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Storybook Ending
A charming story about friendship, community, and the magic that happens in bookstores—when an anonymous note left in a book finds the wrong recipient.
April, a smart and lonely tech worker, worries work from home has gotten out of hand: She’s left an anonymous note in a book for Westley, the clerk at her Seattle neighborhood bookstore who has a gentle smile and looks great in flannel. But thanks to fate, Laura—a busy single mom who had given up on love—buys the book, finds the note, and thinks Westley has left it for her. A handsome man who loves books seems like just the plot twist she has been looking for.
Meanwhile, Westley—not the most perceptive—is too distracted by the movie filming at the store and the ambition it’s unlocked in him to notice either of the two women. But as April and Laura’s anonymous correspondence continues back and forth, their mundane routines are challenged, sparking a glimmer of hope. Is a happy ending in the cards for them?
A heartwarming web of mistaken identities and serendipitous encounters, Storybook Ending is a playful tribute to friendship, love stories of all kinds, and to the objects—from a forgotten slip of paper to someone’s heart—left between the pages of books we loved.
April, a smart and lonely tech worker, worries work from home has gotten out of hand: She’s left an anonymous note in a book for Westley, the clerk at her Seattle neighborhood bookstore who has a gentle smile and looks great in flannel. But thanks to fate, Laura—a busy single mom who had given up on love—buys the book, finds the note, and thinks Westley has left it for her. A handsome man who loves books seems like just the plot twist she has been looking for.
Meanwhile, Westley—not the most perceptive—is too distracted by the movie filming at the store and the ambition it’s unlocked in him to notice either of the two women. But as April and Laura’s anonymous correspondence continues back and forth, their mundane routines are challenged, sparking a glimmer of hope. Is a happy ending in the cards for them?
A heartwarming web of mistaken identities and serendipitous encounters, Storybook Ending is a playful tribute to friendship, love stories of all kinds, and to the objects—from a forgotten slip of paper to someone’s heart—left between the pages of books we loved.
320 pages, Paperback
First published May 24, 2025
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24987 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,019 reviews
July 15, 2025
In a Nutshell: A contemporary fiction about a misunderstanding that lasts too long. Character-driven, with some well-sketched characters in the lead. Interesting story, though it is built upon a plot hole. Slightly slow-paced and repetitive. Recommended but not to all. Better if not read as a romance, and definitely not as a romcom, despite that cutesy cover.
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Plot Preview:
Bookish Yays:
📚 The three main characters:
🔖 April, with her paradoxical personality of being an overthinker and yet not thinking enough. Her frustrations with her personal and professional life comes across well.
🔖 Laura, with her conflicts as a single mom and a working professional. Probably my favourite character in the book as she felt the most realistic in emotions.
🔖 Westley, who is not like typical romance leads. I mean, he is extremely handsome (as expected), but he is aware of his appeal but doesn’t take advantage of it. He is also not ambitious, quite awkward, not highly educated, doesn’t enjoy sci-fi… So his personality is quite refreshing for this genre, even when he isn't entirely likeable.
📚 Several other good characters, some of whom are nicely quirky. Laura’s seven-year-old daughter Olivia is the sweetest and written in an age-appropriate manner.
📚 The characters range in age from single digit to fifty-something and they mostly act their age. We do get one immature thirty-something-year-old, but there are indeed several immature thirty-somethings in the world to make him convincing enough.
📚 Everything about books and indie bookstores.
📚 The description of Seattle. Always good to see a story make proper use of a place. Also nice to see a different location pop up. High time NY and LA get a break!
📚 The first-person interludes from secondary characters and the emails offer a good break in between the main characters’ narration.
📚 Though a debut, there is no overload of themes, all the more relevant because each character faces a key personal issue. The narrative is focussed on the core idea of urban loneliness and wanting to making connections.
📚 Despite the potential for grief and sadness in each character’s arc, the plot focuses more on their path ahead rather than on their sad past. I like that it doesn’t forcibly attempt to wring out the emotional drama.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
📖 The title and the cover are quite cute, but they probably indicate ‘romcom’, which isn't valid. The book is better read as a contemporary/general fiction than as a romance or a romcom.
📖 As the story is character-focused, the pacing is on the slower side, with the first half mostly focussed on divulging the character’s personalities. We get to know them intimately because of this approach, but those wanting a quicker storyline might be slightly bored.
📖 The ending is too perfect, but that's a hallmark of this genre so I can't really complain too much about it. But a part of me wishes that at least some characters would have got a HFN instead of a HEA ending.
Bookish Nays:
📕 The plot stands on quite a farfetched premise. If you found a letter in a used book that you purchased, would you assume that the owner left it for you, or that the earlier owner of the book left it in by mistake? The very fact that Laura didn’t question even once that it could be the latter case was odd. Plus, the key characters meet in real life at times, but they don’t even bring up the letters for some flimsy reason or the other. Basically, a whole load of suspension of disbelief is required, which I always struggle with.
📕 The repetition of some information. Several facts related to the characters are mentioned time and again, which gets annoying after a while. Readers should be trusted to retain character detailing in their minds; too much telling isn't ever required.
📕 In emails, the ‘From’ column is always before the ‘To’ column, and this format is retained even in fictional works containing e-correspondence. Why was the order reversed in this book? I was often confused while reading the emails because my head kept inverting the sender and receiver.
All in all, this is quite a decent debut, with its characters outshining the plot. It's even a good contemporary fiction work, as long as you aren't looking for a romcom. Had the repetitions been ironed out, it would have been compelling.
Recommended to those looking for a character-driven contemporary novel about life and relationships in the city.
3.5 stars. (I would have rounded up, but the Nays were a bit too hefty for me.)
My thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for providing the DRC of “Storybook Ending” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
|| My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Seattle. April, who works from home in a tech job, finds herself increasingly lonely. In desperation, she leaves an anonymous love note for Westley, an employee of a local indie bookstore whose job is to sort out the piles of used books. However, Westley, who is lost in his own issues, doesn’t even notice the note, and when he sells the book to Laura, a middle-aged single mom who hasn’t even considered dating after the death of her husband five years back, she assumes that he has written the note for her. Thus begins a strange correspondence involving three people, where one of the parties isn't even aware of the letters being written to and “by” him.
The story comes to us in the third-person perspectives of the above three characters, with some first-person interludes and email exchanges from the POVs of some key secondary characters.
Bookish Yays:
📚 The three main characters:
🔖 April, with her paradoxical personality of being an overthinker and yet not thinking enough. Her frustrations with her personal and professional life comes across well.
🔖 Laura, with her conflicts as a single mom and a working professional. Probably my favourite character in the book as she felt the most realistic in emotions.
🔖 Westley, who is not like typical romance leads. I mean, he is extremely handsome (as expected), but he is aware of his appeal but doesn’t take advantage of it. He is also not ambitious, quite awkward, not highly educated, doesn’t enjoy sci-fi… So his personality is quite refreshing for this genre, even when he isn't entirely likeable.
📚 Several other good characters, some of whom are nicely quirky. Laura’s seven-year-old daughter Olivia is the sweetest and written in an age-appropriate manner.
📚 The characters range in age from single digit to fifty-something and they mostly act their age. We do get one immature thirty-something-year-old, but there are indeed several immature thirty-somethings in the world to make him convincing enough.
📚 Everything about books and indie bookstores.
📚 The description of Seattle. Always good to see a story make proper use of a place. Also nice to see a different location pop up. High time NY and LA get a break!
📚 The first-person interludes from secondary characters and the emails offer a good break in between the main characters’ narration.
📚 Though a debut, there is no overload of themes, all the more relevant because each character faces a key personal issue. The narrative is focussed on the core idea of urban loneliness and wanting to making connections.
📚 Despite the potential for grief and sadness in each character’s arc, the plot focuses more on their path ahead rather than on their sad past. I like that it doesn’t forcibly attempt to wring out the emotional drama.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
📖 The title and the cover are quite cute, but they probably indicate ‘romcom’, which isn't valid. The book is better read as a contemporary/general fiction than as a romance or a romcom.
📖 As the story is character-focused, the pacing is on the slower side, with the first half mostly focussed on divulging the character’s personalities. We get to know them intimately because of this approach, but those wanting a quicker storyline might be slightly bored.
📖 The ending is too perfect, but that's a hallmark of this genre so I can't really complain too much about it. But a part of me wishes that at least some characters would have got a HFN instead of a HEA ending.
Bookish Nays:
📕 The plot stands on quite a farfetched premise. If you found a letter in a used book that you purchased, would you assume that the owner left it for you, or that the earlier owner of the book left it in by mistake? The very fact that Laura didn’t question even once that it could be the latter case was odd. Plus, the key characters meet in real life at times, but they don’t even bring up the letters for some flimsy reason or the other. Basically, a whole load of suspension of disbelief is required, which I always struggle with.
📕 The repetition of some information. Several facts related to the characters are mentioned time and again, which gets annoying after a while. Readers should be trusted to retain character detailing in their minds; too much telling isn't ever required.
📕 In emails, the ‘From’ column is always before the ‘To’ column, and this format is retained even in fictional works containing e-correspondence. Why was the order reversed in this book? I was often confused while reading the emails because my head kept inverting the sender and receiver.
All in all, this is quite a decent debut, with its characters outshining the plot. It's even a good contemporary fiction work, as long as you aren't looking for a romcom. Had the repetitions been ironed out, it would have been compelling.
Recommended to those looking for a character-driven contemporary novel about life and relationships in the city.
3.5 stars. (I would have rounded up, but the Nays were a bit too hefty for me.)
My thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for providing the DRC of “Storybook Ending” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
|| My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
May 27, 2025
A tale of two halves…
April works from home and although her co-workers love that “perk”-she misses the camaraderie of an office setting and has been feeling quite lonely. She’s left an anonymous note in a book for Westley, the clerk at her local Seattle neighborhood bookstore “Read the Room” hoping to make a connection.
