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Love on the Shelf: A Witty Enemies to Lovers Rom Com about a Bookseller and Radio Host
Not yet published
Expected 26 May 26Love on the Shelf has descriptive copy which is not yet available from the Publisher.
336 pages, Paperback
Expected publication May 26, 2026
11 people are currently reading
241 people want to read
About the author
Sheila Roberts
113 books1,990 followersWith fifty books to her credit, both fiction and non-fiction, Sheila Roberts is a frequent USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestseller - and a fan favorite. Her books have sold over three million copies and have been turned into movies for the Hallmark, Lifetime and Great American Family channels. Before settling into her writing career, Sheila owned a singing telegram company and played in band. When she's not traveling, Sheila can be found hanging out with friends, playing tennis, and, of course, writing and reading. Sometimes she even remembers to post books she's read!
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Sheila Roberts, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
2.5 / 5 ⭐ rounded up
I thought this book was cute, and the premise was so cute! But unfortunately I did think the chemistry between Alice and Parker was just not strong enough for me to give this a solid enjoyable review.
Love on the Shelf was definitely a cozy read, and I loved the characters on their own! But together? Not so much. I wasn't entirely convinced Parker even truly liked Alice after all the buildup.
I feel that this one wasn't for me, but it was still a decent read.
♡ pre-read ♡
Slowly getting through my ARCs! This one seems interesting :D
2.5 / 5 ⭐ rounded up
I thought this book was cute, and the premise was so cute! But unfortunately I did think the chemistry between Alice and Parker was just not strong enough for me to give this a solid enjoyable review.
Love on the Shelf was definitely a cozy read, and I loved the characters on their own! But together? Not so much. I wasn't entirely convinced Parker even truly liked Alice after all the buildup.
I feel that this one wasn't for me, but it was still a decent read.
♡ pre-read ♡
Slowly getting through my ARCs! This one seems interesting :D
March 22, 2026
yeah, sorry but this was not it & i don’t even know if it’s completely fair for this to be categorized as a “romance” since the MCs didn’t even spend significant time together or have a real conversation until ~70% in.
this was 3rd person POV and followed just about every character in the book, which for a <350 pg book prevents you from connecting with any one character.
the entire premise of enemies-to-lovers felt a little unbelievable to me due to the MMC being a woman-hating podcast bro that felt pretty irredeemable from the start. and maybe he could change? but since we spent so little time with him i wasn’t believing it by the end when he “completely” changed.
in all honesty, i wanted to DNF but pushed through and held out hope & i kinda wish i hadn’t. i could say the premise was there but starting off characters with fundamentally/morally different views doesn’t set them up for success in the end, in my opinion.
thank you to netgalley & harpercollins for the arc!!!
this was 3rd person POV and followed just about every character in the book, which for a <350 pg book prevents you from connecting with any one character.
the entire premise of enemies-to-lovers felt a little unbelievable to me due to the MMC being a woman-hating podcast bro that felt pretty irredeemable from the start. and maybe he could change? but since we spent so little time with him i wasn’t believing it by the end when he “completely” changed.
in all honesty, i wanted to DNF but pushed through and held out hope & i kinda wish i hadn’t. i could say the premise was there but starting off characters with fundamentally/morally different views doesn’t set them up for success in the end, in my opinion.
thank you to netgalley & harpercollins for the arc!!!
April 11, 2026
I wanted to throw this book across the room… and then immediately curl up inside its cozy bookstore and pretend everything was fine, because the emotional whiplash here? Oh, it’s real—but so is the charm.
Sheila Roberts’ Love on the Shelf is what happens when a romance reader and a romance hater enter the ring and neither of them leaves unchanged… or unbothered. Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA, thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted ARC—because this one had me side-eyeing characters, clutching my coffee, and occasionally muttering “be serious” under my breath like I was personally involved.
Alice Willoughby is the kind of woman who could sell you your next favorite book and maybe gently fix your life while she’s at it. She runs HEA Books with her mom Nola—a cozy little haven dedicated to happily-ever-afters, book clubs, and the quiet magic of believing love can actually work. Alice is soft in that steady, dependable way, the kind of person who shows up for everyone… except maybe herself. Because while she’s out here matching customers with their perfect fictional romances, her own love life is giving “spectator sport.”
And then there’s Parker Black. A man who took heartbreak and said, “You know what? Let me build a career out of this.” He’s a sports radio host turned full-blown romance-bashing shock jock, dragging love, women, and romance novels like they personally ruined his life. Bitter? Absolutely. Annoying? Frequently. Redeemable? …we’ll get there.
What kicks everything off is less of a meet-cute and more of a meet-combat. A debate gone wrong, a bookstore under fire, relationships around them starting to crack under Parker’s influence—it spirals into this larger conversation about love, expectations, and whether romance stories are setting people up… or saving them. And honestly? That part hit. Harder than I expected.
Because underneath the banter and the chaos, this book is quietly asking: what do we owe love? And what do we do when real life doesn’t look like the stories we’ve been told?
Now let’s talk about the reading experience, because whew—it’s a journey.
The premise? Elite. Like, five-star potential behavior. A romance-loving bookseller versus a romance-hating radio host? That’s catnip for readers like us. The bookstore setting? Cozy to the point of emotional support. The side characters—especially the women orbiting HEA Books—bring warmth, humor, and that sense of community that makes you want to move in and never leave.
But… yes, there’s a “but.”
This is a slow burn in the truest sense, and not always in the way you want it to be. Alice and Parker take their time getting to anything that resembles real connection, and for a while it feels like the story is orbiting the romance instead of diving into it. There are multiple perspectives, a handful of side plots, and moments where I found myself thinking, okay… but can we get back to the main event?
