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The Shop Next Door
Not yet published
Expected 4 Sep 26All she wants is to open up her dream bookshop.
All he wants is her.
Jessa Alden never imagined that the grand opening of her dream bookshop, The Prologue, would be ruined by a neighboring shop hosting its own grand opening on the very same day. Even worse? The owner of that obnoxiously loud gamer cafe turns out to be none other than Liam Ashford. Her former best friend. Her former rival. The only man who could ever make her heart race.
Liam Ashford is everything that Jessa can't handle-effortlessly charming, annoyingly attractive, and entirely too good at getting under her skin. And now he's back in town, setting up shop right beside her like the past never happened.
Jessa wants him gone. Liam is surprisingly agreeable with that request-but only on one condition. A year-long reignition of their rivalry. If she wins, he's as good as gone. If he wins... That's not an option.
The harder Jessa fights to beat him, the harder it becomes to ignore the sparks that still simmer beneath every argument, the lingering looks, and the way he can still make her pulse race. Somewhere along the way, Jessa realizes that maybe the real risk isn't losing to Liam. It's admitting why losing him feels so much worse.
All he wants is her.
Jessa Alden never imagined that the grand opening of her dream bookshop, The Prologue, would be ruined by a neighboring shop hosting its own grand opening on the very same day. Even worse? The owner of that obnoxiously loud gamer cafe turns out to be none other than Liam Ashford. Her former best friend. Her former rival. The only man who could ever make her heart race.
Liam Ashford is everything that Jessa can't handle-effortlessly charming, annoyingly attractive, and entirely too good at getting under her skin. And now he's back in town, setting up shop right beside her like the past never happened.
Jessa wants him gone. Liam is surprisingly agreeable with that request-but only on one condition. A year-long reignition of their rivalry. If she wins, he's as good as gone. If he wins... That's not an option.
The harder Jessa fights to beat him, the harder it becomes to ignore the sparks that still simmer beneath every argument, the lingering looks, and the way he can still make her pulse race. Somewhere along the way, Jessa realizes that maybe the real risk isn't losing to Liam. It's admitting why losing him feels so much worse.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 4, 2026
About the author
June Hawthorn
2 books6 followersJune Hawthorn is a lover of all things cheesy and romantic. When she isn't reading or writing, she can be found spending time with her husband and two children. Currently living in Indiana, they love to frequent the Indianapolis Children's Museum and the Indy Zoo. Her debut novel, The Shop Next Door, is scheduled for release on September 4, 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
August 23, 2026
This was so freaking good omg!!!
It was the perfect cozy romantic rivalry for fall, I enjoyed it so much!
It was the perfect cozy romantic rivalry for fall, I enjoyed it so much!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I DID NOT EXPECT THIS BOOK TO HIT ME IN THE FEELINGS LIKE THAT. 😭
I flew through this. Ended up finishing the whole thing in two hours!
I picked this up expecting a cute small-town romance, and I ended up getting a cute bookstore, an adorable gaming café, ridiculous business competition, best-friends-to-rivals-to-lovers, and a romance that had me grinning the entire time.
The banter between Jesse and Liam was SO good. I loved watching these two compete over everything while slowly finding their way back to being friends again. The sparks were there from the beginning, and the whole time I was just sitting there like... you two are SO obviously in love. 😭
But Jesse ended up being the part of this book that really got me.
She's a perfectionist who constantly feels like she has something to prove, and the way she measures herself against the people around her hit a little too close to home. I wasn't expecting to see so much of myself in her, but some of her insecurities and the pressure she puts on herself felt painfully familiar.
I loved watching her slowly realise that she doesn't always have to be competing, achieving, or proving herself to be worthy. Sometimes you can just... let yourself be loved. 🥹
And Liam??? The way these two constantly challenge each other while clearly caring so much underneath all that competition had me smiling like an idiot. Their chemistry was SO good.
This was such a sweet, easy, comforting read, but it ended up meaning a lot more to me than I expected. Sometimes you pick up a book just looking for something cute and accidentally find a character who makes you feel a little understood.
If you're looking for a cosy contemporary with great banter, a cute setting, competitive idiots, and a romance with a surprising amount of heart, definitely give this one a try.
I flew through this. Ended up finishing the whole thing in two hours!
I picked this up expecting a cute small-town romance, and I ended up getting a cute bookstore, an adorable gaming café, ridiculous business competition, best-friends-to-rivals-to-lovers, and a romance that had me grinning the entire time.
