I had high hopes for this book, as I love beauty and the beast retellings. However this one fell short and I DNF’d at 60%. Everything felt so forced into the Disney story that it just became ridiculous. Come on, Wi-Fi password is Lumiere? Aside from that the characters were flat and lacked true identity and chemistry. At over half way I still didn’t feel like I knew much about either of them. Also, too many exclamation points!!!

I’m pretty sure me reading this was a no-brainer. I LOVE Beauty and the Beast, I LOVE cartoon covers, I LOVE diverse romances, and I LIKE Jasmine Guillory. So of course I have been waiting on this release forever. And listen, for me it was worth the wait.

I was really interested in how they were going to incorporate getting stuck in the love interest’s house with talking lol And even though this was interesting, I know this would never happen in real life lol But it was funny to see it. Or maybe it’s just me being so invested in books like Izzy was and knowing she’d do whatever it took lol But whatever the case may be, I thought it was an interesting way to do it. Now the talking furniture? That was hella cute lol Definitely not something I would have thought to do. And I think that’s my favorite part about it. It seemed out of the box, but it ended up being so simple in theory. I think this is what made me decide I loved the retelling aspect. This book retells the Disney animated version, with almost all the things that the cartoon entails. So much so I had to go and watch the movie when I finished it lol

The romance was what I didn’t exactly vibe with. As “the Beast” he was rude and a terror when she first got there, but over time they finally got it right. But my complaint was it took too long? Which in theory sounds dumb since it was a B&tB retelling, but you get the point. As my long time followers know, I’m a walking contradiction because B&tB is my favorite, but I’m not a huge fan of enemies to lovers, so this bored me a bit. But once things finally got moving between them, I think it worked out fine. I loved the work they did together, <spoiler>and that ending with the notebook did me IN. </end spoiler>

I also didn’t care for the random conflict at the end? Like why was that person even an issue? Who was he supposed to be? Did I miss something when I was listening? I mainly just thought he was annoying and I wanted nothing more than to be done with him. I WAS glad that someone said something to him tho because he was an asshat. I was glad they didn’t let that go unscathed.

It turned out to be a cute quick read that made me not only buy it, but I now know its time for me to read Julie Murphy’s retelling. I’ve been dragging my feet with that one because I’m not a huge fan of Cinderella (because they’ve been done too much) but if they’re all as sweet as this one, I gotta at least give it a try. (Also, I heard that Zoraida Córdova is going to write the Little Mermaid’s tale and I got excited for that one too. Thank you Disney for helping me keep my childhood alive.

I found this book a bit bland. It did’nt make me feel anything. I didn’t connect to the characters and i didn’t feel a romantic connection between them. To me, they’re better as friends. I did find some scenes really cute and I loved the ending. This is a slow burn which is not my favorite but you should give this book a try if you like them!

Ten random thoughts I had after reading By the Book

🌹 I loved the vulnerability and trust in the author/editor dynamic between Beau and Isabelle. After initially pushing her away, Isabelle slowly earns his trust and builds up his confidence as a writer.

🌹 The semi-taboo nature of flirting/dating while maintaining their professional relationship basically equaled a whole lot of sexual tension, you will not find me complaining.

🌹 Right from the start Beau and Isabelle seem to orbit each other. Their raw chemistry is incredible and it's impossible not to follow their story to the end.

🌹 Isabelle comes to check on the status of his book and ends up being "forced" to stay in his gorgeous Santa Barbara mansion. This forced proximity parallels Beauty and the Beast.

🌹 So much of this parallels The Beauty and the Beast and I really enjoyed this loose retelling. However, the magical elements were a little odd.

🌹 Her professional arc was amazing, she is determined to be promoted after years as an assistant and getting Beau's book turned in is her chance to impress her boss. Isabelle never loses sight of her goals, that shouldn't be notable but it is.

🌹 I loved Priya and Michaela--the best friends. I wish we saw a bit more of them though the world felt a bit narrowly focused on Beau and Isabelle for me.

🌹 In general I'm not a big fan of the jealous coworker trope, usually they are used as a one dimensional character and are too easy to write off.

🌹 Women supporting women. I really appreciated how Jasmine Guillory highlights the lack of female POCs in publishing and gave Isabelle's character strong professional mentors.

