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England's Sweethearts #2
The Duke's Got Mail
Not yet published
Expected 28 Apr 26Anonymous love letters are all well and good… until you discover you’ve been flirting with the enemy.
Eleanor Wright is the best compositor in London and in high demand with every printing press in town. But when whispers spread of a new machine that could put her out of a job, writing to a mysterious pen pal quickly becomes her only relief from a life that’s coming apart like a badly bound book.
Peter Montgomery, Duke of Strafford, has spent years trying to get his estate out of debt. Now he finally has the solution in a machine set to revolutionize the publishing industry. If only finding a wife was as straightforward. Peter wants a lady who cares about him, not his title. Someone like his charming, witty pen pal—the only person in London who knows his most intimate secrets but not his real name. But when Peter’s invention makes them bitter rivals in person, can the bond they’ve created on paper survive the test?
Eleanor Wright is the best compositor in London and in high demand with every printing press in town. But when whispers spread of a new machine that could put her out of a job, writing to a mysterious pen pal quickly becomes her only relief from a life that’s coming apart like a badly bound book.
Peter Montgomery, Duke of Strafford, has spent years trying to get his estate out of debt. Now he finally has the solution in a machine set to revolutionize the publishing industry. If only finding a wife was as straightforward. Peter wants a lady who cares about him, not his title. Someone like his charming, witty pen pal—the only person in London who knows his most intimate secrets but not his real name. But when Peter’s invention makes them bitter rivals in person, can the bond they’ve created on paper survive the test?
400 pages, Paperback
Expected publication April 28, 2026
245 people want to read
About the author
Samara Parish
6 books209 followersSamara Parish is an award-winning author of historical romance. Her debut novel, How To Survive A Scandal, won the Romance Writers of Australia Romantic Book of the Year (RuBY) award in 2022.
How To Deceive A Duke and How To Win A Wallflower both released in 2022. You can download the series epilogue - https://samaraparish.com/rebels-serie...
Her short story, The General's Daughter, is available for free when you sign up to her newsletter - https://samaraparish.com/newsletter
She is always looking for an excuse to procrastinate, so she'd love it if you asked her a question!
As an Australian army brat in the ‘80s, Samara grew up moving from city to city—always with plenty of book boxes (to the movers’ annoyance). She reads anything that lets her escape - in particular romance, YA fantasy, and epic fantasy, although she has been known to read the occasional blockbuster suspense novel, even though she is a total sook who has a tendency to shriek at anything slightly scary.
When she's not writing or reading, she's walking her dogs or trying to tame her out of control harder. She lives in Canberra with her husband (a true romance hero) and her menagerie of pets.
How To Deceive A Duke and How To Win A Wallflower both released in 2022. You can download the series epilogue - https://samaraparish.com/rebels-serie...
Her short story, The General's Daughter, is available for free when you sign up to her newsletter - https://samaraparish.com/newsletter
She is always looking for an excuse to procrastinate, so she'd love it if you asked her a question!
As an Australian army brat in the ‘80s, Samara grew up moving from city to city—always with plenty of book boxes (to the movers’ annoyance). She reads anything that lets her escape - in particular romance, YA fantasy, and epic fantasy, although she has been known to read the occasional blockbuster suspense novel, even though she is a total sook who has a tendency to shriek at anything slightly scary.
When she's not writing or reading, she's walking her dogs or trying to tame her out of control harder. She lives in Canberra with her husband (a true romance hero) and her menagerie of pets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
March 5, 2026
Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the advanced copy of The Duke’s Got Mail! I really enjoyed this and ended up reading the whole thing in a day - oops!
I’m not sure if I’ve ever actually seen You’ve Got Mail… I’ll have to correct that now. However, what I have seen and read is North and South, which this reminded me a lot of. The conflict of progress is always a relevant one in our society.
I loved the tension between Peter and Eleanor, and her conflicting feelings between him and The Captain. Peter very much gives Mr. Thornton and Mr. Darcy, in the sense that he’s told his flaws outright and changes himself to address those in order to be worthy of the woman he has feelings for. Peter more than redeemed himself by the end, and I’m very happy for it. And the yearning this man did, ugh I just love him.
Eleanor is a character that really resonated with me on a personal level. She’s scared of change, she’s accepted her life as it is (even if it’s not exactly what she wants), and most importantly, she loves a good fun fact or a mass casualty event. Ask anyone who knows me and they will say I’ve just described myself. I found myself tearing up for her often, especially when she finds herself deep in depression. Sometimes you have to accept change, even if it’s scary (unless that change is AI, which I will never accept).
I have one dislike to mention, and it’s that sometimes the jump from story to letter seemed abrupt and out of place? But I did really enjoyed getting to see their letters to each other and how they slowly fell in love via correspondence. I would have loved to read the correspondence between Eleanor and Jacqueline too, as it felt like that was forgotten very quickly into the story.
The book, or at least the copy I have, still needs to proofreading for errors, but I’m sure those will be caught before release.
I’m not sure if I’ve ever actually seen You’ve Got Mail… I’ll have to correct that now. However, what I have seen and read is North and South, which this reminded me a lot of. The conflict of progress is always a relevant one in our society.
I loved the tension between Peter and Eleanor, and her conflicting feelings between him and The Captain. Peter very much gives Mr. Thornton and Mr. Darcy, in the sense that he’s told his flaws outright and changes himself to address those in order to be worthy of the woman he has feelings for. Peter more than redeemed himself by the end, and I’m very happy for it. And the yearning this man did, ugh I just love him.
Eleanor is a character that really resonated with me on a personal level. She’s scared of change, she’s accepted her life as it is (even if it’s not exactly what she wants), and most importantly, she loves a good fun fact or a mass casualty event. Ask anyone who knows me and they will say I’ve just described myself. I found myself tearing up for her often, especially when she finds herself deep in depression. Sometimes you have to accept change, even if it’s scary (unless that change is AI, which I will never accept).
I have one dislike to mention, and it’s that sometimes the jump from story to letter seemed abrupt and out of place? But I did really enjoyed getting to see their letters to each other and how they slowly fell in love via correspondence. I would have loved to read the correspondence between Eleanor and Jacqueline too, as it felt like that was forgotten very quickly into the story.
The book, or at least the copy I have, still needs to proofreading for errors, but I’m sure those will be caught before release.
February 3, 2026
2.5/5⭐️ 🫑
I typically adore a historical romance meets 90’s/early 2000’s romcom. I love You’ve Got Mail in particular. In theory, this should have really worked for me. Peter just wasn’t it for me🤷🏻♀️ I couldn’t fathom Eleanor actually forgiving him. Also, the references to how horny he was for her but no on page spice irritated me. Either commit to it or don’t.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Anticipated Publication Date: April 28, 2026
I typically adore a historical romance meets 90’s/early 2000’s romcom. I love You’ve Got Mail in particular. In theory, this should have really worked for me. Peter just wasn’t it for me🤷🏻♀️ I couldn’t fathom Eleanor actually forgiving him. Also, the references to how horny he was for her but no on page spice irritated me. Either commit to it or don’t.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Anticipated Publication Date: April 28, 2026
April 2, 2026
You've Got Mail has gotten some attention lately because people realized how crummy the story was - an independent bookstore owner becomes pen pals with the head of the big box bookstore (basically Barnes & Noble) that puts her out of business and they fall in love. I wasn't sure how Samara Parish would turn the cute, but cringy story into a historical romance, but she did it beautifully.
The heroine, Eleanor, is one of the fastest and most efficient type setters (called compositors) in London. She's a freelancer who is sought after by newspapers and publishers. The male main character, Peter, is a serial investor and finally strikes gold - he invests in the linotype, the machine that will make setting type faster than humans and thus put the heroine out of business.