The banter between Jesse and Liam was SO good. I loved watching these two compete over everything while slowly finding their way back to being friends again. The sparks were there from the beginning, and the whole time I was just sitting there like... you two are SO obviously in love. 😭
But Jesse ended up being the part of this book that really got me.
She's a perfectionist who constantly feels like she has something to prove, and the way she measures herself against the people around her hit a little too close to home. I wasn't expecting to see so much of myself in her, but some of her insecurities and the pressure she puts on herself felt painfully familiar.
I loved watching her slowly realise that she doesn't always have to be competing, achieving, or proving herself to be worthy. Sometimes you can just... let yourself be loved. 🥹
And Liam??? The way these two constantly challenge each other while clearly caring so much underneath all that competition had me smiling like an idiot. Their chemistry was SO good.
This was such a sweet, easy, comforting read, but it ended up meaning a lot more to me than I expected. Sometimes you pick up a book just looking for something cute and accidentally find a character who makes you feel a little understood.
If you're looking for a cosy contemporary with great banter, a cute setting, competitive idiots, and a romance with a surprising amount of heart, definitely give this one a try.
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.25🌟
To those who are still learning to love their imperfections. May you one day see the beauty in every flaw.
This is such a cute, fun and feel good romance that it had me giggling and kicking my feet (specially the first 50%). It’s a very quick read too, since it's under 250 page, it just took me two sittings to finish it.
The writing and the story reminded me a lottttt of Lynn Painter's and Sarah Adams' books.
If you like:
○Friends-to-rivals-lovera
○Its always been you
○Single pov
○Bookstore/cafe setting
○Forced proximity
○Fun challenges
Then you'll love this.
I am very intrigued with the setting and the town because it low-key reminds me of Gilmore girls, so I hope to see more of that in her next books.
And I'm definitely going to read more by her.
“But things change. You’re more than just Jessie. Sometimes it feels like everything has stayed exactly the same for me, but you’ve gone out and changed everything for you.” I could relate to his words more than I would ever dare to admit out loud. “I want to get to know you as you are. And someday, if I’m lucky, I’d like to be close enough to be able to call you Jess.”
Liam Ashford became my first and greatest friend. I do not have a single memory of my life before him. He was always there, from the very beginning. We grew up together. We would play together, eat together, and eventually, we would walk to and from school together. In every sense of the word, he and I were inseparable. We would spend every waking moment together. I would cry when 6: 15 rolled around, and my father would come to pick me up and drag me back to our apartment. Home became synonymous with Liam. I grew more accustomed to hearing, “Liam and Jessie,” than I did just, “Jessie.”
To those who are still learning to love their imperfections. May you one day see the beauty in every flaw.
This is such a cute, fun and feel good romance that it had me giggling and kicking my feet (specially the first 50%). It’s a very quick read too, since it's under 250 page, it just took me two sittings to finish it.
The writing and the story reminded me a lottttt of Lynn Painter's and Sarah Adams' books.
If you like:
○Friends-to-rivals-lovera
○Its always been you
○Single pov
○Bookstore/cafe setting
○Forced proximity
○Fun challenges
Then you'll love this.
I am very intrigued with the setting and the town because it low-key reminds me of Gilmore girls, so I hope to see more of that in her next books.
And I'm definitely going to read more by her.
“But things change. You’re more than just Jessie. Sometimes it feels like everything has stayed exactly the same for me, but you’ve gone out and changed everything for you.” I could relate to his words more than I would ever dare to admit out loud. “I want to get to know you as you are. And someday, if I’m lucky, I’d like to be close enough to be able to call you Jess.”
Liam Ashford became my first and greatest friend. I do not have a single memory of my life before him. He was always there, from the very beginning. We grew up together. We would play together, eat together, and eventually, we would walk to and from school together. In every sense of the word, he and I were inseparable. We would spend every waking moment together. I would cry when 6: 15 rolled around, and my father would come to pick me up and drag me back to our apartment. Home became synonymous with Liam. I grew more accustomed to hearing, “Liam and Jessie,” than I did just, “Jessie.”
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to the author for an ARC copy of this book in return for a honest review.
I absolutely loved this book and ran to June's DMs as I was reading. I'm pretty sure I read this book in less than 12 hours. The way she wrote the Jessa and Liam, they felt older than early 20's.
From the first few pages I loved Jesse and felt like she was so relatable. She never felt like she was good enough and felt like she had to constantly prove herself. While I felt bad for her, I felt even worse for Liam. That man was DOWN BAD for her, for probably over a decade and she had zero clue. To me it was so obvious that even when they were in MS/HS all he wanted was her attention and competing with her, is how he got it. I loved him so much.
