I was so excited to try By Any Other Name! This was one of the few times I started an ARC as soon as I received it. Unfortunately I only got 35% of the way into the story before realizing I do not like the characters enough to continue. I am also concerned that it is labeled as a romance but the FMC is engaged to someone else for the majority of the book. DNF

- 2.5 stars

the premise of "by any other name" was what drew me in, but unfortunately, it didn't quite raise to my expectations of what this book could be. i can't say that i didn't enjoy it, because i had fun reading it and it's so easy to get through - i finished it in a day.

i didn't quite understand the relationship between the two main characters, because it wasn't developed at all. there isn't much chemistry between them either, so the fact that they fell in love based on a few days spent together is a bit far fetched for me. noah and lainie just didn't make much sense together. i kinda think we're supposed to ship them together after seeing how she was treated by her fiancé, but i had nothing to root for.

now, the main conflict of this book wasn't great. i really didn't like how she reacted to the realisation of noa calloway's identity. she acted so unprofessional and rude towards an author that didn't owe her anything. it was so weird to see her almost put her job in jeopardy because she couldn't grasp that said author had a secret - and she got mad at them for keeping the secret. as if authors can't have lives besides writing.

noah didn't have much of a personality, in my humble opinion. he was there as a love interest and that's it - nothing exciting about him. nothing to root for, no reason to ship him with the MC. some interactions he had with lainie kinda made me cringe a little bit. like he instantly likes her after she was so rude to his face. very little logic to support his actions.

i loved lainie's aunt. the book got 100% better whenever she came around. the other side characters were pretty standard - the gay best friend and the mom. the mom friend complained so much about her marriage that it became annoying at some point, but alas. tbh, the side characters were stereotypes personified. not much to say about them, but they certainly had more character than noah.

thank you to netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Loved the premise and really enjoyed the read. Noah/Noa and Lanie were so cute together. But I thought there would be more tension or more obstacles for getting together. The plot was almost too smooth.

I simply adore when I find a new-author-to-me that rocks my reading world. I’m sad to say I’d never heard of Lauren Kae until I requested BY ANY OTHER NAME because the premise sounded so good.
Lanie ( Elaine) is a romance book editor at Peony Press. For 7 years she’s been editing her all-time favorite author, Noa Calloway’s. But they’ve never met. Noa is uber introverted, secretive, and doesn’t crave the limelight.
But then Lanie is promoted to editorial director and forged with getting Noa’s new book – 4 months overdue – to press and she is forced to meet her idol.

What’s that old saying about meeting your idol? They may not be the person you imagined?

So begins a great romance story that I finished in one sitting because I simply had to know what happened.

Lanie is my kind of girl – a true romantic at heart and down to her soul. Lauren Kate writes her like she’s her best friend, like she knows Lanie and has forever. Her backstory is tragic, yet lovely, and her present-day situation is a common one to all single women in the world.

I’m struck by the Wizard of Oz quote ( which I’m paraphrasing)– When you go looking for your heart’s content, don’t go further than your own backyard, Lanie finds love in her own backyard, and before she even knows it’s love!

Amazing.
Thank you to Negalley and Penguin for allowing me a sneak peek at a truly lovely book. I am now a Lauren Kaye fan!
5 well-deserved stars!

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was intrigued by the premise of this novel; a hungry, young editor looking for an opportunity to do what she loves and meet the author of her dreams. When she does meet the author she gets the surprise of her life and the adventure and friendship that follows is epically romantic and sweet. Noa finally writes the novel of all novels and its based on real love. only I felt their love story felt rushed and flat. Just wished for a more climactic ending.

What a cute surprise. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book but I couldn’t put it down.

Lanie is a romance editor who absolutely loves elusive romance author Noa who writes under a pseudonym and does no press or publicity. Lanie believes in the happily ever afters written about in Noa’s books and has molded her own search for her true love based on the books. She has a fiancé that is great on paper but it’s clear from the beginning that they want different things for the future. When a promotion at work puts her face to face with her idol, her world is spun and she begins to question things. In order to help cure Noa’s writers block the two set off on mini explorations to get the ideas sparking. This book is a love letter to New York and also explores the beauty and magic of Positano - two of my absolute favorite places to visit. The book was a cute rom com and I enjoyed every minute. My only complaint was the ending was rather abrupt and I would have liked to have seen a tad more on the after part of the love story. All in all a super cute, fun read that I highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The cutest cover for the cutest book; what a pleasure By Any Other Name by Lauren Kate was. The friendship was cute; while I did not enjoy that she was engaged, it was a cute story nonetheless.

