I LOVE books about books. Especially if said books are romance books. The book-within-the-book was definitely my favorite part (Chapter One, if you know you know). This was such a quick and fun read that had me screaming for more when I reached the end. I adore our protagonist, Lanie, and it was so easy to root for her as she navigated her relationships and career. The side characters (Lanie's friends, grandmother, colleagues, and even Edward and Elizabeth) were all so refreshingly unique; I loved them all. This is already one of my favorite contemporary romances of the year!

I wanted to love this, wanted this to be my favorite book of the month, and it just wasn’t. It was however a good read, it flowed smoothly, I liked the characters, the plot stayed pretty on point. And the ending?! The ending was by far the most adorable and perfect ending to a book like this. I just didn’t get the whole enemies to lovers vibe as it was sold as. It seemed more to me an almost friends to lovers trope, but labeled it as enemies to lovers because of something the love interest had kept hidden from our protagonist.

It was a good slow burn, I’m glad that Lauren Kate did not rush straight to the romance portion right away, there was a very good buildup for it. I do wish there had been a bit more romance but the build up to what we got was very good. I wish there had been an additional chapter or even an epilogue to give up just a bit more of the actual romance.

All in all a very good book that I would recommend to friends for say a good beach or lake read. Light hearted and very sweet.

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of By Any Other Name. I loved this book!

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pub Date: March 1, 2022

This book was so good! First off, Elaine is 100% living my dream life - romance book editor (check), working for a major publisher (check), hot author moments (check)...the list goes on and on! I really liked Elaine as a main character. I feel like she was fun and engaging while also not being afraid to stand up for herself. She went after what she wanted and she made things happen, and I loved that about her! I felt like her chemistry with Noah was really well-written. It wasn't instant love or even instant like, but eventually, their relationship from the years of emails came through in their IRL friendship. I thought her attraction to him was really organic as well and just written to *chef's kiss* perfection.

I also LOVED Noah in this book. You never know what personal struggles someone has, and he is a perfect example of this. Between his writer's block and his mother's illness, he has a lot bouncing around internally. Elaine helps to free that up all while becoming the friend he knew from years of emailing. I thought Noah was an interesting, multi-dimensional character that had a lot of spark.

My one complaint is his identity was supposed to be a big secret, yet it is openly discussed in public places several times during the book. If he is that famous of a writer, I feel like someone would have overheard them at some point, especially when Elaine and Noah are discussing it on the train to DC.

If you like sweet romances, then you will love this book. I read it in less than 24 hours because I just couldn't stop!

Really Cute! This was an adorable romance with some great characters and plot points. I was afraid of how I would feel about this book as I have never read one of Lauren Kate's adult books and I didn't know if it would compare to my love of her Fallen series. This book definitely matched that love for me. While this book is obviously nothing like this series it still had the same great romance with humor and some great sexy scenes as well.
If you are a fan of cute romances this is definitely for you. This book will definitely fill that need in your life.

This book was delightful!! 3.5 stars rounded up! I was so hooked i finished it in one sitting! The characters were wonderful and I loved seeing Lanie’s character development throughout the book. This book had hidden puzzle pieces throughout it that hinted to the eventual outcome and I just ate it up! This is one of those books that when it finishes you just can’t help but want more because the story line was just a fun adventure to follow, I would NOT be mad if the author came out with some extras from Noah’s POV. Overall, this was a thoughtful, sweet, story I’d recommend when you just need a solid comfort read!

Special Thanks to Netgalley, Lauren Kate, and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Super cute!!

I definitely preferred the second half of the book. The first half was a lot of setup for the second half. I feel a lot could have been left out to focus on the meat of the story.

Especially since I liked the character of Noa so much. And I liked Lanie’s love story after Ryan. I could have done more with those!

Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. By Any Other Name was an excellent, quick romcom read involving some of my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers and books about the publishing industry!
Reading her first book by romance author Noa Calloway changed Lanie Bloom’s life, leading her to veer from her pre-med track to obtain a job at Peony Press (Noa’s publishing house) and eventually to become one of Noa’s editors. While having worked for/with Noa for years, Lanie has never met Noa in person - Noa does not offer author signings, attend launch events, or even meet in person with the publishing team. That all changes when her boss decides not to return from maternity leave and Lanie gets to meet Noa face-to-face and is surprised in multiple ways. The story follows Lanie’s break-up with her fiancee Ryan and working with Noa to get through writer's block.
I read this quickly because I could not put it down - that’s how enchanted I was! This book is a different genre from others by the author, and I hope Lauren Kate continues to write more romantic comedies!

Comes out March 1st!

This book snatched me in immediately. I loved it so much. I laughed out loud countless times. I want to be friends with Lanie and her friends. Lanie is so funny. Noah is perfection.

This is my first book by this author and I will definitely be reading more. I can see myself rereading this book too. Highly recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author, and Penguin Group for the ARC.