And yet—somewhere along the way—it started working on me.
Maybe it was the way Alice holds her ground, even when she’s clearly outmatched in volume. Maybe it was Parker’s slow, reluctant unraveling as he’s forced to confront the difference between his pain and the narrative he’s been pushing. Or maybe it was the realization that this isn’t just about two people falling in love—it’s about how a whole community processes love, loss, expectations, and change.
Because when it lands, it lands.
“Maybe happily-ever-after isn’t something you find. Maybe it’s something you choose.”
That line? Yeah. That’s the one that lingers.
And I think that’s why, despite the pacing hiccups and the moments where I wanted more chemistry, more tension, more something between Alice and Parker—I still walked away feeling… good. Not butterflies-in-my-stomach, screaming-into-a-pillow good. But warm. Thoughtful. A little more reflective than I expected.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
This is for the readers who love a cozy, community-driven story with a romance thread woven through bigger conversations. If you’re here for pure, high-heat chemistry and nonstop swoon, you might feel like it takes its time getting there. But if you’re willing to settle into the vibe, let the characters breathe, and lean into the idea that love isn’t always loud or instant—this one has something to say.
And honestly? I’d still take a seat in HEA Books, sip something warm, and let Alice recommend me a story that promises everything works out in the end… even if real life takes the scenic route getting there.
So tell me—are romance novels raising the bar for love… or are we out here expecting fictional men to survive in real-world conditions? 👀📚
#LoveOnTheShelf #SheilaRoberts #Bookstagram #RomanceReads #WomensFiction #EnemiesToLovers #CozyReads #NetGalleyReads #ARCReview #BookReview #ReadersOfInstagram #BookishLife #RomanceCommunity #BooksAndCoffee #FeelGoodFiction
Sheila Roberts’ Love on the Shelf is what happens when a romance reader and a romance hater enter the ring and neither of them leaves unchanged… or unbothered. Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA, thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted ARC—because this one had me side-eyeing characters, clutching my coffee, and occasionally muttering “be serious” under my breath like I was personally involved.
Alice Willoughby is the kind of woman who could sell you your next favorite book and maybe gently fix your life while she’s at it. She runs HEA Books with her mom Nola—a cozy little haven dedicated to happily-ever-afters, book clubs, and the quiet magic of believing love can actually work. Alice is soft in that steady, dependable way, the kind of person who shows up for everyone… except maybe herself. Because while she’s out here matching customers with their perfect fictional romances, her own love life is giving “spectator sport.”
And then there’s Parker Black. A man who took heartbreak and said, “You know what? Let me build a career out of this.” He’s a sports radio host turned full-blown romance-bashing shock jock, dragging love, women, and romance novels like they personally ruined his life. Bitter? Absolutely. Annoying? Frequently. Redeemable? …we’ll get there.
What kicks everything off is less of a meet-cute and more of a meet-combat. A debate gone wrong, a bookstore under fire, relationships around them starting to crack under Parker’s influence—it spirals into this larger conversation about love, expectations, and whether romance stories are setting people up… or saving them. And honestly? That part hit. Harder than I expected.
Because underneath the banter and the chaos, this book is quietly asking: what do we owe love? And what do we do when real life doesn’t look like the stories we’ve been told?
Now let’s talk about the reading experience, because whew—it’s a journey.
The premise? Elite. Like, five-star potential behavior. A romance-loving bookseller versus a romance-hating radio host? That’s catnip for readers like us. The bookstore setting? Cozy to the point of emotional support. The side characters—especially the women orbiting HEA Books—bring warmth, humor, and that sense of community that makes you want to move in and never leave.
But… yes, there’s a “but.”
This is a slow burn in the truest sense, and not always in the way you want it to be. Alice and Parker take their time getting to anything that resembles real connection, and for a while it feels like the story is orbiting the romance instead of diving into it. There are multiple perspectives, a handful of side plots, and moments where I found myself thinking, okay… but can we get back to the main event?
And yet—somewhere along the way—it started working on me.
Maybe it was the way Alice holds her ground, even when she’s clearly outmatched in volume. Maybe it was Parker’s slow, reluctant unraveling as he’s forced to confront the difference between his pain and the narrative he’s been pushing. Or maybe it was the realization that this isn’t just about two people falling in love—it’s about how a whole community processes love, loss, expectations, and change.
Because when it lands, it lands.
“Maybe happily-ever-after isn’t something you find. Maybe it’s something you choose.”
That line? Yeah. That’s the one that lingers.
And I think that’s why, despite the pacing hiccups and the moments where I wanted more chemistry, more tension, more something between Alice and Parker—I still walked away feeling… good. Not butterflies-in-my-stomach, screaming-into-a-pillow good. But warm. Thoughtful. A little more reflective than I expected.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
This is for the readers who love a cozy, community-driven story with a romance thread woven through bigger conversations. If you’re here for pure, high-heat chemistry and nonstop swoon, you might feel like it takes its time getting there. But if you’re willing to settle into the vibe, let the characters breathe, and lean into the idea that love isn’t always loud or instant—this one has something to say.
And honestly? I’d still take a seat in HEA Books, sip something warm, and let Alice recommend me a story that promises everything works out in the end… even if real life takes the scenic route getting there.
So tell me—are romance novels raising the bar for love… or are we out here expecting fictional men to survive in real-world conditions? 👀📚
#LoveOnTheShelf #SheilaRoberts #Bookstagram #RomanceReads #WomensFiction #EnemiesToLovers #CozyReads #NetGalleyReads #ARCReview #BookReview #ReadersOfInstagram #BookishLife #RomanceCommunity #BooksAndCoffee #FeelGoodFiction
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2.5 and I'm still debating rounding up or down.