Laura has been widowed for 5 years now, and the busy single mom isn’t sure if she is ready to date, but when she buys a book at “Read the Room” and finds a note inside it-she thinks the clerk with the “movie star good looks” has left it for her.
But the clerk-Westley—has no idea that he is the “object of desire” for either woman because an independent movie is being filmed at the bookstore, and the lead Actor has disappeared-thrusting him-reluctantly-into the role.
April and Laura’s anonymous correspondence continues, with both thinking they are in a “meet cute” with Westley, until one finally has the courage to suggest a coffee date-
With a nod to the Classic movie, “You’ve Got Mail” the story includes SOME use of mixed media including the letters exchanged, and staff emails to propel the story along.
This is a DEBUT novel which suffered from a slow FIRST HALF which spent about 50% character building-and this half was ALL TELL and NO SHOW except when a conversation took place. I wasn’t at all engaged with the story until about the 55% point in the book.
Once the PLOT took precedence over the character building, the pace picked up and the story became quite CHARMING-making me feel invested in the outcome!
If you have patience and enjoy stories about bookstores, books and FOUND FAMILY, this could be a book for you.
A buddy read with DeAnn! Did she agree? Watch for her review! 🤗
Available Now
Thank You to Dutton for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!
April works from home and although her co-workers love that “perk”-she misses the camaraderie of an office setting and has been feeling quite lonely. She’s left an anonymous note in a book for Westley, the clerk at her local Seattle neighborhood bookstore “Read the Room” hoping to make a connection.
Laura has been widowed for 5 years now, and the busy single mom isn’t sure if she is ready to date, but when she buys a book at “Read the Room” and finds a note inside it-she thinks the clerk with the “movie star good looks” has left it for her.
But the clerk-Westley—has no idea that he is the “object of desire” for either woman because an independent movie is being filmed at the bookstore, and the lead Actor has disappeared-thrusting him-reluctantly-into the role.
April and Laura’s anonymous correspondence continues, with both thinking they are in a “meet cute” with Westley, until one finally has the courage to suggest a coffee date-
With a nod to the Classic movie, “You’ve Got Mail” the story includes SOME use of mixed media including the letters exchanged, and staff emails to propel the story along.
This is a DEBUT novel which suffered from a slow FIRST HALF which spent about 50% character building-and this half was ALL TELL and NO SHOW except when a conversation took place. I wasn’t at all engaged with the story until about the 55% point in the book.
Once the PLOT took precedence over the character building, the pace picked up and the story became quite CHARMING-making me feel invested in the outcome!
If you have patience and enjoy stories about bookstores, books and FOUND FAMILY, this could be a book for you.
A buddy read with DeAnn! Did she agree? Watch for her review! 🤗
Available Now
Thank You to Dutton for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!
May 26, 2025
You had me at "You've Got Mail." 💌
The story begins with a sweet letter left in a book (Magpie Murders) and dropped off at the used book desk of the Read the Room bookstore.
As described in the blurb, an unusual love triangle results. At its center is Westley, the handsome used book employee. Yes, he is named after that iconic character from "The Princess Bride."
I am going to keep my comments to a minimum as I would recommend going in blind. The story unfolds slowly at first. There were parts I absolutely loved and some I thought were unnecessary.
The ending, though, was one I could totally see on a movie screen. An exterior shot with snow on the trees and at the center a golden scene of a group enjoying each other's company. And it all started with a letter.
This is a debut that show promise and I would be up for another read by Moira Macdonald. Thank you to Dutton and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
The story begins with a sweet letter left in a book (Magpie Murders) and dropped off at the used book desk of the Read the Room bookstore.
As described in the blurb, an unusual love triangle results. At its center is Westley, the handsome used book employee. Yes, he is named after that iconic character from "The Princess Bride."
I am going to keep my comments to a minimum as I would recommend going in blind. The story unfolds slowly at first. There were parts I absolutely loved and some I thought were unnecessary.
The ending, though, was one I could totally see on a movie screen. An exterior shot with snow on the trees and at the center a golden scene of a group enjoying each other's company. And it all started with a letter.
This is a debut that show promise and I would be up for another read by Moira Macdonald. Thank you to Dutton and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
July 1, 2025
◦ Storybook Ending ◦ by Moira Macdonald ◦
★★★★
◦: plot :◦
April leaves a flirty note in a bookstore, only for single mum Laura to find it and mistake it as meant for her. Their anonymous note exchange sparks unexpected connection and change, while clueless bookseller Westley remains caught in the middle.
◦: Tropes:◦
✧ Miscommunication
✧ Found Family
◦: My Thoughts :◦
I was enjoying the first 30% of this. I think it is hard as a reader knowing more than the characters in the book. It seemed like the plot was stationary for long duration of this book too.
▸ Overall
Loved the idea of this book. It was fun to read. I loved readings April’s point of view as a single mother. Her take on parenting was refreshing and relatable.
Congratulations on your debut novel.
★★★★
◦: plot :◦
April leaves a flirty note in a bookstore, only for single mum Laura to find it and mistake it as meant for her. Their anonymous note exchange sparks unexpected connection and change, while clueless bookseller Westley remains caught in the middle.
◦: Tropes:◦
✧ Miscommunication
✧ Found Family
◦: My Thoughts :◦
I was enjoying the first 30% of this. I think it is hard as a reader knowing more than the characters in the book. It seemed like the plot was stationary for long duration of this book too.
▸ Overall
Loved the idea of this book. It was fun to read. I loved readings April’s point of view as a single mother. Her take on parenting was refreshing and relatable.
Congratulations on your debut novel.
March 4, 2025
Who knew I needed a sweet little cozy litfic book in my life. This was so wholesome and is meant to be read slow with a cup of tea. Although this book might be too "slow" for some it was perfectly paced for me. I loved that I could hop in and out of this story and be transported to a cozy bookshop in Seattle. Lots of sweet references to Norah Ephron {my fave} which is appropriate since this book did really feel like one of her movies. I really enjoyed my reading experience with this one and LOVED how it all wrapped up in the end!
Thank you NetGalley and Duttonbooks for this ARC! :)
Thank you NetGalley and Duttonbooks for this ARC! :)
February 13, 2026
1,5
Ani to nie jest komedia, ani książka romantyczna. Jest strasznie nudna, mdła i no taka nijaka, a jej opis wgl nie pasuje do tego co jest realnie w środku
Ani to nie jest komedia, ani książka romantyczna. Jest strasznie nudna, mdła i no taka nijaka, a jej opis wgl nie pasuje do tego co jest realnie w środku
May 29, 2025
This did absolutely nothing for me and actually felt like a total slog despite the cozy bookstore vibes. I questioned the premise from the beginning: one woman tries to send a note in a donated used book to a cute bookstore employee and instead ends up communicating with another lonely woman via more notes hidden in books. Both women somehow think they are conducting a secret correspondance with the guy. I don’t know if I missed something, but it was never clear to me why either woman thought they were ever talking to the bland man who seemingly has nothing going for him apart from his attractiveness (which is mentioned a gazillion times). I like character driven stories but there’s usually something compelling about the situation the characters find themselves in that sucks me into caring what happens. Unfortunately, that did not happen and I was very bored.
January 22, 2025
This book was so lovely. It reads like a soft blanket on a wintery evening, a craft latte on a Sunday morning, an old bookstore with your love in a rainstorm. I loved every single thing about it.
Although this book is marketed as a story about an "unusual love triangle" after a note that was left in the pages of a used book is picked up by the wrong recipient, I truly believe this is a story of found friendship and ultimately, girlhood. We follow April, a lonely and seemingly stuck remote tech worker, Laura, a high fashion, driven single mom, and Westly, the handsome bookstore employee, throughout the book by following alternating chapter POVs. The pace sometimes slowed, however, I didn't mind this because in the lulls, we were able to connect with more side characters and learn just how interconnected everyone seemed to be. The song Mastermind by Taylor Swift kept coming to mind because everything, i.e., the emails, the side 'interview' style blurbs and random interactions, all had meaning at the end.
Plus, Moira Macdonald's way of describing ordinary things was just magical. A couple of quotes that immediately come to mind to get you especially interested: "[...] with a carelessly becoming beard and the kind of gentle smile that might inspire bad poetry." "Sometimes the old building just seemed to need to stretch out its bones and make mysterious sounds." "[...] and mellow wood floors that felt a little bit soft when you stepped on them, as if years of wear had turned the wood into carpet." The atmosphere that she created in this book was charming and just so welcoming. And to the quote that made me burst into tears, "You saved yourself. I just reached out a hand."
I would certainly recommend this book to anyone looking for a book that resembles a love letter to books, found friendships and girlhood, and ultimately a story with beautiful, descriptive writing.
Thank you NetGalley, Moira and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC in exchange for my thoughts & review.
5/5 stars
Although this book is marketed as a story about an "unusual love triangle" after a note that was left in the pages of a used book is picked up by the wrong recipient, I truly believe this is a story of found friendship and ultimately, girlhood. We follow April, a lonely and seemingly stuck remote tech worker, Laura, a high fashion, driven single mom, and Westly, the handsome bookstore employee, throughout the book by following alternating chapter POVs. The pace sometimes slowed, however, I didn't mind this because in the lulls, we were able to connect with more side characters and learn just how interconnected everyone seemed to be. The song Mastermind by Taylor Swift kept coming to mind because everything, i.e., the emails, the side 'interview' style blurbs and random interactions, all had meaning at the end.
Plus, Moira Macdonald's way of describing ordinary things was just magical. A couple of quotes that immediately come to mind to get you especially interested: "[...] with a carelessly becoming beard and the kind of gentle smile that might inspire bad poetry." "Sometimes the old building just seemed to need to stretch out its bones and make mysterious sounds." "[...] and mellow wood floors that felt a little bit soft when you stepped on them, as if years of wear had turned the wood into carpet." The atmosphere that she created in this book was charming and just so welcoming. And to the quote that made me burst into tears, "You saved yourself. I just reached out a hand."
