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Drawn Together: A rival children’s book author and illustrator set in a NYC autumn.
Drawn Together - out 9.27
🍂 children’s book author x children’s book illustrator
🍂 Rivals to friends to lovers
🍂 Set in fall NYC
🍂 “Why do you think?”
🍂 You’ve Got Mail inspired (with a twist)
🍂 ^ Enemies over email / friends in real life
🍂 Grumpy x sunshine
🍂 Found family
🍂 two person book club (he annotates his books for her)
A rival children’s book author and illustrator become reluctant friends over their mutual need to advance in their careers in this heartwarming, character-driven, slow-burn romcom set in fall NYC.
In a city that never sleeps, Flora is desperate to wake up and finally land her first big break. But if your twenties are supposed to be the best years of your life, Flora’s off to a terrible start. Five months into her move, she's barely scraping by—her closest companion a silent roommate, and her first major freelance job slipping through her fingers. Her best chance at making it is surviving the one commission no illustrator before her could: a notoriously impossible-to-please author who (quite rudely) rejects every single draft she submits. Flora’s timeline is short—and she's running out of chances.
To nail this project, she’ll have to lean into the dark, moody themes of his writing—no small task for someone known for illustrating woodland creatures in top hats. When she’s on the brink of giving up, a chance encounter with a surly stranger changes everything. Fletcher Harding, neighbor, a friend of her roommate, and a dark literature connoisseur, needs help writing a column on romance novels to achieve an advance in his career. Flora, a firm believer in happily-ever-after's, he decides is the perfect tutor.
On a hazy walk home, the two strike a deal: she’ll teach him about love stories, and he’ll teach her how to embrace the shadows in her work. As their creative boundaries blur, so do the ones between their growing friendship and something far more. But with both of them carrying the weight of their pasts—and the futures of their careers hanging in the balance—can they really trust a story where love is the final chapter?
Especially when Flora realizes the author critiquing her work is the very man she’s falling for.
🍂 children’s book author x children’s book illustrator
🍂 Rivals to friends to lovers
🍂 Set in fall NYC
🍂 “Why do you think?”
🍂 You’ve Got Mail inspired (with a twist)
🍂 ^ Enemies over email / friends in real life
🍂 Grumpy x sunshine
🍂 Found family
🍂 two person book club (he annotates his books for her)
A rival children’s book author and illustrator become reluctant friends over their mutual need to advance in their careers in this heartwarming, character-driven, slow-burn romcom set in fall NYC.
In a city that never sleeps, Flora is desperate to wake up and finally land her first big break. But if your twenties are supposed to be the best years of your life, Flora’s off to a terrible start. Five months into her move, she's barely scraping by—her closest companion a silent roommate, and her first major freelance job slipping through her fingers. Her best chance at making it is surviving the one commission no illustrator before her could: a notoriously impossible-to-please author who (quite rudely) rejects every single draft she submits. Flora’s timeline is short—and she's running out of chances.
To nail this project, she’ll have to lean into the dark, moody themes of his writing—no small task for someone known for illustrating woodland creatures in top hats. When she’s on the brink of giving up, a chance encounter with a surly stranger changes everything. Fletcher Harding, neighbor, a friend of her roommate, and a dark literature connoisseur, needs help writing a column on romance novels to achieve an advance in his career. Flora, a firm believer in happily-ever-after's, he decides is the perfect tutor.
On a hazy walk home, the two strike a deal: she’ll teach him about love stories, and he’ll teach her how to embrace the shadows in her work. As their creative boundaries blur, so do the ones between their growing friendship and something far more. But with both of them carrying the weight of their pasts—and the futures of their careers hanging in the balance—can they really trust a story where love is the final chapter?
Especially when Flora realizes the author critiquing her work is the very man she’s falling for.
384 pages, Paperback
Published September 24, 2025
574 people are currently reading
11118 people want to read
About the author
Juliana Smith
10 books1,117 followersJuliana Smith is an author in a small town in Alabama. When she is not hanging out with her book characters, she is with her family. Juliana writes heartfelt romance filled with laughter and warm fuzzies. She can usually be found in a Chic-fil-a drive-thru or listening to Star Wars theory podcasts, often at the same time.
To subscribe to her super amazing newsletter and receive VIP behind-the-scenes, special offers, and exclusives go to her Instagram @authorjulianasmith .
To subscribe to her super amazing newsletter and receive VIP behind-the-scenes, special offers, and exclusives go to her Instagram @authorjulianasmith .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,262 reviews
September 27, 2025
╰┈➤ 5 stars!
happy publishing day to drawn together!! 🤎🍂
oh my gosh—i am utterly speechless. i am completely in love with this book, and i already know it’s one that will stay with me for a long time, probably until the end of 2025. there are stories that entertain you and then there are stories that mark you, and this was definitely the latter. as my very first juliana smith book, it couldn’t have been a better introduction. the way she writes is so captivating, so heartfelt, that i’m already itching to dive into more of her work.
౨ৎ flora. she is the kind of person i truly aspire to be—someone who refuses to let fear dictate her life. even though she struggled with showing her true self to others, she never let that fear fully consume her. instead, she embraced her authenticity and didn’t apologize for it. that’s such a powerful reminder that at the end of the day, you can’t wait for the world to accept you— you have to accept yourself first . her quiet courage and determination made me admire her so much, and honestly, i think everyone can take a lesson from her.
౨ৎ fletcher. this man is beyond perfect, and i’m not exaggerating when i say i fell completely in love with him. he is one of those characters who radiates devotion in every action and every word. his love for flora was unwavering—he would have done absolutely anything for her, and he proved it time and time again. reading about him was such a joy because you could feel how deeply he cared for her, not just with grand gestures but with the small, thoughtful ways he showed up for her.
the structure of the story also added something special to the experience. i adored the word of the day that opened each chapter—it was such a unique touch and reminded me of how many beautiful words exist in the world that often go unnoticed. it gave the story a rhythm, a sense of meaning that lingered beyond the page. it just makes sense to have it because of the pairing. a children’s book illustrator and a children’s book author—honestly, i had never read a romance with that kind of dynamic before, and it felt so refreshing. their careers were not just background details, but woven into their personalities and their relationship in such a charming way.
another thing that stood out was the lack of a third-act breakup. finally, a story where adults actually communicate like adults. it felt so refreshing to see two people who didn’t fall apart the moment things got difficult, but instead worked through them with maturity. additionally, fletcher’s endearments for flora also made me melt every single time—they were tender, unique, and so clearly came from his heart. every pet name reflected just how deeply he loved her, and it gave me butterflies every time.
i also can’t overlook the beauty of the found family element in this book. flora’s journey of struggling to belong and then finally finding a circle that truly accepted her was one of the most touching parts of the story. it’s a reminder that if people ever make you feel like you’re “too much,” the solution isn’t to shrink yourself to fit their world—it’s to find the people who see you exactly as you are and embrace you for it. that’s the kind of love and support everyone deserves, and this book portrayed it so beautifully.
more than anything, this book made me pause and appreciate life a little more. it reminded me to notice the little things—the joy of opening a bag of chips you’ve been craving, the satisfaction of achieving something you’ve been manifesting, the comfort of small, everyday moments. because in the end, those are the moments that make life worth living, and this story captured that message in the most beautiful way.
overall, this story was wholesome, heartfelt, and deeply moving. from the very beginning of flora and fletcher’s friendship to the way it naturally blossomed into something so much more, everything about their relationship felt real and well-paced. i could see their connection grow page by page, as if i were right there watching it unfold. by the end, i wasn’t just invested in their romance—I felt like i had lived alongside them.
Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing, and the author for the ARC in exchange of my honest review.
・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・
pre-read:
reading another arc! 🍂🤎 this one is just the perfect book for fall, i mean just look at that cover?! if that doesn’t scream fall then i don’t know what is. this is also my first juliana smith book and i’m so excited because it sounds like a promising book!🤞🏼
happy publishing day to drawn together!! 🤎🍂
oh my gosh—i am utterly speechless. i am completely in love with this book, and i already know it’s one that will stay with me for a long time, probably until the end of 2025. there are stories that entertain you and then there are stories that mark you, and this was definitely the latter. as my very first juliana smith book, it couldn’t have been a better introduction. the way she writes is so captivating, so heartfelt, that i’m already itching to dive into more of her work.
౨ৎ flora. she is the kind of person i truly aspire to be—someone who refuses to let fear dictate her life. even though she struggled with showing her true self to others, she never let that fear fully consume her. instead, she embraced her authenticity and didn’t apologize for it. that’s such a powerful reminder that at the end of the day, you can’t wait for the world to accept you— you have to accept yourself first . her quiet courage and determination made me admire her so much, and honestly, i think everyone can take a lesson from her.
౨ৎ fletcher. this man is beyond perfect, and i’m not exaggerating when i say i fell completely in love with him. he is one of those characters who radiates devotion in every action and every word. his love for flora was unwavering—he would have done absolutely anything for her, and he proved it time and time again. reading about him was such a joy because you could feel how deeply he cared for her, not just with grand gestures but with the small, thoughtful ways he showed up for her.
the structure of the story also added something special to the experience. i adored the word of the day that opened each chapter—it was such a unique touch and reminded me of how many beautiful words exist in the world that often go unnoticed. it gave the story a rhythm, a sense of meaning that lingered beyond the page. it just makes sense to have it because of the pairing. a children’s book illustrator and a children’s book author—honestly, i had never read a romance with that kind of dynamic before, and it felt so refreshing. their careers were not just background details, but woven into their personalities and their relationship in such a charming way.
another thing that stood out was the lack of a third-act breakup. finally, a story where adults actually communicate like adults. it felt so refreshing to see two people who didn’t fall apart the moment things got difficult, but instead worked through them with maturity. additionally, fletcher’s endearments for flora also made me melt every single time—they were tender, unique, and so clearly came from his heart. every pet name reflected just how deeply he loved her, and it gave me butterflies every time.
i also can’t overlook the beauty of the found family element in this book. flora’s journey of struggling to belong and then finally finding a circle that truly accepted her was one of the most touching parts of the story. it’s a reminder that if people ever make you feel like you’re “too much,” the solution isn’t to shrink yourself to fit their world—it’s to find the people who see you exactly as you are and embrace you for it. that’s the kind of love and support everyone deserves, and this book portrayed it so beautifully.
more than anything, this book made me pause and appreciate life a little more. it reminded me to notice the little things—the joy of opening a bag of chips you’ve been craving, the satisfaction of achieving something you’ve been manifesting, the comfort of small, everyday moments. because in the end, those are the moments that make life worth living, and this story captured that message in the most beautiful way.
overall, this story was wholesome, heartfelt, and deeply moving. from the very beginning of flora and fletcher’s friendship to the way it naturally blossomed into something so much more, everything about their relationship felt real and well-paced. i could see their connection grow page by page, as if i were right there watching it unfold. by the end, i wasn’t just invested in their romance—I felt like i had lived alongside them.
Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing, and the author for the ARC in exchange of my honest review.
・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・
pre-read:
reading another arc! 🍂🤎 this one is just the perfect book for fall, i mean just look at that cover?! if that doesn’t scream fall then i don’t know what is. this is also my first juliana smith book and i’m so excited because it sounds like a promising book!🤞🏼
November 24, 2025
3.5 stars ⭐
⤷ mini spoiler-free review!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
🎶 now playing: her (feat. Annika Wells) 🎶
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ my thoughts
i didn’t love this as much as i’d hoped, but i still enjoyed it! it was a cute and easy read which was exactly what i needed after The Strength of the Few. flora, our FMC, was relatable and my heart hurt for her 💔 the way she constantly felt like she was “too much"/always the problem and feared that her relationships wouldn’t last ☹️ it all hit a little too close to home 🥲 fletcher, our MMC, was so precious 🥺 he was down bad for her, secretly yearning in the sweetest way and always reassuring her that she wasn’t the problem 😫 where’s my fletcher?! 😭 i’ll never get over how he stole her blueberry muffin when they first met though! 😤
when flora said, “Because, when I met Fletcher, I met me, too.” , i immediately thought of Annika’s verse in her 🥺
“Found me lonely
Lost and only
One step away from just giving up slowly
I was a mess, I was afraid
I’d be the girl who just put up her walls no one could break
‘Til I found him running through the wild with half of a heart
Made me a whole one out of the parts
Suddenly it’s like I’m healed
Didn’t know that love was real
Until I found ✨ her ✨”
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ overall
even though this didn’t become a new favourite of mine the way it has for many others, i still had a good time with it and i’m glad my 2025 fall reading journey ended on a lovely note 🧡
────────── ⋆⋅end⋅⋆ ──────────
pre-read 🍂✐ᝰ
i know i said i was done with fall romances for the year, but who am i kidding? i’ll definitely need a cute romance to read alongside The Strength of the Few ~ i’ve heard nothing but amazing things about this book and i’m excited but also a little nervous since i’m not the biggest fan of books about books… still, i’m going in with an open mind!
⤷ mini spoiler-free review!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
🎶 now playing: her (feat. Annika Wells) 🎶
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ my thoughts
i didn’t love this as much as i’d hoped, but i still enjoyed it! it was a cute and easy read which was exactly what i needed after The Strength of the Few. flora, our FMC, was relatable and my heart hurt for her 💔 the way she constantly felt like she was “too much"/always the problem and feared that her relationships wouldn’t last ☹️ it all hit a little too close to home 🥲 fletcher, our MMC, was so precious 🥺 he was down bad for her, secretly yearning in the sweetest way and always reassuring her that she wasn’t the problem 😫 where’s my fletcher?! 😭 i’ll never get over how he stole her blueberry muffin when they first met though! 😤
when flora said, “Because, when I met Fletcher, I met me, too.” , i immediately thought of Annika’s verse in her 🥺
“Found me lonely
Lost and only
One step away from just giving up slowly
I was a mess, I was afraid
I’d be the girl who just put up her walls no one could break
‘Til I found him running through the wild with half of a heart
Made me a whole one out of the parts
Suddenly it’s like I’m healed
Didn’t know that love was real
Until I found ✨ her ✨”
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ overall
even though this didn’t become a new favourite of mine the way it has for many others, i still had a good time with it and i’m glad my 2025 fall reading journey ended on a lovely note 🧡
────────── ⋆⋅end⋅⋆ ──────────
pre-read 🍂✐ᝰ
i know i said i was done with fall romances for the year, but who am i kidding? i’ll definitely need a cute romance to read alongside The Strength of the Few ~ i’ve heard nothing but amazing things about this book and i’m excited but also a little nervous since i’m not the biggest fan of books about books… still, i’m going in with an open mind!
