I thought Lanie and Noah were very cute. There is some beautiful writing in this book but it’s also lighthearted and funny. If you’re looking for spice, this book isn’t it, but don’t let that dissuade you! I loved how Lanie and Noah (once they actually let each other in) were really on the same page and you could tell they knew each other so well from the years they spent emailing as author and editor. Despite that, I felt this book could benefit from a little more detail and a few more scenes to show the aftermath of Noah revealing his identity to the public. I would have loved a sneak peak into their life after.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for sharing this digital ARC in exchange my honest review.

3.5 stars
This was a really cute, bookish read! We follow Lanie, who has her dream job as a romance editor and ends up working with the publisher's biggest name. I really enjoyed following Lanie in her career, it was so much fun to see some behind-the-scenes publishing events you don't really think about. I also loved that this took place in NYC--this book was really a love story to the city and we got to really be immersed in the different parts of the city Lanie loves. We had some really endearing side characters and the love interest was sweet as well. The romance is very slow-burn and I enjoyed the different locations they visited throughout the novel. There was an element of the plot that's along the lines of visiting all these different places for inspiration, but we didn't really get to see it through to the end, only about 2 or 3 visits, and that kind of disappointed me. Overall though, this was a really cute story and I'd recommend it to any book lover. It's insightful and sweet.

i received an arc from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

woohoo! my first 1 star of the year! and an arc no less.

what in the world was this book?
"We sometimes get a few gay men at Noa's events, but I'm definitely sensing straight here."
(1) is romance (as a genre) only for women? nope
(2) is assuming someone's sexuality based on how they look inherently problematic? YUP

to make this worse, i think the book is actively trying to *promote* diversity. the main character wonders if her bookshelf is "diverse enough," and there are references to supporting authors of color. so - WHY does this book struggle so much to actually DO THE WORK and not perpetuate stereotypes of the lgbtq+ community??? it very much gives performative activism vibes.

"I let out the breath I didn't realize I'd been holding."
ARE WE BACK IN THE EARLY 2010s?

i know that this author wrote the fallen books (which i haven't read - but i watched the movie), so i wasn't expecting greatness. but WOW. this was rough.

quotes aside, the plot was terrible:
1) this isn't enemies to lovers at all! the two main characters do not feel like convincing enemies.
2) the side characters were pretty useless and bland

anyways, this was a huge flop for me. hoping for good vibes here on out though...

By Any Other Name by Lauren Kate
5/5☆

This books is amazingly written and a spectular story. Yet, there was one issue I did not enjoy the book until the third or fourth chapter, since it was slow to start. However, if you push through you will NOT regret it. This book is totally worth continuing to read it though. It will capture and leaving you wanting more when the book ends!

Lanie is an editor who meets Noah, and the perfect life, job, etc that Lanie believed she had comes into question along with a lot more. If you take a chance on this book you won't regret it! The ending is amazing, but I wont spoil it for you!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Very fun and quick read!
I was initially drawn in by the adorable cover. The synopsis sounded interesting and I’m so glad it did not disappoint!!
The story follows our main protagonist Lanie a successful romance editor and her favourite author/ biggest inspiration, the mysterious Noa Calloway.

I cannot say much without a potential spoiler but this was really adorable and interesting read. I loved how the story begins, it quickly hooked me in and made me want to just keep turning the pages! If it wasn’t for the adult responsibilities, I would’ve finished it in one sitting!

Both our MCs had very different personalities which resulted in funny banters (that I really enjoyed ).The side characters were also very cool and supportive. There were emotional scenes as well as funny ones so it completely balanced!

One thing that I appreciated was that there wasn’t anybody actually ‘evil’ in the book so that was a relief!

We got to know a little more about book publishing and the process behind which was a great plus. It was really interesting to read about!

I supremely enjoyed this heartwarming book and it would’ve been a 5 star read if not for these two things that I didn’t like:-
I loved, loved, LOVED the way the book started but from the 2nd (or 3rd chapter), it gives me enemies to lovers vibes, which I started expecting but in fact, there isn’t any such trope. What we got was pretty great too but I didn’t like how that felt slightly misleading and Lanie’s reaction in that particular scene was slightly out of proportion.
The other thing is, the way the story ended. It left me wanting MORE and there were quite a few story plots that didn’t tie by the end and left me with questions. I guess I can live with it? But I’d have a preferred a slightly more satisfying ending.

Huge thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group for my e-arc!

To say I loved this book would be an understatement. The only bad part about the book is the fact that it ended. I would gladly read another 300 pages on Noah and Lanie. Everything about this book was incredible from the characters to the concept. I do wish that there was an epilogue to give us a look into their future.

