4ā
Genre ~ women’s fiction
Setting ~ Vermont
Publication date ~ November 3, 2026
Publisher ~ Blackstone Publishing
Est Page Count ~ 320 (31 chapters)
Audio length ~ 11 hours 9 minutes
Narrator ~ Kelli Tager
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ debut, small tight knit town, grief, side character with cancer, references to a parent that passed from cancer, slow burn romance, found family, no steamage
My review:
Mandy (35) is about to be laid off from her job at The Times. Her friend finds an ad from the owner of The Eagle, a weekly paper that’s been around since 1889. He’s looking to retire, so he’s requesting essay entries and the winner with be the new owner of the paper and the building, with an apartment attached. Sounds like an interestingly crazy opportunity.
This is very much a women’s fiction journey of life with the romance being very slow burn. Mandy and Greg, the local mechanic next door, have coffee together every morning while they slowly get to know each other. Speaking of coffee, she’s broke, but sometimes goes to the coffee shop across the street when Greg is not providing it for her. I’m all about supporting local small businesses, but I’m pretty sure it’d be cheaper just to buy a coffeepot and make your own at home. Anyway, Greg was a really sweet fella that is apprehensive about relationships after being burned before.
I absolutely loved every character, except the ones you’re not supposed to. From her relationship with her step father and her brother to the new friends she’s making. When one business suffers a loss, or when one of their own is battling cancer, or when a business is struggling, they all come together to show their support. This is what small town living is all about. Loved the internship for the local high school kids. They were a great bunch and you could just tell they were grateful for the opportunity and thrived at it. Lizzie was a force and how she and Mandy bonded was really special.
This was a bit slow moving, but, overall, a great debut. You can see the 3rd act coming from a mile away, and know you’re not going to like it, but, also, know all will work out as it should. I want to mention, too, that the story takes place for one whole year and Christmas comes 2x, so it’s not really as Christmasy as it may seem from the cover. There are snow storms up the yang, so it gives off super cold vibes.
Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the above info for reference.
Quick notes:
What to expect:
~ single 1st
~ tight knit small town in Vermont
~ following a crazy career opportunity
~ side character with cancer
~ very slow burn on the romance
~ found family of sorts
~ no steamage
Add to your never ending TBRĀ ~ goodreads
Iād love to hear your thoughts if you’ve read it.
Book blurb:
A brilliant debut from Melanie Moore, Are You Staying, Mandy Boyle? will have you laughing, crying, and aching with the frustrations and joys of taking huge risks and falling in love big time.
Mandy Boyle is thirty-five, still living with her stepfather in his rent-stabilized apartment, and still stuck as a copy editor at The New York Times, awaiting the next big layoff. It wasnāt supposed to be like this, but ten years ago, she put her journalism career on hold and moved back to the city to care for her dying mother. Of course, she canāt be salty about that.
Then everything changes when Mandy wins a one-hundred-plus-year-old newspaper in Vermont and the apartment over itāa New Yorkerās dream! The only catch? She must run The Liberty Eagle for one year and canāt sell it to a conglomerate until that year is up. Sounds great, until Mandy discovers the Eagle is definitely old school, definitely not profitable, and that she is definitely in way over her head.
Suddenly sheās a city girl thrust into a quaint Vermont town at Christmastime, where everyone knows everything about each other. One plus? The mechanic in the next building, Greg Stewart, who keeps trying to sell her snow tires, is very easy on the eyes. Mandy would like to know more about him, but heās plenty guarded. As she struggles to right the sinking newspaper, she bonds with people in the town, including a young woman who is losing her own mother to cancer, an emotional connection that cracks open Mandyās own guarded heart.
Through it all, Mandy is drawn to Greg. He just may be her best friend. Maybe the love of her life. But how can two such guarded hearts ever fully fall for each otherāespecially when Mandy is sure sheāll be leaving by the time next Christmas rolls around?
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