Written in the margins by Madeline Nixon

Published on June 16^th, 2026

320 pages

I read the digital edition

Back Cover

He has a reputation in town. She's determined to give him his second chance.Adelaide Ramsay is a Beaver Creek darling. She’s distantly related to the town’s founders, has a tragic past that was once town gossip, and found success as historical fiction author. The town is happy to claim her as one of their best. But behind her smile is a woman who overcompensates with bright colours and endless hobbies, always feeling like she’s a little too much for anything real.

When Zander Browning gets invited to Beaver Creek’s Festival of Local Authors, he’s anxious to return to his hometown. The first fifteen years of his life were spent in town before everything blew up. He tells himself he’s content being alone and deserves it for what he did in the past. But behind his stony exterior is a man yearning for someone to finally love him. Through a stroke of fate, Adelaide is the first person Zander sees at the event, which they spend flirting through books.

Adelaide’s sunshine-y personality breaks through Zander’s grey skies. They see each other. But a storm is brewing in town that might just break them apart.

Written in the Margins is part of the Library Love Notes series, featuring open-door, small-town romances set in the fictional cozy town of Beaver Creek, Ontario.

 

My review

 

This is the first novel I read by this author. I liked her short story in Mistletoe Moments, however it was great to discover her in a full novel. You don’t have to read it during the summer, nor the rest of the books from the series. It was cool to feel that I lived the same thing as Adelaide. I’m residing near from Ottawa, but I love small-town life, and these novels always have a special place in my heart.

My favorite character is Adelaide, not only because we do the same job, unfortunately, I could never write an historical romance. I don’t have enough patience to do enough research to make it believable. I admire her, she doesn’t care what the town thinks about her. In the beginning, everyone sees her like the golden child because she’s a well-known author, but they don’t agree with her decisions for her love life. They all used the excuse of we want to protect you, which I don’t agree, since if you care about someone, you’ll accept the choice the person made.

 

I can’t tell you much about Zander, but it’s one of the most surprising characters I met this year. The writer turned him into a way I didn’t see it coming.  It’s worth to be patient and keep reading until the end, just for that reason.

 

The thing I liked the most about the story is the mention of Gilmore Girls. I have to admit it looks a lot like the Rory-Jess situation when everyone has something to say about their relationship without giving them a chance. I also enjoy the City Council, I never went to one in real life, but I was able the feel the Gilmore Girls vibes. In the end, I’m crossing my fingers that I live with something like Adelaide and meet my soul mate at a book event.