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Ask Me What I’m Reading: A Sweet Literary Romance About a Morning Meet-Cute on a Train
Not yet published
Expected 2 Jul 26Perfect for fans of One Day and Talking at Night.
Every morning, Sophie boards the same train.
Every morning, she spots him – tall, unreadable, always with a novel in hand…often the same one she is reading.
Soon, their commute becomes a silent exchange of titles, a game only they seem to be playing. But how long can a love story stay between the lines before someone dares to take it off the page…
Ask Me What I’m Reading is a slow-burn romance about chance encounters, the love of books and the quiet thrill of meeting someone who just gets it.
Every morning, Sophie boards the same train.
Every morning, she spots him – tall, unreadable, always with a novel in hand…often the same one she is reading.
Soon, their commute becomes a silent exchange of titles, a game only they seem to be playing. But how long can a love story stay between the lines before someone dares to take it off the page…
Ask Me What I’m Reading is a slow-burn romance about chance encounters, the love of books and the quiet thrill of meeting someone who just gets it.
- GenresRomance
325 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication July 2, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 14, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Team OMC for this ARC of Ask Me What I’m Reading!
⭐️: 4.25/5
🌶️: 0/5
Tropes: Meet-cute, miscommunication, wealth gap, reformed playboy
—————————————————————————————————
The Plot/Writing
This is such a wonderful reminder that reading has a point. It has its place in our world as a way not only to escape the pressures of life but also to embark in self-discovery. It can be as easy and carefree as it can be cathartic and gut-wrenching, which is both beautiful and haunting. It was also a lovely story about grief and loss and the ease with which we tend to get stuck in hard places, failing to let ourselves move forward out of shame or guilt. It showed us how quickly we can be pulled from it, moving forward before we realize we ever left, and marveling at the smallest things that got us there.
It added so much to the story to see their tastes evolve as they became more in tune with themselves and their relationship matured. Each carefully becoming more confident in themselves and unapologetic in their choice of novel as individuals first and then tentatively as a couple (and all the stages in between).
The dialogue felt organic and natural, something I think is few and far between these days and is easily a make or break for me. Great convo in the first chapter without detail dumping and extensive world building is easier said than done. And it was consistently great the entire book. Props!
The Characters/Romance
I LOVE a dual POV romance. I’m never left wondering what the other is thinking, or whether they actually have lives outside of their romance (especially the men), which gives the characters more dimension. Sophie and Max were both beautifully written and well thought out.
Sophie was witty, authentic, and no nonsense in a way that manages to be gentle when the situation calls for it. She’s feminine and strong and someone I’d love to be friends with. She had her own issues with self-confidence and trust and just being guarded in general, but Anna and Max brought her out of her shell and she was wonderful.
Max was truthful, even when he didn’t want to be, which I admire. He wasn’t perfect, and also had a lot to work through, but he was putting in a lot of effort, and it was very clear how much he cared for Sophie. A classic case of a man trying to be better for a woman and ending up in love with his new sense of self. A man so desperate for a woman he’s willing to pick up a new hobby to get her attention… I love to see it. Creepy? Maybe a little at first, but this is a work of fiction. Yearning? Yes, please.
I loved their relationship. It wasn’t hurried. It was mature and kind but still messy and real. It was relatable and showcased how easy it could be to miss a beautiful love of just one thing has gone differently, but how that love could be both exactly what you need and hard at the same time. It depicted how unrealistic a perfect romance is because humans are faulty by nature. Disagreements, miscommunication, and personal histories dragged into the light are all part of the not so fun, but very necessary, side of a relationship that this book didn’t shy away from.
⭐️: 4.25/5
🌶️: 0/5
Tropes: Meet-cute, miscommunication, wealth gap, reformed playboy
—————————————————————————————————
The Plot/Writing
This is such a wonderful reminder that reading has a point. It has its place in our world as a way not only to escape the pressures of life but also to embark in self-discovery. It can be as easy and carefree as it can be cathartic and gut-wrenching, which is both beautiful and haunting. It was also a lovely story about grief and loss and the ease with which we tend to get stuck in hard places, failing to let ourselves move forward out of shame or guilt. It showed us how quickly we can be pulled from it, moving forward before we realize we ever left, and marveling at the smallest things that got us there.
It added so much to the story to see their tastes evolve as they became more in tune with themselves and their relationship matured. Each carefully becoming more confident in themselves and unapologetic in their choice of novel as individuals first and then tentatively as a couple (and all the stages in between).
The dialogue felt organic and natural, something I think is few and far between these days and is easily a make or break for me. Great convo in the first chapter without detail dumping and extensive world building is easier said than done. And it was consistently great the entire book. Props!
