e-ALC, 09:32:22
Narrated by: Karissa Vacker & Brandon Francis
Release Date: June 3, 2025
Published by: Books on Tape (Berkley)
Read from: August 9-11, 2025
Stand-alone
Source: PRH Audio App (I received a free e-ALC from the publisher’s app and the publisher. This did nothing to influence my review.)
Content Warning: Sexual Content, Abandonment, Cutsing, Injury/Injury Detail, Car Accident, Suicide, Homophobia, Ableism, Death
For Readers Interested In: Audio, Books about Books, Contemp Romance, Sparkly Covers, Most Anticipated, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Adult, Dual POVRivalry and romance spark when two bookstore managers who are opposites in every way find themselves competing for the same promotion.
Despite managing bookstores on the same Boston street, Josie Klein and Ryan Lawson have never interacted much—Josie’s store focuses on serious literature, and Ryan’s sells romance only. But when the new owner of both stores decides to combine them, the two are thrust into direct competition. Only one manager will be left standing, decided by who turns the most profit over the summer.
Efficient and detail-oriented Josie instantly clashes with easygoing and disorganized Ryan. Their competing events and contrasting styles lead to more than just frustration—the sparks between them might just set the whole store on fire. Their only solace during this chaos is the friendship they’ve each struck up with an anonymous friend in an online book forum. Little do they know they’re actually chatting with each other.
As their rivalry heats up in real life, their online relationship grows, and when the walls between their stores come tumbling down, Josie and Ryan realize not all’s fair in love and war. And maybe, if they’re lucky, happily ever afters aren’t just for the books.
*MY THOUGHTS*
This has gotta be my favorite book about books in a long time lol Usually they annoy me because the bookish character is done weirdly and they don’t feel real at all. In this one, there’s two characters that are correctly done and I think for that reason I think I enjoyed this a little bit more.
Ok so the main characters were so well done. I was a little mad at Josie tho. Because why in the year of our Lordt Beyonce are you making me agree with a man?! Ryan was likely the best part of this book. He owned a romance bookstore, he read all sorts of romance and defended it against others, and he was also sweet until they made him not be. And let me just say, Josie definitely made him crazy lol Josie was a little different. She owned a literary store, but she was so uptight and just everything that Ryan wasn’t. I didn’t think the two of them had anything that would bring them together. But I know that was probably just me because I don’t think I would have befriended her if it was me lol I also really loved that Josie was the one who liked the literary and Ryan was the one who liked the romance. I think I would have spent most of the book mad if there was a man talking down on romance lol
Ok so when the actual competition started, I gotta say, I immediately knew who was going to win. But it wasn’t because of anything that stood out. But even with knowing that, I was super interested in knowing how they would get to that conclusion. And I was right to. It was so good. The jar they have by the register, the different book clubs, the women that always come in to embarrass him, the dates/engagements. Gah it was my kind of store. And as much as I hate to say it, I would also like to work at Josie’s store. It would be quiet and I would have so much more time to read while on the clock. And I hate to say it, but I do think it made more sense to put the two of the stores together. I didn’t agree about their jobs tho.
Now with that being said, I wasn’t completely sold on the way they got together. Again, that might just be me. As you know, I’m not a fan of people being mean and then bam, they like each other. But I gave them a little leeway because of the whole thing online. I thought that was hella cute tho. Although the big reveal could have been a bit better. It was so underwhelming. She was not mad enough for me. But I did understand because it was nearing the end and they hadn’t exactly been in each other’s good graces. But when they finally got together together, I wanted more of them together. It’s a romance book and they were already apart for so long. Why make it even longer?
If you’re a book lover, you’ll love this. There’s a little something for every reader and it will make you LOL in some places and swoon in others. I loved it so much. This was a lot of fun and I really think anyone who reads this will enjoy it.
Overall, I give this
