By the Book

"⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2"

"Izzy is disenchanted with the publishing career she thought would be a perfect fit after graduating. She is overworked and underpaid as an editorial assistant with no promotion in sight, wondering if maybe she made a mistake in her career choice. She also has the added frustration of being the only black employee at her publishing house causing her to feel lost and alone. After overhearing her boss complaining about a high-profile author (Beau Towers) and his long-awaited manuscript, she offers to go to his house to check in with him in person. Maybe this will get her a promotion. <br/><br/>Celebrity Beau Towers is closed off, angry, lost, and withdrawn. He doesn't know how to write the memoir he promised. As Izzy encourages and coaches him, the writing takes off. They discover they are a great team, friends, and maybe even more. <br/><br/>The side characters Micheala and Priya were wonderful. Especially Priya, I would love to read about her. Does she have a romance in her future?<br/><br/>This is a sweet, clean romance and a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It started a little slow but picked up and had me smiling as I read it. I ended up delighting in the characters and how they grew. Izzy learns to speak up for herself and ask for what she wants. Beau gains confidence in his writing, writes a wonderful memoir, and repairs important relationships. He learns how to build and repair relationships instead of destroying them. The romance between Izzy and Beau feels real. <br/><br/>This is my first Jasmine Guillory novel but it won't be my last. I loved the way the characters grew and developed. I enjoyed the sweet and tender romance that developed between Izzy and Beau. <br/><br/>Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Books/Hyperion Ave for giving me an ARC. I truly enjoyed it!"

"So good. Fast read. Emotional unpacking "

"3.5/5 This one was okay. loved that they are book lovers and writers as our main characters. love that in books. I really liked our main girl. The guy was just to cringe for most of the book; there were a few cute moments here, and it got deep at times which I didn't expedi but added to the characters. I did like them together in the end, but it took way too long for me to get invested. I think this would be a great summer read had all the summe atmosphere and also had a beauty and the beast feel, which was honestly cute"

"This book was so cute! I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes Beauty & the beast. 🌹"

"I was really reluctant to keep reading this book because it started off so cheesy. Izzy talks to a bathtub and hears it talking back to her. I get this is a nod to Beauty and the Beast but it really just made me roll my eyes. However, this book really improved as it went on. The relationship between Izzy and Beau really improved and I liked how their communication improved throughout the book. However, I feel like so much of the relationship revolves around the snack cabinet, which is just weird"

"A brilliant modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast. "

"It’s definitely worth it!!"

"I enjoyed the initial Meant to Be book and once I saw Jasmine Guillory writing the second of the series, I knew this would be a must read for me. <br/>The MC is a 25yo black female who has been dreaming of working in the book business for as long as she could remember. However, the publishing company she works for,is becoming worse for wear and she is struggling with paying her bills with no potential growth in her future. That is until she winds offering to babysit a celebrity who was supposed to write his memoir two years ago. <br/>Things can heat up quick when you are in close proximity to each other, especially when you need to be vulnerable to write."

"4.5⭐️"