The idea is cute, but Parker is such an unlikeable character. He was so misogynistic and irredeemable, and I struggled reading his pov for most of the book because he was just a jerk. Sure, he had some good points, but his sweeping generalizations and "women who read romance can't tell fiction apart from real life" were hard to sit through. I guess he goes through some changes, but it was crammed into a small chunk after we spent over half of the book with this mess of a character.
It would have been easier to root for his perspective shift if we had spent more time connecting to his character. Again, it was hard connecting because of who his character was, but it was also difficult because the povs kept changing to a bunch of different characters that didn't really affect the main characters. Alice's sister, for example, honestly could have been her own book if Roberts really wanted to get into Scarlet's head - otherwise, we don't need to read her exact pov. Especially since all the random points of view appeared for a chapter or two at best, it felt very disconnected from the leads and from the story.
I didn't feel any chemistry between the leads, either, which is partly because I didn't connect with Alice all that much and because they don't have a real conversation until 70% in. And I'm not exaggerating. There was so much buildup to the negative without actually giving me that "enemies to lovers" vibe, but then the romance and the growth were shown through a speed run.
All the meta jokes about "I should write you two in a romance novel" and "good thing he wasn't in a romance book" were not funny (in my opinion). I was already losing interest because of the characters, and the meta jokes only dropped me further out of the immersion.
thank you Netgalley and Sheila Roberts for the arc!
The idea is cute, but Parker is such an unlikeable character. He was so misogynistic and irredeemable, and I struggled reading his pov for most of the book because he was just a jerk. Sure, he had some good points, but his sweeping generalizations and "women who read romance can't tell fiction apart from real life" were hard to sit through. I guess he goes through some changes, but it was crammed into a small chunk after we spent over half of the book with this mess of a character.
It would have been easier to root for his perspective shift if we had spent more time connecting to his character. Again, it was hard connecting because of who his character was, but it was also difficult because the povs kept changing to a bunch of different characters that didn't really affect the main characters. Alice's sister, for example, honestly could have been her own book if Roberts really wanted to get into Scarlet's head - otherwise, we don't need to read her exact pov. Especially since all the random points of view appeared for a chapter or two at best, it felt very disconnected from the leads and from the story.
I didn't feel any chemistry between the leads, either, which is partly because I didn't connect with Alice all that much and because they don't have a real conversation until 70% in. And I'm not exaggerating. There was so much buildup to the negative without actually giving me that "enemies to lovers" vibe, but then the romance and the growth were shown through a speed run.
All the meta jokes about "I should write you two in a romance novel" and "good thing he wasn't in a romance book" were not funny (in my opinion). I was already losing interest because of the characters, and the meta jokes only dropped me further out of the immersion.
thank you Netgalley and Sheila Roberts for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
HEA - a bookstore in west? Seattle sounds like my kind of place.Cozy, comfortable filled with romance book lovers of all kinds, Alice and her mom Nola, a mom and daughter Duo, who run the shop rhey love to read and bring other people happiness by hosting various book clubs for all kinds of romance lovers - Parker is a local sports radio hosts who has of late become "shock jock"ish- Parker has had his heart broken by a few women, and the last ended up writing him as the not. Hero in a romance novel she, also btw, got all the sports stuff wrong. Which to him, threw him over the edge and started his Shock. Jack career reading bad parts of romance novels and starting a segment on his radio show venting about women- the ladies of HEA, obviously get upset and Alice's sister scarlet. Especially as her husband is roped into alp. Parker's ideology- Nola takes up an offer to debate with Parker, but gets sick so Alice takes her place - this is probably a good place to mention that alice is very shy., lves a very quiet life- she bombs, the debate - what entails is a story of what everyone romance lover loves, enemies to lovers, grand gestures, will they or won't they, - if you are a fan of romance books you will enjoy this - the cast of characters is amazing.The women at the bookshop are my favorite.Everybody's great except for parker's partner.He's a douche kebab- it does run a little bit too long for me.That's the only reason i'm giving you four stars instead of fives.I think it could have been a little bit shorter, because sometimes it seemed to drag a little bit times - definitely worth picking up, would like to see a sequel on this one or maybe something about Benita. My favorite bookstore worker-
Thank you to netgalley for the arc.In exchange for an honest review
Thank you to netgalley for the arc.In exchange for an honest review
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Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Former baseball player, Parker Black is a woman-hating sports podcaster who started gaining more tractions after trashing excerpts of romance books on his show. Alice Willoughby co-owns HEA Bookstore with her mom and agrees to debate Parker on the importance of romance books. When her mom Nola loses her voice, Alice becomes the face of the debate and one slip turns her into a meme. Thus begins the fight between the romance novel sellers and the podcast bro.
Love on the Shelf is the type of story I wanted to love, but didn't. The biggest issue I had was the connection between Parker and Alice; almost immediately after the podcast ended they're both thinking about each other, but they spent less than 10 minutes seeing each other on computer screens. There is no in person meet cute, zap of lighting...nothing, but I'm supposed to believe that Parker; who openly trashes women, is suddenly like "Oh a pretty face."
Sheila wrote Parker Black so well he became irredeemable from the beginning which becomes problematic if I am to root for a HEA ending; which I didn't. Learning that his mom is a romance write really sealed the deal on Parker's selfishness and Alice never had a hope of fixing that.
