Yall, I can not resist a fantasy retelling, especially a beauty and the beast one! This rom com had me in tears at parts and hysterical at others. I loved how the author hit on racism and heavy topics. Fantastic

I really like Jasmine Guillory's romances, so I was super excited to give this one a try, even though I haven't read any of the other Disney adult romance novels. This one is very fun, though the realism of the main character's struggles in publishing and how demoralizing it all is at the beginning was a bit heavy at times (I realize this is fully a 'me' issue and is actually a strong point of the book. I just love my romance with as little conflict as possible). I appreciated how Guillory talked about Blackness and racism overtly and repeatedly, though, and I certainly loved her characters and writing. The way she creatively reimagined the Beauty and the Beast story in the modern publishing world was super clever and fun, as well.

This is such a fun rom-com/enemies to lovers/beauty and the beast retelling. I loved all the references to Beauty and the Beast. I felt like this was a true enemies to lovers and I loved how Beau was able to grow and develop through the story. This book was engaging and just a great read.

If there is one thing that I cannot resist, it is a good fairytale retelling. That's why I am extremely grateful that I got to read and review Guillory's take on the classic Beauty and The Beast tale early. This is the second title in the Meant To Be series, a collection of stories that reimagine the Disney princesses in the modern-day. Overall, I thought this book was great. There were a lot of magical elements from this fairytale that Guillory was able to include despite the book not being fantasy. I look forward to reading future titles from this collection!

Loved! After the first story book retelling (if the shoe fits-let’s just say I hated it), I was hesitant to pick up the second in this series. However, I’m so glad I did! I love Guillory and she knocked this one out of the park! A light hearted romance and quick easy read that gives you all the warm feelings.

This book was very delightful. I enjoyed my time spent with Izzy in the publishing world. I liked her friendship with Priya and I appreciated her goals and dedication in her role as editor. I am a big fan of the sunshine/grumpy trope but I didn't think this book did it enough justice. I found it to be very bland. As in there was not nearly enough steam or chemistry between Izzy and Beau, even as their work relationship evolved. If there was a sprinkle more romance or heat during her visit, I would have enjoyed this much more. They just seemed to be companions until she returns to New York. I don't think this book will be all that memorable, as I found their romance to be very surface level (albeit trying very hard to inject some deeper emotion from the diary discovered at the end). Finally,, this did not read like any of Guillory's other work which was a bit of a disappointment.

Three stars. Nothing more. Nothing less. Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for this e-galley.

#Bythebook by Jasmine Guillory is a modern day fairytale reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast. I loved this fun, flirty contemporary rom-com and look forward to reading more in this series (this was the second book in the Meant to Be series)📚🤓❤️

Thank you to #NetGallery and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for a review

Review copy courtesy of Hyperion Avenue through NetGalley

I continue to be confused by who this series is for. The story is very squeaky clean for the typical romance reader, but the storyline is so adult (in terms of business talk) for the YA reader. Guillory continues to write compulsively readable stories, and I chucked a few time at the “Belle” talking to inanimate objects (no magic in this story), so if you like non-fantasy, very closed door romances, try this one.

It’s a tale as told as time—literally! Editorial assistant Isabelle (Izzy) used to be bright eyed and excited about her work in publishing and her hopes of being published herself one day, but over time she realizes there must be something more for her out there. Sound familiar?

Enter Beau, a beastly author with a deadline problem and a tendency to avoid communication. Izzy knows that the way to tackle this problem is to meet it head on, so she shows up at his doorstep ready to work.

What follows is a series of stolen moments in a library and the occasional miscommunication that spirals out of control. As Izzy gets more secure in her work with Beau, she starts to realize the ‘more’ that’s out there may not be that hard to find after all.

Thank you NetGalley for the digital advance reader copy!

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC!

Izzy works for a publishing house as an assistant but her dream is to become one of the editors. She’s gotten really good at working with some of the biggest jerks in publishing, including Beau Towers who has ignored every single one of her weekly emails. In an attempt to impress her boss, Izzy volunteers to stay in LA and go pay Beau a visit to get the pages for his memoir. This goes south really fast when he tries to kick her out but then invites her to stay for the week and give him pep talks to keep writing. Can she live with him, get the pages, get a promotion, and avoid falling for this guy?

First of all who doesn’t love a fairytale retelling. Second of all how do you not love a beauty and the beast retelling with just the right amount of nods to the inspiration?

This was cheesy and heart warming and just the perfect read for a cozy spring morning. I really don’t know that there was much about this that I didn’t like!

We get a good dose of grumpy versus sunshine, some fairytale references, loveable side characters, a sweet romance, some family healing, and a feel good happy ending! Everything I want in a romcom read!

I really did not enjoy this one much at all and I generally like Jasmine Guillory's books.

It was very slow and boring with so much detail about the writing process/work. Beau was pretty unlikable and the whole scenario was too far-fetched for me. They talked about food way too often. I was also surprised that the actual romance scenes lacked detail, unlike Guillory's other books. Overall, this really did not work for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for this eARC!

I was so excited to read this retelling of Beauty & the Beast by Jasmine Guillory. It was a really nice, light, quick read and I enjoyed the concept behind it -- modernizing a class fairytale. It felt a lot like a Hallmark movie in book form. While it was a cute romance, it was a bit too cheesy for my taste. Also, it definitely felt like it was written with the Disney collaboration in mind - as if it was written for a young audience. I didn't read the first book in the Meant to Be series (this book is the second), so I'm not sure if the writing was supposed to feel this way or not. Either way, I would recommend this for those who enjoy a cheesy read with a happy ending or those who like to find "easter eggs" in writing as it was fun to find all the parallels to Beauty & the Beast.

It will be a good book for the beach or poolside this summer after it releases May 3!