The Characters/Romance
I LOVE a dual POV romance. I’m never left wondering what the other is thinking, or whether they actually have lives outside of their romance (especially the men), which gives the characters more dimension. Sophie and Max were both beautifully written and well thought out.
Sophie was witty, authentic, and no nonsense in a way that manages to be gentle when the situation calls for it. She’s feminine and strong and someone I’d love to be friends with. She had her own issues with self-confidence and trust and just being guarded in general, but Anna and Max brought her out of her shell and she was wonderful.
Max was truthful, even when he didn’t want to be, which I admire. He wasn’t perfect, and also had a lot to work through, but he was putting in a lot of effort, and it was very clear how much he cared for Sophie. A classic case of a man trying to be better for a woman and ending up in love with his new sense of self. A man so desperate for a woman he’s willing to pick up a new hobby to get her attention… I love to see it. Creepy? Maybe a little at first, but this is a work of fiction. Yearning? Yes, please.
I loved their relationship. It wasn’t hurried. It was mature and kind but still messy and real. It was relatable and showcased how easy it could be to miss a beautiful love of just one thing has gone differently, but how that love could be both exactly what you need and hard at the same time. It depicted how unrealistic a perfect romance is because humans are faulty by nature. Disagreements, miscommunication, and personal histories dragged into the light are all part of the not so fun, but very necessary, side of a relationship that this book didn’t shy away from.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I'm honestly in two minds about this book, which is why I've ultimately decided to give it three stars. I think a lot of people see a three star review as negative, but that's absolutely not the case for this book. Ask Me What I'm Reading is by no means a bad book, it just didn't quite meet my expectations. I think this was largely due to the characters, who I found to be fairly unlikeable and a smidge annoying. However, I was still invested in their story and wanted to see them be happy in the end.
The premise of Ask Me What I'm Reading is that this is about a sweet morning meet-cute on a commuter train into London that brings main characters Sophie and Max together. For such a pivotal moment, the initial interaction between the two characters was very brief. They made eye contact on the train, he saw that she was reading a book, and that was enough to start their reading game. I was not entirely convinced by the interaction and felt that it could've been fleshed out more for such an important moment. It was then several days later when they saw each other again, with Max then reading a book by the same author that he'd seen Sophie reading. If I were Sophie, I think I honestly would've found this a bit creepy and started to sit somewhere else... but perhaps that's just me? However, once I got past this thought, watching as they gradually got to know each other through their reading choices was very sweet.
While this is in many ways sweet romance about how books can bring people together, this story also deals with a lot of trauma. Both characters have extensive childhood trauma in the forms of parental neglect and grief, which is a key catalyst for their bonding. Their romance is largely due to a love of books and bonding over shared or similar experiences, but there is also a lot of miscommunication. The miscommunication trope is one of my least favourite ones, which is one of the reasons I did not rate this book higher. By about the 60% mark of the book I was growing weary of this and just willingly the characters to work out their issues and reach their happily ever after. While conflict is essential to keep a plot going, I think some of this could be consolidated. One of the side characters in the book even said "I hate a third-act breakup," and honestly, I couldn't agree more.
However, once you get past the miscommunication trope, this book was really lovely and sweet. I love seeing characters bond over the power of books and start to heal. And I would really like to find a lovely bookstore with silly sausage dog to play with like Vonnegut!
The premise of Ask Me What I'm Reading is that this is about a sweet morning meet-cute on a commuter train into London that brings main characters Sophie and Max together. For such a pivotal moment, the initial interaction between the two characters was very brief. They made eye contact on the train, he saw that she was reading a book, and that was enough to start their reading game. I was not entirely convinced by the interaction and felt that it could've been fleshed out more for such an important moment. It was then several days later when they saw each other again, with Max then reading a book by the same author that he'd seen Sophie reading. If I were Sophie, I think I honestly would've found this a bit creepy and started to sit somewhere else... but perhaps that's just me? However, once I got past this thought, watching as they gradually got to know each other through their reading choices was very sweet.
While this is in many ways sweet romance about how books can bring people together, this story also deals with a lot of trauma. Both characters have extensive childhood trauma in the forms of parental neglect and grief, which is a key catalyst for their bonding. Their romance is largely due to a love of books and bonding over shared or similar experiences, but there is also a lot of miscommunication. The miscommunication trope is one of my least favourite ones, which is one of the reasons I did not rate this book higher. By about the 60% mark of the book I was growing weary of this and just willingly the characters to work out their issues and reach their happily ever after. While conflict is essential to keep a plot going, I think some of this could be consolidated. One of the side characters in the book even said "I hate a third-act breakup," and honestly, I couldn't agree more.
However, once you get past the miscommunication trope, this book was really lovely and sweet. I love seeing characters bond over the power of books and start to heal. And I would really like to find a lovely bookstore with silly sausage dog to play with like Vonnegut!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Ask Me What I’m Reading by Eleanor Goymer revolves around an interesting meet-cute that is both gentle and heartwarming.
