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srivalli's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
3.75
3.7 Stars
One Liner: Entertaining
Maximillian Shaw, Duke of Westbourne, agrees to help his cousin Lady Delia as she rushes to Rome. This takes him to a quaint little bookshop run by Evie Harlow. However, his first visit leads to a second as the Duke wagers with his friends and needs Evie’s support to win the bet. He will turn her into a belle of the season and help her find a match. With her beauty, how hard could it be?
Evie has since long given up her dreams to keep the bookshop running. She is infuriated by the Duke’s offer but soon ends up accepting it when a disaster strikes. It’s not easy being among the ton, but Evie enjoys it.
However, as our lead pair start to fall for each other, they may have to make a lot of decisions and overcome a few scandals to get what they want. Can they do it, though?
The story comes in the limited third-person POV of Max, Evie, and Rory.
My Thoughts:
I love that beautiful cover! The gown in purple is so gorgeous. The premise is just as fun, and my hopes were quite high.
While the Duke’s chapter starts well, Evie puts her in a not-so-appealing position. For a heroine who’s supposed to be strong, capable, and independent, her opening scene is the weakest. Thankfully, it gets better.
The writing is easy to read. The story flows well, despite the regular shifts in POVs. Since all of them are in the third person, there’s no confusion anywhere.
The plot is quite straightforward, with a bit of everything to add to the drama. That keeps the story moving ahead, and the pacing is more than decent. Though most of it is predictable, and we know who the villain is, the story is still enjoyable, with traces of humor.
Other reviewers compared the book to She’s All That movie. Since I haven’t watched it, I could read this without any comparison or prior assumptions and enjoy it for what it is.
There isn’t much angst, intense drama, or excessive miscommunication. This is quite a relief, as I’m bored of these tropes anyway. The banter between the characters is fun to read. They do have some chemistry, which makes things better.
Of course, a few doubts remain, and some suspension of belief is necessary towards the end, but this is the first book in the series. So even if the next ones have other main characters, Evie and Max are likely to play minor roles and fill the gaps. Still, I wish there was an epilogue.
To summarize, Bookshop Cinderella is a lighthearted entertainer and a great pick between heavy reads. The lovely gowns and food are a bonus. The book has 2.5ish steam (one scene).
I’ll be sure to pick book two in the series when it’s available.
Thank you, NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing/Forever, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #BookshopCinderella
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying
what_karla_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
4/5 stars
2/5 spice
A quick read that integrates friends to lovers with a bit of Cinderella vibes. Fun to read the banter between Evie and Max and see their friendship blossom.
Tropes:
Friends to lovers
Cinderella/Ugly Duckling vibes
Forced proximity
Duke & Bookshop owner
Class differences
Slow burn
Tension & banter
Victorian era
Multiple POV
Evie was very relatable and genuine in her fears. I was very pleased how she was able to conquer her fears and in the end choose to embrace the challenges life was throwing her way. She was independent, witty, and out spoken. I loved her interactions with the Duke. And Max, the Duke, was kept on his toes and never put her in her place, despite being well above her station. Max proved to be Evie's champion without over stepping. The banter was great and the sexual tension that built up was nice too.
Overall, a great Victorian era romance that focused more on the two main characters and their budding romance. I was hoping for an epilogue but it still ended at a good part that was sweet. Highly recommend for fans of Cinderella or Ugly Duckling retellings or sweet friends to lovers.
Thank you to Forever/Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered freely.
Trigger/Content warnings:
Bullying (shared as a memory), classism, sexism (relative to that time period), death of a spouse (shared as a memory), sexual content
2/5 spice
A quick read that integrates friends to lovers with a bit of Cinderella vibes. Fun to read the banter between Evie and Max and see their friendship blossom.
Tropes:
Friends to lovers
Cinderella/Ugly Duckling vibes
Forced proximity
Duke & Bookshop owner
Class differences
Slow burn
Tension & banter
Victorian era
Multiple POV
Evie was very relatable and genuine in her fears. I was very pleased how she was able to conquer her fears and in the end choose to embrace the challenges life was throwing her way. She was independent, witty, and out spoken. I loved her interactions with the Duke. And Max, the Duke, was kept on his toes and never put her in her place, despite being well above her station. Max proved to be Evie's champion without over stepping. The banter was great and the sexual tension that built up was nice too.
Overall, a great Victorian era romance that focused more on the two main characters and their budding romance. I was hoping for an epilogue but it still ended at a good part that was sweet. Highly recommend for fans of Cinderella or Ugly Duckling retellings or sweet friends to lovers.
Thank you to Forever/Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered freely.
Trigger/Content warnings:
Bullying (shared as a memory), classism, sexism (relative to that time period), death of a spouse (shared as a memory), sexual content
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual content, and Classism
Minor: Bullying and Death