I would have liked to see more of Nola's side romance and less of Scarlett's. Again, we're given a couple where the husband has been radicalized online by a red piller and somehow when they have their heart to heart it's Scarlett's fault. Full stop. The only way I wanted to see that relationship end was divorce.
I liked the concept of the book, but I disliked the execution.
Thank you Mira for the gifted copy.
Love on the Shelf is the type of story I wanted to love, but didn't. The biggest issue I had was the connection between Parker and Alice; almost immediately after the podcast ended they're both thinking about each other, but they spent less than 10 minutes seeing each other on computer screens. There is no in person meet cute, zap of lighting...nothing, but I'm supposed to believe that Parker; who openly trashes women, is suddenly like "Oh a pretty face."
Sheila wrote Parker Black so well he became irredeemable from the beginning which becomes problematic if I am to root for a HEA ending; which I didn't. Learning that his mom is a romance write really sealed the deal on Parker's selfishness and Alice never had a hope of fixing that.
I would have liked to see more of Nola's side romance and less of Scarlett's. Again, we're given a couple where the husband has been radicalized online by a red piller and somehow when they have their heart to heart it's Scarlett's fault. Full stop. The only way I wanted to see that relationship end was divorce.
I liked the concept of the book, but I disliked the execution.
Thank you Mira for the gifted copy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
February 25, 2026Alice pasa la mayor parte de su vida dentro de una librería especializada en novelas románticas, un lugar donde todo gira alrededor de finales felices. Para ella, los libros siempre han sido más fáciles que las relaciones reales, por eso se siente más cómoda observando el romance desde lejos mientras ayuda a otros a encontrar historias que los hagan soñar. Sin embargo, su tranquilidad comienza a tambalearse cuando un popular conductor de radio empieza a criticar públicamente las novelas románticas y a cuestionar las expectativas amorosas que estas crean.
Lo que al principio parece solo una opinión molesta pronto empieza a afectar a las personas a su alrededor. Parejas discuten, amistades se tensan y su propia familia se ve involucrada en el conflicto. Mientras el debate crece, Alice tendrá que enfrentarse a ideas opuestas sobre el amor y salir poco a poco de la seguridad que siempre encontró en los libros.
__
La sinopsis me pareció interesante, pero ya leyéndolo la verdad es que no me gusto nada. O sea Parker es un machito que tiene un programa para hablar mal de las mujeres y darle consejos a otros tipos de como tener una relación exitosa, pero dichos "consejos" son en realidad cosas para invalidad opiniones y hacer menos a las mujeres. Sé que después cambio, pero no pude dejar de verlo con la mentalidad de que las mujeres son enemigas.
En el lugar de Scarlet le hubiera pedido el divorcio a Mark.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Lo que al principio parece solo una opinión molesta pronto empieza a afectar a las personas a su alrededor. Parejas discuten, amistades se tensan y su propia familia se ve involucrada en el conflicto. Mientras el debate crece, Alice tendrá que enfrentarse a ideas opuestas sobre el amor y salir poco a poco de la seguridad que siempre encontró en los libros.
__
La sinopsis me pareció interesante, pero ya leyéndolo la verdad es que no me gusto nada. O sea Parker es un machito que tiene un programa para hablar mal de las mujeres y darle consejos a otros tipos de como tener una relación exitosa, pero dichos "consejos" son en realidad cosas para invalidad opiniones y hacer menos a las mujeres. Sé que después cambio, pero no pude dejar de verlo con la mentalidad de que las mujeres son enemigas.
En el lugar de Scarlet le hubiera pedido el divorcio a Mark.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️💫
Love on the Shelf is a multi POV enemies-to-lovers romance, that mostly swaps between Alice and Parker, but includes other POVs at times. Parker is a popular sports radio personality who has taken a pivot into bashing women in general, and romance books in particular, on his show following a break up. Alice, co-owner of a local romance bookstore, finds herself reluctantly engaging in a debate with him, and then the target of multiple publicity stunts. Alice isn’t sure if her “kill ‘em with kindness” approach will have any positive effect, but she’s determined to see if there’s a romance hero hidden under all that hate.
This one was a miss for me. I love a good redemption arc, but Parker was an insufferable misogynist for far too long and then everything got rushed to be fixed with a swooping grand gesture instead of the self reflection (and extensive therapy) that would have been needed. Alice kept talking about developing feelings for him but I was left confused as to what those were based on, because he showed no growth. A side storyline about a character who’s husband got swept up in Parker’s hate messages got framed as “you’re both at fault” and just left a bad taste in my mouth. I’m glad the character finally had a break through but it came so late in the story I just couldn’t find myself cheering for the couple at the end.
Love on the Shelf is a multi POV enemies-to-lovers romance, that mostly swaps between Alice and Parker, but includes other POVs at times. Parker is a popular sports radio personality who has taken a pivot into bashing women in general, and romance books in particular, on his show following a break up. Alice, co-owner of a local romance bookstore, finds herself reluctantly engaging in a debate with him, and then the target of multiple publicity stunts. Alice isn’t sure if her “kill ‘em with kindness” approach will have any positive effect, but she’s determined to see if there’s a romance hero hidden under all that hate.
This one was a miss for me. I love a good redemption arc, but Parker was an insufferable misogynist for far too long and then everything got rushed to be fixed with a swooping grand gesture instead of the self reflection (and extensive therapy) that would have been needed. Alice kept talking about developing feelings for him but I was left confused as to what those were based on, because he showed no growth. A side storyline about a character who’s husband got swept up in Parker’s hate messages got framed as “you’re both at fault” and just left a bad taste in my mouth. I’m glad the character finally had a break through but it came so late in the story I just couldn’t find myself cheering for the couple at the end.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
2.75 stars!