December 13, 2025
── 4.50 stars .ᐟ ₊˚⊹♡
「 ❝ I don’t want there to be a world where I don’t get to tell you my every thought. ❞ 」
⤿ read: november 13 • november 21 • 2025
⤿ age rating: 13+
⤿ spice level: 0.5/5
⤿ content warnings: death & grief, language, mention of terminal illness
ᯓ buddy read with the sweetest girl lina!! >ᴗ<
⤷ find her review here !!
── ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ✉︎ ꒱ ˎˊ˗ ──
⋆𐙚 ̊. ⋮ ⌗ 🫐 ꒰ now playing: ꒱
» [ strawberry wine - noah kahan ] «
1:41 ──〇──── 4:45
⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻
╰⪼┆ᯓᰔ〝 no thing defines a man like love that makes him soft and sentimental like a stranger in the park. for a few moments, i see you. 〞
⋆𐙚 ̊. ⋮ ⌗ 📚 ꒰ main tropes: ꒱
⤿ author x illustrator
⤿ books about books
⤿ found family
⤿ friends to lovers
⤿ grumpy x sunshine
⋆𐙚 ̊. ⋮ ⌗ 🍂 ꒰ review: ꒱
yes. i could genuinely cap out the review at those three letters alone, but i will give this book’s review the effort it deserves.
this is actually one of the sweetest romances i have read all year. i’m obsessed with all of the characters, i’m obsessed with the concept, and i’m obsessed with the execution. really, it delivered on all counts. the autumnal vibes were absolutely flawless. cute, cozy, compelling… what a way to end the season.
⋆𐙚 ̊. ⋮ ⌗ ✉️ ꒰ characters: ꒱
⇨ flora anderson .ᐟ
i genuinely loved this woman. she is literally the human embodiment of sugar, spice, and everything nice. knew her and i were locked in when she was almost homicidal over that stolen blueberry muffin because girl same.
⇨ fletcher harding .ᐟ
a tall, skinny, socially awkward nerd with glasses? yes lawddd! i just know i was absolutely insufferable over this man (shoutout lina for dealing with my continuous outbursts). if he isn’t like fletcher harding, kick him to the curb. violently. with force. and malicious intent.
ᯓ divorce .ᐣ
absolutely not. i would personally hire myself as their couples therapist were they to even consider it (which they would not). your honour, together they’re only six blueberry muffins tall!!!
── ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ✉︎ ꒱ ˎˊ˗ ──
⋆𐙚 ̊. ⋮ ⌗ pre-read:
sorry everyone but i will be judging the book by its cover because look how cute it is. the vibes better be as immaculate as they look. buddy reading this with the lovely lina!! ᰔ — ( prediction ; 3.50 ☆ )
જ⁀➴ ₊˚⊹ ᢉ𐭩
「 ❝ I don’t want there to be a world where I don’t get to tell you my every thought. ❞ 」
⤿ read: november 13 • november 21 • 2025
⤿ age rating: 13+
⤿ spice level: 0.5/5
⤿ content warnings: death & grief, language, mention of terminal illness
ᯓ buddy read with the sweetest girl lina!! >ᴗ<
⤷ find her review here !!
── ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ✉︎ ꒱ ˎˊ˗ ──
⋆𐙚 ̊. ⋮ ⌗ 🫐 ꒰ now playing: ꒱
» [ strawberry wine - noah kahan ] «
1:41 ──〇──── 4:45
⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻
╰⪼┆ᯓᰔ〝 no thing defines a man like love that makes him soft and sentimental like a stranger in the park. for a few moments, i see you. 〞
⋆𐙚 ̊. ⋮ ⌗ 📚 ꒰ main tropes: ꒱
⤿ author x illustrator
⤿ books about books
⤿ found family
⤿ friends to lovers
⤿ grumpy x sunshine
⋆𐙚 ̊. ⋮ ⌗ 🍂 ꒰ review: ꒱
yes. i could genuinely cap out the review at those three letters alone, but i will give this book’s review the effort it deserves.
this is actually one of the sweetest romances i have read all year. i’m obsessed with all of the characters, i’m obsessed with the concept, and i’m obsessed with the execution. really, it delivered on all counts. the autumnal vibes were absolutely flawless. cute, cozy, compelling… what a way to end the season.
⋆𐙚 ̊. ⋮ ⌗ ✉️ ꒰ characters: ꒱
⇨ flora anderson .ᐟ
i genuinely loved this woman. she is literally the human embodiment of sugar, spice, and everything nice. knew her and i were locked in when she was almost homicidal over that stolen blueberry muffin because girl same.
⇨ fletcher harding .ᐟ
a tall, skinny, socially awkward nerd with glasses? yes lawddd! i just know i was absolutely insufferable over this man (shoutout lina for dealing with my continuous outbursts). if he isn’t like fletcher harding, kick him to the curb. violently. with force. and malicious intent.
ᯓ divorce .ᐣ
absolutely not. i would personally hire myself as their couples therapist were they to even consider it (which they would not). your honour, together they’re only six blueberry muffins tall!!!
── ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ✉︎ ꒱ ˎˊ˗ ──
⋆𐙚 ̊. ⋮ ⌗ pre-read:
sorry everyone but i will be judging the book by its cover because look how cute it is. the vibes better be as immaculate as they look. buddy reading this with the lovely lina!! ᰔ — ( prediction ; 3.50 ☆ )
જ⁀➴ ₊˚⊹ ᢉ𐭩
December 8, 2025
⭑.ᐟ5 stars
⤷・spoiler-free review 🪄┊
"you consume me. in everything I do. every sound, every song, everything around me comes back to you. every silence in my life screams for your name. and when the silence dulls into my own perception, it's still you. you're the narrator of all my thoughts; everywhere I go, it's you on my mind" ❀
✉ ⁞ tropes 🧦
🍁 friends to lovers
🍁 found-family
🍁 children's book author x children's book illustrator
🍁 closed-door
🍁 grumpy x sunshine
✉ ⁞ thoughts ⭐
WOW. this was seriously so good. my expectations = exceeded. this was so “you’ve got mail” coded so if you love that movie like me, you must read this. (but you should also read it regardless). the New York City in the fall setting was immaculate, the plot was so much fun, each character was loveable and had depth to them (which is a need for me), no third-act breakup, no miscommunication and I think the length of this book was per.fect. I was laughing, crying, kicking my feet and squealing like a little kid while reading this and I 100% think I will be rereading this one every fall.
✉ ⁞ characters 📚
➵ ⁞ flora anderson 🎨
⁞ unwritten - natasha bedingfield 𖦹
my queen. I am flora and flora is me. from the first page I fell in love with her because her attitude is so positive and she is magnetic af. I love the way she romanticizes everything to do with life, the way she is open and honest with herself and others and she is so driven to be her best self. she was so relatable in more ways than one and when she didn't have me cracking up, she had me wanting to just give her the biggest hug. I will protect this girl at all costs 🥹
➵ ⁞ fletcher harding 🖌
⁞ pretty baby - alex sampson 𖦹
where has this man been all my life?!?! omfg. definitely one of my favourite characters of 2025 🤭 this sweet boy right here is the definition of "if he wanted to he would." I want to wrap this grown ass man up in a blanket like a damn puppy dog because he is just so CUTE. I love how he loves flora, how driven he is to make her happy and feel confident. he is such a romantic and he gives that old, timey type of love that is so rare these days. here is a list of just some of the adorable things he did:
- learned ASL to communicate with flora's sister
- pretended he didn't like the mushrooms on his meal so he could give his meal to flora because she liked his more (he really likes mushrooms)
- annotated a book for her
- bought flora a first edition of her favourite childhood book
- when flora was stood up on a date, he rushed over and proceeded to give her the best date of her life
- kept the ugly pumpkin flora gave him on his table because he loved it so much
➵ ⁞ flora & lennon 🧡
lennon is flora's roommate who, at the beginning of the book didn't speak to flora and kept to herself mostly. I just wanted to quickly say how much I loved this friendship. lennon's introverted self had me laughing so much in the beginning, their dynamic was so awkward in the best way and once I began learning more about lennon I really wanted to give her the biggest hug but flora did that for me. the girlhood is just so heart-warming and it really added an extra layer to this story that I fell in love with.
✉ ⁞ my favourite quotes 🍂
"fletcher hadn't felt something as satisfying as drying flora anderson's tears in a very long time"
"you never smile at me."
"I do, just usually when you're not looking"
"fletcher never thought of himself as a knight in shining armour kind of guy, never really cared to be the type, but, if that's what flora needed, he would gladly accept that label and save her anytime"
"you're my best friend, flora. of course I wanted to."
"flora, I could spend every hour I have left searching for the right letters to draw together to make up some word for how I feel about you, and I'd still never find it"
"I'm surrounded by books of love and loss, heroic character arcs, tragic back stories, overcoming of evil, and these beautiful happily ever afters, and yet here I am, stuck in my story."
"I used to write at night, you know, I would spend all day doing normal, mundane tasks, then as soon as night fell, the world would come to a close so easily around me. Now, I'm in bed by eight. trying so hard to fall asleep, because I know the second I wake up, I get to run across the street and see you again. my eyes close and its like I'm... time traveling to a place where I know you are, and I can't get there fast enough."
*ੈ✩‧₊˚--pre read ۶ৎ
FINALLY getting around to reading this book that literally everyone seems to love and of course, I'm reading it with my fave girl ashlyn 😛💌 we have yet to find a book that we both love but I think today will finally be the day. wish us luck!!
⤷・spoiler-free review 🪄┊
"you consume me. in everything I do. every sound, every song, everything around me comes back to you. every silence in my life screams for your name. and when the silence dulls into my own perception, it's still you. you're the narrator of all my thoughts; everywhere I go, it's you on my mind" ❀
✉ ⁞ tropes 🧦
🍁 friends to lovers
🍁 found-family
🍁 children's book author x children's book illustrator
🍁 closed-door
🍁 grumpy x sunshine
✉ ⁞ thoughts ⭐
WOW. this was seriously so good. my expectations = exceeded. this was so “you’ve got mail” coded so if you love that movie like me, you must read this. (but you should also read it regardless). the New York City in the fall setting was immaculate, the plot was so much fun, each character was loveable and had depth to them (which is a need for me), no third-act breakup, no miscommunication and I think the length of this book was per.fect. I was laughing, crying, kicking my feet and squealing like a little kid while reading this and I 100% think I will be rereading this one every fall.
✉ ⁞ characters 📚
➵ ⁞ flora anderson 🎨
⁞ unwritten - natasha bedingfield 𖦹
my queen. I am flora and flora is me. from the first page I fell in love with her because her attitude is so positive and she is magnetic af. I love the way she romanticizes everything to do with life, the way she is open and honest with herself and others and she is so driven to be her best self. she was so relatable in more ways than one and when she didn't have me cracking up, she had me wanting to just give her the biggest hug. I will protect this girl at all costs 🥹
➵ ⁞ fletcher harding 🖌
⁞ pretty baby - alex sampson 𖦹
where has this man been all my life?!?! omfg. definitely one of my favourite characters of 2025 🤭 this sweet boy right here is the definition of "if he wanted to he would." I want to wrap this grown ass man up in a blanket like a damn puppy dog because he is just so CUTE. I love how he loves flora, how driven he is to make her happy and feel confident. he is such a romantic and he gives that old, timey type of love that is so rare these days. here is a list of just some of the adorable things he did:
- learned ASL to communicate with flora's sister
- pretended he didn't like the mushrooms on his meal so he could give his meal to flora because she liked his more (he really likes mushrooms)
- annotated a book for her
- bought flora a first edition of her favourite childhood book
- when flora was stood up on a date, he rushed over and proceeded to give her the best date of her life
- kept the ugly pumpkin flora gave him on his table because he loved it so much
➵ ⁞ flora & lennon 🧡
lennon is flora's roommate who, at the beginning of the book didn't speak to flora and kept to herself mostly. I just wanted to quickly say how much I loved this friendship. lennon's introverted self had me laughing so much in the beginning, their dynamic was so awkward in the best way and once I began learning more about lennon I really wanted to give her the biggest hug but flora did that for me. the girlhood is just so heart-warming and it really added an extra layer to this story that I fell in love with.
✉ ⁞ my favourite quotes 🍂
"fletcher hadn't felt something as satisfying as drying flora anderson's tears in a very long time"
"you never smile at me."
"I do, just usually when you're not looking"
"fletcher never thought of himself as a knight in shining armour kind of guy, never really cared to be the type, but, if that's what flora needed, he would gladly accept that label and save her anytime"
"you're my best friend, flora. of course I wanted to."
"flora, I could spend every hour I have left searching for the right letters to draw together to make up some word for how I feel about you, and I'd still never find it"
"I'm surrounded by books of love and loss, heroic character arcs, tragic back stories, overcoming of evil, and these beautiful happily ever afters, and yet here I am, stuck in my story."
"I used to write at night, you know, I would spend all day doing normal, mundane tasks, then as soon as night fell, the world would come to a close so easily around me. Now, I'm in bed by eight. trying so hard to fall asleep, because I know the second I wake up, I get to run across the street and see you again. my eyes close and its like I'm... time traveling to a place where I know you are, and I can't get there fast enough."
*ੈ✩‧₊˚--pre read ۶ৎ
FINALLY getting around to reading this book that literally everyone seems to love and of course, I'm reading it with my fave girl ashlyn 😛💌 we have yet to find a book that we both love but I think today will finally be the day. wish us luck!!
October 20, 2025
➸ 5 stars
𓈀 𓄹𓂃 thank you to netgalley and juliana smith for the advanced readers copy!!
🍁 children’s book author x children’s book illustrator
🍂 rivals to friends to lovers
🍁 grumpy x sunshine
🍂 found family
🍁 cozy fall setting in NYC
“I think fall will always be my favorite time of year. I like that the moment it arrives, you recognize the change it’s bringing—the color of the leaves and the way they scatter around you, the blaring heat slowly turning into cool, brisk nights where you can see your breath as you talk.”
i LOVE this book so much, it instantly became one of my favorite romance books ever. truly the perfect book to read during the fall time!! this book felt like a warm cup of coffee, a blueberry muffin, and a good book. i fell in love with this book and these characters.
