This book took me completely by surprise as it was NOTHING like what I was expecting. Honestly I found the book to be rather heartbreaking in a sense because the heroine Nora is really going through it. In that regard she has so much mental anguish and midlife crisis moments happening I just wanted a HEA for her. Nora is a character who lives in her head a lot and so books are her safe and happy place. She’s an introvert with high hopes for her future in publishing. Sadly time after time life throws roadblocks and stop signs in her way leaving her life path riddled with impossible challenges. In some ways I really related to Nora. I too once had high hopes of working in publishing and living my dream. Sadly this is not an attainable path for many or most unfortunately. With the world becoming digitized and companies downsizing, Noras dreams get shattered one after the other. Once her pay is cut at her job of 5 years, Nora is in a pickle. I loved reading her struggles because not only were they relatable but also just super realistic and I loved seeing her think outside the box and take chances even given her issues. I found her to be flawed but relatable and truly brave even during tough times.

There is some minor romance in the book. So minor that I wasn’t even sure it was going to become a thing. When it finally does happen at the 50% mark the book was far too clean for my tastes, any intimate moments are skipped and left up to your imagination. What I struggle most with the book is the abrupt and very unclear ending. Sure things are set up for Nora but with all her ‘issues’ I really would have appreciated some type of epilogue or concrete ending. I needed to know she was going to be ok and find her happy place, single or not, working with books or not. Her mental state is so fragile honestly I’m worried about her and just want a HEA for her and not hopes of one down the road. Overall though, I really did love the book and the directions it took. It really does focus on loving books and what that means in the world today especially working within the field. It was a highly engaging read and I feel like Nora is a kindred spirit. The book touching on subject matters such as mental health, thoughts of suicide and career instability really made this a powerful and insightful read. It was nothing like what I was expecting and I ended up really loving the journey and path Nora found herself on. Aside from an end I wish delivered more I really loved the book and would definitely recommend it to fellow readers whose passion is books.

As a voracious reader, this title caught my attention. In this light story, Nora is a woman who is emotionally fragile due to recent events happening in her life. Dreams dashed of being a book editor, Nora worked as an editorial assistant at a small publishing house which is floundering. While the job has become mundane and droll, she held on because she was comfortable with the people around her. Nora was struggling to make ends meet day to day. But soon, they were leaving left and right, forcing Nora to take on more work even though the company cut her pay. After a chance encounter with her former boss, she takes on a second job as a freelance editor but doesn’t tell either employer of her dual roles. Enter the handsome and lonely author whom Nora tries to sign first for Parsons Publishing and then for Webers Publishing. What a conflict of interest, as they develop feelings for each other. Does Nora put her job first or her love life? At what cost, happiness?

This is an easy read. I was looking for a Hallmark ending but the story does leave you with the possibility. You hope that Nora can eventually pull it together but given her history, you are still not sure at the end of the book. It’s a good book to read on a raining day.

Many thanks to #netgalley #mustlovebooks for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book is definitely not what I expected. It revolves around the publishing world and I enjoyed knowing how things work. The cover drew me in this book.

Nora like us loves books and her passion for them had her working at Parsons Press as an Editorial Assistant. She has been at that position for 5 years doing more of an administrative work. With the layoffs going around the publishing house she is doing work of others as well, to top this her salary is cut. To pay rent and for basic needs she takes up another job without leaving this one and juggles between them. This leads to her being sad and having depressing thoughts taking her to darker places. As she says the creature is waiting for her (suicidal thoughts). She kept all of the thoughts bottled up.

This book started slow and I didn't like lot many decisions made by Nora however, her character development was amazing. I really liked the end where she choose herself over romance. Nora and her struggles might be relatable to many. She needed a little push and guidance to see right from wrong, to do what's best for her. The conversation between Henry, Nora and Candance was epic.
Andrew was opposite of Nora and I liked his optimistic attitude. He is a sweetheart.

In her debut novel, Shauna Robinson talks about heavier topics like mental health, suicidal thoughts, career paths, not knowing future plans and journey of self discovery. These topics are written in a manner that it doesn't seem judgy but experiencing and knowing the pain of the character and wishing them all strength. It is about taking one step at a time and figuring things out. It is about asking for help or sharing things as you never know what might work for you.

Overall this was a good read. Wishing Shauna Robinson the best and looking forward to read more of her work.

