"In life and in fiction, most people come to be defined by their obstacles."

3.5 ✨

"By Any Other Name" by Lauren Kate is a contemporary romance that centers around Lanie, an editor for a publishing company that gets to work with the mysterious Noa Callaway who is a famous author that has never appeared in public and also Lanie's idol.

I was familiar with Lauren Kate's YA work but hadn't read something by her in quite a while so I was looking forward to this book. I can't say that I was disappointed because I really enjoyed this as it was super cute and simple (also love female bikers ugh!!). It just felt a bit like everything was on the surface, so no deeper exploration, and the storyline was quite predictable.

"If this book is the last book I write that she gets to read," he says, "I want it to speak to the scope of love, not just to its beginning."

The romance itself is subtle and sweet (not one single smut scene), but I didn't feel like I fully connected with the characters or had a good understanding of their personalities. I enjoyed the scenes where they share a space like the first time they meet at his apartment or when they share two train rides from NYC to DC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

thank you netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review


By any other name by lauren kate is a book that really does know how to suck you in to a book without really noticing you're falling into the story

star rating- 5 stars, but i wish i could give it more

characters- i personally found the characters quite lovable, except Ryan but you'll find that out when you read it. There's not much i can say about the characters without really spoiling the book besides i loved them with all my heart

setting- set in new york all the sight seeing places you could imagine, i found the setting of the book lovely, it kept wanting to read, and enjoy it.

plot/spacing- i found the spacing and pacing, super fast, which made me happy, cause i was in a reading slump, but i wish it was a bit more slow burn as i anticipated

what i liked- i loved the romance and the small teasing comments i loved it so much. also the little hints of experience when it comes down the the last chapter in the last chapter of the book inside the book, made me so happy to think about

what i disliked- there wasn't much i didn't dislike besides the fact there wasn't much slow burn as i hoped

overall lauren kate delivers a fantastic romance novel that i could read at any given time and still love it

release date- March 1st

By Any Other Name by Lauren Kate is a love letter to romcoms and those of us who love them!

They say never meet your heroes and, unfortunately, Lanie learns that lesson the hard way when she's promoted to editor and comes face-to-face with the person responsible for her favorite books and her philosophies on love. Now she's in charge of wringing their next book out of them, but with the truth rocking her own life, will she be able to look past the name and see the author for who they really are?

This book has all the great rom-com moments you want. It's a You've Got Mail-esque story with realistic emotional mishaps and great main characters. You're rooting for Lanie and Noah the moment they meet and the ending is so sweet and well written that it brought tears to my eyes. This quick, binge-worthy read is perfect for anyone wanting to disappear into a love story!

What a feel-good romance! I have come to expect some spiciness on my rom-com and romance novels lately, but By Any Other Name by Lauren Kate stands up on its own without any detailed scenes.

I easily devoured this novel, it was so cozy! I liked the friendship between Noah and Lanie. I also liked how our author didn’t drag out her current engagement until the end of the novel and let the relationship between these two develop organically. The way things happened felt very fresh and I loved it!

Also, BD (Lanie’s grandmother) has a place in my heart with her sauciness! I loved her. Definitely recommend if you’re looking for a nice, fast paced novel with a little bit of love!

By Any Other Name by Lauren Kate
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Lanie is a book editor and engaged to the man of her dreams. She just happens to work for the same company who publishes her favorite author, the elusive Noa Calloway. Noa has written all of Lanie’s favorite love stories. So when she is offered the chance to work with Noa on her latest book she jumps at it!
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I loved this book. It was cute, it was sweet, and it was heartfelt.
I loved that the author had writers block. I love the drive and determination that Lanie had.
I loved Lanie’s lists and ideas for breaking writers block.
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4.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this story.

I enjoyed this book very much, I love reading books about publishing, bookstores etc. The romance was a slow burn but worth waiting for, and I’m a fan of the enemies to lovers trope.

