Authentically, Izzy
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Authentically Izzy by Pepper Basham is an epistolary romance story full of bookish charm. Told completely through emails and texts, Izzy’s story unfolds amid books, quotes, and bookish dreams 📚💫.

My Overview

Izzy Edgewood loves books and dreams of one day being the happy owner of a bookstore. She’s currently a librarian, and is happy enough being surrounded by books. Her cousin, figuring Izzy will never find a date while hiding behind books, takes it upon herself to set up an online dating profile for her. Soon enough, Izzy starts communicating online with someone who appears to be a perfect match for her. The more they communicate, the more she wonders about the authenticity of their “relationship”.

What I liked:

  • The emails between Izzy and Brodie (her online match).
  • The book references and book quotes throughout. Especially all the references to Anne of Green Gables.
  • The close family dynamic between Izzy and her cousins. They all meddled in her life, but also deeply cared and were always there for her.

What I didn’t like:

  • The storyline felt repetitive, and certain aspects such as the constant P.S and P.P.S at the end of every email from Izzy added to it.
  • Considering the length of the story, the ending was more rushed than I’d expected.
  • The emails and texts between Izzy and her cousins. They were meant to be humourous, but were instead just too much.

My Recommendation

This book was part of My Winter 2023 Reading List, and I expected to love it. The premise of the storyline and epistolary format really drew me to it. As it turns out, I liked the story overall but it was clearly a mixed bag for me. However, I’d still recommend it since it’s a cute story which has been loved by many. The bookish mentions throughout the story alone, will likely make you smile.

I listened to the audiobook and didn’t enjoy the narration. Would I have liked this story more if I’d read it on my Kindle instead of listening to the audiobook? Likely. So, although I recommend the story, I don’t recommend the audiobook.

Have you read this story or listened to the audiobook?