They were two people who had no clue what the other person was feeling or interpreting things. To him, the competitions weren't a big deal and just fun. To her, they were everything and fed into all of her insecurities.
He was so patient with her and so kind that I had heart eyes reading him whenever he was on page. He really had her back and WANTED her to win. I do think that they made each other better and push themselves which helped their success.
This was a delicious slow burn. I loved watching them build their friendship back to what it was and THEN it turned into something more. I'm such a sucker for "it's always been you". Honestly, I love that they were each other's firsts and the way that June wrote this, it didn't come off as cheesy, it made sense.
Highly recommend this book if you like childhood friends to rivals to lovers, slow burn, green flag/cinnamon roll MMC, banter, bookstore owner x game store owner, he falls first and harder.
June is now an auto read author for me <3
I absolutely loved this book and ran to June's DMs as I was reading. I'm pretty sure I read this book in less than 12 hours. The way she wrote the Jessa and Liam, they felt older than early 20's.
From the first few pages I loved Jesse and felt like she was so relatable. She never felt like she was good enough and felt like she had to constantly prove herself. While I felt bad for her, I felt even worse for Liam. That man was DOWN BAD for her, for probably over a decade and she had zero clue. To me it was so obvious that even when they were in MS/HS all he wanted was her attention and competing with her, is how he got it. I loved him so much.
They were two people who had no clue what the other person was feeling or interpreting things. To him, the competitions weren't a big deal and just fun. To her, they were everything and fed into all of her insecurities.
He was so patient with her and so kind that I had heart eyes reading him whenever he was on page. He really had her back and WANTED her to win. I do think that they made each other better and push themselves which helped their success.
This was a delicious slow burn. I loved watching them build their friendship back to what it was and THEN it turned into something more. I'm such a sucker for "it's always been you". Honestly, I love that they were each other's firsts and the way that June wrote this, it didn't come off as cheesy, it made sense.
Highly recommend this book if you like childhood friends to rivals to lovers, slow burn, green flag/cinnamon roll MMC, banter, bookstore owner x game store owner, he falls first and harder.
June is now an auto read author for me <3
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to June Hawthorne for the opportunity to read and review her debut novel, The Shop Next Door.
The Shop Next Door was a fun and cute read! I couldn’t put it down and finished it in a day.
Jessa has always excelled at everything she does. She graduates from university, lands a great job, and then decides to leave it behind to follow her dream of opening her own bookstore, a decision her parents don’t exactly support. On the day of her grand opening, she hears music coming from next door and discovers that Liam, her former best friend turned nemesis, is having the grand opening of his new gaming store and café on the very same day.
I loved Jessa and Liam together. They had great banter, lots of romantic tension, and that will-they-won’t-they energy that kept me invested in their story. The slow burn was really well done and gave their relationship time to develop without ever feeling like the story was dragging. I also really enjoyed the competition between them and the fun challenges that came along with it. I kept finding myself smiling throughout!
The supporting characters were easy to love as well, and I quickly got invested in the whole friend group.
I couldn’t believe this was June Hawthorne’s first novel. The writing was beautiful, the characters were thoughtfully developed, and the pacing was perfect. Nothing felt rushed, and the story flowed naturally from beginning to end. This was an impressive start, and I have no doubt June has many more great books ahead of her. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series to see what’s in store for Clara!
The Shop Next Door was a fun and cute read! I couldn’t put it down and finished it in a day.
Jessa has always excelled at everything she does. She graduates from university, lands a great job, and then decides to leave it behind to follow her dream of opening her own bookstore, a decision her parents don’t exactly support. On the day of her grand opening, she hears music coming from next door and discovers that Liam, her former best friend turned nemesis, is having the grand opening of his new gaming store and café on the very same day.
I loved Jessa and Liam together. They had great banter, lots of romantic tension, and that will-they-won’t-they energy that kept me invested in their story. The slow burn was really well done and gave their relationship time to develop without ever feeling like the story was dragging. I also really enjoyed the competition between them and the fun challenges that came along with it. I kept finding myself smiling throughout!
The supporting characters were easy to love as well, and I quickly got invested in the whole friend group.
