Review: Love Walked In by Sarah Chamberlain
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)
I’ll be honest—at this point, I’m a little weary of every romance heroine either owning a bookstore or writing romance novels. It’s an overdone setup. That said, Sarah Chamberlain’s Love Walked In was a cozy and emotionally layered take on the grumpy/sunshine trope, and while it wasn’t a perfect fit for me, I did enjoy the overall story.
The London bookshop setting was my favorite part—vivid, atmospheric, and brimming with the kind of cozy details that make you want to curl up with a cup of tea. The cultural touches contrasting Mari’s American energy with Leo’s stiff British reserve added charm, too.
Mari, the self-proclaimed “bookstore whisperer,” has made a career out of reviving indie shops. Leo, the broody and brusque new owner of Ross & Co., wants nothing to do with her help. Their forced partnership delivered some lovely moments, and I appreciated that the story had more depth than I expected. Beneath the romance, it explored grief, trust, abandonment, and healing in ways that made me pause and reflect.
That said, the chemistry didn’t always land for me. The romance felt more like enemies-to-lust than a slow-burn emotional connection, and while there were some sweet scenes, I often wanted more tension and payoff between Mari and Leo. Some scenes dragged while others felt rushed, and a subplot (which I guessed early on) could have been woven in more seamlessly.
Still, the dual POVs added insight into both characters, and the epilogue tied things together nicely. Readers who enjoy opposites-attract romances set in bookstores will likely find this a warm, comforting read.
Content Warnings: death of a parent, abandonment, eating disorder, infidelity, emotional abuse.
Overall, Love Walked In is a medium-paced, heartfelt romance with cozy vibes and emotional undertones. It didn’t sweep me off my feet, but it made me feel hopeful and reflective, which is worth something.
Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Chamberlain, and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Tropes:
📚 Bookstore setting / bookish romance
🌞🌧 Sunshine x Grump (cheerful American heroine vs broody British hero)
🇺🇸🇬🇧 Cross-cultural romance (American heroine / British hero)
🥶➡️🔥 Enemies-to-lovers (hostile first impressions, thawing connection)
💼 Workplace proximity / forced to work together
💔 Wounded characters / healing through love
🏠 Family legacy business (hero trying to save family’s bookstore)
👫 Dual POV
✨ Emotional depth (themes of abandonment, grief, trust, healing)
💌 HEA with epilogue