I really wanted to fall in love with this book, but something was just off with it. Don't get me wrong, this book totally had the potentially to be amazing: battle of the sexes, unlikely lovers, forced proximity, trading places, etc. The recipe was there, I just think it could have been organized just a little bit better. While I don't mind a 3rd person POV, this was read as if we were following 5 different characters, whose plot lines didn't exactly affect what was happening between our main protagonists. As far as them two, their interactions really didn't make a difference until roughy 50/60% of the book. I felt like the first half, while interesting, could've been sped up a little bit so the actual romance in the second half seemed less unrealistic and gave us more time to fall in love with these characters.
Now I really cant hate on the book too much because I thoroughly enjoyed it + loved the potential story line! It was easy to fall into this book and get hooked but the organization and actual writing of it set it back for me :/
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to obtain this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to fall in love with this book, but something was just off with it. Don't get me wrong, this book totally had the potentially to be amazing: battle of the sexes, unlikely lovers, forced proximity, trading places, etc. The recipe was there, I just think it could have been organized just a little bit better. While I don't mind a 3rd person POV, this was read as if we were following 5 different characters, whose plot lines didn't exactly affect what was happening between our main protagonists. As far as them two, their interactions really didn't make a difference until roughy 50/60% of the book. I felt like the first half, while interesting, could've been sped up a little bit so the actual romance in the second half seemed less unrealistic and gave us more time to fall in love with these characters.
Now I really cant hate on the book too much because I thoroughly enjoyed it + loved the potential story line! It was easy to fall into this book and get hooked but the organization and actual writing of it set it back for me :/
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to obtain this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5⭐️ round up to 4. The concept of this story was interesting and fun to read. It gave an Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus vibe. The story is basically about Parker who is fed up with women expecting men to behave like the book boyfriends they read about in romance books. He starts bashing women who read romance books over his sports broadcasting job and starts to get an angry following of men who agree with him. Alice the FMC and her mom own a romance bookstore end up in a war with Parker and his followers. I loved all the banter and debating that happens in the story. All the characters were great except Jay who is Parker’s partner at the broadcasting station. I did not like him. I felt like you could relate to this story because a lot of people do feel the romance genre is silly and should be removed. The ending was cute and I liked the epilogue. What I did feel was lacking was the interaction between Parker and Alice. I would have liked to see more chemistry and romance developed between them. I also feel like it was a little long and could be a little shorter. Otherwise I enjoyed reading it.
THANK YOU NET GALLEY FOR THE ADVANCE COPY.
THANK YOU NET GALLEY FOR THE ADVANCE COPY.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Sheila Roberts always brings her heart into her books. Wonderful heartwarming read. Alice and Parker are on a collision course right from the start. Parker brooding and commiserating about his two past failed loves has written a book of instructions on how men do not need to bend to their loves expected treatment. Be a guys guy. If you want something go ahead and buy it or go to that game even if your love expects you to man up and sacrifice for something she wants or needs. He has a perfect platform with his sports radio show and podcast to get his message out to all the men of the world. Enter Alice with her lovely romance book store that she co-owns with her mother. Parker is reading and dissing these loved novels on his show and offers up a challenge to debate said romances on air. When Alice’s store gets thrown into the ring sparks fly from the debate. Soul searching and mischief follow along with a good dose of humble pie and true romance. Recommend this heartwarming read. I was given an advanced reader copy of this novel by NetGalley and I am freely sharing my review. #netgalley @netgalley #sheilaroberts @authorsheilaroberts #harpercollins @harpercollins
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I so wanted to enjoy this book. The initial premise was cute but it just did not deliver the good feelings for me.
Alice is a bookworm who still lives and works with her mother and has never been in love and Parker is a jaded, misogynistic radio jockey who's had his heart broken twice in a row. They didn't even start having meaningful conversations until nearly 75% through the book. What little time they shared left a very rushed feeling about their connection and growth.
Using 3rd person POV was fine, but I think we should have stuck with just the two main characters instead of getting into the heads of the other side characters. They added very little to the development of the story, and that word count could have been better used elsewhere. Reading from the MMC's mom's perspective was a waste of time IMO.
I almost DNF'd this between 50-60%, but decided to stick with it to see if it got any better. Unfortunately, it did not for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Alice is a bookworm who still lives and works with her mother and has never been in love and Parker is a jaded, misogynistic radio jockey who's had his heart broken twice in a row. They didn't even start having meaningful conversations until nearly 75% through the book. What little time they shared left a very rushed feeling about their connection and growth.
Using 3rd person POV was fine, but I think we should have stuck with just the two main characters instead of getting into the heads of the other side characters. They added very little to the development of the story, and that word count could have been better used elsewhere. Reading from the MMC's mom's perspective was a waste of time IMO.
I almost DNF'd this between 50-60%, but decided to stick with it to see if it got any better. Unfortunately, it did not for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Read
March 28, 2026Alice vive prácticamente dentro de su librería, rodeada de novelas románticas y clientes que creen en los finales felices. Para ella, el amor real no ha sido como el de los libros, así que prefiere refugiarse en historias donde todo sale bien. Su rutina cambia cuando aparece en escena Parker Black, un locutor que empieza a criticar a las mujeres y a burlarse de las novelas románticas en su programa. Lo que parece un pequeño inconveniente termina afectando a varias personas, incluida la hermana de Alice, que atraviesa problemas en su matrimonio.
Aunque Alice intenta ignorarlo y seguir con su vida tranquila, poco a poco se da cuenta de que ese hombre y todo lo que dice están más cerca de lo que pensaba. Y mientras ella defiende su pequeño mundo lleno de historias de amor, también empieza a cuestionarse si tal vez ya es momento de dejar de solo leer sobre romance y empezar a vivirlo, aunque no sea perfecto.
**
La verdad no pude con Parker.
Gracias netgalley por el ARC.
Aunque Alice intenta ignorarlo y seguir con su vida tranquila, poco a poco se da cuenta de que ese hombre y todo lo que dice están más cerca de lo que pensaba. Y mientras ella defiende su pequeño mundo lleno de historias de amor, también empieza a cuestionarse si tal vez ya es momento de dejar de solo leer sobre romance y empezar a vivirlo, aunque no sea perfecto.
**
La verdad no pude con Parker.
Gracias netgalley por el ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ALC review:
2.5 Plot
4 Star Audio
-3rd Person, mutiple POV's
-Rivals to Lovers?
-Romance Bookstore Owner x Romance Book Hater (Sport Radio Host)
FMC, Alice is a romance bookstore owner who has never been in love. Enter Parker the sport radio host that is a romance book hater and "Pro Blue". Men need to nut up... gross. So she falls for the bad boy who is misunderstood, a right of passage.
MMC, Parker hates romance books because women want men to be romantic? Pushing red pill propaganda. Oh boy. Did other people take it too far, yes. Did he just keep playing the not my fault game... yes.
After a live debate turned meme things spiral.
There were moments where I could see what this story wanted to be, and I do think the premise had potential. It just never fully delivered. The connection between Alice and Parker felt surface level, and they barely spend meaningful time together on page, which made the romance hard to buy.
I do think Parker could change but his arc here felt rushed and unrealistic.
2.5 Plot
4 Star Audio
-3rd Person, mutiple POV's
-Rivals to Lovers?
-Romance Bookstore Owner x Romance Book Hater (Sport Radio Host)
FMC, Alice is a romance bookstore owner who has never been in love. Enter Parker the sport radio host that is a romance book hater and "Pro Blue". Men need to nut up... gross. So she falls for the bad boy who is misunderstood, a right of passage.
MMC, Parker hates romance books because women want men to be romantic? Pushing red pill propaganda. Oh boy. Did other people take it too far, yes. Did he just keep playing the not my fault game... yes.
After a live debate turned meme things spiral.
There were moments where I could see what this story wanted to be, and I do think the premise had potential. It just never fully delivered. The connection between Alice and Parker felt surface level, and they barely spend meaningful time together on page, which made the romance hard to buy.
I do think Parker could change but his arc here felt rushed and unrealistic.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Love on the shelf is a fun, enemies-to-lovers story, packed with sharp banter, and is the definition of a slow-burn romance. This book is very much a love letter to romance readers. That said, the multiple POVs took a bit of time to get used to, and there were moments where the pacing felt slow or repetitive. Still, the slow burn delivers: equal parts adorable and frustrating in the best way.
Parker is not easy to like at first. In fact, you’ll probably hate him, but he does redeem himself in the end. Alice, on the other hand, is the definition of the quiet, bookish heroine who prefers not to rock the boat… until Parker barges in and turns everything upside down. Watching her come out of her shell was definitely a highlight for me.
Overall, this will be one of those stories that you're either gonna love or you're gonna hate. For me, it was a solid 3-star read, and I had a lot of fun getting swept up into these characters.
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, via the publisher & NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*
Parker is not easy to like at first. In fact, you’ll probably hate him, but he does redeem himself in the end. Alice, on the other hand, is the definition of the quiet, bookish heroine who prefers not to rock the boat… until Parker barges in and turns everything upside down. Watching her come out of her shell was definitely a highlight for me.
Overall, this will be one of those stories that you're either gonna love or you're gonna hate. For me, it was a solid 3-star read, and I had a lot of fun getting swept up into these characters.
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, via the publisher & NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Alice Willoughby and her mom run HEA Books, a cozy bookstore dedicated to romance books. Alice is great with matching each person with the perfect book. She herself is single and finds herself happier with book boyfriends than real ones.
Parker Black is a radio host sports jock who got burned in a relationship and is bitter. His ex-girlfriend went on to write a romance novel and used him as a character in the book and proceeded to bash him in media every chance she got. Parker uses his radio show to mock romance books and takes offense to the whole genre.
This leads to a debate on air between Alice defending the books and Parker against them. Alice freezes up and Parker wins the debate but his boss puts a meme of Alice up which goes viral and begins a battle with the bookstore.
I loved all the ladies in the bookstore and how fiercely they protected their own. They were funny and I wanted to hang out there and join a book club and eat sweet treats. They all gang up on Parker and get him to change and see things from a different perspective.
Parker Black is a radio host sports jock who got burned in a relationship and is bitter. His ex-girlfriend went on to write a romance novel and used him as a character in the book and proceeded to bash him in media every chance she got. Parker uses his radio show to mock romance books and takes offense to the whole genre.
This leads to a debate on air between Alice defending the books and Parker against them. Alice freezes up and Parker wins the debate but his boss puts a meme of Alice up which goes viral and begins a battle with the bookstore.
I loved all the ladies in the bookstore and how fiercely they protected their own. They were funny and I wanted to hang out there and join a book club and eat sweet treats. They all gang up on Parker and get him to change and see things from a different perspective.