Lanie is a book editor who’s inspired by a romance writer named Noa Callaway. Lanie loves her books so much that she’s taken ideas from the books and applied them to her own life. She and Noa have known each other for years, but only through emails. Lanie has an idea in her mind what Noa Callaway is like, and is looking forward to meeting her and helping with her writer’s block. Can Noa live up to Lanie’s expectations?

Lanie goes on quite a journey in this book. I felt she was naive in the beginning, and she had to learn that no list could tell her what’s right for her.

The premise of the book is great and the characters were funny and real, especially Lanie’s friends and her grandmother. I loved
the descriptions of all the places they went in NYC, they made me want to go back to visit. 4 stars.

Synopsis: From # 1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Kate comes an enemies-to-lovers romance about an editor, her bestselling author, and one life-changing secret.
What she doesn’t know about love could fill a book.
With a successful career as a romance editor, and an engagement to a man who checks off all ninety-nine boxes on her carefully curated list, Lanie’s more than good. She’s killing it. Then she’s given the opportunity of a lifetime: to work with world-renowned author and her biggest inspiration in love and life—the Noa Callaway. All Lanie has to do is cure Noa’s writer’s block and she’ll get the promotion she’s always dreamed of. Simple, right?

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Lanie has been working as an editorial assistant for eight years, and one of her boss’s biggest authors is a best-selling romance author that inspired Lanie to change career paths in college. Noa Callaway has been one of the publishing world’s biggest mysteries–never appearing at book signings, granting interviews, or showing her face anywhere. Lanie’s only ever corresponded with Noa through email over the past eight years. When her boss decides not to return to work after maternity leave, Lanie has to take over as Noa’s main editor–and after signing an airtight NDA, wants to meet her. Noa’s months overdue for her last manuscript, and Lanie is determined to help her work through her writer’s block.

But Noa is nothing like the woman Lanie’s pictured all these years. After Lanie’s initial shock, she agrees to help the author get their writing mojo back. It’s a little difficult to review without spoilers, but even if you know about them going in, you’ll still enjoy this book!

Watching the pair get to know each other outside of email exchanges, and the stories within the story that we get–it was so gratifying, just positively delightful! I feel like I spent the majority of it reading with a syrupy grin pasted on my face. A book about books–a reader’s dream, right? The secondary characters added so much to the short and sweet story. Lanie’s bubbe, aka BD, was a trip. I feel like 4 out of 5 books I’ve read recently seem to involve parental death, but the consolation prize here was definitely getting to know Lanie’s BD. There’s a small dose of Jewish rep, since Lanie’s family is Jewish, but it’s not central to our overall storyline.

It made me feel so happy reading it, and it was exactly what I needed to pick up this week. Thanks so much to Putnam Books and NetGalley for an ARC.

So, let me set this scene for you. You have the day off, and you’re looking for a book to read. Your bestie @bookish.Bethany raved about By Any Other Name, so you say why not? She’s the blue in your circle, but she never over-gushes about a book.

Fast forward a few hours, and you realize that it’s now 11:30am, you haven’t eaten anything or even moved since starting this book, and you are flabbergasted by Chapter One. Needless to say, I enjoyed this book. This book as a whole is a straightforward romance. We all saw the story unfolding, but the ride made it completely worth it. The couple’s chemistry felt genuine. The side characters were a hoot with emphasis on her Grandmother that made me miss my Granny. The plot device also felt normal which normally isn’t the case with romance. Most importantly, the chemistry felt more authentic as its foundation isn’t sexual.

