The narrator is excellent, the story is good, a fun modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I enjoyed the character development of both the main characters and the secondary characters.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook!
I love the fact that this was a retelling with poc main characters and I wish that have been developed more than just the one comment towards the end about Beau being judged by the media more harshly because of his race. Oh, and the mentions of Isabelle being the only poc at her job but that was never revisited.

Overall, it’s a cute, well-paced romance but I just wanted more substance and connection to the characters.

This book was a magical retelling of "Beauty and the Beast". I found myself smiling every time I caught a reference to the traditional fairy tale. The "Meant To Be" book series has quickly found a very special place in my heart.

I went into this book automatically assuming I was going to love it because, 1) I loved the first book in this series If the Shoe Fits and 2) I positively adore Jasmine Guillory's books.

There were some parts of this that I really enjoyed. I liked the Izzy and her struggles felt very real. She was likeable and her choices made sense for her character. The little nods to Beauty and the Beast (which this was a retelling of in a way) was a lot of fun and super cute.

I felt like the book was a little... immature overall though? I didn't realize these books were from a Disney publishing company, and while that's not a bad thing, I think if I'd realized that in the beginning my expectations would have changed a little. I never noticed it with the first book but this one had moments where it felt noticeable. The book felt a step up from a Hallmark movie. There were a few times they swore and there was kissing on page, but it was super wholesome otherwise. The fade to black is more like a hint of light grey.

This would be a good romance novel for someone transitioning from YA romance to Adult romance. I think that's the best way to put it.

Sarah Hollis was the narrator for the audiobook. I enjoyed listening to her. She brought the main character to life really well. I do wish she'd changed her voice a little more for when Beau was talking, but other than that, I liked her.

If you are looking for a sweet, Disney fairytale inspired romance, this is a great one to check out.

Izzy is frustrated. Her dreams of becoming an editor in the publishing world seems impossible. When she hears her boss talking about an author who is behind on his manuscript, Izzy offers to give him pep talks and encourage him to write. Originally from New York, Izzy is enchanted when she sees the beautiful mansion in Santa Barbara where Beau lives. Izzy is surprised when he asks her to stay for a month and help him write. She needs a break and who can deny the beautiful weather, the beach, and Beau’s house. Izzy has her work cut out for her because Beau is privileged, spends lots of time by himself, and is not cooperative. Izzy has Beau working every day and Beau convinces her to work on her own manuscript.
I loved this book. Those who are privileged often have dark secrets that haunt them. As Beau starts to trust Izzy, she begins to understand why he is withdrawn. The arguments between them are well done, natural reactions to not communicating. The setting added to the book. I could picture the gardens, pool, kitchen with snacks, Izzy’s bedroom, and the library. The books I have read by Jasmine Guillory have all been great but this one was special.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the audiobook to review. I really enjoyed the narrator and absolutely enjoyed the story. I wasn’t sure how Jasmine Guillory would modernize the story of Beauty and the Beast but this story just WORKED. I love how there wasn’t magic so everything was realistic yet the idea of the dishes and furniture was woven into the story. This book was totally fun and might be my new favorite book by Guillory.

Izzy works for a publishing company and when one thing leads to another, she ends up staying in California with a client because he is struggling so much with writing his memoir. She is there to help him, but along the way sparks fly and feelings are caught.

This book was cute, in the clean, soft romance type of way. I enjoyed the premise of the story. Where this book lost me was that there didn't seem to be a strong conflict. At first I though maybe there would be issues with Izzy and her boss, but nothing like that ever happened. And when the really conflict did happen, it was resolved within a few pages it seemed like.

By the Book is a Beauty and Beast modern-day retelling by Jasmine Guillory. When editorial assistant Isabelle is tasked with getting reclusive Beau to turn in his long-awaited memoir, she ends up moving into his Santa Barbara mansion and they begin to realize there may be something there that wasn’t there before.

This book was fine, but I expected more. This is a Jasmine Guillory book, and this didn’t feel like a Jasmine Guillory book. She is an auto-buy for me, but this is not her typical book. It was too cheesy, too Disney-movie sweet. I wanted to love it, but it felt too juvenile for the characters to be in their late twenties.

By the Book comes out on May 3, 2022. Thanks for Hyperion Avenue, DisneyAudio and NetGalley for my ARC.

Prior to reading this book, I was a little bummed when I read that it would not follow the first book in the series, If the Shoe Fits, very closely or have the same author. I loved the world that Julie Murphy built in that first book and was sad we wouldn’t get to see more of it. Don’t get me wrong, I still pre-ordered this book as a birthday gift to myself and jumped when I saw the audiobook available on NetGalley. I can say after reading (listening to) it, it’s ok that the books aren’t interconnected, I didn’t feel like I missed it at all!

I mean, first of all, Jasmine Guillory is a QUEEN. I have yet to read or listen to anything by her that I didn’t like. The details, the tension, and the world she creates in each of her books are amazing! They also have a lot of elements that are like a love letter to California, which is fun to see as someone who lived there.

Second of all, this book. THIS BOOK. Perfection! All the tiny little details throughout that pull in elements of the Disney movies are just glorious. The name of the publishing company Izzy works for, the title of the show she watches, the freakin internet password! Gah! So. Good. I also loved how we got to see Izzy go on a journey and figure things out for herself and Beau gave her the space to do just that.

This was the perfect easy, lighthearted romance to read as I was dealing with a lot in my real world life. I could easily escape into this book and feel relaxed. The tension is good, and makes the characters really dynamic. I would highly recommend this book to romance readers and fans of Beauty and the Beast everywhere! I can’t wait to get my finished copy on release day!

I love Jasmine Guillory and automatically read anything she writes. However, this book is definitely a departure from her typical style. I am hesitant to use this word, but it's the best one I can think of. Cheesy. This book is more cheesy than her usual books. Dialogue has never been Guillory's strong suit, and this one is full of stilted conversations that I cannot imagine actually happening in real life. I do love the characters, though, and their chemistry is believable which is the most important part of a romance. And the story is very closed door so that is important to know.

✨Book Review✨
By the Book my Jasmine Guillroy
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Jasmine Guillroy does it again. She has definitely solidified herself as an auto-buy author for me. This book, loosely based on Beauty and the Beast, has me really questioning my previous statement that I don't love retellings. This retelling was just as subtle and enjoyable as the first in this series (If the Shoe Fits). I can't wait for book three!
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I really had no idea how someone could pull off a Beauty and the Beast retelling without the problematic falling-in-love-with-your-captor troupe, but Guillroy has done it! This was lovely, and contained all of the consent. :)
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Isabelle and Beau were delightful, and I loved the bookish content. It actually reminded me a lot of Must Love Books. I know I haven't said much about the story, but go read this one for yourself! I listened to the audio for most of this book, and while the narrator took me a little getting used to, I ended up loving her.

When Izzy lands her dream job in publishing it seems like her whole life is looking up. After two years with no promotion and very little positive feedback from her boss or coworkers, she is starting to feel like walking away. Beau has been living in isolation for the past two years after the death of his father, but the memoir that he promised to write has been more and more impossible and he is struggling with even day to day interactions. When Izzy offers to help Beau write his memoir, channeling all of her former optimism into pep talks, he agrees seemingly just to make her regret her offer. As they work and live together, they start to open up Izzy to her own worth, and Beau to other humans again.

What a great beach read! This was a sweet and funny romance with lots of longing and poignant looks. The sex was off the page, but the tension certainly built through the characters getting to know each other and working through their respective past experiences. I could relate to both characters, but especially Beau coming out of two years of having minimal interaction with other people. I love the way that Izzy is able to recapture some of her optimisim by striking a work life balance, and reconnecting with the things that she loved before she lost that. I also really enjoyed the reader's smoky voice and connection to the characters.

I listened to the advanced release of this book thanks to NetGalley and Disney Audiobooks for allowing me to review the book before purchasing for my library. All opinions are my own.

I love Jasmine Guillory and I love fairytale retellings, so I was super excited to read this! It didn’t quite live up to my expectations—the writing felt a bit more simplistic than Guillory’s previous novels, and things wrapped up a little too quickly/neatly/almost abruptly for my taste. But the interaction between the characters (and particularly their mutual appreciation of a good snack, which is always one of my favorite parts of Guillory’s books!) was still fun, and all the little nods to Beauty and the Beast were charming. Overall, I don’t know that I loved it as much as I’d hoped I would, but it was still a nice, quick read that put a smile on my face.

