Soshanna loves the holiday season and is looking forward to celebrating Hanukkah with her Moms. She also loves working at the Once Upon a bookstore at the mall. When a cute new hire named Jake starts working at store, she's thrilled. However their first encounter is a disaster and it keeps getting worse. Then her boss sets up an employee competition for a cash prize. Soshanna desperately needs the money to fix her car. Soshanna is not worried, she's great at her job. Then Jake (who doesn't even like to read) starts getting more sales. And even though they seem to have nothing in common, the more they spend trying to beat each other for the prize the more they begin to find things that they like about each other. This was a fun read.

I enjoyed this title and frequently purchase YA titles for the library, but this one read particularly young to me. My students are older and probably wouldn't be as interested, although the story is delightful and told well.

What a freakin pleasant surprise this was! I am a major sucker for books set in bookstores - who isn't?! - so this was immediately on my TBR and requested from Netgalley. Bonus that I didn't even realize? It's set in the week leading up to Christmas! In a mall! With a food court! And did I mention the bookstore?! So many fun elements that I love to read about.

Despite this book being set in the leadup to Christmas, the MC (Shoshanna) is Jewish. Her moms are fighting, she needs a holiday sales bonus to fix her car, and her new coworker Jake is being a jerk. Shoshana was definitely a bit... much... at the start, but I could soon tell that she meant well and was just a little over-the-top. She grew on me!

I absolutely loved the atmosphere for this. I wanted to dive in to visit Once Upon and then get lunch at Bo's Burritos. I don't go to the mall much anymore (even before Covid) so this was very nostalgic and fun for me. There was a pretty huge cast of characters with a lot of things going on - I wish this book was longer by like 50 pages to really dive into a few more things! The Christmassy spirit was all there too, and it was nice to read a book with a Jewish main character at the same time.

Shoshanna's annoyingness at the start and the underdeveloped side plots took this down juuuust a little for me, but I really enjoyed reading it - could not put it down and basically read it all in one sitting. The shorter size definitely helped, but it was such a FUN story to dive into. I'm so happy I picked this up!

Recommended for You is delightfully bookalicious (A student of mine made up that word and I am determined to use it when appropriate from now on.) While this novel is filled with cliches and predictable outcomes, it is still charming and heart-warming. I smiled the entire time I was reading this one as it just made my heart happy. I cringed a few times when mistakes were made by the characters. Overall, this is a book for book lovers who need a happily ever after night now. You won't be disappointed if you love books. It totally gives off Pride and Prejudice vibes too if you like stories who reflect Jane Austen. The cast of characters don't disappoint either.

What's great about it? Two Jewish protagonists who love books in a bookstore at Christmas time, a ridiculously happy and elegant ending, Shoshanna is a unique name for our female protagonist (I have never read a book with a Shoshanna in it), Shoshanna has two moms and it's not even made into a big deal/social issue, Jake has a single mom, mistakes are made and learned from, books are mentioned and literally surround all the characters at all times.

Recommended for: book lovers, bookstore lovers, Pride and Prejudice fans, YA romance fans, happy ending chasers and anyone looking for a charming holiday read. LBGTQIA+ recommended.

DNF after two chapters/45 pages

This is my second attempt with Silverman, and I think her writing style may not work for me. There's so much humor and banter, which is my favorite, but it's not hitting me right. I'm not amused by the references, another thing I usually love. And, while I love a flawed heroine, apparently shaming her love interest over a loud speaker is a bridge too far. And then to be cruel to him again afterward was just way too much. I don't ship this couple, and I can't understand her decisions.

Overall this was a sweet story. I struggled at times likely because of my age, but I think young bookish readers will really connect with this

Laura Silverman’ Recommended for You is the story of a Jewish girl in Georgia named Shoshana. Shoshana’ works at a local bookstore in the mall, and it had become a home to her. Her own family life is not perfect since her moms started arguing, and she believed they might be headed for a divorce. Jake Kaplan joins the crew at work, and Shosh is immediately drawn to him, but she unsure if this is a good or bad thing. The two go to an over two can sell the most books during the holiday season.

A YA for fans of "You've Got Mail," this novel features a hate-to-love romance set within a bookstore at Christmas-time. I liked the protagonist's sense of humor, though at times, I also found her overly judgmental and too certain she is right. She does change by the end of the book, but I sometimes found it difficult to root for her.

This was pretty cute and a quick read. I liked that the book had a Jewish protagonist from a same-sex parent household. Positive representation is always good. The plot was a bit simplistic. I would have liked to see a little more interaction between the MC and love interest. They also coupled awfully fast (like a week?)