Eleanor and Peter become correspondents because he intercepts mail for his sister. They fall in love and share the challenges they have in business without revealing their identities. Like in the movie, Peter realizes their real-life connection first and there's some discomfort for the reader, but that was true to the movie. Of course, we know how things will end, but there is much angst along the way.
This was a fast, enjoyable read. I thought it was even better than the first in the series!
The heroine, Eleanor, is one of the fastest and most efficient type setters (called compositors) in London. She's a freelancer who is sought after by newspapers and publishers. The male main character, Peter, is a serial investor and finally strikes gold - he invests in the linotype, the machine that will make setting type faster than humans and thus put the heroine out of business.
Eleanor and Peter become correspondents because he intercepts mail for his sister. They fall in love and share the challenges they have in business without revealing their identities. Like in the movie, Peter realizes their real-life connection first and there's some discomfort for the reader, but that was true to the movie. Of course, we know how things will end, but there is much angst along the way.
This was a fast, enjoyable read. I thought it was even better than the first in the series!
March 22, 2026
Thank you Forever for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
ARC Review: The Duke's Got Mail by Samara Parish
Pub Date: April 28, 2026
Eleanor Wright is highly competent at her job as a compositor - she starts up a correspondence with an unknown man who she is very intrigued by. Unbeknownst to her, her mystery man is the Duke of Stafford whose new investment is threatening to end Eleanor's job. They are immediate adversaries - as they get to know each other more and Peter sees how his investment is hurting workers, he tries to do right by everyone.
This is a slowwww burn, closed door historical romance with epistolary elements that I did like quite a bit. You have a secret identity, a plot surrounding technology advancement affecting employment, and class difference. I did end up really liking the relationship between Eleanor and Peter and how well Peter saw Eleanor and what she needed after loosing everything that was important to her.
My main issue is that I really didn't feel any chemistry until pretty close to the end of the book - there was a lot of focus on the main plot which was interesting but didn't really allow for a ton of time with both characters on page to develop that tension I was really looking for.
ARC Review: The Duke's Got Mail by Samara Parish
Pub Date: April 28, 2026
Eleanor Wright is highly competent at her job as a compositor - she starts up a correspondence with an unknown man who she is very intrigued by. Unbeknownst to her, her mystery man is the Duke of Stafford whose new investment is threatening to end Eleanor's job. They are immediate adversaries - as they get to know each other more and Peter sees how his investment is hurting workers, he tries to do right by everyone.
This is a slowwww burn, closed door historical romance with epistolary elements that I did like quite a bit. You have a secret identity, a plot surrounding technology advancement affecting employment, and class difference. I did end up really liking the relationship between Eleanor and Peter and how well Peter saw Eleanor and what she needed after loosing everything that was important to her.
My main issue is that I really didn't feel any chemistry until pretty close to the end of the book - there was a lot of focus on the main plot which was interesting but didn't really allow for a ton of time with both characters on page to develop that tension I was really looking for.
January 24, 2026
This was a wonderful adaptation of You’ve Got Mail/The Shop Around the Corner. It was charming and fun and funny. I did not read the first book in the series (While the Duke Was Sleeping) but it in no way detracted from my enjoyment of this book. Thanks to Forever for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this ebook and this is my freely given opinion.
The second book in the series by Samara Parish, but can be read as a standalone story. Eleanor Wright and her two close friends work together as a team in the printing business. She is proud and noted as one of the best compositors in the business, demanding a premium price and highly successful. As a working woman, she is living a pretty good life independently, with a good income, her close friends, and her cat. Romance is not on her horizon, until she starts a friendship by correspondence. This brings her into contact with an intriguing man whom she only knows as the Captain, with whom she develops a connection.
Peter Montgomery, Duke of Strafford, is a man driven by his duty as a duke, both in the House, and in managing his estates and family. He spent years bringing the dukedom out of debt and is highly driven to ensure the future of his tenents and family. To this end, he has been working on innovations in printing, developing a new machine that will make printing literature cheaper and more efficient, thus making the printed word cheaper, quicker, and more accessible. His life revolves around his obligations, and the only escape he sought for himself was secretly reading novels late at night, until he starts corresponding with a mysterious woman called Booklover, on behalf of his visually impaired sister. They both quickly find they share much in common and start to correspond privately, quickly sharing thoughts with each other they do not with others, and looking forward to each shared note.
A historical romance that plays on You Got Mail, with hidden identity, differing social status, and enemies to lovers themes. Eleanor stands to lose her job, income, and a sense of her own identity when Peter presents his machine. In the face of her loss, she seeks solace in her friend, the Captain. Peter, thinking that Booklover could be a woman he loves, and knows he must marry for the future of the dukedom, arranges a meeting, but is aghast when he discovers that the woman who may be the woman of his dreams is in reality the strident harridan who is in opposition of the progress he presents, does not meet her as the Captain, and stops writing, breaking Eleanor's heart.
But slowly, as Eleanor adapts to the new realities of her life, and Peter sees the consequences of his new machine in action, they start to see each other's sides and each other in different ways and lose their previous hostility and come together again. But Peter still is hiding a big secret from Eleanor, and that may be enough to break her growing trust in him.
A bit slow going at first, but I really enjoyed the letter-writing parts of the story, showing Eleanor's alternative relationship with the Captain, and the two aspects of her relationship with Peter. It was frustrating that Peter showed such cowardice by hiding his Captain identity from Eleanor for so long, but understandable and it added to the story. A very enjoyable story with two strong characters and I really enjoyed the differing social status aspects of the story, but with Peter being more in touch with the working man and not being too caught up with being an aristocrat, though Eleanor may not see that at first.
4.25 stars out of 5
The second book in the series by Samara Parish, but can be read as a standalone story. Eleanor Wright and her two close friends work together as a team in the printing business. She is proud and noted as one of the best compositors in the business, demanding a premium price and highly successful. As a working woman, she is living a pretty good life independently, with a good income, her close friends, and her cat. Romance is not on her horizon, until she starts a friendship by correspondence. This brings her into contact with an intriguing man whom she only knows as the Captain, with whom she develops a connection.
Peter Montgomery, Duke of Strafford, is a man driven by his duty as a duke, both in the House, and in managing his estates and family. He spent years bringing the dukedom out of debt and is highly driven to ensure the future of his tenents and family. To this end, he has been working on innovations in printing, developing a new machine that will make printing literature cheaper and more efficient, thus making the printed word cheaper, quicker, and more accessible. His life revolves around his obligations, and the only escape he sought for himself was secretly reading novels late at night, until he starts corresponding with a mysterious woman called Booklover, on behalf of his visually impaired sister. They both quickly find they share much in common and start to correspond privately, quickly sharing thoughts with each other they do not with others, and looking forward to each shared note.
A historical romance that plays on You Got Mail, with hidden identity, differing social status, and enemies to lovers themes. Eleanor stands to lose her job, income, and a sense of her own identity when Peter presents his machine. In the face of her loss, she seeks solace in her friend, the Captain. Peter, thinking that Booklover could be a woman he loves, and knows he must marry for the future of the dukedom, arranges a meeting, but is aghast when he discovers that the woman who may be the woman of his dreams is in reality the strident harridan who is in opposition of the progress he presents, does not meet her as the Captain, and stops writing, breaking Eleanor's heart.
But slowly, as Eleanor adapts to the new realities of her life, and Peter sees the consequences of his new machine in action, they start to see each other's sides and each other in different ways and lose their previous hostility and come together again. But Peter still is hiding a big secret from Eleanor, and that may be enough to break her growing trust in him.
