Ask Me What I’m Reading: A Slow-Burn Love Story for Bookworms and Romance Readers

by Eleanor Goymer

Perfect 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.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

336 pages, Paperback

First published July 2, 2026

Reviews

[Shelley's Book Nook · Rating 2 out of 5]

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⭐⭐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.

[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 ❁

Ⓟⓡⓔ—Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ
Can't wait to begin this ✨

[Nya · Rating 4 out of 5]

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."

[Liz | lizzuplans · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Chloe Byfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Ashton Rohrer · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Melanie’s reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

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.

[Gem ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Delaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[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.

[Christine Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Abigail Davis-Fletcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Thank you to One More Chapter for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Ask Me What I’m Reading contains multitudes. It starts with a focus on grief that morphs into a love letter to reading. Sophie picks up books for the first time in ten years and starts making her way through some of the most popular reads of the last few years while also debating whether she should be picking books for the sake of enjoyment or because she’s been told to read them. Performative versus pleasurable reading; a debate we all know well!

Sophie’s grief prevented her from reading for ten years, and it also sets the scene for everywhere she is in life: the job she has but (kind of) hates, the flat she lives in that’s falling apart, her lack of long-term relationships (in friend form or otherwise). Some of Sophie’s grief is heartbreaking. I shed a tear in the first few pages of the book, and so I thought it was going to be a tough story to work through. Alas, sometimes, I forgot the grief was there because we were spending time on other things, like Max, or because it presented itself differently. That’s really a very honest representation of grief.

I loved the idea of Sophie and Max’s meet-cute. It’s a romantic premise and completely unique. When the book saga was over, I missed it. Their relationship wasn’t quite as exciting once it had gotten past that ‘will they, won’t they’ stage. Then, we got to the constant miscommunication stage and that was frustrating to read. The timeline of this book is a long one. Sophie and Max orbit each other for months before they start dating, and their breaks apart are long too. I’m not sure how they kept making it work, but it felt too long, for me, particularly since their stories centred around each other so much. Although they did have their own side stories, none of them, I felt, were fleshed out enough to justify us spending so much time on them rather than on their relationship. With Max’s story, in particular, we don’t really get any closure so it feels almost redundant to have told his story (or have it dive as deep as it does) in the first place.

Anna was an interesting character. We kind of got closure with her story, though I still have questions. The mystery around her return didn’t fit the story in any way, except to explain that Sophie has no other friends and had been largely alone for ten years (although we don’t actually get any information about those ten years so I could be wrong). Anna is joyful and witty and vibrant, but she also deserved a lot more, I think! More closure, more context, and more attention. At times, it felt like she was Sophie’s friend but Sophie was not hers.

The concept of this book being a love letter to reading is wonderful in theory, but I would implore the author to be very careful with such a choice. Reading is political, and humans continually sit on the fence as to whether or not they will be on the wrong or right side of history. Some of the authors/books mentioned in this book are problematic, and their inclusion could prohibit readers from feeling that their own inclusion is being taken into account. For example, trans readers seeing Harry Potter mentioned in the year 2026 when we know that JKR is actively funding initiatives to take away rights from trans people in the UK.

The idea of sharing real-life books by real-life authors is a wonderful one, but should be treated with care. Reminiscing a childhood favourite is not worth it if an entire demographic of readers is going to feel excluded.

For me, Ask Me What I’m Reading felt too open-ended. I felt like we’d spent so much time on plot points that weren’t needed that we had to rush the ending and now I’m left with questions. It’s very realistic in that sense, but I like my stories to be tied up with a bow. I like being able to guess how the characters’ lives continue past the last page. From the ending of this book, I’m not sure if Sophie and Max will even stay together.

I enjoyed parts of Ask Me What I’m Reading. I especially loved the premise. For an easy read or a palette cleanser, I think it would do the job and I really did enjoy some of the conversations around grief, especially those discussing how much Lucie loved books and her people. It just didn’t completely hit the spot for me.

Also, just a funny thing I noticed but the character names really made me laugh. It felt like every secondary female character had to have an Anna/Ama name. We have Anna, Annabel and Amelie!