I ENJOYED…
☂️
- I think it’s safe to say it: I love Laura Silverman’s books. I fell in love with Girl Out of Water a little while ago, completely related to You Asked for Perfect and now, with Recommended for You, I swooned and smiled and fell like I was on cloud nine. I EVEN MADE A RHYME wow.
- Laura Silverman always manages to write characters I fall for and this book was no exception. Shoshanna was such an endearing main character, I couldn’t help but root for her right from the start. She’s sensitive, loud, kind of obstinated and always thrives to be a problem-solver. She’s just so passionate in everything she does, I just loved her.
- The local bookstore setting! As a bookworm, I obviously love anything bookish in my stories and it was so much fun to have the bookstore play such a big role in the story. From Shoshanna’s passion for books shining through to the hard work and bookstore storyline, this just made my little bookish heart soar happily.
- The family relationships and friendships were wonderful in that one, just as well.
- Let’s start with the family. Shoshanna has two mothers and I just loved seeing how much she cared for them, worried about them and their relationship. I also enjoyed seeing the supportive parents caring for their daughter, giving her advice and there was one lovely scene on the porch I loved so much.
- I also really enjoyed the friendships in this story: endearing female friendships, with their little bit of drama and issues, YES, but I also just really liked the dynamics of them!
- One thing I loved in Recommended for You was that the romance was slow-paced, giving the characters time to get to know each other, their feelings changing from I-barely-tolerate-you to oh-hey-you’re-not-so-bad, slowly growing into a friendship and into something more, just as well. ALSO! Jake was one adorable croissant okay. (This is me saying he’s an adorable cinammon bun, without talking about cinnamon, because I don’t like it, okay)
- It’s important to note that this book isn’t entirely romance-focused, either! From Shoshanna’s parents, her own issues with money, her friendships, Recommended For You was overall a well-rounded contemporary, perfect if you’re looking for that book that will leave you smiling and your heart full.

OVERALL
☂️
- I have a thing for Laura Silverman’s books, OKAY, I’ll admit it. Her characters and stories and just, her books overall always win me over, leaving me smiling and happy and just, yes. This is the kind of book I love. If you enjoy YA contemporary books, I definitely recommend reading this one (and everything Laura writes).

A fun, sweet read. I loved the Hanukkah setting and holiday atmosphere. I can't resist books about bookstores, and this one suited my reading mood so well.

Welcome Back!

It’s been a super busy week here but I feel like I am definitely on the end of my to do list for this week and that has made my mood pick up drastically. Also, getting my to-do list wrapped up means that I can spend more time reading! I have been in the middle of some really good books lately (and have so many more arriving every week because this month has so many good books coming out), so I can not wait for the end of the week to come and I can spend some serious time reading all these amazing books. One of the books I picked up recently is Recommended For You! A little ago I was invited to participate in the blog tour for this book and I am super excited to talk about this book today!

Shoshanna has made her job her escape lately, she works at her local bookstore (a.k.a. my dream job) but her life outside of work seems to be falling apart. Her car is on the brink of death, her family is fighting at home, and nothing is going right. Everyday she gets to head into the bookstore is a blissful day spent in one of her favorite places. However, Shoshanna soon sees a way to fix some of her problems (mostly just her car issues, but it’s a great start). Her boss declares that whoever sells the most books will get a bonus and Shoshanna is so in but there is one small problem, the new guy, Jake. Jake is the complete opposite of Shoshanna, he does not even read. But can Shoshanna compete with him and win (even though she secretly thinks he is kinda cute)?

I spent some time last weekend reading this (mostly cozied up at the end of long days) and it was super adorable and the perfect thing for a long week! I will have a full review of this book posted later this month but I highly recommend this book. It was a fun read that I honestly, looked forward to at the end of the day. I love Shoshanna’s character (and I am super jealous of her job, like I would love to own a bookstore/work at one someday). I also thought the competition between her and Jake was so fun (it kind of reminded me of the Bookworm Crush competition story line)! I would highly recommend checking this book out!

**Thank you so much to the publisher for inviting me to the blog tour!

Sweet, fun, diverse. Bookstore romance! Great read! Loved the holiday aspect, which isn’t usually my thing, but this was perfect. Very much enjoyed this book and I expect my students will enjoy it was well.

Teen readers have been clamoring for more rom-coms that are actually good reads. I am thrilled to start to recommend this book to satisfy their wants! *Recommended for You* is an excellent workplace (bookstore) holiday story with competition and attraction. This book is a sweet read and an excellent addition to the YA collection.