I would certainly recommend this book to anyone looking for a book that resembles a love letter to books, found friendships and girlhood, and ultimately a story with beautiful, descriptive writing.
Thank you NetGalley, Moira and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC in exchange for my thoughts & review.
5/5 stars
March 2, 2026
*So Cute*
**3.5 Stars**
I completely understand the “You’ve Got Mail” reference to this book. Thank you lovely Darla.
The three main characters
*April*
Single and working from home, she’s become insular and stuck in a rut. To spice things up, she visits her local bookstore called “Read The Room” and leaves a note in a book. The object of affection is the extremely good looking bookstore employee.
*Laura*
A single mother, she was happily married to her childhood sweetheart. His passing five years ago has left her life largely revolving around her adorable daughter. For many years she’d been out of the dating scene until she stumbled upon her favourite bookstore “Read The Room”. She browsed the books, then returned home to find a note inside the book. Naturally, she assumed it was from the good looking store employee.
*Wesley*
He’s the man in question, described as handsome or hot. He seems oblivious to it but acknowledges some people are interested in him for his looks. He handles it well but isn’t arrogant and quite the opposite.
I like that all three love books and we see some hilarious scenes and mixups, but the main message is about old and new friendships and the meet up scene via the notes just made me laugh. This is a great choice for a light and enjoyable read.
**3.5 Stars**
I completely understand the “You’ve Got Mail” reference to this book. Thank you lovely Darla.
The three main characters
*April*
Single and working from home, she’s become insular and stuck in a rut. To spice things up, she visits her local bookstore called “Read The Room” and leaves a note in a book. The object of affection is the extremely good looking bookstore employee.
*Laura*
A single mother, she was happily married to her childhood sweetheart. His passing five years ago has left her life largely revolving around her adorable daughter. For many years she’d been out of the dating scene until she stumbled upon her favourite bookstore “Read The Room”. She browsed the books, then returned home to find a note inside the book. Naturally, she assumed it was from the good looking store employee.
*Wesley*
He’s the man in question, described as handsome or hot. He seems oblivious to it but acknowledges some people are interested in him for his looks. He handles it well but isn’t arrogant and quite the opposite.
I like that all three love books and we see some hilarious scenes and mixups, but the main message is about old and new friendships and the meet up scene via the notes just made me laugh. This is a great choice for a light and enjoyable read.
June 29, 2025
Storybook Endings is Literary Fiction for Romance lovers— or for those looking for a heartwarming story of single people at work- the lonely, those generally content people who go through their lives passing others, seemingly unsure of how to connect.
Laura is a widowed mother who loves the local bookstore and finds a note inside a book. Although she believes it was meant for her, it was meant for an introverted yet handsome bookseller who just likes being around books. Westley is oblivious, although the notes are meant for him, they are getting to April, a remote tech worker.
It’s like a meet cute- but an anti-meet-cute.
The book also is written in third person with several chapters about side characters being written in first person. I love this writing style, but I know some readers do not enjoy it For me the third person allows us to have judgmental or observational thoughts about the characters without it being internal dialogue. The reader is left to decide whether or not the descriptions and anecdotes have depth.
It also turns us into an introverted observer of the story, slowly walking through the book stacks and feeling at home.
I am a big sucker for books about and set in bookstores.
4.5/5
Laura is a widowed mother who loves the local bookstore and finds a note inside a book. Although she believes it was meant for her, it was meant for an introverted yet handsome bookseller who just likes being around books. Westley is oblivious, although the notes are meant for him, they are getting to April, a remote tech worker.
It’s like a meet cute- but an anti-meet-cute.
The book also is written in third person with several chapters about side characters being written in first person. I love this writing style, but I know some readers do not enjoy it For me the third person allows us to have judgmental or observational thoughts about the characters without it being internal dialogue. The reader is left to decide whether or not the descriptions and anecdotes have depth.
It also turns us into an introverted observer of the story, slowly walking through the book stacks and feeling at home.
I am a big sucker for books about and set in bookstores.
4.5/5
Read
September 11, 2025In the interests of full disclosure: the author has interviewed me at booksignings and has reviewed my crime novels in the Seattle Times. Having said that, I will also say that I enjoyed this novel. It's a romp of a story that Seattlites in particular will enjoy as the author does a fine and often amusing job of bringing to life any number of Seattle quirks although she somehow did miss wearing socks with sandals. I had fun with the plot and did keep turning the pages to see how this amusing case of wildly mistaken identities was going to work out. And I did enjoy the unveiling of the letter writers to each other and how their relationship moves on from there. I did wonder a bit about the unlikely Thanksgiving scene, but as it was all in good fun, I moved past my queries and decided to go with the flow.
All in all, this was a diverting and enjoyable read.
All in all, this was a diverting and enjoyable read.
July 5, 2025
Miscommunication in romances is one of my pet peeves, so imagine my surprise when I found that I actually bought into the secret letters exchanged between characters and the ripples of miscommunication they caused. While some characters made some mental leaps that were just a half step beyond believable, they were close enough to realistic that the miscommunication was entertaining more than frustrating. That said, I found the author's characterization of Westley a bit puzzling and overall a miss. She seems to be making a point about how the other characters are drawn to him simply because of his good looks, not appreciating him or seeing him as a well-rounded, dimensional person, and yet the author goes on to do the same. The reader is left with just a surface-level characterization of Westley, with little time spent detailing his own motivations, the deeper reasons for his aloof distance, his back history, etc. It was frustrating to feel like one of the morals of the story was "don't judge a book by its cover" and yet we were then given little more than that when it came to one of the book's central characters.
August 3, 2025
I had such high hopes for this, but it didn’t quite fulfill my expectations. The blurb on the back says that this is a love triangle, when really it is a story about found family and friendship. This was told in a limited 3rd person POV, with each chapter changing perspective. The 2 women characters’ chapters read in such a similar voice to me, and the male main character’s personality was so flat- all he really had going for himself was that he was hot. It was hard to connect to the characters because there were so many instances of telling and not showing. I almost dnf’d but this was so easy to read that I just went with it. Overall, slightly cozy but not really for me.
Thank you Dutton for the finished copy! All thoughts are my own.
Thank you Dutton for the finished copy! All thoughts are my own.
December 12, 2024
A woman leaves a note for her crush in a book but a single mother picks it up instead.
This is a very sweet and simple story and shows how friendship can develop in sometimes the most unlikely situations. At times the story can feel a tad slow placed.
I enjoyed how April and Lauras friendship developed in the end. It made the story feel so much more enjoyable. Personally I am a sucker for a book about Womanhood and female friendships developing,
The character stories are extremely relatable and most readers can find a part of themselves in each of the 3 people. The book is perfect for people who want an enjoyable, slow paced yet relaxing read after a stressful day.
Thankyou so much to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for the ARC. All Opinions are my own <3
This is a very sweet and simple story and shows how friendship can develop in sometimes the most unlikely situations. At times the story can feel a tad slow placed.
I enjoyed how April and Lauras friendship developed in the end. It made the story feel so much more enjoyable. Personally I am a sucker for a book about Womanhood and female friendships developing,
The character stories are extremely relatable and most readers can find a part of themselves in each of the 3 people. The book is perfect for people who want an enjoyable, slow paced yet relaxing read after a stressful day.
Thankyou so much to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for the ARC. All Opinions are my own <3
March 29, 2025
I am a sucker for books about book people–book sellers, readers, writers, lovers. Books about book people and me make for kindred spirits and this was a delightful new way to share that love.
April is a lonely remote worker in Seattle looking for an easy way to make a romantic connection. She decides to put a note in a book she knows the cute employee at the local bookstore will see when he goes through the used books before they are sold. The only problem is that the note doesn’t go to Westley; instead Laura (a widowed single mother) reads it and the resulting case of mistaken identity and low tech correspondence leave you enjoying the relationships that are built in an old fashioned world.
I loved the characters in this book. They were fun and innocent, earnest and oblivious. The side characters provided a funny backdrop that made me laugh and roll my eyes all at once (I’m looking at you the “14 year old Zach”). After reading this it made me want to leave some notes in books, support my local bookstore, and find some used books all at once. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
April is a lonely remote worker in Seattle looking for an easy way to make a romantic connection. She decides to put a note in a book she knows the cute employee at the local bookstore will see when he goes through the used books before they are sold. The only problem is that the note doesn’t go to Westley; instead Laura (a widowed single mother) reads it and the resulting case of mistaken identity and low tech correspondence leave you enjoying the relationships that are built in an old fashioned world.
I loved the characters in this book. They were fun and innocent, earnest and oblivious. The side characters provided a funny backdrop that made me laugh and roll my eyes all at once (I’m looking at you the “14 year old Zach”). After reading this it made me want to leave some notes in books, support my local bookstore, and find some used books all at once. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
May 25, 2025
This was a light-hearted, feel good story about three lonely people brought into one another's orbit thanks to a used bookstore and a message left in a book that finds its way to an unintended recipient sparking a life-changing friendship and a series of exchanges between two book lovers. I loved this one a lot and highly recommend it for fans of Nora Ephron and You've got mail. Good on audio too told from the POV of each of the three main characters. Would make a great movie! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
January 23, 2025
Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton for an advance copy of Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald.
I enjoyed reading this book! I loved all the bookish themes and the whole plot being centered around this book store and notes. I loved the theme of female friendships and the development of them in this book. It was cute, cozy & easy to read. I wish it was a little more fast paced but overall a solid 4!
I enjoyed reading this book! I loved all the bookish themes and the whole plot being centered around this book store and notes. I loved the theme of female friendships and the development of them in this book. It was cute, cozy & easy to read. I wish it was a little more fast paced but overall a solid 4!
