Exactly five years, five months, and three days ago I spent a single afternoon with a guy, Noah, and promptly fell in love with him. Then he left without leaving a number or his last name. Now he’s standing above me in the same tiny cafe we met all those years ago. And he’s a grown man with an easy smile that’s making me feel eighteen again. But I don’t fall in love, not anymore. Which is why I make this promise to myself. I will not fall in love with Noah. Again. Even if I do have to work with him every day for the next year in his Grandma’s book store, thanks to her will. And I will not fall in love with Mo, my online best friend who’s suggesting that we finally meet in person after two years of talking. Because in the end, guys always leave, and happily ever afters only exist in romance novels.
I actually really liked this book but I had some issues with it. I liked Tally but at the same time, she irritated me so much. She didn't make any effort for him and after he returned, instead of hearing him out since it has been 5 years and it wouldn't any harm in letting him explain why he left the way he left, she just ignored him and was mean to him sometimes. It wasn't fair, they were both adults, if they like each other, they date but noooo, there's just nothing, he tried and tried but nothing. I don't like that type of thing, you can be shy and insecure and all that but she was too much. Noah was so sweet, I really liked him, there where points that if I were him I would have given up because she didn't deserve him. At least the ending was something, despite the fact that she ran and once again he didn't get to explain, and she running from Noah didn't make any sense but wtv. I liked them, I just wish that she grew some balls and stopped with the attitude, the damn boy didn't deserve it. But overall, I did liked the book, a lot
I loved revisiting this story! I got a free copy of the audio from Taylor and loved every second! Since I’ve read the other books in this series I forgot how sweet Noah and Tally’s beginning was! I loved the narrator she did such a great job of reading both character’s POVs!
I loved this book so so much. I read it one sitting! It had everything that made my bookish heart happy. Tally was a casual book blogger, she works at a bookstore! Her and Noah both love romance books, they bonded over it so quickly when they first met. They are going to meet their favorite author! I love a book about people who love books!
Tally and Noah spent one afternoon together five years ago and it ended so abruptly, but they both then spent the next five years thinking about the other person. Then they meet again when they are told they both have to work at his Grandma’s bookstore, where she has been working that whole time. Not to mention Tally may have some feelings for her online friend she met through her book blog??
They both had things from their past that made it hard for them to open up. Tally was so used to everyone leaving that she didn’t want to put her heart on the line again. Noah has become an (almost painfully) optimistic person, he doesn’t want to waste a minute. But he also doesn’t want to be like his dad and be the guy that left Tally, so he’s working so hard to prove himself.
They were so good as friends. Even though it was painful and awkward at times. And even though they both had feelings, Noah’s were more developed than Tally’s obviously but they were struggling. The tension was so good between them because of it too. Neither of them wanted to ruin what they had rebuilt in such a short time.
As always, I do not like miscommunication. It frustrates me to no end. It didn’t happen until about half way through maybe? And then I started reading faster because I needed to know how it was going to turn out! I HATED how Noah handled the whole online friend thing…just think if they had TALKED to each other… yes I know the story would have been over so much quicker, and I respect the story! Miscommunication just kills me! Luckily it didn’t go the way I thought it would because was dreading it!!
I cannot wait for Holly’s book! We didn’t see much of her, but she’s clearly a hopeless romantic and I can’t wait to see how different she is than Tally! And MAYBE we’ll get a book about Noah’s sister Annie?! There were quite a few subtle hints!?! Maybe??
Thank you much to Tayler Epperson for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! This books comes out in just under 2 weeks and I can’t wait for everyone to read it!!
“Tally smiles at me, distracting me for a moment. I could get lost in that smile, the one that fills her whole face and lights up her eyes. It feels like a special treat to get it tonight since I haven’t seen it directed at me the whole time I’ve been here in Provo.” 🥹
I thought it was really good but my main problem was how unrealistic it was, which sounds funny mainly because it's a rom com and most aren't realistic anyway but it was sooo many coincidences and things that would never happen. But I guess that is kinda the point in most books is to like escape reality lol! But overall it was really good!
It was a blast seeing the Nelson sisters at the beginning of their story, since I read Book 2 first. Tally’s tale has a strong “You’ve Got Mail” vibe and is centered around her love of books. Meeting the same guy twice (Noah), while also having a secret identity relationship with Mo, gave this book a fun energy with lots of serendipitous moments.
I listened to the audio version and really enjoyed it, with the narrator reading both characters. Although this is a slow burn second chance, there are some very tender moments, as well as some comical ones.
I always love when books play such an integral part of a book and this one is fun. Although Tally could be a bit much at times, I loved the growth and discovery and the solid guy Noah was.