A bit slow going at first, but I really enjoyed the letter-writing parts of the story, showing Eleanor's alternative relationship with the Captain, and the two aspects of her relationship with Peter. It was frustrating that Peter showed such cowardice by hiding his Captain identity from Eleanor for so long, but understandable and it added to the story. A very enjoyable story with two strong characters and I really enjoyed the differing social status aspects of the story, but with Peter being more in touch with the working man and not being too caught up with being an aristocrat, though Eleanor may not see that at first.
4.25 stars out of 5
March 22, 2026
Thank you to Forever for a digital ARC for review.
Only my second Parish (and as a true chaos reader my first was not the first in this current series but Parish’s seeming debut How to Survive a Scandal), the Duke’s Got Mail, a 19th century reimagining of You’ve Got Mail, definitely demonstrated to me that Parish has continued to grow with her craft. And, as a reader, I didn’t feel like I missed anything for having started with the second book, even as some of the references increased my odds of swinging back to book 1 (I’m just not usually interested in While You Were Sleeping narratives).
The conceit of this novel centers around the automation of typesetting and takes some big swings. Eleanor is a preeminent compositor. Peter is a Duke that needs to refill his coffers for the sake of his sisters and his tenants, and the Linotype also speaks to his literary sensibilities. While he knows there will be casualties to innovation, he thinks the democratization of knowledge will outweigh the temporary sacrifice. Until Eleanor catches his attention for her very ability to see beyond the Duke of it all and gets caught up in the crossfire. Even as he remains conflicted in how drawn he is to her, at the same time he is also enamored of his penpal, “Booklover.” Never mind that neither may fit the bill to be a Duchess (or are the same person) as his duty expects of him. And I loved the specific moment in time this novel let us explore.
And, while clearly in conversation with the tensions of the time, it also draws parallels to our current literary moment. I like that this novel takes big risks. It leaned in to the nuance and fallout from all sides. And a fun cast of supporting characters helped illustrate this nuance. There were very real stakes at play. There is legitimate conflict between Peter and Eleanor. He has cost her her job, a job wrapped up in her personal history and identity. And, while it could be argued the forgiveness comes a little easy by the end (though those beats are very familiar to the original), she does rail against him. And Peter is conflicted about some of the fallout of his choices and progress, even if it takes mostly Eleanor to demonstrate the human component. And I did love the intellectual attraction.
Still, there were moments in the middle where the pacing slowed a bit. If we’re sticking closely to the model of the original movie (and I’m still conflicted on how I feel about the current trend to retell romcoms, but at the same time that same trend gave me one of my favorite Eva Leigh series years ago), it’s not a surprise that this is a closed door romance. However, whether this choice or other pacing issues, there were times where I wanted the tension between these two to crackle more intentionally. Especially as so much the tension is verbal, it can leave those insults to linger without full resolution and leave the emotional reversal feeling quicker, even with definite work being done in the back half to ease that. The relationship can sometimes take a backseat to the history, which does leave me conflicted as I loved both, including exploring a unique historical angle and a female protagonist with a unique profession.
Only my second Parish (and as a true chaos reader my first was not the first in this current series but Parish’s seeming debut How to Survive a Scandal), the Duke’s Got Mail, a 19th century reimagining of You’ve Got Mail, definitely demonstrated to me that Parish has continued to grow with her craft. And, as a reader, I didn’t feel like I missed anything for having started with the second book, even as some of the references increased my odds of swinging back to book 1 (I’m just not usually interested in While You Were Sleeping narratives).
The conceit of this novel centers around the automation of typesetting and takes some big swings. Eleanor is a preeminent compositor. Peter is a Duke that needs to refill his coffers for the sake of his sisters and his tenants, and the Linotype also speaks to his literary sensibilities. While he knows there will be casualties to innovation, he thinks the democratization of knowledge will outweigh the temporary sacrifice. Until Eleanor catches his attention for her very ability to see beyond the Duke of it all and gets caught up in the crossfire. Even as he remains conflicted in how drawn he is to her, at the same time he is also enamored of his penpal, “Booklover.” Never mind that neither may fit the bill to be a Duchess (or are the same person) as his duty expects of him. And I loved the specific moment in time this novel let us explore.
And, while clearly in conversation with the tensions of the time, it also draws parallels to our current literary moment. I like that this novel takes big risks. It leaned in to the nuance and fallout from all sides. And a fun cast of supporting characters helped illustrate this nuance. There were very real stakes at play. There is legitimate conflict between Peter and Eleanor. He has cost her her job, a job wrapped up in her personal history and identity. And, while it could be argued the forgiveness comes a little easy by the end (though those beats are very familiar to the original), she does rail against him. And Peter is conflicted about some of the fallout of his choices and progress, even if it takes mostly Eleanor to demonstrate the human component. And I did love the intellectual attraction.
Still, there were moments in the middle where the pacing slowed a bit. If we’re sticking closely to the model of the original movie (and I’m still conflicted on how I feel about the current trend to retell romcoms, but at the same time that same trend gave me one of my favorite Eva Leigh series years ago), it’s not a surprise that this is a closed door romance. However, whether this choice or other pacing issues, there were times where I wanted the tension between these two to crackle more intentionally. Especially as so much the tension is verbal, it can leave those insults to linger without full resolution and leave the emotional reversal feeling quicker, even with definite work being done in the back half to ease that. The relationship can sometimes take a backseat to the history, which does leave me conflicted as I loved both, including exploring a unique historical angle and a female protagonist with a unique profession.
March 16, 2026
I have extremely mixed feelings about this book. I did send my friend a five minute voice memo ranting about it even though I never send voice memos.
First, the positives. I LOVED the writing. These characters were funny and human and so incredibly realistic. They just jumped off the page and I was enamored. Usually with books like this I take issue with cheesy writing, but I did not have that issue at all with this book. The character work, specially with Eleanor, was flawless and I felt so viscerally for her (maybe because I experienced a similar crisis when the NIH funding cuts cost me my job). I even liked the anachronistic vibe of the regency setting (the historical vibe was pretty superficial- I wouldn’t classify this as historically accurate in the slightest, but I don’t think it was trying to be). This book would’ve been an easy five stars if it weren’t…
The negatives. I think I came into this book at a disadvantage because I did not like You’ve Got Mail in the slightest (I don’t think I realized this book was a retelling going in, and that’s on me tbh). I think it’s icky that the mmc cost the fmc her job and she was expected to forgive him anyway. I could go on my whole Marxist rant, but it boils down to the fact that the mmc (in both the movie and the book) knew that what they were doing would cost jobs and livelihoods, and chose to do it anyway because they didn’t care. And then oh no, suddenly they became enamored with someone who was affected and suddenly they grow a conscious, but we’re supposed to forgive them because they didn’t know, and they didn’t mean to hurt HER. The book is especially egregious because Eleanor told Peter time and time again what would happen, but he didn’t listen. It’s willful ignorance at that point and nothing he did, imo, made up for his initial actions enough for me to buy that Eleanor forgave him. Plus he was giving major misogyny vibes- he said he wanted someone who would speak her mind and be willing to push back, but as soon as he found a woman who did so, he suddenly didn’t like it because it forced him to confront things he didn’t like. Suddenly a brainless debutante is better than a woman with the intelligence he said he so desperately wanted. It was just very icky and I never quite forgave him for that either.