I couldn’t believe this was June Hawthorne’s first novel. The writing was beautiful, the characters were thoughtfully developed, and the pacing was perfect. Nothing felt rushed, and the story flowed naturally from beginning to end. This was an impressive start, and I have no doubt June has many more great books ahead of her. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series to see what’s in store for Clara!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Actual rating = 4.5 stars. I wanted to read this book because it seemed like a cozy comfort read. It had all of the elements: small town, Main Street storefronts, childhood friends to enemies, everything needed for a sweet read. I was not prepared for the angst it would produce. As children, Liam and Jessa were inseparable but as they got older, Jessa’s family began to ignore her and heaping praise and admiration on Liam. Thus began Jessa and Liam’s lifelong competition to be the best. The only problem with that was that in reality, Jessa was the only one competing. Liam never saw Jessa as an adversary but as someone who made him better, who brought color into his life. Jessa’s anger and frustration with Liam stemmed directly from how unworthy she felt because her family always treated her like she wasn’t good enough. After she confronted them and got them to see she deserved their love and support, she was able to understand that her “hatred” of Liam was never really hatred at all but love. A love she was worthy of. It was a very good read and the reason I gave it 4.5 stars instead of 5 is because the entire book is in Jessa’s POV. I would’ve loved to have seen Liam’s POV , even just once. So many times you could tell how he was feeling by the looks he was giving Jessa but I am the type of person who wants, no needs to hear that inner monologue.
Tropes:
📚Small town
🎮 Childhood friends
📚 Enemies to lovers
🎮 Dueling store owners
📚 Family drama
🎮 Dual virgins
Tropes:
📚Small town
🎮 Childhood friends
📚 Enemies to lovers
🎮 Dueling store owners
📚 Family drama
🎮 Dual virgins
Review of advance copy received from Author
4/5
“Keep talking to me like that, and I might have to buy you dinner next time.”
Thank you so much for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book.
This is a small town romance (MCs are in their early 20s). Friends to enemies to lovers. Book store versus a Game shop.
What I liked about this book was that it gives you that chick-flick early 2000s movie setting with an open door scene where they MCs are friends from when they were kids, and competed against each other in highschool, and then did not talk for x years, and then to Jessa’s surprise (FMC), Liam comes back into her life as her next door shop neighboor.
Growing up, I played a lot of video games. My friends and I would go to a computer rental shop and play RPG games with the owner, or other computer rental shop and just play together. The setting of Liam’s store being a game store (granted that it was different - with tablet top games, Pokemon cards) gave me that nostalgia of when I was in my teens.
I enjoyed Liam and Jessa annoying each other. Boy teasing girl, girl accepting challenge.
My favorite character would be Lily - because she makes awesome coffee and I hope she finds a significant other who she would dedicate a coffee to :)
If a small town, cozy, feel good contemporary love story that has feel good moments, cute banter is what you are looking for, you should give this book a shot.
“Keep talking to me like that, and I might have to buy you dinner next time.”
Thank you so much for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book.
This is a small town romance (MCs are in their early 20s). Friends to enemies to lovers. Book store versus a Game shop.
What I liked about this book was that it gives you that chick-flick early 2000s movie setting with an open door scene where they MCs are friends from when they were kids, and competed against each other in highschool, and then did not talk for x years, and then to Jessa’s surprise (FMC), Liam comes back into her life as her next door shop neighboor.
Growing up, I played a lot of video games. My friends and I would go to a computer rental shop and play RPG games with the owner, or other computer rental shop and just play together. The setting of Liam’s store being a game store (granted that it was different - with tablet top games, Pokemon cards) gave me that nostalgia of when I was in my teens.
I enjoyed Liam and Jessa annoying each other. Boy teasing girl, girl accepting challenge.
My favorite character would be Lily - because she makes awesome coffee and I hope she finds a significant other who she would dedicate a coffee to :)
If a small town, cozy, feel good contemporary love story that has feel good moments, cute banter is what you are looking for, you should give this book a shot.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Jessa Alden never imagined that the grand opening of her dream bookshop, The Prologue, would be ruined by a neighboring shop hosting its own grand opening on the very same day. Even worse? The owner of that obnoxiously loud gamer cafe turns out to be none other than Liam Ashford. Her former best friend. Her former rival. The only man who could ever make her heart race.
It's probably a good sign that I read this in less than a day, right? This was really fun! It has rivals to lovers written all over it and the banter between Jessa and Liam was just delicious.
Jessa opens a bookshop, I mean that is probably every bookgirlies dream, so I instantly loved her. She is battling some serious perfectionism issues, and you can't blame her with a family like hers. I need some words with Grandma! And when she finally embraces her imperfections and stands up for herself, you go girl!
It's kinda obvious from the start that Liam totally loves Jessa. The little things he teases her with relentlessly, adorable. I loved how he kept pushing her buttons and when you find out why he does it, it's cute and kinda painful at the same time. And I loved how patient he was with her, gave her all the time in the world to connect the dots. Massive green flag there.