Thank you Netgalley, Shauna Robinson, Sourcebook Landmarks for giving me a chance to read this in exchange of an honest review.

Nora, in a rut in at work and unable to make ends meet, decides to take a second job to make ends meet. However jobs collide leaving her with nothing. Toss in some romance with the adorable Author Santos and it was a nice read.
Liked that this book touched on mental health issues and the need to change.

<i>*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review *</i>


Must Love Books was certainly more serious than I expected (and hit me a little harder than I would like to admit), but I thoroughly enjoyed it!

The first third or so of the book started quite slow, so if you feel discouraged with the beginning, I would recommend sticking with it!

While Nora did drive me a little insane in points, I overall enjoyed her character development, and the portrayal of depression was just too real - particularly the references to it sort of being a creature that eats at you.

I think the whole idea that the 'career path' you may choose right out of university might not actually be right for you is a very valid one, and I definitely have witnessed a lot of people going through similar struggles.

Andrew is just such a sweetheart, and honestly everything that a male love interest should be!

Nora Hughes feels like a 3 on a scale of 1-10 for personal happiness. How can she be a 3? She works as an editorial assistant at Parsons Press-- a dream job for a girl who loves books, right? She starts building a tentative relationship with a successful author, and she has picked up a freelancing job to help make ends meet.

Yet, here she is feeling like a 3. She feels no alternatives are available. Honestly, she has a hard time existing. What should Nora do?

This debut novel by Shauna Robinson looks at the whole concept of “dream job” and mental health in a refreshing way. Nora is a likeable character. She is in her mid-20s, and after spending five years in the publishing world to say she is disenchanted with it is putting it mildly. Parsons Press has undergone restructuring, some of her favorite co-workers have left, and Nora seems stuck. She has forgotten really what makes her happy and allows herself to revisit some fairly dark thoughts.

Instead of being honest with others and with herself, Nora begins to concoct seemingly little lies that all come to a head at an inopportune moment. She hits rock bottom. The good thing about rock bottom is there is nowhere to go but up. Thankfully, Nora does just that.

Towards the end of the book, I was rooting for Nora! I chuckled when she just deleted emails from an annoying co-worker who felt she was his personal assistant for all things. When she was finally honest with herself and those around her, she began to notice different paths she could take and maybe find that dream job. I also love that she says she needs time to work on herself. Nora found her happy ending that she needs for this time in her life.

While she didn’t end the book at a 10 on the happiness scale, she now feels like a solid 5 with potential for growth. I think that is a healthy outlook AND a great message for a book. Well done!

Nora, in a slump at work decides to take a second job to make ends meet. But both jobs collide leaving her with nothing. A nice read touching on mental health issues and the need to change.

4.5 stars.

First things first: this had been categorized as a romance, but it’s not, not really. It’s the story of a woman who is overworked and underpaid and who doesn’t really know what she wants anymore, and how she starts to figure it out. If you liked Eleanor Olyphant is Completely Fine or The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, then this one’s for you.

There are so many things to love about this book. The detailed glimpses into publishing and office politics. The description of her commute. The way that, as we get to know Nora, we also learn more about her depression, the creature inside her head. The characterizations of the concrete things Anthony does to show he cares. Nora is a frustrating character in that she makes mistakes but also, there aren’t easy solutions for her problems. The book doesn’t resolve with everything neatly tied up, but the ending as it is still feels complete. We’ve gotten to see Nora start to sort things out.

After finishing the book, I lingered on it, sad to see it go. Robinson gets details so right that I was left with a vivid sense of the characters, the setting, what made Nora Nora.

I was provided with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you kind NetGalley folks for an advanced reader copy to read for a fair evaluation.

I love a promising debut novel. And characters that make me want to slap them. There's really good writing about mental health, without it being judgy or preachy. And, ultimately, hope and action.

It is only appropriate that on national book lovers day, I finished reading Must Love Books from #Netgalley!

This read follows a young girl stuck in her publishing job and trying to figure out what her future holds. She has been in the same position for 5 years and has seen staff come and go and move on to bigger things. However, for her she doesn't know what moving on looks like for her. So in the meantime she secretly picks up a second job to help supplement her income after her current employer cut her pay. During this time she connects with a young up and coming author. They start their relationship as work colleagues then things progress further but her secrets catch up to her, exploding her whole world. Nora must then take the time to figure out what actually makes her happy...with the help of a few friends and books.