🌹 Beau. He is the biggest cinnamon roll, grumpy, "beast" and I loved seeing an emotionally vulnerable male lead.

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @disneybooks this ARC, By the Book a is out now, make sure to grab your copy!

This was such a cute book! Personally, it read a little young for me but I think my students will absolutely devour this book! The setting, the plot, and the characters were all developed really well into a modern retelling of the classic fairytale!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts!

Izzy dreamed of working in publishing, but as the overworked and underpaid only Black employee in her office, the shine is starting to wear off. When she hears her boss complaining about a reclusive author failing to complete his manuscript, Izzy sees her chance to show what she can do. She travels to the author’s mansion to give him the encouragement he needs to finish his book. But before long, she finds something sweet and almost kind behind the author’s beastly reputation.

This Beauty and the Beast contemporary retelling is adorable and a lot of fun, especially for fans of the Disney movie! I love how Guillory updated the characters and plot to have a more consent-forward and healthier relationship. There's very little steam (perhaps because it's a Disney property), but it's a delightful romance for book lovers and anyone who has ever dreamed of climbing one of those library ladders.

Jasmine Guillory does it again. This book so swoony. I loved the first book in the series by Julie Murphy and I loved this one too. I love the whole idea of reimagined fairytales with people who haven’t been able to see themselves in the stories until now. This is a book I will read again and again.

Loved this so much that I read it in one day. Izzy is one of the few Black people working in publishing. She is trying to prove to her boss that she is good at her job. But she's feeling burnt out and undeserving of a promotion. In a last ditch effort to impress her boss she volunteers to go in person to see one of their author's who is two years past his deadline with his memoir. Beau doesn't want to talk to anyone about his book, but Izzy won't back down. They butt heads, but Izzy is eventually able to show him how to write his book. He shows Izzy how to surf. They bond over their love of snacks. But when a too good to miss job opportunity comes along Izzy must return to publishing.
Wonderful characters who both learn and grow while working together.

I don't think there's a single Guillory book I've read and didn't enjoy. Her writing just sparkles and all her books put me in a happy place. This was no different. Loved the Santa Barbara setting and the focus on books and reading.

If I am going to read a reimagined fairy tale, Jasmine Guillory is the only one who can pull it off. I read this in one sitting- I was entirely captured by the characters, their relationship and how they both came to terms with their own demons. The romance was spot on and I could not get enough- if you are looking for a fun, romantic, fast-paced read for summer- this is it!
Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A tale as old as time...this is a contemporary re-telling of Beauty and the Beast. Isabelle is works as an editorial assistant for a publishing house that does not seem to value her work. On the verge of burnout, she meets recluse potential-author Beau (the beast) who he has been hounding for submission of his autobiography pages.
This was a great book for a fun summer read if you're into contemporary romance with a Happily-Ever-After ending. There were some aspects of the plot that felt rushed in terms of setting, transition, and character-development. However, this was a lovely, diverse low-stakes read. I adore Jasmine Guillory and her cast of diverse characters in the universe she creates so I enjoyed this light-hearted read.
3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

By the Book is the second fairy tale adaptation in the Meant to Be series, this one channeling Beauty and the Beast, which is my favorite Disney princess movie. The book started out with Isabelle, a new assistant at Tale as Old as Time publishing. She ends up helping her boss, Marta, with a troublesome celebrity who has signed a book deal and essentially disappeared. She goes to his Santa Barbara mansion and quickly realizes she is in over her head. Beau Towers is a piece of work, but they slowly chip away at their insecurities and find common ground. Some of the Beauty and the Beast connections are a little “on the nose” for me. The story is really cute overall, a great summertime read!

A modern day fairytale inspired rom-com

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and the publisher. This is my honest and personal review.

Izzy is struggling to get the promotion she has worked so hard for. She is attempting to stand out but is burning out instead. She is offered a once in a lifetime chance when she attempts to help one of her writers at the publishing company. She offers to assist him with his work, even though he is a partying playboy that she wants nothing to do with. It's a fun easy read as you go through their budding friendship of mistrust and promises.