“I think everyone assumes that with change comes pain, and maybe that’s true. But, fall is an excellent reminder of just how beautiful the in-between stages of life can be—the uncertainty and the wonder. A point that sometimes it’s nice to not know what comes next, but to recognize the changes in us.”
𓈀 🍁 𓄹 🍂 𓂃
“It’s not that I’m jealous, perse. It’s just…what am I missing? What quality is it that everyone else on this whole Earth seems to have to make them so easily likeable?”
“I think I’d like to know what that’s like. To be the first person someone thinks about. To be the one that everything someone else does comes back to you. The one they always choose, to not be a maybe or a possible add-on, but to be a definite. That’s got to be nice.”
our fmc, flora, has such a kind and loving soul. shes warm and bubbly and the definition of sunshine! i found myself relating to her character a lot and absolutely loved how the author portrayed her emotions because i never was able to put into words how i felt about myself until i read about flora and her feelings. shes someone who changes herself to be liked by those around her and i truly loved how she found her family and was able to comfortably be her truest self with them. fletcher brought out her light and i loved reading her character development and acceptance!!
“Fletcher read every book Flora gave him at least twice before they met up. But, he would happily reread it a third time if it meant lying next to her in a park, watching the steady rise and fall of her chest.”
“Could it truly be his fault that he sees her everywhere he goes? To be haunted by the ghost of a woman across the street, still alive and well and so soft to the touch?”
“That night when the time comes for his eyes to shut, he prays for only dreams of her, so that he never misses a moment to be in Flora Anderson’s presence.”
and our mmc fletcher… oh how i loved fletcher!!!! he comes off as grumpy and standoff-ish to those around him, and quite rude from that first meeting scene with flora (iykyk!!!!) but he is truly in pain from things that have happened in his past and is grieving :( i LOVED reading his pov because you could truly see how caring he is towards the people around him!! and for someone who doesn’t get romance books he is SUCH a romantic!!! i was literally swooning and giggling!!! his little pov notes at the end of each chapter had me grinning from ear to ear oh gosh i loved him!!! this man KNOWS what reassurance is and is not afraid to voice it!!!! we LOVE a communicative man!!!!
now flora and fletcher together were INCREDIBLE!!!! a classic friends to lovers trope with a slowburn romance executed PERFECTLY!!! their truly each others person because they just match SO WELL!!! their dynamic is my favorite.
some of my favorite moments:
their two person book club where he buys and annotates a book FOR HER
that “30 second hug” that was actually 3 minutes
flora giving fletcher ugly pumpkins because they remind her of him
fletcher giving flora his food because she really liked it and telling her he hates the mushrooms on it (he loves mushrooms)
flora obsessed with his dimples
fletcher obsessed with floras curls (this made me SO happy as someone with curly hair)
“I don’t like talking to anyone, but with you it’s so easy.”
“Pretty.”
“So pretty.”
“this angel of a girl.”
the $100 bet (iykyk!!!!)
“Incredible.”
“Hi, baby.”
“Fletcher, you really don’t have to—”
“No. I don’t have to do anything. But, I really want to do this. With you.”
fletcher learning sign language for floras sister
fletcher throwing flora a surprise party because she said she always wanted one
“I’m always listening to you.”
FLETCHER GIFTING FLORA HER FAVORITE CHILDHOOD BOOK. AND A FIRST EDITION.
“Flora, I could spend every hour I have left searching for the right letters to draw together to make up some word for how I feel about you, and I’d still never find it.”
“You consume me. In everything I do. Every sound, every song, everything around me always comes back to you. Every silence in my life screams for your name. And when the silence dulls into my own perception, it’s still> you. You’re the narrator of all my thoughts; everywhere I go, it’s you on my mind.”
“You said once that you wished you were the first person someone went to. I wanted to be that person for you.”
“You were. Are.”
“You’re not just the first one for me, you’re the only one.”
the “book” about the struggling artist and the ending that tied it together so perfectly <3
𓈀 🍁 𓄹 🍂 𓂃
“Magic was real. And it can only be found folded between the pages of books.”
𓈀 𓄹𓂃 thank you to netgalley and juliana smith for the advanced readers copy!!
🍁 children’s book author x children’s book illustrator
🍂 rivals to friends to lovers
🍁 grumpy x sunshine
🍂 found family
🍁 cozy fall setting in NYC
“I think fall will always be my favorite time of year. I like that the moment it arrives, you recognize the change it’s bringing—the color of the leaves and the way they scatter around you, the blaring heat slowly turning into cool, brisk nights where you can see your breath as you talk.”
i LOVE this book so much, it instantly became one of my favorite romance books ever. truly the perfect book to read during the fall time!! this book felt like a warm cup of coffee, a blueberry muffin, and a good book. i fell in love with this book and these characters.
“I think everyone assumes that with change comes pain, and maybe that’s true. But, fall is an excellent reminder of just how beautiful the in-between stages of life can be—the uncertainty and the wonder. A point that sometimes it’s nice to not know what comes next, but to recognize the changes in us.”
𓈀 🍁 𓄹 🍂 𓂃
“It’s not that I’m jealous, perse. It’s just…what am I missing? What quality is it that everyone else on this whole Earth seems to have to make them so easily likeable?”
“I think I’d like to know what that’s like. To be the first person someone thinks about. To be the one that everything someone else does comes back to you. The one they always choose, to not be a maybe or a possible add-on, but to be a definite. That’s got to be nice.”
our fmc, flora, has such a kind and loving soul. shes warm and bubbly and the definition of sunshine! i found myself relating to her character a lot and absolutely loved how the author portrayed her emotions because i never was able to put into words how i felt about myself until i read about flora and her feelings. shes someone who changes herself to be liked by those around her and i truly loved how she found her family and was able to comfortably be her truest self with them. fletcher brought out her light and i loved reading her character development and acceptance!!
“Fletcher read every book Flora gave him at least twice before they met up. But, he would happily reread it a third time if it meant lying next to her in a park, watching the steady rise and fall of her chest.”
“Could it truly be his fault that he sees her everywhere he goes? To be haunted by the ghost of a woman across the street, still alive and well and so soft to the touch?”
“That night when the time comes for his eyes to shut, he prays for only dreams of her, so that he never misses a moment to be in Flora Anderson’s presence.”
and our mmc fletcher… oh how i loved fletcher!!!! he comes off as grumpy and standoff-ish to those around him, and quite rude from that first meeting scene with flora (iykyk!!!!) but he is truly in pain from things that have happened in his past and is grieving :( i LOVED reading his pov because you could truly see how caring he is towards the people around him!! and for someone who doesn’t get romance books he is SUCH a romantic!!! i was literally swooning and giggling!!! his little pov notes at the end of each chapter had me grinning from ear to ear oh gosh i loved him!!! this man KNOWS what reassurance is and is not afraid to voice it!!!! we LOVE a communicative man!!!!
now flora and fletcher together were INCREDIBLE!!!! a classic friends to lovers trope with a slowburn romance executed PERFECTLY!!! their truly each others person because they just match SO WELL!!! their dynamic is my favorite.
some of my favorite moments:
their two person book club where he buys and annotates a book FOR HER
that “30 second hug” that was actually 3 minutes
flora giving fletcher ugly pumpkins because they remind her of him
fletcher giving flora his food because she really liked it and telling her he hates the mushrooms on it (he loves mushrooms)
flora obsessed with his dimples
fletcher obsessed with floras curls (this made me SO happy as someone with curly hair)
“I don’t like talking to anyone, but with you it’s so easy.”
“Pretty.”
“So pretty.”
“this angel of a girl.”
the $100 bet (iykyk!!!!)
“Incredible.”
“Hi, baby.”
“Fletcher, you really don’t have to—”
“No. I don’t have to do anything. But, I really want to do this. With you.”
fletcher learning sign language for floras sister
fletcher throwing flora a surprise party because she said she always wanted one
“I’m always listening to you.”
FLETCHER GIFTING FLORA HER FAVORITE CHILDHOOD BOOK. AND A FIRST EDITION.
“Flora, I could spend every hour I have left searching for the right letters to draw together to make up some word for how I feel about you, and I’d still never find it.”
“You consume me. In everything I do. Every sound, every song, everything around me always comes back to you. Every silence in my life screams for your name. And when the silence dulls into my own perception, it’s still> you. You’re the narrator of all my thoughts; everywhere I go, it’s you on my mind.”
“You said once that you wished you were the first person someone went to. I wanted to be that person for you.”
“You were. Are.”
“You’re not just the first one for me, you’re the only one.”
the “book” about the struggling artist and the ending that tied it together so perfectly <3
𓈀 🍁 𓄹 🍂 𓂃
November 17, 2025
“𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳.”
“𝘔𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳.”
I absolutely loved this book! From the very start, the AUTUMN VIBES 🍁🍂 had me living in their world more than in my own life 😅. The story was light, sweet, and wholesome… I adored the HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FLORA And FLETCHER. 🧡🫶🏻
Even though Flora experienced the pain of loss — what you could call a kind of trauma, after being abandoned by her partner of over 10 years — she never lost her faith in love. 🧡 She was just scared of ruining a friendship like the first time… but not all men are the same.
FLETCHER… MAN, WHAT A Man! 😍 My standards have skyrocketed because of him. A true gentleman, 10/10. He literally gave up everything for her just because he didn’t want to hide anything and wanted her to be the first person he turns to if anything happened. He treats her like a princess… and more. Every girl deserves a man like him. 👑🧡
And let’s talk about the ending — wow, it completely surprised me after my frustrations! I won’t spoil it, but I love this kind of book where love ends in marriage. 💍 I honestly jumped, kicked my legs, and hugged my Kindle in excitement. 🥰
I also loved the “𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲” idea at the start of each chapter! My favorite word was 𝐋𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚, which means “𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠”.”. 📝
Oh, and I loved the few FLETCHER POV Lines — so well-written and heart-melting 🥰.
Also, a funny (but painful) thing: this is the THIRD BOOK I’VE READ WHERE A CHARACTER — not the MC here 😮💨 — HAS LIMITED DAYS TO LIVE. In this case, it was one year. The book wasn’t about it, but I still cried when I read it… because I wasn’t fully over the previous ones. 😭
𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥, I truly enjoyed reading this book and would definitely recommend it! But not just for you girls — make your partners read it too, because I definitely will! 😅 After all, we all want and deserve a Fletcher in our lives. 🧡🍂
⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡ |𝑃𝑟𝑒-𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑
I’m picking up this book hoping for soft, cozy vibes. I’ve had enough heartbreaking reads lately, so I really need something cute and gentle to reset my mood. 🍁
Fingers crossed this one delivers! 🧡🍂
“𝘔𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳.”
I absolutely loved this book! From the very start, the AUTUMN VIBES 🍁🍂 had me living in their world more than in my own life 😅. The story was light, sweet, and wholesome… I adored the HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FLORA And FLETCHER. 🧡🫶🏻
Even though Flora experienced the pain of loss — what you could call a kind of trauma, after being abandoned by her partner of over 10 years — she never lost her faith in love. 🧡 She was just scared of ruining a friendship like the first time… but not all men are the same.
FLETCHER… MAN, WHAT A Man! 😍 My standards have skyrocketed because of him. A true gentleman, 10/10. He literally gave up everything for her just because he didn’t want to hide anything and wanted her to be the first person he turns to if anything happened. He treats her like a princess… and more. Every girl deserves a man like him. 👑🧡
And let’s talk about the ending — wow, it completely surprised me after my frustrations! I won’t spoil it, but I love this kind of book where love ends in marriage. 💍 I honestly jumped, kicked my legs, and hugged my Kindle in excitement. 🥰
I also loved the “𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲” idea at the start of each chapter! My favorite word was 𝐋𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚, which means “𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠”.”. 📝
Oh, and I loved the few FLETCHER POV Lines — so well-written and heart-melting 🥰.
Also, a funny (but painful) thing: this is the THIRD BOOK I’VE READ WHERE A CHARACTER — not the MC here 😮💨 — HAS LIMITED DAYS TO LIVE. In this case, it was one year. The book wasn’t about it, but I still cried when I read it… because I wasn’t fully over the previous ones. 😭
𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥, I truly enjoyed reading this book and would definitely recommend it! But not just for you girls — make your partners read it too, because I definitely will! 😅 After all, we all want and deserve a Fletcher in our lives. 🧡🍂
⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡ |𝑃𝑟𝑒-𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑
I’m picking up this book hoping for soft, cozy vibes. I’ve had enough heartbreaking reads lately, so I really need something cute and gentle to reset my mood. 🍁
Fingers crossed this one delivers! 🧡🍂
October 11, 2025
Infinity stars, no notes!!! Easily my favorite romance book that I’ve read in 2025. I LOVE THEM SM!!!! I’m never going to recover. Already want to reread!
some favorite quotes! <3
“So, that was that. Magic was real. And it can only be found folded between the pages of books."
"You consume me. In everything I do. Every sound, every song, everything around me always comes back to you. Every silence in my life screams for your name. And when the silence dulls into my own perception, it's still you. You're the narrator of all my thoughts; everywhere I go, it's you on my mind."
"Flora, I could spend every hour I have left searching for the right letters to draw together to make up some word for how I feel about you, and I'd still never find it."
"I think l'd like to know what that's like. To be the first person someone thinks about. To be the one that everything someone else does comes back to you. The one they always choose, to not be a maybe or a possible add-on, but to be a definite. That's got to be nice."
"The voice is warm honey across my skin. Like jumping into a familiar book you've read a hundred times or lighting your favorite candle at night. Fletcher's voice."
some favorite quotes! <3
“So, that was that. Magic was real. And it can only be found folded between the pages of books."
"You consume me. In everything I do. Every sound, every song, everything around me always comes back to you. Every silence in my life screams for your name. And when the silence dulls into my own perception, it's still you. You're the narrator of all my thoughts; everywhere I go, it's you on my mind."
"Flora, I could spend every hour I have left searching for the right letters to draw together to make up some word for how I feel about you, and I'd still never find it."
