Ask Me What I’m Reading

by Eleanor Goymer

'Oh I absolutely adored this… Sweet, charming, romantic… Absolutely gorgeous. Loved 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. Perfect for fans of One Day and Talking at Night.

–

Readers are falling in LOVE with Ask Me What I’m Reading!'THIS book is the best bookish romance I've ever read, period!!!!!' ★★★★★

'I wish I could read it again for the first time to fall in love with it all over again … 10 stars!' ★★★★★

'6 star read … SO much fun' ★★★★★

'Tender, swoony, and deeply charming … A warm hug of a book for readers who love reading.' ★★★★★

'A full-on emotional book hug … funny, heartfelt, and quietly powerful' ★★★★★

'This book was everything … I cried, I laughed and I loved every minute' ★★★★★

'This book made me laugh out loud, got me emotional more than once … I already miss these characters 😭' ★★★★★

'Heartbreakingly beautiful. The perfect read if you loved Netflix's Voicemails for Isabelle.' ★★★★★

'Absolutely fantastic…! I could not put the book down' ★★★★★

'Absolutely loved this … This is one I'll be thinking about for a long time' ★★★★★

'I was hooked from the very beginning. I honestly didn't want it to end.' ★★★★★

'Incredible … Divine … I was enthralled' ★★★★★

'I love love love love this book … it has stolen my heart' ★★★★★

'This absolutely delivered what I was craving' ★★★★★

'I found myself crying my eyes out … beautiful' ★★★★★

'This book made me cry but also filled me with hope' ★★★★★

'Purely delightful … left me with a smile on my face' ★★★★★

'This book is living in my head rent free' ★★★★★

'This was GOOD! I hope someone sees me reading this book and stops to ask me what I'm reading! :)' ★★★★★

'Oh, this book gave me all the feels! ' ★★★★★

‘Ticks all the boxes … Perfect to read on the train – a genuine feel-good book to take on holiday.’ Nancy Peach

‘Completely charming. Funny, moving and thought-provoking … I couldn't put it down.’ Debbie Johnson

‘Funny, swoony, and poignant… hit me in the feels’ Donna Jones Alward

'A reminder of how special books are. Cute, cosy, and a joy to read!’ Jack Strange

Genres: Romance, Books About Books, Fiction, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance, Adult Romance

325 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 2, 2026

Reviews

[Shelley's Book Nook]

My Reviews Can Also Be Found On:
The Book Review Crew Blog


⭐⭐1/2
Ask Me What I’m Reading
Eleanor Goymer
Publication Date: July 2nd, 2026
HarperCollins UK | One More Chapter
336 Pages
Amazon | Bookshop.org
Genre: General Fiction | New Adult | Romance

I really wanted to love this book—I mean, it's a romance book about books. But it was a bit too much of a slow burn. That usually works for me with romances, as I like the characters to take their time while falling in love, but these characters were extremely slow. It is labelled as new adult, so they may be the reason why, and that's a personal preference rather than the book itself not being worthy, so I believe two and a half stars is more than fair; that means it was an average read on my star rating system.

The story is about Sophie, who notices a man who is always reading the same book she is. Both Sophie and Max are dealing with a lot of grief and disappointment, and together they help each other open up again. However, the "will they or won't they" went back and forth too much. The break-ups and the lies, assumptions and conjecture were not for me.

Honestly, I enjoyed the side characters more than the mains. Sophie finds herself building a group of friends who have the same love of books, and I found that very heartwarming. Because the meet-cute of Sophie and Max starts off as silently eyeing each other on their train rides, the pace slags off a bit. The plotline is very typical of romances, and I found it terribly predictable.

I guess what I am trying to say after all that is that the book is sweet in its own way and very charming. I did like how the author showed how books can bring people together, and it was pleasant enough to read over the weekend—it just didn't wow me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Kate]

This one started off so good! I loved the meet-cute and the unique premise of two strangers connecting on a train through the books they were reading. As a book lover, that setup immediately hooked me, and I couldn’t wait to see where their story would go.