Oh Nora- how I have been there having to find a second job to make ends meet due to my first dead end full time job after college.

I enjoyed watching Nora figure things out on her own, though I do think there were some slow spots in the book. I was very pleased with the ending and that Mr. Author lover Santos didn’t just sweep her off her feet and she was set to carving her own path. Those are the types of endings we need more of. A romance with a real ending, which is really the beginning of something more/better/uncharted.

If you had spent 5 years working towards a possible promotion that would never present itself and better yet you are basically to demoted to a random guy's secretary on top of your normal job roles you'd eventually break too. But, to make up for the pay deduction Nora takes on at the same time she starts working as an Editor, a full blown editor, not an assistant editor, but for a rival company.
This book consists of a high tension jobs and the stress and the depression the book explores is extremely real in the modern work environment. The fact that the author is exploring this is brilliant as characters are often better to connect with if they have more realistic traits. However, the fictional elements that the main protagonist gets herself and others into help keep it a book for which a reader can read and feel as though they have escape from their reality.
Also the use of keywords for the book editing and business world show either the author works int hat world, has done some research or with phrases like "slush pile" suggest that Robinson may watch the TV show Young which is also set in the editorial world. A must-watch companion to readers of this book.

One of my favorite type of books is a book about books! Very meta. Nora is tiring of her job at a publishing company as she is under-respected and under-paid. I thought the will she or won't she was yo-yo like at times and could've drawn to a conclusion quicker. All of this was tied up in the end with a less-than-desirable ending. It was okay all things considered. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for a copy of this book for an honest review.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Must Love Books was a pretty interesting book with realistic characters. In it, you will meet Nora. She sort of has my ideal dream job - working as an editorial assistant at Parsons Press. I mean, it's not the dream position but honestly working at a publishing company does sound fun. To be surrounded by books all day, every day - yes.

But to be honest, it's not her dream job right now. To be suck in a position that underpays her for all the work she does. Trust me, I feel that pain in my current job because I'm definitely overworked and very underpaid right now. So her wanting to go elsewhere for her mental health and happiness? Yes please.

Enter a potential love interest and I was already sold. Even though I kind of wanted more than the flirting? Maybe it's just be but I definitely wanted more from these two. Plus the whole will she or wont she quit for most of the book was kind of annoying but I get wanting to have a back up plan for when shit hits the fan.

In the end, even though it was a tough decision to make I think she did the right choice. Especially if this new role in her life will make her happier.

The story follows Nora, and editorial assistant aspiring to be an editor, who is struggling with setback after setback in her dream career. Somehow the shiny feelings of what she does has rubbed off and she can’t find the joy in her job that she once had. That, paired with working with an author- Andrew- how has the audacity to be one of the “nice” ones, keeps making her question her motives, career goals, and her feelings about him. Nora struggles to be honest with herself and others along with the search for true happiness. The book comes with discussion questions that would be wonderful for any book club! Loved the read and the relatable characters who are learning to work on themselves and their mental health.

I loved this little gem of a novel about dream jobs falling short, working towards happiness, and admitting that it’s okay not to know exactly where you’ll end up as long as you’re taking a step forward. This book is so relatable as someone who is just about the same age as the main character, Nora, and has also been at the same job since college. (One vital difference is that I still like my job!) The love story was perfectly balanced with the rest of the narrative. I haven’t read many books that so accurately depict the uncertainty and stagnation of moving on from what was supposed to be a dream job, while battling anxiety and depression. While it deals with tough subject matter (CW: suicidal thoughts), this story manages to be charming and uplifting. I will happily sing the praises of this novel up to and beyond its January 2022 publication date!! ❤️

Synopsis:
Nora Hughes is the last editorial assistant standing at Parsons Press. She’s worked there the past five years, ever since graduating college, and she’s watched many of her favorite colleagues leave for other jobs or get laid off as the company restructures. When she finds out her already insufficient salary is going to be cut (by 15%!!), Nora has no qualms about secretly taking on a part time freelance job at a rival publisher. But the toll it takes to keep up her deception and the paranoia that someone will figure out what’s really going on cause Nora to slip deeper into her depressive funk. When she admits to the charming author of a bestselling Parsons book that she would rate her happiness a 3 out of 10, he urges her to take steps to get this number up. Though he seems interested in more than just a professional relationship, it’s difficult for Nora to know if her motivations are driven by potential profits or feelings…

Set in the publishing world, Shauna Robinson writes about Nora, an editorial assistant who is overwhelmed by her work and trying to navigate a salary pay cut. Struggling with depression and her closest work friend leaving, Nora unexpectedly meets Andrew, a serial optimist and author at the publishing house she works for.