This is the perfect book of you want an easy to read rom-com, think Hallmark, with some clueless but adorable young people eventually finding love. And if you are a perfectionist like Jessa, this might be a very healing story to read.
It's probably a good sign that I read this in less than a day, right? This was really fun! It has rivals to lovers written all over it and the banter between Jessa and Liam was just delicious.
Jessa opens a bookshop, I mean that is probably every bookgirlies dream, so I instantly loved her. She is battling some serious perfectionism issues, and you can't blame her with a family like hers. I need some words with Grandma! And when she finally embraces her imperfections and stands up for herself, you go girl!
It's kinda obvious from the start that Liam totally loves Jessa. The little things he teases her with relentlessly, adorable. I loved how he kept pushing her buttons and when you find out why he does it, it's cute and kinda painful at the same time. And I loved how patient he was with her, gave her all the time in the world to connect the dots. Massive green flag there.
This is the perfect book of you want an easy to read rom-com, think Hallmark, with some clueless but adorable young people eventually finding love. And if you are a perfectionist like Jessa, this might be a very healing story to read.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I absolutely love a book that can bring me to tears and The Shop Next Door brought me to tears in the best kind of way. It was definitely one of those cries you didn't know you needed to cry, but heals something inside of you and makes you feel so much better at the end.
I thoroughly enjoyed following Jessa and Liam through their journey, in fact I was hooked from their very first interaction they had in the Galaxy Gamers Cafe. They had such great chemistry between their banter and competitiveness throughout the book. It really put into prospective several times just how much they truly knew each other and gave us a very good look into their past. I loved seeing the growth and development for each of them.
This book also had a ton of other characters that I enjoyed getting to know. Lily had an amazing attitude and a ton of energy. It was always fun hearing what her next drink creation was. Clara seemed really sweet, friendly, and creative. Especially when it came to her baking. Val was very inclusive and welcoming. They really helped bring Rosewood Avenue to life.
So if you like cozy small town love stories, developing community, finding friendship, rivalry that pushes everyone involved to grow and be their best, then I would definitely recommend this book to you.
I thoroughly enjoyed following Jessa and Liam through their journey, in fact I was hooked from their very first interaction they had in the Galaxy Gamers Cafe. They had such great chemistry between their banter and competitiveness throughout the book. It really put into prospective several times just how much they truly knew each other and gave us a very good look into their past. I loved seeing the growth and development for each of them.
This book also had a ton of other characters that I enjoyed getting to know. Lily had an amazing attitude and a ton of energy. It was always fun hearing what her next drink creation was. Clara seemed really sweet, friendly, and creative. Especially when it came to her baking. Val was very inclusive and welcoming. They really helped bring Rosewood Avenue to life.
So if you like cozy small town love stories, developing community, finding friendship, rivalry that pushes everyone involved to grow and be their best, then I would definitely recommend this book to you.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thanks to the author for an advance copy of this book.
The Shop Next Door is a cute, cozy romance that I blew right through. It follows Jessa and Liam, childhood friends-turned-rivals. Jessa follows her dreams and opens a bookshop, only to discover that Liam has opened a gaming cafe right next door. Will Jessa ever stop feeling like she’s one step behind?
I wanted to sit Jessa down and be like, GIRL. Why are you so mad at him? Both of the MCs were extremely frustrating — those walls couldn’t have been any higher, and instead of having an adult conversation, they continued to annoy one another. On purpose. It did make me laugh that everyone in town saw their relationship coming before they did. Because of course when your relationship has been a certain way for so many years, you have a really hard time seeing any alternative.
💕 Small town
📚 Childhood friends to rivals to lovers
💕 The slowest burn
📚 It’s always been you
💕 Black cat x golden retriever
Overall, this was a cute, short palate cleanser with low stakes and rivals-to-lovers angst. Happy reading!
The Shop Next Door is a cute, cozy romance that I blew right through. It follows Jessa and Liam, childhood friends-turned-rivals. Jessa follows her dreams and opens a bookshop, only to discover that Liam has opened a gaming cafe right next door. Will Jessa ever stop feeling like she’s one step behind?
I wanted to sit Jessa down and be like, GIRL. Why are you so mad at him? Both of the MCs were extremely frustrating — those walls couldn’t have been any higher, and instead of having an adult conversation, they continued to annoy one another. On purpose. It did make me laugh that everyone in town saw their relationship coming before they did. Because of course when your relationship has been a certain way for so many years, you have a really hard time seeing any alternative.