Unfortunately, once the two main characters actually started spending time together, the story lost some of its momentum for me. I struggled to connect with either of them, and their relationship never felt like it developed much beyond the initial spark. Both characters came across as emotionally immature, spending much of the book miscommunicating and dwelling on events from years ago instead of showing meaningful growth. The Lucie storyline also felt a bit excessive, and the narrative became repetitive as it circled back to the same conflicts.

That said, I genuinely enjoyed many of the side characters—they brought warmth and personality to the story and often stole the scenes they were in.

Overall, this was a sweet, easy read with a fun premise, but I had a hard time becoming invested because I never fully connected with the main characters.

** I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the author and publisher! **

[Martina]

Publishing date: Jul 02 2026 💕

❁ Thank you to Netgalley and Eleanor Goymer for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange of my honest opinion — ARC provided by HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter ❁

4-⭐

I truly enjoyed this story. It made me so glad I found my love for reading again a few years back.

✎ "You know, one of the greatest things about books is that if you’ll let them, they can be amazing triggers. Sometimes they’ll pull you into another world just when you need to escape this one. Some of them will teach you something you never knew you needed to know. But the best ones will do just what you need them to do at exactly the moment when you need it the most."

The love story in the middle of it all was nice, even if it wasn't my favourite. I especially wasn't a fan of their constant miscommunication. But I guess that was one way of showing the MCs' flaws and how they still needed to work on themselves before being really ready for a life partner.
So yeahhh, the love story could have been better, but everything else was really amazing.
From the little moments on the train to the meanings of reading and books, the little bookshop and the way grief and abandonment were described. That feeling of being stuck in a pattern for half your life without even noticing.
It had seriousness and laughs in equal measure.
It made me realise what my ultimate type really is....

✎ "Some women had a thing about men carrying around babies. For me, it was men carrying around hardback books. Couldn’t explain it but, God, it was hot."

It was a really valid read and, again, I'm sorry it took me this long to read it.
I'll definitely take a look into the author's past publications to add some to my endless TBR ♥
﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

Ⓟⓡⓔ—Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ
Can't believe I let this Arc expire 😭
I'm sorry for being late, but I am reading this now (I'm so happy I remembered to send it to my Kindle)💖

[Alieke]

My first 6 star read of the year.

I was crying by chapter 3 and while that didn't last long, it returned near the end when Sophie visited her hometown again (iykyk).

But honestly this wasn't a sad book, so it might be a me-problem haha.

This reminded me of a 90s romcom with a great meet-cute. I mean, meeting someone because they see you on the train and start reading the books you're reading? That's the dream.

Sophie and Max each had their traumas and problems to work through and it was sometimes frustrating to read, but at the same time you can't fault them for it. I loved reading both their POVs and wouldn't change a thing.

Their romance, their booktalk, their online presence, it was SO much fun to read, I can't even.

I need this to be a series because I'd love to get a book about Anna (and Remi??) 👀👀

[Liz | lizzuplans]

I loved this book!

Books on books are always a crowd pleaser, of course, but I really enjoyed the will-they-or-won’t-they vibes between Sophie and Max in the beginning of the story. Using books to flirt?! I would never shut up about it if this was my meetcute!!!

“[…] you let me into your world, one book at a time.”
I cannot, adorable!!!!

I also really enjoyed Anna and Kenneth as side characters and I would not mind a cosy, vibes-only book on them and the day to day activities of High Road Books. (I wish I could visit!)

The various nods to contemporary books was a delight and I for sure have added to my TBR.
And yes, I can totally be swayed by excellent cheekbones and hot men carrying around hardback books. The social media aspect (#hotreadinghands!!) was really fun as well.

I do think everyone (besides Vonnegut, the goodest boy) needs lots and lots of therapy to become even better versions of themselves.

4 stars with an especially enjoyable first half.

Thank you to One More Chapter and NetGalley!

I received an ARC of this book and these are my own opinions.

[Ashton Rohrer]

I loved every page of this book. The chemistry between the main characters felt authentic and engaging, while the story also explored real-life challenges in a relatable way. The characters were easy to connect with, and I was hooked from the very beginning. I honestly didn’t want it to end.

[Nya]

Recieved an e-arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book was genuinely so sweet, soft, emotional, and perfect for when you just need some time to be in your own feelings.

