Review: A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston
Thank you Berkley for my copy! All thoughts are my own.
I have been a fan of Ashley Poston since her debut, The Dead Romantics. I believe it was recommended to me by Carley Fortune, who I also love, and I’ve loved her work ever since. Since I love to read Contemporary Romance, I don’t often dip into fantasy or magical realism. I love that Poston writes contemporary romance with a magical realism/fantasy spin. It’s enough to get lost in a world that is totally unique from my own without being overwhelmed by world building. Plus, I find her concepts so unique and satisfying!
I used to love the show Once Upon a Time and I feel like this book vaguely captures that idea. It’s not a town full of trapped storybook characters, but it is the a reader going into the fictional small town they love. I was so charmed by the concept and a little jealous!
Synopsis:
“Eileen Merriweather loves to get lost in a good happily-ever-after. The fictional kind, anyway. Because at least imaginary men don’t leave you at the altar. She feels safe in a book. At home. Which might be why she’s so set on going her annual book club retreat this year—she needs good friends, cheap wine, and grand romantic gestures—no matter what.
But when her car unexpectedly breaks down on the way, she finds herself stranded in a quaint town that feels like it’s right out of a novel…
Because it is.
This place can’t be real, and yet… she’s here, in Eloraton, the town of her favorite romance series, where the candy store’s honey taffy is always sweet, the local bar’s burgers are always a little burnt, and rain always comes in the afternoon. It feels like home. It’s perfect—and perfectly frozen, trapped in the late author’s last unfinished story.
Elsy is sure that’s why she must be here: to help bring the town to its storybook ending.
Except there is a character in Eloraton that she can’t place—a grumpy bookstore owner with mint-green eyes, an irritatingly sexy mouth and impeccable taste in novels. And he does not want her finishing this book.
Which is a problem because Elsy is beginning to think the town’s happily-ever-after might just be intertwined with her own.” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Bookish Concept—How many times have we, as readers, wished we could visit a fictional place? Even when I know my favorites get a HEA, there are certain characters I’d love to check in on from time to time and just see what their daily life is like.
The Magical Element—It’s just enough to be exciting and make me suspend my disbelief.
The Characters—I loved all these characters! I especially loved the Book Club and wish we could have even seen a little bit more of them.
What Didn’t Work:
Pacing—Surprisingly, there were points I struggled to stay with the characters. Minor moments, but for a fav author I was surprised.
Missed a Piece of Connection—Just a little piece of magic was missing for me. But it’s probably because I loved The Seven Year Slip SO deeply.
Character Authenticity: 3.5/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 4/5
Content Warnings:
grief, death, loss of a spouse