Review of Leave It Up to Love by Kristy Woodson Harvey – A Heartwarming Story About Finding Your Voice

In Leave It Up to Love a hopeful writer ghostwrites for a grieving bestseller and discovers friendship, creativity, and a touch of romance. 

Acknowledgments:

Thank you to Brilliance Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC of this audiobook. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

Summary:

After publishing her first novel, aspiring writer Lila Everwood dreams of landing her big break and finally leaving her barista job behind—until her latest writing attempt catches the attention of her literary idol for all the wrong reasons. Elizabeth Lancaster, the once-reigning queen of Regency romance, hasn’t written a book in three years, and her publisher’s desperate solution is to hire a ghostwriter—Lila, her favourite coffee server. While Elizabeth’s literary agent son, Grady, thinks the idea is a disaster waiting to happen, the unlikely partnership sparks creativity, unexpected friendship, and growing chemistry between Lila and Grady. As their lives and careers intertwine, Lila and Elizabeth discover that in love, life, and publishing, sometimes the only way forward is to write your own happy ending.

My Thoughts:

In Leave It Up to Love, Kristy Woodson Harvey delivers a charming, feel-good short story about chasing dreams, unexpected opportunities, and the connections that help us find our way forward. Lila Everwood is hoping her writing career is about to take off. She’s already published her first novel and has plenty of ideas for the next one, but when her publisher isn’t convinced, she’s left balancing her dreams with reality—working as a barista while holding on to the hope that her big break is still ahead.

Enter Elizabeth Lancaster, a bestselling Regency romance author who hasn’t written a word in three years after the loss of her husband. Desperate for a new book, her publisher comes up with a surprising solution: hire Lila—Elizabeth’s favourite coffee server—as a ghostwriter. Elizabeth’s son and literary agent, Grady, initially thinks the idea is a terrible one, but as Lila and Elizabeth begin working together, something unexpected happens. Creativity sparks, barriers start to fall, and Lila and Grady soon discover a spark of their own.

I really enjoyed the premise of a young writer helping an established author rediscover her voice. Despite being a short story, the character development is surprisingly strong. Elizabeth’s irritable and guarded manner clearly stems from grief and the fear that she may never write another book, while Lila’s determination to become a successful author shines through as she embraces this unusual opportunity. Watching these two women gradually support and strengthen each other was one of my favourite parts of the story. The budding romance between Lila and Grady is simply the icing on the cake.

The Narration:

I listened to the audiobook version narrated by Jorjeana Marie and Courtney Patterson, and both performances were wonderful. Their voices captured the personalities of the characters perfectly and added warmth and depth to this already delightful story.

Final Thoughts:

Leave It Up to Love is a quick, uplifting listen about perseverance, creativity, and the power of unlikely partnerships. It’s a sweet reminder that sometimes the path to your dreams appears in the most unexpected ways.