This is a book about grief, about books, and about being willing to change yourself. I really enjoyed reading about Max and Sophie, and I loved their connection. The slow burn of them being on the train and reading together for months before they even spoke was so sweet. And it makes it so that when they finally do speak, it's like they already know so much about each other.

Sophie is a character who lives so much in her own mind, a chronic overthinker who is also pessimistic. I can't judge. But it can be a tiny bit annoying and makes me want to shake her. Max is weirdly so perfect in how he speaks to Sophie. It's like he knows all the right things to say.

I didn't love the irl references to books like Fourth Wing and The Secret History, or Bookstagram, etc. It pulled me out from the story at times, but I was able to start ignoring it. It did cringe me out though when the hashtags and "Buffbookboy" started being thing.

I do think the characters don't act their age. I honestly think they act younger than they are, they are supposed to be mid 30's, but emotionally I can see they're younger. Grief does that to you.

I'm so happy I read this. I love books that give us an insight into how grief lingers and affects our lives forever. "We can’t remove grief or fear from our lives, but we all have the courage to face it and live lives filled with love and joy and possibility."

[Sophie]

Don’t let everything that happened in the past stop you from going after the life you want to lead in the future <3

[Chloe Byfield]

It was cute and nice to read i just wish they didn’t break up like three times. Broke up the flow of the book.

[Raquel]

I wanted to have enjoyed this book sooooo badly, but unfortunately it reminded me why I don’t usually read romance-only plots. Y’all, I was fighting for my life.

The main characters were just… Not it. Atrociously annoying to the point where I was more interested in the side characters. That’s a bit unfortunate considering the entire book is asking me to care about these two people falling in love. I mean, maybe they WERE cute… Maybe I WAS supposed to be swooning… I was, in fact, staring at the pages like: 🧍🏻‍♀️

The pacing made things even harder. I don’t discriminate against a slow burn and I do appreciate the whole “two strangers notice each other on the train and slowly become obsessed with one another” thing. Like, one of my favorite movies is Before Sunrise. I know a thing or two. 🙂‍↕️🤚🏻 But when the main source of tension is them looking at each other across a train carriage for what feels like half of the book… Houston, we have a problem.

If you’re a reader who enjoys slow paced cliché romances, you’re going to enjoy this book a lot. I, however, am a side dish kinda gal. I need me a little murder. Maybe a haunting. Perhaps a suspicious basement. Anything.

A thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

[Amber]

Thank you Netgalley for an early copy of Ask Me What I’m Reading. The premise of this book was excellent. Sophie notices a stranger on her train reading every book she reads. Max is his name and he’s trying to turn over a new leaf. When Sophie takes his breath away he decides to start reading again, and uses Sophie’s books to meet that goal. I wanted to love this but it brave really grabbed me. There were issues with both Sophie and Max that never seemed to get resolved. Issues with their parents. The story was very slow and not much happened. It was sweet at times but there just wasn’t a lot of chemistry between the characters. Even the friends in the book didn’t have a lot of personality to them to make you like them. This was. Just okay for me.

[Gem ~]

I loved the premise of this book, two people that spot one another across a busy commuter train and develop a "thing' for reading the same books each week. Following their connection developing from strangers, to friends, to more and the enrichment that brings to their lives, and to their friends, family and colleagues, was a joy to read
It is an uplifting book that puts a smile on your face, especially if you love books.

[Jana K]

I truely enjoyed this story. It’s not just about love, it’s about grief, personal growth and best of all - books! Easy to read and great writing style. 0.5 stars away from 5 stars because I got the feeling the character of Max could have used more background building, you get to know him but still it felt like it was not thorough enough. I still liked his character though.

I don’t know why exactly, but the summer-to-fall transition period was the perfect time to read this book. Recommend it for romance readers!

[Luisa Jones]

Great premise and a fairly satisfying ending. Unfortunately I found the middle less enjoyable. The characters were so screwed up, it was hard to see what they liked about each other - except that Max was almost too perfect. I wanted to relate to them, but for some reason I couldn’t really. An introspective novel reminiscent of One Day in some respects, with some decent lines and a happy ending.

[Delaney]

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 if just one thing had 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.

[jasmine]

Boring.
Basic.
Vanilla.
Any other words which connote a general feeling of meh.

