right in the feelings. I absolutely loved this story and will miss these characters! This is one of my favorite ARC reads of the year and in my top 10 for reads in general for 2024.
Thank you so much to Elle Riley for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review! I hope more people enjoy this on June 4th!
Jo has just lost her father and is trying to keep their bookstore afloat. She’s navigating a relationship, personal issues, and grief when Leo walks into her store. He’s an arrogant author who has traveled to Blue Bow for some peaceful down time and he’s a total pain in her ass. There are secrets to unravel, a store to keep in business, and ok-maybe Leo is kind of hot too. This book is a debut novel from this author and while I rated it as I would any other book, I was impressed that for most of the book, I did not feel as though I was reading a debut! The characters had so much depth and were so relatable, even their flaws. The realistic portrayal of grief over not just the loss of family but relationships was so raw and hit me right in the feelings. I absolutely loved this story and will miss these characters! This is one of my favorite ARC reads of the year and in my top 10 for reads in general for 2024.
Thank you so much to Elle Riley for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review! I hope more people enjoy this on June 4th!
June 13, 2024
Secrets.
No matter how deep you try to bury them.
They have a tendency to find you.
What a whirlwind that was! Totally addictive read from debut author Elle Riley.
💙 Small town
💙 Enemies to lovers
💙 Mysterious Angst ridden plot
💙 Out of town author on his own journey of redemption
💙 Slow burn to racing romance ❤️🔥
Jo returns to her hometown/childhood home after the death of her dad. She is thrown headfirst into her healing journey after a painful event from someone who is supposed to care for her. Trying to review without giving away spoilers!
As Jo is navigating this journey she uncovers a monumental secret. Meanwhile a celebrity hungry author graces the town with his presence, looking for his own healing journey involving redemption.
If you like small town, enemies to lovers, plot twists, mystery, suspense, initial slow burn to spicy firsts 🔥, secrets uncovered and redemption, then don't hesitate to slide between the silky pages of this book. I highly recommend it! 📖🏞️🐾🪨🌊🧺💝🥰☺️🔥🫦🫶
No matter how deep you try to bury them.
They have a tendency to find you.
What a whirlwind that was! Totally addictive read from debut author Elle Riley.
💙 Small town
💙 Enemies to lovers
💙 Mysterious Angst ridden plot
💙 Out of town author on his own journey of redemption
💙 Slow burn to racing romance ❤️🔥
Jo returns to her hometown/childhood home after the death of her dad. She is thrown headfirst into her healing journey after a painful event from someone who is supposed to care for her. Trying to review without giving away spoilers!
As Jo is navigating this journey she uncovers a monumental secret. Meanwhile a celebrity hungry author graces the town with his presence, looking for his own healing journey involving redemption.
If you like small town, enemies to lovers, plot twists, mystery, suspense, initial slow burn to spicy firsts 🔥, secrets uncovered and redemption, then don't hesitate to slide between the silky pages of this book. I highly recommend it! 📖🏞️🐾🪨🌊🧺💝🥰☺️🔥🫦🫶
March 22, 2024
Loved getting to read an ARC of this book and love the cover! Releasing 06.04.24, and you absolutely will need to put this on your TBR as it is simply an amazing book. As the story unfolds you aren’t sure what’s really going to happen, but the author keeps you invested in the story, and you keep flipping the pages to see what is going to happen next. I could not put this book down and thoroughly enjoyed it! Can’t wait to read more by this author!
March 30, 2024
A wonderful debut novel from Elle Riley! Follow along with Jo & Leo as one seeks answers and the other redemption in Blue Bow, NC. Pick this up on June 4th.. you won’t be sad you did!
April 6, 2024
In honour of the release date of Ms. March, I LOVED THIS BOOK!!
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy of this book and it had me hooked straight away! I am a huge fan of the small-town romances, and the enemies to lovers so this book had it all for me… Jo and Leo’s interactions from the start had me waiting and wishing for the happily ever after as they worked through their problems. The slight side of mystery and tension kept me guessing and the twists kept me engaged with the romance, and the plot of the story without it. I couldn’t recommend this book more to anyone who loves the small-town vibes, and the enemies to lovers with secrets untold.
