by Lauren Layne
Publication Date June 29, 2021
Published by Simon and Schuster
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Genres: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Women
Pages: 288
Format: ARC
Love Is Blind meets You’ve Got Mail in this laugh-out-loud romantic comedy following two thirty-somethings who meet on a blind dating app—only to realize that their online chemistry is nothing compared to their offline rivalry.
Perpetually cheerful and eager to please, Gracie Cooper strives to make the best out of every situation. So when her father dies just months after a lung cancer diagnosis, she sets aside her dreams of pursuing her passion for art to take over his Midtown Manhattan champagne shop. She soon finds out that the store’s profit margins are being squeezed perilously tight, and complicating matters further, a giant corporation headed by the impossibly handsome, but irritatingly arrogant Sebastian Andrews is proposing a buyout. But Gracie can’t bear the thought of throwing away her father’s dream like she did her own.
Overwhelmed and not wanting to admit to her friends or family that she’s having second thoughts about the shop, Gracie seeks advice and solace from someone she’s never met—the faceless “Sir”, with whom she connected on a blind dating app where matches get to know each other through messages and common interests before exchanging real names or photos.
But although Gracie finds herself slowly falling for Sir online, she has no idea she’s already met him in real life…and they can’t stand each other.
My Review:
To Sir, with Love is a wonderful book, I really loved it, and will read it again soon. I’ve you’re a fan of the movie, You’ve Got Mail, then you’ll enjoy this book too.
Gracie Cooper runs the family Champagne store in Manhattan, a legacy left to her and her siblings after her father passed away a few years back. Her brother and sister are not interested in the store, so all the management and day to day of running the store is up to Gracie.
Gracie has a secret, faceless, nameless “friend” that she met on a dating app named Sir. The app allows matches people up without using names or photos, so potential mates can get to know each other through words and conversations before they see each other in real life. Sir, is the one person who seems to understand Gracie, and she finds herself looking forward to their messages, instead of concentrating on her real life.
Sebastian Anderson needs Gracie to break her lease so he can use her store to build another office building, but she’s not going to budge on leaving her family’s legacy to some corporate takeover.
This is such a fun, romantic book, similar to the movie, You’ve Got Mail, but updated and modern. I naturally had a young Meg Ryan in my head as Gracie, and a young Tom hanks as Sebastian! It is such a sweet, lovable story, and I couldn’t put this book down. I just loved it.
I liked the little shout-out to the old 1940 movie, Shop Around the Corner, with Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan, which is the precursor to You’ve Got Mail, and a movie I watch almost every holiday season.
Falling in love with someone, through words and faceless communications is so romantic, either through letters, email, or a dating app, being able to fall for someone’s thoughts and ideas before you even see what they look like is the ultimate in romance, in my opinion.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more from this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
[…] I enjoyed Lauren Layne’s previous book To Sir With Love so much, that when I saw Netgalley has her newest book for review, I had to request it. Here is my five-star review for To Sir With Love. […]
Fab review Wendy! I love that you cast a young Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks as the leads. I adored this as well and thought it was really well done. I hope it gets more press, it so deserves it!
I agree, this book was so cute and thoughtful. Thanks!
I have not heard of this book, but I certainly like the sound of it. I am going to check it out as well as the movie you mentioned, The Shop Around the Corner. I have not heard of it either. Great review Wendy.
Thanks Carla. The movie is an old black and white movie with Jimmy Stewart (when he was young!) and it comes around every Christmastime. It’s cute.
This book looks like one I need to read! It sounds somewhat similar to The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren which I really enjoyed. Thanks for sharing your great review!
This book was similar to the Soulmate Equation, both great books.
This sounds like a great story! Just the kind I tend to dot my reading with. ❤️ I will definitely have to keep it in mind. Wonderful review!
Thank you Tessa! It was fun.