"I think l'd like to know what that's like. To be the first person someone thinks about. To be the one that everything someone else does comes back to you. The one they always choose, to not be a maybe or a possible add-on, but to be a definite. That's got to be nice."
"The voice is warm honey across my skin. Like jumping into a familiar book you've read a hundred times or lighting your favorite candle at night. Fletcher's voice."
Currently reading
November 2, 2025┆ ⤿ 🍁 ༝ pre-read:
It’s a crime that I haven’t started any of the books on my fall tbr🧍🏻♀️ all I see is 5 stars for this one and I’m so excited to see what this is about!!😝
buket also told me I need to read it right now so here I am🫡
It’s a crime that I haven’t started any of the books on my fall tbr🧍🏻♀️ all I see is 5 stars for this one and I’m so excited to see what this is about!!😝
buket also told me I need to read it right now so here I am🫡
November 7, 2025
Veryyyy adorable like wahttttt.
The fmc is hilarioussssss. It’s so hard to find main characters that have the right kind of humour to get me to actually burst out laughing.
The mmc 😫😫😫 so pathetically obsessed with her my goodness I just wanna pinch his cheeks. After that meet cute I was ready to throw hands but the way he got me melting with his slvtty glasses and his little one paragraph POVs every other chapter, it’s criminal 🤚
The hype this book is getting is so well deserved. Genuinely felt like I entered a romcom. The writing is incredible actually.
Ty Buket for forcing me to read it, giving u a million forehead kisses 💋💋💋💋
The fmc is hilarioussssss. It’s so hard to find main characters that have the right kind of humour to get me to actually burst out laughing.
The mmc 😫😫😫 so pathetically obsessed with her my goodness I just wanna pinch his cheeks. After that meet cute I was ready to throw hands but the way he got me melting with his slvtty glasses and his little one paragraph POVs every other chapter, it’s criminal 🤚
The hype this book is getting is so well deserved. Genuinely felt like I entered a romcom. The writing is incredible actually.
Ty Buket for forcing me to read it, giving u a million forehead kisses 💋💋💋💋
December 16, 2025
➵ 4 stars ⭑.ᐟ
⌗ . spoiler-free review ! »
”you never smile at me.”
“i do, just usually when you’re not looking.”
✶ tropes
🧦 friends to lovers
🧦 grumpy x sunshine
🧦 found-family
🧦 children’s book author x children’s book illustrator
✶ thoughts
omll this was such a cute fall read, perfect to end the season with!! it was sooo fall and cozy vibes and EXACTLY what i needed.
౨౿.flora was such a babe, i love this girl😭 she felt so real and normal and human, i felt like i could relate to her often. she’s so sweet and IF ANYONE TELLS THIS GIRL SHE’S TOO MUCH AGAIN, YOU’LL HAVE TO FIGHT ME.
౨౿.fletcher, god, this mannnnnn. he is everything you could ever want, tall, awkward, yearns and GLASSES🧎♀️i would do everything for this man, someone get me a fletcher please. seriously tho, he did such adorable and meaningful things for her and he loves flora so loudy it’s so cute!!🤭
”fletcher hadn’t felt something quite as satisfying as drying flora anderson’s tears in a very long time.”
✶ overall
perfect cozy, comfy fall read to cuddle up under a blanket and light candles while eating something with cinnamon!!
⤷ thank you so so much edie for buddy reading this with me it was so much fun!! find her review here !!
˗ˏˋ 🍁 ─ pre-read:
first fall book of the year!!yes, i know fall is almost over but anyway i’ve heard amazing things about this one and i’m really excited, i hope it’ll be good!!
꒰ buddy reading this with my lovely edie !! ꒱
⌗ . spoiler-free review ! »
”you never smile at me.”
“i do, just usually when you’re not looking.”
✶ tropes
🧦 friends to lovers
🧦 grumpy x sunshine
🧦 found-family
🧦 children’s book author x children’s book illustrator
✶ thoughts
omll this was such a cute fall read, perfect to end the season with!! it was sooo fall and cozy vibes and EXACTLY what i needed.
౨౿.flora was such a babe, i love this girl😭 she felt so real and normal and human, i felt like i could relate to her often. she’s so sweet and IF ANYONE TELLS THIS GIRL SHE’S TOO MUCH AGAIN, YOU’LL HAVE TO FIGHT ME.
౨౿.fletcher, god, this mannnnnn. he is everything you could ever want, tall, awkward, yearns and GLASSES🧎♀️i would do everything for this man, someone get me a fletcher please. seriously tho, he did such adorable and meaningful things for her and he loves flora so loudy it’s so cute!!🤭
”fletcher hadn’t felt something quite as satisfying as drying flora anderson’s tears in a very long time.”
✶ overall
perfect cozy, comfy fall read to cuddle up under a blanket and light candles while eating something with cinnamon!!
⤷ thank you so so much edie for buddy reading this with me it was so much fun!! find her review here !!
˗ˏˋ 🍁 ─ pre-read:
first fall book of the year!!
꒰ buddy reading this with my lovely edie !! ꒱
November 21, 2025
“Flora, I could spend every hour I have left searching for the right letters to draw together to make up some word for how I feel about you, and I’d still never find it.”
⤿🍂 21/11/25
➸5 stars ~spoiler-free review💫~
OH MY GOD!!! THIS IS GOING DOWN AS ONE OF MY TOP READS THIS YEAR AKA IT'S A BUTTERFLY-INDUCING MASTERPIECE IN DISGUISE Y'ALL!!!🥹😭❤️ *screaming with happy tears rolling down my grinning-aching cheeks* My first Juliana Smith book, and I'm utterly head-over-heels, deeply in love with this book so much that I have no words on what to write in this review now. It's been awhile that a book left me this speechless—in the best way possible. I don't think I've felt this feeling in a long time, the feeling of wanting that makes me yearn so bad and beg on my knees for another chapter even though I know the book has ended. I giggled out loud so much, kicked-my-feet so hard numerous times, and grinned all the time throughout that my cheeks hurts 🙈💘 Oh God, what do I do with my single heart now that has the highest standards after reading this?!😩 Someone please tell me where to find a Fletcher Harding in real life, I want to marry him 😭✋🏻
what to expect 💌:
🍂 cleanest kicking-your-feet romance book 🙈💘
🍂 children’s book author x children’s book illustrator
🍂 rivals-to-friends-to-lovers
🍂 set in fall NYC
🍂 “Why do you think?”🫠❤️🔥
🍂 grumpy x sunshine
🍂 found family
🍂 two person book club (he annotates his books for her!!!!😭)
✨Let's meet the cast 🎬✨
Flora Anderson 👩🏻🎨~ she's a striving children's book illustrator—the most out-going, kindest, couarageous, softest yet the most strongest FMCs I've ever read. I loved how she despite being hurt by her closed ones in the past, she learnt to embrace her true-self and not changing a dime thing about her again to impress anyone. I think part of me truly resonated with her, because I used be her too some years ago, forgetting to love myself in the process of being there for others only in return for them to leave us when we are no longer useful in their eyes. I truly aspire to be Flora everyday, because she is a powerful reminder to all of us out here that we should never change ourselves for others, and learn to embrace & love ourselves, the way we are 🫂❤️🩹
Fletcher Harding 💚~ might I say my man is literally the definition of the walking-talking greenest flag, no scractch that, the greenest forest ever? If I had the chance to climb inside this book, the first thing I would do is steal him from Flora 🙂↕️🤌🏻 (a girl can only be delulu and dream 😭) Like I can't be blamed because in what world do a man seriously listens to your ramblings, annotate his books for you with little notes, notices YOU, and takes you on the sweetest dates possible? And that too he does all that when he says he doesn't get romance? I wish he wasn't a fictional man frrrrr 😖 He single-handedly raised my already high standards bar to the highest, that I never thought would be possible, and I fear I won't ever find a man like that in real life 🤧 The way he sweetly, very gentle-manly took care of Flora—ughhhh my single heart can't handle that!😩💘 I could go on and on about why I love him, but I'm going to stop here and let you all meet him and experience the feels first-hand.
Overall I recommend this infinity times—yes you heard that right!!🙂↕️ This was such an wholesome, heartfelt, sweetest and one of the cleanest romance books I've ever read. If I could give all the stars from the universe for this gem, I would. I believe I will be re-reading this a lot in the future when I need a break from life, so this to going into my very rarest shelf "invisible-heart-strings". And I'm damn serious this time, please seriously everyone drop whatever you are reading, and GO READ THIS NOWWW!! 😭🫶🏻
𝓢𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓷𝓸𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼 💌:
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
⤿🍂 19/11/25
screw it, I'm diving into another one after saying I'm done with reading books that gives fall vibes. I've high hopes as all my besties rated this 5 freaking stars, so let's goooo 😍❤️
⤿🍂 21/11/25
➸5 stars ~spoiler-free review💫~
OH MY GOD!!! THIS IS GOING DOWN AS ONE OF MY TOP READS THIS YEAR AKA IT'S A BUTTERFLY-INDUCING MASTERPIECE IN DISGUISE Y'ALL!!!🥹😭❤️ *screaming with happy tears rolling down my grinning-aching cheeks* My first Juliana Smith book, and I'm utterly head-over-heels, deeply in love with this book so much that I have no words on what to write in this review now. It's been awhile that a book left me this speechless—in the best way possible. I don't think I've felt this feeling in a long time, the feeling of wanting that makes me yearn so bad and beg on my knees for another chapter even though I know the book has ended. I giggled out loud so much, kicked-my-feet so hard numerous times, and grinned all the time throughout that my cheeks hurts 🙈💘 Oh God, what do I do with my single heart now that has the highest standards after reading this?!😩 Someone please tell me where to find a Fletcher Harding in real life, I want to marry him 😭✋🏻
what to expect 💌:
🍂 cleanest kicking-your-feet romance book 🙈💘
🍂 children’s book author x children’s book illustrator
🍂 rivals-to-friends-to-lovers
🍂 set in fall NYC
🍂 “Why do you think?”🫠❤️🔥
🍂 grumpy x sunshine
🍂 found family
🍂 two person book club (he annotates his books for her!!!!😭)
✨Let's meet the cast 🎬✨
“I learned long ago that it's far better to stand alone with integrity than be surrounded by people who don’t even like who you are at your core.”
Flora Anderson 👩🏻🎨~ she's a striving children's book illustrator—the most out-going, kindest, couarageous, softest yet the most strongest FMCs I've ever read. I loved how she despite being hurt by her closed ones in the past, she learnt to embrace her true-self and not changing a dime thing about her again to impress anyone. I think part of me truly resonated with her, because I used be her too some years ago, forgetting to love myself in the process of being there for others only in return for them to leave us when we are no longer useful in their eyes. I truly aspire to be Flora everyday, because she is a powerful reminder to all of us out here that we should never change ourselves for others, and learn to embrace & love ourselves, the way we are 🫂❤️🩹
“You consume me. In everything I do. Every sound, every song, everything around me always comes back to you. Every silence in my life screams for your name. And when the silence dulls into my own perception, it’s still you. You’re the narrator of all my thoughts; everywhere I go, it’s you on my mind.”
Fletcher Harding 💚~ might I say my man is literally the definition of the walking-talking greenest flag, no scractch that, the greenest forest ever? If I had the chance to climb inside this book, the first thing I would do is steal him from Flora 🙂↕️🤌🏻 (a girl can only be delulu and dream 😭) Like I can't be blamed because in what world do a man seriously listens to your ramblings, annotate his books for you with little notes, notices YOU, and takes you on the sweetest dates possible? And that too he does all that when he says he doesn't get romance? I wish he wasn't a fictional man frrrrr 😖 He single-handedly raised my already high standards bar to the highest, that I never thought would be possible, and I fear I won't ever find a man like that in real life 🤧 The way he sweetly, very gentle-manly took care of Flora—ughhhh my single heart can't handle that!😩💘 I could go on and on about why I love him, but I'm going to stop here and let you all meet him and experience the feels first-hand.
Overall I recommend this infinity times—yes you heard that right!!🙂↕️ This was such an wholesome, heartfelt, sweetest and one of the cleanest romance books I've ever read. If I could give all the stars from the universe for this gem, I would. I believe I will be re-reading this a lot in the future when I need a break from life, so this to going into my very rarest shelf "invisible-heart-strings". And I'm damn serious this time, please seriously everyone drop whatever you are reading, and GO READ THIS NOWWW!! 😭🫶🏻
𝓢𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓷𝓸𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼 💌:
“Magic was real. And it can only be found folded between the pages of books.”
“I have subjected myself to mortification for the sake of pushing a friendship with others more than I care to admit, and I refuse to do it again.”
“You never smile at me.”
“I do, just usually when you’re not looking.”
“I think I’d like to know what that’s like. To be the first person someone thinks about. To be the one that everything someone else does comes back to you. The one they always choose, to not be a maybe or a possible add-on, but to be a definite.”
“Let’s agree to leave the romanticizing to you and finding the horror in things for me.”
“I don’t like talking to anyone, but with you it’s so easy.”
“How rude of her, Fletcher thought. To come barreling into his life right when he was starting to figure things out, just to turn them all back upside down again..”
“I don’t know if you have an even match in this entire city, Flora.”
“Everyone has the quote wrong, Fletcher thought. It’s jealousy that makes the heart grow fonder, not distance.”
“You don’t have to overthink every word with me, okay? If you pick one person that gets to have you unfiltered, then let it be me.”
“Everybody’s got something they’re taking with them. They’re all drawn together that way.”
“I’m always listening when you talk.”
“Just assume from now on if I say I’m doing something, that I want you to do it with me.”
“I’ve seen Flora Anderson share a thousand smiles, but I like to think she saves the best ones for me. And he tucks every one she gives him into his back pocket for safe keeping.”
“Wherever Flora Anderson ended, Fletcher Harding began.”
“He refused to be in a universe where Flora Anderson didn’t learn to love herself.”
“I don’t want there to be a world where I don’t get to tell you my every thought.”
“It’s funny, how my favorite thing in the world has been so easily replaced by someone I met just months ago.”
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
⤿🍂 19/11/25
screw it, I'm diving into another one after saying I'm done with reading books that gives fall vibes. I've high hopes as all my besties rated this 5 freaking stars, so let's goooo 😍❤️
December 1, 2025
➳ 4.25 ☆! 🍂 spoiler free + mini review
⤷ this was SO fun, def one of my top romances of the year !!
