From the publisher:
A bookseller with a dream of running her beloved bookstore vs. the owner’s out-of-touch grandson who inherits everything. Game on.
From the author of Not in My Book comes another irresistible, bookish contemporary romance.
Ella has grown up at The Last Page, a charming local bookstore in New York City where she now works. Her first kiss was in the women’s health section. A boyfriend dumped her in comedy. The owner is like a second father to her and has begun training her to take over the store. So when he unexpectedly dies and his estranged grandson is left everything in the will, Ella is devastated.
Henry doesn’t know the first thing about running a bookstore. With his aging mom back in Tennessee, he plans to stay in New York just long enough to sell the store and then head back home. What he never could have counted on was the beautiful, funny bookseller who loves The Last Page more than any place in the world—and who sees him as the villain who’s come to ruin her life.
But when it becomes evident that the store is in deep financial trouble and Henry and Ella are both at risk of losing everything, they have no choice but to put their differences aside and team up, despite their very different end goals—and the inconvenient chemistry blossoming between them.
Fans of Christina Lauren and Ali Hazelwood will adore this rivals-to-friends-to-lovers bookish romance!
“Holt expertly injects their romance with humor while crafting a love letter to book lovers and New York City. This is a charmer.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
https://bookshop.org/a/123058/9798892424103
“Holt’s novel has so much to savor: a large cast of lively characters, laugh-out-loud banter, a whimsical bookshop setting, an excellently executed slow-burn enemies-to-lovers storyline, and a bustling backdrop. Recommended for fans of emotional, steamy, bookish romances with strong Latine leads.” —Library Journal, starred review
“A cute literary-themed romance.” —Kirkus Review
Ella grew up tucked between the shelves of The Last Page, a tiny New York City bookstore that smelled like old paper, new beginnings, and the man who practically raised her. Leo wasn’t just her boss—he was her second father, her honorary grandfather, her mentor, her person. He taught her how to run the store, how to love it, how to breathe books like oxygen. She was supposed to inherit it one day.
Except she didn’t.
When Leo dies suddenly and leaves the store to his estranged grandson, Ella’s grief curdles into something sharp. Henry doesn’t know the store. He doesn’t know the customers. He doesn’t know her. Yet he’s the one holding the keys to her second home.
Henry, meanwhile, wants nothing more than to get back to Tennessee—back to his mom, his best friend, and a life that makes sense. His plan is simple: get the bookstore in order, sign whatever papers need signing, and head south. But then he meets Ella: beautiful, prickly, funny, and absolutely convinced he’s the villain of her story. Which shouldn’t matter, because he’s leaving… right?
But The Last Page is in trouble—real trouble—and suddenly Henry and Ella are forced into a reluctant partnership. And ignoring their chemistry becomes about as impossible as ignoring a book that keeps calling your name.
And listen… Henry? He’s the kind of shy, hot nerd who wears glasses he actually needs, blushes when Ella teases him, and has the body of someone who definitely played college football. A walking contradiction in the best way. Ella never stood a chance.
Their initial tension is delicious, but what makes this story sing is how quickly they choose vulnerability over miscommunication. No dragged-out drama. No third-act breakup. Just two emotionally mature adults figuring out grief, change, and each other with honesty and care. It’s the kind of romance that makes your chest feel warm.
The bookstore setting wraps everything in cozy charm—found family, stacks of books in every scene, New York magic humming in the background. The contrast between Ella’s lifelong bond with Leo and Henry’s distant, complicated relationship with him adds a quiet emotional thread that ties them together long before they realize they’re on the same team.
Their slow-burn shift from strangers to uneasy allies to friends to lovers feels organic and deeply satisfying. Henry’s protectiveness, Ella’s stubborn independence, the way they learn to take care of each other—it’s tender, grounded, and genuinely swoony. The side characters add texture and humor, making the whole world feel lived-in and real.
The Last Page is a warm hug of a romance—comforting, bookish, emotional, and full of yearning. Predictable in the best way, like a favorite trope done right. A perfect cozy escape, and a love letter to readers who find home in stories.
7/2026 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THE LAST PAGE by Katie Holt. Sourcebooks Landmark (November 3, 2026). ISBN: 978-1728264080. 368p.
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