Guys, I know I maybe speaking too soon but I think this one will be my favorite romance of 2022. I read this one in two sittings. I loved it from the first page. I loved Lanie and Noah Instantly. Honestly, I adored all the characters, well except Lanie’s boyfriend, Ryan. The side characters brought the humor, they had my laughing so hard. You can’t help but fall in love with this book. If you love love, you’ll love this book. There was romance, banter, humor…everything you need to make a romance novel amazing. I honestly can’t recommend this one enough. Is it crazy that I want to pick up a physical copy once it’s released? Not crazy at all, right? 🙈🙈🙈

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for proving me with an ARC in exchange of an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up!

This was a very cute, fun romcom. I loved Lanie and Noah. I love books about books and people who love books, and this one definitely checked that box for me. I loved the self discovery and friendship aspects of this book, and how those things fed into the relationship between Lanie and Noah. If you’re looking for a short, sweet, romcom then this will be right up your alley!

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group for this eARC!

From the beginning I was hooked! This was an extremely quick book to read and very fun with lots of twists. I very much enjoyed the writing style, if you pause close enough attention to the details, the author gave several hints throughout the book that tells the reader what will happen. It was very clever! With these hints laid out, I did find the book to be pretty predictable, with the big reveal, but sometimes a predictable story is just what you need, especially when it is as sweet as this one. Although this was categorized as an enemies to lovers book, I didn’t quite understand the enemies part, that could have used a bit more explaining. Overall, I really enjoyed this book by Lauren Kate, and give it five stars for how adorable it was and how happy it made me feel!

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Publishing Group and the author, Lauren Kate, for this ARC!

I loved this book so much!!! Lanie was such a fun main character and I loved Noah as well. The parts about the publishing house and editing process was good and I loved being inside Lanie’s mind when she was at work. The romance was a sloooow burn and if I’m being honest I wanted more! Regardless, I loved the tension and build up and the amazing connection they had from the start! Noah was so caring and sweet and Lanie was so open and loving towards others. I loved the fire they ignited in each other. I didn’t want this one to end! Loved it!

I loved it, it was definitely different from what I was expecting but I’m happy I got to read it, and I would recommend it especially for the sweetness. I was hoping it would be more romance, but still enjoyed it overall although it was slow at times.

Lanie has loved Noa Calloway’s romance novels since college. These books inspired her to abandon a career in medicine for a job in publishing. Now, with her boss deciding not to return to her job as Editorial Director, Lanie gets the opportunity of a lifetime – to work directly with Noa Calloway herself. The challenge? Noa is months late on her manuscript, with no ideas on the horizon. Oh, and not to mention, Noa’s true identity is not at all what Lanie expected. After a rough first meeting, Noa and Lanie have to get past their mutual disdain to come up with a book idea and manuscript within only a few months – with Lanie’s job hanging in the balance.

By Any Other Name had so much potential. I loved the premise, but I don’t think the author did a great job with the delivery. My biggest issue with the book was when Lanie met Noa in person for the first time. Lanie is well-aware how private Noa is – never going to events, not having an author photo, and the biggest one, never meeting Lanie in person despite over seven years of friendly email correspondence. So, you’d think she might have some idea that Noa’s real identity was hidden for a reason. But no. When she finally meets Noa for the first time and discovers that Noa is actually a man named Noah Ross, she completely loses it. Lanie is immature, unprofessional, and extremely prejudiced. I also found it ironic that Lanie thought herself as a good judge of character despite her “ninety-nine things” fiancé being a giant walking red flag – who she coincidentally dumps shortly after meeting Noah.

As for the romance between Lanie and Noah, it could have been better. The relationship is advertised as enemies-to-lovers, but after their first encounter, they get along with each other without a hitch. I really don’t think it fits into this trope at all. Also, Lanie and Noah did not spend near enough time together to develop these deep feelings for each other. I wanted them to go on more outings or have more conversations, literally any additional time together would have helped developed the relationship. Alternatively, I think the book could have also benefitted from part of the story being told from Noah’s perspective, as in the end it is implied that he has liked her pretty much since they started emailing each other many years before.

Now, for what I did like... BD, Lanie’s grandmother, was a breath of fresh air. She was wise, charming, and funny. I would have loved if she were my own grandmother! She was my absolute favorite part of the book, despite her only playing small role. I also really enjoyed reading Noah’s excerpts from his final book. They were extremely heartfelt and romantic. I loved the idea of a love story that spans a lifetime and I think the author did a great job of writing these elements.

Overall, this book was just okay for me. Lanie was not my favorite character and I think the author could have made some different creative choices to better tell this story. To my fellow readers, if this book piqued your interest originally, I suggest giving it a shot. If you love books about books, romances without a third-act breakup, and a New York City backdrop, By Any Other Name may be a good fit for you.

(Note: I was provided an advanced copy of By Any Other Name by the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)

By Any Other Name by Lauren Kate was outstanding! As a lover of romance books, to read a book about books with the romance built in was absolutely wonderful. I loved the characters and the quirks. This was a new take on a romance which I loved so much! I can't wait to read more from this author.