The book had its moments of charm, but some were borderline toxic positivity and it lacked emotional depth. I finished the book wanting to hug Nora. I liked that her ending wasn’t perfect, which made the book feel more realistic. If you love books and the publishing world, you’ll likely enjoy this read.

Nora Hughes has been working as an editorial assistant at Parsons Press for five years. Her colleague, Beth also started working at the same time as Nora.

Nora has always had a passion for reading and dreamed of being an editor someday but since she joined Parsons, all her department did was handle business books which Beth and Nora both found boring and monotonous.

When Nora and Beth started working she thought she’d be working alongside authors, reading projects, and making suggestions for improvements.
Like Nora, Beth had grown tired of the administrative work—fortunately Beth landed a sales job at an app development start-up.

Nora has been hoping to use her position in her division as a stepping-stone to the challenging divisions in theSan Francisco office such as cooking, travel, or current events.

But then the New York executives cut these divisions before Nora could make a move. The restructuring plan followed—while some employees were promoted, others like Nora’s bosses lost their jobs.

To make matters worse, salaries have been drastically cut by 15% and Nora’s department is no exception.
Now with the pay cut, Nora wonders how she’s going to pay rent and pay off student loans.

Luckily she lands a job in Weber Book Group as a freelance acquisitions editor for the business division.

Earlier Nora had met with Lynn her former colleague—who now works for Weber, Parsons's strongest competitor—and over lunch, Lynn told her about the freelance gig at Weber and asked Nora if she’d be interested.

Struggling to make ends meet, Nora accepts the job with hopes of securing a permanent position at Weber. For now, all Nora has to do is balance her two jobs for the next six months, hang on long enough for Weber to offer her an editorial coordinator position and she’d be finally free to work on fiction. She’s even considered poaching some of her current employer’s authors.
But can Nora pull this off?

Thank you to Shauna Robinson, NetGalley, and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC of this book.

My Rating: 3.4
In this book, we follow the story of Nora, who is exhausted in life and sets out on a journey to find herself again.
It was never easy for Nora to continue working in her office though it's her dream job. Working in a publishing company didn't go as she'd thought it would. She might have enjoyed it if she had worked in fiction, but business books were not what she had in mind. If the Parsons Press was paying her well, it might have helped her, but they were already understaffed and cut off a portion of her salary. All this was making her worried, and she had to find a way put. She couldn't leave the company because she wanted the pay but wanted to find another job, so she took the offer that fell into her lap from Weber ( Parsons rival). She makes some mistakes and lies to her friends. We get to see how she breaks free from all her doubts and the fog that kept her from being herself and doing what she liked.
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There's nothing worse for a reader when they stop reading books or go through a reading slump. It is like some part of them is gone missing, and I could feel that from Nora's life. For a while, Nora was unable to make any progress in reading Kindred or other fiction, for that matter. It was a clear sign she needed to seek help and find a new start.
This book was a reminder to me of how a single step can change a person's life. For 80%of the novel, I felt Nora was stuck in one place. She was making the change she needed, but she realized it late. But once she did, everything fell into place.
Andrew was the only person who made her think more. He was the polar opposite of Nora's character. She didn't expect to have a connection with the author, but there wasn't anyone who could positively take her criticisms as he did.

Must Love Books by Shauna Robinson is a story of a book lover trying to find her way back to her happiness. It is a journey of healing that you shouldn't miss!

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Thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC!

I went into this book blind - the title got me in one! I absolutely love books about books! It was a fun and quick read, though a little slow in the middle. I appreciated Nora’s career conflict - and can certainly relate - but I felt her conflict dragged a little. I enjoyed the cute romance between her and Andrew and really liked that their relationship wasn’t everything to her in the end. Overall, a great debut novel from this author. Will pick up her next!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.