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A Novel Love Story  By  cover art

A Novel Love Story

By: Ashley Poston
Narrated by: Dorothy Dillingham Blue
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Publisher's summary

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

Most Anticipated by Parade · Buzzfeed · Harper’s Bazaar · Elle · She Reads · The Seattle Times · BookRiot and more!

A professor of literature finds herself caught up in a work of fiction…literally, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Year Slip and The Dead Romantics.

Eileen Merriweather loves to get lost in a good happily-ever-after. The fictional kind, anyway. Because at least imaginary men don’t leave you at the altar. She feels safe in a book. At home. Which might be why she’s so set on going her annual book club retreat this year—she needs good friends, cheap wine, and grand romantic gestures—no matter what.

But when her car unexpectedly breaks down on the way, she finds herself stranded in a quaint town that feels like it’s right out of a novel…

Because it is.

This place can’t be real, and yet… she’s here, in Eloraton, the town of her favorite romance series, where the candy store’s honey taffy is always sweet, the local bar’s burgers are always a little burnt, and rain always comes in the afternoon. It feels like home. It’s perfect—and perfectly frozen, trapped in the late author’s last unfinished story.

Elsy is sure that’s why she must be here: to help bring the town to its storybook ending.

Except there is a character in Eloraton that she can’t place—a grumpy bookstore owner with mint-green eyes, an irritatingly sexy mouth and impeccable taste in novels. And he does not want her finishing this book.

Which is a problem because Elsy is beginning to think the town’s happily-ever-after might just be intertwined with her own.

©2024 Ashley Poston (P)2024 Penguin Audio
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: Romance

Critic reviews

“She's making all our biggest book dreams come true…yes, you're totally going to wish that this plot was happening to you!”—Cosmopolitan

"Ashley Poston has written another clever, emotional love story part fantasy, part romcom—perfect for passing a day or three by the pool."—Harper's Bazaar

"I love a romance with a touch of magical realism, and Ashley Poston’s latest fulfills every reader’s dream: actually getting to live in the world of a book...This is a grumpy-meets-sunshine tale with plenty of book-lover tropes sure to delight."—ELLE

What listeners say about A Novel Love Story

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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What was isn’t

I loved the building of an ironic story of a story. It only took a moment to make the decision to go on this journey with the romance-seeking young woman who takes a wrong turn that turns out to be oh so right. She is following a deceased author whom she adores but who passed away while in the midst of a series in upstate New York. The story and journey builds on itself in a way that forced me to continue along the way and although it didn’t seem like it would have a happy ending, did indeed.
I love this author and hope to find each and every one of her books and read all of them!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely loved this story

Story was great. Love scenes were tasteful. Fantastic story and narration was absolutely great too

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Whimsical

I LOVE her books and their whimsy. This one was admittedly more challenging for me to get into, but I’m positive it has more to do with my having COVID while reading it. My recovery came as I finished it and my heart is so full. I loved it so much. My favorite part to read is the author acknowledgements. I feel like I can catch a glimpse at their beautiful creative minds and feel the whimsy. I’m sorry…I’m rambling now. PICK IT UP AND READ IT! <3

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Must read!!!

A Novel Love Story
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
💗💗💗💗💗
Ashley Poston has now been added to my top 5 author list 📝💗 and this book the top 5 must read list💕
Beautifully written story💕Absolutely a great rainy day read
BEST QUOTE “Things weren’t perfect and endings weren’t always happy but it wasn’t always the destination that mattered…..”

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Everything

I loved the narrators subtle voice changes for characters which weren’t so abrupt that you were distracted. Her slight southern drawl was so alluring and kept me wrapped up!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Narration ruined the story

I couldn’t get over how much I disliked the narration of this book. I loved Ashley Poston’s other romance novels, but the narration made this one almost unbearable. Skip it and listen to The Seven Year Slip or The Dead Romantics again and again instead.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Cute premise

This is a cute premise, but the narrator’s delivery was just average for me. Might be better to try the actual book.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Another Book in a book

I love Ashley Poston books. This one was not my favorite of the 3 I’ve read but it was still cute.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A wholesome, romantic daydream

I found the concept of this book so unique. The introspection and growth of our main character helps the story feel intimate. The other characters nod at romance novel tropes. The story over all is sweet, and slow, and leaves you feeling a gentle positivity.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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Great story made less so by mediocre narration.

I am a fan of Ashley Poston. I adore “Dead Romantics” and “Seven Year Slip”: they’re in my favorites collection and I have listened to both books repeatedly.
I pre-ordered this book as soon as I knew it was coming. The story is good, characters great, and plot is interesting and unique. With that said, I often found my mind wandering and missing minutes of the book (that I’d rewind) because the narrator’s voice was somehow monotone: her voice range limited, character differentiation poor, and tone somewhat unpleasant.
Ashley Poston read her dedication at the end and I wish she had narrated the whole book. She had more expression in those few minutes than DDB during the whole book.

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2 people found this helpful