March 18, 2026
Thoughtful, sweet, and very timely, this was such an interesting read. Alice and Parker’s story played with familiar romance tropes in a way that felt self-aware and fun, and I liked how naturally the book wove in bigger questions about gender, relationships, and the kinds of messages people absorb when they’re hurting. It felt very rooted in the world we’re living in right now, while still keeping that warm, readable charm. ✨
I especially loved the bookstore setting, the slow-burn tension, and the way both characters were pushed to see the world and each other a little differently. Alice was easy to root for, Parker had more depth than I expected, and Nola was such a grounding presence. This felt like the kind of romance you could hand to just about anyone who wants something sweet, thoughtful, and easy to fall into. Three and a half stars rounded up to four. 💛
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I especially loved the bookstore setting, the slow-burn tension, and the way both characters were pushed to see the world and each other a little differently. Alice was easy to root for, Parker had more depth than I expected, and Nola was such a grounding presence. This felt like the kind of romance you could hand to just about anyone who wants something sweet, thoughtful, and easy to fall into. Three and a half stars rounded up to four. 💛
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 stars rounded up.
I loved Alice and her mom, along with their bookstore HEA. Her sister was a different story. I can't say that I loved Parker or his podcast producer though. Actually, that's not true. Parker away from the show was a different man, and he grew on me.
I know that there is a lot of gender bashing in this story, but you have to get their backgrounds and understand why they are doing it. Hurt people, hurt people. POVs change when they are no longer hurting. Without that aspect, the story would have been different, less than. We got to see character growth, relationships repaired, entertaining situations, and of course we could see where things went wrong for the people involved.
I found the witty banter engaging, and some of the shenanigans entertaining. I wanted to steal some of the baked goods and get lost at the bookstore with the regulars. I also really, REALLY wanted to throat punch some characters. 🤣
I loved Alice and her mom, along with their bookstore HEA. Her sister was a different story. I can't say that I loved Parker or his podcast producer though. Actually, that's not true. Parker away from the show was a different man, and he grew on me.
I know that there is a lot of gender bashing in this story, but you have to get their backgrounds and understand why they are doing it. Hurt people, hurt people. POVs change when they are no longer hurting. Without that aspect, the story would have been different, less than. We got to see character growth, relationships repaired, entertaining situations, and of course we could see where things went wrong for the people involved.
I found the witty banter engaging, and some of the shenanigans entertaining. I wanted to steal some of the baked goods and get lost at the bookstore with the regulars. I also really, REALLY wanted to throat punch some characters. 🤣
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Love on the Shelf was a fun read with lots of charm and cuteness. Alice owns and runs a Seattle romance bookstore with her mom. Parker is a sports radio host who, after some bitter breakups, is gaining notoriety for romance bashing. When they agree to an on-air debate that ends in disaster, and leads to all kinds of pranks and ill-will, the tension simmers and threatens to boil over. And then there’s the chemistry.
I enjoyed the book and absolutely loved the premise. There’s nothing like a battle of wits! At times it did feel stereotypical and the characters were a little one-dimensional; it would have been nice to delve into some layers at least with Alice and Parker. The bookstore people were funny, especially Bettina, and the radio people annoying, especially Jay. Overall, a solid and enjoyable story.
I enjoyed the book and absolutely loved the premise. There’s nothing like a battle of wits! At times it did feel stereotypical and the characters were a little one-dimensional; it would have been nice to delve into some layers at least with Alice and Parker. The bookstore people were funny, especially Bettina, and the radio people annoying, especially Jay. Overall, a solid and enjoyable story.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Sports shock jock Parker had his heart broken and is taking it out on all women, bringing his listeners with him. Alice is co-owner of HEA Books, a romance book store, and avid reader who prefers book boyfriends to almost anything else. When they engage in a debate over romance books on Parker’s sports show, it devolves into a battle of the sexes in Seattle.
This book has a great premise and there are some excellent lines. However, the execution is… not great. Parts of the writing feels stilted. The romance just suddenly appears after little to no time spent together. Various issues get resolved without much explanation. Some parts are dragged out while others are sped through. I think it could be a great book after another draft or two.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC. These opinions are my own.
This book has a great premise and there are some excellent lines. However, the execution is… not great. Parts of the writing feels stilted. The romance just suddenly appears after little to no time spent together. Various issues get resolved without much explanation. Some parts are dragged out while others are sped through. I think it could be a great book after another draft or two.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC. These opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
2.5/5 rounded up because maybe it's a me problem. But I was really tempted to make it rounded down.
I LOVED the premise and idea of this book, but it just really did not work for me.
This dude (the MMC) gave me the immediate and major ick. And it would not go away. It was doomed.
He was NOT worth all of the FMC's time and effort. He just came across as this toxic and obnoxious manosphere podcast bro the entire time.
I really wanted to like this, but I don't like how she has to be the one to "fix" him and make him not be a turd person. I don't know, this is just not for me. It just came across wrong for my taste. And I usually love a book about bookish people.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
I LOVED the premise and idea of this book, but it just really did not work for me.
This dude (the MMC) gave me the immediate and major ick. And it would not go away. It was doomed.
He was NOT worth all of the FMC's time and effort. He just came across as this toxic and obnoxious manosphere podcast bro the entire time.