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was expecting a cute little rom-com when I picked up Ask Me What I’m Reading, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a full-blown, slow-burn romance about two people who have the cutest meet-cute ever but who maybe aren’t in the best place for a committed relationship and all that entails. They’ve both had tragedy and grief in their lives, and instead of moving forward have moved sideways, backwards or maybe just stayed in place. The details are different, but their circumstances are eerily similar; they know they must move on and make changes, but change is hard. And terrifying. They each feel as if they have failed in so many ways – could they survive another loss? The attraction between them is strong, though. Without even speaking at the beginning they feel lighter; a little joy and ease have crept in.

Sophie works in the medical field. Not actually inside the hospital or doing research or interacting with patients as was her plan before her best friend Lucy died. Now she’s frozen in place: job she doesn’t enjoy tiny rundown flat, tiny circle of friends. The only thing big in her life is the rut she’s in . . . wait, more like a trench . . . or maybe a chasm. Lucy has been gone for ten years, but every day Sophie tells herself she’s let Lucy down yet again. Her friend Anna – not Lucy but definitely BFF material – prods Sophie to start living, or at least start reading again. So she does, and here comes that meet-cute.

Max owns a successful business he never wanted. When he was eight-years-old his mother was there for breakfast and gone by dinner. No explanation at all from his father. Max’s childhood was not happy. A demanding, critical father who was ruthless, cruel and greedy. When Max’s father died and he inherited the business he spiraled, leaving the teaching job he loved and becoming the stereotypical wild, irresponsible rich kid. Drinking, carousing, out all night; his girlfriend left him. He, like Sophie, knows deep down something needs to change. Which finds him on the train to work one morning rather than in a car. Stick to a schedule, establish a routine.

And there she was: this beautiful woman just reading a book. Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing exciting – but lightning struck. He was fascinated and hooked. Sophie had a funny little tremble when she spotted him, too; not her type, too handsome, too posh, probably just slumming it for a day. She couldn’t get him out of her mind; it seems lightning struck her side of the train as well.

Max starts what might be called book-stalking, showing up reading the same book she is or another one by that same author; Sophie begins an Instagram blog @askmewhatimreading and posts pictures of #buffbookboy (no facial shots, of course) but there is still little actual interaction between them. Author Eleanor Goymer does a remarkable job of unwinding this story in an almost torturously slow and measured fashion, building tension and suspense – and hope. Max and Sophie seem so right for each other but there is a lot of past trauma to overcome.

I received an advance copy of Ask Me What I’m Reading from HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter via NetGalley. Receiving this book made me realize just how special the books One More Chapter publishes; they touch your heart and stay with you. Author Goymer has written a story with characters who are nuanced and believable; the real world falls away and you are just in the story. I am happy to have found a new-to-me author to add to my Favorites list. I recommend this sweet, heartfelt book without hesitation. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

[Alison McIntyre · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Sometimes, I find the books that don't quite hit right have just found themselves in our lives and the wrong time. And sometimes...they're just asemic."

What is with all the bad reviews for this? Are these two protagonists disasters in their personal and possibly working lives? Yes. Was it still good? Yes. We're not all perfect and I get the reason for withholding information until you are more comfortable with the person you are getting to know. I enjoyed how they learned and grew with one another. That's what relationships should be. Obviously you need to get rid of most of your baggage before starting a relationship or said baggage can ruin a good thing before it starts.

Max and Sophie met on a train and she caught his eye because she was reading a book. Max at first was hard for me to like. He was a rich, playboy, party boy and had always had everything handed to him.

But from the start, he WANTED to change and that let me sympathise with him. Sophie was lost and still mourning the loss of her best friend almost ten years ago. She used to read lots with her best friend but stopped after her death. Both of them have terrible relationships with their parents.

At first he starts reading what she is reading and then once they got to talking they both started choosing books they liked.

I miss living in London. Sophie had a bookshop around the corner with a cute dog named Vonnegut. And Kenneth the bookseller really took the time to ask what she liked and disliked as a kid and what particularly she liked about those books.

Bookstore vs library? Don't get me wrong, I love that they found a whole little world within the bookstore but libraries exist.