If we had a better mmc, I think this could’ve been a pretty easy five stars. But what we have makes me a little queasy and I can’t fully recommend it in good faith. I will, however, be eagerly checking out the author’s other work because she has real potential to provide a five star somewhere.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free eARC of this book. All opinions are my own
First, the positives. I LOVED the writing. These characters were funny and human and so incredibly realistic. They just jumped off the page and I was enamored. Usually with books like this I take issue with cheesy writing, but I did not have that issue at all with this book. The character work, specially with Eleanor, was flawless and I felt so viscerally for her (maybe because I experienced a similar crisis when the NIH funding cuts cost me my job). I even liked the anachronistic vibe of the regency setting (the historical vibe was pretty superficial- I wouldn’t classify this as historically accurate in the slightest, but I don’t think it was trying to be). This book would’ve been an easy five stars if it weren’t…
The negatives. I think I came into this book at a disadvantage because I did not like You’ve Got Mail in the slightest (I don’t think I realized this book was a retelling going in, and that’s on me tbh). I think it’s icky that the mmc cost the fmc her job and she was expected to forgive him anyway. I could go on my whole Marxist rant, but it boils down to the fact that the mmc (in both the movie and the book) knew that what they were doing would cost jobs and livelihoods, and chose to do it anyway because they didn’t care. And then oh no, suddenly they became enamored with someone who was affected and suddenly they grow a conscious, but we’re supposed to forgive them because they didn’t know, and they didn’t mean to hurt HER. The book is especially egregious because Eleanor told Peter time and time again what would happen, but he didn’t listen. It’s willful ignorance at that point and nothing he did, imo, made up for his initial actions enough for me to buy that Eleanor forgave him. Plus he was giving major misogyny vibes- he said he wanted someone who would speak her mind and be willing to push back, but as soon as he found a woman who did so, he suddenly didn’t like it because it forced him to confront things he didn’t like. Suddenly a brainless debutante is better than a woman with the intelligence he said he so desperately wanted. It was just very icky and I never quite forgave him for that either.
If we had a better mmc, I think this could’ve been a pretty easy five stars. But what we have makes me a little queasy and I can’t fully recommend it in good faith. I will, however, be eagerly checking out the author’s other work because she has real potential to provide a five star somewhere.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free eARC of this book. All opinions are my own
March 25, 2026
Confession time, I’ve never seen You’ve Got Mail. That said, I know the general plot and I appreciated the callbacks in this historical romance retelling. And for someone who hasn’t seen the source material, I enjoyed this romantic comedy. As someone who’s job feels threatened by the rise in “emerging technologies” but who continues to feel a sense of resilience that human talent and art will win out, Eleanor’s plight in this felt real and close to home. And while I expected not to feel sympathetic for the Duke, I absolutely do. This author had a way of building his internalized and also real world pressures to take care of his estate and sisters. It makes it so that he feels less greedy, and more an entitled land owner trying to move along with the advancing times and industry. And he’s not wrong for that but I’m still on my girl Eleanor’s side….but I do begrudgingly see his perspective.
The epistolary add ins were a great addition for this read and in building the relationship between Eleanor and Peter through their correspondence as the Captain and Booklover. They get to be their honest selves, and this created an even deeper complexity to the romance (and antagonism) happening on the surface. I also just love how weirdly brainy these to are! They’re both interested in fact finding and learning all they can, so watching these two nerds fall in love was cute and hilarious. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention how much I adored Peter’s sisters and their meddling. Similarly Eleanor’s friends were excellent support for her.
I don’t love a humiliation moment in a romance, so Peter lost big time points during a particular scene in this book. While he makes valid points, any time there’s public humiliation involved they lose their swoon worthy hero point in my mind unless they have a particular good grovel…..and while Peters grovel isn’t quite traditional. He does go leaps and bounds in seeking her forgiveness even without her knowing (which is almost better in some ways)! Eleanor’s perfectionism and pride are real conflict points in this. And I really appreciated the ways Peter eventually tried to coax her out of this shell. The scene with her learning to shoot felt monumental for both characters and I felt like he did redeem himself in my mind if not in the traditional grovel way.
I enjoyed this one a bunch and while I do think it felt a bit rushed at the end, the resolution was nice. Both in terms of Eleanor’s future career path and the letter reveal. Fans of the movie will adore this and even those like me who haven’t had this on repeat for years will enjoy!
4/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an eARC.
The epistolary add ins were a great addition for this read and in building the relationship between Eleanor and Peter through their correspondence as the Captain and Booklover. They get to be their honest selves, and this created an even deeper complexity to the romance (and antagonism) happening on the surface. I also just love how weirdly brainy these to are! They’re both interested in fact finding and learning all they can, so watching these two nerds fall in love was cute and hilarious. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention how much I adored Peter’s sisters and their meddling. Similarly Eleanor’s friends were excellent support for her.
I don’t love a humiliation moment in a romance, so Peter lost big time points during a particular scene in this book. While he makes valid points, any time there’s public humiliation involved they lose their swoon worthy hero point in my mind unless they have a particular good grovel…..and while Peters grovel isn’t quite traditional. He does go leaps and bounds in seeking her forgiveness even without her knowing (which is almost better in some ways)! Eleanor’s perfectionism and pride are real conflict points in this. And I really appreciated the ways Peter eventually tried to coax her out of this shell. The scene with her learning to shoot felt monumental for both characters and I felt like he did redeem himself in my mind if not in the traditional grovel way.
I enjoyed this one a bunch and while I do think it felt a bit rushed at the end, the resolution was nice. Both in terms of Eleanor’s future career path and the letter reveal. Fans of the movie will adore this and even those like me who haven’t had this on repeat for years will enjoy!
4/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an eARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Forever for the e-ARC.
90s romance vibes turned historical romance? I was drawn to the premise. As a You've Got Mail reimagining, the book follows most of the film's beats, general plot, and even a couple key scenes. If you love the movie, you will likely love this spin.
I really struggled with a few aspects of the story, primary being the power imbalance at play between the main characters: Eleanor Wright and Peter Montgomery, Duke of Strafford. Gender and class dynamics intersect to pit the MCs against once another, heavily tilting the scales against Eleanor as a working class woman. While Peter has his own financial and familial concerns, his risk of loss seems inconsequential given his aristocratic privilege, especially when it's understood that he's effectively ousted Eleanor from her profession. Women whose fates/livelihoods are held in the hands of men stress! me! out! With the business and economic conflict also so central to the main characters' romantic hurdles, marriage as a resolution felt flimsy and diminished the Eleanor's plot and character elements that emphasized her professional pride and excellence. Related to this, the book's commentary on value attachments to professional identity - ie. performing your job perfectly becomes a critical defining trait - started out strong and then fizzled out.
The Duke's Got Mail heavily features epistolary elements, par for the course for a You've Got Mail reimagining. I found the main characters' portrayals through letters in harshly stark contrast to their in person interactions. It felt like I was reading friendly, flirty letters from two entirely different characters, making it difficult to connect with the Eleanor and Peter's on page personas given their highly emotional barbs as they moved through the story. This ultimately their romantic connection, because lest we forget that the Duke has effectively decimated jobs in Eleanor's industry. The moniker "It's business. It's not personal" bellyflops when you consider the power imbalance at play.
Lastly, while I anticipate occasional spelling or grammar errors when reading an ARC, the last 50% of this book had an issue on almost every page. It took me out of the story too often.
90s romance vibes turned historical romance? I was drawn to the premise. As a You've Got Mail reimagining, the book follows most of the film's beats, general plot, and even a couple key scenes. If you love the movie, you will likely love this spin.
I really struggled with a few aspects of the story, primary being the power imbalance at play between the main characters: Eleanor Wright and Peter Montgomery, Duke of Strafford. Gender and class dynamics intersect to pit the MCs against once another, heavily tilting the scales against Eleanor as a working class woman. While Peter has his own financial and familial concerns, his risk of loss seems inconsequential given his aristocratic privilege, especially when it's understood that he's effectively ousted Eleanor from her profession. Women whose fates/livelihoods are held in the hands of men stress! me! out! With the business and economic conflict also so central to the main characters' romantic hurdles, marriage as a resolution felt flimsy and diminished the Eleanor's plot and character elements that emphasized her professional pride and excellence. Related to this, the book's commentary on value attachments to professional identity - ie. performing your job perfectly becomes a critical defining trait - started out strong and then fizzled out.
