Checking You Out

by Miranda Reese

It’s 1998, and the Maple Valley Public Library is one of the last quiet strongholds of the pre-digital world. Holly Bennett, steadfast champion of all things analog, treasures the card catalog, worn paperbacks, and the historical romances she devours with her Swooning for Stepbacks book club. A hopeless romantic at heart, Holly longs for the kind of love she’s only ever read about, but so far, her real life has offered none of it. Her orderly world is upended when Ethan Montrose arrives—a sleek, city-bred tech consultant with a mission to modernize her beloved library. He is everything Holly has resisted in her past. He is confident, charming, and full of ideas that clash with her traditions. As their rivalry heats up, they uncover a long-buried family secret hidden in the library’s past. When the walls between old ways and new ideas finally crumble, Holly and Ethan realize their dreams, for the library and for each other, are stronger together than apart. Sometimes the best love stories aren’t written in books—they’re found between the stacks.

406 pages, Paperback

Published July 13, 2026

Reviews

[Debbie Yeager · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Loved this book! Sweet story with spice. Characters are cute and the slow burn love story keeps you reading. Definitely recommend!