💕 Small town
📚 Childhood friends to rivals to lovers
💕 The slowest burn
📚 It’s always been you
💕 Black cat x golden retriever
Overall, this was a cute, short palate cleanser with low stakes and rivals-to-lovers angst. Happy reading!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I am very grateful to have received an ARC copy of this book.
I overall did enjoy this book. It was a cutesy friends to rivals to lovers story. There were a couple deeper conversations in there that made me a bit emotional that I wasn't quite expecting. They were not of place and the main backstory is established very early on with pieces here and there without.
I personally wish it was a bit longer and that each of their competitions that they held had a bit more depth to them and maybe caused a bit more conflict. I won't say that the relationship was rushed because it wasn't but I wish it was just a bit more of a slow burn. Again, that is all a personal wish.
June wrote a beautifully written romance novel that does contain some spice. I would read it again and I will most likely read more of her work as well.
I overall did enjoy this book. It was a cutesy friends to rivals to lovers story. There were a couple deeper conversations in there that made me a bit emotional that I wasn't quite expecting. They were not of place and the main backstory is established very early on with pieces here and there without.
I personally wish it was a bit longer and that each of their competitions that they held had a bit more depth to them and maybe caused a bit more conflict. I won't say that the relationship was rushed because it wasn't but I wish it was just a bit more of a slow burn. Again, that is all a personal wish.
June wrote a beautifully written romance novel that does contain some spice. I would read it again and I will most likely read more of her work as well.
Review of advance copy received from Author
My first ARC review!
The Shop Next Door was such a cute, cozy, and easy romance to get through. It completely pulled me in, and I ended up reading it all in one day.
The chemistry was sweet, the story flowed well, and it was the perfect light read when you’re looking for something that doesn’t feel too heavy.
My biggest wish is that we had gotten Liam’s POV. I kept wanting to know what he was thinking, and I honestly think having his perspective would have made me even more invested in the romance and their relationship.
Overall, this was an enjoyable, heartwarming romance that I’d definitely recommend if you’re in the mood for a quick, feel-good read
The Shop Next Door was such a cute, cozy, and easy romance to get through. It completely pulled me in, and I ended up reading it all in one day.
The chemistry was sweet, the story flowed well, and it was the perfect light read when you’re looking for something that doesn’t feel too heavy.
My biggest wish is that we had gotten Liam’s POV. I kept wanting to know what he was thinking, and I honestly think having his perspective would have made me even more invested in the romance and their relationship.
Overall, this was an enjoyable, heartwarming romance that I’d definitely recommend if you’re in the mood for a quick, feel-good read
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was drawn to this book because it seemed like a cute, charming rom-com (à la Hallmark channel) and I was right. There is a lot to appreciate in this book. The Prologue feels like a place where I would love to spend whole days.
It runs the gamut of friends to rivals to lovers, which I think is always fun. I found some of Jessa’s character development a tad slow, but it didn’t really deter from my overall enjoyment.
This is a quick and easy read (I finished it in less than 24 hours) for anyone looking for a feel-good romance.
Thank you so much to the author for the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.
It runs the gamut of friends to rivals to lovers, which I think is always fun. I found some of Jessa’s character development a tad slow, but it didn’t really deter from my overall enjoyment.
This is a quick and easy read (I finished it in less than 24 hours) for anyone looking for a feel-good romance.
Thank you so much to the author for the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.
August 12, 2026
This book was provided to me as an Advance Reader Copy and my review is entirely voluntary. My thoughts, opinions, and comments are all my own!
This was genuinely such a cute story. I loved reading about Jessa and Liam. As you continue to follow along on their journey (which has so many cute little competitions between them), you learn more about some hidden feelings, insecurities, and misunderstandings. And I do appreciate that more context was given to explain why Jessa didn’t want him near her.
I felt giddy while reading this. And I personally love when a book can invoke any emotion. This was heartwarming, adorable, and with just a dash of spice!
This was genuinely such a cute story. I loved reading about Jessa and Liam. As you continue to follow along on their journey (which has so many cute little competitions between them), you learn more about some hidden feelings, insecurities, and misunderstandings. And I do appreciate that more context was given to explain why Jessa didn’t want him near her.
I felt giddy while reading this. And I personally love when a book can invoke any emotion. This was heartwarming, adorable, and with just a dash of spice!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Jesse and Liam are friendly rivals in this cute romance novel that explores friendship, conflict, and forgiveness. Since they were kids growing up together, they have been competing against one another. When Liam leases the building next to Jessa’s book shop, she’s determined to chase him and his game shop out with a series of competitions. Winner takes all. Metaphorically and literally.
