A good read if you're looking for something light, and free of microaggressions for people with non-normative bodies. And where there isn't an arc of acceptance by the thin romantic interest. Well that I did find it, ideal for when you were looking for a story full of literary references, fandoms and fanfics from the 2012's. The relationship I found it decent, maybe I'm asking too much of it, though at least I didn't feel like I wasted my time.

Super Cute LGBTQIA+ romance. It gave Emma retelling vibes, My only hangup was the interaction with Wanda, Bobby, and Wanda's online friend. She expressed several times that Bobby did not insert themselves into Wanda's business and Bobby ignores that. I get that it was a plot device and worked out for all, but we never saw Bobby take accountability for it or Wanda even really express her anger/hurt at Bobby disregarding her feelings.

This was the cutest book I’ve read all year. The coziest. The title being Recommended Reading is so funny to me bc I’m recommending this for everyone to read.

Firstly, this isn’t just a cute little romance. It’s a great nod to the genre as a whole. I loved everything about it. If you’re looking for something adorable and unique warm to curl up with - this is the book.

This book was too cute! I absolutely loved it. YA, fat-friendly, queer positive, and just too sweet for words. Bobby is fabulous and trying to fulfill his summer list when it all goes wrong. After he meets Luke, who is the opposite when it comes to love, his viewpoints begin to shift.

He begins to help spruce up corner bookstore and starts to see the true beauty without needing to completely change everything. Through it all, he explores connections with friendships and even a nemesis or two.

I really loved this book. Paul Coccia did such a great job telling this story and making Bobby such a fun character to follow.

How flipping cute wa this book. I wish I had books with such wholesome queer representation when I was younger, because I would have devoured this as a teen. This is such a sweet opposites attracts rom com with a plus sized hero with a heart of gold. Their friends to more banter was leg kicking adorable I just ate it up. I recommend this to everyone, not just those I the YA demographic. I love a story with such hope and sweetness.

This book was provided to me by NetGalley but all opinions and reviews are my own.

Cute and cuddly read. Love a good heartfelt MxM. Can’t wait to read more by this author. A great read.

This was a cute rom-com! Gotta love a good friends to lovers trope, and I adored Bobby! I also really enjoyed all the side characters and their stories. It was a fun, easy read!

I thought this was a sweet story. I really liked both main characters and I was rooting for them throughout!

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed and lovable. The pacing was perfect and left you wanting to read more. I can't wait to read more by this author!

This book really engulfed me. While reading it, I felt like I was part of the story and that I was right there with the characters. I absolutely adore this book and the message behind it. My patrons will enjoy this one too.

3.5 stars. A sweet YA M-M romance inspired by Austen's Emma. This book wins points for fat representation. I enjoyed the cast of characters, book store setting, and small-town vibes. Lots of heart!

Both a cautionary tale for what happens when you try to make life too much like your favorite romance books and a love letter to the genre, Recommended Reading is almost too cute to handle. I wish that the book delved deeper into the side characters, but it does give a solid insight into Bobby and the pitfalls of being a hopeless romantic - as well as the positives of the same.

4.25 out of 5 stars.

Such a sweet summertime read!

I love modern retellings - fairy tales & classic literature alike - and Coccia does a great job of it with Recommended Reading.

This LGBTQIA2+ inclusive book could have gone a little farther into explaining/exploring Luke’s pansexuality.

As fat person, I appreciate that the main character touches on his insecurities in being so - could have used a bit more of this too, actually!

The cast of characters is wonderful. I wouldn’t mind a series, perhaps with books focusing on Wanda, Cass, and of course Gladys & Gladys!

Will recommend!

Loved the cover and the content. I’m a sucker for a rewrite of the classics, and this one does Emma justice. Here’s to lucky mistakes and pebbles tossed at a window.

#RecommendedReading
#PaulCoccia
#Pebbles
#BookWhisperer
#judgeabookbyitscover

Within a few chapters I knew this caring young protagonist was going to have his narrow view of what love is turned on it's head, and this was a wonderful thing. Bobby's journey of self discovery is relatable to so many people. The way the other cast of characters helped changed his views made me laugh and shake my head a bunch of times because the "help" ranged from looking the other way to a completely caustic Gladys ( loved her.) who reminds me of a few people in my life. I enjoyed the journey this book went through and already know a few people who I am recommending this to!

