Review by: Paige
Rating: ★ ★ ★ .5
I received an advanced copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much to HarperTeen for providing this galley!
Publication: May 18, 2021
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Synopsis: Don’t you just love the smell of old books in the morning?
Madeline Moore does. Books & Moore, the musty bookstore her family has owned for generations, is where she feels most herself. Nothing is going to stop her from coming back after college to take over the store from her beloved aunt.
Nothing, that is—until a chain bookstore called Prologue opens across the street and threatens to shut them down.
Madeline sets out to demolish the competition, but Jasper, the guy who works over at Prologue, seems intent on ruining her life. Not only is he taking her customers, he has the unbelievable audacity to be… extremely cute.
But that doesn’t matter. Jasper is the enemy and he will be destroyed. After all—all’s fair in love and (book) wars.
Review: If Kelsey Rodkey’s next effort is as fun and seamless as Last Chance Books, then she’ll be one to watch for a long time. While I remain confused about where this trend in YA of “books about book lovers” has come from, I can’t deny how heartwarming it is to read a book infused with such a love for books in general (even if the fangirling made me…cringe, to say the least). When you add an enemies-to-lovers romance and perfect pacing to that equation? You simply get a really great time and a truly good reading experience.
I loved Madeline and Jasper’s relationship, but it was their banter that really sung here. It was genuinely brilliant and the pace at which they could throw simultaneously realistic and novelistic quips at each other so easily was astounding. Their rivalry lasted for just the right amount of time. You got a very comprehensive sense of their dynamic, and it was undoubtedly well written.
However, I never got a good sense of who Jasper was outside of his dynamic with Madeline. That was my biggest gripe with this book. The only thing you really come to learn about him is one sole interest; he had no true depth. Considering the strong undercurrent of family in this novel, I would have liked to learn more about Jasper’s and their relationship. The centrality of Madeline’s family never left room for his. I actually think this book would have worked better for me if it was written from a dual-POV.
But I actually loved the family element of this book. I loved reading about Madeline’s explorations of her changing family dynamic, even if she could be frustrating at times, and I especially loved that this book left much unresolved. It felt true. Rather than tie a neat and pretty bow on the messiness of it all, it showed a path forward not without consistent hardship, and I really liked that.
Overall, this was a good, strong book. The plot was solid, the conception strong, and the pacing and writing were just so great. But I wish it had given me just a bit more to work with across the board. It was a cute, fun book and while I loved the reading experience, it just didn’t strike me as all that memorable or unique enough to stick with me for long. But if you’re looking for a simple and sweet summer/beach read, it’s time to snatch this up, and I cannot wait to see what Rodkey does next.
YA Books Daily 