O.M.G THIS BOOK! I requested it and I'm very happy that I got approved for this book. Thank you NetGalley and Putnam! This book has a very good cover (seems like a very cute romance!) and Lanie is lovable for me! And also the chemistry between Lanie and Noa is really intriguing and I love it! The characters felt alive for me, and the writing is, simply put, AMAZING! Lauren Kate, you've done it again! I really recommend this book to those who loves a cute romance with great-chemistry characters (especially the main characters) and good writing with a cute cover!

The cover and blurb drew me to read this contemporary romance. Lainie has been promoted to her dream job working as an editor to the publishing company's biggest writer. Her job is contingent on getting the latest manuscript which is months over due. She learns that Noa Calloway is actually a pseudonym for Noah Ross and he's having writers block. She decides to help him find

I liked: Their friendship, playing chess, finding possible meet cute locations.
Her friends and grandmother enrich her story.

Disliked: She is engaged till 42% of the way through.
There didn't seem to be much chemistry. There were outings and talks but no heat.
Much ado about coming out as male author of romances.
I liked the story within the story the Noa writes.

Overall I enjoyed the story but usually I love characters that love love. But I didn't see why they should be together anymore than her previous fiancé. They were both good guys although Noah is more convenient. Clean for language and intimacy is off the page. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 stars)

By Any Other Name was a pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting such a strong reaction from Lanie when she learned of Noa's real identity. I loved the book but wish they Noah and Lanie had connected a little more throughout the story. The story was sweet with a friends-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance that leaves you wanting more. I would like to see a sequel or follow-up story to give us a glimpse into Lanie and Noah's happily ever after.

I really enjoyed reading this. I liked how their romance developed throughout. I was initially worried that upon reading that Lanie has a fiance in the beginning of the book that lead up to their eventual breakup would drag on but was pleasantly surprised that it did not. I do think her initial reaction to finding our Noa Callaway is actually a man seemed a bit much. I can see the shock but the utter outrage seemed a bit too over the top at first. I have mixed feelings about it. I understand her reaction as they were online friends for years but I would think with her years in publishing that having any author known solely by their pseudonym, it would not have been as completely shocking to find out they are different than their publishing persona. I also thought the story ended somewhat abruptly. Their relationship came full circle but I think an epilogue that places a few months after would add to the story. Like how did the launch party in Italy go? Could they keep working together after the start dating or did Noah have to switch editors? I would love to know the answers to those questions. Overall I thought it was a lovely book and a well written and developed romance.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I'll start by channeling my inner Voldemort: I confess myself...disappointed.

Insta-love, weird time jumps, unprofessional behavior from both of our leads, and 0 spice. :( I liked Noah, couldn't stand Lanie. This had promise, but there were way too many things that happened juuuuuust right to get these two together.

By Any Other Name
Lauren Kate
Lanie and Ross
Lanie is an editor at Peony Press and their bestselling author of romance noels, Noa Callaway turns out to be a man named Noah Ross. Lanie feels duped that she has been working with an author she assumed was a woman. Noa is behind on the delivery of his next book and Lanie’s position as editor is provisional on her getting his manuscripts to Peony within 3 months. She’ll have to work through her anger. But as she works to help him find a story that will inspire him to write, her anger starts to change to something that looks like love.
What a beautiful book! Lanie and Ross are so well drawn and real. The fact that Noa the writer is actually Noah Ross, a man, give this enemies to lovers trope a real twist. Their road from anger to love was endearing and absorbing.
I would recommend this book to my patrons.

When her boss decides not to come back after her maternity leave, Lanie finds herself in what was supposed to be her dream job -- editorial director and editor of the publisher's most successful author, Noa Calloway. Unfortunately, her promotion is contingent on getting Noa to complete her latest manuscript, which is already four months overdue. She's worked with Noa for years as a junior editor, so she feels she knows her pretty well. But she's never met her. No one has, because Noa Calloway is famously reclusive and refuses to tour, meet readers, or attend meetings. Lanie needs to assure Noa's success, and in doing so, her own. This is a truly fun romantic comedy with great characters and a well paced plot. I look forward to recommending it to readers.