I really wanted to like this, but I don't like how she has to be the one to "fix" him and make him not be a turd person. I don't know, this is just not for me. It just came across wrong for my taste. And I usually love a book about bookish people.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
March 29, 2026
~ NETGALLEY ARC REVIEW ~
so its one thing to be jaded but this mmc was straight up spreading misogynistic bs and uh....im not down with that !! and even a few of the fmcs desires and behaviors were lowkey kinda misogynistic. my feelings the entire time were very much "trying to be chill at the function but can't help noticing how misogyny bleeds through the cracks of normal interactions" i should have seen it going down hill fast when the fmc had internal monologue being like "smexy scenes arent for me" bc one: who calls it smexy other than a overly religious pear clutcher in the bible belt and two: why are you as a self proclaimed romance reader falling into the "im not like other girls" mentality !!
so its one thing to be jaded but this mmc was straight up spreading misogynistic bs and uh....im not down with that !! and even a few of the fmcs desires and behaviors were lowkey kinda misogynistic. my feelings the entire time were very much "trying to be chill at the function but can't help noticing how misogyny bleeds through the cracks of normal interactions" i should have seen it going down hill fast when the fmc had internal monologue being like "smexy scenes arent for me" bc one: who calls it smexy other than a overly religious pear clutcher in the bible belt and two: why are you as a self proclaimed romance reader falling into the "im not like other girls" mentality !!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC
This one had such a cute premise and I really wanted to love it. The cozy bookstore setting and overall vibe were definitely charming, and it was an easy, quick read.
Where it didn’t fully land for me was the chemistry. I liked Alice and Parker individually, but together something just felt a little flat. After all the buildup I never totally bought into their connection, which made the romance less satisfying than I hoped.
That said, it was still a sweet and cozy story and I can see it working really well for readers who enjoy lighter small-town romances.
This one had such a cute premise and I really wanted to love it. The cozy bookstore setting and overall vibe were definitely charming, and it was an easy, quick read.
Where it didn’t fully land for me was the chemistry. I liked Alice and Parker individually, but together something just felt a little flat. After all the buildup I never totally bought into their connection, which made the romance less satisfying than I hoped.
That said, it was still a sweet and cozy story and I can see it working really well for readers who enjoy lighter small-town romances.
April 20, 2026
Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC. I adored this read so much that I finished it in less than a day. I loved the enemies to lovers trope. This felt like B.K. Borison, First Time Caller mixed with the quirkiness of an Ali Hazelwood read. I loved all the side characters and their POVs's. It felt like a small town hug between Alice's family owning a romance bookstore and their hilarious book club group, I found myself laughing and smiling throughout. I also loved that Parker was this grumpy MMC, who was surrounded my romance lovers at heart and I was just waiting for the moment when he cracked. This was such a feel good read. I would read it again and again.
Did Not Finish
March 27, 2026DNF at 37%
Love on the Shelf by Sheila Roberts follows Alice Willoughby, part owner of HEA Books and Parker Black, radio host. I read until 37% and decided to not continue this book because it wasn’t for me. The book itself is in 3rd POV but we follow many different characters like the FMC mother and sister. I would have enjoyed it more if the focus would have been on the MCs only.
Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA and Sheila Roberts for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
Love on the Shelf by Sheila Roberts follows Alice Willoughby, part owner of HEA Books and Parker Black, radio host. I read until 37% and decided to not continue this book because it wasn’t for me. The book itself is in 3rd POV but we follow many different characters like the FMC mother and sister. I would have enjoyed it more if the focus would have been on the MCs only.
Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA and Sheila Roberts for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Love on the Shelf by Sheila Roberts is such a fun and charming enemies-to-lovers romance 📚💕 I loved the cozy bookstore setting and the clever contrast between Alice’s belief in happily-ever-afters and Parker’s cynical take on love 😏🔥 Their banter was witty and entertaining, and watching their tension slowly turn into something deeper kept me hooked 😍 The story had just the right mix of humor, heart, and romance, with a message about love that felt both modern and relatable 💫✨ If you enjoy opposites-attract and bookish vibes, this is definitely a feel-good read worth picking up 📖💖
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First of all, thank you to the author, Harper Collins publishing and Netgalley for letting me read this novel. I went into this having high expectations and almost convinced I was going to love this story. Even though it had its good moments I have to unfortunately say this book was not for me. I think perhaps the several POVs took away from the main love story. I found myself being more interested in Nolas and Jeromes story than the main characters. I was ultimately not able to relate to either main characters and felt the ending underwhelming.
February 27, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately I DNF’ed this book at 25%.
I was expecting something more like The Ugly Truth movie, but I was not feeling the chemistry between the characters. Parker felt too unredeemable for Alice to engage with and some of his inner monologue made me uncomfortable.
I may revisit this book in the future but for now it’s not for me.
I was expecting something more like The Ugly Truth movie, but I was not feeling the chemistry between the characters. Parker felt too unredeemable for Alice to engage with and some of his inner monologue made me uncomfortable.
I may revisit this book in the future but for now it’s not for me.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
3.75 ⭐️
This was a really cute romance! I liked the story and the relationships the characters developed. Parker was hurt by an ex, and thinks women reading romance books ruin relationships. Alice is a romance book lover and part owner of a bookstore. An enemies to lovers and second chance romance. There were a few parts where some of the internal dialogs got a little long/redundant, but overall it was such a cute story and happy ending. Thank you Edelweiss and Mira books for the ARC.
This was a really cute romance! I liked the story and the relationships the characters developed. Parker was hurt by an ex, and thinks women reading romance books ruin relationships. Alice is a romance book lover and part owner of a bookstore. An enemies to lovers and second chance romance. There were a few parts where some of the internal dialogs got a little long/redundant, but overall it was such a cute story and happy ending. Thank you Edelweiss and Mira books for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Loved this enemies-to-lovers, grumpy man meets hopelessly romantic book lover story. For women within the book, the first part of the story was frustrating because it focused on how certain men see women as these ungrateful creatures with unrealistic expectations in men. I loved how the author took the walk in your world opportunity in order for the characters to learn from each other and experience personal growth.
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