The introduction to Leo as a cocky and sure of himself MMC, and Jo as a happy healing FMC. She is so obviously peeved by him the moment he turns up, but the way the relationship develops really takes the cake!
If you haven’t heard of this by now, go and grab yourself Elle Riley’s newest release, Ms. March. I promise you’ll thank me!!!
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy of this book and it had me hooked straight away! I am a huge fan of the small-town romances, and the enemies to lovers so this book had it all for me… Jo and Leo’s interactions from the start had me waiting and wishing for the happily ever after as they worked through their problems. The slight side of mystery and tension kept me guessing and the twists kept me engaged with the romance, and the plot of the story without it. I couldn’t recommend this book more to anyone who loves the small-town vibes, and the enemies to lovers with secrets untold.
The introduction to Leo as a cocky and sure of himself MMC, and Jo as a happy healing FMC. She is so obviously peeved by him the moment he turns up, but the way the relationship develops really takes the cake!
If you haven’t heard of this by now, go and grab yourself Elle Riley’s newest release, Ms. March. I promise you’ll thank me!!!
April 6, 2024
I received an ARC of this book and am so happy to have been introduced to this new author!
It's a solid first book with likeable characters, small town vibes and steady enemies-to-lovers storyline. A little mystery twist built in as well that adds tension and angst. In anything - and I honestly rarely say this - but I wish the book was longer!! It's a slow-burn romance between the main characters and I would have enjoyed more build up. I also really loved the best friend and could have used more of her comic personality.
I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a book with a bit of sweet, a bit of salty and a generous dash of spice. I look forward to seeing more from Elle Riley.
It's a solid first book with likeable characters, small town vibes and steady enemies-to-lovers storyline. A little mystery twist built in as well that adds tension and angst. In anything - and I honestly rarely say this - but I wish the book was longer!! It's a slow-burn romance between the main characters and I would have enjoyed more build up. I also really loved the best friend and could have used more of her comic personality.
I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a book with a bit of sweet, a bit of salty and a generous dash of spice. I look forward to seeing more from Elle Riley.
March 20, 2024
Riley’s debut novel pulled me in from the first chapter. It is a story of a quaint little book shop owner named Jo dealing with the loss of her father to cancer. The tale of love, loss,, betrayal, secrets and the power of forgiveness. The characters were very relatable and easy to fall in love with.
A slow burn small town romance with just the right amount of spice. Ms. March is a definite page turner. I had a hard time putting it down.
If you love a spicy small town romance, I recommend picking this up! Thankful to have ARC read this lovely story. I could see a Hallmark adaptation to this in Elle Riley’s future.
A slow burn small town romance with just the right amount of spice. Ms. March is a definite page turner. I had a hard time putting it down.
If you love a spicy small town romance, I recommend picking this up! Thankful to have ARC read this lovely story. I could see a Hallmark adaptation to this in Elle Riley’s future.
April 20, 2024
Ms March (ARC reader)
It’s the first book they sent me to read in advance and I have to say that I really liked it. First book by the author, but very well written in my opinion, the characters well written and the relationships between them well carried out.
I love the friendship between Jo and Hannah, it's simply beautiful. The relationship between the main characters is quite well built and carried out, although perhaps I missed his point of view, but I understand that it’s her story and that the author wanted to give prominence to her thoughts and feelings. I personally fell in love with the fact that she has a book store because it was my dream as a child…hehehe…. Although it is not a style of book that I usually read, lately I really enjoy this type of romance.
I really enjoyed the ending, and how the writer put it. I give it 4 stars because I think it needed to develop the topic of the ex a little more.
In short, it is a book that I recommend reading, and please read the author's warnings, because although it is not a dark romance, the things are mentioned that can be harmful to some people.
It’s the first book they sent me to read in advance and I have to say that I really liked it. First book by the author, but very well written in my opinion, the characters well written and the relationships between them well carried out.
I love the friendship between Jo and Hannah, it's simply beautiful. The relationship between the main characters is quite well built and carried out, although perhaps I missed his point of view, but I understand that it’s her story and that the author wanted to give prominence to her thoughts and feelings. I personally fell in love with the fact that she has a book store because it was my dream as a child…hehehe…. Although it is not a style of book that I usually read, lately I really enjoy this type of romance.