Where is the chemistry? Where is the passion? Where is the charisma?

The premise was so good but the execution was poor. I wasn’t a fan of the dual POV and the writing fell flat for me.

I’m almost impressed that this author made a less than 300 page book feel like such a drag.

Definitely one I could see in a clearance bin at The Works a couple months after publication.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Melanie’s reads]

𝗠𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀

'ᥡ᥆ᥙ ᥣᥱ𝗍 mᥱ іᥒ𝗍᥆ ᥡ᥆ᥙr ᥕ᥆rᥣძ, ᥆ᥒᥱ ᑲ᥆᥆k ᥲ𝗍 ᥲ 𝗍іmᥱ.’

I started this book thinking it would be a nice little cosy read about books, so I was completely unaware of the trauma and tears that would follow.

While this is ultimately about the joy of books, it's so much more than that. Highlighting the community it can bring, the friendships, how they can help you recover from grief and messy childhoods. Give you the courage to step out of your comfort zone or maybe even put right some wrongs.

It is an ode to reading, libraries, bookshops, schools and even hospitals. While there is a fledgling romance brewing between Max Whitaker aka buffbookboy and our protagonist Sophie it just makes books seem even more magical.

It has also added to my tbr and maybe we should all consider reading #lucieslist

Shout out to Vonnegut the sausage dog scene stealer too.

[Sky :)]

I could go on and on about this book but nobody cares so all I have to say now is: this sucked lol.

In short, the characters sucked, the writing was dumb and the plot was flat as a plank.
These people are supposed to be in their thirties but they act like 16 year-olds and they act SO immature and dramatic. The way they spoke was so hard to read. I am not a fan of this 2026 language going on, I find it the least romantic thing ever. I was kind of able to oversee it, until the word ‘alpha male’ was unironically used in a random sentence. That’s where I drew the line.
I got the feeling this book was trying so hard to be funny and relatable, it just wasn’t. Basically nothing was funny to me.

The characters were really annoying too. Whenever something was troubling them, it was all like “ugh I’m so broken somebody fix me” “no you’re not broken you’re the moet perfect little prince(ss) in the worlllldd” *crying*
I’m sorry, I just can’t take this seriously if every conversation EVER leads to this.

Whenever a book introduces a character that is dead in the first pages, I can’t really sympathise with them. I have no clue who this is, never met her, and I’m supposed to understand her sadness anyways. I get that reading about a sick child is sad in itself, but it’s hard to connect with the characters on a deeper level when the storytelling is so flat. Everything was flat. The characters, the conversations, the plot, I felt like nothing had proper depth. Also, these people say everything so literally that it hurt. There was no room for interpretation or symbolism or metaphors.

One more thing. I hate it when books do the thing where they introduce the love interest and it’s just a godlike most beautiful human being ever, I just think that so unrealistic and so hard to relate to. I never think it feels real.

Ok, I admit, this is not supposed to be a super in-depth and worked out story, it’s a love story and it’s not the worst thing I’ve ever read, but it was still pretty uninteresting.
I’m sorry for the negativity. If you loved this book, I’m nothing but happy for you, it just wasn’t for me. I guess I just wasn’t the target audience.
I realise I went on and on about this book anyways.. sorry.

OH MY GOD I almost forgot, WHO said this is supposed to be a slow-burn??? Since when is it considered a slow-burn when they literally get together halfway in the book? Is that just me?

[Chloe Rebecca]

What could be better than a book about books? Not much 🤭

Ask Me What I’m Reading follows Sophie and Max, two strangers whose paths cross on their daily train commute. Their adorable meet-cute begins with books, as they slowly bond over what they’re reading and find their way back to a hobby that life, grief and everything in between had pulled them away from. Again, what can beat a bookish romance?! 💕

I absolutely loved the cosy bookshop setting, Kenneth, and of course Vonnegut the sausage dog 🐶, truly some scene stealing supporting characters! I couldn’t picture Kenneth because in my head, he was an older man, but he was far too down with the trends of social media so god knows how old he was supposed to be! He did make me laugh though 😂

Sophie setting up a Bookstagram account and almost instantly becoming a viral sensation did feel a little tooooo convenient though 😂 Those of us who have been on Bookstagram for a while know it rarely happens quite like that! That said, I really appreciated the positive outlook the book had on the online bookish community and the friendships and connections it can bring.