June 7, 2025
Answering emails about real estate is not a tech job. 💻
Let's get that out of the way first. It's about a character with a "tech job," written by someone who clearly knows nothing about tech and in fact doesn't even seem to know what tech is. I don't know how this made it past an editor. It comes up multiple times and is central to April's character arch, so I'm not just being nitpicky.
Plot 📄🔍 There are a few random threads in the book, like side stories with April's brother and some wrong number text messages that she was getting, that in a better-constructed story would have tied in perfectly instead of just being random irrelevant filler. Instead, these additional elements made the book drag on with no payoff.
Boomer energy 📚💥 This book had such a promising concept, but I found it to be sleepy rather than cozy, and the characters don't act like 30-something millennials.
Westley is constantly complaining about the pitfalls of being good-looking, even as it's opening doors for him that none of the women characters, for example, the widow mom, have available to them. Cry me a river, grumpy Luke Danes wannabe. All that white male privilege must be so hard for you.
April complains about her friends having babies and expects them to drop all their responsibilities and ditch their babies to go out with her for drinks when she's clearly a terrible friend who won't meet them where they are in life. She complains about having a remote job even though she could just ... not have a remote job.
Acting like victims and refusing to make changes is not millennial behavior, and I found it to be very unrealistic and unrelatable.
As a 40-year-old remote tech writer mom who's always dreamed of owning a bookstore 👩💻 I'm 100% the target audience for this book based on the blurb and the age of the characters. I was excited to read it. But it doesn't hit the mark for me at all. If all the characters were in their 50s and didn't pretend answering emails is "tech," it would have made more sense and I could have been more into the story. But it was written as if it was supposed to be relatable to my demographic, and it wasn't. It felt like a total mismatch between the marketing/character demographics and story, where the author doesn't understand the generation and world she attempted to write about.
It seemed like the author just had an opinion about remote work and wanted to share it, so she made up unrealistic story points to get her message across. But the stereotypes about software developers were downright offensive and wrong. The struggles with remote work lacked any depth. The biggest issue with remote work in tech today is that companies are cutting it and forcing people back into an office despite the numbers showing that it's working and despite the fact that people who have remote positions actually prefer to be remote. This book portrays the opposite scenario. So clearly no research was done.
The bookstore setting worked, so the author probably has spent time in a bookstore.
The movie production, mehhh 📽️ I find it difficult to believe that a store would stay open while a movie is being filmed there, and that the production would promise not to move anything. Everything I've ever heard out of the film industry says that they will do whatever they need to, even paint and bring in entirely new furniture, while using a location, and then put it all back at the end. So that story line also felt really far fetched.
The book is marketed as a comedy. 🎭 I didn't find anything funny. At all. I did smile at one point toward the end, when it got to the point where the two women and the man were going to end up in the same place at the same time. I smiled in anticipation of all the buildup coming to a comedy-of-errors style conclusion. And then... it didn't. The man ended up not even being there, even though there was a specific plot point where he was going to be there. It was very strange! Not a good denouement, and not at all comedic. It could have been funny and dramatic while still being respectful to the characters, but it was a total cop out.
I think I'm talking about it so much because it has so much promise as a story! but too many of the filler elements don't make sense, it was heavy handed and not funny, and it tries to be something it's not.
I'll just end with... there's a reason they say to write what you know.
Let's get that out of the way first. It's about a character with a "tech job," written by someone who clearly knows nothing about tech and in fact doesn't even seem to know what tech is. I don't know how this made it past an editor. It comes up multiple times and is central to April's character arch, so I'm not just being nitpicky.
Plot 📄🔍 There are a few random threads in the book, like side stories with April's brother and some wrong number text messages that she was getting, that in a better-constructed story would have tied in perfectly instead of just being random irrelevant filler. Instead, these additional elements made the book drag on with no payoff.
Boomer energy 📚💥 This book had such a promising concept, but I found it to be sleepy rather than cozy, and the characters don't act like 30-something millennials.
Westley is constantly complaining about the pitfalls of being good-looking, even as it's opening doors for him that none of the women characters, for example, the widow mom, have available to them. Cry me a river, grumpy Luke Danes wannabe. All that white male privilege must be so hard for you.
April complains about her friends having babies and expects them to drop all their responsibilities and ditch their babies to go out with her for drinks when she's clearly a terrible friend who won't meet them where they are in life. She complains about having a remote job even though she could just ... not have a remote job.
Acting like victims and refusing to make changes is not millennial behavior, and I found it to be very unrealistic and unrelatable.
As a 40-year-old remote tech writer mom who's always dreamed of owning a bookstore 👩💻 I'm 100% the target audience for this book based on the blurb and the age of the characters. I was excited to read it. But it doesn't hit the mark for me at all. If all the characters were in their 50s and didn't pretend answering emails is "tech," it would have made more sense and I could have been more into the story. But it was written as if it was supposed to be relatable to my demographic, and it wasn't. It felt like a total mismatch between the marketing/character demographics and story, where the author doesn't understand the generation and world she attempted to write about.
It seemed like the author just had an opinion about remote work and wanted to share it, so she made up unrealistic story points to get her message across. But the stereotypes about software developers were downright offensive and wrong. The struggles with remote work lacked any depth. The biggest issue with remote work in tech today is that companies are cutting it and forcing people back into an office despite the numbers showing that it's working and despite the fact that people who have remote positions actually prefer to be remote. This book portrays the opposite scenario. So clearly no research was done.
The bookstore setting worked, so the author probably has spent time in a bookstore.
The movie production, mehhh 📽️ I find it difficult to believe that a store would stay open while a movie is being filmed there, and that the production would promise not to move anything. Everything I've ever heard out of the film industry says that they will do whatever they need to, even paint and bring in entirely new furniture, while using a location, and then put it all back at the end. So that story line also felt really far fetched.
The book is marketed as a comedy. 🎭 I didn't find anything funny. At all. I did smile at one point toward the end, when it got to the point where the two women and the man were going to end up in the same place at the same time. I smiled in anticipation of all the buildup coming to a comedy-of-errors style conclusion. And then... it didn't. The man ended up not even being there, even though there was a specific plot point where he was going to be there. It was very strange! Not a good denouement, and not at all comedic. It could have been funny and dramatic while still being respectful to the characters, but it was a total cop out.
I think I'm talking about it so much because it has so much promise as a story! but too many of the filler elements don't make sense, it was heavy handed and not funny, and it tries to be something it's not.
I'll just end with... there's a reason they say to write what you know.
March 1, 2026
3.5⭐️
Audiobook
A cute story. It made me smile. There is a need to suspend disbelief over the original note, the slip of paper that starts the ball rolling, but once I did that, the rest flowed along as expected.
Robin’s Ratings
5🌟 = Out of this world. Amazing. Unforgettable. A personal favorite.
4🌟 = Loved it. Will recommend to others.
3🌟 = Glad I read it. Will probably read more by this author.
2🌟 = The book was okay, but I’ve enjoyed others so much more.
1🌟 = I didn’t like it and can’t recommend it.
Audiobook
A cute story. It made me smile. There is a need to suspend disbelief over the original note, the slip of paper that starts the ball rolling, but once I did that, the rest flowed along as expected.
Robin’s Ratings
5🌟 = Out of this world. Amazing. Unforgettable. A personal favorite.
4🌟 = Loved it. Will recommend to others.
3🌟 = Glad I read it. Will probably read more by this author.
2🌟 = The book was okay, but I’ve enjoyed others so much more.
1🌟 = I didn’t like it and can’t recommend it.
February 9, 2025
Well, I’m done. I have some feelings and I’m struggling to sort them out, mostly because I feel misled into what this book is about- mostly because of the books description. The text was accurate, but the emotional tone was not right.
While it is “about romance”, I wouldn’t call it a romance novel (how it’s labeled on publisher’s site), and certainly not “playful”, and that is where I feel let down. At first I was excited to read about the MMC, because I love bookish flannel boys, but by the end of this book I was tired of him. Although I can’t even blame him- I think the amount of time the author spent bringing up how hard his life was because of how attractive he was became tiring and downright boring. While it doesn’t bother me so much that a MMC has cheating in his past, I know a lot of readers do, so I imagine this was another mark against him. But, there’s a real chance this was on purpose as this is not a true romance novel anyway. Maybe I’m supposed to not care about this guy.
While the setup and plot was wild and clever and good, I wish I was prepared for it. I went in thinking it was a romance novel and was let down- so I spent the whole time cringing in preparation for how this would end. If I had gone in knowing this was a book more so about friendship and found family and more of ensemble book where everyone comes together (the name should have given me that clue- but I took it the wrong way), maybe I would have felt more satisfied. The description also called it “hilarious”…at no point did I find any of this book funny. I felt sad for these two women who were falling for someone based on a misunderstanding. One was lonely and depressed and the other was a widow, attempting a connection for the first time since her husband’s death. Should I have been laughing at them?
All of this to say, I do believe it’s a good book and very well written and think it could be a hit for those who love stories about friendships, found families, “getting back out there”, feeling lost in life, etc. Just not to be read as a HEA romance novel. And not hilarious.
I think this is on the publisher, not the author, to market accurately.
ARC (Offered)
While it is “about romance”, I wouldn’t call it a romance novel (how it’s labeled on publisher’s site), and certainly not “playful”, and that is where I feel let down. At first I was excited to read about the MMC, because I love bookish flannel boys, but by the end of this book I was tired of him. Although I can’t even blame him- I think the amount of time the author spent bringing up how hard his life was because of how attractive he was became tiring and downright boring. While it doesn’t bother me so much that a MMC has cheating in his past, I know a lot of readers do, so I imagine this was another mark against him. But, there’s a real chance this was on purpose as this is not a true romance novel anyway. Maybe I’m supposed to not care about this guy.