The Duke's Got Mail heavily features epistolary elements, par for the course for a You've Got Mail reimagining. I found the main characters' portrayals through letters in harshly stark contrast to their in person interactions. It felt like I was reading friendly, flirty letters from two entirely different characters, making it difficult to connect with the Eleanor and Peter's on page personas given their highly emotional barbs as they moved through the story. This ultimately their romantic connection, because lest we forget that the Duke has effectively decimated jobs in Eleanor's industry. The moniker "It's business. It's not personal" bellyflops when you consider the power imbalance at play.
Lastly, while I anticipate occasional spelling or grammar errors when reading an ARC, the last 50% of this book had an issue on almost every page. It took me out of the story too often.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4/5 Stars — 💌 Printing Presses, Secret Letters, and a Regency "You've Got Mail"
I have to start by saying I am a total sucker for You’ve Got Mail, so I went into this biased toward the trope—and I was not disappointed!
Moving the "anonymous pen pal" dynamic to the 19th-century publishing world was surprisingly clever. I had no idea if that would be a success, but I believed it! I actually loved learning about the history of the printing press; it added a layer of real-world stakes to the romance without getting bogged down in too much technical jargon.
Highlights Pour Moi:
Eleanor & Peter: Eleanor is such a great lead. I like a girl who is smart, quirky, and always dropping fun facts. I loved that Peter fell for her brain and her personality first, which felt like such a nice change of pace for a story set in a time where women were often just expected to be "good hostesses."
The Letters: They passed the "voice test." Peter was way more open on paper than in person, and Eleanor was more muted, so it felt totally realistic that they didn’t realize they were flirting with their professional rival.
The Conflict: Peter has "Duke responsibilities" (raising his sisters and doing duke things? since he was 13), so while his invention was putting people out of work, you could see his tunnel vision was about protecting his own people.
The Romance: It definitely leans into the "fairytale" side of the Regency class system. In reality, a Duke marrying a working girl probably would have caused a massive scandal for his sisters who still had to be "married off" and/or interact with all of those judge-y aristocrats (gross), but I was happy to hand-wave that for the sake of the HEA.
If you love You've Got Mail and enjoy a historical fiction romance, this is a great weekend read.
Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
I have to start by saying I am a total sucker for You’ve Got Mail, so I went into this biased toward the trope—and I was not disappointed!
Moving the "anonymous pen pal" dynamic to the 19th-century publishing world was surprisingly clever. I had no idea if that would be a success, but I believed it! I actually loved learning about the history of the printing press; it added a layer of real-world stakes to the romance without getting bogged down in too much technical jargon.
Highlights Pour Moi:
Eleanor & Peter: Eleanor is such a great lead. I like a girl who is smart, quirky, and always dropping fun facts. I loved that Peter fell for her brain and her personality first, which felt like such a nice change of pace for a story set in a time where women were often just expected to be "good hostesses."
The Letters: They passed the "voice test." Peter was way more open on paper than in person, and Eleanor was more muted, so it felt totally realistic that they didn’t realize they were flirting with their professional rival.
The Conflict: Peter has "Duke responsibilities" (raising his sisters and doing duke things? since he was 13), so while his invention was putting people out of work, you could see his tunnel vision was about protecting his own people.
The Romance: It definitely leans into the "fairytale" side of the Regency class system. In reality, a Duke marrying a working girl probably would have caused a massive scandal for his sisters who still had to be "married off" and/or interact with all of those judge-y aristocrats (gross), but I was happy to hand-wave that for the sake of the HEA.
If you love You've Got Mail and enjoy a historical fiction romance, this is a great weekend read.
Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5⭐️
A trope I’ve come to love is the “enemies in person, friends/something more? by anonymous letters” trope.
The Duke’s Got Mail is a historical romance set in the late 1800’s at the cusp of the Industrial Revolution. The MMC is a Duke who invests in new technology for the printing/publishing world. The FMC is a hardworking woman who is dedicated to her handicraft within book and newspaper publishing. The Duke’s push for these new machinery directly dangers Eleanor’s livelihood. In reality, the two go head to head, one for the sake of progress, the other for fear of her job during a time finding work as a woman is already difficult as it is. In their spare time, they are anonymous pen pals who have a deep connection over their love of books and knowledge. This book has a perfect blend of enemies to lovers / pen pals to lovers, tension, banter, passion, and both mc’s having deep and complex emotions for each other. I was so engaged during their arguments and could feel the passion and tension!
Some feedback I have is that this is a historical romance where high society still stands with their strict rules. There were times I felt this book did not accurately portray the timeframe and times where I didn’t not feel like there was enough world building to make me feel immersed. I also felt that Eleanor at times was incredibly prideful and was willing to shoot out cheap remarks to hurt Peter and willing to lose job opportunities due to her pride over her own talents. Some events I felt she was doing too much. But I enjoyed that Peter understood the wrongs he committed and worked to make it up to her and right the wrongs for others.
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for an arc for me to read and review!
A trope I’ve come to love is the “enemies in person, friends/something more? by anonymous letters” trope.
The Duke’s Got Mail is a historical romance set in the late 1800’s at the cusp of the Industrial Revolution. The MMC is a Duke who invests in new technology for the printing/publishing world. The FMC is a hardworking woman who is dedicated to her handicraft within book and newspaper publishing. The Duke’s push for these new machinery directly dangers Eleanor’s livelihood. In reality, the two go head to head, one for the sake of progress, the other for fear of her job during a time finding work as a woman is already difficult as it is. In their spare time, they are anonymous pen pals who have a deep connection over their love of books and knowledge. This book has a perfect blend of enemies to lovers / pen pals to lovers, tension, banter, passion, and both mc’s having deep and complex emotions for each other. I was so engaged during their arguments and could feel the passion and tension!
Some feedback I have is that this is a historical romance where high society still stands with their strict rules. There were times I felt this book did not accurately portray the timeframe and times where I didn’t not feel like there was enough world building to make me feel immersed. I also felt that Eleanor at times was incredibly prideful and was willing to shoot out cheap remarks to hurt Peter and willing to lose job opportunities due to her pride over her own talents. Some events I felt she was doing too much. But I enjoyed that Peter understood the wrongs he committed and worked to make it up to her and right the wrongs for others.
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for an arc for me to read and review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book.
Unfortunately, this was a DNF at 60%, and it's really on me.
I didn't realize when I picked this up that it was a play on the old You've Got Mail story, and unfortunately for this book, the original film, and one Haikyuu fic I read back in 2022, I simply do not find this set up romantic.
There's nothing cute or enticing to me about a man and woman falling in love after he has ruined her livelihood. Maybe this has a different ending, but seeing the way he reacts to her just made me mad, lol. I decided I'd give it until the scene where they're supposed to meet as penpals for the first time to see if it was handled differently, and it wasn't. He was a dick. At that point, I was over it.
This also begs the question--what does this version of this tried-and-true(ish) story add other than a change of setting? Honestly......I don't know. I guess I realized that I don't understand how typesetting worked back in the day. That's the best I can say.
Also! I am getting really tired of this trope in regency romances where the man is so sick of all these blushing debutantes trying to impress him, and how this girl is different because she reads and speaks her mind. Is it too much to say misogyny? It's certainly NLOG-y. And it's tiiiired. These women had so little opportunity--their worlds were so small--that for many of them, the only bit of power to have was in marrying well. Is that such a damn crime? Maybe instead we should focus on how young and immature so many of these women are and call that out instead of blaming them for being born into a society that valued very few qualities.
Anyway. Womp womp not for me.
Unfortunately, this was a DNF at 60%, and it's really on me.
