Book Review: It Started With A Book by Camilla Isley

I’m so happy to be welcoming Camilla Isley back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, It Started With a Book.

Lose yourself in Lakeville Hills in this gorgeous new romance from bestselling author Camilla Isley…

When she’s ghosted by yet another Tinder match, Leighton swears off dating for life. Who needs apps and blind dates when she has the perfect-in-every-way (apart from being fictional) heroes of her beloved romance novels?

That night Leigh finds a second-hand book on her TBR pile, which transports her to the small-town of Lakeville Hills, where the heroines wear shorty-shorts and the men drink bourbon. And as Leigh drifts off to sleep, she dreams of billionaire cowboy Killian St Clair, who could win a gold medal for smouldering and bicep flexing.

For a while, Leigh finds it easier to stomach misogynistic supervisors, newly coupled friends, and extravagant bridesmaid duties knowing she can return to Lakeville Hills each evening. Until one day, she wakes up to find she’s brought a bit of Lakeville Hills back with her: the impossible sexy and entirely implausible Killian St Clair is in her apartment.

Now Leigh must help Killian navigate the real world. But as she gets to know the man behind the trope, can she keep her heart safe, or does she risk falling in love with her book boyfriend in real life?

*****

Leighton has not been lucky in love. Sick of disastrous dates from apps, she finds herself curling up with a book on a Friday night. Except, this is no ordinary book. 

Anyone who has followed this blog for a while will know how big a fan I am of Camilla Isley so I will always jump at the chance to take part in her blog tours. It Started With a Book was no exception. 

This one was a little different than other novels I’ve read by this author in that you need a little suspension of belief. It reminded me of the magic that runs through Cecelia Ahern’s novels and I’m totally here for it. 

If you’re a fan of reading, who hasn’t wanted the hero of that novel to step out from the page and be real, right? Thats what happens here. 

I did love this story. It was plotted well and unfolded nicely. 

Leigh was a wonderful character who had warmth, likability and a strength she doesn’t realise she has. Killian is your typical book hero without being cheesy. It was interesting to see how both characters navigated the worlds they find themselves in. It was intriguing to make my way through to see how the narrative would end and what direction the author would take it. 

Camila Isley has a real talent for drawing you into her novels and making it feel as though you’re with the characters, experiencing the story with them. It’s not hard for me to fall into her novels and this book had me hooked from page one. The only bad thing I can say is I had to eventually finish the book and say goodbye to Leigh and Killian. As an aspiring writer, the premise is the kind of idea I wish I had come up with. I loved it. 

It Started With A Book has romance by the bucket full. It’s a perfect escape from life and I hope it’s a novel you’ll consider adding to your summer book lists. 

About Camilla Isley –

Camilla is an engineer who left science behind to enter the whimsical realm of romantic fiction.

She writes contemporary rom-coms. Her characters have big hearts, might be a little stubborn at times, and love to banter with each other. Every story she pens has a guaranteed HEA that will make your heart beat faster. Unless you’re a vampire, of course.

Camilla is a cat lover, coffee addict, and shoe hoarder. Besides writing, she loves reading—duh!—cooking, watching bad TV, and going to the movies—popcorn, please. She’s a bit of a foodie, nothing too serious. A keen traveler, Camilla knows mosquitoes play a role in the ecosystem, and she doesn’t want to starve all those frog princes out there, but she could really live without them.

Say hello to Camila on Facebook, X, Instagram and Bookbub. Click here to sign up to her newsletter. 

It Started With A Book was released by Boldwood Books on 5th July 2024. Click here to buy on Amazon and Waterstones. 

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.