Izzy is struggling at work-- her boss is hard to please, and even harder to read. So when her boss makes an offhand comment about someone visiting Beau, a man who's ignored all their attempts at communication for the past year, Izzy offers to go. When she gets to his house she finds an angry, reclusive man who refuses to work on the memoir he's sold to the publishing house where Izzy works. But of course, things aren't ever as simple as they seem. What Izzy first interpreted as anger is actually insecurity and guilt, and a whole lot of other emotions Beau has been struggling with.
By the Book is a modern Beauty and the Beast retelling set in California with a backdrop of the publishing world. It's sweet, funny, and a lovely book.
The dedication had me emotional right off the bat. It was sweet, and made me feel seen in a way that most dedications-- and most books-- don't. Immediately, it was clear that I'm the target audience, even more so than with most of the books I read.
The beginning was a bit hard to get into, and the voice of the beginning wasn't consistent with the rest of the voice. I much preferred the later voice, but even that discrepancy wasn't enough to knock my rating down by more than a star. Overall, I would definitely recommend By the Book to anyone who wants to read it.

This is one of my anticipated releases for this year. I enjoyed reading about Izzy's snippets of wisdom about life behind manuscripts, publication, and a woman searching for her rightful place and role in life.

A great beach read. A must-read tome!

Beauty and the Beast may be a tale as old as time, but it's tricky to pull off as a contemporary romance. By the Book deftly does away with the more troubling tropes of the fairy tale--the meek, kidnapped heroine fated only to redeem the irredeemable monster--and instead offers up two characters on equal footing who challenge and ultimately bring out the best in each other.

Isabelle (the furthest thing from meek) and Beau (troubled, isolated, but not a monster) are both ambitious and stuck in their own ruts when they meet, clash, and end up cohabitating of their own free will, if against their better judgment. Initially stuck together out of spite, they each gradually learn to appreciate the other's perspective and rely on each other for the push they both need to change their lives for the better, as their writing sessions blossom into a real friendship and, inevitably, a truly sweet romance. Though the romance is the point, this is also a book about two writers building each other up, finding their way out of the fog of other people's opinions, and learning to trust their voices. It's also about the importance of snacks.

I received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This one was not my favorite Guillory - seemed fluffier than some of her others. Characters not very deep at all, and some of their assertions about themselves are not particularly well-documented in the book (and therefore not super believable), but still fun and light. And I don't know whether it's the Disney influence or what, but this was pretty G-rated.....

"Tale as old as time, true as it can be, barely even friends, then somebody bends, unexpectedly." If you grew up in front of a box TV, blowing on VHS tapes, eating off TV dinner trays, watching Disney princesses fall in love - this book is for you. The second installment in the "Meant to Be" series, which is a fractured fairy tale retelling of the classics. "If the Shoe Fits" by Julie Murphy, the classic Cinderella tale with a twist, and now Queen of Rom Com, Jasmine Guillory's "By The Book" closely resembling the modern day Beauty and the Beast. These two queens created the perfect tales of modern day princesses.

Synopsis: A tale as old as time, but make it for the modern 2022 woman. Isabelle, an editorial assistant at Tale as Old as Time Publishing, feels lost and unaccomplished. As the only black employee at her publishing house, still living at home, and remaining stagnant, she feels overworked and underpaid. When she hears her boss complaining about a beastly client who is dragging them along about a memoir on his life, she feels compelled to talk to the client. Upon meeting him at his castle-like home, she finds herself living with the grumpy, standoffish Beau Towers. If you have read the tale, you know what comes next. This is the story of the triumph of love, acceptance and learning that sometimes to truly know a person, you have to read between the lines.

Personal Review: 4 Stars

This book was chock full of characters, plot elements, and settings that spoke to my inner 90's child. Beau Towers played the perfect beast, Michaela the best Mrs. Pots, the bathtub a magical Mr. Coggsworth, Gavin as Gaston, and last but not least Isabelle, the perfectly representational beauty. The setting in the grandfathers house was the so comparable to the classic tale with off-limit rooms, libraries to die for, and a grumpy companion trudging about. I loved Guillory before with her "Wedding Date" series, but her ability to master the modern day tale of a Disney classic, left me wanting MORE! Can't wait to see the other retellings in the "Meant to Be" series. "Just a little change, small to say the least, both a little scared, neither one prepared - Beauty and the Beast."

