Lily Writes

What happens when a woman who believes wholeheartedly in happily-ever-afters finally gets matched with her soulmate?

She waits for him.

And waits.

And waits.

And waits some more.

Welcome back to Pinkerton Falls, where Love Books is officially here—and this time, Pink Match has found the perfect man for the woman who has spent her life surrounded by fictional ones.

If you’ve visited Pinkerton Falls before, you already know Margo Jones, owner of the Book Nook and enthusiastic leader of one of the most adventurous book clubs in Michigan. Margo believes in romance. She believes in soulmates. She believes there’s someone out there who will see all of her—the pink hair, the rambling texts, the spicy books, the big personality—and love every bit of it.

So, naturally, she signs up for Pink Match.

There’s just one problem.

Her soulmate is taking his sweet damn time.

Meet Hull Douglas

Hull is Pinkerton Falls’ newest handyman.

He’s big. Quiet. Gruff. Ridiculously good with his hands. He’s also become very popular around town because apparently everyone has something that needs to be built, repaired, renovated, rewired, reinforced, or completely redesigned.

Margo certainly does.

The upstairs of the Book Nook needs renovating, and Hull is happy to take the job.

Very happy.

Suspiciously happy, considering he’s possibly the slowest handyman in Michigan whenever he’s working on her project.

Funny how he always seems to show up on Book Club days.

Even funnier how often he needs to “take measurements.”

Hull has secrets, though. He’s spent a lifetime hiding his struggles with reading and believing there are things about himself a woman like Margo could never understand.

Then Tink introduces him to Pink Match.

Hull figures he’ll sign up. Someday Aura might find him someone.

He’s got plenty of time.

Until Aura finds his soulmate almost immediately.

There’s Just One Little Problem…

Margo gets a match too.

And she is thrilled.

Her mysterious match is sweet. Thoughtful. A little awkward. He worries about whether she’s eaten lunch. He listens when she rambles. He makes her laugh. He’s basically a faceless cinnamon-roll hero come to life.

She can’t wait to meet him.

Unfortunately, he keeps making excuses.

Weeks become months.

Months become a year.

Meanwhile, Margo finds herself increasingly attracted to the enormous handyman who keeps finding reasons to hang around her bookstore.

Which is inconvenient.

Because Margo already has a soulmate.

She wants a man who sees her.

Cherishes her.

Lets her be exactly who she is.

Someone steady and kind. Someone good with his hands. Someone who makes her feel safe enough to imagine forever.

Someone a lot like Hull.

Just…

You know.

The soulmate version.

Poor Margo.

A Love Story About Being Seen

At its heart, Love Books is about two people who are both waiting to be chosen while completely missing the fact that they’ve already chosen each other.

Hull’s dyslexia is an important part of his story, but this isn’t a story about Margo changing or “fixing” him. Hull has built his life around what he can do—and there isn’t much the man can’t build, repair, or figure out.

His struggle is learning that asking for help isn’t weakness.

That technology can make things easier.

That he doesn’t have to hide.

And, most importantly, that the person who loves him doesn’t need a carefully edited version of Hull Douglas.

She wants him.

All of him.

And Margo?

For a woman who has read thousands of happily-ever-afters, she’s about to discover that real love doesn’t always arrive looking like the hero you imagined.

Sometimes he’s already upstairs.

Taking measurements.

Again.

If You Love…

Love Books is for readers who love small-town romance; soulmate matchmaking; secret identities without actually being strangers; cinnamon-roll heroes disguised as grumpy handymen; bookstore heroines; dyslexic representation; he falls first; she falls without realizing it; mutual pining; texting romance; hidden vulnerability; found family; meddling friends; spicy book clubs; competence kink; men who are good with their hands; and a heroine who has read far too many romance novels for her own good.

There’s also an AI matchmaker named Aura who is undoubtedly watching this entire mess unfold and thinking:

I told you so.

Welcome Back to Pinkerton Falls

You’ll see plenty of familiar faces in Love Books—Tink, Obi, Haggar, Blue, Sylvie, Charlotte, Shay, the Bicker Brothers crew, and, of course, the Book Nook regulars.

And if you’re wondering whether Gladys continues to have opinions about Margo’s Book Club selections…

Of course she does.

This is Pinkerton Falls.

Some things are sacred.

So grab your favorite drink, curl up somewhere comfortable, and come spend a little more time in town with me.

LOVE BOOKS is available now.

Come meet Margo and Hull—and find out what happens when a woman who has spent her entire life searching for the perfect book boyfriend discovers hers has been sitting at the top of the stairs listening to her read all along.

Happy reading!

Lily P. Archer
Humor. Heat. Heart. And happily-ever-afters. ❤️📚