I enjoyed the banter between the two main characters. Their relationship is tumultuous, but also tender and sweet. This slow burn novel was such a sweet story; it had me hooked until the end! I received a free ARC copy of this book and voluntarily chose to read and review it.
I enjoyed the banter between the two main characters. Their relationship is tumultuous, but also tender and sweet. This slow burn novel was such a sweet story; it had me hooked until the end! I received a free ARC copy of this book and voluntarily chose to read and review it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved the majority of this book - easy to read and funny, the kind of book where you find yourself reading later than you should be because it’s enjoyable. Jessa is a really relatable character and between that and the writing style, it feels like you’re listening to a friend. Girl needed some therapy but she grew. The ending was a bit TOO happy ever after for me as a cynical gal who is anti codependent but overall I enjoyed and would read more from the author! If you’re looking for an easy cosy read this is great
Thanks for the arc copy:)
Thanks for the arc copy:)
Review of advance copy received from Author
I don't really have a review, I just have feelings.
💭 This book was a cute easy read that left me feeling giddy
❤️ It was a quick 24 read for me and overall it was the perfect pallet cleanser. It gave me small town romcom vibes. I also just want to hang out at The Prologue.
😭 It broke me when I could feel Liam’s longing and even Jessa’s.
🥹 I loved the ending it really felt like the cherry on top especially Liam’s little anxious moment!
Overall, this was a feel good story that made me laugh and could easily imagine it as a sitcom episode!
💭 This book was a cute easy read that left me feeling giddy
❤️ It was a quick 24 read for me and overall it was the perfect pallet cleanser. It gave me small town romcom vibes. I also just want to hang out at The Prologue.
😭 It broke me when I could feel Liam’s longing and even Jessa’s.
🥹 I loved the ending it really felt like the cherry on top especially Liam’s little anxious moment!
Overall, this was a feel good story that made me laugh and could easily imagine it as a sitcom episode!
Review of advance copy
As a person that's competitive to a fault and loves books and coffee and bickering with people as if my paycheck depends on how annoying I can get, I just love this book.
It's cosy, it's nostalgic and it has that sense of nostalgia we all get when reconnecting with our childhood, which honestly felt amazing because... Well, I was a bloody overachiever kiddo with no chill and even less spare time; this is like, "Yeah, girl, I get you." This is my personal brand of heartwarming, and I am down bad for it.
It's cosy, it's nostalgic and it has that sense of nostalgia we all get when reconnecting with our childhood, which honestly felt amazing because... Well, I was a bloody overachiever kiddo with no chill and even less spare time; this is like, "Yeah, girl, I get you." This is my personal brand of heartwarming, and I am down bad for it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
If you adore a good small-town rom-com then you’ll love this stroll down Rosewood Avenue!
Jessa and Liam are childhood rivals who just can’t quit competing against each other. When their shops open next door to each other on the same day, it just HAS to turn into a competition! What they don’t realize is that their hearts are at stake as well.
June Hawthorn gives us a cozy, slow-burn, rivals to lovers story where he falls first and HARD while she struggles with her need for perfection and her feelings. I genuinely loved Jessa and Liam’s story - it’s the perfect blend of witty banter (he LOVES to drive her crazy), tension, unspoken feelings, and enough competition to keep you rooting for one or the other. Oh, and there’s just a hint of spice that hits the spot 😉
This one will keep you wanting to turn the page to see who wins and if they’ll finally both admit what they’ve known for a long time!
Jessa and Liam are childhood rivals who just can’t quit competing against each other. When their shops open next door to each other on the same day, it just HAS to turn into a competition! What they don’t realize is that their hearts are at stake as well.
June Hawthorn gives us a cozy, slow-burn, rivals to lovers story where he falls first and HARD while she struggles with her need for perfection and her feelings. I genuinely loved Jessa and Liam’s story - it’s the perfect blend of witty banter (he LOVES to drive her crazy), tension, unspoken feelings, and enough competition to keep you rooting for one or the other. Oh, and there’s just a hint of spice that hits the spot 😉
This one will keep you wanting to turn the page to see who wins and if they’ll finally both admit what they’ve known for a long time!
Review of advance copy received from Author
arc review !!
I ADORED IT! I loved that the main character had a bookshop and the plot revolved around it. The competition was amazing and the characters absolutely won me over.
It did fell a little repetitive at times, but overall, it was a cute, easy read.
Thank you to June Hawthorn for the opportunity!!