I shirked all my adult responsibilities when I received an ARC of this debut novel and finished it in 24 hours. Do I recommend you do that? No because I’m currently sitting on my bed next to a mountain of laundry that needs folding, but it’s all worth it because meeting Noah and Tally and reading their love story was so freaking fun!
Noah is 100% book boyfriend material. He is going to charm you. Tally is strong and straight up adorable. I loved her growth throughout this book.
I also loved the family dynamics between Tally and her sister Holly as well as Noah and his sister Annie. I have two sisters and these characters made me want to FaceTime them immediately but I didn’t because I also wanted to finish the book.
Add to your TBR if you like: - second chances - online relationships - book stores - book clubs - cute dogs
This is a retelling of You Got Mail. It started out so strong and I really wanted to love it. The main character was so lost and confused and it really started to get to me at the end. I know this is a woman author and it must be super hard to write men but this guy sounded a little too much little a girl. The end was just a long drawn out mess. SO many things went wrong it became too much and so unbelievable. It was hard to finish. This is a clean romance with some kissing
This was a perfect book for me! You got mail is one of my favorite stories since childhood and i loved that It inspired the plot of this romance drama.
This book is so sweet! I love the Provo setting and small-town feel, the dual perspective, the bookstore vibes, the bookclub, all of it! And the romance between Tally and Noah is just SO CUTE. Can't wait for the next book!!!
I loved this story right from the start - the characters, plot, dialogue, and descriptions. I love this author's writing style. The dual POV is brilliantly done, and I connected easily with each character.
Give it a go. I bet you'll fall in love with Tally and Noah just like I did!
I loved this book! It was so good! It’s been on my TBR forever and I can’t believe that it took me so long to get it read. Now I can’t wait to read the others in the series. The classic rom com movie vibes are strong with this story. Particularly the inspiration from You’ve Got Mail. But don’t worry, this book has its own identity. It’s a fun story of second chances, forced proximity, and hidden identities. Tally and Noah were strangers when they spent a perfect afternoon together, until it ended badly. “‘No last names. No numbers. Just today.’” Fast forward five years and they met again, followed by finding out that, dictated by her will, they had to work together for at least a year in the bookshop of Noah’s deceased grandmother. Life and loss had left their marks on both of them, so both had changed. “I just don’t know how to be that person anymore. The one who looks at the bright side of things, who daydreams about the future or what could be.” But feelings for each other persisted. This was further complicated by Tally’s relationship with an online friend, Mo. “You can’t really fall in love with someone you’ve never seen, right?” The characters were wonderful, including the secondary ones. I really enjoyed the development of the romance. A bit of instalove, put on pause, and then nurtured back to life and grown. There were some very sweet moments and funny ones too. I loved the unconventional book club and the whole idea of it. There are elements in this story addressing death, grief, near death experience, and briefly, domestic violence. This is a closed door romance with mild innuendo and no harsh language.
I found this author on TikTok, thought the premise of this book and it's sequel sounded interesting, so I went ahead and bought them both. While the books were cute, quick, and easy-to-read, they were just okay.
My main issue with this first book in the series is how absolutely whiney and immature the FMC, Tally, appears to be. I get that you had this magical afternoon with Noah before he randomly ran off (and his excuse for doing so leaves much to be desired), but also...that was a LONG time ago. Neither of you are the same people, and you need to get over yourself. Also, for Pete's sake, can we please have a conversation like the adults you supposedly are?
I also felt like the whole "Noah had to leave the convention to go help his sister out of a traumatic situation" didn't do anything except set us up for a third book at some point. It didn't add much to the storyline, especially considering Tally already fled the convention anyway.
I'm a big proponent of no one's grief is like anyone else's and no one gets to tell someone else how to grieve or for how long. That being said, I'm also a big proponent of not letting your grief consume or control your life, and I feel like Tally didn't get that memo. Having lost a parent, a sibling, and a stepparent - grief sucks. But you can't let it control you.
Lastly, this book should come with some trigger warnings, including loss of a parent, grief, death of a friend, alluding to a domestic violence situation, etc.
After a chance encounter that leads Tally and Noah to an unforgettable afternoon together, five years later, with no contact (so they think) in between, another chance encounter brings them back together to fall in love all over again in Taylor Epperson's debut novel.
Though the prologue reminded me of the beginning of November 9th by Colleen Hoover, the rest of the novel has You've Got Mail all over it. This is a sweet novel with a dual POV that allows us to understand better what happened on that fateful afternoon and what's driving Tally and Noah in present day. There's a great cast of secondary characters - I loved the older ladies in the unconventional book club - and who doesn't love a bookstore setting. I will say, I wish there had been more conflict. To me, it all comes off a bit light (though Tally still seems to be in the depths of grief from her mother's passing years ag0) including the angst between them. This is a wholesome romance so minimal kissing, but I wish that tension was dialed up a bit more.
