This does not feel like a typical Jasmine Guillory book and its really upsetting how much I did not enjoy this. I continue to be a Jasmine Guillory fan but the retelling of Beauty and the Beast just did not work for me.

A modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast was bound to draw me in, and this one was a total winner! I loved all the references to characters, places, and iconic parts of the original princess movie, especially the villain. By the Book by Jasmine Guillory features Isabelle who works for Tale as Old as Time publishing in NY and heads to Santa Barbara, CA to get celebrity bad boy turned hermit, Beau, to finish-eh, start-his memoir. Their story was so fun to follow and the book overall was one that made me happy with nostalgia for my favorite childhood princess and a modern twist. I’m not usually one into fairy tale retellings, but this one was so enjoyable I plan to pick up the other books in the Meant to Be series.

A sweet little romance story that spins a retelling if Beauty and the Beast. It’s a lovely read that takes your mind to far off places and turns you into a real life Belle.

beauty and the beast as a modern day retelling?! YES PLZ. 😍 this was even more bookish than the Disney movie i loved as a kid, and definitely was a fresh and new spin on the storyline, while keeping so many great nods to the magic and the heart of the story. it was CUTE!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️— really liked it

I'm a longtime fan of Guillory's adult novels and had high hopes for a Beauty and the Beast retelling, however, ultimately this one fell flat for me. Perhaps it's that I read a similar book right before i picked up this one, and it ultimately executed better, but overall I didn't love the pacing of the voice of the main character and though I tried to push through, marked By The Book as a DNF at the halfway point .
Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the advance copy.

It took me forever to get into this one but once I was a few chapters in I had no idea why I struggled so much. This is a great rom com type book. The Beauty and the Beast inspo was light but easy to see. I liked the little nods to the the story throughout. The characters were well-developed. 3.5 stars!

This was such a cute romantic love story. I loved the little fairytale references like her talking to the bathtub and going inside the library and feeling as if it were welcoming her. Izzy and Beau’s relationship is one that they both stumble upon and gradually realize their growing “friendship” is something to hold on to.

By The Book is the second book in the Meant to Be series, where authors reimagine fairy tales for an adult audience. In this one we get a retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
I’m not a huge fairy tale fan but I do like retellings. It doesn’t make sense to me either!

This was a cute lighthearted romance. No spice so don’t expect that.
I did like that it’s a retelling but not an exact copy. The author sprinkled some Disney references and I really enjoyed that.

I did feel like the couple lacked chemistry. As friends they were perfect, I just didn’t fully believe the romantic aspect.

Overall it was a cute read and I recommend it if you love all things Disney and romance.

This is a fun rom-com. I liked the little tongue-in-cheek references to Disney's Beauty and the Beast.

If you’re looking to read more BIPOC authors and you enjoy contemporary romance, I’ve got a winning read for you. By the Book is Jasmine Guillory’s entry in Disney Publishing’s Meant to Be series, where authors reimagine fairy tales for an adult audience. The second in the series (following Dumplin’ author Julie Murphy’s reimagining of Cinderella), Guillory interprets Beauty and the Beast through the eyes of Isabelle, a young editorial assistant who must tame her recalcitrant writer, Beau, and help him compose and submit his (very late) memoir to her publishing house.
Of course the “beastly” hero is a grump who has no desire to write an autobiography, and of course there are plenty of “forced proximity” machinations where Izzy has to stay with Beau in order to keep her job. As someone who loves books about writing, I thought the best parts of the book were Izzy’s daily writing tasks for Beau: anyone who has ever thought about writing a memoir could use her tricks for avoiding writer’s block.
I must say that the constant references to the Disney Beauty and the Beast film did grow a bit tiresome. Guillory may have meant these to be Easter eggs, and she clearly understands the assignment, but I found that these nods drew me out of the book. Some examples: the WiFi password is Lum1ere!, the library has a rolling ladder that encompasses one wall, and Izzy wears a long yellow dress and wonders if “the teacup and candlestick will start, like, singing and dancing.” I may be too familiar with the Disney movie, and another reader might gloss right over these nods to Belle and the denizens of the Beast’s castle.
In any case, the developing relationship between Izzy and Beau is charming, along with the way she teases out his life story. I’ll definitely read more of Guillory’s work, with or without the fairy tale. 4 out of 5 stars.

Isabelle (Izzy) and Beau start things off on the wrong foot when Izzy goes to see Beau about his very overdue manuscript. Izzy then decides to stay with Beau until he has something to turn in to his editor, who is also Izzy's boss. During this time together, feelings and mutual respect bloom in this delightful rom-com retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It's a fun, cute, easy read that will just make you smile. I enjoyed both main characters and was invested in their relationship that they were fighting against as much as I was in their own separate lives and the struggles they had to deal with. Another enjoyable read from Jasmine Guillory

This is the Beauty & The Beast retelling that you didn't know you needed to read. This retelling has BiPOC characters, a modern book publishing twist, and throwbacks to the classic disney animated movie. 7th grade - adults would love this story. The writing is beautiful and heartfelt, the characters fully developed people.

By the Book by Jasmine Guillory. A contemporary Beauty and the Beast retelling, this one takes us to sunny beautiful Santa Barbara. While I did read it through to the end, there was something missing in the telling of this tale. I loved the characters individually but found their friendship more charming than the romance aspect. But overall, made me interested enough to look for more by the author, and well, it did take me on an armchair tour of Santa Barbara (and we love visiting there when we can)!!

(Thanks to NetGalley for the digital arcs of the book)

A dreamy romance. My favorite are reading about book lovers since I can relate so well. This was a sweet ride and I so enjoyed it.

I loved this book so much! Her writing is always spot on and this was no different! Such a great story and strong characters

Not as epic as her other books, but it was fun and sweet. I enjoyed the characters and even though you kind of know how the story will go, her writing makes it enjoyable. Plus, who wouldn’t want the chance to be stuck in a gorgeous home in Santa Barbara? I recommend it if you’re looking for a light and easy read.

I cannot get enough of Jasmine Guillory's spicy and real couples, and I'm also a Disney adult so when I found out she wrote a retelling I was *ecstatic*. By the Book is a modern day interpretation of Beauty and the Beast and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT. Izzy and Beau have great chemistry and are a very realistic couple. I loved that unlike most romances there was no huge fissure that drove them apart. I also adored all the little nods to the original that Jasmine included, wifi password 'Lumiere', rose gardens and library ladders.. so perfect!

I love Jasmine Guillory. I love her writing, I love her characters, and I love her stories. This one was no exception. She is an outstanding romance writer.

Thank you to @netgalley and @hyperionavebooks for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the second installment of the Meant to Be series featuring a story by @jasminepics . I loved the first one and the author of the second made it a must read for me.

This is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, one of my favorite Disney fairytales. Izzy is an overworked assistant at a publishing house who has been put in charge of Beau Towers, a grumpy high profile author. His highly anticipated memoir is due to his publisher.

The story was predictable, but that didn’t make me enjoy it any less. It was comforting with a strong female lead. The romance is sweet and had me rooting for a happy ending.

4 stars

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This is a fun, light-hearted romance that has all of my favorite tropes: slow burn, enemies to lovers, fake dating. Throw in cupcakes and the drama of a reality TV show and it’s the perfect recipe for a great Romance!