I didn't realize when I picked this up that it was a play on the old You've Got Mail story, and unfortunately for this book, the original film, and one Haikyuu fic I read back in 2022, I simply do not find this set up romantic.
There's nothing cute or enticing to me about a man and woman falling in love after he has ruined her livelihood. Maybe this has a different ending, but seeing the way he reacts to her just made me mad, lol. I decided I'd give it until the scene where they're supposed to meet as penpals for the first time to see if it was handled differently, and it wasn't. He was a dick. At that point, I was over it.
This also begs the question--what does this version of this tried-and-true(ish) story add other than a change of setting? Honestly......I don't know. I guess I realized that I don't understand how typesetting worked back in the day. That's the best I can say.
Also! I am getting really tired of this trope in regency romances where the man is so sick of all these blushing debutantes trying to impress him, and how this girl is different because she reads and speaks her mind. Is it too much to say misogyny? It's certainly NLOG-y. And it's tiiiired. These women had so little opportunity--their worlds were so small--that for many of them, the only bit of power to have was in marrying well. Is that such a damn crime? Maybe instead we should focus on how young and immature so many of these women are and call that out instead of blaming them for being born into a society that valued very few qualities.
Anyway. Womp womp not for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What happens when the best compositor in London and an ambitious duke clash over the future of the printing industry? They anonymously exchange letters to tattle on each other, of course. LOL!
I love, love Eleanor. She’s smart, independent, and hard-working. She’s in possession of a multitude of facts, which she blurts out randomly. She enjoys reading and learning, loves flowers and vibrant colors, and visits museums and zoos. Eleanor has no need to marry because her life is perfect. Well, that is, until Peter, the Duke of Strafford, introduces a new technology that would revolutionize the publishing industry, and essentially, destroy Eleanor’s career. Despite Peter’s role in Eleanor’s downfall, I really liked Peter; and he redeemed himself in my eyes. His intentions were good. The linotype would not only make books and newspapers affordable, but it would bring a steady income for his estate, in addition to making his sisters financially independent!
The Duke's Got Mail by Samara Parish surpasses the classic rom-com, You've Got Mail, by miles. And I say this as someone who adores the 1998 film. It has everything I love - sharp-witted banter, swoon-worthy letters, drama, humor, endearing secondary characters, and an emotionally fulfilling romance. I loved their romantic journey from anonymous pen pals to fierce rivals to soulmates. In a story where pride meets progress, it is the romance who ends up victorious. Booklover and Captain forever!!
Thanks to Forever and NetGalley for the e-ARC.
I love, love Eleanor. She’s smart, independent, and hard-working. She’s in possession of a multitude of facts, which she blurts out randomly. She enjoys reading and learning, loves flowers and vibrant colors, and visits museums and zoos. Eleanor has no need to marry because her life is perfect. Well, that is, until Peter, the Duke of Strafford, introduces a new technology that would revolutionize the publishing industry, and essentially, destroy Eleanor’s career. Despite Peter’s role in Eleanor’s downfall, I really liked Peter; and he redeemed himself in my eyes. His intentions were good. The linotype would not only make books and newspapers affordable, but it would bring a steady income for his estate, in addition to making his sisters financially independent!
The Duke's Got Mail by Samara Parish surpasses the classic rom-com, You've Got Mail, by miles. And I say this as someone who adores the 1998 film. It has everything I love - sharp-witted banter, swoon-worthy letters, drama, humor, endearing secondary characters, and an emotionally fulfilling romance. I loved their romantic journey from anonymous pen pals to fierce rivals to soulmates. In a story where pride meets progress, it is the romance who ends up victorious. Booklover and Captain forever!!
Thanks to Forever and NetGalley for the e-ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It's time for Peter, the brother in a coma in Parish's first "England's Sweethearts" novel "While the Duke Was Sleeping." to get his HEA in this "You Got Mail"-style pen pals-to-enemies-to-lovers clean romance.
I so wish this was spicy! The chemistry between Peter and Eleanor ignited on the page with their letters to each other. I was hooked immediately by the flirty banter and loved that we got chapters from BOTH of their perspectives, so we got to doubly enjoy the yearning and tension. Instead of competing bookstore owners, Peter owns the company that invents the Linotype (which streamlines typesetting) and Eleanor is a typesetter whose job is threatened by the new technology. I feel your pain Eleanor, my Linotype demon is called AI. So many parallels between this story and current events made me think about what my next career should be.
Peter's character and personality were just delicious and complex. Eleanor was the unconventional headstrong heroine I love to cheer on. I love how they challenged each other to realize and work on their flaws as much as they enjoyed intellectual conversations. They had so many sweet moments - I was kicking my legs giggling.
Fans of the film will be charmed by this sweet historical adaptation and the family dynamic Peter has with his sisters. I love that Parish is taking these classic rom coms and re=interpreting them in a more romanticized era.
I so wish this was spicy! The chemistry between Peter and Eleanor ignited on the page with their letters to each other. I was hooked immediately by the flirty banter and loved that we got chapters from BOTH of their perspectives, so we got to doubly enjoy the yearning and tension. Instead of competing bookstore owners, Peter owns the company that invents the Linotype (which streamlines typesetting) and Eleanor is a typesetter whose job is threatened by the new technology. I feel your pain Eleanor, my Linotype demon is called AI. So many parallels between this story and current events made me think about what my next career should be.
Peter's character and personality were just delicious and complex. Eleanor was the unconventional headstrong heroine I love to cheer on. I love how they challenged each other to realize and work on their flaws as much as they enjoyed intellectual conversations. They had so many sweet moments - I was kicking my legs giggling.
Fans of the film will be charmed by this sweet historical adaptation and the family dynamic Peter has with his sisters. I love that Parish is taking these classic rom coms and re=interpreting them in a more romanticized era.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I love You've Got Mail and I'm so pleased this nineteenth century version did it justice!
I really loved the FMC and related to her so much. She was a delight and I'm really not sure that the MMC deserved her (but do they ever?) The MMC was fine duke fare, and I appreciated his efforts not just to the FMC but to others as he grew as a person. The FMC and MMC had good banter and the development of their friendship was my favorite part to read. His sisters, like in the first book, often grated on my nerves, but they were more endearing in the end. I wish we also got more time with the FMC's friends.
The beginning was a bit slow to get going, but I was hooked by the end of the first third. I was having such a good time that I was a little startled by the ending wrapping up so fast, and I wish we got some more time in the final reveal. In particular, I wish we got to see more into the FMC's career in the end. The themes of industrialization, capitalism, and the inevitable human impact of the two felt incredibly contemporary.
You need not have read the first in the series to read this one, and I appreciated this one even more than the first. If you like epistoraly stories, enemies to lovers, and working class leading ladies in historical fiction, I think you'll really enjoy this! I look forward to more in this series.
Thank you, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), for the arc!
I really loved the FMC and related to her so much. She was a delight and I'm really not sure that the MMC deserved her (but do they ever?) The MMC was fine duke fare, and I appreciated his efforts not just to the FMC but to others as he grew as a person. The FMC and MMC had good banter and the development of their friendship was my favorite part to read. His sisters, like in the first book, often grated on my nerves, but they were more endearing in the end. I wish we also got more time with the FMC's friends.
The beginning was a bit slow to get going, but I was hooked by the end of the first third. I was having such a good time that I was a little startled by the ending wrapping up so fast, and I wish we got some more time in the final reveal. In particular, I wish we got to see more into the FMC's career in the end. The themes of industrialization, capitalism, and the inevitable human impact of the two felt incredibly contemporary.
You need not have read the first in the series to read this one, and I appreciated this one even more than the first. If you like epistoraly stories, enemies to lovers, and working class leading ladies in historical fiction, I think you'll really enjoy this! I look forward to more in this series.