I really liked Sophie and Max together, although some of their arguments did feel a little childish at times. There were quite a few moments where I wished they would just hear each other out instead of storming away before giving the other person a chance to explain! But I was glad they managed to work things out in the end.

A charming, book filled romance with a lovely message about finding your way back to yourself and to the things you love.

[Romy]

Ask me what I'm reading is one of those books that will leave an impact on you, if you will let it. I very much enjoyed reading Sophie's story. I was hooked from the minute she picked up reading again. I love how the decision to pick up reading again leads her to Kenneth's bookstore - ehm pardon me, I mean Vonnegut's bookstore - and the moment she meets and connnects with Max on the train. It was such a great example of the beautiful and amazing power books hold and where reading and loving to read can bring you in life. And how inspirational reading can be to not only yourself, but also others.

Sophie tries to conquer and manage her fear by trying to face them even when it makes her freak out so much. As said in the book: "We cannot remove grief and fear from our lives, but we all have the courage to face it and live lives filled with love and joy and possibility"

If I'm honest I could relate to some bits of Sophie's story myself, and I think that is one of the reasons this book left an impact on me. Sophie's story also made me think about my own love for reading and books. I especially loved that she has a bookstagram account too! I know for sure I would be following her account if it existed in real life, not only for #buffbookboy, I swear!! Although I loved reading about Max too!

Kenneth's (aka Vonnegut's) bookstore made me wish for a bookstore just as his in my neighbourhood. I would be there everyday, I'm afraid haha.

I am not really a re-reader, but this book is definitely worth re-reading for me! I so wish I could read it again for the first time.

[Maggie Luongo]

While I was in Europe this summer, I kept coming across this book at every bookshop I went to. I finally caved and bought it at what had to have been the greatest bookstore I’ve ever been in. And overall, I really enjoyed it! The premise of meeting over books and the way this relationship unfolded was beautiful. My only real criticism would have to be how neatly so many big problems were solved in quick succession at the end of the book. This didn’t feel realistic to me which was such a bummer because I really wanted to fully buy into the idea that the events in this book could happen in real life!

[Juliana]

Noticing a man on the train reading the same books as her every single day Sophie starts having fun with this realization. With a slow start as we see our main characters glancing at each other's books daily we start seeing their interactions grow from that. A blend of The Book Swap and An Academic Affair with its various literary references and plot points. Great for those looking for a slow burn and a chance encounter between our main characters in addition to discussions of grief alongside living your life. Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Collins, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Gabbie Pop]

Romance novels about people with a love for books feel a little like candy being given to children (which is to say that I absolutely devoured this with no regrets and few thoughts). Ask Me What I'm Reading is the perfect summer read in spite of not being set in summer. The first third was the strongest for me and I thought that it lost some steam as it went on, but I still had a fantastic time with it.

I do, however have to note that the tone isn't quite light hearted, as the book does a lot of work around the two protagonists' traumas when it comes to loss and neglect.

[Andy John]

Miluju příběhy o lidech, kteří milují knihy, myslela jsem si, že Ask me What I'm reading bude kniha, která mi zůstane v srdci a do půlky knihy jsem si to myslela, ale pak to nabralo podle mě strašně rychlý spád událostí a strašných nedorozumění, že to oba hrdiny několikrát rozdělilo, a ano (pozor trochu spoiler), oba dva mají traumata, která musí překonat (a tahle fáze byla na mě moc rychlá). Jinak myšlenka skvělá - návrat ke čtení, znovunalezení samasebe/sámsebe, Londýn, indie knihkupectví se psem, co se jmenuje Vonnegut, prostě roztomilé.

[Christine Anderson]

Thank you NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was cute! I enjoyed the premise and I always like stories about two people coming together at a time when they really need each other to grow and get out of their own comfort zones.

I felt like some of the conversations went on for a really long time which was my only complaint, sometimes it felt like they dragged on. Everything else was great.