While the setup and plot was wild and clever and good, I wish I was prepared for it. I went in thinking it was a romance novel and was let down- so I spent the whole time cringing in preparation for how this would end. If I had gone in knowing this was a book more so about friendship and found family and more of ensemble book where everyone comes together (the name should have given me that clue- but I took it the wrong way), maybe I would have felt more satisfied. The description also called it “hilarious”…at no point did I find any of this book funny. I felt sad for these two women who were falling for someone based on a misunderstanding. One was lonely and depressed and the other was a widow, attempting a connection for the first time since her husband’s death. Should I have been laughing at them?
All of this to say, I do believe it’s a good book and very well written and think it could be a hit for those who love stories about friendships, found families, “getting back out there”, feeling lost in life, etc. Just not to be read as a HEA romance novel. And not hilarious.
I think this is on the publisher, not the author, to market accurately.
ARC (Offered)
February 5, 2026
Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald
In Storybook Ending, debut novelist Moira Macdonald, longtime arts critic for The Seattle Times, delivers a cozy, character-driven tale set in a beloved Seattle used bookstore where connection sparks in the most unexpected ways. April, a solitary tech worker worn thin by remote life, slips a flirty anonymous note into a book for a cute bookseller she’s admired from afar, but it is purchased by Laura, a widowed single mom who believes the note was meant for her and responds in kind. Meanwhile Westley, the oblivious object of both women’s intrigue, remains blissfully unaware as the impromptu correspondence and quirky bookstore community draw all three into a web of laughter, introspection, and hope. The story is a playful tribute to books, friendship, and love’s serendipity.
From the very first pages, I was charmed by Macdonald’s warm portrayal of characters whose yearning for connection feels both gentle and deeply relatable, especially in a world reshaped by isolation and digital distance; the shop itself almost becomes a character, a place where stories and hearts intersect. The mix-up at the heart of the plot yields both humor and tender growth, and the author’s affection for bookstores and community gives the narrative a cozy glow that lingered with me.
4 out of 5: a heartfelt, delightful meditation on love, human connection, and the little miracles hidden in everyday moments.
In Storybook Ending, debut novelist Moira Macdonald, longtime arts critic for The Seattle Times, delivers a cozy, character-driven tale set in a beloved Seattle used bookstore where connection sparks in the most unexpected ways. April, a solitary tech worker worn thin by remote life, slips a flirty anonymous note into a book for a cute bookseller she’s admired from afar, but it is purchased by Laura, a widowed single mom who believes the note was meant for her and responds in kind. Meanwhile Westley, the oblivious object of both women’s intrigue, remains blissfully unaware as the impromptu correspondence and quirky bookstore community draw all three into a web of laughter, introspection, and hope. The story is a playful tribute to books, friendship, and love’s serendipity.
From the very first pages, I was charmed by Macdonald’s warm portrayal of characters whose yearning for connection feels both gentle and deeply relatable, especially in a world reshaped by isolation and digital distance; the shop itself almost becomes a character, a place where stories and hearts intersect. The mix-up at the heart of the plot yields both humor and tender growth, and the author’s affection for bookstores and community gives the narrative a cozy glow that lingered with me.
4 out of 5: a heartfelt, delightful meditation on love, human connection, and the little miracles hidden in everyday moments.
January 19, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for this arc!!!
This book is a PERFECT representation of womanhood and friendships even though it is marketed as a love triangle trope. It was only 4 stars because sometimes I felt like the book had a slower pace, yet other times I felt like it flew through things too quickly!
I love the book-ish themes throughout this book, made my own book-ish heart swell. This read was so fun and I enjoyed myself throughout.
Also, can we take a moment for this author’s vocabulary?!!! Like WOAH! I had a running list of new words I learned from this book which is wonderful and made for an interesting read for something that is deemed to be more simple like romances are portrayed.
Would recommend this book to everyone, such a fun read! Loved all the characters and the SETTING!!! Makes me want to move to Seattle….??
This book is a PERFECT representation of womanhood and friendships even though it is marketed as a love triangle trope. It was only 4 stars because sometimes I felt like the book had a slower pace, yet other times I felt like it flew through things too quickly!
I love the book-ish themes throughout this book, made my own book-ish heart swell. This read was so fun and I enjoyed myself throughout.
Also, can we take a moment for this author’s vocabulary?!!! Like WOAH! I had a running list of new words I learned from this book which is wonderful and made for an interesting read for something that is deemed to be more simple like romances are portrayed.
Would recommend this book to everyone, such a fun read! Loved all the characters and the SETTING!!! Makes me want to move to Seattle….??
October 12, 2025
Gostei e foi fofo. Mas a premissa, na minha opinião, prometia muito mais. Ali a partir de meio pareceu estar só a encher chouriços e pronto. Um final querido mas não suficiente para mim
May 3, 2026
This is the story of Storybook Ending:
Hi! I’m April. I’m in my mid-twenties and I work in tech from home. And by “tech” I mean I look at pictures of houses and rooms that people send me and I email them back, advising them to paint the walls to cover up blood stains and pick up the moldy sandwiches and beer bottles from the floor and put away the sex dolls and drug paraphernalia, then put the house up for sale! It’s a tough job that taxes my tiny brain but I mostly l like it because I can work at home but I also really don’t like it because I’m alone. I don’t have friends because the one friend I did have was selfish enough to get married and have kids and continue to work a fulltime job! She doesn’t have time for me, the single woman with lots of time on her hands, and that pisses me off. I mean, I could get a different job or get hobbies or join a gym or volunteer and put myself out there in some way so I could meet people but that’s a LOT of work and who has the time? Plus I have a younger slacker brother who is delusional and thinks he’s the next George Clooney and maybe he will be eventually! I don’t know because I’m so stupid! But he borrows money from me all the time—like $1,000 at a time—and I give it to him because, you know, why should he get a job and pay for his own rent and groceries? He’s a good guy and I love enabling him and being used as an ATM. If I stopped giving him money, who would talk to me???
You should know I love books and bookstores and visit one called Read the Room. It’s a cute and cozy bookstore. I’ve recently noticed this very cute guy whose whole job is to sort the used books donated or traded in by customers. Imagine that being your whole job! He must be very smart and important. He’s just so cute and seems so nice, the way he stands around with a blank look on his face. But he’s so cute! And to die for in those sexy flannel shirts! I think I love him. But I’m not going to talk to him—even though I go to the bookstore and he’s an employee and presumably he loves books and I have a legitimate and face-saving opportunity to talk to him—oh no! I’m going to be brave and daring and quirky and write a note introducing myself and slip the note into the pages of Anthony Horowitz’s Magpie Murders—a book I read but didn’t understand. Too twisty for me. It’s like there was a novel inside the novel? So confusing! But because he is the Used Books Coordinator and he carefully flips through all the books when he receives them, I’m sure he’ll find the note, read it, assume it’s for him, write me back and we’ll fall madly in love! Because he’s so cute and I’m so dim and lonely! Of course nothing could go awry with this plan—it’s foolproof! This is such a fun adventure! And not a rip-off of the classic Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan movie You’ve Got Mail at all! (To be fair, I do mention this move a lot. Like seriously. A lot).
Hi! I’m Laura. I’m in my early to mid-forties. I have a 5 or 6 old daughter named Olivia and a dead husband. He’s been dead for over five years but I haven’t dated since then and every day I think about my dead husband. I haven’t dated because that seems like betrayal to my dead husband and yes, I will mention my dead husband a lot because it causes instant sympathy for the right kind of reader and I will need that sympathy because I, too, am a moron! I’m a personal shopping assistant at a sort of fancy department store which means I’m a whiz at dressing people in the right clothes. I, too, am lonely so I let my friend Rebecca pressure me into joining her book club. But that’s okay because I love bookstores and books and I fantasize about working in a bookstore even though during this whole novel I will never read an actual book! No one will! I mean, the author says we love books and read a lot but we never do! Funny! When I went to my local bookstore—coincidentally Read the Room, the one April goes to too but ssssh! I don’t know that yet!—to pick up the book (Magpie Murders—coincidence!) I found a note in the book. And it had to be only for me, right? I mean it was addressed to “you” and that’s me! I went back to the bookstore and there’s this really cute guy who works at the used book counter and I love his flannel. So outdoorsy and so anti-chic Seattle it’s chic! He is the only person who could have written that note! I know nothing about him but I’m going to respond to his letter. Because, gosh dang it, he’s so cute. And I’ll take relationship advice from my twenty-something babysitter who is possibly dimmer than I am with an even dumber boyfriend. But I’m smarter than all of them because responding to anonymous letters is the best way to have a relationship! Especially for a woman with a young vulnerable child!
Hello. I’m Westley. Yes, my name is from The Princess Bride. Please don’t bring it up. It irritates me, so I’ll talk about it a lot. Yes, I’m very good-looking. Women and men hit on me a lot. I don’t like it. It’s embarrassing. But I’m very cute. I get a lot of attention I don’t want. My incredible, movie-star looks will be mentioned often in this novel. Please excuse the author as really, I have nothing else to recommend myself. I’m nice and polite in a very bland way. But as all my fellow characters have the personalities of soggy white bread, I shouldn’t stand out, should I? That would be so embarrassing for me! I have no social life. No goals. No gumption. No prospects. No ideas. No career path. The author tells me I like to read and that’s why I work in a bookstore but like all my other characters, I never actually read anything. There will be lots of book-title and movie-name dropping because why take the time to develop complex characters when popular media titles work so well? Especially for an entirely forgettable novel that will be pulp in a few months. Whoops! I almost got interesting there for a minute. Please excuse me for having an opinion. A few years ago I had a passionate love affair with a woman who was engaged to my best friend (and my boss). I know that seems very unboring of me but if the author said I did it, I guess I did. And at last year’s Christmas party, I made out with Raven, my resting bitch face coworker, when we both got a little drunk. It was just some minor, over-the-clothes-kissing and touchy-feely, but we’re both so immature and weird that she thinks it meant something and I’m too stupid to know her feelings are hurt and we don’t talk about it because it almost never happens that people get drunk and make out with coworkers at parties, right? But that’s all there is to know about me. I stand around at the bookstore, sorting used books (which is so much more intellectually demanding than you think) and look handsome in my flannel.
A movie is being filmed at the bookstore. We close early a few nights a week for the crew to set up. But one day the star, Kelly Drake, decided he was too good for it and walked out. The director made me be his stand-in! I guess I could have said no, but that requires decisive action. I’d rather stand around looking handsome, know I’m handsome, and whine about it. I fit into this story as the romantic leading man. Which I don’t like. I mean, I know I’m handsome and cute but I have zero personality and no sense of humor. Why are these two women fixated on me? Don’t tell me it’s because I’m handsome! Gosh darn it! These women are so dumb, thinking they are corresponding with me when they are writing notes to each other. Dumb women. Don’t they know I’m too darn handsome to bother with that?
April keeps writing notes and putting them in the book. Laura responds to the notes. They each think they are writing to Westley. No one has the brains to go to the bookstore and ask his name or talk to him.
“Hey! I brought him homemade chocolate chip cookies!” says Laura in a moderately outraged (but not too outraged as that requires personality) tone. Yes, you did, Laura. Did you introduce yourself? Get his name? Or did you plunk down the cookies like a fucking psychotic stalker and leave? “I talked to him,” Laura says defensively. “I told him he’d like them.” Yeah, because that’s not psychotic at all. Westley, dazed and confused, shares the cookies with his coworkers. They all agree, yes, they are good cookies. (In fact, she made them with expensive organic flour, Ghiradelli’s chocolate chips, and a pinch of Ceylon cinnamon—the best cinnamon because nothing’s too good for Cute Used Book Guy Whose Name Begins With An A—and Laura brought the eggs and butter to room temperature before mixing them in and she let the dough rest overnight so when she baked them the next day the cookies held together better.) (Excessive parentheses were used throughout the novel to write sentences that didn’t move the plot forward, didn’t help define the characters and were probably supposed to be funny but weren’t and it got really fucking annoying after about the first two pages.)
Nothing happens in this novel. The reader despises all the characters and badmouths herself for spending money on this terrible book. But she’s having a lot of fun shredding it so maybe it was worth the $15? Julia freaks out about the movie people daring to move books and shelves (OMG!), Westley bemoans his status as Handsome Bookstore Guy, and Laura and April giggle over how daring they are exchanging letters with Westley (i.e. each other) via a YA novel. The two female Wonder Breads decide it’s finally time to have a meet’n’greet at a local coffee shop. April makes it (dressed exotically in…black jeans and a lacey shirt picked out by whom??? Oh, yeah, Laura the personal shopper!) “That outfit was exotic! For me!” exclaims April. “I work from home, remember? I’m miserable and socially isolated and I wear sweatpants. Plus, coincidences happen in real life too!” Whatever, April. Laura/Westley didn’t show up because her babysitter had a boyfriend ER and because neither of the idiots thought to exchange phone numbers, April thought L/Westley was a jerk and Laura responded like a sulky child to the idea of having to miss her blind date and stay home to watch her own child. “Well, who cares if my babysitter Ashley’s brain-dead boyfriend has a concussion? He’s dumb. She should have stayed at my house or at the very least taken the kid with her to the ER. I had to miss my date with the Very Cute Guy! It took me a day and lots of passive aggressive comments aimed at Ashley to get over it!” squeals Laura like the immature idiot the author wrote her to be.
Blah blah blah…Laura and April eventually discover the mix-up and bond immediately over their shared low IQ. Westley is confronted by both the babysitter and April, realizes there’s some misunderstanding, but instead of staying to discuss the situation, he has a baby tantrum and leaves the store in a snit (but a very cute one!) It’s also revealed (to this reader’s non-surprise and rolling of eyes) that the terrible romance book (Shivering Timbers—the title alone should have the author banned for life from publishing novels) he discovered and has obsessed over ever since was authored by a coworker and he and the coworker fall in love because they both enjoy shitty novels. Awwww. All the individual slices of white bread unite into one happy loaf of bread. Toast!
Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald sucks. It’s dumb from beginning to end. The plot is flimsy and based on idiocy and coincidences. The characters are bland and uninspiring. I don’t believe the author knew anything about working in a bookstore or movie production. Julie is obsessed with keeping the story tidy and not interested in providing customer service. Books get moved by customers or shelved incorrectly by careless staff. So what? I recently bought a copy of Captain’s Dinner by Adam Cohen at B&N. It’s a historical book about a British shipwreck, cannibalism, and the legal fallout. I couldn’t find it after looking in all the usual places and finally asked the staff. Guess where it was found? With the cookbooks! The details about the movie production seemed wildly unrealistic as well. I’m not a movie buff but I’ve seen lots of “behind-the-scenes” movie and tv show production stuff because it’s interesting. What I know as a casual viewer is that: Julia would have a contract with the production company about what they could or could not do in the store and the responsibility to repair/replace any damage. And why would it take weeks to film scenes in a bookstore?! Especially if the main star has left and a stand-in is being used? The movie side plot is superfluous; it in no way affects the main plot of Laura/April/Westley nonsense.
And what’s the purpose of the italicized sections? Each member of the bookstore staff discusses the most interesting item he/she has ever found in a book. Who cares? And who asked them? Who are they telling? Is the staff talking to someone? Are these letters they wrote to someone? Who fucking knows! They are italicized sections of boring nonsense. I worked in a university library. You know what I’ve found in books? Used condoms! Wait, let me put this properly: The most interesting item I’ve ever found in the pages of a book are used condoms. I don’t remember the color of the condom or the brand. I remember they were dried up and wrinkly and had been in the books for a while. Guess what? I left them there. Who am I to mess with the joy of a future library clerk finding them?
Storybook Ending’s audience is very sheltered readers who still think wearing white after Labor Day is titillating and subversive. The novel has no imagination, has nothing interesting to say and isn’t entertaining. The conclusion wraps up neatly with a saccharine sweet bow. It’s horrifyingly awful:
Hi! I’m April. I’m in my mid-twenties and I work in tech from home. And by “tech” I mean I look at pictures of houses and rooms that people send me and I email them back, advising them to paint the walls to cover up blood stains and pick up the moldy sandwiches and beer bottles from the floor and put away the sex dolls and drug paraphernalia, then put the house up for sale! It’s a tough job that taxes my tiny brain but I mostly l like it because I can work at home but I also really don’t like it because I’m alone. I don’t have friends because the one friend I did have was selfish enough to get married and have kids and continue to work a fulltime job! She doesn’t have time for me, the single woman with lots of time on her hands, and that pisses me off. I mean, I could get a different job or get hobbies or join a gym or volunteer and put myself out there in some way so I could meet people but that’s a LOT of work and who has the time? Plus I have a younger slacker brother who is delusional and thinks he’s the next George Clooney and maybe he will be eventually! I don’t know because I’m so stupid! But he borrows money from me all the time—like $1,000 at a time—and I give it to him because, you know, why should he get a job and pay for his own rent and groceries? He’s a good guy and I love enabling him and being used as an ATM. If I stopped giving him money, who would talk to me???
You should know I love books and bookstores and visit one called Read the Room. It’s a cute and cozy bookstore. I’ve recently noticed this very cute guy whose whole job is to sort the used books donated or traded in by customers. Imagine that being your whole job! He must be very smart and important. He’s just so cute and seems so nice, the way he stands around with a blank look on his face. But he’s so cute! And to die for in those sexy flannel shirts! I think I love him. But I’m not going to talk to him—even though I go to the bookstore and he’s an employee and presumably he loves books and I have a legitimate and face-saving opportunity to talk to him—oh no! I’m going to be brave and daring and quirky and write a note introducing myself and slip the note into the pages of Anthony Horowitz’s Magpie Murders—a book I read but didn’t understand. Too twisty for me. It’s like there was a novel inside the novel? So confusing! But because he is the Used Books Coordinator and he carefully flips through all the books when he receives them, I’m sure he’ll find the note, read it, assume it’s for him, write me back and we’ll fall madly in love! Because he’s so cute and I’m so dim and lonely! Of course nothing could go awry with this plan—it’s foolproof! This is such a fun adventure! And not a rip-off of the classic Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan movie You’ve Got Mail at all! (To be fair, I do mention this move a lot. Like seriously. A lot).
Hi! I’m Laura. I’m in my early to mid-forties. I have a 5 or 6 old daughter named Olivia and a dead husband. He’s been dead for over five years but I haven’t dated since then and every day I think about my dead husband. I haven’t dated because that seems like betrayal to my dead husband and yes, I will mention my dead husband a lot because it causes instant sympathy for the right kind of reader and I will need that sympathy because I, too, am a moron! I’m a personal shopping assistant at a sort of fancy department store which means I’m a whiz at dressing people in the right clothes. I, too, am lonely so I let my friend Rebecca pressure me into joining her book club. But that’s okay because I love bookstores and books and I fantasize about working in a bookstore even though during this whole novel I will never read an actual book! No one will! I mean, the author says we love books and read a lot but we never do! Funny! When I went to my local bookstore—coincidentally Read the Room, the one April goes to too but ssssh! I don’t know that yet!—to pick up the book (Magpie Murders—coincidence!) I found a note in the book. And it had to be only for me, right? I mean it was addressed to “you” and that’s me! I went back to the bookstore and there’s this really cute guy who works at the used book counter and I love his flannel. So outdoorsy and so anti-chic Seattle it’s chic! He is the only person who could have written that note! I know nothing about him but I’m going to respond to his letter. Because, gosh dang it, he’s so cute. And I’ll take relationship advice from my twenty-something babysitter who is possibly dimmer than I am with an even dumber boyfriend. But I’m smarter than all of them because responding to anonymous letters is the best way to have a relationship! Especially for a woman with a young vulnerable child!
Hello. I’m Westley. Yes, my name is from The Princess Bride. Please don’t bring it up. It irritates me, so I’ll talk about it a lot. Yes, I’m very good-looking. Women and men hit on me a lot. I don’t like it. It’s embarrassing. But I’m very cute. I get a lot of attention I don’t want. My incredible, movie-star looks will be mentioned often in this novel. Please excuse the author as really, I have nothing else to recommend myself. I’m nice and polite in a very bland way. But as all my fellow characters have the personalities of soggy white bread, I shouldn’t stand out, should I? That would be so embarrassing for me! I have no social life. No goals. No gumption. No prospects. No ideas. No career path. The author tells me I like to read and that’s why I work in a bookstore but like all my other characters, I never actually read anything. There will be lots of book-title and movie-name dropping because why take the time to develop complex characters when popular media titles work so well? Especially for an entirely forgettable novel that will be pulp in a few months. Whoops! I almost got interesting there for a minute. Please excuse me for having an opinion. A few years ago I had a passionate love affair with a woman who was engaged to my best friend (and my boss). I know that seems very unboring of me but if the author said I did it, I guess I did. And at last year’s Christmas party, I made out with Raven, my resting bitch face coworker, when we both got a little drunk. It was just some minor, over-the-clothes-kissing and touchy-feely, but we’re both so immature and weird that she thinks it meant something and I’m too stupid to know her feelings are hurt and we don’t talk about it because it almost never happens that people get drunk and make out with coworkers at parties, right? But that’s all there is to know about me. I stand around at the bookstore, sorting used books (which is so much more intellectually demanding than you think) and look handsome in my flannel.
A movie is being filmed at the bookstore. We close early a few nights a week for the crew to set up. But one day the star, Kelly Drake, decided he was too good for it and walked out. The director made me be his stand-in! I guess I could have said no, but that requires decisive action. I’d rather stand around looking handsome, know I’m handsome, and whine about it. I fit into this story as the romantic leading man. Which I don’t like. I mean, I know I’m handsome and cute but I have zero personality and no sense of humor. Why are these two women fixated on me? Don’t tell me it’s because I’m handsome! Gosh darn it! These women are so dumb, thinking they are corresponding with me when they are writing notes to each other. Dumb women. Don’t they know I’m too darn handsome to bother with that?
April keeps writing notes and putting them in the book. Laura responds to the notes. They each think they are writing to Westley. No one has the brains to go to the bookstore and ask his name or talk to him.
“Hey! I brought him homemade chocolate chip cookies!” says Laura in a moderately outraged (but not too outraged as that requires personality) tone. Yes, you did, Laura. Did you introduce yourself? Get his name? Or did you plunk down the cookies like a fucking psychotic stalker and leave? “I talked to him,” Laura says defensively. “I told him he’d like them.” Yeah, because that’s not psychotic at all. Westley, dazed and confused, shares the cookies with his coworkers. They all agree, yes, they are good cookies. (In fact, she made them with expensive organic flour, Ghiradelli’s chocolate chips, and a pinch of Ceylon cinnamon—the best cinnamon because nothing’s too good for Cute Used Book Guy Whose Name Begins With An A—and Laura brought the eggs and butter to room temperature before mixing them in and she let the dough rest overnight so when she baked them the next day the cookies held together better.) (Excessive parentheses were used throughout the novel to write sentences that didn’t move the plot forward, didn’t help define the characters and were probably supposed to be funny but weren’t and it got really fucking annoying after about the first two pages.)
Nothing happens in this novel. The reader despises all the characters and badmouths herself for spending money on this terrible book. But she’s having a lot of fun shredding it so maybe it was worth the $15? Julia freaks out about the movie people daring to move books and shelves (OMG!), Westley bemoans his status as Handsome Bookstore Guy, and Laura and April giggle over how daring they are exchanging letters with Westley (i.e. each other) via a YA novel. The two female Wonder Breads decide it’s finally time to have a meet’n’greet at a local coffee shop. April makes it (dressed exotically in…black jeans and a lacey shirt picked out by whom??? Oh, yeah, Laura the personal shopper!) “That outfit was exotic! For me!” exclaims April. “I work from home, remember? I’m miserable and socially isolated and I wear sweatpants. Plus, coincidences happen in real life too!” Whatever, April. Laura/Westley didn’t show up because her babysitter had a boyfriend ER and because neither of the idiots thought to exchange phone numbers, April thought L/Westley was a jerk and Laura responded like a sulky child to the idea of having to miss her blind date and stay home to watch her own child. “Well, who cares if my babysitter Ashley’s brain-dead boyfriend has a concussion? He’s dumb. She should have stayed at my house or at the very least taken the kid with her to the ER. I had to miss my date with the Very Cute Guy! It took me a day and lots of passive aggressive comments aimed at Ashley to get over it!” squeals Laura like the immature idiot the author wrote her to be.
Blah blah blah…Laura and April eventually discover the mix-up and bond immediately over their shared low IQ. Westley is confronted by both the babysitter and April, realizes there’s some misunderstanding, but instead of staying to discuss the situation, he has a baby tantrum and leaves the store in a snit (but a very cute one!) It’s also revealed (to this reader’s non-surprise and rolling of eyes) that the terrible romance book (Shivering Timbers—the title alone should have the author banned for life from publishing novels) he discovered and has obsessed over ever since was authored by a coworker and he and the coworker fall in love because they both enjoy shitty novels. Awwww. All the individual slices of white bread unite into one happy loaf of bread. Toast!
Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald sucks. It’s dumb from beginning to end. The plot is flimsy and based on idiocy and coincidences. The characters are bland and uninspiring. I don’t believe the author knew anything about working in a bookstore or movie production. Julie is obsessed with keeping the story tidy and not interested in providing customer service. Books get moved by customers or shelved incorrectly by careless staff. So what? I recently bought a copy of Captain’s Dinner by Adam Cohen at B&N. It’s a historical book about a British shipwreck, cannibalism, and the legal fallout. I couldn’t find it after looking in all the usual places and finally asked the staff. Guess where it was found? With the cookbooks! The details about the movie production seemed wildly unrealistic as well. I’m not a movie buff but I’ve seen lots of “behind-the-scenes” movie and tv show production stuff because it’s interesting. What I know as a casual viewer is that: Julia would have a contract with the production company about what they could or could not do in the store and the responsibility to repair/replace any damage. And why would it take weeks to film scenes in a bookstore?! Especially if the main star has left and a stand-in is being used? The movie side plot is superfluous; it in no way affects the main plot of Laura/April/Westley nonsense.
And what’s the purpose of the italicized sections? Each member of the bookstore staff discusses the most interesting item he/she has ever found in a book. Who cares? And who asked them? Who are they telling? Is the staff talking to someone? Are these letters they wrote to someone? Who fucking knows! They are italicized sections of boring nonsense. I worked in a university library. You know what I’ve found in books? Used condoms! Wait, let me put this properly: The most interesting item I’ve ever found in the pages of a book are used condoms. I don’t remember the color of the condom or the brand. I remember they were dried up and wrinkly and had been in the books for a while. Guess what? I left them there. Who am I to mess with the joy of a future library clerk finding them?
Storybook Ending’s audience is very sheltered readers who still think wearing white after Labor Day is titillating and subversive. The novel has no imagination, has nothing interesting to say and isn’t entertaining. The conclusion wraps up neatly with a saccharine sweet bow. It’s horrifyingly awful:
Outside, darkness was beginning to fall, and the street looked a bit like a winter snow globe, with tiny snowflakes whirling near the streetlight. Inside it was warm, with the candles on the table flickering gracefully with the conversation, giving everyone’s face a soft glow. The whole scene felt, April thought, just like a movie, the kind you’d want to watch over and over, always wanting to enter its world one more time. (300)Yuck.
November 23, 2025
Longingly searching for a book that is the literary equivalent of a warm hug? One that will cause your bookish heart to soar and its characters will leave you permanently starry eyed?? WELL LOOK NO FURTHER BECAUSE STORYBOOK ENDING IS JUST THAT BOOK!
With epistolary elements and an entirely bookish setting (a bookstore, hello!!!!!!) this bookie wookie has it all! Romance, humor, COZYYYYYYYYYY vibes, and at the heart of it all… unexpected friendship (🥹) Storybook Ending is a book to be savored with a cozy knitted blanket, autumnal ambiance playing, and a warm cup of somethang sweet in your hands before the end of the year!
With epistolary elements and an entirely bookish setting (a bookstore, hello!!!!!!) this bookie wookie has it all! Romance, humor, COZYYYYYYYYYY vibes, and at the heart of it all… unexpected friendship (🥹) Storybook Ending is a book to be savored with a cozy knitted blanket, autumnal ambiance playing, and a warm cup of somethang sweet in your hands before the end of the year!
March 23, 2025
Dear Mrs. Macdonald,
I just finished your book, thanks to NetGalley. I loved it. It’s going to be huge. So very happy for you.
I hope for readers’ sake that we get to read many more novels by you, each with an appearance by a different beloved recurring character. You’ve created a world that’s ripe with spin-off potential—much like Abbi Waxman has with her The Garden of Small Beginnings.
Also, fingers crossed your publishers keep the cover art as shown on NetGalley. It’s a great fit.
Thank you for the joy you’ve brought to me and to all your future readers!
Sincerely,
A
I just finished your book, thanks to NetGalley. I loved it. It’s going to be huge. So very happy for you.
I hope for readers’ sake that we get to read many more novels by you, each with an appearance by a different beloved recurring character. You’ve created a world that’s ripe with spin-off potential—much like Abbi Waxman has with her The Garden of Small Beginnings.