I liked the setting of the bookstore but I felt like the overall plot was way too juvenile and predictable for me to enjoy.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A cute Romcom novel for teens who have their very own romance with books. Characters deal with issues of divorce, loss, and judging a book by it's cover. I would hand this to a teen in need of some light romance with a simple, happy ending.

I didn't love this - I didn't care for the protagonist, she was super annoying
The premise is cute - the frenemy thing, but I couldn't finish it to find out what happened

Overall this was a cute read. I didn't love it and I didn't really connect with it, mostly because of my age. I'm 32 and the main character was 16. I do read alot of YA Contemporary and some of the characters I read I connect with but I did feel like Shoshanna was a little to juvenile for me. So please take my review with a grain of salt. It was overall cute, had amazing family and friendships as well!

Hello, friends! Today I’m participating in the blog tour for Recommended For You! I was asked to do a creative post, which of course means that my mind was blank for a good few weeks, but soon after finishing this book, an idea came to me!

You see, while this book centers around a book store and a budding friendship (and possibly more), food comes into play quite a bit. From Latkepalooza, the last night of Hannukah celebration that the main character Shoshanna and her moms have every year, to Shoshanna eating in the food court with her best friends in the mall where they all work, a lot of the relationships in this book get solidified over food! And since there’s a significant inclusion of cookies towards the end of this book, I figured it would be fun to watch some of the main characters to a cookie that matched their personality!

Shoshanna: Funfetti Cookie
The main character of this story, Shoshanna acts quite impulsively, and many times even childishly throughout this book. Her personality is very BRIGHT and out there, and immediately made me think of funfetti! I also think of funfetti as this really cheery baked good, and that fits Shoshanna’s personality perfectly!

Jake: Gingersnap
Since this is an enemies to lovers story, I only found it fitting to choose a cookie that has a bit of a kick when you first bite into it for the love interest! Gingersnaps are a super yummy treat but they definitely aren’t all sugar and sweetness! Plus, these cookies smell fantastic, and Shoshonna always loves the way Jake smells! (And looks. And smiles. And hold books. She likes a lot of things about him.)

Daniel: Crinkle Cookie
Daniel works at the same book store as Shoshanna. Although Shoshanna used to be super close to him, throughout the book there’s a bit of distance between her and Daniel. So obviously the perfect cookie to represent this relationship is a crinkle cookie, which is defined by it’s cracking and spreading, all of which add distance!

Myra: Chocolate Chip Cookie
Myra is the owner of the book store that Shoshanna, Jake, and Daniel all work at. When thinking of Myra, I thought of a calm, steady presence that’s always around to provide guidance. So what better comparison to make than to the classic chocolate chip cookie! If you need a cookie, there’s sure to be some chocolate chip version that can be found nearby!

Cheyenne: Fortune Cookie
Cheyenne is one of Shoshanna’s best friends, and she tends to try out a new hobby every few weeks. This made me think of a fortune cookie, where every time you crack one open, the inside is a surprise. Similarly, every week Cheyenne’s newest hobby is something new and unexpected!

Geraldine: Macaron
Geraldine is Shoshanna’s other best friend, and she’s an aspiring beauty YouTuber. So when I think of her, I think of aesthetically pleasing makeup looks. And what cookie is more beautiful than macarons! Brightly colored as they are, macarons can easily be inspiration for an eye shadow palette one day, and no one would be surprised!

Mom: Biscotti
Mom is the stricter of Shoshanna’s mothers. She literally is a tough cookie! So when I was thinking of a cookie to represent her strength and her firm style of parenting, biscotti came to mind! These double baked treats can be difficult to bite into, but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth it!

Mama: Sugar Cookies
Mama is soft and gentle, and a generally calming and warm presence in Shoshanna’s life. Her cookie came to me immediately. There was no way she could be anything other than a sweet, melt in the mouth sugar cookie!

And there you have it! Those are the cookies that I think suits each character best! I hope my comparisons and reasoning make as much sense to you as they did to me!

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

This was another title that made me doubt what I read. (I'm an adult who reads YA. Leave me alone.) Sometimes, my brain gets stuck on a certain element of something and goes "that's completely ridiculous; that's not how things work" and it just completely ruins any possibility of me enjoying it. That's what happened here.

I've worked in a bookstore. I am a librarian. While the customer service interactions are pretty on-point, they give a lot of responsibility to some kids here. Also, I couldn't help but be reminded of that episode of the Andy Griffith Show (I'm not THAT old; it was in very late reruns) where Opie's having to compete for that bag boy job. (See how I said I get stuck on things?) And You've Got Mail is probably my least favorite Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks movie.

So, all in all. Not completely terrible, but would probably fair much better for actual teenagers. Ones who work would probably especially find it relatable.