Firstly, thank-you to @netgalley and @stormbooks_co for allowing me a chance to read this as an ARC 🥰

I did really enjoy reading this book, it was quirky and funny and most definitely enjoyable! I loved the relationship building and how much I actually felt for the characters! 🥰 it follows Zoe and Jack when they cross paths. There is an age gap and Zoe is going through a marriage breakdown and there is baggage! I actually liked how this didn't end like most romance books which is always a good thing! 🥰 only reason I dropped a star is because the chapters were a little too long for me and could have been split per POV but that is a personal preference and doesn't stop me recommending this book!🥰

Thank you NetGalley and storm publishing for giving me early access to read this book 🫶🏻

Plot summary

Zoe and Jack Damon meet at their friends wedding and they have an instant spark as the banter and conversation just flows for them ! But she quickly leaves the wedding and the great conversation as she finds out about her husband’s infidelity

While trying to figure out how to handle her divorce and step into this new role of being a single teen parent at her school where she is the math teacher she runs into the new substitute teacher….Jack Damon the guy from the wedding

How is she going to handle this new found attraction and admiration for Jack while trying to keep it professional, handle her divorce but also be the best single parent to her children….find out in Texbook romance


My review

When I first started to read this book it was super funny and interesting to hear Zoe complain about things like TikTok and KSI but also hear the banter between both Jack and Zoe ! It was a super interesting plot and the characters were really well written !

But as I kept reading there was something that I wasn’t connecting to ! I think the writing style was just not something that I liked as I kept reading! At first I thought it was a tad bit funny but then I think it just started to get a little weird and maybe cringey🙈 same goes for their banter !

I really liked Zoe and Jack separately but when together it would take me awhile to get through their scenes ! I had a really hard time connecting with them throughout the book !

Overall I just don’t think that this writing style and book was for me sadly :(

I just want to say this book was fine … it wasn’t bad .. it just wasn’t great I guess? . It started out cute but overall the story moves really fast. The age gap isn’t an issue but it’s not my favorite trope so maybe that’s why? . I’m not really sure but I just didn’t enjoy it. Overall it was a cute read but I wouldn’t read again .

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARc of Kristen Baileys new upcoming book.

Textbook romance is a sweet (yet spicy) workplace, age gap romance, that centred around recently-divorced Zoe and new substitute teacher, Jack.

I really enjoyed seeing a woman in her early 40s as the lead protagonist, and as the older partner in the age gap relationship. I thought it was a fresh take on a classic trope and I loved how she was able to explore her sexuality again following her divorce. The pacing was really well done, the chapters punchy and I thought it was a mature take on issues such as infidelity and co-parenting.

At times though, it did become a little frustrating about how much focus there was around the characters age gap and it got a bit old (no pun intended). Similarly, I thought the lack of communication really took away from the characters relationship and it felt a little bit rushed for the characters to making love declarations after such a short time!

All in all, a solid read with some quality 🌶️ and an incredible book boyfriend ready to add to your favourites! Thank you to Kristen Bailey, Storm Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC 🥰

About a woman with kids who finds out her husband was cheating on her with her best friend. She starts a romance with a younger man. Cute story with great side characters, but it was slow at times.

BOOK: TEXTBOOK ROMAMCE
AUTHOR: KRISTEN BAILEY
PUB DATE: JULY 2024
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REVIEW- 3.5 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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THINGS I LIKED
1. The MCs, Zoe, and Jack were good people. I loved reading about their relationship and how they re discovered themselves. Zoe, in her divorce with her cheating ex and Jack, finding his purple.
2. The friends and family of the MCs
3. The FMC's job.
4. The pace of their relationship
5. The mature, non-rebelling teenage kids of the FMC, it's something rarely seen in a divorce in a book
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THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE
1. Not much
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The book was okay, good for me, but I did notice that it was a bit slow in the middle and ending. But, I still liked it.

Textbook Romance is a heartwarming age gap romance featuring an endearing ensemble of supporting characters! Zoe’s and Jack’s story is filled with witty humor and some favorite comforting and nostalgic elements of the early 2000s romcom era.
The character complexities and interwoven relations were comparable to a dearly beloved film of mine, Love Actually. I love when every side character serves a purpose and doesn’t just exist to fill space. The quippy banter and tender sentiment fondly reminded me of Netflix’s One Day while some of the dialogue and plot elements brought the movie The Idea of You to mind (without the Harry Styles fanfic reference but somehow equally as good if not better!)

