Much Ado About You | Samantha Young | Contemporary Romance Novel

I really needed a pick-me-up breezy read and so I looked at what contemporary romance novels I had on my list and picked up Much Ado About You almost at random. I had obviously read the premise when I first added it to my list but this time I just decided to jump in and I was so pleasantly giddy at the story that unfolded! It was like an escape from my life, and perfect for anyone on vacation or dreaming of it.

Much Ado About You | About the Book

The cozy comforts of an English village bookstore open up a world of new possibilities for Evie Starling in this charming new romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young.

At thirty-three-years old Evangeline Starling’s life in Chicago is missing that special something. And when she’s passed over for promotion at work, Evie realizes she needs to make a change. Some time away to regain perspective might be just the thing. In a burst of impulsivity, she plans a holiday in a quaint English village. The holiday package comes with a temporary position at Much Ado About Books, the bookstore located beneath her rental apartment. There’s no better dream vacation for the bookish Evie, a life-long Shakespeare lover.

Not only is Evie swept up in running the delightful store as soon as she arrives, she’s drawn into the lives, loves and drama of the friendly villagers. Including Roane Robson, the charismatic and sexy farmer who tempts Evie every day with his friendly flirtations. Evie is determined to keep him at bay because a holiday romance can only end in heartbreak, right? But Evie can’t deny their connection and longs to trust in her handsome farmer that their whirlwind romance could turn in to the forever kind of love.

Much Ado About You | Review

As someone who is constantly on the brink of some sort of life crisis, the entire concept that sparks the main story in Much Ado About You really appealed to me. Evie Starling is underappreciated at work, and is passed over for a promotion for a less-talented, less-experienced man, despite her decade of hard work, dedication, and stellar performance. So she basically quits on the spot. Couple that with another man who she had a great rapport with ghosting her with no explanation, and Evie is ready for a major change.

I felt this was relatable. Yes, nothing that happened to Evie is groundbreaking—these sorts of events are unfortunately things that so many women experience. But at the same time, we’ve all been there where it just feels like everything piled up at the same time and you just want to leave it all behind. Which is exactly what Evie does.

She takes a holiday package that lets her move to England and live above a small book store called Much Ado About Books and run the shop in it’s tiny English village. Soon after arriving, Evie fits right into the small town life in the village and meets a handsome farmer named Roane. Despite some great chemistry with Roane, Evie avoids getting involved because she has come to England to self-reflect about her life.

Still, eventually the two can’t stay away from one another. I was quite swept away by their story! Evie and Roane are both caring, empathetic souls. I loved all of the scenes with them helping the people around them. This holiday was healing for Evie in more ways than one.

I was also charmed by Roane! He was a sexy farmer with a heart of gold and who was a total gentleman (until maybe when they enter the bedroom finally…). The best part of the book isn’t the romance though, it is the journey of self-discovery and healing that Evie finds herself on. I will say the ending was a bit over the top, even for me. But as this is a romance book and we all join in wanting a “happily ever after”, I was ok with it. A few things made me roll my eyes, but nothing too much and I was glad Evie (who I adored) got her fairy tale after all!

Much Ado About You | Other Books You May Enjoy

If Much Ado About You is your type of book, I would also recommend checking out Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey, which is charming and centers around a woman who loves nothing more than romance books and movies, and is waiting on her own happily-ever-after. If you love the holiday romance vibe and root for a heroine who doesn’t meet typical rom-com demographics, Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory is the book for you. And if you like the old-world mixed with contemporary vibe of the English village, you might like Well Met by Jen DeLuca, which is truly one of my favorite romance books of all time and set at a renaissance faire.

Samantha Young | About the Author

Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She’s been nominated for several Goodreads Choice Awards. Samantha writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction and is currently published in 31 countries.

She resides in Scotland.