Do yourself a favor. Grab a Kate Moss and enjoy this amazing ride to love.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’ve read a few books where the main character writes for a living, but when I saw that By Any Other Name is set in a romance publishing house, I knew I had to read it.
Lanie has everything in her life figured out—or so she thinks. She has a job she loves as a romance editor, and she’s engaged to a man who checks off every single one of the items on her carefully formulated list. Then, when her boss retires, she’s given the opportunity to be the full-time editor for Noa Calloway, her favorite author, and inspiration for her list for a potential partner.
But there are two problems: 1) Noa Calloway has terrible writers' block and is several months late on their deadline already, and 2) Noa is is actually named Noah and is not at all who she thought. Upon finding out Noa’s secret, Lanie has to reconcile the new information with everything she thought she knew about love.
By Any Other Name was sweet, swoon-worthy, and a breeze to read. I loved the setting, but the publishing house and New York. Between Lanie’s love for the older couple that picnics in the park and the inspiration-seeking adventures Lanie and Noah go on, the book is like a love letter to New York City, which I always love reading.
Speaking of the inspiration-seeking adventures, those were probably my favorite part of the book (those and the break-in scene). They were so creative and served for so many good moments of character bonding.
I also loved the witty banter, not only between Lanie and Noah but of the side characters. The side characters were fun and supportive—especially Lanie’s grandmother BD, who was probably one of my favorite characters.
If you dream of being a romance author or of working in publishing, then By Any Other Name is the rom-com for you.

Thank you, NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I flew through By Any Other Name, which isn't much of a surprise since I love books about books. While I was worried at first (Lanie is in a serious relationship at the beginning and there isn't a whole lot of Noah in the first half), things really picked up in the second half. But both Lanie and Noah emphasize at different points that they have been friends (via email) for seven years...but we never really see any of that. I think the book could have benefited from some more of their previous correspondence! Still, I really enjoyed this one, and it's helped to bring me out of a really bad reading slump.

Thank-you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons for the chance to review this ARC.

4/5 Stars

This was my first Lauren Kate book and it won't be my last.
Reading this book was so comforting it will be going on my comfort read pile that's for sure!
I found that I could really gel with the writing style of this book.
I really like the interactions between Lanie and Noah and wish we would have more of that.
Overall it was a great read.

Happy pub week to this gem. Total transparency, like any good reader I am giddy and drawn to books about books.*

*yes I know, there was there is always an outlier. Will do a reread of said unnamed book when I am older and wiser.

Enter ambitious Lanie, who’s pre-Med track is completely dismantled in two parts. First by the passing of her mom and second after reading her first Noa Calloway book.

After much determination our heroine is no longer studying biology. She is now working her way up to editor for the life changing publishers group.

She and Noa become friends with unknown pretense. That famous romance super woman, is actually super intriguing Noah. Queue paradigm shift.

I knew when I was highlighting on page two that this was going to be a treat. The sad things were that I wanted more. A little more tension, slightly more obvious interest, plus some of that spice they talk mention. Oh and more book. I found myself craving the next move of this story.

I flipped to the acknowledgment page and had a moments or two where I really felt the sentiment “I am in a funk not even Taylor Swift can penetrate.”

Give me more.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC traded for an honest review.

#bookreview By Any Other Name by Lauren Kate

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC! This book was published earlier this month ☺️

☺️ the good ☺️
- I enjoy book people in books, especially romances. I love their love of love and romance books. Lanie doesn’t disappoint. She’s an editor and she adores romance books and everything they stand for.
- Noa Callaway. I loved the premise of the pseudonym and the fans of her books. I loved that she was the reason Lanie got into editing.
- Meg and Rufus. Entertaining and supportive friends, always a must.


🤨 the bad 😒
- At the beginning of this book, I wasn’t sure I was going to like the predictable aspects of it. I ended up enjoying it quite a bit even for it’s predictability.
- Lanie wasn’t likable to me at first; it took a bit for me to warm up to her.