Thank you, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I have mixed feelings about this story. I'm super bummed because I generally love this author's historical romances, but I didn't love the main characters or the love story. I really disliked how they spoke to each other. They hurled insults and hurtful comments, questioned each other's character, integrity, and more. It was too much for me, and I questioned how either character could eventually forgive and fall for the other after everything that was said and done.
I did like the use of letters throughout the story. It added a lot of depth, not only to the characters, but also to their relationship. It also gave Eleanor and Peter so much more context about each other and their real feelings once they learned the truth. Their reactions to the realization didn't sit well with me, though.
The secondary characters, for me, were more likable than the main ones. I liked Eleanor's friends and Peter's family. They all had dynamic personalities, and the meddlesome nature of Peter's siblings was charming and funny, even though it frustrated Peter to no end. lol
This is a well-written and well-paced story with interesting conversations about literature, progress, and the future of printing. I also liked many of the secondary characters and Peter's family. For me, those were the strengths of the story. And as much as I wish I liked the main characters and their love story more, I do think other historical romance fans will enjoy this one.
I did like the use of letters throughout the story. It added a lot of depth, not only to the characters, but also to their relationship. It also gave Eleanor and Peter so much more context about each other and their real feelings once they learned the truth. Their reactions to the realization didn't sit well with me, though.
The secondary characters, for me, were more likable than the main ones. I liked Eleanor's friends and Peter's family. They all had dynamic personalities, and the meddlesome nature of Peter's siblings was charming and funny, even though it frustrated Peter to no end. lol
This is a well-written and well-paced story with interesting conversations about literature, progress, and the future of printing. I also liked many of the secondary characters and Peter's family. For me, those were the strengths of the story. And as much as I wish I liked the main characters and their love story more, I do think other historical romance fans will enjoy this one.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A clever, heartfelt Regency romp that had me grinning from page one.
I am so in love with this story. Samara Parish took a classic pen‑pal trope and spun it into something wonderfully creative, fresh, and full of spark. Every moment felt like a treat — the kind of romance you want to savor but also can’t stop devouring.
Eleanor Wright absolutely stole my heart. She’s fierce, talented, determined, and refuses to shrink even when the world tries to push her aside. I adored the strength of the women in this book — their grit, their loyalty, their refusal to let anyone decide their worth. They make the story feel alive.
And then there’s Peter, the Duke of Strafford… a man with real affection, real vulnerability, and real love to give. His letters are tender and honest, and watching him fall — truly fall — for Eleanor made my heart do that warm, melty thing. He’s not just a duke with a title; he’s a man who sees her, respects her, and cherishes her.
Their anonymous connection is sweet and intimate, but their real‑life rivalry? Pure fun. Sparks, banter, tension — all wrapped in ink, ambition, and the chaos of two brilliant people trying very hard not to fall for each other.
This book is an adventure in every sense: emotional, romantic, and delightfully bookish. Unique, charming, and full of heart.
I am so in love with this story. Samara Parish took a classic pen‑pal trope and spun it into something wonderfully creative, fresh, and full of spark. Every moment felt like a treat — the kind of romance you want to savor but also can’t stop devouring.
Eleanor Wright absolutely stole my heart. She’s fierce, talented, determined, and refuses to shrink even when the world tries to push her aside. I adored the strength of the women in this book — their grit, their loyalty, their refusal to let anyone decide their worth. They make the story feel alive.
And then there’s Peter, the Duke of Strafford… a man with real affection, real vulnerability, and real love to give. His letters are tender and honest, and watching him fall — truly fall — for Eleanor made my heart do that warm, melty thing. He’s not just a duke with a title; he’s a man who sees her, respects her, and cherishes her.
Their anonymous connection is sweet and intimate, but their real‑life rivalry? Pure fun. Sparks, banter, tension — all wrapped in ink, ambition, and the chaos of two brilliant people trying very hard not to fall for each other.
This book is an adventure in every sense: emotional, romantic, and delightfully bookish. Unique, charming, and full of heart.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book is millennial catnip.
If you love You’ve Got Mail like me, the scene for scene parallels alone are worth the read. The letters arriving. The advice they give each other. The meeting in the coffee shop with the book and the flower! I smiled through so many of those moments.
The beginning was slow for me. I did not fully click until around 40%, when the rivalry took off. After that, pacing improved a lot.
The romance worked. The letters carried the emotional core. The in person yearning added a different kind of tension. I felt the transition from rivals to lovers.
The labor versus progress commentary was my favorite part. The Linotype debate felt painfully relevant in the age of AI. Progress expanded access. But capitalism always ruins progress and crushes workers.
Closed door/kisses only surprised me after some explicit language. It didn’t bother me, but it felt like a strange choice given that setup.
My biggest issue was how badly this needed editing. Typos and grammar errors showed up far too often.
Even with that, I loved this book. The romcom nostalgia, the romance, the commentary. 1000% recommend for big smile on your face and heart eyes 😍
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
If you love You’ve Got Mail like me, the scene for scene parallels alone are worth the read. The letters arriving. The advice they give each other. The meeting in the coffee shop with the book and the flower! I smiled through so many of those moments.
The beginning was slow for me. I did not fully click until around 40%, when the rivalry took off. After that, pacing improved a lot.
The romance worked. The letters carried the emotional core. The in person yearning added a different kind of tension. I felt the transition from rivals to lovers.
The labor versus progress commentary was my favorite part. The Linotype debate felt painfully relevant in the age of AI. Progress expanded access. But capitalism always ruins progress and crushes workers.
Closed door/kisses only surprised me after some explicit language. It didn’t bother me, but it felt like a strange choice given that setup.
My biggest issue was how badly this needed editing. Typos and grammar errors showed up far too often.
Even with that, I loved this book. The romcom nostalgia, the romance, the commentary. 1000% recommend for big smile on your face and heart eyes 😍
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
OMG THIS IS A GREAT BOOK! I loved it! The author did such a good job setting up the plot and making the conflict clear. I always feel let down by the premise of these books, but not this time. I really loved the way the conflict between the main characters was set-up, like there was a VALID reason for why they weren’t together and it wasn’t just miscommunication. I loved the amount of yearning and angst in the book, for sure Peter being a young duke and Eleanor being not a member of the ton would’ve been unrealistic in reality, but it’s like Bridgerton where you have to suspend reality. There was a couple of historical inaccuracies but it wasn’t so bad that it took me out of the book. Also I learned a lot about linotype and publishing. I really wish Sophie had played more of a role, but I like that the story centered on Eleanor and her friendships. Also Eleanor being an only, orphanless child was told halfway through and it made more sense why she was still unmarried, but again not very historically accurate.
Overall, I loved this book and I can’t wait to buy it when it comes out. Definitely one of my top historical romance reads.
Overall, I loved this book and I can’t wait to buy it when it comes out. Definitely one of my top historical romance reads.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
In this historical reimagining of You've Got Mail, Eleanor Wright's biggest problem is the looming printing press technology coming to steal her compositor job. Only her pen pal, the Captain, is her main source of encouragement amongst modernity crashing in around her.
The source of this is none other than the Duke of Strafford, Peter Montgomery, who's invested heavily in the future of the publishing industry to settle his estate debts. Only his pen pal, Booklover, understands the depth of the problems he's juggling day to day.
Will the Captain and the Booklover ever cross paths? Can Eleanor and Peter stand being in the same room as each other, their publishing goals in direct opposition to one another? We'll have to see what the next letter holds.
You will need to suspend much of your knowledge of historical accuracy, social rules and order, and even dialogue for this book. It does not conform to its regency setting. That's okay, it's a perfectly fun and enjoyable story, one that I couldn't put down.