I really enjoyed the ending, and how the writer put it. I give it 4 stars because I think it needed to develop the topic of the ex a little more.
In short, it is a book that I recommend reading, and please read the author's warnings, because although it is not a dark romance, the things are mentioned that can be harmful to some people.
April 17, 2024
I'm so happy to have received this book as an e-Arc!
I gave this 3.5 stars! I really enjoyed the pacing and the small-town cozy mystery romance environment. And she owns a book store? Sold.
The characters, Jo and Leo had great chemistry. From the first scene where Leo was introduced, I was invested in them as a couple. The SPICE was honestly 10/10. WOW.
The side characters, also added a lot to the story, and made me laugh as well as want to throw my kindle across my room at some points.
In terms of a thriller/myster, I did predict the plot twist. BUT this didn't ruin any of the book for me. I think it added more suspense because I was waiting for Jo to get to the bottom of it.
Overall, it was a really enjoyable read, I think Elle Riley had a good execution and I am looking forward to read more of her books in the future!
I gave this 3.5 stars! I really enjoyed the pacing and the small-town cozy mystery romance environment. And she owns a book store? Sold.
The characters, Jo and Leo had great chemistry. From the first scene where Leo was introduced, I was invested in them as a couple. The SPICE was honestly 10/10. WOW.
The side characters, also added a lot to the story, and made me laugh as well as want to throw my kindle across my room at some points.
In terms of a thriller/myster, I did predict the plot twist. BUT this didn't ruin any of the book for me. I think it added more suspense because I was waiting for Jo to get to the bottom of it.
Overall, it was a really enjoyable read, I think Elle Riley had a good execution and I am looking forward to read more of her books in the future!
April 11, 2024
This was my first Arc reading, and it was completely worth it. I had mixed feeling about finishing it because I could not put it down and wanted to keep reading but I did not want it to come to an end.
Small town was never my type of trope but this book changed that a 100%!! The settings, the characters and the story were all so incredibly descriptive that I could feel that I was in town with Jo and Hannah and Leo!
It’s romance novel with twists, a little bit of mystery and it made my heart beat fast many times throughout all the chapters.
Ms Elle Riley congratulations on your debut novel, it’s an amazing one and I cannot wait until you have new ones for us.
Small town was never my type of trope but this book changed that a 100%!! The settings, the characters and the story were all so incredibly descriptive that I could feel that I was in town with Jo and Hannah and Leo!
It’s romance novel with twists, a little bit of mystery and it made my heart beat fast many times throughout all the chapters.
Ms Elle Riley congratulations on your debut novel, it’s an amazing one and I cannot wait until you have new ones for us.
April 15, 2024
I loved Jo and Leos' story. The twists and turns. The absolute undeniable connection between them. This is a funny, spicy, HEA story, and i loved it. Who wouldn't want a rich, attractive author to come sweep them off their feet and whisk them away on trips?! Being given the opportunity to read this book has truly made me smile.
April 22, 2024
Wow. Just wow.
Jo is such a strong female character.
Her love and passion to keep her dad’s store going does not falter.
Her commitment to her dad and his legacy is amazing.
The love and backstory of her and Leo … wow. I cannot even put into words how heart wrenching some of this novel was. However the ending put my heart at peace.
Definitely recommend
Jo is such a strong female character.
Her love and passion to keep her dad’s store going does not falter.
Her commitment to her dad and his legacy is amazing.
The love and backstory of her and Leo … wow. I cannot even put into words how heart wrenching some of this novel was. However the ending put my heart at peace.
Definitely recommend
June 26, 2024
This book was so cute.
The banter was fantastic. It's a small town romance and so we'll written and cute. Leo and Jo had this amazing connection. While I called the ending, it was very worth the read. I suggest you get your copy and read this right away. You won't regret it.
The banter was fantastic. It's a small town romance and so we'll written and cute. Leo and Jo had this amazing connection. While I called the ending, it was very worth the read. I suggest you get your copy and read this right away. You won't regret it.
April 28, 2024
I received an ARC of this book and I am so happy to have been introduced to this new author!
Follow along with Jo & Leo as one seeks answers and the other redemption in Blue Bow, NC.