This was a sweet retelling of Beauty and the Beast, particularly the Disney version of it. There were some great nods to the original, animated movie, which as someone who grew up with that version. Some of these nods were a bit awkward, but added to the feeling of a Disney retelling. The romance story was sweet and the characters were interesting. A light, fun, summer read.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. Review based on final copy. All opinions are my own.
By the Book is the second of Disney’s line of adult romances, this one a Beauty and the Beast retelling by Jasmine Guillory. I was intrigued, if a little concerned, about how Guillory would adapt the story, as I feel there are certain aspects that have often been poorly interpreted in magic-less renditions, but Guillory’s retelling is more or less solid.
First of all, having Isabelle, known as Izzy to her close friends, work in publishing is super cool. It’s one thing for the heroine to be bookish, but I love that she uses that passion to do her part to shape the publishing market. However, prior to the beginning of the book, she’s a mere editorial assistant, and the work she puts in is not well-acknowledged, an unfortunate reality of the industry. I appreciate how the book shines a light on that in a subtle way, while also providing hope that one day those on the lower rungs of the ladder will receive the appreciation they deserve for their work.
Beau is one of the areas in which the book could have fallen flat, but doesn’t. Far too often, the “Beast” character is an unrepentant asshole, using his tragic past as justification for his crappy behavior. But while Beau doesn’t make the best first impression, he has self-awareness about his missteps, perhaps a bit too much at times, given how much he’s burdened by his past. And there truly is common ground in the losses he and Izzy have both faced, making for a strong emotional bond that grows alongside the simmering slow-burn romantic attraction.
And while, historically, the “Beauty and the Beast” story has been associated with the captor/captive or forced marriage tropes, even in some more contemporary retellings, having the setup be focused around Izzy’s relationship to her job and wanting a promotion, and being put in a forced-proximity situation with Beau due to flying across the country to his home in order to help him with his book. It adds compelling stakes, while being cognizant of the dynamics at play.
I had mixed feelings on the POV choices. I did like keeping Beau a bit of a mystery early on, dropping breadcrumbs here and there. But towards the end Isabelle gets the opportunity to read from a journal Beau wrote from the time they met, and while it’s sweet, it felt really out of place and dragged the ending out needlessly.
This is a cute, sweet read, and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys Beauty and the Beast retellings or enemies-to-lovers romances.

I loved this book! And up until about 5 minutes ago I didn't realize it was a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast... Which is my favorite fairy tale and I should have guessed it by how much the Library was talked about. Big fail on my part ...

What I love about Jasmine Guillory's books is that her characters are real and not perfect. They all have internal struggles that the average person goes through and they feel as if they could be your best friend you talk to every day. Her characters are so relatable that you can find something about each one to just resonate with; and it is this fact that keeps readers coming back for more.
I loved the build up of characters and would have loved a little more about the relationship with Beau and his mom but that is just me never wanting this book to end!

* I received an Arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was very cute and very fun! Definitely a slow burn but it was great to see a modern retelling and see how all the pieces of the classic story fit in. I almost forgot about Gaston, I was so invested in Isabelle and Beau. I liked that this book had some great messages about knowing your worth and asking for what you deserve. Overall a fast read with lots to think about that I really enjoyed!

What a great story! Rom-com, modern Beauty and The Beast!
I read this in one day. I couldn’t put it down!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

The set-up of this book is attractive on so many levels: a MC who works in publishing, but is somewhat disenamored with her job; her chance for escape comes in California, with a recalcitrant celebrity who has been contracted to write a memoir but unable to deliver for more than a year. Guillory writes a sympathetic character, filling her life with friends, family, and a believable work nemesis and industry mentor. The magic of the Beauty and the Beast story shines through in small, charming details in the "beast's" Santa Barbara mansion and a local bookstore.

So why did I DNF it a third of the way in? I am here for a good hate-to-love trope, but I've grown weary of romance that leans into the "redeemable asshole" archetype that originated with Mr. Darcy. Beau Towers might have ultimately won me over the way genre formula tells me he was destined to win over Izzy, but I couldn't shake the feeling that by letting men who behave like trash have redemption arcs, we aren't perpetuating the idea that women should tolerate this behavior in real life, give it a second shot. Yes fiction and real life are different. But I found I wasn't here for Beau coming around, and peaced out of this modern fairytale re-telling.