In this modern remix of a classic fairytale, beauty Isabelle, an editor's assistant at a phishing company, is tasked with getting the famous pretty boy, Beau, to stop acting like a beast and finally get his book turned in. Izzy's day trip to Santa Barbara turns into a weeks-long adventure when Beau insists that she stays in order to give him a daily pep talk. Can she really manage to make this self-centered jerk get some work done, or is she just wasting her time, both with him, and in her own life?

I had so much fun reading this, and couldn't put it down. Beauty and the Beast happens to be one of my favorite Disney movies, and the many, many references throughout were NOT lost on me. The storyline was good, and the character development was really well written. I was glad to see the resolutions to all the open issues in the last chapter or so. I already had a couple of other titles from this author on my TBR list before, but I think they'll be happening sooner rather than later, because I really enjoyed this one! I definitely recommend this to any romance fans, especially if you like Disney references as much as I do!

I received an Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley in return for sharing my thoughts on this book. I thank the author and publisher for this opportunity! It has been my pleasure!

This was my first Jasmine Guillory, and to be honest, I'm a little bummed. I've heard so many wonderful things about Guillory's romances, but this one fell very flat to me. To be fair, because the Meant to Be series is owned by Disney, I'm assuming she had to work until certain (strict?) guidelines, which may have affected her writing. I still want to read her other books, as I've heard so many wonderful things about them, but I'm kicking myself for having this one be the first I've read by her.
I did read the first book in this series (If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy) and thought it was cute, if a bit bland. I felt this one was...worse . It felt very formulaic, and I didn't fall in love with the characters the way I normally do in romance novels. To be honest, I almost stopped reading about a quarter in because the beginning was pretty...rough. It was very simply written and felt like something a junior high student would have written--it lacked nuance and the writing didn't really follow the "show don't tell" rule. I also really wanted more about Beau beyond his relationship with his mother, but besides some throwaway lines about how he got in a fight to protect a friend, there wasn't much.
All in all, I only really finished this book because I always feel guilty judging a book so quickly, but I think my initial impulse was correct--I feel bummed I spent so much of this book waiting for it to get better.

I so so so badly wanted to like this book but it just did absolutely nothing for me. I waited so long for the story to pick up but I found the story and the characters boring. A Beauty and the Beast retelling really holds a lot of potential but it falls flat in this adaption. The chemistry between our characters felt forced and Beau’s sudden trust in Izzy seemed really out of the blue rather than natural. Also, I’m not sure if this a choice of Disney, the publishing company, or the author, but didn’t particularly love the closed-door love scene.

Overall, this reads more like a YA romance and not a good one.

Oh my gosh. This book was exactly what I needed. Sweet, lovely, and a brilliant retelling of Beauty and the Beast, I couldn’t put it down (I literally read it in one sitting). I loved the allusions to the movie (This Provincial Life tv show? Amazing), and the diversity of the diversity of the characters. Definitely not as steamy as some of the author’s other works, it is a perfect read for readers looking for a beautiful romcom that hints (sometimes not so subtly) of everyone’s favourite literary Disney movie.

First and foremost, a huge thank you to Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I adore Jasmine Guillory. There isn’t a single book she’s written that I haven’t loved (and I’ll admit, I have purchased them all, even though there are a few sitting on my TBR shelf that I haven’t read yet!). She writes these utterly relatable rom-coms that you just sink right into. Her protagonists are always people I love and identify with in one way or another.

This book, which drops in May, is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I loved all the little touches from the original fairy tale (“talking” furniture, the WiFi password of Lumiere, “This Provincial Life” TV series, etc). Better than that, it had a book focus. Our main character, Izzy, works in editing/publishing and is out in California to find the reclusive bad-boy celebrity who is supposed to be working on a memoir, Beau.

I just adored this story. Once it hit its stride, it was unputdownable. Beau played the role of Beast well, and I really loved him. Izzy is the person I wish lived next door and could be my best friend.