I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a book with a bit of sweet, a bit of salty and a generous dash of spice. I look forward to seeing more from Elle Riley.
Available on the 4th of July. Go get your copy!!
Follow along with Jo & Leo as one seeks answers and the other redemption in Blue Bow, NC.
I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a book with a bit of sweet, a bit of salty and a generous dash of spice. I look forward to seeing more from Elle Riley.
Available on the 4th of July. Go get your copy!!
August 12, 2024
I loved this book. The characters felt so real and not lile a stereotypical character. The story development left we reading long into the night and I can't wait for more from Elle Riley! Do yourself a favor and read this book, you won't regret it.
May 2, 2024
Alright, folks, let's talk about "Ms. March" by Elle Riley! This debut novel is like a breath of fresh air, taking you on a rollercoaster ride through the charming town of Blue Bow.
So, picture this: Josephine Lord inherits her dad's struggling bookshop, right? She's on a mission to save the place, and then boom! World-famous author Leo Evans saunters into town, stirring up trouble and setting hearts racing. Jo and Leo's love-hate banter? Absolute gold. And the chemistry between them? Off the charts.
But it's not all sunshine and rainbows. There's mystery, betrayal, and secrets lurking in the shadows. Jo's on a journey of self-discovery, uncovering truths that'll make your jaw drop. And Leo? Well, let's just say he's got some demons of his own to face.
The small-town vibes? Spot-on. The enemies-to-lovers trope? Deliciously addictive. And don't even get me started on the slow-burn romance – it's like a slow simmer that eventually bursts into flames 🔥.
Jo's a kickass heroine with a heart of gold, and Leo? He's more than just your typical arrogant author. Together, they're a force to be reckoned with.
Sure, the plot twist might not knock your socks off if you're a mystery buff, but it adds a nice layer of suspense to the story. And yeah, I could've done with more scenes of Jo and Leo getting cozy, but hey, that's just me being greedy.
Overall, "Ms. March" is a solid debut that'll leave you craving more from Elle Riley. It's got everything you could want in a romance novel – small-town charm, spicy moments, and characters you'll root for until the very end. So grab yourself a copy, cozy up with a cup of tea, and get ready for a wild ride. Trust me, you won't regret it!
So, picture this: Josephine Lord inherits her dad's struggling bookshop, right? She's on a mission to save the place, and then boom! World-famous author Leo Evans saunters into town, stirring up trouble and setting hearts racing. Jo and Leo's love-hate banter? Absolute gold. And the chemistry between them? Off the charts.
But it's not all sunshine and rainbows. There's mystery, betrayal, and secrets lurking in the shadows. Jo's on a journey of self-discovery, uncovering truths that'll make your jaw drop. And Leo? Well, let's just say he's got some demons of his own to face.
The small-town vibes? Spot-on. The enemies-to-lovers trope? Deliciously addictive. And don't even get me started on the slow-burn romance – it's like a slow simmer that eventually bursts into flames 🔥.
Jo's a kickass heroine with a heart of gold, and Leo? He's more than just your typical arrogant author. Together, they're a force to be reckoned with.
Sure, the plot twist might not knock your socks off if you're a mystery buff, but it adds a nice layer of suspense to the story. And yeah, I could've done with more scenes of Jo and Leo getting cozy, but hey, that's just me being greedy.
Overall, "Ms. March" is a solid debut that'll leave you craving more from Elle Riley. It's got everything you could want in a romance novel – small-town charm, spicy moments, and characters you'll root for until the very end. So grab yourself a copy, cozy up with a cup of tea, and get ready for a wild ride. Trust me, you won't regret it!
April 3, 2024
Step in to the world of Blue Bow and meet Josephine Lord a young woman who inherits her family bookstore. This book has drama, a mystery or two to unravel, and spice. You do have to wait a bit for the spice to build up, but it's definitely worth the wait! The 'will they or won't they' build up is amazing. Leo her love interest, has all the drama she can handle in such a good way. She goes through some ugly drama in the storyline to get to him and their relationship becomes so much better for it. All in all this book starts off slow with the world/character building, but picks up to the point I read the second half in a couple of hours. Go Read This Book!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews