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The Battle of the Bookshops
A charming literary-themed novel about a young woman determined to save her great-aunt’s beloved bookshop from extinction by the shiny new competition—which also happens to be run by the handsome son of her family’s rivals.
The cute, seaside town of Portneath has been the home of Capelthorne’s Books for nearly a hundred years…
The shop, in the heart of a high street that stretches crookedly down the hill from the castle to the sea, may be a tad run-down these days, but to Jules Capelthorne, the wonky, dusty world of literary treasures is full of precious childhood memories. When her great-aunt Florence gets too frail to run it alone, Jules ditches her junior publishing job in London and comes home to make the bookshop’s hundredth birthday a celebration to remember.
Jules quickly discovers things are worse than she ever The bookshop is close to bankruptcy, unlikely to make it to its own centenary celebration, and the lease on the building is up for renewal. With a six-figure sum needed, the future looks bleak.
To make matters worse, the owner of the property is the insufferable Roman Montbeau, from the posh, local family who owns half of Portneath. The Montbeaus and Capelthornes have feuded for years, and Roman has clearly not improved since he tormented Jules as a child. Fresh from a high-flying career in New York, he is on a mission to shake things up, and—unforgivably—proves his point about Capelthorne’s being a relic of the past by opening a new bookshop directly opposite—a shiny, plate-glass-windowed emporium of books.
Jules may not be able to splash the cash on promotions and marketing like the Montbeaus, but she’s got some ideas of her own, plus she has a tenacity that may just win the hardest of hearts and the most hopeless of conflicts.
Let the battle of the bookshops commence…
The cute, seaside town of Portneath has been the home of Capelthorne’s Books for nearly a hundred years…
The shop, in the heart of a high street that stretches crookedly down the hill from the castle to the sea, may be a tad run-down these days, but to Jules Capelthorne, the wonky, dusty world of literary treasures is full of precious childhood memories. When her great-aunt Florence gets too frail to run it alone, Jules ditches her junior publishing job in London and comes home to make the bookshop’s hundredth birthday a celebration to remember.
Jules quickly discovers things are worse than she ever The bookshop is close to bankruptcy, unlikely to make it to its own centenary celebration, and the lease on the building is up for renewal. With a six-figure sum needed, the future looks bleak.
To make matters worse, the owner of the property is the insufferable Roman Montbeau, from the posh, local family who owns half of Portneath. The Montbeaus and Capelthornes have feuded for years, and Roman has clearly not improved since he tormented Jules as a child. Fresh from a high-flying career in New York, he is on a mission to shake things up, and—unforgivably—proves his point about Capelthorne’s being a relic of the past by opening a new bookshop directly opposite—a shiny, plate-glass-windowed emporium of books.
Jules may not be able to splash the cash on promotions and marketing like the Montbeaus, but she’s got some ideas of her own, plus she has a tenacity that may just win the hardest of hearts and the most hopeless of conflicts.
Let the battle of the bookshops commence…
Audible Audio
Published August 19, 2025
173 people are currently reading
11197 people want to read
About the author
Poppy Alexander
9 books575 followersPoppy's first published book - the bestselling 25 Days 'Til Christmas - has been translated into several languages and optioned for TV.
Poppy Alexander wrote her first book when she was five. There was a long gap in her writing career while she was at school, and after studying classical music at university, she decided the world of music was better off without her and returned to writing instead. She takes an anthropological interest in family, friends and life in her West Sussex village (think, The Archers crossed with Twin Peaks) where she lives with her husband, children and various other pets.
She is generally lurking on social media as @PoppyAlexanderBooks on Instagram and Facebook.
Poppy also writes as Rosie Howard.
Poppy Alexander wrote her first book when she was five. There was a long gap in her writing career while she was at school, and after studying classical music at university, she decided the world of music was better off without her and returned to writing instead. She takes an anthropological interest in family, friends and life in her West Sussex village (think, The Archers crossed with Twin Peaks) where she lives with her husband, children and various other pets.
She is generally lurking on social media as @PoppyAlexanderBooks on Instagram and Facebook.
Poppy also writes as Rosie Howard.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 985 reviews
August 12, 2025
1.5 Stars
One Liner: Where is the editor?
Capelthorne’s Books has been a part of the seaside town of Portneath for nearly 100 years. When great-aunt Florence becomes too old to run the place, Jules Capelthorne leaves her publishing job in London and returns home to discover the place is in bankruptcy.
Worse, the rich property owner, Roman Montbeau (whose family has a long-standing feud with hers), wants to make things hard. He opens a new bookstore opposite theirs as competition. Jules is determined not to give up without a fight.
The story comes in Jules' (max %) and Roman’s third-person POVs.
My Thoughts:
What just happened here?
I’m all for adult-aged Romeo & Juliet drama with bookstores as the battlefield, but this was a hot mess! Sorry, there’s no other way to describe the book.
Right on the first page in the first chapter, it says that the FMC’s request for an early Friday leave was equivalent to genocide. Seriously, doll? Of all the comparisons one could come up with, this gets picked? Am I supposed to find it funny?
Despite that, I was interested in the initial section. It talks of the pressure in the publishing industry, the determination to make a mark in a tough world, crappy mom, loving great-aunt, financial troubles, etc.
Initially, I liked the references to Shakespeare’s R&J. It was fun until it wasn’t.
The central conflict around indie bookstores with small budgets and large-scale bookstores is a worthy premise. The scenes dealing with it were pretty good.
However, the main characters and the romance were… I don’t know what to say! The FMC was hung up on a silly little incident, and the MMC went from crushing to the love of my life in a few pages. I can’t say what they saw in each other!
The whole romance subplot is a mess. I couldn’t feel any connection between them, but we get declarations and proposals for marriage! Slow down, please. At least in insta-love, I know what I’m getting.
Then we have another subplot about an ancestor, and it threatened to take over everything else. While it contributes in a way, the whole thing went on for too long and was frankly more interesting than the so-called romance. Maybe this should have been fleshed out more to remove the love track altogether.
Of course, all is not bad. Aunt Flo is a terrific character (the book sustains for a while because of her). Charles was rather good in his limited role. Freya seemed to have disappeared at some point after being active until her wedding.
Still, I was going to rate it 2 stars… until the actual resolution about the bookshop was left to the very last second and summed up in the last paragraph of the epilogue.
Also, as another reviewer said, can we please have FMCs with hair other than red hair and green eyes? There are so many colours to choose from!
To summarize, The Battle of the Bookshops has a worthy premise, but the execution reads very much like a first draft. The cute elements can do only so much when the plot is so scattered! Sorry, this just didn’t work.
Thank you, NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager (Avon), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheBattleOfTheBookshops
One Liner: Where is the editor?
Capelthorne’s Books has been a part of the seaside town of Portneath for nearly 100 years. When great-aunt Florence becomes too old to run the place, Jules Capelthorne leaves her publishing job in London and returns home to discover the place is in bankruptcy.
Worse, the rich property owner, Roman Montbeau (whose family has a long-standing feud with hers), wants to make things hard. He opens a new bookstore opposite theirs as competition. Jules is determined not to give up without a fight.
The story comes in Jules' (max %) and Roman’s third-person POVs.
My Thoughts:
What just happened here?
I’m all for adult-aged Romeo & Juliet drama with bookstores as the battlefield, but this was a hot mess! Sorry, there’s no other way to describe the book.
Right on the first page in the first chapter, it says that the FMC’s request for an early Friday leave was equivalent to genocide. Seriously, doll? Of all the comparisons one could come up with, this gets picked? Am I supposed to find it funny?
Despite that, I was interested in the initial section. It talks of the pressure in the publishing industry, the determination to make a mark in a tough world, crappy mom, loving great-aunt, financial troubles, etc.
Initially, I liked the references to Shakespeare’s R&J. It was fun until it wasn’t.
The central conflict around indie bookstores with small budgets and large-scale bookstores is a worthy premise. The scenes dealing with it were pretty good.
However, the main characters and the romance were… I don’t know what to say! The FMC was hung up on a silly little incident, and the MMC went from crushing to the love of my life in a few pages. I can’t say what they saw in each other!
The whole romance subplot is a mess. I couldn’t feel any connection between them, but we get declarations and proposals for marriage! Slow down, please. At least in insta-love, I know what I’m getting.
Then we have another subplot about an ancestor, and it threatened to take over everything else. While it contributes in a way, the whole thing went on for too long and was frankly more interesting than the so-called romance. Maybe this should have been fleshed out more to remove the love track altogether.
Of course, all is not bad. Aunt Flo is a terrific character (the book sustains for a while because of her). Charles was rather good in his limited role. Freya seemed to have disappeared at some point after being active until her wedding.
Still, I was going to rate it 2 stars… until the actual resolution about the bookshop was left to the very last second and summed up in the last paragraph of the epilogue.
Also, as another reviewer said, can we please have FMCs with hair other than red hair and green eyes? There are so many colours to choose from!
To summarize, The Battle of the Bookshops has a worthy premise, but the execution reads very much like a first draft. The cute elements can do only so much when the plot is so scattered! Sorry, this just didn’t work.
Thank you, NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager (Avon), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheBattleOfTheBookshops
August 18, 2025
2.5 / 5 Stars
This was one of the more confusing books I’ve read this year. I just could not put my finger on the tone, pacing, character development, and relationship development which left me scratching my head. The book is clearly trying to invoke Romeo and Juliet: Jules Capelthorne has to save her great-aunt’s bookshop from being bought by Roman Montbeau’s family. The Capelthornes and Montbeaus have been feuding for centuries and even though Jules had a crush on Roman growing up, nothing can happen now because of this feud and because, you know, he is trying to take her family’s livelihood away. But because of its nods to the Shakespearean story, I felt like everything got muddled.
Here are something I liked:
✴️ It was an easy, quick read.
✴️ There is a side story with Charlie, a graduate student, who comes in to help sort their antique books and they discover a diary from a member of Jules’ family. This family member was accused of being a witch in the 1600s and there is a whole Antique’s Roadshow style subplot with it.
✴️ I liked Jules’ great aunt Flo. She is kind and quirky. She raised Jules so they have a strong bond. Aunt Flo’s name threw me off though. I am not sure if there isn’t the same connotation for Aunt Flo(w) in Britain but every time I read her name, I couldn't help but think of menstruation.
Things that left me very confused:
✴️ Roman’s family opens up a bookshop DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET from Jules’ family owned bookstore that’s been there for 100 years. And he admits that it didn’t have to be a bookshop, but her bookshop is likely to go out of business anyway so it’s not personal, it is business. Look, I am clearly 10000x more petty than Jules is because if a man ever tried to take anyway my family’s business (oh and also leave my aunt without a home because her apartment is on top of the bookshop), I would never, ever, ever look at him with anything other than rage, vengeance, and spite. There would never be romantic feelings between us no matter how hot he was. I wouldn’t be like “it’s on – it's a battle of the bookshops.” I’d say “it’s a battle of my fist on your face, dude. Get as far away from me as possible.” NO SIR. Never.
✴️ Everyone in the town is constantly mentioning how handsome Roman is. The taxi driver. A married school teacher. Her friend who is literally engaged to Roman’s friend. Her great aunt’s 80 year old friend. Everyone one. Is Roman like Helen of Troy or something? Is that the only thing he has going for him? Why didn’t they have more nice things to say about his personality? OH RIGHT, because he is not a nice person (imo).
✴️ Somehow, Jules does develop an attraction for Roman. I thought about all of their interactions by the time that they kiss and I think they total an hour of face-to-face time plus some hours at a wedding so maybe four hours? FOUR HOURS AND A KISS AND ROMAN DECLARES THAT HE IS IN LOVE? Insta-love feels almost too tame for this.
✴️ I think here is where the Romeo and Juliet angle adds to the confusion. For the first half of the book, the only Romeo and Juliet related aspect that is alluded to is the family feud. But there are so many other historic family feuds that would have been more appropriate. Perhaps whatever is the British version of the Hatfields and McCoys? And then we get that insta-love after only interacting for four hours, which to be fair is a part of Romeo and Juliet. But Romeo and Juliet are teenagers and I think I expected something more grounded and believable for two grown adults.
✴️ I think the need to connect to Romeo and Juliet also threw off the pacing. The reason Romeo and Juliet works is because it all happens within the span of a few days and everything keeps getting heightened. The pacing in this book was so much slower. They would have very few interactions (see my four hour calculation) over the course of a month and then would be in love and then we’d hear about coffee dates and then he’s asking her to run away with him. It’s like a car going 15 MPH, then revving up to 100 MPH, and then jerking to a stop, revving up again, then hitting a speed bump too hard, etc. Like my car metaphor, it was confusing, anxiety inducing, and gave me whiplash.
✴️ Oh, and they actually talk about how they are like Romeo and Juliet in the book which just felt too on the nose.
I think at the end of the day, I wanted something that alluded to Romeo and Juliet but because it was a contemporary romance about adults, it would be more grounded and realistic. But maybe that is impossible with such a wild, larger than life, hard to relate to, piece of source material. I think there will be folks who will like this book, but I am just not the right audience because I had different expectations for this book and had wanted a steadier pace and more steady character development.
You will probably like this book if you like:
📖 Romeo and Juliet-esque vibes
📖 Rivals to lovers
📖 He falls first
📖 No spice (kissing only)
Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing the eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: August 19, 2025
_________________________
Mid-Read Thoughts: There are nods to Romeo and Juliet all over the place (beyond just their silly last names) and I have A LOT of thoughts.
Pre-Read Thought: There is a "Battle of the Bookstores" and a "The Battle of the Bookshops" and they both have very similar color palettes for their covers... I am sure that is not going to be confusing for anyone. 🤣
Well, I will be reading this one. Perhaps, I shall read the other one someday and do a Battle of the Battle of the Bookstores/shops.
This was one of the more confusing books I’ve read this year. I just could not put my finger on the tone, pacing, character development, and relationship development which left me scratching my head. The book is clearly trying to invoke Romeo and Juliet: Jules Capelthorne has to save her great-aunt’s bookshop from being bought by Roman Montbeau’s family. The Capelthornes and Montbeaus have been feuding for centuries and even though Jules had a crush on Roman growing up, nothing can happen now because of this feud and because, you know, he is trying to take her family’s livelihood away. But because of its nods to the Shakespearean story, I felt like everything got muddled.
Here are something I liked:
✴️ It was an easy, quick read.
✴️ There is a side story with Charlie, a graduate student, who comes in to help sort their antique books and they discover a diary from a member of Jules’ family. This family member was accused of being a witch in the 1600s and there is a whole Antique’s Roadshow style subplot with it.
✴️ I liked Jules’ great aunt Flo. She is kind and quirky. She raised Jules so they have a strong bond. Aunt Flo’s name threw me off though. I am not sure if there isn’t the same connotation for Aunt Flo(w) in Britain but every time I read her name, I couldn't help but think of menstruation.
Things that left me very confused:
✴️ Roman’s family opens up a bookshop DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET from Jules’ family owned bookstore that’s been there for 100 years. And he admits that it didn’t have to be a bookshop, but her bookshop is likely to go out of business anyway so it’s not personal, it is business. Look, I am clearly 10000x more petty than Jules is because if a man ever tried to take anyway my family’s business (oh and also leave my aunt without a home because her apartment is on top of the bookshop), I would never, ever, ever look at him with anything other than rage, vengeance, and spite. There would never be romantic feelings between us no matter how hot he was. I wouldn’t be like “it’s on – it's a battle of the bookshops.” I’d say “it’s a battle of my fist on your face, dude. Get as far away from me as possible.” NO SIR. Never.
✴️ Everyone in the town is constantly mentioning how handsome Roman is. The taxi driver. A married school teacher. Her friend who is literally engaged to Roman’s friend. Her great aunt’s 80 year old friend. Everyone one. Is Roman like Helen of Troy or something? Is that the only thing he has going for him? Why didn’t they have more nice things to say about his personality? OH RIGHT, because he is not a nice person (imo).
✴️ Somehow, Jules does develop an attraction for Roman. I thought about all of their interactions by the time that they kiss and I think they total an hour of face-to-face time plus some hours at a wedding so maybe four hours? FOUR HOURS AND A KISS AND ROMAN DECLARES THAT HE IS IN LOVE? Insta-love feels almost too tame for this.
✴️ I think here is where the Romeo and Juliet angle adds to the confusion. For the first half of the book, the only Romeo and Juliet related aspect that is alluded to is the family feud. But there are so many other historic family feuds that would have been more appropriate. Perhaps whatever is the British version of the Hatfields and McCoys? And then we get that insta-love after only interacting for four hours, which to be fair is a part of Romeo and Juliet. But Romeo and Juliet are teenagers and I think I expected something more grounded and believable for two grown adults.
✴️ I think the need to connect to Romeo and Juliet also threw off the pacing. The reason Romeo and Juliet works is because it all happens within the span of a few days and everything keeps getting heightened. The pacing in this book was so much slower. They would have very few interactions (see my four hour calculation) over the course of a month and then would be in love and then we’d hear about coffee dates and then he’s asking her to run away with him. It’s like a car going 15 MPH, then revving up to 100 MPH, and then jerking to a stop, revving up again, then hitting a speed bump too hard, etc. Like my car metaphor, it was confusing, anxiety inducing, and gave me whiplash.
✴️ Oh, and they actually talk about how they are like Romeo and Juliet in the book which just felt too on the nose.
I think at the end of the day, I wanted something that alluded to Romeo and Juliet but because it was a contemporary romance about adults, it would be more grounded and realistic. But maybe that is impossible with such a wild, larger than life, hard to relate to, piece of source material. I think there will be folks who will like this book, but I am just not the right audience because I had different expectations for this book and had wanted a steadier pace and more steady character development.
You will probably like this book if you like:
📖 Romeo and Juliet-esque vibes
📖 Rivals to lovers
📖 He falls first
📖 No spice (kissing only)
Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing the eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: August 19, 2025
_________________________
Mid-Read Thoughts: There are nods to Romeo and Juliet all over the place (beyond just their silly last names) and I have A LOT of thoughts.
Pre-Read Thought: There is a "Battle of the Bookstores" and a "The Battle of the Bookshops" and they both have very similar color palettes for their covers... I am sure that is not going to be confusing for anyone. 🤣
Well, I will be reading this one. Perhaps, I shall read the other one someday and do a Battle of the Battle of the Bookstores/shops.
Read
May 5, 2025🌩️ dnf
unfortunately, i had to dnf this one.
i’m choosing not to rate it for multiple reasons, one of which being that i didn’t get far into this book. at the very beginning (i think it’s the first chapter), the main character compares her boss declining her request for leave to genocide. she then goes on to correct herself, saying, “fine, maybe not genocide […]”. i do get that this is supposed to be a joke, but it didn’t sit well with me, and i wasn’t able to get over it. i’m also not the biggest fan of the author’s writing style, so that just confirmed the dnf for me.
>> thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc - all thoughts are my own <3
unfortunately, i had to dnf this one.
i’m choosing not to rate it for multiple reasons, one of which being that i didn’t get far into this book. at the very beginning (i think it’s the first chapter), the main character compares her boss declining her request for leave to genocide. she then goes on to correct herself, saying, “fine, maybe not genocide […]”. i do get that this is supposed to be a joke, but it didn’t sit well with me, and i wasn’t able to get over it. i’m also not the biggest fan of the author’s writing style, so that just confirmed the dnf for me.
>> thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc - all thoughts are my own <3
March 31, 2025
ARC - 3/5⭐️ this was such a cute, quick read! The Battle of the Bookshops by Poppy Alexander tells the story of Jules who returns home to help her Aunt Flo with the family bookshop, Capelthorne’s Books; when she returns to her hometown she discovers that the rival family in town has opened a bookshop right across the street. The romance between Jules and Roman was an enemies-to-lovers, slow burn 🔥.
Poppy Alexander does a great job at writing really likable characters. I loved her voice and tonality throughout this book. I just wish Roman and Jules had more interactions in the first half of the book.
Some aspects of the storyline seemed really random and rushed to me. There was a lot going on in the background that I think could have been taken out. I feel like the editing could have been a bit better for a more cohesive story and flow. Overall, a nice quick read. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC.
Poppy Alexander does a great job at writing really likable characters. I loved her voice and tonality throughout this book. I just wish Roman and Jules had more interactions in the first half of the book.
Some aspects of the storyline seemed really random and rushed to me. There was a lot going on in the background that I think could have been taken out. I feel like the editing could have been a bit better for a more cohesive story and flow. Overall, a nice quick read. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC.
December 26, 2024
I received a free copy of, The Battle of the Bookshops, by Poppy Alexander, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Capelthorne Bookshop has been in Jules family for a hundred years. The families rivals have decided to open their own bookshop. I love Poppy Alexander's books, this was good, but she has better ones.
September 8, 2025
I had read a couple of Poppy Alexander's earlier books, so I was happy to pick up another one. She writes well and has great stories.
Description:
The shop, in the heart of a high street that stretches crookedly down the hill from the castle to the sea, may be a tad run-down these days, but to Jules Capelthorne, the wonky, dusty world of literary treasures is full of precious childhood memories. When her great-aunt Florence gets too frail to run it alone, Jules ditches her junior publishing job in London and comes home to make the bookshop’s hundredth birthday a celebration to remember.
Jules quickly discovers things are worse than she ever The bookshop is close to bankruptcy, unlikely to make it to its own centenary celebration, and the lease on the building is up for renewal. With a six-figure sum needed, the future looks bleak.
To make matters worse, the owner of the property is the insufferable Roman Montbeau, from the posh, local family who owns half of Portneath. The Montbeaus and Capelthornes have feuded for years, and Roman has clearly not improved since he tormented Jules as a child. Fresh from a high-flying career in New York, he is on a mission to shake things up, and—unforgivably—proves his point about Capelthorne’s being a relic of the past by opening a new bookshop directly opposite—a shiny, plate-glass-windowed emporium of books.
Jules may not be able to splash the cash on promotions and marketing like the Montbeaus, but she’s got some ideas of her own, plus she has a tenacity that may just win the hardest of hearts and the most hopeless of conflicts.
Let the battle of the bookshops commence…
My Thoughts:
This is one of those enemies to lovers tropes - which I love by the way - and follows a Romeo and Juliet type them with two families having a long history of feuding. I loved the characters in the book - Jules, her aunt Florence, and Roman were all just right for their parts. The plot moved well anad the story was charming. A great cozy romance!
Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager through Netgalley for an advance copy.
Description:
The shop, in the heart of a high street that stretches crookedly down the hill from the castle to the sea, may be a tad run-down these days, but to Jules Capelthorne, the wonky, dusty world of literary treasures is full of precious childhood memories. When her great-aunt Florence gets too frail to run it alone, Jules ditches her junior publishing job in London and comes home to make the bookshop’s hundredth birthday a celebration to remember.
Jules quickly discovers things are worse than she ever The bookshop is close to bankruptcy, unlikely to make it to its own centenary celebration, and the lease on the building is up for renewal. With a six-figure sum needed, the future looks bleak.
To make matters worse, the owner of the property is the insufferable Roman Montbeau, from the posh, local family who owns half of Portneath. The Montbeaus and Capelthornes have feuded for years, and Roman has clearly not improved since he tormented Jules as a child. Fresh from a high-flying career in New York, he is on a mission to shake things up, and—unforgivably—proves his point about Capelthorne’s being a relic of the past by opening a new bookshop directly opposite—a shiny, plate-glass-windowed emporium of books.
Jules may not be able to splash the cash on promotions and marketing like the Montbeaus, but she’s got some ideas of her own, plus she has a tenacity that may just win the hardest of hearts and the most hopeless of conflicts.
Let the battle of the bookshops commence…
My Thoughts:
This is one of those enemies to lovers tropes - which I love by the way - and follows a Romeo and Juliet type them with two families having a long history of feuding. I loved the characters in the book - Jules, her aunt Florence, and Roman were all just right for their parts. The plot moved well anad the story was charming. A great cozy romance!
Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager through Netgalley for an advance copy.
August 3, 2025
3.5 🌟
When I saw this book on NetGalley, I was instantly drawn by the cover! It is one of my favorite book covers that I have, honestly, ever seen. The story behind the cover delves into a sort of Romeo and Juliet retelling. Jules and Roman go head-to-head and compete for the best bookstore in a small town called Portneath, but would this story be complete without a little romance? Of course not!! The setting is just incredible, Poppy Alexander does beautiful work providing the most perfect imagery to be fully encapsulated by everything that this small town has to offer!
While I loved the setting, the premise of the book, and the book overall... I did feel that some things were sort of lacking. The battle between the bookshops is definitely the main focus of the book, which left the romance to the background. This isn't usually problem, although I did feel as the relationship between the main characters sort of came out of nowhere. They had a few wholesome interactions and then are together and in love. I also feel like the pacing was a bit off. It felt like some things were just happening without a solid path of how we got there and why it's happening. But other than that, I love this book! A moment for Aunt Flo, what a diva! I loved her overall character and she reminded me so much of my grandma. Though, I will say, that Flo gave me more of the main character vibes toward the end than Jules did. Jules was soooo incredibly focused on the happenings of Aunt Flo that I feel it caused Jules' relationship with other characters to be lackluster. Another moment for the grimoire storyline.. OBSESSED WITH THAT!!
All that to say, if you are looking for a light-hearted, small-town, beach read, that seems semi-inspired by Romeo and Juliet... this is the book for you! I cannot wait to pick up the physical copy when it is released!
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and Poppy Alexander for this adorable e-arc! 📖🐈🤍
When I saw this book on NetGalley, I was instantly drawn by the cover! It is one of my favorite book covers that I have, honestly, ever seen. The story behind the cover delves into a sort of Romeo and Juliet retelling. Jules and Roman go head-to-head and compete for the best bookstore in a small town called Portneath, but would this story be complete without a little romance? Of course not!! The setting is just incredible, Poppy Alexander does beautiful work providing the most perfect imagery to be fully encapsulated by everything that this small town has to offer!
While I loved the setting, the premise of the book, and the book overall... I did feel that some things were sort of lacking. The battle between the bookshops is definitely the main focus of the book, which left the romance to the background. This isn't usually problem, although I did feel as the relationship between the main characters sort of came out of nowhere. They had a few wholesome interactions and then are together and in love. I also feel like the pacing was a bit off. It felt like some things were just happening without a solid path of how we got there and why it's happening. But other than that, I love this book! A moment for Aunt Flo, what a diva! I loved her overall character and she reminded me so much of my grandma. Though, I will say, that Flo gave me more of the main character vibes toward the end than Jules did. Jules was soooo incredibly focused on the happenings of Aunt Flo that I feel it caused Jules' relationship with other characters to be lackluster. Another moment for the grimoire storyline.. OBSESSED WITH THAT!!
All that to say, if you are looking for a light-hearted, small-town, beach read, that seems semi-inspired by Romeo and Juliet... this is the book for you! I cannot wait to pick up the physical copy when it is released!
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and Poppy Alexander for this adorable e-arc! 📖🐈🤍
August 28, 2025
Jules Capelthorne was summoned home when her beloved Aunt Flo had fallen down and needed help.
Jules was in jeopardy at her job in London, but she couldn't let Aunt Flo struggle since Aunt Flo was like a grandmother, and she had given Jules many years of comfort and joy when she helped in the bookshop Aunt Flo owned.
Her boss said if she went she had to be back by 8 a.m. Monday or be fired. Well...she couldn't leave Aunt Flo and especially the bookshop when she saw what bad shape it was in.
She was fired. No excuse to go back now.
The only problem was that another bookshop opened up right across the street and was owned by the rich Montbeaus who happened to have a son that Jules had always swooned over.
Roman Montbeau was still gorgeous and a heartthrob, but he is the enemy isn't he?
How dare he open a fancy bookshop when Aunt Flo's bookshop has been in business for over one hundred years.
I always enjoy Poppy Alexander's heartwarming, charming books, and this book didn't disappoint me.
I loved Aunt Flo, Jules, and the storyline even though it was a bit predictable.
If you need a book to make you smile and one that has the best theme - BOOKS - you will want to add THE BATTLE OF THE BOOKSHOPS to your reading list.
A very pleasant, lovely read. 5/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Jules was in jeopardy at her job in London, but she couldn't let Aunt Flo struggle since Aunt Flo was like a grandmother, and she had given Jules many years of comfort and joy when she helped in the bookshop Aunt Flo owned.
Her boss said if she went she had to be back by 8 a.m. Monday or be fired. Well...she couldn't leave Aunt Flo and especially the bookshop when she saw what bad shape it was in.
She was fired. No excuse to go back now.
The only problem was that another bookshop opened up right across the street and was owned by the rich Montbeaus who happened to have a son that Jules had always swooned over.
Roman Montbeau was still gorgeous and a heartthrob, but he is the enemy isn't he?
How dare he open a fancy bookshop when Aunt Flo's bookshop has been in business for over one hundred years.
I always enjoy Poppy Alexander's heartwarming, charming books, and this book didn't disappoint me.
I loved Aunt Flo, Jules, and the storyline even though it was a bit predictable.
If you need a book to make you smile and one that has the best theme - BOOKS - you will want to add THE BATTLE OF THE BOOKSHOPS to your reading list.
A very pleasant, lovely read. 5/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
July 12, 2025
This book was quite charming and feel good like, I loved the two main characters. I also thoroughly loved the small town vibe. Some bits seemed a bit drawn out for me, I also wasn't too keen on the writing style, so it took a bit for me to finish this "quick read". It does have potential, and im sure others may thoroughly enjoy it more than I did.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and Avon to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and Avon to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
August 17, 2025
I greatly enjoyed Poppy Alexander's previous book The Littlest Bookshop and was excited to receive an ARC of her newest book.
I love a good romcom just as much as anyone. I even enjoy insta-love but this book was a huge miss for me for several reasons.
The first item that was really the nail in the proverbial coffin. early in the book when Jules asks her boss to leave work early and when her request is denied she says it is equivalent to genocide! Who was the editor of this book? Who were the beta readers?
I decided after this that I would give the book a little more time. I felt that it was over the top cheesy with too much rambling that was not necessary. I finally quit. I am not usually one that DNF a book but this book asked for it.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I love a good romcom just as much as anyone. I even enjoy insta-love but this book was a huge miss for me for several reasons.
The first item that was really the nail in the proverbial coffin. early in the book when Jules asks her boss to leave work early and when her request is denied she says it is equivalent to genocide! Who was the editor of this book? Who were the beta readers?
I decided after this that I would give the book a little more time. I felt that it was over the top cheesy with too much rambling that was not necessary. I finally quit. I am not usually one that DNF a book but this book asked for it.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 17, 2025
An enchanting audiobook. Outstanding narration. The main characters were marvelous and memorable. There were several twists and turns which kept me engaged. They were quite unexpected. Highly recommend!
I was blessed with an ARC. Thank you, NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
I was blessed with an ARC. Thank you, NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
November 7, 2024
This was just the right sort of romance/women’s fiction type of book to read, after reading some much heavier stories. The nice thing about romances, unless they are YA, is that they all turn out alright in the end. The story is, of course, how they get there.
This story is of Jules, who returns home to help her great aunt, who raised her, with her little bookshop, in a seaside town somewhere in Devon, in the UK.
THe local rich boy, Roamn, however, has opened up a competing book store, across the street, because, well, he could, and thus the story takes off. Because Jules has had a little crush on him, and he on her, when they met, briefly, in theri teens.
I like this story, because it isn’t just about the rivalry. It is also about the history in the old bookshop, which we find out about because a university student, Charlie, who is studying antiquarian literature, asks if he can catalog their second hand books, and then find an ancient manuscript from the 1600s, written by a direct ancestor of Jules, because the bookshop has been in the family that long, although not always used as a bookshop.
It is a cozy little romcom. There are some bon mots along the way. This is to say there is nothing to get upset about. Even the misunderstandings are not too bad.
I needed a book like this, in a time of stress, with the world the way it is, it is nice to have something warm and fuzzy. Oh, and yes, this book was clean, with only a little light kissing, and implied other things, which are not gone into.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book will come out on the 19th of August 2025.
This story is of Jules, who returns home to help her great aunt, who raised her, with her little bookshop, in a seaside town somewhere in Devon, in the UK.
THe local rich boy, Roamn, however, has opened up a competing book store, across the street, because, well, he could, and thus the story takes off. Because Jules has had a little crush on him, and he on her, when they met, briefly, in theri teens.
I like this story, because it isn’t just about the rivalry. It is also about the history in the old bookshop, which we find out about because a university student, Charlie, who is studying antiquarian literature, asks if he can catalog their second hand books, and then find an ancient manuscript from the 1600s, written by a direct ancestor of Jules, because the bookshop has been in the family that long, although not always used as a bookshop.
It is a cozy little romcom. There are some bon mots along the way. This is to say there is nothing to get upset about. Even the misunderstandings are not too bad.
I needed a book like this, in a time of stress, with the world the way it is, it is nice to have something warm and fuzzy. Oh, and yes, this book was clean, with only a little light kissing, and implied other things, which are not gone into.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book will come out on the 19th of August 2025.
June 17, 2025
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!
I can see why people may like this book but unfortunately, it was just not for me.
The premise is cute, rivals who own bookstores opposite each other and families that have been feuding for years. But the constant references to Romeo and Juliet were just too much. I feel like you can write a Romeo and Juliet story in a more subtle way. But also, maybe rivals to lovers just isn’t my fave 😅
The romance felt too insta-love to me as well. One day, they’re fighting and hate each other and the next they’re in love? And ready to profess it to each other? Too much for me.
I loved Aunt Flo, she was definitely my favorite character. She was quirky and funny, I love that she pushed Jules out of her comfort zone.
Overall, I think that others may really love this book but it just didn’t hit for me!
I can see why people may like this book but unfortunately, it was just not for me.
The premise is cute, rivals who own bookstores opposite each other and families that have been feuding for years. But the constant references to Romeo and Juliet were just too much. I feel like you can write a Romeo and Juliet story in a more subtle way. But also, maybe rivals to lovers just isn’t my fave 😅
The romance felt too insta-love to me as well. One day, they’re fighting and hate each other and the next they’re in love? And ready to profess it to each other? Too much for me.
I loved Aunt Flo, she was definitely my favorite character. She was quirky and funny, I love that she pushed Jules out of her comfort zone.
Overall, I think that others may really love this book but it just didn’t hit for me!
December 19, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
Aunt Flo my beloved
TLDR; Think Romeo & Juliet meets bookshops with an odd pacing and a lot of off page falling for each other.
This was cute. I loved the concept and because I will read a synopsis once when I shelve the book and not again, the Romeo and Juliet plot line was kinda a surprise for me, and I liked it overall. Aunt Flo was the stand out character and my clear favorite. There wasn’t anything particularly noteworthy about either of the main characters, positively or negatively. There was A LOT of off page falling for each other. Sure they had history where both were intrigued by the other but I feel like the main plot line was the bookstores and the romance was primarily in the background. You get almost no Roman POV, which fine but why include it at all if we only get a paragraph every 3rd chapter? (Full disclosure: I am a sucker for the man being an absolute pinning fool for his lady so I felt a bit robbed, this may not be an issue for you.) I just wish Poppy Alexander dug a bit more into the story of them instead of primarily focusing on the bookshops rivalry.
Also, as an American, all the little British-isms were really funny to read!
Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC and chance to read and review this ahead of time!
Aunt Flo my beloved
TLDR; Think Romeo & Juliet meets bookshops with an odd pacing and a lot of off page falling for each other.
This was cute. I loved the concept and because I will read a synopsis once when I shelve the book and not again, the Romeo and Juliet plot line was kinda a surprise for me, and I liked it overall. Aunt Flo was the stand out character and my clear favorite. There wasn’t anything particularly noteworthy about either of the main characters, positively or negatively. There was A LOT of off page falling for each other. Sure they had history where both were intrigued by the other but I feel like the main plot line was the bookstores and the romance was primarily in the background. You get almost no Roman POV, which fine but why include it at all if we only get a paragraph every 3rd chapter? (Full disclosure: I am a sucker for the man being an absolute pinning fool for his lady so I felt a bit robbed, this may not be an issue for you.) I just wish Poppy Alexander dug a bit more into the story of them instead of primarily focusing on the bookshops rivalry.
Also, as an American, all the little British-isms were really funny to read!
Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC and chance to read and review this ahead of time!
January 27, 2025
In the same way I love when an author slips the title of a book somewhere in the dialogue, I love that this Romeo and Juliet story had several Shakespeare references, leading off with: “How very dramatic. Shakespearean even…”
Jules Capelthorne and Roman Montbeau’s families despise each other, so this unlikely pair don’t seem like a natural fit for a while. You can pretty much see what the major conflict point is from the get go, but also why Roman doesn’t want to rock the boat. Lovely resolution and HEA, of course.
I enjoyed the historic witch trials subplot, and Charlie’s character and antiquarian book knowledge.
I think readers of Nora Goes Off-Script and Better Than Fiction would enjoy this book!
I was thankful to receive an ARC from NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager in exchange for my honest review.
Jules Capelthorne and Roman Montbeau’s families despise each other, so this unlikely pair don’t seem like a natural fit for a while. You can pretty much see what the major conflict point is from the get go, but also why Roman doesn’t want to rock the boat. Lovely resolution and HEA, of course.
I enjoyed the historic witch trials subplot, and Charlie’s character and antiquarian book knowledge.
I think readers of Nora Goes Off-Script and Better Than Fiction would enjoy this book!
I was thankful to receive an ARC from NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager in exchange for my honest review.
June 14, 2025
The Battle of the Bookshops is a charming, feel-good read full of heart, humor, and literary love. Poppy Alexander brings small-town rivalries to life with endearing characters, witty dialogue, and a cozy setting. While a bit predictable, the emotional payoff and uplifting message make it a thoroughly enjoyable story for any book lover. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this in advance.
December 27, 2025
The cover alone makes you want to pick it up! “The Battle of the Bookshops” is a lighthearted, cozy contemporary romance read. Jules has come to the rescue of her Great Aunt Flo who is in dire risk of losing her 100 year old bookshop in the seaside town of Portneath.
Small town
Enemies to Lovers
Rivalry
Competing Bookstores
Familial legacy
The Capelthorne’s and Montbeau’s have been rivals since the beginning of time and Roman Montbeau has once again sparked that intense rivalry by opening his own big beautiful new bookstore across the street from century old Capelthorne’s books, Despite the competition to ensue Jules and Roman are quickly falling for one another!
It’s a wholesome, clean witty read with all the feels of a Bookstore and more. I loved the character, Aunt Flo. Regardless of her being in her 80’s she’s feisty, wise and insightful. In search of ways to keep her business afloat she accepted the free help of “Charlie”, a quirky individual who loved antiquarian literature and was going to catalog their second hand books. In doing so, he came across a “Grimoire”, (book of witchcraft) that might just be the answer to their problems.
It’s a slow burn, love story with a secret Romance has yet to reveal. It has best friends, healed family and hope amongst years of feuding. It’s not without tragedy, but resilience is in the hands of the Capelthorne’s and the Montbeau’s leaving this novel “one to read”, I thoroughly enjoyed it. 3.5/5
Thanks to @avonbooks @harpervoyager @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Small town
Enemies to Lovers
Rivalry
Competing Bookstores
Familial legacy
The Capelthorne’s and Montbeau’s have been rivals since the beginning of time and Roman Montbeau has once again sparked that intense rivalry by opening his own big beautiful new bookstore across the street from century old Capelthorne’s books, Despite the competition to ensue Jules and Roman are quickly falling for one another!
It’s a wholesome, clean witty read with all the feels of a Bookstore and more. I loved the character, Aunt Flo. Regardless of her being in her 80’s she’s feisty, wise and insightful. In search of ways to keep her business afloat she accepted the free help of “Charlie”, a quirky individual who loved antiquarian literature and was going to catalog their second hand books. In doing so, he came across a “Grimoire”, (book of witchcraft) that might just be the answer to their problems.
It’s a slow burn, love story with a secret Romance has yet to reveal. It has best friends, healed family and hope amongst years of feuding. It’s not without tragedy, but resilience is in the hands of the Capelthorne’s and the Montbeau’s leaving this novel “one to read”, I thoroughly enjoyed it. 3.5/5
Thanks to @avonbooks @harpervoyager @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 23, 2025
I really enjoyed the modern Romeo and Juliet setup with rival bookshops. It's such a fun, cozy premise, and I was rooting for Jules and Roman from the cab ride. Aunt Flo was an absolute delight, the quintessential grandmotherly bookshop owner who always knew the right book to recommend.
Unfortunately, the ending really knocked this down a bit for me. I'm not a fan of when the writer rushes to tie everything up in the last paragraph or tucks major resolutions in the epilogue. It felt like several threads were just left unresolved. Like what happened with the grimoire? Also, I'm still upset about Merlin. WHY?!
Overall, this was cute and enjoyable even if I'm a bit salty about the ending.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Avon/Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, the ending really knocked this down a bit for me. I'm not a fan of when the writer rushes to tie everything up in the last paragraph or tucks major resolutions in the epilogue. It felt like several threads were just left unresolved. Like what happened with the grimoire? Also, I'm still upset about Merlin. WHY?!
Overall, this was cute and enjoyable even if I'm a bit salty about the ending.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Avon/Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 17, 2025
This is my first review of an ARC from NetGalley and I was so excited to read it...until I started.
I just could not stay awake and was not interested in the characters or plot. Some things felt so random (the first half of the book focuses on Jules reconnecting with her best friend then immediately being asked to be her MoH then Freya isn't in the rest of the book? Oh and the MoH doesn't even know until the day of who's walking the bride down the aisle or who the best man is? Not a very good MoH or just super unrealistic)
The dialogue and interactions felt very juvenile for adults. Jules big hang up on Roman is that she thinks he laughed at her in middle (maybe high?) school for having toilet paper on her shoe? Oh, and the self-deprecating is too much. This adult woman is so focused on how she "doesn't fit in with the cool kids" and then stares at every attractive guys mouth? Idk she's a weirdo and annoying
Not for me. Wish I had a better review for my first ARC
I just could not stay awake and was not interested in the characters or plot. Some things felt so random (the first half of the book focuses on Jules reconnecting with her best friend then immediately being asked to be her MoH then Freya isn't in the rest of the book? Oh and the MoH doesn't even know until the day of who's walking the bride down the aisle or who the best man is? Not a very good MoH or just super unrealistic)
The dialogue and interactions felt very juvenile for adults. Jules big hang up on Roman is that she thinks he laughed at her in middle (maybe high?) school for having toilet paper on her shoe? Oh, and the self-deprecating is too much. This adult woman is so focused on how she "doesn't fit in with the cool kids" and then stares at every attractive guys mouth? Idk she's a weirdo and annoying
Not for me. Wish I had a better review for my first ARC
August 5, 2025
1 Star
I didn’t enjoy this book at all. Very hard to get through and not fall asleep. It’s Romeo and Julie themed but with bookstores. Didn’t work for me. Pass.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
I didn’t enjoy this book at all. Very hard to get through and not fall asleep. It’s Romeo and Julie themed but with bookstores. Didn’t work for me. Pass.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
December 24, 2024
This was an enjoyable quick read. I wanted to read this book because I love a good enemies-to-lovers romance especially when rival bookstores come into play. While I enjoyed this book overall, I did struggle with the pacing. At times the story seems very slow. I loved the moments between Jules, her Aunt Flo and Charlie and I greatly enjoyed the side story about their distant relative. This was the first Romeo and Juliet retelling I have picked up and I found that element of the story to be really delightful. It was fun to see all the little references to it throughout the story.
You should read this book if you love the following:
-Romeo and Julet Retelling
-Rival Bookstores
-Enemies-to-Lovers
-Slow Burn
Thank you so much Avon Publishing and NetGalley for gifting me for a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
You should read this book if you love the following:
-Romeo and Julet Retelling
-Rival Bookstores
-Enemies-to-Lovers
-Slow Burn
Thank you so much Avon Publishing and NetGalley for gifting me for a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 30, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley for the Arc! This book was so heartwarming! So many lovable characters and a sweet romance that made my heart so full. We follow poppy and Roman whose families have this decades long rivalry. One day Roman decides to open a bookshop right across from poppy’s Aunt Flo’s bookstore that has been in a decline ever since her Aunt Flo has continued to get older and it got harder and harder for her to keep up running the store. The competition between the two of them becomes hard when they start to catch feelings for each other in the midst of trying outdo the others bookstore. The story becomes so heartwarming and emotional when things become deeper between the two and what’s at stake for them to be together. I found this story to be so sweet and have such beautiful life lessons. Definitely looking forward to anything else this author writes.
August 8, 2025
Jules Capelthorne and Roman Montbeau come from families that have feuded for generations. When Jules returns home to seaside Portneath (U.K.) to help her aging Aunt Flo run their charming small town bookshop on the brink of bankruptcy. Much to her surprise, Roman has opened up a flashy new bookshop just across the street, expanding the divide in the family feud. Jules has some ideas and tricks up her sleeves to save her bookshop, but falling for Roman was not part of those calculations…
This book was such a cute summer (beach) read! I’m embarrassed to admit that it took me much longer than it should have to realize this was a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet, but that was such a fun surprise along the way and made me appreciate the creativity even more. (To make it obvious: Jules Capelthorne = Juliet Capulet, Roman Montbeau = Romeo Montague, the Capelthorne/Montague families feuding for generations, etc.) At one point Jules even makes a comment about how Roman is “my only love sprung from my only hate.” A modern retelling of one of the most famous pieces of literature, and a plot about bookstores? Poppy Alexander is so clever! Karen Cass’s narration definitely fit each of the characters, and her cadence made me feel like I was there in the moment. This is a fun #BeachRead for any #EnemiesToLovers or #SmallTown trope.
Reviewed as part of #ARC from #NetGalley. Many thanks to HarperAudio/Avon Books for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Read this book if you like:
✨ star-crossed lovers
📚 older bookshops with lots of charm
🧙🏻♀️ The Salem Witch Trials (no I will not elaborate further!)
Follow me on Instagram for more book reviews!
This book was such a cute summer (beach) read! I’m embarrassed to admit that it took me much longer than it should have to realize this was a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet, but that was such a fun surprise along the way and made me appreciate the creativity even more. (To make it obvious: Jules Capelthorne = Juliet Capulet, Roman Montbeau = Romeo Montague, the Capelthorne/Montague families feuding for generations, etc.) At one point Jules even makes a comment about how Roman is “my only love sprung from my only hate.” A modern retelling of one of the most famous pieces of literature, and a plot about bookstores? Poppy Alexander is so clever! Karen Cass’s narration definitely fit each of the characters, and her cadence made me feel like I was there in the moment. This is a fun #BeachRead for any #EnemiesToLovers or #SmallTown trope.
Reviewed as part of #ARC from #NetGalley. Many thanks to HarperAudio/Avon Books for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Read this book if you like:
✨ star-crossed lovers
📚 older bookshops with lots of charm
🧙🏻♀️ The Salem Witch Trials (no I will not elaborate further!)
Follow me on Instagram for more book reviews!
December 21, 2024
oh, this was so fun. a classic enemies to lovers — romeo and juliet inspired with opposing families (i mean…the characters names are roman and jules) — taking place in a lovely small town and bookstores!!! the bookshops take the focus in this story, and it’s such a lovely reminder to support your local shops and all the magic that exists in a family business.
this is the epitome of a feel good read, with a fun cast of characters and little bits like an ancient grimoire mystery keeping me turning the pages to see what happens next. aunt flo and charlie were such fun additions to this story when we weren’t just focusing on the two protagonists.
when it comes to roman and jules, they’re sweet, i enjoyed the dynamic, but i do believe there was a large part of off page romance that built up and made their relationship feel a bit rushed. despite this, their journey is entertaining especially when they’re in their ‘enemies’ phase which has been going on for jules since a run in in their teen years.
all in all, this story was cozy, sweet, and cute. it felt a bit slow in the beginning and was hard to get into immediately, but i loved reading about the bookshops, found myself invested in the success of capelthorne’s, and had a romance that didn’t make me upset with some big trouble.
*thank you to netgalley and avon and harper voyager for this arc!*
this is the epitome of a feel good read, with a fun cast of characters and little bits like an ancient grimoire mystery keeping me turning the pages to see what happens next. aunt flo and charlie were such fun additions to this story when we weren’t just focusing on the two protagonists.
when it comes to roman and jules, they’re sweet, i enjoyed the dynamic, but i do believe there was a large part of off page romance that built up and made their relationship feel a bit rushed. despite this, their journey is entertaining especially when they’re in their ‘enemies’ phase which has been going on for jules since a run in in their teen years.
all in all, this story was cozy, sweet, and cute. it felt a bit slow in the beginning and was hard to get into immediately, but i loved reading about the bookshops, found myself invested in the success of capelthorne’s, and had a romance that didn’t make me upset with some big trouble.
*thank you to netgalley and avon and harper voyager for this arc!*
August 23, 2025
I received this ARC from NetGalley to read and review, so thank you! This book was a sweet, clean read. I really enjoyed the romantic storyline. It was refreshing to find something without any overly dramatic or explicit scenes. It's definitely a feel-good story perfect for a relaxing evening. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a lighthearted romance.
The premise of the story is about a woman named Jules who is trying to save her great aunt's bookshop in a little town in Devon, UK. 🥰📖🇬🇧 She falls for the devastatingly handsome, Roman, who is also the new owner of a competing bookstore. 😍🔥📖
#TheBattleoftheBookshops #NetGalley
The premise of the story is about a woman named Jules who is trying to save her great aunt's bookshop in a little town in Devon, UK. 🥰📖🇬🇧 She falls for the devastatingly handsome, Roman, who is also the new owner of a competing bookstore. 😍🔥📖
#TheBattleoftheBookshops #NetGalley
November 26, 2024
Maybe I’m old here but this is basically a rip of ‘you’ve got mail’ with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan circa 1998
Instead of being set in New York, with a very loved by the locals in the area bookstore, who’s just being out priced by stores that can buy in bulk, it’s set in England in a bookstore that’s largely been forgotten and no longer has a customer base…
Instead of talking anonymously online, they had little crushes as children.
But the premise is pretty much the same-
Falling in love with your direct business competition.
Instead of being set in New York, with a very loved by the locals in the area bookstore, who’s just being out priced by stores that can buy in bulk, it’s set in England in a bookstore that’s largely been forgotten and no longer has a customer base…
Instead of talking anonymously online, they had little crushes as children.
But the premise is pretty much the same-
Falling in love with your direct business competition.
June 28, 2025
I went in expecting bookish banter and rival shop drama, but this ended up being a full-on Romeo & Juliet retelling—with a fast-forwarded love story. One second they can’t stand each other, and the next they’re head over heels and talking marriage?
If you don’t mind a heavy dose of insta-love, this might be your thing. Sadly, it just wasn’t mine.
Expected Publication Date: 08/19/2025
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the early access. All thoughts in this review are my own!
If you don’t mind a heavy dose of insta-love, this might be your thing. Sadly, it just wasn’t mine.
Expected Publication Date: 08/19/2025
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the early access. All thoughts in this review are my own!
August 5, 2025
In this book you have two rival families each running their own bookshops in the same town. One shop is old and one is new. They have to figure out how to keep their bookstores afloat while dealing with their feelings for one another.
This book started out slow, but once it picked up I enjoyed it quite a bit. I liked the Romeo and Juliet aspect of the story especially since I haven’t read many books with those vibes.
One thing that I didn’t love was that it was written in third person. This made it hard for me to feel a connection with the characters, even though they were all really likable.
Read this if you like:
📖 Feuding Families
📖 Enemies to Lovers
📖 Slow Burn
📖 He Falls First
If you are looking for a quick, slow burn romance this might be the one for you.
Thank you @avonbooks for the gifted copy of the book.
This book started out slow, but once it picked up I enjoyed it quite a bit. I liked the Romeo and Juliet aspect of the story especially since I haven’t read many books with those vibes.
One thing that I didn’t love was that it was written in third person. This made it hard for me to feel a connection with the characters, even though they were all really likable.
Read this if you like:
📖 Feuding Families
📖 Enemies to Lovers
📖 Slow Burn
📖 He Falls First
If you are looking for a quick, slow burn romance this might be the one for you.
Thank you @avonbooks for the gifted copy of the book.
September 1, 2025
I usually really enjoy this author's books and thought I would love the rivals-to-lovers premise with the rival bookshops, but this ended up just being an okay read for me. I enjoyed being back in Middlemas, which is the setting for two of this author's other books that I adored, and there were aspects of the story I did enjoy, particularly the character Aunt Flo and a fascinating subplot about a grimoire, but there were some other aspects that just kept pulling me out of the story and that somewhat hampered my reading experience.
The story is clearly a modern retelling of Romeo & Juliet. The nods to the Shakespearean play are everywhere and at first that was fun because I do love a good retelling, but then the further into the story I got, the harder it leaned into the R&J angle, to the point, where I felt like it leaned too hard. The Shakespearean quotes felt forced as did some of the plot points, and I felt like the story would have been so much better without the retelling angle.
The main character Jules also has what I thought was a somewhat flippant thought about genocide in the first chapter of the book. I might be wrong but I don't think that is going to land well for a lot of readers. The character does chastise herself for having the thought, but it was definitely a little off-putting for me, especially since it was in the beginning just as I was getting to know the character.
As I said, I normally love this author's books. I was truly expecting this to be a 4 or 5 star read, but sadly, this was overall a miss for me.
2.5 STARS, rounded up to 3.
The story is clearly a modern retelling of Romeo & Juliet. The nods to the Shakespearean play are everywhere and at first that was fun because I do love a good retelling, but then the further into the story I got, the harder it leaned into the R&J angle, to the point, where I felt like it leaned too hard. The Shakespearean quotes felt forced as did some of the plot points, and I felt like the story would have been so much better without the retelling angle.
The main character Jules also has what I thought was a somewhat flippant thought about genocide in the first chapter of the book. I might be wrong but I don't think that is going to land well for a lot of readers. The character does chastise herself for having the thought, but it was definitely a little off-putting for me, especially since it was in the beginning just as I was getting to know the character.
As I said, I normally love this author's books. I was truly expecting this to be a 4 or 5 star read, but sadly, this was overall a miss for me.
2.5 STARS, rounded up to 3.
August 15, 2025
Romeo and Juliet meets You’ve Got Mail in The Battle of The Bookshops by Poppy Alexander!
When Jules Capelthorne gets the call that her great Aunt Flo needs her help, she rushes back home from London to discover that her aunt has suffered a great fall. After breaking two limbs, the elderly woman needs some help running the family bookshop until she’s back on her feet.
There’s just one problem: Roman Montbeau, heir to their rival family, has set up his own bookstore across the street. Seemingly wanting to erase hundreds of years of Capelthorne history and work, he poses quite the threat. But as Jules and Roman begin bickering and meeting in secret, there may be some underlying feelings that aren’t quite hate.
This was such a cozy read! I was able to devour it in a day and half and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I feel like it’d be a perfect treat for a rainy day- unfortunately for me it’s still in the 90s over here!
The Battle of The Bookshops releases on August 19th! Thank you to HarperCollins and Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for my review!
When Jules Capelthorne gets the call that her great Aunt Flo needs her help, she rushes back home from London to discover that her aunt has suffered a great fall. After breaking two limbs, the elderly woman needs some help running the family bookshop until she’s back on her feet.
There’s just one problem: Roman Montbeau, heir to their rival family, has set up his own bookstore across the street. Seemingly wanting to erase hundreds of years of Capelthorne history and work, he poses quite the threat. But as Jules and Roman begin bickering and meeting in secret, there may be some underlying feelings that aren’t quite hate.
This was such a cozy read! I was able to devour it in a day and half and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I feel like it’d be a perfect treat for a rainy day- unfortunately for me it’s still in the 90s over here!
The Battle of The Bookshops releases on August 19th! Thank you to HarperCollins and Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for my review!
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