Ask me what I'm reading list:

White Teeth Zadie Smith
The Fraud Zadie Smith
My Brilliant Friend Elena Ferrante
The Phantom of the Opera Gaston Leroux
First Time Caller BK Borison
Sally Rooney
Little Women Louisa May Alcott
Thursday Murder Club Richard Osman
We Solve Murders Richard Osman
The Hobbit J.R.R. Tolkien
Jonathan strange and Mr Norrell Susanna Clarke
Circe Madeline Miller
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe C.S. Lewis
Fourth Wing Rebecca Yarros
Iron Flame Rebecca Yarros
And Then There Were None Agatha Christie
The Night Watch Sarah Waters
Tom's Midnight Garden Philippa Pearce
The Secret Garden Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Secret History Donna Tart
The Wasteland and other poems T.S. Eliot
A Study in Scarlett Arthur Conan Doyle
Room Emma Donoghue
One Day David Nicholls
not sure if this is real - Catalyst by Marina de Blair

"We all know Instagram is full of cute animals and far right extremists."

"Some women love men carrying babies. I love men carrying around hardbacks."

"I wanted to love her and where better to tell her than in front of a building full of books."

"Everyone thought they were the good guy until they were faced with something hard."


Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the ARC of this one.

[Sadie E · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is basically a love letter to all things books, so as a certified book gremlin, I should have loved this.

Instead, I spent most of the book wanting to shake the MCs.

I genuinely thought Sophie and Max (particularly Sophie) were about 19.

Imagine my surprise when I realised these people are 34.

Thirty. Four.

These are grown adults with fully developed frontal lobes, yet they communicate like two toddlers who've just discovered that having a crush is a thing.

I found them impossible to connect with because they're so immature and incapable of having a normal conversation or resolving conflict in any way that doesn't involve spiralling internally for 9 chapters. It creates some entertaining situations, but it also creates about 300 pages of frustration.

The concept itself is fantastic. A bookish meet-cute? Sign me up immediately.

The problem is that the second the MCs actually meet, all the tension evaporates.

The anticipation was carrying this book on its back, and once Sophie and Max started talking I realised there wasn't much left to sustain it. Honestly, once they meet you could roll credits and not miss out on anything of value.

And then there's Lucie.

I understand that losing someone's traumatic and grief doesn't have an expiration date and everyone processes loss differently. But Sophie spends so much time pining for Lucie that I half expected Lucie to get her own POV chapters.

It's been 10 years.

TEN.

With 170 mentions, Lucie stops feeling like a memory and starts feeling like a special guest star contractually obligated to appear in every chapter.

I also need to discuss Sophie's job crisis.

She's constantly insecure about her career. She goes on and on and ON about how unhappy she is with her job and how everyone's judging her for being a failure.

Girl.

Get a new job.

Dust off your CV.

Update your LinkedIn.

Set up some job alerts.

Do literally anything.

I'm begging you.

Her job sounds perfectly respectable and I simply can't read 15 consecutive chapters of "my career isn't fulfilling me and I'm ashamed of it" without wanting to open Indeed on her behalf and start submitting applications myself.

Max isn't much better. Both characters are so obsessed with their insecurities that the story starts running in circles. The same thoughts, the same worries, the same emotional beats, over and over again like the world's most annoying Spotify playlist.

And that's really my biggest issue with the book: it's repetitive.

Every time I thought we'd moved on from a particular plot point, the book would wheel it back out for another lap.

But I can't completely dislike a book that's so clearly written by someone who loves reading. The passion for books shines through every page. I just wish I'd liked the characters more.

Thank you to Harper Collins for the ARC

[Claudia Feneley · Rating 3 out of 5]

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!

[Linda Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophie Hart reads on her morning commute.

What a lovely, lovely book. I thoroughly enjoyed Ask Me What I’m Reading.

Ostensibly this is a conventional love story that proves ‘the course of true love never did run smooth’ and which is filled with the aspects of romantic fiction readers like me love. There’s a slow burn of attraction as Sophie and Max gradually pluck up courage to do more than simply glance at one another across a train carriage. There are ups and downs in their emergent relationship that becomes thwarted by half truths, omissions and assumptions. There is a wonderfully depicted developing romantic attraction. All these features would make Ask Me What I’m Reading a perfectly wonderful story.

But Eleanor Goymer has this as her foundation for so much more too. The layers in the narrative add depth to plot, character and theme.

I loved meeting Max and Sophie. Both have flaws and insecurities that make them appear all the more human. Their relationships with their parents and the effect of events from their pasts help create rounded, complex characters that are so much more than potential partners for one another. I also adored their friends. Sophie’s friend Anna is feisty, somewhat devious and fiercely loyal and Max’s friend Josh is the perfect antidote to the toxic manosphere of today’s world in his support of Max. I wanted to step into the pages and embrace him. Through Anna and Josh the reader is given even greater insight into Sophie and Max.

The themes of the plot are just wonderful. Obviously romance features, and it is presented with humour, thought and sensitivity as Sophie and Max stumble their way into getting to know one another – mostly through books. However, I found the themes of family, friendship, grief, guilt, corporate business and the impact of inertia absolutely fascinating. Ask Me What I’m Reading delivers brilliantly in so many ways. I can’t spoil the read by adding more, but trust me, there’s so much to discover in Ask Me What I’m Reading.

And of course, running through the narrative, as suggested by the title, are books. I found childhood favourites, classic and modern authors and new to me titles. This might be a love story, but it is also a love letter to the power of fiction that resonates deeply with any reader. What better name for an overindulged bookshop sausage dog than Vonnegut?

Any reader looking for the perfect romantic story with books at its heart need look no further. Eleanor Gaynor has captured the concept brilliantly. I loved this one and recommend Ask Me What I’m Reading most highly!

[Yolanda Galiana · Rating 1 out of 5]

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.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two lost souls each make a resolution to shake off their funk - but can they do it together?

After Sophie lost her BFF Lucie while at University she felt lost, crashed out of her degree, and wound up in an admin job for the NHS, living in a poky one-bedroom flat. When her friend Anna suddenly reappears after spending years in Japan, Anna persuades Sophie to try and recapture some of the things she used to love doing ... like reading. To help her, Anna creates a bookstagram for Sophie called 'Ask Me What I'm Reading', which just happened to be the thing Lucie always said to Sophie every time they saw each other.

Max is a poor little rich boy. His mother left him suddenly while he was at boarding school and his father was more interested in making money than his son. Then, when his father died, as a condition of the will, Max had to give up his job as a teacher and run his father's Private Equity investment house for six months in order to inherit. In those six months Max lost his girlfriend, the job he loved, and his self-respect. Eighteen months later, Max is living a dissolute life of late night drinking and one-night stands. Until one News Years Eve he decides enough is enough, he'll start taking control of his life and what better way to start than getting up early and catching the train to work instead of getting a taxi.

When Max spots Sophie across the crowded carriage she has her nose buried in a book and charming, quick-witted Max can't seem to find a way to get to know her, which has never happened to him before. So in desperation he remembers that he has a book by the same author on his bookshelf, so the next time he manages to get up early he brings along the book. But by that time Sophie has moved on to another book, each one recommended by a local bookshop owner who is trying to help her find her reading mojo.

As time goes on Max and Sophie are engaged in a game of book tag, which only they know, meanwhile photos of Max's hands holding a book have featured prominently on Sophie's Instagram page, in fact her followers have nicknamed him Buff Book Boy.

Will these two ever speak? And if they do, can they overcome their baggage?

This was a sweet book with the added bonus of some interesting book recommendations and a host of loveable side characters who I wouldn't mind seeing again.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley,

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I was hooked –right there, right then. No need for thunderbolts, no sign of lightning, just a girl on the train reading her book. And then the train lurched, and her gaze shot up and met my own. And then, yes, then, lightning struck.”

As some who really enjoyed The Plot Twist, I was excited to read this one and it didn’t disappoint. I actually loved this book - from the way in which it depicted grief, to the way books brought them together and the MMCs character arc. This was just a beautiful read.

At its core ‘Ask Me What I’m Reading’ is a love letter to books and reading. It’s at the epicentre of the key relationships in the novel - the developing one between Sophie and Max, her childhood best friend Lucie, his mum and the budding friendship with the local indie bookstore owner. All of these connect to sharing a love of books.

Their meet cute is one of my all time faves - the fact that he saw her reading a book on his train and was immediately captivated. So he matches her book each day - actually the cutest! A special mention also has to be made for the references made to some of my favourite books, this added another layer to how much I enjoyed this book.

‘Ask me what I’m reading,’ was almost certainly the way she started our last ever conversation, because it was the way she had started almost every single one we’d ever had.”

The way in which this book dealt with grief was heartbreakingly beautiful. The fact that her love for books is entangled with the loss of her best friend, and the way she tries to regain something she once loved by starting to read again. This was just so beautifully done.

“made me want to stop partying and read more books, she made me want to be a better person.”

Max is a complicated MMC - he’s unlikable at first but desperately trying to be a better man. To take his privilege and make it mean something and not follow in his father’s footsteps. He went through some character progression in this book!