🎧 - state of grace
ᯓᡣ𐭩 and i never saw you coming
and I'll never be the same
₊‧꒰my thoughts꒱ ‧₊
⤷ ugh this book was the perfect mix of: fall, a cup of chai, a warm hug, and the coziest day at the local bookstore!! SO SO GOOD. i will 100% be rereading this one day but i seriously adored this 🥺✨ this is my 3rd book by ms. smith and may just be my new favorite!! what i loved most about this was the setting. fall in nyc is quite unmatched and this book portrayed it perfectly! i also loved the idea of both of them being into books and having lil book club dates. like HOW CUTE. also the plot twist at the end was so cool!! 💗 side note, i wish we got more of lennon! she was such a cool side character and i loved seeing her friendship grow with flora! 💌
speaking of flora, i LOVED HER OH MY GOSH. i wish we could be friends, shes so sweet, i love her witty personality and her job!! and as for fletcher.. oh my gosh he is the reason why im a hopeless romantic its been a while since ive found another book man to love, but he's the latest one!! he was so unique and i just loved the way he LOVED flora. its all in the little things guys 🥺💌 so yes they are soulmates and i need more of them hello??
thats the sad thing about romance novels for me, they always end and i dont get to see them later on 😔my imagination is NOT ENOUGHH !
overall
will be looking back on this book and will be recommending for future fall book recs hehe, if youve read it lmk what you thought!! take a moment to enjoy some of my favorite quotes 💗✨
---------
⤷" you know im yours, love."
⤷ "because, when i met fletcher, i met me, too."
⤷ "i dont know what you're used to from everyone else, but start expecting more from me, okay?"
⤷ "we share our word of the day each morning. long words. pretty words. tiny words. gross words. words that are funny, sad, and happy. we share them all, and each one i stack in my memory like a book on its shelf in perfect order."
⤷ "maybe that says something about me, too. that my eyes water at the mere sentiment of a man buying a book for me and annotating it, but there i was on the verge of grateful tears. i guess we are friends, then."
⤷ "and to the story we had drawn together..."
-----------
🍂 | ₊‧꒰preview!!꒱ ‧₊
⤷ finally reading a fall coded book YAY! im almost done, but lemme tell you, im loving it so much!! these characters are making me swoon 💗 please take me to nyc during the fall xx // also this is my third book by this author and might be my new fav!! 🤞 review when i finish hehe
⤷ this was SO fun, def one of my top romances of the year !!
"you never smile at me."
"i do, just usually when you're not looking."
🎧 - state of grace
ᯓᡣ𐭩 and i never saw you coming
and I'll never be the same
₊‧꒰my thoughts꒱ ‧₊
⤷ ugh this book was the perfect mix of: fall, a cup of chai, a warm hug, and the coziest day at the local bookstore!! SO SO GOOD. i will 100% be rereading this one day but i seriously adored this 🥺✨ this is my 3rd book by ms. smith and may just be my new favorite!! what i loved most about this was the setting. fall in nyc is quite unmatched and this book portrayed it perfectly! i also loved the idea of both of them being into books and having lil book club dates. like HOW CUTE. also the plot twist at the end was so cool!! 💗 side note, i wish we got more of lennon! she was such a cool side character and i loved seeing her friendship grow with flora! 💌
speaking of flora, i LOVED HER OH MY GOSH. i wish we could be friends, shes so sweet, i love her witty personality and her job!! and as for fletcher.. oh my gosh he is the reason why im a hopeless romantic its been a while since ive found another book man to love, but he's the latest one!! he was so unique and i just loved the way he LOVED flora. its all in the little things guys 🥺💌 so yes they are soulmates and i need more of them hello??
thats the sad thing about romance novels for me, they always end and i dont get to see them later on 😔my imagination is NOT ENOUGHH !
overall
will be looking back on this book and will be recommending for future fall book recs hehe, if youve read it lmk what you thought!! take a moment to enjoy some of my favorite quotes 💗✨
---------
⤷" you know im yours, love."
⤷ "because, when i met fletcher, i met me, too."
⤷ "i dont know what you're used to from everyone else, but start expecting more from me, okay?"
⤷ "we share our word of the day each morning. long words. pretty words. tiny words. gross words. words that are funny, sad, and happy. we share them all, and each one i stack in my memory like a book on its shelf in perfect order."
⤷ "maybe that says something about me, too. that my eyes water at the mere sentiment of a man buying a book for me and annotating it, but there i was on the verge of grateful tears. i guess we are friends, then."
⤷ "and to the story we had drawn together..."
-----------
🍂 | ₊‧꒰preview!!꒱ ‧₊
⤷ finally reading a fall coded book YAY! im almost done, but lemme tell you, im loving it so much!! these characters are making me swoon 💗 please take me to nyc during the fall xx // also this is my third book by this author and might be my new fav!! 🤞 review when i finish hehe
November 18, 2025
I literally LOVE this book beyond comprehension 😭
Forget ‘Drawn together’. I was drawn to this book like there was no tomorrow. I could not prise it from my hands for a minute. It was EVERYTHING I wanted and SO much MORE 🥲🥰💖✨
“So, that was that. Magic was real. And it can only be found folded between the pages of books." 📚💖✨
All I saw was ‘You've Got Mail vibes’ and I was IN 🙇🏻♀️ - any fellow fans? However, what I didn’t expect was this book to grow on me as much as it did. Every chapter drew me in further, and by the end: utter brilliance 👏🏽
This story is like a big warm hug 🥰 All thoughts and critics aside, I loved the experience of just being in it. I wanted to camp out between the pages 🏕️ This is my first experience of Juliana Smith’s writing and I have to say it was fantastic. She had the whole atmosphere, plot, pacing, and characters spot on 👏🏽 New author unlocked 🔓 and I can’t wait to read more of her stories.
Flora is ready to start her new era as a book illustrator in NYC. She believes in the magic art brings to books due to her deaf little sister, and she is determined to work as an illustrator for Cedric Brooks, the famous children books author. However, her ‘most important day’ is ruined by our MMC, Fletcher. He stole her muffin, before proceeding to dump half of it in the trash 😮 - not a good start my friend. As it transpires her new roommate is Fletcher’s best friend, binding them together reluctantly. That is until Fletcher needs her help writing an article about romance books, aka Flora’s favourite genre. In return, he'll teach her gothic stories to help with her latest commission piece. And so, their book club launches them into a beautiful, heartwarming love story 🥰
Flora is the sweetest character. She is the kind of person I would love to be 🥲 She seems to take everything under her wing, and doesn’t let anybody stand in her way. It is obvious that she has been hurt in the past, but she doesn’t allow fear to consume or dictate her life. I absolutely love that she was quirky and fully embraced that.
“If you pick one person that gets to have you unfiltered, then let it be me.”
If Flora is the woman I want to be, then Fletcher is the man I want to have 🤭 There are no words to describe his being. He was the most selfless being, and I totally fell in love with him 😍 He is one of those very special characters that only comes around every so often; every sentence, every word is precious. He cares so deeply in so many ways. It was just beautiful to witness.
"Fletcher never thought of himself as a knight in shining armor kind of guy, never really cared enough to be the type. But, if that’s what Flora needed, he would gladly accept that label and save her anytime."
Although this narrative was a single POV (Flora), at the end of each chapter we were treated to small remarks from Fletcher. This was a really nice touch, and key to how the plot played out. Furthermore, at the beginning of each chapter, Juliana had a ‘word of the day’. It was such a simple, yet fantastic idea; particularly given the MC’s careers as writers. Each chapter opened with a hint as to what we could expect: "Word of the day: Illumoria / Definition: the realization that every person has hidden parts of themselves" ✍🏼
Another thing that really struck me whilst reading this book were Juliana descriptions - they were so vivid and beautiful. I’m not usually big into descriptive paragraphs but these were like lyrical poems about fall 🍂 “The cold autumn air rushes in as we step out into the night. Leaves skitter across the sidewalk like tiny dancers in the wind, and the city smells like roasted chestnuts and chimney smoke." 🍂🌰🍁
And to top it off, there was NO THIRD ACT BREAK-UP 🙌🏽
Overall, this was such a heartwarming read. I felt better having read it. There were multiple times that it made me stop and think about the special everyday moments that make life worth living. It was such a pleasure watching these two grow together throughout the course of the story, but moreover, it sent out a message of embracing your true self and allowing people to see you, and love you, for who you really are. I NEED a sequel because I am not going to forget about this gang anytime soon 🙇🏻♀️
Ps. This book brought me to my 2025 book goal of 275 books 📚 🎉 💖 ✨
5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Forget ‘Drawn together’. I was drawn to this book like there was no tomorrow. I could not prise it from my hands for a minute. It was EVERYTHING I wanted and SO much MORE 🥲🥰💖✨
“So, that was that. Magic was real. And it can only be found folded between the pages of books." 📚💖✨
All I saw was ‘You've Got Mail vibes’ and I was IN 🙇🏻♀️ - any fellow fans? However, what I didn’t expect was this book to grow on me as much as it did. Every chapter drew me in further, and by the end: utter brilliance 👏🏽
This story is like a big warm hug 🥰 All thoughts and critics aside, I loved the experience of just being in it. I wanted to camp out between the pages 🏕️ This is my first experience of Juliana Smith’s writing and I have to say it was fantastic. She had the whole atmosphere, plot, pacing, and characters spot on 👏🏽 New author unlocked 🔓 and I can’t wait to read more of her stories.
Flora is ready to start her new era as a book illustrator in NYC. She believes in the magic art brings to books due to her deaf little sister, and she is determined to work as an illustrator for Cedric Brooks, the famous children books author. However, her ‘most important day’ is ruined by our MMC, Fletcher. He stole her muffin, before proceeding to dump half of it in the trash 😮 - not a good start my friend. As it transpires her new roommate is Fletcher’s best friend, binding them together reluctantly. That is until Fletcher needs her help writing an article about romance books, aka Flora’s favourite genre. In return, he'll teach her gothic stories to help with her latest commission piece. And so, their book club launches them into a beautiful, heartwarming love story 🥰
Flora is the sweetest character. She is the kind of person I would love to be 🥲 She seems to take everything under her wing, and doesn’t let anybody stand in her way. It is obvious that she has been hurt in the past, but she doesn’t allow fear to consume or dictate her life. I absolutely love that she was quirky and fully embraced that.
“If you pick one person that gets to have you unfiltered, then let it be me.”
If Flora is the woman I want to be, then Fletcher is the man I want to have 🤭 There are no words to describe his being. He was the most selfless being, and I totally fell in love with him 😍 He is one of those very special characters that only comes around every so often; every sentence, every word is precious. He cares so deeply in so many ways. It was just beautiful to witness.
"Fletcher never thought of himself as a knight in shining armor kind of guy, never really cared enough to be the type. But, if that’s what Flora needed, he would gladly accept that label and save her anytime."
Although this narrative was a single POV (Flora), at the end of each chapter we were treated to small remarks from Fletcher. This was a really nice touch, and key to how the plot played out. Furthermore, at the beginning of each chapter, Juliana had a ‘word of the day’. It was such a simple, yet fantastic idea; particularly given the MC’s careers as writers. Each chapter opened with a hint as to what we could expect: "Word of the day: Illumoria / Definition: the realization that every person has hidden parts of themselves" ✍🏼
Another thing that really struck me whilst reading this book were Juliana descriptions - they were so vivid and beautiful. I’m not usually big into descriptive paragraphs but these were like lyrical poems about fall 🍂 “The cold autumn air rushes in as we step out into the night. Leaves skitter across the sidewalk like tiny dancers in the wind, and the city smells like roasted chestnuts and chimney smoke." 🍂🌰🍁
And to top it off, there was NO THIRD ACT BREAK-UP 🙌🏽
Overall, this was such a heartwarming read. I felt better having read it. There were multiple times that it made me stop and think about the special everyday moments that make life worth living. It was such a pleasure watching these two grow together throughout the course of the story, but moreover, it sent out a message of embracing your true self and allowing people to see you, and love you, for who you really are. I NEED a sequel because I am not going to forget about this gang anytime soon 🙇🏻♀️
Ps. This book brought me to my 2025 book goal of 275 books 📚 🎉 💖 ✨
5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
September 27, 2025
4.5⭐
I’ve found my perfect fall romance!
Flora is a children’s book illustrator who recently moved to New York and also works in a bookstore. Fletcher works at a publishing house—when his colleague goes on maternity leave, he’s suddenly tasked with writing articles about romance, a subject he doesn’t believe in. So he turns to Flora for help.
This book perfectly captures the fall atmosphere—I felt like I was walking the streets of New York alongside the characters, enjoying the crisp air, orange leaves, and pumpkin spice lattes. I highlighted so many favorite quotes and moments that made me smile and tugged at my heart. But the scene that touched me the most was when Flora held Fletcher for thirty seconds—it was so moving!
Fletcher has definitely made it onto my list of favorite book boyfriends. I’m a sucker for characters in glasses, but of course that wasn’t the only reason. He’s simply impossible not to love, and I adored his third-person POV at the end of each chapter.
This is such a sweet, atmospheric, warm, cozy, and heartfelt story—perfect for fall and beyond.
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓slow burn
✓found family
✓set in fall NYC
✓he falls first
✓grumpy x sunshine
Thank you to NetGalley, Juliana Smith, and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I’ve found my perfect fall romance!
Flora is a children’s book illustrator who recently moved to New York and also works in a bookstore. Fletcher works at a publishing house—when his colleague goes on maternity leave, he’s suddenly tasked with writing articles about romance, a subject he doesn’t believe in. So he turns to Flora for help.
This book perfectly captures the fall atmosphere—I felt like I was walking the streets of New York alongside the characters, enjoying the crisp air, orange leaves, and pumpkin spice lattes. I highlighted so many favorite quotes and moments that made me smile and tugged at my heart. But the scene that touched me the most was when Flora held Fletcher for thirty seconds—it was so moving!
Fletcher has definitely made it onto my list of favorite book boyfriends. I’m a sucker for characters in glasses, but of course that wasn’t the only reason. He’s simply impossible not to love, and I adored his third-person POV at the end of each chapter.
This is such a sweet, atmospheric, warm, cozy, and heartfelt story—perfect for fall and beyond.