Sometimes the language around Gen X characters took me out of the story mainly due to repetitiveness but overall, I really enjoyed this book and found it charming, easily digestible and very funny!

Zoe and Jack meet at a friends wedding. They instantly have a connection, they are just having fun. Then she gets a phone call from her daughter,Lottie. Lottie wants to know where her dad is and Zoe tells her that he is in Glasglow for the weekend for a conference. Lottie says no he isn't and she had proof. She shoots Zoe a picture of her father. There was no denying that it was in fact him. Jack helps her as she can't help herself. Zoe is in complete shock. Jack takes the phone from her and talks to Lottie and lets her know that he has gotten an Uber for Zoe and he needs to know the address to send her to.

Jack thinks that will be the end of it for them. He is very wrong though. It has only just begun for these two. This book will take you through tough times and funny ones. It has love and new beginnings.

Kristen Bailey has written an amazing romcom but with a lot of depth to it. It's really difficult to do that and make a story come to life on the pages as she has done in this book.
I truly hope you enjoy this book and Zoe and Jacks story as much as I did!

Happy Reading!

Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review. Overall I found this book to be a nice story overall. The characters are very likable, and their development throughout the narrative is well done. However, as someone who isn't a teacher, I found the detailed descriptions about school life less interesting, and I did tend to glaze over those parts.

Initially, the age difference between the main characters was off-putting, but as the story progressed, I came to appreciate the dynamic between the couple. It added a unique element to their relationship that grew on me.

There were moments where the narrative felt reminiscent of "Fifty Shades of Grey," which at times was a bit too much for my taste. Despite this, the book held my interest and I enjoyed it overall.

I would rate this book 3.5 stars.

Zoe met Jack at a wedding, the same wedding where she found out the worst news. Her husband betrayed her in one of the worst possible ways. A few months later, Zoe and Jack reunite again at the school where she teaches. They form a friendship, but not long after they both start feeling like they may be more than just friends. However, Zoe is hesitant because Jack quite a bit younger than her. Zoe has to figure out how Jack could fit into her already busy life as a teacher and mother.

My Thoughts
I thought this was a cute book. There were some heavy topics when it came to Zoe’s life and her husband’s betrayal, along with Jack’s back story. We’re not only shown the effects of the betrayal on Zoe, but her teenage children as well. We also see Zoe grow and begin to stick up for herself and become a stronger person.

There were some funny moments involving chicken emojis that did make me laugh out loud. There was also a lot of banter and innuendos between Zoe and Jack that were really fun to read. They both also had such good friends that were there for them. The writing style of this book was a little different for me, but I still enjoyed it.


Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Textbook Romance by Kristen Bailey is a uplifting snapshot into the world of age-gap love nestled into the reality of real life circumstances

This book was a real surprise for me. At a first I thought age gap love in a midst of a divorce was a bit cheesy but as I got to know the characters and scenarios I fell in love. Set in London beginning at a wedding Zoe a happily married (so it seems) mum of two teenagers meets Jack a botany graduate swaying between jobs. As the story advances having being cheated on Zoe now single mum of two focused on her work as a maths teacher until she’s surprisingly reunited with Jack who is now a substitute in her school. Alongside the help of friends Mia and Ed Zoe gains a new sense of life, (although juggling her estranged husband and her heartbroken kids) but does this new life include a certain Jack Damon ? The story as it progresses reveals topics of self love and family and how age doesn’t necessarily mean that one is less immature. I also found the dual point of view delightful as it gave me a better insight to how each character is feeling. The lightheartedness of the book allowed me to read with positivity in mind giving a new meaning to textbook romance in my mind. Overall I was truly shocked at how much I enjoyed this book and will most certainly consider reading other works by Bailey in the further.

This was such a cute beach read! I fell in love with Zoe, Jack and their families. Imagine being at a wedding when you learn your husband, who you thought was on a business trip, was cheating on you.... with your best friend. That is how this book starts off and it continues to make you smile and cheer for them. I really enjoyed it.

Wow this was a good read! I thought it was well paced and I adored the characters. The addition of Zoe’s teenage children added a complimentary dynamic to the story; it wasn’t just a love story, but a family affair. And I *loved* when Jack would play coy and make jokes to hype up Zoe in those awkward social situations. The ending was reasonable and realistic, something you don’t always see. 4.25/5

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy to review!

“When is love ever practical?”