Overall this is one I’d 100% recommend - a must read!

ARC copy provided by Harper Collins & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ask Me What I’m Reading is filled to the brim with Bookstagram references. Hashtags, mentions of posts, of books (we all love to read about books in books), and a hot (no, buff*) book boy. This one is written for you, the romance book lovers on social media.

The two main characters carry grief and troubled relationships with people in their lives, and with different motivations, they both find their way back into reading and eventually stumble upon each other. Sounds cute, right?

It had cute moments, but also moments that challenged the reasonable part of my brain, analysing how differently some of the events would’ve come across in real life, but it kind of works in this romanticised world.

I’m puzzled about where to place the writing style. On one hand, there were a few passages that were written very well, but on the other, I never felt that the two narrative voices from our main characters got enough tonal differentiation. Is this Max? Is this Sophie? I wish the male MC had gotten a more developed character portrait. Right now, he perfectly fits the romance-trope mould but leaves no lasting impression. The female MC made me frustrated many times, and I felt that her dialogue did not match the personality that was portrayed.

So, what’s the verdict? I found myself staying for the bookish theme, and less so for the relationship. I recently read another book that mentioned and referenced existing books, and where that book added new titles to my TBR, this one seemed to name-drop every other popular book out there (of course Bookstagram’s darling Rooney and a certain gold-and-black dragon book). I thought to myself: are we simply dropping keywords now? Surely we could have at least replaced the name-drop of the author whose name will not be mentioned on my page.

All in all, a somewhat meta-influenced romance novel with a somewhat believable meet-cute trope. It will surely land better with dedicated romance readers (this is the first romance book I’ve read in over a year).

2.5 (between it was okay and I liked it) 💫

e-ARC received via NetGalley

[iole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ask Me What I'm Reading is a sweet love letter to books and to the bookish community! It tells the story of Sophie and Max, who meet on the commuter train to London and quickly bond over a disturbingly (read: creepy) similar taste in books (= he copies ALL her current reads just to flirt with her).

As this is every hopeless romantic's dream, I was completely sold on the premise. And the first 30% absolutely delivered, despite how stalkerish they both were.

The story started off strong between train rides, book talk, and the lasting impact that grief has had on both of them. Sophie and Max are both stuck in lives and careers they don't like, willing to change but not even knowing where to start. It turns out that getting back into reading is the first step for getting back to themselves, which I completely loved and related to.

Their struggles and flaws made both character feel real and fully fleshed out.
But then, unfortunately, the story fell flat for me.

I don't mind miscommunications and popular book references in other books, but there were just too many of both in here. They kept breaking up before they even started dating. It got tiring very soon, especially because their conflicts seemed to come out of nowhere.
Still, I kept reading and rooting for them both to get a better life (and learn how not to flee at every misunderstanding) and it paid off.

I think the character study and emotional growth is the best part of this book, alongside the esporation of grief and its lasting effects. The friendship between Lucie and Sophie was beautiful to read, it got me emotional from chapter 1.
So even though this book frustrated me, it also had a lot of charm and good moments.

Overall, it was a lovely story with messy characters and bookish vibes. If you don't mind miscommunications and pop references (a lot of Instagram talk), it might be the book for you.

Thank you to Netgalley, OMC and the author for the eARC!

[Toni Gower · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ask Me What I'm Reading

Thank you so much to @netgalley, @harpercollinsuk, and @eleanorgoymerwrites for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh, this book gave me all the feels! One moment I was smiling, and the next I was holding back tears. It was an emotional journey in all the best ways.

Max and Sophie, our male and female main characters, have the most perfect meet-cute, one that would be a book lover's dream. Their relationship begins through reading the same books during their morning commute, and I absolutely adored that premise. I also loved that this was told through dual POVs and featured a wonderfully slow-burn romance. Readers who enjoy closed-door romance will definitely appreciate this one.

The emotional depth of both Max and Sophie added so much to the story. Watching their character development unfold as they each navigated grief and worked through past trauma was incredibly moving and made their journey feel authentic.

And who doesn't love a book about books? I adored the many literary references woven throughout the story. It was such a clever touch, and I loved seeing the characters bond over some beloved reads. The references to Bookstagram and social media also felt very current, and it was fascinating to see how quickly an online platform could grow. I only wish I'd thought of the account handle myself—the meaning behind it was truly touching.