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓slow burn
✓found family
✓set in fall NYC
✓he falls first
✓grumpy x sunshine
Thank you to NetGalley, Juliana Smith, and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
December 9, 2025
Who would have known I needed some cozy 🍁 🍂 romance books in my life right now? Drawn Together and If It Makes You Happy were amazingly perfect 🥺
This book checked the following: Cozy vibes ☑️ Wholesome romance ☑️ helplessly in love mmc ☑️
No brainer five ⭐️ rating because 💁🏻♀️ Fletcher Harding. He is impossibly perfect. There is no one sweeter than him. Except probably an AI generated robot boyfriend. His POVs and the things he said would cause a girl to develop instant diabetes. I'm dead serious.
📝 Magic was real. And it can only be found folded between the pages of books.
📝 I learned long ago that it’s far better to stand alone with integrity than be surrounded by people who don’t even like who you are at your core.
📝 “You never smile at me.” “I do, just usually when you’re not looking.”
📝 Fall is an excellent reminder of just how beautiful the in-between stages of life can be—the uncertainty and the wonder. A point that sometimes it’s nice not to know what comes next, but to recognize the changes in us.
📝 Fletcher never thought of himself as a knight in shining armor kind of guy, never really cared enough to be the type. But, if that's what Flora needed, he would gladly accept that label and save her anytime.
📝 And when the worn, rough edges of the world began to fall to a close and the cool evening slid into the dark of night, Fletcher would lie there awake, listening to the sounds of the city and hoping she was listening with him across the street.
📝 "I don't think you realize that me wanting to be able to communicate with your family is the bare minimum. I don't know what you're used to from everyone else, but start expecting more from me, okay?"
📝 Then, he really thought to himself, I've seen Flora Anderson share a thousand smiles, but I like to think she saves the best ones for me. And he tucks every one she gives him into his back pocket for safe keeping.
📝 "All the ones who would love to be right where I am right now." He grips my fingers tight. "If there's a movie you want to see, I'll take you. If there's a restaurant you want to try out, I'll pay for dinner. If you want to stay at home and just read on the couch, I'll gladly join you. You don't have to find a random guy to do any of that – you already have me. Just give me some time, and I'll make sure I'm worth it for you, alright?"
📝 He breathed in her scent and kept it like a memory in a bottle, something to put on a shelf and pull out when he misses her most.
📝 "You consume me. In everything I do. Every sound, every song, everything around me always comes back to you. Every silence in my life screams for your name. And when the silence dulls into my own perception, it's still you. You're the narrator of all my thoughts; everywhere I go, it's you on my mind."
This book checked the following: Cozy vibes ☑️ Wholesome romance ☑️ helplessly in love mmc ☑️
No brainer five ⭐️ rating because 💁🏻♀️ Fletcher Harding. He is impossibly perfect. There is no one sweeter than him. Except probably an AI generated robot boyfriend. His POVs and the things he said would cause a girl to develop instant diabetes. I'm dead serious.
📝 Magic was real. And it can only be found folded between the pages of books.
📝 I learned long ago that it’s far better to stand alone with integrity than be surrounded by people who don’t even like who you are at your core.
📝 “You never smile at me.” “I do, just usually when you’re not looking.”
📝 Fall is an excellent reminder of just how beautiful the in-between stages of life can be—the uncertainty and the wonder. A point that sometimes it’s nice not to know what comes next, but to recognize the changes in us.
📝 Fletcher never thought of himself as a knight in shining armor kind of guy, never really cared enough to be the type. But, if that's what Flora needed, he would gladly accept that label and save her anytime.
📝 And when the worn, rough edges of the world began to fall to a close and the cool evening slid into the dark of night, Fletcher would lie there awake, listening to the sounds of the city and hoping she was listening with him across the street.
📝 "I don't think you realize that me wanting to be able to communicate with your family is the bare minimum. I don't know what you're used to from everyone else, but start expecting more from me, okay?"
📝 Then, he really thought to himself, I've seen Flora Anderson share a thousand smiles, but I like to think she saves the best ones for me. And he tucks every one she gives him into his back pocket for safe keeping.
📝 "All the ones who would love to be right where I am right now." He grips my fingers tight. "If there's a movie you want to see, I'll take you. If there's a restaurant you want to try out, I'll pay for dinner. If you want to stay at home and just read on the couch, I'll gladly join you. You don't have to find a random guy to do any of that – you already have me. Just give me some time, and I'll make sure I'm worth it for you, alright?"
📝 He breathed in her scent and kept it like a memory in a bottle, something to put on a shelf and pull out when he misses her most.
📝 "You consume me. In everything I do. Every sound, every song, everything around me always comes back to you. Every silence in my life screams for your name. And when the silence dulls into my own perception, it's still you. You're the narrator of all my thoughts; everywhere I go, it's you on my mind."
November 2, 2025
i’m just going to say it. this is a favorite read of the year. definitely top 5.
the setting and fall vibes are immaculate. the imagery in this book is just magical and i found myself fully immersed in the setting every time i picked it up. the way new york city is portrayed was so cozy & atmospheric & every time they were walking down the streets, i felt like i was right there with them!
i related to flora so so so much. more than i should, to be honest. she’s so me! she is a new favorite FMC of mine FOR SURE! i just loved how she was unapologetically herself and while she had been rejected for that in the past, she finally was able to find her people who appreciated her!!
fletcher. the man that you are. while we’re talking about new favorite characters, fletcher is a new favorite MMC. he’s warm and thoughtful and PAYS ATTENTION. he listens and is respectful and the man YEARNS. i loved everything about him. from the second he was described as 2012 andrew garfield i was SAT for every move, moment, word, ANYTHING that came from him. he is so well rounded & lovable & i wish he was real.🥹
the side characters are also super well developed & rounded. i really loved the friend group that was created.
there are SO MANY quotes i highlighted. it felt like one on every page. so many beautiful lines & quotes i related to.
this book gave me the feeling of falling in love. anticipation, excitement, butterflies, ALL OF IT!! my heart was RACING at certain points because of how well the tension was written. and it’s no spice so you know i was so happy about that!! another book that’s proof that closed door romance can still have allll the tension & chemistry & yearning as (if not more than) an open door book!
🔥NO SPICE🔥
🤐NO STRONG LANGUAGE🤐
the setting and fall vibes are immaculate. the imagery in this book is just magical and i found myself fully immersed in the setting every time i picked it up. the way new york city is portrayed was so cozy & atmospheric & every time they were walking down the streets, i felt like i was right there with them!
i related to flora so so so much. more than i should, to be honest. she’s so me! she is a new favorite FMC of mine FOR SURE! i just loved how she was unapologetically herself and while she had been rejected for that in the past, she finally was able to find her people who appreciated her!!
fletcher. the man that you are. while we’re talking about new favorite characters, fletcher is a new favorite MMC. he’s warm and thoughtful and PAYS ATTENTION. he listens and is respectful and the man YEARNS. i loved everything about him. from the second he was described as 2012 andrew garfield i was SAT for every move, moment, word, ANYTHING that came from him. he is so well rounded & lovable & i wish he was real.🥹
the side characters are also super well developed & rounded. i really loved the friend group that was created.
there are SO MANY quotes i highlighted. it felt like one on every page. so many beautiful lines & quotes i related to.
this book gave me the feeling of falling in love. anticipation, excitement, butterflies, ALL OF IT!! my heart was RACING at certain points because of how well the tension was written. and it’s no spice so you know i was so happy about that!! another book that’s proof that closed door romance can still have allll the tension & chemistry & yearning as (if not more than) an open door book!
🔥NO SPICE🔥
🤐NO STRONG LANGUAGE🤐
December 17, 2025
4.5/5 ⭐ no spice 🌶️
✦✧✦ Plot ✦✧✦
When Fletcher first enters the scene, we immediately dislike him. Most things in life can be explained and probably even be forgiven. However, asserting your dominance by paying for a stranger's order at a café, who's in line in front of you, just to snatch the last muffin from them (which has already been ordered and placed in front of them) and then piss off only to ultimately throw half the muffin in the trash in front of her shan't!! Trash can, but Fletcher definitely can't in my book.
✼✼✼ Thoughts ✼✼✼
Actually, Fletcher is a very alright guy (he might even be a great guy, but for muffin-related reasons I couldn't say). The more we get to know him and Flora, the story shows that we all have our off days. I'm trying so hard to be a kind person irl and yet there are (so many) moments I've snapped and I'm not proud of looking back. But I also think that's okay. Living itself is hard, on some days more than others. To me, what matters is reflecting upon myself and trying to put some kindness out into the world on all the brighter days. The reason I'm diving deep and philosophical is that I've felt like Flora & Fletcher could agree with that mindset; they're not perfect, but inherently they are good people and furthermore they are trying. And sometimes it's important to remind yourself that trying itself is enough.
Alright, now that I've jumped from being a bit too goofy to being a bit too serious, let's settle somewhere in the middle. The main characters' development felt palpable, especially in (the building of) their relationship, which is one of the things that made Drawn Together stand out to me by having that spark that makes a story feel more real.
This year more than ever I've realized how different the experience of spending time with a book can be - there are those you read, the ones you feel, and the ones that hit you in the face. The first kind brings upon mostly a good time while not making you too upset should day-to-day life interfere with your reading time. The ones you feel you spend more time thinking about, especially while impatiently waiting to be done with whatever keeps you from getting back into that world. And lastly: the ones you don't see coming. It's not that you expect them to be bad or anything, but to me they feel like a safe bet. I know what I'm going to get out of it until I don't, and before I know what's happening they're clutching my emotionally unavailable, brittle heart and forcing upon me the reality of facing myself.
Then there's the circumstances of Flora and Fletcher having their own 2-person-bookclub and reading each other's favorite books until they even end up annotating them for the other, and no one can convince me that's something that you as a reader wouldn't be utterly thrilled about to share with a loved one. Y'all, all the books I'd make you read if my apprehension of judgment wasn't as nourished as King Henry VIII during his final years. It's okay, I'm getting there eventually.
✧✧✧ Read If ✧✧✧
You read all my rambling and for whatever reason still continue to do so. But also read if you enjoy:
🌬️ Contemporary Romance
🍂 Fall Setting
🌬️ "Enemies" to Friends to Lovers
🍂 Emotional Grief and Healing
🌬️ Found Family
🍂 Quirky FMC
🌬️ Broody, then cinnamon roll-y MMC
Additionally, I had such a great time with Flora making new friendships in a foreign city. While the heavy focus definitely is on the romantic relationship, it was great to see her focusing and prioritizing other relationships or her work as well. I rarely don't hate the miscommunication/omission trope, but I appreciated how intentionally and realistically it was handled here, so it definitely wasn't a drawback. Minor .
✦✧✦ Plot ✦✧✦
When Fletcher first enters the scene, we immediately dislike him. Most things in life can be explained and probably even be forgiven. However, asserting your dominance by paying for a stranger's order at a café, who's in line in front of you, just to snatch the last muffin from them (which has already been ordered and placed in front of them) and then piss off only to ultimately throw half the muffin in the trash in front of her shan't!! Trash can, but Fletcher definitely can't in my book.
✼✼✼ Thoughts ✼✼✼
Actually, Fletcher is a very alright guy (he might even be a great guy, but for muffin-related reasons I couldn't say). The more we get to know him and Flora, the story shows that we all have our off days. I'm trying so hard to be a kind person irl and yet there are (so many) moments I've snapped and I'm not proud of looking back. But I also think that's okay. Living itself is hard, on some days more than others. To me, what matters is reflecting upon myself and trying to put some kindness out into the world on all the brighter days. The reason I'm diving deep and philosophical is that I've felt like Flora & Fletcher could agree with that mindset; they're not perfect, but inherently they are good people and furthermore they are trying. And sometimes it's important to remind yourself that trying itself is enough.
Alright, now that I've jumped from being a bit too goofy to being a bit too serious, let's settle somewhere in the middle. The main characters' development felt palpable, especially in (the building of) their relationship, which is one of the things that made Drawn Together stand out to me by having that spark that makes a story feel more real.
This year more than ever I've realized how different the experience of spending time with a book can be - there are those you read, the ones you feel, and the ones that hit you in the face. The first kind brings upon mostly a good time while not making you too upset should day-to-day life interfere with your reading time. The ones you feel you spend more time thinking about, especially while impatiently waiting to be done with whatever keeps you from getting back into that world. And lastly: the ones you don't see coming. It's not that you expect them to be bad or anything, but to me they feel like a safe bet. I know what I'm going to get out of it until I don't, and before I know what's happening they're clutching my emotionally unavailable, brittle heart and forcing upon me the reality of facing myself.
Then there's the circumstances of Flora and Fletcher having their own 2-person-bookclub and reading each other's favorite books until they even end up annotating them for the other, and no one can convince me that's something that you as a reader wouldn't be utterly thrilled about to share with a loved one. Y'all, all the books I'd make you read if my apprehension of judgment wasn't as nourished as King Henry VIII during his final years. It's okay, I'm getting there eventually.
✧✧✧ Read If ✧✧✧
You read all my rambling and for whatever reason still continue to do so. But also read if you enjoy:
🌬️ Contemporary Romance
🍂 Fall Setting
🌬️ "Enemies" to Friends to Lovers
🍂 Emotional Grief and Healing
🌬️ Found Family
🍂 Quirky FMC
🌬️ Broody, then cinnamon roll-y MMC
Additionally, I had such a great time with Flora making new friendships in a foreign city. While the heavy focus definitely is on the romantic relationship, it was great to see her focusing and prioritizing other relationships or her work as well. I rarely don't hate the miscommunication/omission trope, but I appreciated how intentionally and realistically it was handled here, so it definitely wasn't a drawback. Minor .
November 30, 2025
4.5 stars
THIS WAS SO GOOD!!! GO READ IT RIGHT NOW!!!
starting a new book after more than two weeks of a break and it feels like i’m in the worst slump ever, but bestie buket promised this is one of the best ones so hopefully it cures my slump 🧡
THIS WAS SO GOOD!!! GO READ IT RIGHT NOW!!!
starting a new book after more than two weeks of a break and it feels like i’m in the worst slump ever, but bestie buket promised this is one of the best ones so hopefully it cures my slump 🧡
October 8, 2025
I think I may have just finished one of my favorite romances of all time. 🥹🧡
December 10, 2025
Idc if it’s December, i’m still in fall. This book single handedly revived my entire fall spirit 🍂
Flora is officially my favorite FMC. She’s so relatable and my heart was aching for her the whole time. She’s trying so hard in her twenties and I just wanted to wrap her in a blanket and protect her.
