Review: Much Ado About You by Samantha Young

Much Ado About You by Samantha Young
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9780593099483
Release Date: February 2, 2021
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

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 is frothy good fun. An idyllic country town, (mostly) charming residents, books, and a handsome hero with an adorable dog? How could it not be a charming escape read?

After getting passed over for a much-deserved promotion and being stood up by a guy she thought she had a real connection with, Evie Starling needs to take a break from her life in Chicago. A month vacation in Northern England where she also gets to run a bookstore is just what the doctor ordered. Much Ado About Books is irresistible to Shakespeare-loving Evie and the residents of Alnster welcome her right away. But it’s when she saves a dog’s life that Evie gets the wind knocked out of her – literally and figuratively. Roane Robson, the dog’s owner, is a sexy farmer who tempts Evie to break her dating hiatus.

I really enjoyed that Evie and Roane’s relationship started out as friendship. Even though Roane makes it clear from the start he wants to date her, Roane respects that Evie doesn’t want to get involved when she’s leaving England in four weeks. Roane and Evie make an adorable couple and I liked them together, though the insta-love aspects did, at times, make the relationship feel shallow. The biggest drawback for me in Much Ado About You is we don’t really get to know Roane beneath the surface. He’s the perfect hero, but in a way that seems almost cardboard. He falls at Evie’s feet from the start, is handsome, charming, always available when needed for the plot, and his only flaw is he keeps a secret that causes drama that felt inorganic. I wanted a bit more depth to him and the romance but whether or not this bothers you in a beach read type story is really reader preference.

Immediately upon arriving in Alnster Evie winds herself into local life, becoming involved in everyone’s lives and loves as much as she can. There are some cute nods to Shakespeare in this story as Evie plays town problem-solver and matchmaker. I also really liked the supporting cast, especially Roane’s cousin, Caroline. It may be a little odd that a newcomer bursts into a small town and everyone listens to her immediately, but it’s cute and fun and keeps with the book’s bubbly tone. Author Samantha Young gives this story a good heart (for lack of a better way to describe it) and that kept me engaged in the story. Overall, I was entertained by Much Ado About You and it definitely made me wish I could take a trip like Evie’s.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.