Also, fingers crossed your publishers keep the cover art as shown on NetGalley. It’s a great fit.
Thank you for the joy you’ve brought to me and to all your future readers!
Sincerely,
A
June 10, 2025
This was great and got my attention so quickly! I loved how it ended and just a good read all around!
November 10, 2025
2.75⭐️ Tinha algumas expectativas para este livro. A premissa é muito interessante e esperava algo a inclinar para a ficção literária. Acontece que o livro promete tudo e entrega zero.
Compreendo que seja sobre a amizade, mas neste caso o Westley é que era a pick me girl, sempre tão afetado por ser tão giro, só queria ser visto como uma pessoa normal 🤮
Depois a situação da troca de bilhetes entre as duas mulheres estende-se demasiado e só se resolve mesmo no fim. Tem também demasiada coisa a acontecer, demasiados povs desnecessários, e a bem dizer, embora seja muito em que focar, não acontece grande coisa. É repetitivo! A certo ponto estamos só a ver o dia-a-dia dos personagens.
E a autora parece que inventa plots aleatórios a meio. Há uma cena em que uma das personagens principais receb mensagens agressivas de alguém, mas ela só bloqueia o número e pronto, acabou ali a história. Então pra quê por isso a acontecer??
Enfim, a escrita não é má, mas a história foi muito mal conseguida!
Compreendo que seja sobre a amizade, mas neste caso o Westley é que era a pick me girl, sempre tão afetado por ser tão giro, só queria ser visto como uma pessoa normal 🤮
Depois a situação da troca de bilhetes entre as duas mulheres estende-se demasiado e só se resolve mesmo no fim. Tem também demasiada coisa a acontecer, demasiados povs desnecessários, e a bem dizer, embora seja muito em que focar, não acontece grande coisa. É repetitivo! A certo ponto estamos só a ver o dia-a-dia dos personagens.
E a autora parece que inventa plots aleatórios a meio. Há uma cena em que uma das personagens principais receb mensagens agressivas de alguém, mas ela só bloqueia o número e pronto, acabou ali a história. Então pra quê por isso a acontecer??
Enfim, a escrita não é má, mas a história foi muito mal conseguida!
June 22, 2025
✨ For a debut novel, this book is such a gem! I absolutely loved it! 🫶🏻
It’s a heartwarming story about three main characters, April, Westley, and Laura, whose lives take unexpected turns, all sparked by anonymous notes. This charming tale weaves together themes of friendship, romance, miscommunication, and, of course, the comforting magic of bookstores 📚
The story is told from three distinct perspectives, and while the narrative is on the longer side, I found myself fully immersed in each character’s journey. Each voice felt authentic and engaging, making connecting with their thoughts, emotions, and growth easy. The central plot, where an anonymous note meant for someone specific ends up in the wrong hands, adds a layer of intrigue and excitement. I was eager to see how the truth would unfold, and when it finally did, it was satisfying and surprisingly moving. The scene felt just right, like it was always meant to happen that way 💗
I genuinely liked all the characters, including the supporting ones. Rebecca, Ashley, and the adorable Olivia added warmth and charm to the story. The ending, especially, was so heartwarming, it brought joy to see the characters I had grown attached to living their lives to the fullest together.
Another delightful aspect was the inclusion of chapters featuring Westley’s colleagues at Read the Room, the bookstore where he works. Each chapter opens with the line, “The best thing I ever found in a book…" This is such a creative idea and honestly made the bookstore setting feel even more magical 📚✨I loved reading about the little treasures they discovered tucked between the pages. Even with just one chapter per colleague, their personalities came through clearly. Alejandra’s quiet reflections, Andrew and his daily blazer (and his subtle pride in being gay), Raven (a little annoying but still likable), and Julia, the passionate bookstore owner, all added flavor and life to the story.
Some of the themes, though briefly explored, really resonated with me, especially grief and how friendships can shift as we move through different life phases. The idea of leaving an anonymous note in a book particularly struck a chord with me; it reminded me of my own thoughts during early adulthood, of perhaps leaving a note not for love, but for connection, like a mysterious kind of pen pal. Maybe that’s why this book felt extra special to me. This book also reminded me that life isn’t just about romantic love; it’s also about growth, connection, and finding meaning in everyday interactions.
Overall, I highly recommend adding this book to your reading list if you enjoy cozy, character-driven stories set around books and bookstores, with its heartfelt themes, likable characters, and a beautiful message that sometimes, even the smallest gestures can lead to life-changing moments.
✨ The cover of this book is 🤌🏻 . You’re staying with me, on my bookshelf, book trolley, or wherever I can fit you at home!
Thank you, Times Reads, for the review copy ! 🫶🏻
It’s a heartwarming story about three main characters, April, Westley, and Laura, whose lives take unexpected turns, all sparked by anonymous notes. This charming tale weaves together themes of friendship, romance, miscommunication, and, of course, the comforting magic of bookstores 📚
The story is told from three distinct perspectives, and while the narrative is on the longer side, I found myself fully immersed in each character’s journey. Each voice felt authentic and engaging, making connecting with their thoughts, emotions, and growth easy. The central plot, where an anonymous note meant for someone specific ends up in the wrong hands, adds a layer of intrigue and excitement. I was eager to see how the truth would unfold, and when it finally did, it was satisfying and surprisingly moving. The scene felt just right, like it was always meant to happen that way 💗
I genuinely liked all the characters, including the supporting ones. Rebecca, Ashley, and the adorable Olivia added warmth and charm to the story. The ending, especially, was so heartwarming, it brought joy to see the characters I had grown attached to living their lives to the fullest together.
Another delightful aspect was the inclusion of chapters featuring Westley’s colleagues at Read the Room, the bookstore where he works. Each chapter opens with the line, “The best thing I ever found in a book…" This is such a creative idea and honestly made the bookstore setting feel even more magical 📚✨I loved reading about the little treasures they discovered tucked between the pages. Even with just one chapter per colleague, their personalities came through clearly. Alejandra’s quiet reflections, Andrew and his daily blazer (and his subtle pride in being gay), Raven (a little annoying but still likable), and Julia, the passionate bookstore owner, all added flavor and life to the story.
Some of the themes, though briefly explored, really resonated with me, especially grief and how friendships can shift as we move through different life phases. The idea of leaving an anonymous note in a book particularly struck a chord with me; it reminded me of my own thoughts during early adulthood, of perhaps leaving a note not for love, but for connection, like a mysterious kind of pen pal. Maybe that’s why this book felt extra special to me. This book also reminded me that life isn’t just about romantic love; it’s also about growth, connection, and finding meaning in everyday interactions.
Overall, I highly recommend adding this book to your reading list if you enjoy cozy, character-driven stories set around books and bookstores, with its heartfelt themes, likable characters, and a beautiful message that sometimes, even the smallest gestures can lead to life-changing moments.
✨ The cover of this book is 🤌🏻 . You’re staying with me, on my bookshelf, book trolley, or wherever I can fit you at home!
Thank you, Times Reads, for the review copy ! 🫶🏻
February 21, 2025
This was such a lovely read, made even more special as I was one of 10 lucky winners to be sent a proof copy from the publishers via a giveaway on Facebook book group The Bookload.
Whilst it is fairly inevitable what is going to happen, L and A are exchanging notes to one another, via The Hunger Games book in the YA section of Seattle's bookshop Read The Room, both thinking the other is the cute, handsome guy who works in the used book section, it is still a charming and endearing read.
Laura (L) is a personal shopper/dresser, bringing up her daughter on her own as she has sadly been widowed. April (A) works remotely from home and seems isolated and extremely lonely (and the company she works for, Picket Fence, seems rather bizarre). The used book guy, Westley, isn't aware of either woman and has no idea he is the focus for their note writing.
This gentle book is about perception and assumptions. Both women try to fit Westley's responses in real life into the narrative they have woven for themselves, and Westley, whilst having been roped in to a film making venture taking place in the bookshop, thanks to arrogant local actor Kelly Drake swanning off at a crucial moment, is fed up with people only seeing his good looks and not appreciating him as an individual beyond the superficial impression.
We get to meet the many characters working in the bookshop too, Raven, Andrew and Alejandra, shepherded into order by shop owner Julia.
It is interesting and entertaining getting to know these very different personalities as the central theme plays out: when will Laura and April realise they are writing to each other and who will realise first?
I think this book will appeal to many readers of the rom-com genre and with established authors such as Beth O'Leary recommending Storybook Ending, I predict this debut novel from Moira MacDonald will do well.
Whilst it is fairly inevitable what is going to happen, L and A are exchanging notes to one another, via The Hunger Games book in the YA section of Seattle's bookshop Read The Room, both thinking the other is the cute, handsome guy who works in the used book section, it is still a charming and endearing read.
Laura (L) is a personal shopper/dresser, bringing up her daughter on her own as she has sadly been widowed. April (A) works remotely from home and seems isolated and extremely lonely (and the company she works for, Picket Fence, seems rather bizarre). The used book guy, Westley, isn't aware of either woman and has no idea he is the focus for their note writing.
This gentle book is about perception and assumptions. Both women try to fit Westley's responses in real life into the narrative they have woven for themselves, and Westley, whilst having been roped in to a film making venture taking place in the bookshop, thanks to arrogant local actor Kelly Drake swanning off at a crucial moment, is fed up with people only seeing his good looks and not appreciating him as an individual beyond the superficial impression.
We get to meet the many characters working in the bookshop too, Raven, Andrew and Alejandra, shepherded into order by shop owner Julia.
It is interesting and entertaining getting to know these very different personalities as the central theme plays out: when will Laura and April realise they are writing to each other and who will realise first?
I think this book will appeal to many readers of the rom-com genre and with established authors such as Beth O'Leary recommending Storybook Ending, I predict this debut novel from Moira MacDonald will do well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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