😍 the beautiful 😍
- Noah Ross. I love his whole story. How he fell in love with love stories. How he started writing. Everything.
- The book that finally gets written 😍 I want to read it 😅
- BD. Lanie’s grandmother. She’s badass and fearless and funny and just the best. I love her relationship with Lanie and I love her personality.


rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
my face while reading: 🙂😒🙂🥺😅👀🤩🤭🙂😂☺️☺️👀☺️🥰😍😍

#bookstagram

If I ever expected to fall in love with my pseudonym author, this book perfectly depicts how I would like the story to go. From the Man of the Year speech, I suspected that Noah was really Noa. Once he and Lanie started to find there groove in navigating their like for each other. Towards the end when they got together in Italy that really set it off for me. The way Lanie helped Noa figure out the best way to write his story and how to tell his fans his truth was pure perfection. Very pleased with the outcome of this story and the book overall.

I loved everything about this book! Most likely this should be billed as women's fiction over romance.
Chalk the beginning love story to the innocence of youth. Lanie has is all!! A wonderful job that she loves, a grandmother she adores, fabulous friends and a fiancé that simply ticks all the boxes of what she thinks she wants and needs in a life partner, dismissing all the signs that he is not.

In short, she is simply a girl that needs to have all her ducks in a row.

Lauren Kate pens a wonderfully imaginative story, her descriptive text will have you right there, at the bridge, on the coast or on the train, I could see it all.

Everything that Lanie thought she knew and loved is about to change...
This would make an awesome movie! My only negative??? It ended way too soon; I really didn't want it to end

Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this as an ARC for my honest review!

3.5 stars rounded up because there were a lot of things I liked - NYC vibes, all of the characters were written well and had good flaws. It’s a cute storyline - an editor helping an author find inspiration and the ending was creative.

Overall to make this a solid 4+ there needed a little more sizzle, friction, and witty banter.

I wanted to love By Amy Other Name, but I just couldn't. While it was a fun read, it felt like so many other books I have read before.

Lauren Kate shines once more in "By Any Other Name", a romantic comedy that will have you flipping the pages and wanting more.

Lanie is the girl with a list of 99 things she wants in her dream guy, based on a book by her favorite author: Noa Calloway. When Lanie gets the opportunity to be the editor for Noa's upcoming release, she feels the thrill of the lifetime. The issue? Noa has NOTHING turned in to show publishers and is on a tight deadline. The other issue? Noa is NOT what Lanie pictured, at all.

Yet, Lanie HAS to publish this book to keep her job and show her boss that she has what it takes. Filled with adventures in New York City and miso soup, Lanie sets off on an adventures to get Noa to publish the book on time. And in turn, she learns that you should never judge a book by it's cover.... The right one may be waiting right under your reservations.

Readers will enjoy Kate's novel for her buzz line worthy characters, knowledge of New York City and binge worthy scenes. By Any Other Name is the perfect book for book readers who love reading about editors, chances at love and that Hollywood scene ending. While I found myself fast flipping the pages, I screamed at the ending because I wanted MORE.

The struggle of telling you all how much I loved this book, without giving any spoilers, is real. But I will try.😅

Lanie is a romance editor who just landed the job of her dreams, editing the newest novel of her favorite author. While Lanie and Noa have never met, they have developed a very good friendship over the last 7 years. All over games of chess and emails.

When they finally meet, Lanie is completely blindsided, hurt and betrayed. But the promotion she's been waiting for is on the line. Cue the adventure.

This story had me from the first page and by the last, it became my new favorite feel good story. It belongs on a shelf to be read time and time again. It was just that good.

Thank you @laurenkatebooks , @netgalley and @putnambooks for my gifted copy.

“By Any Other Name” was so good! I was telling my friends about this book part way through reading because I was enjoying this book so much.

Lanie is perfect as a character trying to navigate work and her personal life.

Lanie’s relationship with Noah was top tier slow burn and I loved every single moment of writing inspiration and sharing of pets. (I loved that the pets were a tortoise and a rabbit. These pets were adopted pets whose owners were unable to care for them any longer and I love that we got to see this in a book.)

This was one of my favorite books so far this year and I cannot recommend it enough.

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥/5

Thank you NetGalley for giving me this copy in exchange for an honest review.