Anyone who says no man is perfect has clearly never met my new book boyfriend Fletcher. He can have my blueberry muffin any day. Fletcher being the grumpy, broody, secretly soft (and secretly yearning) literature boy was perfection. Their emails were hilarious and every in person moment had me kicking my feet. The fall NYC vibes and their creative sessions made the slow burn feel so sweet and natural.
First 5 star buddy read with my bb aislinn🎀
Flora is officially my favorite FMC. She’s so relatable and my heart was aching for her the whole time. She’s trying so hard in her twenties and I just wanted to wrap her in a blanket and protect her.
Anyone who says no man is perfect has clearly never met my new book boyfriend Fletcher. He can have my blueberry muffin any day. Fletcher being the grumpy, broody, secretly soft (and secretly yearning) literature boy was perfection. Their emails were hilarious and every in person moment had me kicking my feet. The fall NYC vibes and their creative sessions made the slow burn feel so sweet and natural.
First 5 star buddy read with my bb aislinn🎀
November 5, 2025
WHAT.A.BOOK! 😍 My romance-loving heart is so full after being in Flora & Fletcher’s world. This story is so beautiful and heartfelt. It jumps straight into one of my favourite reads.
A children’s book author and illustrator go from enemies to best friends to lovers, in a way that feels so tender. I highlighted so many quotes on my Kindle, and loved a little of Fletcher’s POV at the end of the chapters. All the characters have their own little journey in the book, and I loved the friendship circle with Lennon and Stephan, too.
Highly recommend if you like closed-door, slow-burn and forced proximity. Cosy autumn vibes with their apartments, the bookstore she works in, and the coffee shop where they have a two-person book club. 🥹 Perfection.
This is my pick for our November Brogan’s Book Club.
A children’s book author and illustrator go from enemies to best friends to lovers, in a way that feels so tender. I highlighted so many quotes on my Kindle, and loved a little of Fletcher’s POV at the end of the chapters. All the characters have their own little journey in the book, and I loved the friendship circle with Lennon and Stephan, too.
Highly recommend if you like closed-door, slow-burn and forced proximity. Cosy autumn vibes with their apartments, the bookstore she works in, and the coffee shop where they have a two-person book club. 🥹 Perfection.
This is my pick for our November Brogan’s Book Club.
November 12, 2025
⋆˙⟡ — 4.5 stars
OMG THIS WAS SO GOOD 🤭 rtc!!
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ pre-read ♡⋆°｡⋆𐙚
⤷ i’ve only seen amazing reviews for this one, so of course i need to see if i’ll love it too 😌💗
OMG THIS WAS SO GOOD 🤭 rtc!!
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ pre-read ♡⋆°｡⋆𐙚
⤷ i’ve only seen amazing reviews for this one, so of course i need to see if i’ll love it too 😌💗
October 5, 2025
➸fall in NY
➸illustrator/author
➸found family
➸You've Got Mail vibes
➸grumpy/sunshine
➸two person book club
➸closed door, only kisses
Flora is going to start her new era of book illustrator. Due to her deaf sister she believes in magic of art. She wants to work as an illustrator for Cedric Brooks, the famous children books author. On her important day she met Fletcher, our mmc. Their first met wasn't good, he stole her muffin and dumped half of it in the trash. How dare he?!
Suddenly, they have common friends, so they are stuck together. One day Fletcher needs help with an article about romance books, which he doesn't understand. So he asks Flora to teach him the values of a good romance book and he'll teach her gothic stories in return. And here two people book club and their love story begins.
THIS IS THE BEST FALL ROMANCE I'VE EVER READ! This book feels like a warm hug. I love everything: the atmosphere, the characters (both main and side), the plot, the pace, the writing. Even the absence of spice haven't disappointed me (I usually don't read closed door romance). It was so sensitive and tender, and OMG the banter and the chemistry between the mc is a chef's kiss.
It's written in a single pov, but at the end of each chapter we have small remarks from Fletcher. Speaking of whom, he is the best book boyfriend EVER.
➸illustrator/author
➸found family
➸You've Got Mail vibes
➸grumpy/sunshine
➸two person book club
➸closed door, only kisses
Flora is going to start her new era of book illustrator. Due to her deaf sister she believes in magic of art. She wants to work as an illustrator for Cedric Brooks, the famous children books author. On her important day she met Fletcher, our mmc. Their first met wasn't good, he stole her muffin and dumped half of it in the trash. How dare he?!
Suddenly, they have common friends, so they are stuck together. One day Fletcher needs help with an article about romance books, which he doesn't understand. So he asks Flora to teach him the values of a good romance book and he'll teach her gothic stories in return. And here two people book club and their love story begins.
THIS IS THE BEST FALL ROMANCE I'VE EVER READ! This book feels like a warm hug. I love everything: the atmosphere, the characters (both main and side), the plot, the pace, the writing. Even the absence of spice haven't disappointed me (I usually don't read closed door romance). It was so sensitive and tender, and OMG the banter and the chemistry between the mc is a chef's kiss.
It's written in a single pov, but at the end of each chapter we have small remarks from Fletcher. Speaking of whom, he is the best book boyfriend EVER.
“You said once that you wished you were the first person someone went to. I wanted to be that person for you.”
“You were,” I rear back and correct myself. “Are.”
He shakes his head. “You’re not just the first one for me, you’re the only one.”
You consume me. In everything I do. Every sound, every song, everything around me always comes back to you. Every silence in my life screams for your name. And when the silence dulls into my own perception, it’s still you. You’re the narrator of all my thoughts; everywhere I go, it’s you on my mind.
Wherever Flora Anderson ended, Fletcher Harding began.
September 27, 2025
Happy release day to my loves!!!! My arc review 👇🏼
Well if this wasn’t the sweetest thing I’ve ever read. Quite literally from page one I was glued to this story. There is absolutely everything to love: the characters, the setting, the writing, the found family, the growth. This book was so lighthearted and fun while also emotional with absolutely stunning character growth. Flora is such a sweet fmc with personal struggles of her own, and her growth was EXCELLENT. I loved seeing her embrace who she is and make friends with those already around her <3 the friendship dynamics and their growth together was honestly one of my favorite parts of this book! And Fletcher…please don’t even get me started. The sweetest, most down bad mmc you’ll ever meet. The way he loved Flora so quietly but so fiercely literally made this book for me. I’m not kidding when I say I actually swooned more than once, PLS. I literally had to set my kindle down. (Also he wears glasses, hello.) Absolutely LOVED the illustrator x writer book club premise and how that contributed to their friends to lovers dynamic. I thought it was done so well and SO SWEET. I could literally feel the yearning from them both!! The tension and banter were also excellent 🤌🏼 This really is the most perfect fall romance and a new favorite overall. I fear I must insist you all add it to your tbr and grab it on release day September 27 🧡
Well if this wasn’t the sweetest thing I’ve ever read. Quite literally from page one I was glued to this story. There is absolutely everything to love: the characters, the setting, the writing, the found family, the growth. This book was so lighthearted and fun while also emotional with absolutely stunning character growth. Flora is such a sweet fmc with personal struggles of her own, and her growth was EXCELLENT. I loved seeing her embrace who she is and make friends with those already around her <3 the friendship dynamics and their growth together was honestly one of my favorite parts of this book! And Fletcher…please don’t even get me started. The sweetest, most down bad mmc you’ll ever meet. The way he loved Flora so quietly but so fiercely literally made this book for me. I’m not kidding when I say I actually swooned more than once, PLS. I literally had to set my kindle down. (Also he wears glasses, hello.) Absolutely LOVED the illustrator x writer book club premise and how that contributed to their friends to lovers dynamic. I thought it was done so well and SO SWEET. I could literally feel the yearning from them both!! The tension and banter were also excellent 🤌🏼 This really is the most perfect fall romance and a new favorite overall. I fear I must insist you all add it to your tbr and grab it on release day September 27 🧡
![Profile Image for vxmpslibrary [hiatus exams].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1765812676i%2F123295506._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
November 17, 2025
.5 stars.
┆ ⤿ 💌 ⌗ .my thoughts.
I think no opening line of this review would actually express my inward feelings for this book. This book since hit the shelves of publishing houses, has been all over my grs feed, everyone loved it to an extent, then how come I won't?
Is this how it feels like to read a book on its particular season to have more emotions embedded out of you? because I'm certainly going to go with the flow now.
Drawn Together is not just a book that you read and will immediately let go of it. It brings out emotions that you thought are long gone within the years, but it's like you read this book and they are all over the place again.
Juliana Smith doesn't fail to deliver the book, nor the emotions. It's the feeling of found family, love, grief all over again with a touch of happily ever after. The writing is comfort, it's like fragments of a heart formed together to make a beautiful structure. She brings us within the book without breaking the momentum, it's like the character is telling us everything and I felt happy and satisfied at the fact.
┆ ⤿ 💌 ⌗ .characters.
Flora Anderson manages to be a sunshine character despite all the bad circumstances she has suffered from. She never let anything ruin her day to an extent nor she would let her fear control it. I did not expect myself to love the female character, but the moment from the perspective I saw how she viewed the world, she made me want to hug her and erase all her pain away.
It's the way when Fletcher talks about what he and his friends do on a Halloween Night and she just thinks she's not involved when she actually is, and the way he reassures her🥹😭 if I was her I would have been way more embarassed and shut him out. Jk love u Flora
Fletcher Harding is the worth! I don't get where you guys are looking for in properties of a perfect boyfriend, but take notes for him! Just the way he is, yes he's blunt, but he's smart, he's considerate and it's so hard not to love him when he just ends up doing something that makes me want to love him more. Green Flag check.
Also the way he swoops in like a knight in shining armour because she gets ditched on a date? I fell for him 100x times again.
The side characters, are not even side anymore, they are more than just side characters, they are humans, emotions, a family and calling them side character is a mistake for me.
Lennon is the amazing roommate, and girlfriend bestfriend for Flora. First she barely talks to Flora, but the gentle opening up was like the start of a friendship that would remain forever, they cheering each other up was my favorite.
Fletcher & Flora together with their book club made me lonely in a way I didn't imagined, it was the admiration that took me out the most. It's the small moments, book annotations, the eye contact, the words shared in between. The chemistry is better than the ones in my chemistry book, their equations makes me feel like I'm worth it.
The book is special with its word of the day . Learning new words is my favorite, and I know I would return to this book.
This book taught me how words have so much much worth than we think of. [Funny as if we all don't know already.] Flora has been caught up with being second or just an option all the time that she wished if she was someone's first, the first to talk to, to hug, to share.
And how ugly is the feeling, to read this book and feel the immense pain of loneliness, of the desperation to feel seen the way Flora is because of Fletcher. It's like waiting for the book to end but at the same time wanting to live inside it and cherish each moments like we are never going to see them ever again.
The ending is sweet, it stays with you after some moments, it makes me want to read more about them and wonder what they are doing right now. It was like going with them throughout their good and bad times. And no matter how much irrepetitive phrases I use, I just can't say enough about this book, so pick it up yourself and find out.
┆ ⤿ 💌 ⌗ .final thoughts.
I absolutely adored this book! It's my first 5 star read after so many months. I would definitely recommend you this book if you love book clubs, found family and not a third act breakup. They handle it like adults bahaha. I'm glad I picked this book up and relished in it fully.
.Preread.
Because I just don't know why I wouldn't want to read this
How rude of her, Fletcher thought. To come barreling into his life right when he was starting to figure things out, just to turn them all back upside down again.
┆ ⤿ 💌 ⌗ .my thoughts.
I think no opening line of this review would actually express my inward feelings for this book. This book since hit the shelves of publishing houses, has been all over my grs feed, everyone loved it to an extent, then how come I won't?
Is this how it feels like to read a book on its particular season to have more emotions embedded out of you? because I'm certainly going to go with the flow now.
Drawn Together is not just a book that you read and will immediately let go of it. It brings out emotions that you thought are long gone within the years, but it's like you read this book and they are all over the place again.
Juliana Smith doesn't fail to deliver the book, nor the emotions. It's the feeling of found family, love, grief all over again with a touch of happily ever after. The writing is comfort, it's like fragments of a heart formed together to make a beautiful structure. She brings us within the book without breaking the momentum, it's like the character is telling us everything and I felt happy and satisfied at the fact.
┆ ⤿ 💌 ⌗ .characters.
Flora Anderson manages to be a sunshine character despite all the bad circumstances she has suffered from. She never let anything ruin her day to an extent nor she would let her fear control it. I did not expect myself to love the female character, but the moment from the perspective I saw how she viewed the world, she made me want to hug her and erase all her pain away.
Magic was real. And it can only be found folded between the pages of books.
It's the way when Fletcher talks about what he and his friends do on a Halloween Night and she just thinks she's not involved when she actually is, and the way he reassures her🥹😭 if I was her I would have been way more embarassed and shut him out. Jk love u Flora
Fletcher Harding is the worth! I don't get where you guys are looking for in properties of a perfect boyfriend, but take notes for him! Just the way he is, yes he's blunt, but he's smart, he's considerate and it's so hard not to love him when he just ends up doing something that makes me want to love him more. Green Flag check.
He really thought to himself "I’ve seen Flora Anderson share a thousand smiles, but I like to think she saves the best ones for me." And he tucks every one she gives him into his back pocket for safe keeping.
Also the way he swoops in like a knight in shining armour because she gets ditched on a date? I fell for him 100x times again.
The side characters, are not even side anymore, they are more than just side characters, they are humans, emotions, a family and calling them side character is a mistake for me.
Lennon is the amazing roommate, and girlfriend bestfriend for Flora. First she barely talks to Flora, but the gentle opening up was like the start of a friendship that would remain forever, they cheering each other up was my favorite.
Fletcher & Flora together with their book club made me lonely in a way I didn't imagined, it was the admiration that took me out the most. It's the small moments, book annotations, the eye contact, the words shared in between. The chemistry is better than the ones in my chemistry book, their equations makes me feel like I'm worth it.