By Any Other Name by Lauren Kate

I have to admit, that at first I did not enjoy the book until the third chapter, but this books stole my heart completely after. It was magical and heartfelt at the same time.
Lanie, an Editor gets an unexpected promotion making her the youngest Editorial Director at Peony Press. She thinks she finally has the perfect job, she obviously has the perfect fiancée Ryan, And works with her favorite author, Noa Callaway. 🍾

Everything starts falling apart when she meets Noa and things are not like she expected. Noa is having the worse writers block and not delivering her book on time. All this causes Lanie to starts having doubts about her relationship, as well as what she has always believe about love has been a lie and feels betrayed. But once she gets to know Noa her mind changes and she starts to realize why things were done this way. 😱😱

Without giving more away, I loved how the book ended, specially that it took place at her favorite place in Italy and that it was special for both of them. I can’t get over Noah’s character and everything about it. 🥰🥰

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Generously giving this one a 3 because I did read and finish it. This book though was all over the place. I didn’t really jive with the premise that all along she thinks that Noah is a woman- why because it’s romance books? But even before that I never realized that had such a long email relationship. It seems pretty far fetched she wouldn’t have realized this somehow before. A lot was just underdeveloped and I wasn’t drawn in to the story hardly at all. And I definitely wouldn’t call this enemies to lovers. When were they ever enemies?

This is my first book by Lauren Kate and I loved it! So close to being a 5 ⭐️ but it’s a 4.5.
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Lanie loves romance books since her first one in college by Noa Calloway. It caused Lanie to shift her dreams to being an editor and working on Noa’s books. Lanie even made a list for loving someone - like in the book - and she’s found that in Ryan.
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Lanie is up for a promotion but she needs Noa’s next book which is 3 months behind deadline. No one has met Noa and the Hail Mary/ throw all the eggs in one basket is fun for tension.
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Fantastic characters, self growth and okay - now I want a tortoise dog 😂
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I love the author trope and mistaken identity and I couldn’t put this book down. Definitely read it late into the night. At 80% it felt like nothing would be resolved and I was silently fearing it would end in a cliffhanger with a sequel.
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But the end definitely makes up for everything! Swoony and the feel good. I just want more!
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I received an e-arc from Net Galley and the publisher and these are my own thoughts and opinions. This book releases March 1! Can’t wait!
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Content: language, drinking, clean romance but some innuendo

By Any Other Name is a romantic mistaken identity romance set in NYC. Lanie, a true romantic and book editor, has found the person that meets all 99 of her perfect partner wish list items. However, what happens when she realizes that perfection may not lead to passion and happiness? Noah has been living a double life and needs to let one more person in on the secret. What happens when she challenges all of his rules and asks him to embrace taking a leap of faith?

By Any Other Name is was the first time that I read Lauren Kate. She created a world in which I desperately wished I could read Noa Calloway's stories. The book was romantic without being over-the-top. Character development was prevalent throughout the novel and I appreciated that the characters grew into better versions of themselves without having to completely change their personalities.

I am giving this book 4/5 stars. I loved the book and felt as though it was easy to get lost in the story. The author took the time to grow the storyline and I enjoyed the pacing, until the end of the book which felt as though it was wrapped up too quickly. I wish that the book had one or two more chapters to really make the story feel complete.

By Any Other Name is a worthwhile read, especially for those readers who are fans of Emily Henry's People We Meet On Vacation or Beach Read.

I wasn't overly impressed with the beginning of this book. Lanie is a romance book editor preparing for an author event for the company's biggest author. There is the edgy helper, the random list of other authors who check all the PC tickboxes, and the million things that go wrong before the event that Lanie has to fix. Ho hum.

Then Lanie finds out the reason no one has ever met with the big author and the book takes off. Her response is hilarious and the rest of the tale zings along. Of course there is romance - this is a romance novel about a romance novel editor - and it is very sweet and definitely worth the time to read.

Most family friendly with some suggestive language (mostly from Grandma).

Lanie is a romance book editor in New York who lost her mother when she was 10. Her mother's last words to her were about finding the love of her life. Following in her family's footsteps, she went to college to become a doctor, but then read a book by Noa Calloway that changed her life. She made a list of 99 things that she wanted in a man and is engaged to a man who checked every box on her list. They even have a really great meet-cute! But every time they talk about setting a date for the wedding or making plans (most of which involve her moving to DC), Lanie freezes and worries she's disappointing her mother. When her boss decides not to return from maternity leave, Lanie gets the opportunity to work directly with Noa Calloway! They've exchanged emails for the last seven years, but Noa doesn't meet anyone in person and is several months late for a book deadline. Lanie needs to make this book happen in time so that she can keep her provisional promotion. When she learns Noa's secret, she starts questioning everything she's known.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book, especially BD (Lanie's grandmother). I'm glad the author didn't try to keep Noa's secret hidden for very long - it was only a chapter or two between when I figured it out and when it was written (which is fairly early in the book). I wouldn't classify this as an enemies to lovers romance, but I think it's way more important if the story was good than if the description was perfect. And the story was really good. My only complaint is that I would've liked to have seen more of the places on Lanie's list for them to visit together crossed off. I loved that we got to read some of Noa's writing - I would have gotten Edward and Elizabeth's book so I could enjoy more.

Thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam/ G. P. Putnam’s Sons for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

What I loved:
-enemies to lovers
- pen pals
- betrayal
- second chance (ish)
- slow burn

Listen, I love a good rom com and the idea/premise of this book was perfect but... there were a lot of things that I just didn't love.

For example, I just didn't love Lanie's character in this book...she reacted like a child who didn't get her way. She was extremely dramatic and very unprofessional and rude. I do understand where she is coming from but...you don't act like that in front of a very important client.

I loved Noah, and the whole secret pen pal thing WAS SO CUTE!!!!! But Lanie needed some improvement.

Rate: 3.8/5
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC of this book :)

This book was said to be an enemies-to-lovers story and I did not get that impression at all. This felt more like a rom-com kind of story where there is a happy ending but we should have gotten more.
Lanie is given a provisional promotion and with this promotion, she gets the opportunity to work with her favorite romance author, Noa Callaway. However this issue is that Noa's next manuscript is four months late. Up to this point, no one has ever seen Noa in person, with the exception of a handful of people. Her picture is not able to be found anywhere and she never attends her own book launches, which to me that was odd.
Lanie and Noa are actually friends who have been emailing back and forth and playing chess online for the last seven years even though they have never met in person. So when Lanie gets the chance to meet her favorite author, she of course takes it. When Lanie meets Noa and the author is not who or what she expected; everything she thought she knew is ruined. She has to get over her personal issues to assist Noa with their writer's block to save both of their careers.
While I wanted to be obsessed with this book and love everything about it, I didn't. It felt like at about 70% of the story, we were still having things set up. I think this story would have been better if it was a dual POV, I wanted more of Noa, to know what or how Noa was thinking and feeling. The story is told solely from Lanie's POV and while I enjoyed her character development, it was not enough for me. Yes this was a cutesy romance book, but it did leave me feeling a little disappointed in the sense that I was expecting more. I would recommend this book as long as you do not go into it expecting an enemies-to-lovers story.
Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was definitely not as spicy as the books that I typically gravitate towards but I did enjoy the buildup of these characters' romance. I just wanted more!

Did I love this story? Yes. Did I want it to really explore the sexual tension between the two characters? Also yes. But the build was nice, just wanted more.

A lifelong reader and hopeless romantic, Lanie has the perfect job; she's an editor. But what makes it even more perfect is that she has just become an editor for her favorite author - provisionally. Editor for the woman whose books helped her fall in love with her fiance, never mind her inability to commit to a wedding date. None of that matters, though; what does matter is that her newest client has writer's block, and for Lanie to become un-provisional, she must deliver a manuscript on time. Easy right? Too bad things are about to get interesting for everyone, especially Lanie. In this rollicking good "I love you. I hate you." novel, author Lauren Kate leads readers down a path that is at times beautiful, sweet, and laugh-out-loud funny. A great read full of believable characters and a storyline that is anything but predictable.

Those 3 star bitches are wrong. This book is amazing. I was hooked from the beginning and loved it so much. Lanie is so relatable I love her, Noah is the most romantic man on the planet. It was a cute story and I was in tears 3 times from the pure romance. Read this book.

Lanie loves love and she especially love love stories written by her favorite author, Noa Calloway. After working in publishing for seven years and having developed a close virtual friendship with the author, she finally gets her promotion to become an editor. The catch? She only has the job on a provisional basis until she gets Noa's newish manuscript which is already four months late. Her journey to help the author get inspired backfires when the romance writer is not at all what she expected.

In spite of myself, I liked this book. There are many things I could harp on, the two friends were just annoying caricatures, the pacing is slow, and we barely get to see Lanie and Noah fall in love. But, despite all of that, I found myself charmed by Lanie and her quirky life as she falls for her off limits client.

This book isn't super romantic, no, but we get to see Lanie on her journey to heal from her past wounds and to live life. The hang gliding scene was my favorite because we got to see her life change before her eyes and see how her perfect life may not be the perfect choice for her anymore.

2022 is giving us some great romance reads, and By Any Other Name was a favorite of mine! Even if the characters were barely enemies to lovers, I didn't care, because I enjoyed Lanie and Noah's friendship and work relationship so much. This was such a sweet story and I think it would make the perfect Hallmark movie.

Lanie and Noah have technically known each other for years since they were communicating through email for work and formed a friendship, which in a way gave Noah the upper hand when it came to some things. I loved the real friendship that formed between them as they explored their favorite places throughout New York City to try to help Noah overcome his writer's block. As Lanie stopped resenting Noah for deceiving her with his true identity and started to develop feelings for him, it felt genuine. I loved Noah's story and the little things he would do for Lanie to show her that their conversations over the years meant a lot to him and that he cares for her. The ending was perfect, I just selfishly wish there were a few more pages to it.