Also, as another reviewer pointed out, I'm not a fan of miscommunication, especially when it can be easily solved. I know why Noah kept holding off speaking with Tally, but it was getting a bit much at a certain point, though, the bathroom scene has some nice comedic elements to it.
The Luck of Finding You by Taylor Epperson is out now! Taylor, I am so beyond proud and excited for you! It's been such a fun journey meeting you through blogging 5+ years ago and watching you chase your dreams. You've been such an inspiration to me! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 The Luck of Finding You is a sweet, addictive read. If you are a book lover, this book will make your bookish heart happy. Tally, the FMC is a book blogger. There's an adorable used book shop. Tally and Noah, the MMC, attend a book signing of their favorite author. I mean what more could your bookish heart need?! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Noah and Tally met 5 years ago. The two of them spent 1 day together but never exchanged last names or numbers. It was only supposed to be 1 day. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Now 5 years later, Noah and Tally are reunited and forced to work together. But a lot has changed in 5 years. Both Tally and Noah have had a rough go at it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ TLOFY is heartwarming, it's swoony. The relationship between Tally and Noah is slow-burn after their insta-connection 5 years ago. You'll find this book to be closed-door and very sweet. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚: Local Bookshops Second Chance Romance Used Books Close Proximity Hot Chocolate You've Got Mail Closed-Door Romance Fall Vibes Unconventional Bookclubs ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: 4.5
I’m opting not to give this a star rating. It was a cute book and I worry that my rating might seem a little critical.
There were things that I really liked about this book. It was engaging, clean, and fun. I loved reading a book that takes place in an area with which I am so familiar.
The biggest struggle that I had with the book was the initial premise. (The first chapter tells of an experience that happened five years earlier.) It just felt so far fetched. I can’t imagine people acting like that in real life. If some guy kissed me and then suggested that we spend the day acting like a couple before he left town, I would think he was either insane or a total bro. Because I found that part of the book so unbelievable, I struggled with the ongoing story that made reference to it. I struggled believing the depth of the characters when they were introduced in such a shallow way.
There were things about this that were very good. I got the feeling that this was the author’s first novel, so I just wanted to send her mental high-fives because that’s seriously awesome. There are a few changes that I think would clean up the story, but for a first novel, this was pretty good.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Hot chocolate is superior to coffee. BUTTTT tea is superior to all. Sorry I said it 🤷🏻♀️ don’t shoot the messenger 😜
ANYWAYS. Tally and Noah are like a car crash, I know I should look away but I just can’t. They have some serious misfortune 😂 like I was dying laughing because never in a million years could I have made some of this up 😂 However, they also have this pull that keeps bringing them together and I’m all here for it 💕 I love that he’s so so patient but also helps push her out of her shell.
Their meet-cute had my jaw on the floor and a huge grin on my face. 😍 Noah and Tally’s ending. Are you kidding me?! No words. Also the epilogue had me in tears 🥹 but I am a sucker for epilogues. I enjoyed this pair and all their bookish-ness 💕
This is a clean romcom with a few kisses and no cursing. Content warning: death of a family member/friend, domestic violence (briefly mentioned)
Songs: “7 Summers” by Morgan Wallen, “Die a Happy Man” by Thomas Rhett, “Water Under the Bridge” by Adele, “Like This” by Jake Scott, “Dream of You” by Camilla Cabello, “Matchmaker” by Erin Kinsey
Cute, simple romance story. I love the You’ve Got Mail trope. There were times in the writing, execution of the story, and characterization that just felt off to me. Little things here and there that made me confused. There was also an inconsistency in the scene where Noah meets Tally’s family and her dad announces his engagement to Beth. The ending was pretty sweet, and very reminiscent of the You’ve Got Mail movie.
This book was so beautifully written and such a surprise! I went into it with zero expectations and hoping it was fun and sweet and light- that is exactly what I got!
Tally surprised me with the way she challenged herself. She overcame a lot of sadness and worked really hard to break down walls that she had put up through losing loved ones.
Noah! The sweetest!! I love how dedicated he is to the ladies and people around him. Also a man who reads romance?! Yes, please!!
The humor in this book had me giggling out loud quite a few times and I was quite shook at a few parts haha.
The romance was sweet and very slow-burn type. It wasn’t steamy really at all, which I appreciated. It felt right for this book.
I’m so excited for Hollys book, which is coming soon!! Thank you SO much to Taylor and her team for allowing me to read this before it comes out. It was an honor!
I loved parts of this book... the meet-cute and the storyline that brought them back together after years, the bookstore, Marsha, I loved Noah's heart for Tally. I struggled with the lack of respect she seemed to have for him.
