Izzy and Beau are an unexpected pair! Izzy shows up at the home of Beau Towers to attempt to get him to finish his book that is past due. Little did she know she was entering an enchanted world. The premise behind these books were not extremely appealing to me at first but I am a convert! This book was fun and sweet modern fairytale! If you love princesses or not you will love this story!

I just reviewed By the Book by Jasmine Guillory. #BytheBook #NetGalley

Such a great book. I really enjoyed this one more than the first in this series. If felt less forced into the theme than If the Shoe Fits. Another hit for Jasmine! I just reviewed By the Book by Jasmine Guillory. #BytheBook #NetGalley

Extended review posted in e-book edition review, but wanted to note this narrator was absolutely delightful! Great pacing and a wonderful, engaging reader

A wonderful take on the tale as old as time!! Izzy was a bright, funny heroine and Beau Towers was a gorgeous, grumpy beast. They teamed up together to write a book, and Guillory’s trademark feel good storytelling was on point again. Sweet and fun - the perfect beach read!

I loved it! And, this book has hooked me on the series.

A truly enchanting reading experience, and I absolutely loved:

* The witty & plucky heroine that loves books as much as I do!
* That it's set in the world of publishing (see the first point)!
* All the Disney Easter Eggs!!!!!
* The slow-burn, close proximity romance with a swoon-worthy cinnamon roll of a character!
* The excellent audio book narrator!

I highly recommend this book to romance readers and EVERY millennial who grew up watching/loving Disney fairy tales!

Was such a adorable read. I really enjoyed listening to it. The narrator really bought he story to life. I annoyed the little (and sometimes not so little) nods to Beauty and the Beast.

An absolute bookish delight. A recommended first purchase in all formats for collections where romance is popular.

Rating: 4
Author: @jasminepics

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and definitely won’t be my last! When I picked up this book I didn’t realize it was part of a series of Disney retellings and now I must read the first one! I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator did a fantastic job of bringing this story to life.

This is one of those books that will just instantly make you happy. I found myself smiling so much while listening to this. I could completely relate to the main character Isabelle. She was so excited to start working in publishing and being around books then reality hits and it’s not quite what she hoped. That was me when I got my first library job! Luckily, I work at a new library and I do love my job but not everyone is so lucky. No matter what was thrown her way she always tried to stay optimistic which is something I try to do as well.

I really loved Beau and Isabelle’s chemistry. He was always so grumpy and she stayed upbeat and happy. I love a good grumpy/sunshine trope! She had her reasons for wanting to help him but they became so much more than just job related. I loved seeing Beau’s character melt and his character showed growth throughout the story. As a Beauty and the Beast fan I loved the little hints to the main story. Some of them made me laugh while others made me roll my eyes but not in a bad way.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves romcoms. While I did have a few issues with this story they were all so minor and didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment. It was a cute story that made me smile, laugh, and kept me listening till the end. Like most romcoms I recommend going in blind because you want to feel the emotion for yourself!

Thank you so much @disneybooks for the #gifted copy on #Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

By the Book by Jasmine Guillory is a Beauty and the Beast retelling, and I think it's my favorite retelling to date! Isabelle and Beau get more adorable at every page turn, and they bond over both reading AND writing. Isabelle works in the publishing industry. Her publishing house is trying to wrangle the elusive (and infamous) Beau Towers. Isabelle goes to a conference in Cali only to end up volunteering herself to convince Beau Towers to make progress on his book by showing up at his oh-so-lovely home. However, she's the one who ends up getting roped into being his live-in motivational coach, mostly by Beau. Some of the supporting actors of the original B&B show up as well, just not in the ways you'd expect (if the voice Izzy occasionally hears in the bathroom of the mansion is any indication). I think I especially loved that it was a slow love story, much like the original.

I think I always liked Beauty and the Beast, but this might be the first time I loved it. It could be because the couple is black this time. It could also be because Izzy works in publishing. Either way, this is a book I'd pick up again.

