The story begins when zoe meets Jack fot the first time months ago, at a wedding and they immediately hit it off..., but zoe's night end devastatingly when she finds out about her husband's infidelity the same night. After four months, now as Zoe is learning to get her life back together, going through divorce and helping her kids navigate the new dynamics, she meet jack again when he joins her school as a teacher and their sparks fly again.

The story is really enjoyable. I Loved how Zoe was with her kids and also how her kids are so loyal to her no matter what. Also jack is such an amazing mmc, the way he supports Zoe, get the joy back in her Life was beautiful.
Overall its a great story of finding yourself and love again in Life ❤️

Thank you netgallery for providing me the copy of this book in exchange of my honest review

This book really exceeded my expectations
I thought it would a good read but actually it was more than good!!!
it was an awesome read

Textbook Romance is another brilliant romantic comedy by author Kristen Bailey!
This book is as much a story of the resilience of the human spirit as it is a romance, with the importance of the support systems of family and friends clearly on display throughout. But front and centre is a delightful, entertaining, and heartwarming story of two people who find each other and fall in love, skillfully told through both of their points of view. As a result, the reader feels like a fly on the wall, watching the budding relationship grow as it faces unique challenges with humour and grace.
Bailey sweeps you away with her well-written tale; the book is in fact difficult to put down, so engaging are the characters and the situations in which they find themselves. I highly recommend this book!
I'm so glad to have received an ARC of #TextbookRomance from #NetGalley.

Cute, quintessential rom-com. I enjoyed the age difference between the main characters, specifically that the woman was older! I loved the bond the FMC had with her children. While this definitely wasn’t a “B.R.A.D.”, it was an easy read with a few mentions of spice!

This romance novel tells the story of Zoe Swift, a math teacher and single mom who meets the charming and witty Jack Damon at a wedding. Sparks fly between them, and their paths cross again when Jack becomes a supply teacher at Zoe’s school.

The story does a great job of portraying Zoe’s internal struggle as she deals with the fallout from her husband’s betrayal while raising two teenage kids. Her hesitation to start a relationship with a younger man adds depth and realism to her character. Jack’s presence helps Zoe rediscover the joys of life, from dancing and takeout to the thrill of romance and intimacy.

The chemistry between Zoe and Jack is palpable, and their interactions are filled with humor and warmth. Jack’s unwavering support and their growing connection are heartwarming, making their romance feel both genuine and compelling. The novel also delves into the complexities of family dynamics, co-parenting, and the challenges of a significant age gap in a relationship.

Overall, the book is a delightful, heartwarming read that explores love, resilience, and the courage to embrace unexpected opportunities. It’s a perfect choice for readers who enjoy contemporary romance with well-developed characters and a relatable storyline.

So charming! I enjoyed this book thoroughly. Yes, I could've done without some of the language, but the story was excellent and filled with such real emotions. There were times I felt for Zoe, other times I felt for her kids, and still others I felt for Jack. That is the mark of great character development. Some parts were hilarious and others were heart breaking. The entire story unfolded like a movie in my mind. I thought it was a great read.

I thoroughly enjoyed Textbook Romance, by Kristen Bailey. Thanks to Storm Publishing for the advance reader's copy. The main characters are not traditional - a mid-40s woman navigating a messy divorce and a young botanist who randomly meet at a mutual friend's wedding. As someone who has a lot in common with Zoe, the main character, I loved her story and the writing about her situation was so realistic and authentic. Jack, her "man friend", is really funny and his character was also well-developed in an authentic way. Their story was refreshing with nontraditional characters and plot. Their banter and the dialogue between all the characters was full of humor. The ending resolves everything beautifully, but doesn't default to their romance as the ending to everything. This was my first Kristen Bailey book, and it was fantastic! I will definitely read all of her work in the future. Add this book to your TBR list and enjoy!

The story was just okay. I didn’t really enjoy the main character but I did enjoy the story overall. I did appreciate that the main character was older and I found the fmc being older than the mmc quite refreshing.

Textbook Romance by Kristen Bailey comes out at the end of July and I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC. This story is about Zoe and Jack. Zoe is a math teacher and Jack is a substitute teacher. They meet at a wedding where Zoe discovers her husband is cheating on her. Fast forward several months later and Zoe is in the midst of a divorce and trying to examine who she is now. Zoe and Jack form a relationship but they both are questioning if their feelings are real and if they are holding each other back from moving forward with their lives. This book was okay. I went into it thinking it would be a cute teacher romance. It missed the mark a bit. It came across as very juvenile. After about the tenth male intimate parts joke, I was over it. I also didn’t realize there was an age gap by 14 years! Jack was the younger one and was way more mature than Zoe. In fact, his character is what upheld the book. He is a natural giver and helper and I really appreciated that in the MMC. I did love the bond between Zoe and her two children. They go to bat for each other in some emotionally charged situations with the ex husband and I found that to be very uplifting. Overall this is a quick, breezy read. Check it out later this month.

DNF @ 35%
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this ebook ARC!

I don't know what it is about the writing style of this book. I think I may find it to be trying too hard and coming across as forced? The story itself seems fine but at 35% I felt like very little had happened and I was bored.