Textbook Romance by Kristen Bailey is a new contemporary fiction about relationships, trust, and self-worth. Zoe, at the age of 43, has just had her life turned upside down when her husband is caught cheating with one of her good friends. Having a full-time teaching job and two teenagers, Zoe is trying to pretend everything is alright while being unsure of her next move. Jack, at 29, is just figuring out what path his life should be on when he takes a job as a cover teacher at the school Zoe works at.

I’m not sure this is a word associated with books much, but I was very content (“in a state of peaceful happiness”) while reading this. Textbook Romance was a feel good, cute, charming story. It was a sweet read that embodies kindness and good deeds – there were no crazy twists, nothing to jump out of your seat for or hide under your covers – just a lovely story from the moment it started until the last word on the page. The villain remained the villain and the nice guy was truly, a nice guy.

This book dealt with relationships in all forms – from marriage and new beginnings, to cheating and the after-effects with children during a divorce, and I think a lot of women reading this will be able to relate to this story in some way (whether it personally happened to them, or a sister, friend, etc.)

I liked how Zoe was able to rebuild her self-worth and trust in men by a soulful, hot guy 14 years her junior, and I thought her sister was great! However, I felt there was way too much inner dialogue happening and sometimes I had to scan the page to see if one person was actually talking to the other, or if it was all in their head.

This book flowed very well, and Bailey is definitely a storyteller, but at the end of the day there wasn’t anything amazing to make me remember this book a couple of weeks from now. Great characters, great character development, love the emotional aspects, but overall, just a 3.2 rating from me!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this enjoyable arc; all opinions are my own!

What a cute romance story! It was such a fast read, I think I read it in 2 sittings. Set in England, this was a wonderful slow burn, age-gap romance about Jack and Zoe finding each other, Zoe learning to trust again after her husband cheated, and the couple falling in love. This story did dual POV so seamlessly and I loved hearing the thoughts of both characters throughout their love story. There was cute banter, heartbreak, vulnerability, and love... what more could you want.

Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Kristen Bailey for the ARC of this book!

This was such a cute read! I adored the banter between Zoe and Jack so much. There were so many moments where I was kicking my feet, giggling because they were so cute together. I love, love, loved that Jack helped Zoe see that her ex-husband's actions do not reflect on her at all and that she's a beautiful and interesting woman. It was also refreshing for me to read about MCs that are in their 30s and 40s! It feels a little insta-lovey, so if you don't like that, you might not like it. The end also feels a little bit rushed and I would have loved to see more of Jack and Zoe navigating their relationship but overall I still really enjoyed it!

📎📐Revived my interest in the author's work😍🖇

This Kristen Bailey novel really caught on fire for me from the first meeting of the two main characters. They obviously have some indefinable connection that just becomes stronger and more obvious as they become closer after they find themselves working at the same school. A math-teaching mom who doesn't seem to know her own worth and a new substitute teacher, someone ready to show her how great she is, both at her job and after hours. I loved the confident, kind, younger man and the mature woman romance and the way kids played into the plot. Jack and Zoe were lovely, relatable characters and totally magic as a couple.

I thought the latter part of the Callaghan sister series, particularly the last book, had soured me on Bailey's work. This story, with its heartfelt romance (a bit cheeky at times), mixed with whimsy and humor, brought me back to the Kristen Bailey fold. Her female secondary characters, like daughter Lottie and fellow teacher Mia, are strong and appealing and Dylan, Ed, Dom and Dom's sons were good parts of the character ensemble.

This was a first class romance, though I wish the ending had brought a bit more in the way of certainty and closure.

Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

The concept was very promising, however this one fell short for me. The ending was VERY abrupt and seemingly out of nowhere. I thought we still had 40 or so more pages to tie up loose ends, and then it just ended. The Borneo storyline felt unnecessary as the FMC was already grappling with the potential relationship without the added hurdle. It made the story seem a bit unrealistic. Without any spoilers, there were loose ends left untied that I could not get past.

Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me an early read.

This book was super cute! I chuckled to myself, I swooned, and I felt all the feelings throughout.

The territory wasn't really new but that didn't bother me. I'm glad, in the end, that people see each other. I think that's what we all really want.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

An engaging rom-com with heart & soul that will make you blush more than once. The writing for this age gap rom-com works because the MCs are genuinely good people. The individual arcs & relationship storyline all felt believable. The ending was beautiful.

Thank you #Netgalley & #StormPublishing for the ARC e-book.