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beccisays's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A gentle and charming love story, heavily steeped in herbal tea, moon rituals, manifestation and witchy vibes. I loved the regular (and accurate) use of tarot by our FMC's Wiccan best friend and business partner.
Going into this, I think I was expecting a paranormal or fantasy plot to emerge but I found I was pleasantly surprised to find all the rituals and magic within the book were very true to life practices. The author even directly mentioned a real witchy deck of oracle cards readily available to purchase by name.
The nod to Taylor Swift and Swifties was cute, in the fictional superstar who visited the shop. As a reader, it's hard to resist the allure of classic second-hand books, bookbinding and restoration weaved into this love story.
The Bookbinder's Guide to Love is a very low-stakes, cozy (but spicy) romance book with plenty of sisterhood and found family feels. The storyline follows our main characters processing grief and abandonment trauma, as well as how that impacts their ability to open up to love and long-term commitment.
Going into this, I think I was expecting a paranormal or fantasy plot to emerge but I found I was pleasantly surprised to find all the rituals and magic within the book were very true to life practices. The author even directly mentioned a real witchy deck of oracle cards readily available to purchase by name.
The nod to Taylor Swift and Swifties was cute, in the fictional superstar who visited the shop. As a reader, it's hard to resist the allure of classic second-hand books, bookbinding and restoration weaved into this love story.
The Bookbinder's Guide to Love is a very low-stakes, cozy (but spicy) romance book with plenty of sisterhood and found family feels. The storyline follows our main characters processing grief and abandonment trauma, as well as how that impacts their ability to open up to love and long-term commitment.
Thank you Mills & Boon and Katherine Garbera for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death
Minor: Abandonment and Death of parent
soulwinds's review
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
I received a advance reading copy of Bookbinder's Guide to Love from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Romance for this opportunity.
The Bookbinder's Guide to Love is a pretty quick read and had things that I liked and things that I didn't.
I loved the friendship Serafina (Sera) had with her friends. They are all slightly eccentric but it works well together. You can totally believe these girls are friends and that they have a joint business. Card readings, tea shop, bookstore/bindery. I wish we had a more fleshed out start with them.
I also enjoyed the slight detail to the actual art of bookbinding. While you can't use it as a how-to guide, it's way more info on bookbinding than most people have.
Obviously I loved all things books and the bit about Dnd was *chef's kiss*. 'Nerds' were represented here. I am obviously one of them.
However, I found Wes really hard to like at first. The fact that he automatically jumps to the conclusion that Sera was manipulating his grandfather for whatever valuables she could get out of him and that she might even be sleeping with him to do it...to calling her a hot Hermione he'd basically love to get into the pants of, to thinking of her as someone he could use to get to learn more about his deceased grandfather, rather than the nice person she is for at least the first 20-25% of the book is not flattering to his character.
That said, I do like the amount of guilt and regret he has at allowing himself to push his grandfather out of his life after everything he did for him. That was very believable and made him pretty redeemable. And the fact he has to work through that grief and starts working on his family's issues result in Wes having some decent character growth.
Sera(fina) has her own character growth. While she also had cringe-worthy thoughts upon meeting Wesley, I still liked her as a character. It pretty much solidified when she started wondering if Ford left her his books to help his grandson. A passing thought, but to me it really showed her true kind character. Her inability to easily trust people, due to her constant moving about in foster care, is pretty darn sad, but believable. But she does work on herself in order to be a better person and partner, which is refreshing. Character growth is a great thing.
With both of their trust issues though, the book does cycle through on/off again situation as they work their way into being a 'couple.' Not a bad thing, just a thing that happens.
Insta-lust/love. This is something I struggle to enjoy and the way it was done in this story wasn't for me. The idea that Wes and Sera were instantly thinking about making out/ doing it with each other is kind of ick, in my personal opinion. You are totally allowed to disagree with me. Wes thinking about Sera's hair and his wondering "if he'd feel the gap between her front teeth when he pushed his tongue into her mouth" </spoiler> is just...no. No thank you. Not for me.
The fact Wes waffles between wanting to do 'things' to her and thinking of her as a thief and a liar who was just out to get his grandpa's expensive old books, and whatever else she could, sigh. I don't understand, to be honest. How can you think these things about someone but still fantasize about banging them? No thanks. Fortunately that train of thought leaves the station within the first 25% of the book.
Side note:
Sera and Wes both seem to have a thing for hair. This is neither good or bad. Just an observation after noting how much they both imagine their hands, in, going through, or on the other person's hair.
All in all
It's a cute read for anyone who is okay with insta-lust/love and likes books that have a small town vibes, some character growth, bit of spice scenes, witchy feels (card reading, etc), and of course books and bookshops.
The Bookbinder's Guide to Love is a pretty quick read and had things that I liked and things that I didn't.
I loved the friendship Serafina (Sera) had with her friends. They are all slightly eccentric but it works well together. You can totally believe these girls are friends and that they have a joint business. Card readings, tea shop, bookstore/bindery. I wish we had a more fleshed out start with them.
I also enjoyed the slight detail to the actual art of bookbinding. While you can't use it as a how-to guide, it's way more info on bookbinding than most people have.
Obviously I loved all things books and the bit about Dnd was *chef's kiss*. 'Nerds' were represented here. I am obviously one of them.
However, I found Wes really hard to like at first. The fact that he automatically jumps to the conclusion that Sera was manipulating his grandfather for whatever valuables she could get out of him and that she might even be sleeping with him to do it...to calling her a hot Hermione he'd basically love to get into the pants of, to thinking of her as someone he could use to get to learn more about his deceased grandfather, rather than the nice person she is for at least the first 20-25% of the book is not flattering to his character.
That said, I do like the amount of guilt and regret he has at allowing himself to push his grandfather out of his life after everything he did for him. That was very believable and made him pretty redeemable. And the fact he has to work through that grief and starts working on his family's issues result in Wes having some decent character growth.
Sera(fina) has her own character growth. While she also had cringe-worthy thoughts upon meeting Wesley, I still liked her as a character. It pretty much solidified when she started wondering if Ford left her his books to help his grandson. A passing thought, but to me it really showed her true kind character. Her inability to easily trust people, due to her constant moving about in foster care, is pretty darn sad, but believable. But she does work on herself in order to be a better person and partner, which is refreshing. Character growth is a great thing.
With both of their trust issues though, the book does cycle through on/off again situation as they work their way into being a 'couple.' Not a bad thing, just a thing that happens.
Insta-lust/love. This is something I struggle to enjoy and the way it was done in this story wasn't for me. The idea that Wes and Sera were instantly thinking about making out/ doing it with each other is kind of ick, in my personal opinion. You are totally allowed to disagree with me. Wes thinking about Sera's hair and his wondering
The fact Wes waffles between wanting to do 'things' to her and thinking of her as a thief and a liar who was just out to get his grandpa's expensive old books, and whatever else she could, sigh. I don't understand, to be honest. How can you think these things about someone but still fantasize about banging them? No thanks. Fortunately that train of thought leaves the station within the first 25% of the book.
Side note:
Sera and Wes both seem to have a thing for hair. This is neither good or bad. Just an observation after noting how much they both imagine their hands, in, going through, or on the other person's hair.
All in all
It's a cute read for anyone who is okay with insta-lust/love and likes books that have a small town vibes, some character growth, bit of spice scenes, witchy feels (card reading, etc), and of course books and bookshops.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Death
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