Want a drinking game while you read? Take a shot every time the word “minty” shows up. Just kidding… don’t because you’ll get alcohol poisoning. 💀

A Novel Love Story was very different from Ashely Poston’s other books and I don’t know if it’s in a good way. I adore the way she writes magical realism into her romances because it leaves you asking the question: how the fuck is this going to work out?

The Dead Romantics: she’s in love with a ghost. The Seven Year Slip: she’s in love with someone from the past. A Novel Love Story: she’s in love with… a fictional character. The reason I didn’t love this situation is kind of spoilery, but I’ll expand into spoilers on my StoryGraph account.

But he’s not really a fictional character. In her other books those barriers were real, but she figured out a way to make them work in a beautiful way! It’s like she got stumped by her own scenario and decided to make him a real boy instead! Just a bit frustrating.

🌼 Eileen, breaks down in the fictional town of her favorite book series, where she gets to experience the town’s characters and settings. 🌼

I did love what the book was trying to do. It’s a love letter to your comfort books, series, and authors. Those books that got you through the toughest bits of life.

For me, that book is Looking for Alaska by John Green.

While I loved the idea of this book, I struggled and ranted to my husband to the point where I think it annoyed him. 🤣

To be fair, one of the biggest issues I had was Elsy. I found her annoying and immature for a 32 year old.

Like, she’s sneaking out of bookstores using a trellis by the window, she’s leaving his store unattended when she promised to watch it, the way she thinks and talks reminds me a teenager. I get that she’s supposed to be the sunshine to his grumpy, but sunshine characters don’t have to be immature.

I was also confused throughout most of the book because there are so many characters, all of whom Elsy already knows from this book series. I felt like I was scrambling trying to remember who was who while Elsy threw information at me.

There were some things that I liked, though! I loved the waterfall scene, the scene where she fixes a child’s book, the setting (including the bookstore), and the relationships she has with her own world (her book club, her best friend). I also loved the ending in terms of her personal growth.

I also acknowledge that, while this story wasn’t her best, the girl can write. Some of the quotes toward the end gave me goosebumps.

Since I did have a lot of problems, but I still enjoyed my experience (to an extent), I’ll give this one a solid three star rating.