I was so excited to see a new book by Jasmine Guillory, and even more excited to see it was a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. This book is part of the Meant to Be Series, which started with If the Shoe Fits, a retelling of the Cinderella story by Julie Murphy. While I also highly recommend that book, Beauty and the Beast is my absolute favorite fairy tale!

Isabelle (Izzy) works for a publishing house. On a trip to California, she is charged with the job of speaking to a former child star, Beau, that is behind on the writing of his memoir. In true fairy tale fashion, this quick stop turns into her staying at his luxurious home for a few weeks to help encourage him and work through the process of writing the memoir.

The story was fun and a great modern retelling. I loved the interactions between Izzy and Beau. I also absolutely adored all of the cute references to Beauty and the Beast that are sprinkled throughout the story. This was a delight to read for any Beauty and the Beast fan. Thank you, NetGalley, for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

after a long day at work, i cherish reads that are fun from beginning to end (especially when they are retellings of classic fairytales). by the book was definitely this, and it was such a comfort read from start to finish. this romance novel follows our protagonist isabelle (izzy, aka belle), an editorial assistant trying to make her way into the publishing world in her mid twenties. she works hard, yet is under-appreciated by her co-workers and manager. however, an opportunity presents itself, and izzy jumps at it; all she has to do is convince an author to finish writing his manuscript. easy, right?

WRONG.

the author in question (only easy on the eyes, beau towers), is far from welcoming -- yet izzy doesn't let this deter her. as the two continue working together, they realize there's more between them than they could have ever imagined.

this story was really quite fun. as someone who absolutely devours retellings, i enjoyed myself from start to finish, and loved all of the nods to beauty and the beast. while moments were certainly predictable, this did not take away from my joy in reading about izzy and beau. i loved seeing them work through the heavier moments both individually, and together. their chemistry was developed in such a natural way, and i easily found myself rooting for them throughout the whole novel. while touching on deeper societal issues, this book also managed to make me laugh and smile in the way one expects a romance read to do just that. 4/5 stars!

thank you so much to both netgalley and hyperion avenue for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. all opinions are my own!

In the second book in the Meant To Be series, Jasmine Guillory takes on Beauty and the Beast. Isabelle has been an editorial assistant for a major publishing house for a few years, and she is entirely unclear on where her career is going. Her routine takes a sudden turn when she offers to personally visit a semi-reclusive celebrity in order to motivate him to work on his memoir. Her planned pep talk turns into her staying in his home for an extended period of time. After a few rough exchanges, they become quite close, and Isabelle reminds herself to draw firm lines between her work and her personal life. However, that's extremely difficult to do when they live together and he looks so damn good in a swimsuit. But what happens when Isabelle inevitably needs to leave sunny California and return to New York?
The chemistry between Isabelle and Beaux was palpable. My main complaints were that the fairy tale references were a bit too on-the-nose, and Isabelle takes so dang long to act on her desires! Nonetheless, a cute book and a quick read.

Best-selling Guillory delivers a charming Beauty and the Beast tale of looking beneath the surface to find the genuine heart of another.

Full Review for Booklist: https://www.booklistonline.com/By-the-Book-/pid=9760863

Thanks Netgalley, the publisher and the author for this eArc in exchange for an honest review.

Think modern-day Beauty and the Beast, make it a lot less stockholm syndrome, and then you have this adorable lighthearted rom-com. Following Izzy, as she is an editor's assistant (I think) when she meets Beau who is trying to write his memoir. Upon their first encounter, they both stubbornly agreed for Izzy to stay in Beau’s house to prove a point. And from there the fairytale takes shape.

I'm happy that this was a very loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast because it could have gotten really creepy real quickly. Although just the right amount of references and themes to Disney’s beauty and beasty was slipped that you recognize it instantly.

As a lover of retellings, I enjoyed this book so much.

This was a really enjoyable retelling of the fairy tale The Beauty and the Beast with Black characters.
Izzy is feeling a little lost in her career at a publishing house. In her late twenties, still living with her parents.
She gets the unexpected opportunity to move across the country from NYC to CA to help a troubled young man write his memoir.

Guillory is an expert at romance with a particular ability to get what is floating around in a person's head (doubt, uncertainty, longing) onto the page. And in typical style, there is a lot of snacking and yummy food!

This is the second book in the A MEANT TO BE NOVEL series. An imprint from Disney rethinking classic fairy tales with modern day protagonists.

This will be discussed on an upcoming episode of the Book Cougars podcast.

Oh course Jasmine Guillory would write a lovely Beauty and the Beast retelling, of course she would. Guillory is the reason I believe we can still have nice things. Beau and Izzy are the perfect Belle and Beast, between the enchanted house nestled away near the beach in Santa Barbra to the mystical feeling of the library in Beau’s grandparent’s home. This was the perfect quick and sweet closed door romance I was expecting and checked every box. While a little heavy handed on the beauty and beast nudges, Once Upon a Time Publishing, Under the Cupboard Tea…I overall felt this book a nice break from reality and a great vacation from the world as it is.

Wow, this was a really cute one! I'd already read the first "Meant to Be" book called "If the Shoe Fits" and I would say this one is just as good. Because this story is a Disney re-telling I actually really appreciated the PG-ness of the book and how the only thing that happened between the characters was kissing. Anyone who knows me knows I think a little "action" in my books but sometimes it's nice to get read a cute romance. This book also didn't even take me a day to read so also a big fan of that.

So obviously, big fan of Izzy and Beau. I love how they both grew together. They both saw things in themselves that needed to be worked on and actively worked to achieve their goals. I think if I had to make a complaint it would be that they could've gotten together sooner. But even that was written nicely. I'm just greedy and love love.

Oh and Gavin sucks. 10000%.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for an ARC of this book!