This book was a truly fantastic spin on the fairytale, and you should definitely pick it up when it comes out in May. For me, it was the perfect Valentine’s Weekend read. Thank you, Jasmine and NetGalley!

I’m a sucker for any book that has a book in the title or takes place in a book industry or has to do with writers. This relationship was so cute and the banter was so witty and fun! I love anything Jasmine Guillory writes!!! Super cute cover, super cute romance, and One of my favorites of hers so far! I Was actually able to read this book in one sitting!

Isabelle works with a publishing company who’s publishing a childhood actor’s new memoir. When the author goes MIA she takes it upon herself to help him with the book. This romantic tale inspired by Beauty and the Beast is a cute read for any romance novel reader.

This book is the second in the Meant to Be Series which is where different authors write very loosely based fairy tale retellings. This one is based off of Beauty & the Beast. Izzy is struggling at her publishing house in cold NYC when she has an opportunity to fly to warm LA to try to prod one of her publishing house authors to finish up his long awaited memoir. Beau Towers is gruff and growly (if course) and doesn't seem to want work with Izzy.
Well let me tell you how much I loved this book! I loved Izzy. She was a great MC. I love Jasmine Guillory's snappy writing and dialogue. And I loved how bookish this book was.

I was thrilled to see that there was a new Jasmine Guillory book coming out and that I had received an ARC from NetGalley to review it. I really enjoyed this book which tells the story of Isabelle Marlowe - Izzy - an editorial assistant who aspires to be an editor and writer herself and Beau Tower, a gorgeous but difficult new author who is attempting to write a memoir. The chemistry between these two was beautifully written - and the book delivered the happy ending that I love so much. And I did get a kick out of the various "Beauty and the Beast" references thoughout the book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

*Thank you very much to Disney Hyperion, Jasmine Guiliory and Netalley for providing me with an E-ARC of "By The Book" in exchange for an honest review *

I really loved "By The Book" and I was really excited to read it. I was a bookish romance I definitely needed.

A lovely, modern Beauty and the Beast type story (without the kidnapping). I thoroughly enjoyed “By the Book” from start to finish. The characters are relatable, the plot flows well, the writing is on point, and the ending was satisfying. Highly recommend!

I thought Guillory did such a creative and fun job setting the Beauty and the Beast story in a modern romance world! Beauty and the Beast retellings are just probably my least favorite of the fairytales that often get revamped as romances, because I don't love an alpha, emotionally closed off love interest.

This book is, in a word, adorable. I flew through it and was left with the warm, fuzzy feeling that only a sweet, straightforward romance can provide. It's a little bit Devil Wears Prada, a little bit Beauty and the Beast and a lot of modern, hardworking, intelligent woman making her own way in the world.

Izzy + Beau's relationship development is natural and satisfying, but it's not the only meaningful relationship in this story. Izzy's friendship with Priya and her connections with other professional women add depth to the story and help us to understand Izzy better, avoiding the common romance genre pitfall of largely defining the main characters within their relationship to each other.

The age of the characters puts them right on the edge of Millenials/GenZ, and this is a book that can definitely appeal to both audiences. Very PG-13 and innocent so if you're looking for R, look elsewhere.

*I received an Advance Reader's Edition of this book and this review is being left voluntarily. All opinions are my own.

These "Meant to Be" books are just pure delightful reads. The second one in the series (first one based on Cinderella), this one is based on Beauty and the Beast and is by one of my favorite YA authors. She was a great choice to write this installment. Isabelle gets stuck with Beau in his "castle" of a mansion in California. She quickly realizes he is not much of a beast despite his bad boy image while helping him to write his memoir and finding her own lost writing voice as well. Lots of clever references to the original Beauty and the Beast. These are just plain fun reads!

This was a really enjoyable story with fun nods to Disney's Beauty & the Beast that Disney fans will love. I really loved Isabelle as a character and related to her struggles of trying to decide if her dream career really was still her dream. I appreciate that Jasmine Guillory always gives her characters interesting careers and I thought she represented working in publishing really well. This book was just delightful and made me root for the characters and their romance. I'm glad this isn't the only Jasmine Guillory book I have on my Kindle because this definitely made me want to continue reading the books of hers I haven't read.