A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston

Title: A Novel Love Story

Author: Ashley Poston

Release Date: June 25, 2024

Publisher: Berkley Romance

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Magical Realism

Source: paperback, Fairy Mail

TW: grief, death, infidelity, moderate sexual content, alcohol, vomit, car accident

Synopsis

A professor of literature finds herself caught up in a work of fiction… literally.

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 to 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.

Thoughts

While I didn’t enjoy this book as much as The Dead Romantics, I still found it to be a wonderful story. Initially, it took me a moment to see the plot of the story, but once it clicked, I was captivated. Ashley Poston has a way of weaving her narratives that keeps you hooked, and this book was no exception.

I really loved Anders; his grumpiness made him so endearing. There’s something about a character who is rough around the edges but has a heart of gold that always appeals to me. His interactions with Elsy were a highlight for me, and I found myself eagerly anticipating their scenes together.

Elsy's story was also really engaging. Her journey was both relatable and heart-wrenching. I felt that Liam’s decision to end their relationship the week before the wedding was incredibly unjustified, which made Elsy a very sympathetic character. It’s hard not to root for someone who has been so unfairly treated, and I found myself cheering for her throughout the book.

The setting of Eloraton was enchanting. The idea of a town existing within the pages of a book is a magical concept, and Poston executed it beautifully. The quaint town, with its sweet honey taffy and afternoon rains, felt like a character in its own right. It was the perfect backdrop for Elsy’s story and added an extra layer of charm to the book.

This book definitely strengthened my enjoyment of Ashley Poston’s work. Her ability to create such vivid characters and immersive settings is truly impressive. I am excited to see what she comes up with next and will happily continue reading her books. If you’re a fan of romance with a touch of magical realism, this book is definitely worth a read.