I ADORED IT! I loved that the main character had a bookshop and the plot revolved around it. The competition was amazing and the characters absolutely won me over.
It did fell a little repetitive at times, but overall, it was a cute, easy read.
Thank you to June Hawthorn for the opportunity!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️ARC REVIEW⭐️⭐️
Truth be told, I DNFed this. I simply couldn't figure out the immediate loathing of the MMC with no background context. The writing was alright, it felt slightly childish. The FMC positively HATED the MMC but still was swooning over him and that was so confusing to me.
Truth be told, I DNFed this. I simply couldn't figure out the immediate loathing of the MMC with no background context. The writing was alright, it felt slightly childish. The FMC positively HATED the MMC but still was swooning over him and that was so confusing to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Autor
4.5⭐
Thank you so much for letting me read this fun story.
It's a light read that you can finish in under an hour. I loved the mix of friendship, rivalry, denial, humor, and romance.
I really enjoyed the plot of two best friends who became rivals and then lovers.
Jessa captivates you from the start, making you identify with her, always striving to be the best and seeking validation from her family.
Liam is a fun guy who effortlessly excels at everything and wins you over with a smile, but it's Jessa who awakens his sense of fun through their competitions until he discovers how she feels.
Muchísimas gracias por permitirme leer esta divertida historia.
Es una lectura ligera que se puede terminar en menos de una hora. Me encantó la mezcla de amistad, rivalidad, negación, humor y romance.
Disfruté mucho la trama de dos mejores amigos que se convierten en rivales y luego en amantes.
Jessa te cautiva desde el principio, haciendo que te identifiques con ella, siempre esforzándose por ser la mejor y buscando la aprobación de su familia.
Liam es un chico divertido que sobresale en todo sin esfuerzo y te conquista con una sonrisa, pero es Jessa quien despierta su sentido del humor a través de sus competencias hasta que él descubre lo que ella siente.
Thank you so much for letting me read this fun story.
It's a light read that you can finish in under an hour. I loved the mix of friendship, rivalry, denial, humor, and romance.
I really enjoyed the plot of two best friends who became rivals and then lovers.
Jessa captivates you from the start, making you identify with her, always striving to be the best and seeking validation from her family.
Liam is a fun guy who effortlessly excels at everything and wins you over with a smile, but it's Jessa who awakens his sense of fun through their competitions until he discovers how she feels.
Muchísimas gracias por permitirme leer esta divertida historia.
Es una lectura ligera que se puede terminar en menos de una hora. Me encantó la mezcla de amistad, rivalidad, negación, humor y romance.
Disfruté mucho la trama de dos mejores amigos que se convierten en rivales y luego en amantes.
Jessa te cautiva desde el principio, haciendo que te identifiques con ella, siempre esforzándose por ser la mejor y buscando la aprobación de su familia.
Liam es un chico divertido que sobresale en todo sin esfuerzo y te conquista con una sonrisa, pero es Jessa quien despierta su sentido del humor a través de sus competencias hasta que él descubre lo que ella siente.
Review of advance copy
This was a cute little mystery read, but it then turns into a love story.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to the author for the advanced copy!
This book had me kicking my feet in excitement and crying the perfect balance in a romance! 🥰 It was exactly the feel good romance I needed. There is a lovely balance of spice and wholesome moments throughout.
What really grabbed me was the pacing. I genuinely wanted to know what happened to the characters ( staying up until 2am anyone 😬). The story just made me happy.Did I mentally scream at the main character YES, but overall her growth was nice, sticking up for yourself is 🥰🥰! This book just made me happy sometimes that’s all that matters.
I would have loved a little more depth into the side characters especially with planned sequels. I am crossing my fingers for a Lily book it would be so much fun. Also need to know more about the cat shop. Anyway this is a great book for the moments you need a quick pick me up or uplifting read that puts you in a good mood!
This book had me kicking my feet in excitement and crying the perfect balance in a romance! 🥰 It was exactly the feel good romance I needed. There is a lovely balance of spice and wholesome moments throughout.
What really grabbed me was the pacing. I genuinely wanted to know what happened to the characters ( staying up until 2am anyone 😬). The story just made me happy.Did I mentally scream at the main character YES, but overall her growth was nice, sticking up for yourself is 🥰🥰! This book just made me happy sometimes that’s all that matters.
I would have loved a little more depth into the side characters especially with planned sequels. I am crossing my fingers for a Lily book it would be so much fun. Also need to know more about the cat shop. Anyway this is a great book for the moments you need a quick pick me up or uplifting read that puts you in a good mood!
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