This is the second book in the "Meant To Be" series, which are adaptations of classic Disney stories. By the Book is a very loose adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. If you picked this book up and didn't know that information you could read the whole thing and still not make the connection. The hints at Beauty and the Beast are very subtle and clever. However, if you are a Disney fan then this book is a must read! It is a charming and lovely modern day romance that has so many subtle nods to the original story. This was such a clever idea and a really great reimagining.
As an English teacher I love looking at different versions of the same story with my students. I could see some high school students choosing to do a project on this book versus a different version of that story, or compared to the movie. Or my students may just enjoy this as independent reading since it's such a charming book!
Thanks as always to #Netgalley and #DisneyAudiobooks for allowing me early access to this book!

Isabella loves books and is so excited to finally have a job in the publishing world. Yet a couple years in she is questioning if working in publishing is really where she should be. When the opportunity presents itself to meet one of her bosses most reclusive authors. Isabella jumps at the chance. Upon meeting Beau, she finds herself faced with an unfriendly, abrupt, and not generally kind person. When jokingly she offers to provide him with pep talk daily Beau grabs on to the idea and insists that she stay and do just that. Can Isabella get beneath Beaus tough exterior and help him produce the novel he has promised? Is there more to Beau then what meets the eye? Will Isabella be able to fall in love with writing and publishing again before it is too late?
This is a lovely book. The reader is smooth and easy to listen to and allows the listener to be able to truly immerse themselves in the story. The story itself alludes to beauty and the beast themes but doesn’t overly play up the idea. It is also very nice to have a heroine who doesn’t totally fit into the Hollywood body stereotype. I think the growth that both Beau and Isabella go through really helps the reader feel invested in them and their story.
Thank you so very much Disney and Netgalley for allowing me to have access to an advance copy of this title.

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!
I'm on the wrong edition of the book but the narrator, Sarah Hollis, was really good. She did a great job of distinguishing between characters without making them sound cartoony. I also liked the way she read out texts, some narrators draw it out and make it really annoying, but she did not.

Beauty and the Beast modern retelling? New book from Jasmine Guillory ? Yes, please!

I loved the modern twist on this classic. And all the Beauty and the Beast references made the book perfection. The characters were so lovable and complimented each other so well. Adorable, cheesy (the snacks! Can I get the snack cabinet?!), rom-com perfect for a feel good read!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This was a very cute, very tame romance novel. Do not go into this book expecting any amount of spice (though, since it’s published through Disney, that’s something to be expected). Izzy was a very relatable protagonist for me: stuck in a job where she doesn’t feel appreciated, living at home with her parents to save money, size 12 and not afraid to eat some good food, and obsessed with books and reading. Beau was… an okay love interest. For some reason, I’m able to forgive the Beast for his outbursts while watching the Disney movie, but I would get so annoyed with Beau whenever he had any type of anger or annoyance towards Izzy. The plot wasn’t AMAZING (the main bit was good, but some of the minor points never felt fully fleshed out to me), but was still a fun ride to go on. My only major annoyance was the dedication to making this be like Beauty & the Beast in the sense that Izzy spoke to the furniture… that bit could have been left out, and we’d all have been better for it. Overall, cute read if you’re looking for something tame and quaint to read.

This audiobook was lovely. The narrator was good and had a lovely voice to share this book. This story was fun and sweet. A cute retelling of Beauty and the Beast with Izzy and Beau. It’s a fun, romantic story.

3.5 stars

In this second installment of the 'Meant to Be' series, Jasmine Guillory takes a stab at a Beauty and the Beast inspired event featuring Izzy and Beau in respective iconic roles.

Izzy is an extremely likeable main character made even more appealing - as is the case with all parts of this novel - by the charming narration of Sarah Hollis, who expertly voices the whole audiobook. Hollis highlights what appear to be Izzy's essential qualities: down-to-earth but optimistic. Izzy finds herself in Santa Barbara (from New York) working with Beau. While she tries to get her own writing/editing career in order, Izzy takes up the task of helping the notoriously challenging Beau *finally* complete his memoir.

Like all good Guillory pairings, the most hilarious part of the relationship here is these characters' mutual appreciation for food. Unlike most Guillory pairings, these two are a bit more PG (at WILDEST PG-13) and are generally uncomplicated.

Though I'd have loved to see a bit more passion, challenge, and grit in this relationship, the simple and sweet nature of these two fits the profile of the series they inhabit. Having read every other Guillory book, I was a little bummed to feel like she was perhaps a bit hampered by those constraints, but this is an easy read nonetheless.