Adding even more cosy charm were Kenneth, his adorable little sausage dog, and the local bookshop. Anna was also a fantastic supporting character and such a strong friend to Sophie. This is one of those books where the side characters could easily steal the show.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a comforting read filled with emotional depth, well-developed characters, a slow-burn romance, and plenty of bookish references. If you love books about books, this one is definitely worth adding to your TBR.

[Cari Zbel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

(4.5 stars)

I loved this story! I was hooked from the moment Max and Sophie connected. As a fellow book lover, the idea of having one of those instant connection moments over a shared love of books is basically the dream.

One of my favorite parts was how different books they read started conversations that revealed something new about each of them. Books mean something different to every reader because we all bring our own experiences to the page, and I loved seeing how their interpretations reflected some of what they’ve been through in their own lives. It made their connection feel incredibly authentic.

I also loved that books weren't just a shared passion, and that they became the foundation of Max and Sophie's relationship and a way for both characters to process their grief, fears, and personal growth. Watching them figure themselves out alongside each other was one of the strongest parts of the novel.

The characters felt very realistic. The author did a great job portraying, imperfect people with insecurities, and emotional baggage like we all have. Having experienced the loss myself, I especially connected with Sophie's struggle to let go of the version of herself that existed before that loss, and how up and down the grieving process can be, even years later.

The only thing that kept this from being a full five stars for me was the repeated miscommunication trope. It's never been my favorite, and after a while I found myself wishing they would just have an honest conversation, or not run away! That said, I never stopped rooting for them, and I was genuinely happy with how everything came together in the end.

Overall, if you're looking for a sweet romance with bookish vibes, and plenty of emotional moments, I'd definitely recommend picking this one up. It had me smiling through most of the story, and it definitely delivered all the feels!

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vauxhall, London. Sophie Hart catches at train to work at the NHS healthcare trust, and at the start of the New Year she sees him. A man in an expensive suit, after she stops thinking why is he slumming it on the train, she notices he’s blond and handsome.

Max Whitaker's resolution is to cease being an entitled twat, making bad choices, drinking too much, and catch the train to his equity firm. He notices a pretty woman reading a book, she's cute and he likes how she flicks her hair. The next morning Max is reading the same novel and soon it becomes a game between them.

Sophie buys her books from Kenneth at High Road Books, he has a sausage dog called Vonnegut and Sophie’s best friend comes up with an idea. Anna creates an Instagram page called @askmewhatimreading, using hashtags to gain bookish followers and Sophie had no idea thousands of people would find her TBR and the man with the nice hands and expensive cuff links so interesting?

The relationship between Sophie and Max doesn’t take of quite as quickly as her social media page, with lots of speed bumps along the way, including both overcoming grief, loss, anxiety, fear, having their feelings hurt, and phobias.

I received a copy of Ask Me What I’m Reading by Eleanor Goymer from NetGalley and One More Chapter in exchange for an unbiased review and all thoughts expressed are my own.

While this book is advertised as a slow burn and chance encounter romance, it is so much more, multiple times I found myself crying my eyes out reading the beautiful story, about friendship, forgiveness, moving forward and how life can be tough and book people are the best.

I really need Anna to sort my Instagram page out, being a book blogger/influencer isn’t easy and I’m hopeless with technology and five big stars from me.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

I'm always going to be drawn to books about books, so this one immediately caught my attention. The idea of two strangers connecting over what they're reading on their daily train commute was such a fun premise, and it definitely delivered on the cozy, bookish atmosphere.

My favorite part was how much this story celebrates reading and the community that comes with it. Between the local bookstore, Bookstagram, and all the conversations about books, it felt like a love letter to readers. If you've ever made a friend because of a book recommendation or found yourself wanting to ask someone, "What are you reading?" you'll probably relate to a lot of this.

I also liked that Sophie and Max both had their own personal struggles to work through. Their relationship wasn't instant, and I appreciated watching them slowly get to know each other instead of everything happening overnight.

For me, though, the second half wasn't quite as strong as the first. The pacing slowed down, and a few of the conflicts came down to simple miscommunication. I found myself thinking, "Just talk to each other!" more than once. I also wanted a little more depth from some of the supporting characters because they were interesting enough that I wanted to know them better.