In this historical reimagining of You've Got Mail, Eleanor Wright's biggest problem is the looming printing press technology coming to steal her compositor job. Only her pen pal, the Captain, is her main source of encouragement amongst modernity crashing in around her.
The source of this is none other than the Duke of Strafford, Peter Montgomery, who's invested heavily in the future of the publishing industry to settle his estate debts. Only his pen pal, Booklover, understands the depth of the problems he's juggling day to day.
Will the Captain and the Booklover ever cross paths? Can Eleanor and Peter stand being in the same room as each other, their publishing goals in direct opposition to one another? We'll have to see what the next letter holds.
You will need to suspend much of your knowledge of historical accuracy, social rules and order, and even dialogue for this book. It does not conform to its regency setting. That's okay, it's a perfectly fun and enjoyable story, one that I couldn't put down.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
quick thoughts:
I wish I hadn't peeked at the GR ratings because it instantly made me doubt my own, but I genuinely loved this one. You've Got Mail is one of my all-time fave romcoms and this book honored it so beautifully. I loved our heroine, Eleanor, and hero, Peter as well (but most especially Eleanor!). I also loved booklover and Captain hehe! The romance is lovely. That said it's definitely a slow burn, but for me, it's built up in a way that I never felt impatient. Spice may be lacking, but yearning never was, and I was absolutely fine by that. For me, the romance was in the build up to that first step. To trying for more than friends. So don't expect a romance that explores its every facet, it's more about moving into that first stage. In earning that line finally being crossed.
Historical setting worked very well. I personally found no fault in this one, it worked perfectly for me.
full review to come!
I wish I hadn't peeked at the GR ratings because it instantly made me doubt my own, but I genuinely loved this one. You've Got Mail is one of my all-time fave romcoms and this book honored it so beautifully. I loved our heroine, Eleanor, and hero, Peter as well (but most especially Eleanor!). I also loved booklover and Captain hehe! The romance is lovely. That said it's definitely a slow burn, but for me, it's built up in a way that I never felt impatient. Spice may be lacking, but yearning never was, and I was absolutely fine by that. For me, the romance was in the build up to that first step. To trying for more than friends. So don't expect a romance that explores its every facet, it's more about moving into that first stage. In earning that line finally being crossed.
Historical setting worked very well. I personally found no fault in this one, it worked perfectly for me.
full review to come!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Solid 3.75 that I’m rounding to a 4. I enjoyed this book, I thought it was very cute. And the last half of the book hit me right in the feels!! Once the book got about to the halfway point, the story really took off. I was laughing, I was crying, I was rooting for Peter so hard! But the first half was tough to get through. And then suddenly the last chapter was super rushed. I wish that the first half had been condensed, and the ending elaborated more. Also, and this could be because I have not read the first book, but there were often side characters that would pop in and out of the story, seemingly with no rhyme or reason? Overall though, the book was a solid story, I enjoyed Eleanor and Peter a lot. I thought the characters stories and the time period were unique, and like I said, Peter in the last half of the book really redeemed the whole thing.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a fun interpretation of You've Got Mail, especially as it was set in the past. Plus, I love a good epistolary love story. Reading their letters back and forth was the best thing about this book. This was definitely a very slow build romance, but the payoff was worth it in the end. My only criticism would be the characterization of Eleanor. She came across as so close-minded and arrogant, which was sometimes off putting. There were sprinkles throughout the story as to why her personality was so rigid; however, it is not until much later in the book that it is truly clear the history of her behavior. Other than that, I had the best time. Peter and his sisters were so engaging, and the comparisons to the movie were a hoot. I do recommend this book. Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley for an honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I've never seen the movie, but I get the gist. I absolutely adored these two. I'm a sucker for letters between the two love interests, so getting to see snippets of their letters was just so fun and enjoyable to read.
This is a closed-door romance, which is sort of a disappointment for how much they lust after each other but not a deal breaker, in my opinion.
Parish's writing is easy to jump into and stay in it. I thought the main characters were funny as well as their counterparts in their letter-writing. The side characters give just enough, but in my opinion, leave you wanting just a bit more from them and the history being told.
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.
This is a closed-door romance, which is sort of a disappointment for how much they lust after each other but not a deal breaker, in my opinion.
Parish's writing is easy to jump into and stay in it. I thought the main characters were funny as well as their counterparts in their letter-writing. The side characters give just enough, but in my opinion, leave you wanting just a bit more from them and the history being told.
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
He's a duke trying to care for his family and revolutionize reading for the lower classes by bring a revolutionary typesetting invention to market. She's the best compositor in the biz, and her career is set to be destroyed by the introduction of the linotype. They're also anonymous pen pals.
As is obvious from the title, this is a historical retelling of She's Got Mail, and it is the second in the series (it can be read easily as a standalone). I enjoyed this installment, and the two leads had good chemistry. However, I did feel it went on a bit longer than necessary; there was a point at which it felt like the same things were being rehashed repeatedly.
2.5/5 stars rounded up to 3.
As is obvious from the title, this is a historical retelling of She's Got Mail, and it is the second in the series (it can be read easily as a standalone). I enjoyed this installment, and the two leads had good chemistry. However, I did feel it went on a bit longer than necessary; there was a point at which it felt like the same things were being rehashed repeatedly.
2.5/5 stars rounded up to 3.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Exactly what you want from a You’ve Got Mail inspired romance! The historical setting lends itself perfectly to the dynamic needed to accurately capture the magical of the story. I loved the way all the important notes of the You’ve Got Mail plot were woven into the unique setting and the emotional journey that really had us falling for both the Duke and the Captain along the way. I really enjoyed the Duke’s growth, as well as the way Eleanor was finally able to get past the perfectionist need to hold on, and find what really makes her happy. This book was sweet and full of banter, a true joy to read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing and Net Galley for the ARC’! I loved this book. It’s quite an easy read. I really appreciated going between the letters and the story. This is part of a series but can be read as a stand alone. This story follows Eleanor. Aka Booklover and the Captain aka the Duke aka Peter. Peter and Eleanor begin as penpals, bonding over their love of books. Peter and Eleanor also meet in real life without realizing they’re penpals. When Peter introduces linotypes to her and puts her job in jeopardy, how things spiral for them both. It’s a cute love story and a nice escape from reality.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What a cute enjoyable story. This is the first time I read a book by this author and I was not disappointed. Eleanor becomes pen pal with Peter’s sister, when she cannot write to her anymore Peter writes for his sister, and then he becomes pen pal with Eleanor. They decided to remain anonymous. Peter and Eleanor are on opposite sides of an invention; it will help Peter gain money, but it could put Eleanor out of a job. This story is like the movie You Got Mail, but it is just as enjoyable. I really enjoyed both Peter and Eleanor and Peter’s family.
I received this book from NetGalley and I am leaving my honest opinion.
I received this book from NetGalley and I am leaving my honest opinion.
March 20, 2026
4.5 stars
WOW I absolutely loved this historical romance version of You’ve Got Mail! I did read the first book in this series and never would have guessed that I would love Peter as much as I did (probably because he was in a coma for most of it 😂). And I related to Eleanor a little too much.
I’m really hoping for a Runaway Bride version in this series because…it seems like it’s being set up for that. 👀 I also would love all of the sisters to have a book!
Thanks to Forever through NetGalley for the ARC!
WOW I absolutely loved this historical romance version of You’ve Got Mail! I did read the first book in this series and never would have guessed that I would love Peter as much as I did (probably because he was in a coma for most of it 😂). And I related to Eleanor a little too much.
I’m really hoping for a Runaway Bride version in this series because…it seems like it’s being set up for that. 👀 I also would love all of the sisters to have a book!
Thanks to Forever through NetGalley for the ARC!
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