And when the worn, rough edges of the world began to fall to a close and the cool evening slid into the dark of night, Fletcher would lie there awake, listening to the sounds of the city and hoping she was listening with him across the street.
The book is special with its word of the day . Learning new words is my favorite, and I know I would return to this book.
I would argue that the loneliest sound in the world is the symphony of laughter one door over.
This book taught me how words have so much much worth than we think of. [Funny as if we all don't know already.] Flora has been caught up with being second or just an option all the time that she wished if she was someone's first, the first to talk to, to hug, to share.
And how ugly is the feeling, to read this book and feel the immense pain of loneliness, of the desperation to feel seen the way Flora is because of Fletcher. It's like waiting for the book to end but at the same time wanting to live inside it and cherish each moments like we are never going to see them ever again.
Everyone has the quote wrong, Fletcher thought. It’s jealousy that makes the heart grow fonder, not distance.
The ending is sweet, it stays with you after some moments, it makes me want to read more about them and wonder what they are doing right now. It was like going with them throughout their good and bad times. And no matter how much irrepetitive phrases I use, I just can't say enough about this book, so pick it up yourself and find out.
┆ ⤿ 💌 ⌗ .final thoughts.
I absolutely adored this book! It's my first 5 star read after so many months. I would definitely recommend you this book if you love book clubs, found family and not a third act breakup. They handle it like adults bahaha. I'm glad I picked this book up and relished in it fully.
.Preread.
Because I just don't know why I wouldn't want to read this
November 11, 2025
"You consume me. In everything I do. Every sound, every song, everything around me always comes back to you. Every silence in my life screams for your name. And when the silence dulls into my own perception, it's still you. You're the narrator of all my thoughts; everywhere I go, it's you on my mind.”
This book really hit all the marks for me when it comes to delivering a swoony and feel good romance. The kind that sneaks up on you much like fall does 🍂 (which is descriptively emphasized here I must say), and with characters who make your heart want to burst because of the comfort and tenderness they bring. Easily one of my favorite books this year and I cannot recommend it enough!!
"All these different versions of Flora Anderson are in this mirror right now, and I settle into the fact that I don't have to pick which one I will be tonight. Because they're all there deep down. And, I would never tell that little pig-tailed girl who loved Spinosorous and pretending to fly and playing mermaids on the beach that she is “too much.” So, why should I say it to myself now? this spoke to me
Flora was such a light that I wanted to embrace her and tell her she wasn’t too much and didn’t have to shrink herself for others. That she could overshare as much as she wants if that made her happy because the right people will gravitate. Even though i’m more of an introvert, she felt deeply relatable. Anyone who has ever felt like too much and not enough at some point will relate to her. I loved who she was at her core and how she accepted it along the way too. It was impossible not to adore her vivid imagination, enthusiasm, and passion for the art of books (the illustration process was cool to envision) and everything around her. She cared wholeheartedly and it showed in the way she was with others and even more as she unknowingly helped fletcher and Lennon heal. Her presence made their lives feel easier and lighter 🤎
"It was her mind, too. She had the most beautiful one. Kind and forgiving and caring and still, in there deep down, a ferocious need to be better.”
Fletcher though.. THIS MAN WAS PERFECT! I turned into mush when we were graced with his thoughts and saw him yearn after flora. There was no second guessing with him and I loved that. I loved how tender hearted and gentle he was as you get to know him. It healed something in me to see him hold on to every word flora said, which reflected in his actions, and was so immersed in being in her orbit 🥹 He showed up for her in ways everyone deserves to experience.There wasn’t a moment I wasn’t giggling or squealing because of all the things he said and did for her that will stand out to anyone who longs to feel seen and assured. It meant everything. Book club, every single scene tbh, and the effort put into her and those closest to her?? asl?! AHHH. Let me stop myself, but he really made me swoon
"I did want to do this. Let that not go unsaid. I really wanted to do this." “You did?" “You're my best friend, Flora. Of course I wanted to."
Seeing Flora and fletcher start off on the wrong foot made things fun to see their unexpected friendship transform into more. Friends to lovers was done so well here and getting to the lovers part surpassed floras worries of ruining their friendship and thus—worth the wait. I loved that they were both so openly unfiltered with each other and just treasured all their moments. I wanted what they had. The romance between them was a beautiful slow burn, soft, open communication (no third act) and completely steady that the payoff to seeing them be together was worth it. It warmed my heart. This is closed door and that honestly was best. Also, we get a “Why do you think, Flora?" moment and my mind went to beach read. iykyk so you could imagine my reaction lol
“Maybe it is a lonely city, but we all have that thing in common. Everybody's got something they're taking with them. They're all drawn together that way."
I enjoyed the bits of found family we get here and how inviting everyone was. How flora found herself more at home as everyone made her feel like she belonged when she struggled to. I loved seeing the build up to her and Lennon’s friendship, how they bonded and how she got to experience a lot more than she ever had before. She deserved that. I only wanted more so here’s to hoping Lennon and Stephan get a book!
“But, fall is an excellent reminder of just how beautiful the in between stages of life can be the uncertainty and the wonder. A point that sometimes it's nice to not know what comes next, but to recognize the changes in us.”
I went into this expecting a light read and came out loving it for the more that it was. I now hold the story and these two precious characters dear to me. i think the book was mismarketed as they weren’t rivals but do appreciate the authors way with words, with the many analogies used, that had me over here reflecting and highlighting so much. Fellow New Yorkers will appreciate the mentions here which also made me get early 2000s vibes from this?? Just know, the last page in fletchers pov had me smiling and tearing up like a happy fool 😭 An extended epilogue is a NEED
Some other quotes I adored
The voice is warm honey across my skin. Like jumping into a familiar book you've read a hundred times or lighting your favorite candle at night. Fletcher's voice. Because of course he's here.
"I don't think you realize that me wanting to be able to communicate with your family is the bare minimum. I don't know what you're used to from everyone else, but start expecting more from me, okay?"
I learned long ago that it's far better to stand alone with integrity than be surrounded by people who don't even like who you are at your core.
That night when the time comes for his eyes to shut, he prays for only dreams of her, so that he never misses a moment to be in Flora Anderson's presence.
"I don't want there to be a world where I don't get to tell you my every thought."
I think I'd like to know what that's like. To be the first person someone thinks about. To be the one that everything someone else does comes back to you. The one they always choose, to not be a maybe or a possible add-on, but to be a definite. That's got to be nice."
November 6, 2025
⋮ ⌗ ┆
3.75 stars
ᯓ★ pre-read
in my mind,and my country since we practically only have one season all year its still fall.
edit: impromptu br with my angel, maryam i can't wait to yap ab this with you 💌
ᯓ★ pre-read
in my mind,
edit: impromptu br with my angel, maryam i can't wait to yap ab this with you 💌
Read
August 27, 2025on netgalley now!🍂
dnf
October 14, 2025⋆.˚🦋༘⋆⋆.˚🦋༘⋆⋆.˚🦋༘⋆⋆.˚🦋༘⋆⋆.˚🦋༘⋆⋆.˚🦋༘⋆
Buddy read with my lovely friend Shi
DNF page 131 37% Chapter 15
The humor in this was great! I was laughing so hard at the twilight references. I really liked the word of the day at the start of each chapter. But although I was really enjoying this there was just some content I wasn't comfortable reading (all of which is listed down below). If you're ok with the content listed below then I would fully recommend reading this for fall.
The characters
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Flora ~ I liked her and could relate to her in some ways.
Fletcher ~ Even though he was a grump sometimes he was also so sweet and considerate! He annotated his books for her listing parts he thinks she would like. And he switched food with her even though he really liked it.
Lennon ~ she was kinda annoying and also added in some content I didn't like.
What to expect
🍂 children’s author x children’s book illustrator
🍂 Rivals to friends to lovers
🍂 Set in new York city
🍂 Fall Vibes
🍂 Grumpy x sunshine
🍂 Hidden identity
Quotes
~~~~~~~
💧Fletcher hadn't felt something as satisfying as drying Flora Anderson's tears in a very long time.
🏴☠️ I read on my Kindle at night. I like enemies to lovers. I like pirates.
😁 "You have dimples!" I practically scream and gasp at once. "How... Did you not realize that before?" He's still smiling, and the tiny craters in his cheek have me wanting to crawl into them with a patchwork quilt. "You never smile at me." "I do, just usually when you're not looking."
Content
~~~~~~~
Content up to 38% plus some twords the end that I was warned about :)
❤️🔥Romance| detailed kisses (with Tounge and teeth) sliding his hands up the back of her shirt etc. gags* innuendos, Lennon asks if Flora slept with Fletcher multiple times, Flora is listening to a romance audiobook and it talks about tearing bodices and what a desperate man sounds like, a mention of a s-xually tense chess match, Fletcher thinks "he would've liked to stay like that for days at a time stayed there until they were both nothing but tongue and teeth and lips and hot, limp bodies against cool sheets. Until he held her so close she could have been part of him. Wherever Flora Anderson ended Fletcher Harding began." gags again*
🤬Language| sh!t, sh!ting, -sshole, sh!tty, God's name is taken in vain,
🗡️Violence| none from what I read.
🏳️🌈LGBTQ| none from what I read.
✝️ Religion/spirituality | mentions of praying,
⚠️Other| flora and Lennon go to a butt themed diner (the waitresses -who are old ladies- wear really short shorts the backs of their shorts say things like 'hot griddle' and 'over easy' Flora says she would do that job after retirement if her butt looked as good as the waitresses' butts) at the diner the food is butt shaped and every fifteen minutes they do a dance with the chef flipping a hot pancake on to someone's butt, death of a best friend due to prostate cancer, Flora says a lipstick color would give her a butthole mouth,
Buddy read with my lovely friend Shi
DNF page 131 37% Chapter 15
The humor in this was great! I was laughing so hard at the twilight references. I really liked the word of the day at the start of each chapter. But although I was really enjoying this there was just some content I wasn't comfortable reading (all of which is listed down below). If you're ok with the content listed below then I would fully recommend reading this for fall.
The characters
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Flora ~ I liked her and could relate to her in some ways.
Fletcher ~ Even though he was a grump sometimes he was also so sweet and considerate! He annotated his books for her listing parts he thinks she would like. And he switched food with her even though he really liked it.
Lennon ~ she was kinda annoying and also added in some content I didn't like.
What to expect
🍂 children’s author x children’s book illustrator
🍂 Rivals to friends to lovers
🍂 Set in new York city
🍂 Fall Vibes
🍂 Grumpy x sunshine
🍂 Hidden identity
Quotes
~~~~~~~
💧Fletcher hadn't felt something as satisfying as drying Flora Anderson's tears in a very long time.
🏴☠️ I read on my Kindle at night. I like enemies to lovers. I like pirates.
😁 "You have dimples!" I practically scream and gasp at once. "How... Did you not realize that before?" He's still smiling, and the tiny craters in his cheek have me wanting to crawl into them with a patchwork quilt. "You never smile at me." "I do, just usually when you're not looking."
Content
~~~~~~~
Content up to 38% plus some twords the end that I was warned about :)
❤️🔥Romance| detailed kisses (with Tounge and teeth) sliding his hands up the back of her shirt etc. gags* innuendos, Lennon asks if Flora slept with Fletcher multiple times, Flora is listening to a romance audiobook and it talks about tearing bodices and what a desperate man sounds like, a mention of a s-xually tense chess match, Fletcher thinks "he would've liked to stay like that for days at a time stayed there until they were both nothing but tongue and teeth and lips and hot, limp bodies against cool sheets. Until he held her so close she could have been part of him. Wherever Flora Anderson ended Fletcher Harding began." gags again*
🤬Language| sh!t, sh!ting, -sshole, sh!tty, God's name is taken in vain,
🗡️Violence| none from what I read.
🏳️🌈LGBTQ| none from what I read.
✝️ Religion/spirituality | mentions of praying,
⚠️Other| flora and Lennon go to a butt themed diner (the waitresses -who are old ladies- wear really short shorts the backs of their shorts say things like 'hot griddle' and 'over easy' Flora says she would do that job after retirement if her butt looked as good as the waitresses' butts) at the diner the food is butt shaped and every fifteen minutes they do a dance with the chef flipping a hot pancake on to someone's butt, death of a best friend due to prostate cancer, Flora says a lipstick color would give her a butthole mouth,
November 13, 2025
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── 6 stars
arc review 💌
release date: september 27
⁀➴ 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬
🍂 children's book author x children's book illustrator
📖 rivals to friends to lovers
🍂 nyc in fall setting
📖 you've got mail inspired (enemies online, friends irl)
🍂 found family
📖 grumpy x sunshine
i absolutely adored this book, each page was written for book lovers by a book lover. from the very start i knew i was going to fall in love with flora and fletcher's story.
this is inspired by one of my favourite 2000s romcoms - you've got mail !! and it was a fun twist seeing them be close irl as best friends and then not so friendly over email.
there wasn't a single page that dragged on or felt slow, it was the perfect pacing and i am dying to read juliana's backlist now 🤭
____
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read
omg got the arc right away!!! this looks sooo cute and i cannot wait to read it, my first juliana smith novel!! the first fall themed book im reading for september 🤭🍁 like this sounds so freaking good
⟢ im so glad to be buddy reading this with one of my closest friends katniss love u lots & can't wait for our first br💗
↪ started sept 7
arc review 💌
release date: september 27
⁀➴ 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬
🍂 children's book author x children's book illustrator
📖 rivals to friends to lovers
🍂 nyc in fall setting
📖 you've got mail inspired (enemies online, friends irl)
🍂 found family
📖 grumpy x sunshine
i absolutely adored this book, each page was written for book lovers by a book lover. from the very start i knew i was going to fall in love with flora and fletcher's story.
this is inspired by one of my favourite 2000s romcoms - you've got mail !! and it was a fun twist seeing them be close irl as best friends and then not so friendly over email.
there wasn't a single page that dragged on or felt slow, it was the perfect pacing and i am dying to read juliana's backlist now 🤭
____
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read
omg got the arc right away!!! this looks sooo cute and i cannot wait to read it, my first juliana smith novel!! the first fall themed book im reading for september 🤭🍁 like this sounds so freaking good
⟢ im so glad to be buddy reading this with one of my closest friends katniss love u lots & can't wait for our first br💗
↪ started sept 7
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