Overall, this was a sweet, comforting read that reminded me why I love the book community so much. While it didn't completely wow me, I still enjoyed the journey and think it will be a great pick for readers who love slow-burn romance, cozy bookstores, Bookstagram, and stories where books bring people together.

This one lands at 3.5 stars rounded to 4 for me. It's charming, cozy, and perfect for anyone who loves books about people who love books.

[Steph Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

If a book could be a literal love letter to the reading, it would be Ask Me What I’m Reading.

The Synopsis
Brought together by a shared love of books on their daily train commute, the two main characters seem like a match made in literary heaven. Both MCs carry significant past emotional trauma that has kept them stuck in place, preventing them from moving forward with their lives. While Max is interested almost straight away, it takes Sophie a bit more time to open up.


What I Loved
The premise is absolutely charming, and there is an undeniable connection between the two leads. For anyone who has ever looked at a stranger reading on public transport and wondered about their story, this book captures that magic beautifully. It’s comforting, atmospheric, and celebrates the power of stories to bring people together.

Why not more stars?
Where the story stumbled for me was the romantic execution. While the connection was there, the romantic chemistry felt a bit lacking.

I found myself struggling with the imbalance in their personal growth. Max puts an incredible amount of effort into overcoming his past hurt and working on himself. Sophie, on the other hand, is incredibly quick to pass judgement on him. While she does eventually put in the work to move forward with her life, the resolution left me feeling a bit deflated. By the end, it felt less like a grand romance and more like Sophie didn't actually care all that much for Max beyond having a reliable book-reading buddy.

Final Thoughts
Come for the romance, but stay for the bibliophile vibes. While the central love story didn't quite sweep me off my feet due to the character dynamics, it is still a lovely, cozy read that completely understands the joy of being a reader.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Briahna · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You don’t have to believe me. Well I believe it, and one day I will persuade you that you, Sophie Hart, are enough.”

*Thank you Harper Collins/One More Chapter for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All options are my own.*

I love when a book makes you fall in love with reading all over again. This is a swoon worthy story about love, lost, heartache but most importantly hope. Both main characters Lucie and Max try to make their lives better one book at a time.

I love everything about this book. I love the characters. I love the city. I love the places that they work. I love the friends and the family. This is a complicated well-thought-out love story between two people who are hurting, lost, trying to figure out what they’re doing in their life from the first page to the last page of this book. But most importantly it is a book about hope. I love love love love this book and I feel like it is a love letter to those who love to read. When you find out the reason behind the title of this book, you might cry like I did. It is a well thought out story about romance, loss, friendship, and parent child relationships. It takes you through the highs of life and the lows of life and it is a journey that I want to go on again. This is a story that touches my heart, that pulls at my heart strings and I am so happy to have read it. I can’t wait till it is released so I can buy a hard copy of this book. I am so grateful to books like this that exist in the world that reminds you of why you love reading. I hope that every fellow book lover feels like they are appreciated when reading this book because I know that I am and was. This book has stolen my heart and if you have not ready yet, I hope it still is yours too. Also I want a wiener dog now.

[Aga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for this ARC.

When one of your favourite authors, Claire Frances, recommends a book, naturally you go straight to NetGalley and request it.

I was instantly drawn in by the title, Ask Me What I’m Reading, and even more intrigued once I realised how beautifully important that phrase is within the story. It is something Lucie used to say, and that detail gives the title so much emotional weight. It becomes more than just a lovely bookish line. It becomes a connection, a memory, and a way back to the person Sophie used to be.

Sophie is still grieving the loss of her childhood friend Lucie, and her world has become very small. She is surviving, but not truly living. When her firecracker friend Anna unexpectedly returns from Japan, she gently pushes Sophie to open herself back up to life again. Part of that journey begins with books, as Sophie starts reading again after years away from them and works her way through Lucie’s reading list.

Then Sophie meets Max, a handsome stranger on the Tube, and their connection begins in the most bookish, charming way. Max flirts with Sophie through books, and honestly, I loved that. Their relationship feels tender, thoughtful and quietly hopeful.

This is such a touching story about grief, healing, friendship, love and the way books can bring us back to ourselves. I loved Sophie, warmed to Max very quickly, and absolutely adored the side characters, especially Kenneth and Vonnegut. Both added so much heart, and I loved seeing how much the characters grew throughout the story.

A really beautiful, emotional and uplifting read. Keep an eye out for this one on July 2nd.