When they initially met, he explained his situation and then she held that against him for WAY too long, and, for me, it hindered the building up of their connection. I understand this book was modeled after "You've Got Mail" and I think the author tried to use the online aliases to help build the connection, but I thought it felt like an extra, unnecessary storyline added in that made it hard to follow along. I did listen to the audiobook, so that may have influenced my thoughts and may be different if I read it myself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This is such a cute story!! The Twitter thing is such a classic romance story and I loved it! Sometimes I try to imagine how I would react in a situation like that because I think I would know how to respond but I really don't. This story also hit very close to home because I've lost a parent who is getting remarried and so that stuff was a bit hard to read because it's still a touchy subject for me so I honestly felt like I could understand Tally a lot because of that. I'm really proud of Taylor! This is a fantastic first book for her and I am so excited to read anything else she publishes in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Because I just finished HELLO STRANGER by Katherine Center, I was surprised by the similar premise in THE LUCK OF FINDING YOU, and it was fun to read the two so closely together. We humans make things that are so easy so difficult sometimes! Fun and light in spite of the difficulties the main characters overcome, as soon as I started reading, I thought it would make a Rom-com film I would happily watch. Loved the book store setting, the alternate view points, and the dual personalities/story lines. Epperson paints her scenes so vividly; I found myself laughing more than once and would love to see it on film. I kept picturing Zoey Deutch and a young Sam Claflin as the leads. ☺️
Oh my…this book made my heart dance. This is the first ARC I have received and it’s going to be a hard one to live up to! The characters in this book were absolutely a joy to read about. The setting (who doesn’t love a little local bookstore in the fall?) was just what I needed. The characters had depth and I was totally able to feel their feelings as the story went on. And the plot was something that even authors who have written many books can’t pull off. Put this immediately on your TBR list!!!
What I absolutely loved: •Team hot chocolate! •Fall vibes •Adorable pup •Falling in love fast, future tripping (so me) •Noah lifting one eyebrow (I, too, can do this) •Taylor Swift references •Bonding over books •The Unconventional Bookclub •Siblings who are your best friends •Small neighborhood bookstore •Burgers and fries •Dealing with grief •Swoon worthy kisses •Tally being a home body •No spice (might be an issue for many but I loved this)
All in all, this was an adorable romance. Easy read. Sweet and good hearted. If you are looking for something nice and easy and comfortable, this is it!
I enjoyed this debut novel. Very well written. Cute, fun and sweet. Loved the cast of side characters as well and hope we get to see them again. There are a few things that were mentioned that I thought were going to impact the characters more but didn’t. Noah and his not wanting to be like his Dad seemed like it was going to be a big deal but it wasn’t. Tally mourning her Mom was something I expected to have a greater impact on her character and her relationship with Noah and it didn’t. Those things aside I did enjoy the novel & can’t wait to read the next book by the author.
💫 Absolutely loved this debut book by Taylor Epperson! 💫 It's an enemies irl but book reading bffs online to lovers trope, and it was done really well! 💫 A lot of light scenes AND emotional scenes, it was balanced well 💫 Third act conflict/breakup which was heartbreaking but ultimately dealt with well imo 💫 A very sweet hea 😭
I can't wait for more books in this series! Next up is Holly's book (the FMC's sister) and I'm so excited!
(Edit, forgot to add the) TWs - cheating, death of a parent, abandonment by a parent, death of a close friend, misogyny during a date
Noah and Tally's story was so freaking cute you guys! I smiled so much while reading this book my face started to hurt! I loved this take on second chance romance. It added a little more angst on the readers side of things, which I LOVE!!
I was pretty sure I knew how this book would end, and even still...I cried. It was just such a sweet and feel good story. Made me want to cuddle up with cup of hot chocolate and re-read it to bask in the warmth of the fluffy feelings I got from it.
This was a really cute quick DUAL POV read & is essentially a “you’ve got mail retelling” secret pen pals, close proximity working at a book store together and a bit of a second chance romance. There’s no spice, & it can be a little sad at times, the FMc has lost her mother and the store owner who she was very close to and has given up on love. There love story is sweat, I did feel like it was really cute and started off strong & then was a bit drawn out near the end but overall a really cute read
The audio for Lucky Finding You is fantastic! Aside from Taylor writing the most loveable characters. I enjoyed the voice actress; she brought extra coziness to the story, which I adored. As for the actual story itself, I met the Nelson sisters backward. The first book I read by Taylor was Holly’s Love Story. Now that I have read book one, I might be a Tally fan! Sorry Holls 😩. Being a bookstagram girly, I loved that Tally has proof that we book girlies get happy ever afters, too. This is just too good! An easy five star read!