Reviews

Much Ado About You by Samantha Young

bookwormbowman's review against another edition

2.0

I thought this was just an okay read. I was disappointed that the “problem” that shook the story was so silly. Some of the situations were unrealistic and hard to get through. Finished it to finish it.

kspedds's review against another edition

3.0

I saw a tiktok that listed this book as objectively great so I was immediately curious. I wouldn't classify it as great, but it was okay!

kiksf's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

kimikat273's review against another edition

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

Evie has had enough. Her boyfriend has stood her up and she has been passed over for promotion at work - again. To evaluate her life, she decides to swear off men for a while and follow her dreams. To do this she rents a holiday bookshop in a pretty coastal location in England. All is going well, until she saves a dog from being run over and meets his handsome owner.
This book has everything! A village feud, an 'evil' aunt, unrequited love - I'm not sure there's much more the author could throw at it! But I loved it! What a great read! 
My only criticism - and it's a very small one - is how Evie acts when she finds out Roane has a title and is a very rich man. She throws a tantrum and runs back to Chicago! Really? If this was me, I would have been running the man down the aisle, thanking my lucky stars that I would never have to work again! I guess this was the author's way of bringing some 'will they, won't they?' into the story and she is entitled to do that, but this is also the reason why I couldn't give the book a full five stars. 
Criticism aside, this is a great read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

sydneytheb's review against another edition

I could not get into this book (listened to the audiobook). The romance was meh, the plot was...not there?, and I just wasn't compelled to find out what happens next. I would recommend reading the Jenny Colgan bookshop books instead of this. 

alannar2422's review against another edition

5.0

Ok this book blew me away. It was the sweetest comfort read and quite literally just what I needed. It also carried pockets of wisdom which you can see I added to the quotes section. It was the type of contemporary romance that carried so many sensitive topics handling them so well. Racial Prejudice because a white woman had married a black man, family feuds, the realities of marriage which may not always be a joyride, and so much more. This book felt so real and because of that it was pure gold. I did not expect this book to have such an impact on me nor for me to prolong finishing it because of how much I loved it.Samantha Young has a way with words and now I want all her books. I fell in love with the village in Northumberland and the bookstore. The characters were my favorite and I adored Evie. She was the Main character that had so many good parts of hers and realistic flaws. Young spoke about confidence in women, sexism and how society makes women feel about their bodies. It was written so well, it is now etched in my mind. How family can love and support you but can also be the ones to pull you down. Viola and Caroline were so sweet and you get to know and love every characters stories and not just the Main Characters. I love Roane he is also an amazing book boyfriend who is now on my list! Evie realizing she was not happy where she was and taking a risk that changed her life for the better was such goals, a way I aspire to be when I am older. This book was so much more than a romantic comedy, it carried what I like to call book magic , something that makes a novel stand out from the rest. The love story was also very unique and did not have that repetitive tropes other novels have. Highly recommend this if you are looking for a comfort read that surpasses basic expectations. (Chaotic review as always :) )

pimpim9009's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-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

5.0

bookwormlifeofbecks's review against another edition

2.0

This was.... disappointing. I was really excited for this and had it shelved on my tbr list for a while. What I ended up reading was a slow, boring, eye rolling, hallmark story. The characters were so underdeveloped to the point where Evie’s personality just didn’t make sense. There was no real, solid understanding of who she was. There was no depth to her. Not much depth to any of the characters really. All we knew about Roane was that he was a sensitive, romantic, quiet, farmer in the village that women drooled over and he loved his dog. That’s about as far as it goes for him. The side plots and drama was boring and typical and I hated how Evie put her nose in everyone’s business. She pulled it off but it rubbed me the wrong way. She annoyed me with how all over the place her thoughts were. The writing style... was not strong. Very mediocre writing and also all over the place. One minute I’d be reading a well structured, matured, flowing sentence and then the next it was like a teenager was writing it. The narration was so repetitive as well and I felt like I was rereading the same scenes over and over ex. ‘to my surprise, to my astonishment, to my relief. Emotion formed in my eyes, anger formed in my body, surprised formed on my face’. This book was just so underwhelming and the cheese factor made this love story completely unbelievable. There was no sprinkle of something extra special to this romance trope to set it apart from others.

saelfo's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-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

karinataco's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0