For avid readers, there’s nothing better than a romance set in a bookstore. It kind of goes with what we love.
This author took the trope and put a great spin on it with a 100-year-old bookstore set in England and an American consultant trying to help bring it back from certain extinction. Of course, love gets in the way.
Check out my thoughts and review on this upcoming release below.
Love Walked In by Sarah Chamberlain
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Pub Date: September 2, 2025
ISBN-13: 978-1250894748
OVERVIEW:
Mari Cole’s whole life is her dream job: rescuing and revitalizing indie bookstores. Friendship? Love? No thanks. After a hard childhood, she doesn’t want to get too close to anyone. Besides, books have never let Mari down the way people have. Then she gets the offer of a lifetime: rescuing Ross & Co. Once the most prestigious independent booksellers in London, the store is a shadow of its former self and needs an expert outsider to turn things around. But the offer turns out to be a double-edged sword: Leo Ross, the store’s new owner, is as cold and hostile as the British winter.
For as long as he can remember, Leo Ross has known his future is becoming the next generation to run Ross and Co. He’s sacrificed almost everything he cares about, but the bookshop is still failing on his watch, and now there’s an obnoxiously cheerful American woman convinced that she’s going to magically make everything better. Leo’s life is difficult and messy enough as it is, and he doesn’t want her help.
When Mari and Leo are forced to work closely together to bring the store back to life, Leo’s icy surface thaws to reveal the passionate man underneath. As winter gives way to the possibility of new beginnings, Mari begins to see that true love could be even better in real life than in the pages of a book. Can they put their pasts aside and learn to let love in?
Love Walked In by Sarah Chamberlain Review
The best thing about having tropes that you enjoy reading is the spin that the author can place on the story. This particular one captured the struggles of Indie bookstores that don’t have a niche or don’t change with the times.
I love the English vibe, and the detailed descriptions became so real. You can almost feel the ice and cold. You can visualize the bookstore as it once was. You can feel the sadness and apathy. The reader has an urge to curl up and absorb the atmosphere with a warm blanket and soft music.
Chamberlin crafted a cozy story that is strong on character development and a blossoming love. Her characters are unique and have their struggles. But they also have a light in their eye when thinking about the future, even if you have to dig a little deeply.
The two lead characters bonded early and developed a great connection that was fostered and steadily grew throughout the book. The ending was an unexpected but brings a wonderful twist, allowing you the chance to find oneself, love life, and the person you’re with.
An enveloping story for those who love this trope. Love Walked In is definitely one to enjoy as you sink into the depths of these two lost souls who found themselves.
4 STARS!!
Disclaimer: Chris has personally reviewed the product listed above. She has not received any monetary compensation for her review but did receive a free ebook so she could evaluate and use it for this post. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ.
Hi! I’m Chris! Just a Midlife Wife sharing about life’s journey; screaming and kicking through it while supposedly aging gracefully…
Focusing on healthy living, low carb & keto, things I am loving right now, and life in general.