Perfect for any library young adult collection, this gently queer love story with over the top characters and a believable happily ever after is exactly what my teen patrons have been asking for! Building on a foundation of Austen's eternal matchmaker and meddler Emma, the diverse cast of Recommended Reading explodes across a college town in a dazzling display of book adjacent mayhem. As all sorts of relationships form and grow, the reader gets pulled along, hopefully learning to think ahead and leave room in their plans for serendipity. A great choice for a young adult book club (mirroring the one in the book) or community read along. Thank you to NetGalley for access to this most enjoyable arc.

Oh my god. This was such a lovely read!
You know you're hooked when you're already cringing along in secondhand embarrassment with the mc only ten pages in!

I loved literally everything about it, and my heart broke when you know who discovered the list.
Gosh. I almost cried !

Thank you for allowing me to arc read this gem. I ordered a graphic novel reccomended in this.

Thanks book whisperer!

This was such a sweet and charming read. Recommended Reading is the story of Bobby and how his grand plans for a pre-college summer of fabulousness don’t quite work out the way he’d hoped. Despite flash mob disaster, heartbreak, disappointment and a fair few misunderstandings, he ends up having a break filled with victories while learning some important lessons about love, friendship, collaboration, boundaries, and success.

There was so much to like in this book. Bobby is a flawed main character but in a very relatable and realistic teenage way. It was impossible not to relate to him and his struggles with self-esteem and peer acceptance as someone who was also a nerdy, awkward bookworm. At one point he says that ‘love is for beautiful people not fat bookish boys’ which broke my heart and I was very happy to see him proven wrong by the end of the story. But there’s also much outside of his romantic life that Bobby has going for him and his summer experiences really demonstrate to him the value of his relationships with his family and friends and his organisational and professional achievements. He learns to adjust his grandiose schemes as a result of truly listening to others and to modify his plans in ways that end up working out better for all involved.

The central romantic relationship was also well constructed – friends-to-lovers is a favourite trope and the way these two interacted and their bond developed was tender, believable and rewarding.

Another strength of this book was its cast of diverse and (mostly) delightful side characters. It was a lot of fun to follow along with Bobby’s journey of learning more about the people in his life and of realising the complexities of their existences beyond his previously limited understanding of their lives had been. Thus, while this book is a quick, easy and light read, it contains enough substance to satisfy readers beyond its intended YA audience.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Cute, fun, flirty YA queer romance. Fun characters who are well developed and endearing. I always love a book about books, too!

Stay tuned for this in 2025.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

Thank you Zando Young Readers and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. This book was a delight, probably one of my favorite 2024 reads, unfortunately it doesn’t come out till next year! One you should absolutely put on your TBR’s! Bobby has always loved reading, especially romance, as a result he is particularly good at helping people to find love and/or helping them find the perfect book to get them through what they need. Everyone that is except himself but that’s going to change. He’s preforming the grand gesture for his crush and everything will be grand. However when it all falls apart he’s shaken and his confidence is blown. Cast out of the prestigious bookstore and almost kicked out of school he begins working at his uncles (no blood relation) used book store. In need of a sprucing up and a rebranding he works hard to turn Corner Books around. Soon he’s back to helping people, this time joined by new to town Luke, who doesn’t really believe in love. The two clash but somehow their opposing views work well together. Bobby’s usually confident with his size and unbothered by being bigger but since his last disaster he has trouble getting out of his head. There’s no way that very handsome Luke could be into him right? As the two become closer Bobby becomes more confused. Are he and Luke into each other? Is Bobby in over his head with his meddling with other peoples love lives? I always love reading about people who look like me in books and the fact that Bobby is as into books as I am was very nice! I also loved the confidence he had, I also love reading about characters having traits you like, it’s like getting a glimpse of who you could be! Funny, sweet, touching, and incredibly heartwarming! A perfect little rom com to get you all in the feels!