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erica_reads_itall 's review for:
The Romance Library
by Olivia Spring
In this super-sweet small-town rivals-to-lovers romance, Jess and Theo compete to buy an unused building in a friendly seaside community. Theo's father, a real estate baron, wants to knock it down and build luxury condos, while Jess's benefactor has left money for the creation of a "romance library". The buildings' owner of the building insists that Jess and Theo prepare to pitch their ideas by living and working in close quarters, and despite their initial friction they soon find themselves drawn together.
The Romance Library is full of bookish references, tropes, and devices, and while this is cute, it's sometimes taken too far for my liking. The initial plot wrangling required to put Jess in charge of the Romance Library is implausible, and both characters' backstories feel like caricatures. But once the story gets going these issues fade, and the chemistry between Jess and Theo is wonderful, evolving from resentment to curiosity to lust and friendship and finally to love. Even the titular Romance Library acquires more depth and interest as the story progresses; initially I thought it was a silly idea, and now I want someone to build it so I can visit!
[I received a complimentary ARC from BookSirens. Opinions are my own.]
The Romance Library is full of bookish references, tropes, and devices, and while this is cute, it's sometimes taken too far for my liking. The initial plot wrangling required to put Jess in charge of the Romance Library is implausible, and both characters' backstories feel like caricatures. But once the story gets going these issues fade, and the chemistry between Jess and Theo is wonderful, evolving from resentment to curiosity to lust and friendship and finally to love. Even the titular Romance Library acquires more depth and interest as the story progresses; initially I thought it was a silly idea, and now I want someone to build it so I can visit!
[I received a complimentary ARC from BookSirens. Opinions are my own.]