[Gem :)]

3.75 rounded up

This was a fun palette cleanser. The main relationship is frustrating but compelling enough that I didn’t mind too much. The main beauty of this book is its well-crafted presentation of grief and complicated family relationships. Max’s family life is an interesting storyline and Lucie’s impact on Sophie gives the book more emotional depth than the usual one note romance.

I also loved seeing the books they were reading throughout!!

[Emma Watson]

3.5⭐️

[Lynne Taylor]

This book was hard going, the on off romance was irritating and I couldn’t really care less what happened 😁

[Rebecca Annie]

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Ask Me What I'm Reading was such a charming audiobook that ended up being about so much more than books. Yes, it's packed with bookish goodness, but at its heart it's a story about grief, growth, friendship, and finding the courage to rewrite your own story.

I adored Sophie and Max. Their relationship starts with months of sharing a train carriage and silently reading together before they even exchange a word, which made their eventual conversations feel extra special. By the time they finally spoke, it felt like they already knew each other. And honestly, using books to flirt? If that was my meet-cute, I'd never stop talking about it.

As a dual POV romance lover, this book was right up my street. Getting inside both Sophie and Max's heads added so much depth to their characters and relationship. Sophie was witty, authentic, and wonderfully grounded, while Max was flawed but genuinely trying to become a better version of himself. He's the perfect mix of slightly questionable and completely swoon-worthy. A man taking up a whole new hobby just to get a woman's attention? A little creepy in real life, perhaps. In fiction? Sign me up for the yearning.

What I loved most was how mature and realistic their romance felt. It wasn't rushed or perfect. The story embraces the messier side of relationships, from miscommunication and insecurities to baggage from the past, while never losing sight of the joy and comfort people can bring to each other's lives. The book also beautifully highlights the community that books can create and the ways stories can help us heal, connect, and step outside our comfort zones.

My one frustration was the repeated breakup and miscommunication drama. By the third time Sophie ran away before getting the full picture, it started to feel a bit repetitive. Once or twice I could overlook, but three times was pushing it, and I found myself wishing the conflict had been handled a little differently.

Still, this was a warm, heartfelt, and thoroughly bookish romance with two wonderfully developed characters and a love story worth rooting for. Come for the books, stay for the yearning.

[Yolanda Galiana]

First of all, I want to thank NetGalley for the opportunity t oread an ARC of this book.
When my request for this book was accepted in NetGalley I got really excited because I was in the mood of reading a romance around the book’s world. The idea was amazing: two strangers that catch the attention of each other at the train because of the books they are reading. It had everything to turn into the perfect novel for me. Unfortunately, it wasn’t.

Sophie is dealing with her best friend’s death grief since she passed away 10 years ago. Lucie was the one who made her love books and now she’s starting to do it again choosing the ones from a list Lucie left her.

Max is running his father’s company after he died. His girlfriend broke up with him and now he feels lost and finds no meaning to life.

Sophie and Max travel in the same train every day. One of those days, Max notices her reading a book and she caughts his attention. Next day, he appears with a book from the same author. From that point on, they start communicating through books without saying a word until they gather the courage to talk to each other.

My biggest problem with “Ask Me What I’m Reading” is how unreal the characters felt. They didn’t look like adults at all, they acted like teenagers. So many misunderstandings, so many communication problems… They had no real issues in their relationship, it felt odd and like the author wanted to create drama out of nowhere. As for their development, it made no sense. Sophie’s been dealing with grief for a decade and she hasn’t even thought about getting psychological help (or no one has ever asked her to do it seeing how deep her sorrow was). Her pain didn’t feel that real to me, it didn’t look like Lucie and her had a friendship that deep. The author is constantly throwing to our faces how important Lucie was for Sophie through words, but I couldn’t really connect with their relationship because the few flashback scenes we had weren’t remarkable. Max, on the other hand, is said to have a drinking problem. He’s said to have it but we don’t get to see any struggle at all. It’s only mentioned but there’s no action or thought to show us. And that’s my issue with Goymer’s writing style, she doesn’t build her characters through actions but through words, saying instead of showing.

There was no chemistry at all between Max and Sophie either. Their romance felt flat to me. I didn’t feel a thing, not even when they talk for the first time or their first dates. Nothing. The only thing I liked about this book i show book-centered it is, special mention to Kenneth, his bookshop and Vonnegut.