This is such a freaking adorable book 🥰

We follow Jack and Zoe who meet at a mutual friend’s wedding which soon goes sideways when Zoe finds out that her husband is having an affair with someone close to her. Zoe is left juggling her job as a secondary school teacher, comforting her two teenage children, and restarting in her 40s after a couple of decades of marriage.

Jack re-enters the picture as a supply teacher at Zoe’s school. Jack is a bit younger than Zoe (29) and is figuring out what he wants out of life and his career after taking some time out to help his brother raise his two children. There’s an instant connection between the two of them, but Zoe has concerns over what to expect from Jack with them being in such different places in life.

I’m an absolute sucker for a romance book set in the UK - especially when it’s written so well. If you enjoy workplace romance, with mature dimensional characters that have aaalllll the chemistry, then you’ll love this book ❤

Another smash hit from Kristen bailey. I loved this story. I instantly loved the characters from the first page. Go buy it!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. Textbook Romance by Kristen Bailey unfortunately did not meet my expectations. While the premise had potential, the execution fell short in several areas, leading to a less-than-engaging reading experience.
One of the main issues I encountered was the lack of interesting events throughout the book. The plot seemed stagnant, with little to no development happening to keep the reader invested. This is a crucial element in any romance novel, as readers often look for compelling storylines that evoke emotions and keep them turning the pages.
Additionally, the characters felt quite bland and underdeveloped. Strong, relatable characters are essential in romance novels, as they drive the narrative and create a connection with the reader. In Textbook Romance, the characters lacked depth and complexity, making it difficult to care about their journey or root for their happiness.
Another point of concern was the excessive use of dialogue. While dialogue is an important tool in storytelling, it should be balanced with descriptive writing and inner thoughts to create a well-rounded narrative. In this book, the constant back-and-forth conversations between characters overshadowed other crucial aspects of storytelling, leading to a monotonous reading experience. This trend of relying heavily on dialogue seems to be prevalent in recent romance novels, but it’s important to remember that readers need more than just conversations to stay engaged.
By the 20% mark, I found the writing too boring and uninteresting to continue. I appreciate the effort that goes into writing a book, but Textbook Romance did not manage to capture my interest or provide the entertainment I was hoping for.
In conclusion, Textbook Romance was a disappointing read for me. It lacked the engaging plot, well-developed characters, and balanced writing style that are essential in a compelling romance novel.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Zoe meets Jack at a wedding & although there's an attraction, Zoe is married. Fast forward a few moths, Zoeis no longer married & Jack is working as a supply teacher at the same school where Zoe works. It's the coming together of two lost souls; Zoe who has been married for many years and is rediscovering herself & Jack who kept his life on hold due to other circumstances. The only irritant throughout the novel was Zoe's constant reference to the age difference between herself and Jack & she needed to be reminded that age gap romances do work sometimes. Thanks to Net Galley for the advanced copy

I would consider this book just ok. The beginning did not grab me, and the initial conversation between the main characters felt very forced and awkward. Not my favorite writing, but a standard, simple rom-com.

DNF @ 20%
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this ebook ARC!

I don't know what it is about the writing style of this book. I think I may find it to be trying too hard and coming across as forced and telly? The story itself seems fine. I like the premise of it. The FMC is an established adult with teenage children who is going through a divorce, and the MMC is working to set down roots. He's a really nice guy, but again, I felt told that because of the forced writing, and the places I guess it was shown just, again, felt forced and inauthentic. Also, it sorta felt like she was being flirty with him prior to the divorce-causing situation, which was... strange. The oh-so-fun insta-infatuation that I don't think I'll ever be a fan of.

I do feel a bit bad for this book because maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I wasn't having such bad days, because when I first started through it, I'd thought I'd at least finish it, even if finding it meh. But I can't find a reason after 20% to keep reading on, but I hope others can pick up this book and enjoy it where I can't <3

I could barely get through the first few pages of this. The writing was barely readable. I thought it was just me and kept trying to push through, but I kept feeling like I was reading a teenager’s unedited writing. The dialogue was forced and over descriptive. I did not finish. I wanted to like it from the description, but I was very disappointed.

Loved this one! Great and fun read. Highly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for my ARC.

I am officially deeming Kristen Bailey the patron saint of witty banter!! I felt “lifted” by the dialogue from page one! I highlighted nearly half the book because I was so inspired and delighted by the cunning quips between characters.

Zoe and Jack have phenomenal chemistry and are as lovable individually as they are together. The conflict of an age gap (FMC older than MMC) is one that I have never encountered before and spurred new ideas around the dynamic. I actually love this topic as a source of tension and it felt very realistic as far as where the two were in their lives at the time. I just really LOVE so many aspects of this book.

My only complaint is that the ending felt abrupt and I wasn’t ready for it to end the way it did. I am hopeful we hear more about Zoe and Jack in the next book!

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was fantastic! I was so excited to see Bailey's newest release after loving "Sex Ed."
We start with Zoe reeling from a betrayal from her husband. The chemistry between Jack and Zoe was palpable. Bailey has a gift of writing contemporary fiction that feels fresh and current. Jack is a breath of new air! I loved seeing both the personal and relationship developments throughout the novel.