Ummm this was adorable! Nothing better than a book about books with strong leads and lots of passion (also, it's a loose retelling of Beauty & the Beast!!) The whimsy of this makes it a very enjoyable read and listen on audio. This book is also in the same series of If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy, which I did not realize, and follows another book I loved. This is definitely a book Disney/fairytale/romance lovers will eat up.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

I went in to this book skeptical (even though I love all of Jasmine Guillory's books) because I wasn't sure how she would translate to Disney. I had no need to worry. This book was fabulous - just enough of Beauty in the Beast to satisfy - not too much to be overwhelming/too much.

This is the second installation in the Meant to Be series, "featuring updated and contemporary takes on classic Disney princesses" so do with that as you will. The fact that this was written by loved romance author Jasmine Guillory won me over my disdain for the Disney Princess.

You could read this and not know it was a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but certain things might hit weird causing you to audibly "huh?". As a retelling it was alright, although it felt like the author was given a list of boxes she had to check that seemed out of no where (I think the wifi password was Lumière, and Mrs. Potts was now Ms. Kettle, etc.). I found it distracting from the story. Otherwise Guillory dishes up what she's know for- great characters, fun romance.

Closed door, m/f romance.

The audiobook was great! The narrator was enjoyable and fit the overall feel of the storyline. Perfect narrator for this book.

This was a fun rom-com take on Beauty and the Beast. I loved the small references to the Disney movie (like the TV show the characters watch called "This Provincial Life." This is a closed door romance, which isn't my usual preference for romance novels, but I enjoyed the overall light-heartedness and pacing. This is a cute book that I could see recommending to romance readers who feel uncomfortable with spice.

This modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast immediately caught my attention. This was an intriguing spin on the classic tale, and the down-to-earth narrative voice was easy to listen to and appreciate throughout the book. I am excited to see the series of retelling continue!

This retelling is AMAZING. Izzy and Beau were the best fit as Beauty and the Beast! I loved it.

Here we have a lady who is trying so hard to do what she loves, and a man broken by who he has been in the past, and they become unlikely friends, who become lovers.

Things I love: Izzy’s anthropomorphizing of everything… especially the bath. The way Beau is “beastly”. The baking. The surfing. The narrator.

Notes on the narrator: she does the emotions SO WELL, the laughs, the anxiety, the pain. It was thoroughly enjoyable.

Things I dislike… that I can’t read it again for the first time. 😂

This is a fun, romantic story! A lot of the story is a slow build of tension as the main characters get to know each other and become attracted to each other but aren't sure if it's mutual. As the story progressed, I enjoyed the all the little references to Beauty and the Beast. The narrator did an excellent job of bringing this fabulous story to life. I look forward to reading more book by Jasmine Guillory and hopefully listening to more book read by Sarah Hollis. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Missing your childhood fairy tales? This modern re-telling will leave you feeling good about the "princess", the "romance" and even the "bad guy". My favorite part was mentally comparing the characters. Diverse, engaging, and a lovely narrator that has you smiling along with her.

I usually read Guillory's book. But I really enjoyed listening for a change. The narrator did a great job and I was impressed with the pacing. I love the spin-off of Beauty and the Beast connections without being over the top. Guillory does not disappoint.

Izzy works for a publishing house and is aspiring for a promotion. In hopes to prove herself, she pitches an idea to fly out to California to meet with a difficult writer. Upon approval she is on her way to help Beau Towers, a celebrity bad boy finish his book. This story follows Izzy as she develops a book and working relationship with Beau. But then things develop further.

What I liked about this book: This book is a play on the Disney classic Beauty and The Beast. I appreciated the little tie-ins to the original story through the modern take. Izzy is a ball of sunshine and very likable. Beau is darker, has experienced a difficult life and is anything but positive. This is my first Jasmine Guillory book and I will be reading her others. I was impressed with her writing style.

What I disliked about the book: I felt like the words “Beau Towers” were used way too much. Why so many mentions of the last name? We get it, his name is Beau and he is a celebrity. There are other cases that feel like words are overused (e.i. "kissing").. I feel like this book could use an additional editor to eliminate some of these repetitions.

Notes on the audiobook: Sarah Hollis is engaging and exciting. She did a great job with a variety of characters and their tones. She conveyed excitement when she needed to but then sadness for other parts of the story. I will be looking for future audiobooks that are recorded by her.

Thank you Hyperion Avenue, Jasmine Guillory, Disney Enterprises Inc., Sarah Hollis, and Netgalley for the ARC.