This book was phenomenal. I loved everything about it, every single word. The evocative writing allowed me to become immersed in Lanie’s world. I felt like I was there, walking down the streets of New York. I was there in the dark corner of the crowded bar listening to “Strange Magic”. This story provoked all of my senses; I laughed, I cried, and I couldn’t stop smiling. It felt so real. I became so enraptured, I couldn’t stop reading. I adored all the characters. Especially BD, the bawdy grandma that talks about sex way too much. And of course, everyone needs a Meg and Rufus, the coworkers and best friends who are always there to offer support with food, booze, and advice.

 I wouldn’t say this was a typical romance novel. It was deeper than that. It was a journey, a love story full of surprises. This type of love story is one girls dream about. It was about finding that one love that will span decades. There were no steamy scenes between the sheets, but it did not need them. The emotional, slow-burn romance is perfect for anyone who loves happily ever after endings.

 When Lanie was a young girl, her mother became terminally ill. Before she passed, she asked Lanie to promise to find someone she really loved. Fast forward to a college age Lanie, who is unsure about life. Her roommate introduces her to the wonderful world of romance novels. Specifically, Noa Callaway’s novel, Ninety-Nine Things. It was a beacon, a road map to fulfilling her promise to her mom. It taught her about love when her mother couldn’t. Lanie creates her own list of ninety-nine things. She uses it as a guide to find the love her mother spoke about.

 Grown up Lanie is a quirky book editor. She has everything going for her. Lanie is successful; she is happy. Engaged to the man that completely embodies her ninety-nine things list, her life is perfect. To top it off, Lanie becomes the editor for her favorite author, Noa Callaway. Soon, Lanie’s life is unraveling. Lanie questions everything she thought she knew about love. Why has no one ever seen or spoken to Noa Callaway? The answer causes Lanie’s perfectly created world to come crashing down around her. Can she help Noa overcome writer’s block and save both of their careers?  

I am not eloquent enough to adequately express how amazing this story was. On its release date, March 1, 2022, everyone must get a copy to read. This story was one I never wanted to end. I wish I could have stayed in the pages longer. It made it on to my favorite book list. It did not disappoint. This was a 5-star book for me.

Thank you Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons for the opportunity to read a copy of this delightful book.

Any Other Name by Lauren Kate was a wonderful read. I am smiling, now just thinking about this lovely book. Lanie's is deeply touched after reading a book by author Noa Calloway. She changes the direction of her life and she becomes an editor. Like everyone else she hopes to one day meet Noa Calloway. But as quoted in the movie Sabrina, “Illusions are dangerous people, they have no flaws.”

The author includes us on Lanie’s journey of self-discovery. Her quirky friends and funny grandmother had me laughing out loud, and wishing I could attend their outings. As a lover of reading and all things books, it was fun to be a part of the book industry for a few hours vicariously through reading.

By Any Other Name is an absolute delight! Author Lauren Kate has written a funny, thoughtful,and endearing story. I highly recommend it.

I was given a complimentary copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.

There are times in your life when you read a book at the perfect time you didn’t know you needed, and this book was that for me. Work has been crazy, I’m not sleeping well and figured a romance is just what I need. And it really was.

I just loved everything about this book. Others may say the first half drags and it doesn’t get into the romance quickly enough, but I enjoyed reading about Lanie, her friends, fiancé, her job - her life. I think a real strength of this novel is the characters are really fleshed out, and a lot of that starts in the first half of the novel. I mentioned I enjoyed reading Lanie, but I loved all the characters. Meg, Rufus, Noa, and especially Lanie’s grandma, BD. She had me laughing out loud in most scenes she was in!

As I was reading this, I could feel how much the author loves her characters and this story, it just oozes from it. It’s so heartfelt that it had me tearing up at times. You could see things happening throughout the story, but I wasn’t sure how the end was going to land, but boy of boy did it deliver. I’m glad it doesn’t have any big fight/miscommunication troupe in the 3rd act, and surprisingly I’m happy this doesn’t have an epilogue we see in a lot of contemporary romances. It didn’t need one, and I’m glad it isn’t there.

This romance is a slow burn, semi of enemies to lovers-ish, and is not spicy, at all. If you want spice, look elsewhere. But if you want sweetness and heart, read this book.

Originally I had thought this was a 4 star read, but the more I think about it the more I think I have to bump it up to a 5. It may not be my top 3 romance reads of all time, but I know I’ll be coming back and reading this when I need a sweet and comforting story. Not to mention I stayed up way past my bedtime to read this in one sitting. If I’m willing to reread a book when there’s so many unread ones out there it has to be a 5 star.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons. for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at 23%. I definitely went in with the wrong expectations based on how this was marketed. At the point I got to, most of the story hadn’t even been set up yet, which I’d think would be the case if it actually were a romance. I also heard from others how sidelined the actual romance was. Not interested enough to continue.

Wow did I love this! I adored all the characters, and the development was great throughout. It really kept me wanting more. The push and pull between Noa and Lanie was addictive and so fun to read. Enjoyed the progression of the relationship. I would definitely recommend!