The novel has a strong premise. Sophie commutes to work each day and becomes intrigued by a handsome fellow passenger whose reading choices happen to mirror her own. The story follows the development of their relationship through the books they are both reading, which gives the novel a thoughtful and distinctive structure.
Goymer creates an engaging foundation for the romance and I particularly enjoyed the references to a range of popular novels throughout. As a book that very much centres around reading and readers, it will certainly appeal to those who enjoy literary references woven into the narrative.
For me, however, the ‘buffbookboy’ romance lost some momentum as the novel progressed and I found myself far more invested in Sophie’s friendship with Lucie and the residual impact of that relationship. Those sections felt more emotionally engaging and compelling to read.
Overall, perhaps a little reliant on familiar tropes at times, but still an enjoyable and entertaining novel.
The novel has a strong premise. Sophie commutes to work each day and becomes intrigued by a handsome fellow passenger whose reading choices happen to mirror her own. The story follows the development of their relationship through the books they are both reading, which gives the novel a thoughtful and distinctive structure.
Goymer creates an engaging foundation for the romance and I particularly enjoyed the references to a range of popular novels throughout. As a book that very much centres around reading and readers, it will certainly appeal to those who enjoy literary references woven into the narrative.
For me, however, the ‘buffbookboy’ romance lost some momentum as the novel progressed and I found myself far more invested in Sophie’s friendship with Lucie and the residual impact of that relationship. Those sections felt more emotionally engaging and compelling to read.
Overall, perhaps a little reliant on familiar tropes at times, but still an enjoyable and entertaining novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I wanted to love this because the premise sounded so magical and very different from the usual romance releases, especially as someone who loves books and romances centered around reading. Unfortunately, this one was just okay for me. I kept waiting for more emotional depth and character growth, but everything felt very surface level and a little too basic for what I was hoping for.
I wanted something more poignant and moving, especially with such a strong setup, but it did not get there for me. One thing that also really took me out of the story was the constant pop culture references, especially all the mentions of Fourth Wing. I know it is hugely popular right now, but it felt way too meta and honestly made the book feel like it might not age very well. I wish the story had relied more on its own unique voice instead of current trends.
I think it had a cute concept and some sweet moments, but it just did not have the depth or emotional impact I was looking for.
Thank you to NetGalley, Eleanor Goymer, and One More Chapter for the eARC of this book.
I wanted something more poignant and moving, especially with such a strong setup, but it did not get there for me. One thing that also really took me out of the story was the constant pop culture references, especially all the mentions of Fourth Wing. I know it is hugely popular right now, but it felt way too meta and honestly made the book feel like it might not age very well. I wish the story had relied more on its own unique voice instead of current trends.
I think it had a cute concept and some sweet moments, but it just did not have the depth or emotional impact I was looking for.
Thank you to NetGalley, Eleanor Goymer, and One More Chapter for the eARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I love a good meet cute type of book and the setup in this one was great. I love the non-verbal communication of picking the same book your train crush is reading. Maybe a bit creepy in hindsight but hey, this is fiction and I loved it. I had a few hang-ups with this book and the one major one is the amount of times Fourth Wing is mentioned and/or referenced. Like, is this a Fourth Wing fan club book? I get it, the book is insanely popular but I think a passing mention is fine. As to the actual story, I really liked both of the main characters and they sure did have a lot of trauma to unpack but in the end I think they make a great couple and liked their journey. A little over mid-way through I felt the pace lulled a bit for me, and I also don't love miscommunication, but I pushed through and enjoyed the read overall.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter | One More Chapter for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter | One More Chapter for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Sophie and Max connect on their commute. Both are brushing off past trauma and getting back into reading. It is over new novels that their eyes meet.
From the title forth, "Ask Me What I'm Reading" is positioned as a book lover's dream. Constant access to a quaint independent bookshop and its quirky owner and dog? Check! A MMC who flexes his forearms as he reads "Fourth Wing"? Check! Connecting with other people who love to read via social media? It's all here and more. But the plot doesn't deliver on the promise. It's choppy and I was a bit bored by the end after another completely avoidable bout of miscommunication.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
From the title forth, "Ask Me What I'm Reading" is positioned as a book lover's dream. Constant access to a quaint independent bookshop and its quirky owner and dog? Check! A MMC who flexes his forearms as he reads "Fourth Wing"? Check! Connecting with other people who love to read via social media? It's all here and more. But the plot doesn't deliver on the promise. It's choppy and I was a bit bored by the end after another completely avoidable bout of miscommunication.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I loved the idea of this book but the reality was sadly underwhelming. Too slow, with a lack of real character development and a very lacklustre ending. Not for me.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews