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.

Loved catching up with old friends from Sex Ed as well as meeting jack and Zoe!
This is a lovely romance with characters who are easy to like and to root for and although the outcome is predictable it is exactly as you would expect from this trope!
Kristen Bailey captures all the right elements to make this an eminently readable book!

This book could be considered a sequel to Sex Ed as it begins at the wedding party of the main characters from that book. It doesn't matter if you didn't read that book as we are introduced to new characters- Jack and Zoe who have their own story throughout.
Zoe finds out her husband has been cheating and this leads to a relationship developing with Jack who is younger than her. A sweet love story with loveable characters and written in Kristen Bailey's fun and flirty style.

I haven’t read a book by Kristen Bailey yet but I liked this one. You should be a fan of the age gap trope to power through this one and be aware that it doesn’t have any spice and is focused on the characters and their emotions. The setting in London is cute and the story easy to read.

Textbook Romance’s a cute and heartwarming story that explores the unpredictability of love through the story of Zoe Swift,a math teacher, and her coworker Jack Damon.

This was the first book I’ve read by Kristine Bailey and I’ve appreciated her writing filled with humor,emotional insight, her descriptions of the characters was good as well in my opinion!

This story has no spice so it could be perfect in my opinion for someone who doesn’t like to read about it in books and would love to read a fast,cute reading!

But if you aren’t a fun of the age gap trope this story maybe won’t be a good choice for u but still a very easy and easy story to read about set in London!

This book was more focused on the emotional and the connection between Zoe and Jack rather than physical intimacy, allowing the relationship to be seen as it simply develops and builds :)


Thank you so much to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and the author, Kristen Balley, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

As i loved many books by this author, i had a feeling i would enjoy this one. And at a length i did!
While i found the plot really interesting, i fall in love with Jack! while titanic Jack made me ugly cry, this one gave me butterfly sort of cry. The happy, joyful cry. But as the book went on, it felt rushed at the end, without the sweetness of the story. I wish it was different, than my rating would've been somewhat different.

Textbook Romance is cute. Zoe and Jack both work in a school, they meet at mutual friend’s wedding… and at this wedding Zoe finds out her husband has been having an affair.

Jack is a younger guy, with a good head on his shoulders, is a sub at the school and is pretty confident with who he is, He’s just trying to find the job for him with everything going on.

Zoe, mom of 2, math teacher, and newly separated has not been able to get Jack out of her thoughts since the wedding, and well, the hotel and the closet, and the multiple other places they snuck away to shag.

The age gap was a hot topic, Zoe being nearly 44, and Jack only 28/29; what would others think? The more layers peeled back off of Jack we see he grew up fast, he was a heart of gold, super smart and very thoughtful.

There was no spice in this book. The spicy scenes are more fade to black, but they discuss frequency of acts pretty often. Even when the love you got frisky in a rather public setting it felt more brushed over than anything.

Lots of Tea was drank in this book as well, proper English set up.

This was a 3.75 so I rounded up to be fair.

Textbook Romance, by Kristen Bailey, is a rom-com that will grab you from the beginning. The characters are believable and fun to follow. The story is easy and fun, just as a rom-com should be. Oh, and there is a bit of romance!
Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

I fell in love with this book and the characters! I was hooked from the very beginning.

Jack and Zoe were instantly attracted to each other even though she was married when they met. He was very respectful and didn't cross any lines. I was extremely happy with how their story ended up.

I laughed and smiled almost the entire time I was reading this. I will definitely be reading more of Kristen Bailey's books.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Storm Publishing for a copy (:

TEXTBOOK ROMANCE by Kristen Bailey
⭐️ rating: 7/10

read if you like:
💁🏻‍♀️ teacher romcoms
🔥 slow burn romances
🤓 nerdy sexual tension

summary:
This book is about Zoe, a math teacher and recently divorced single mother, who meets Jack, a charming and funny bachelor at a wedding. They immediately hit it off, only to find months later, Jack shows up as a teacher where Zoe works. The two find themselves drawn to each other, but life isn’t without its complications. Work, Zoe’s recent divorce, her children recovering from their father’s infidelity….all gets in the way of their time together and their intense feelings for each other. Can they make things work, or is it too much to overcome?

Personally I loved Zoe as a character. She is brutally vulnerable and wounded after finding out about her husband’s infidelity, and surrounds herself with friends and positivity to keep moving forward. I also secretly loved her kids’ diehard loyalty to their mom. Jack’s way of relating to her and everything she’s going through is also heartwarming. I loved the way we saw their relationship develop around their friends, colleagues and families, and it felt like we got a deeper connection rather than just two people having a relationship between themselves. The ending was also a little unexpected, but felt real and complete in a way that was satisfying. I also just think we don’t get enough romances about teachers! It was a fun change in the genre that I really appreciated as it took a different angle than most books do!

Thanks to Storm Publishing and Net Galley for the advanced copy! If you love a good teacher love story, check this out when it releases on July 29.

I was pleasantly surprised that this wasn't a textbook romance novel! It had some depth and drama as well as humor that gave it a more realistic feel, like the complexities of everyday life. The age gap romance is spicy but beset with realistic questions and differences. Zoe and Jack were likeable and acted honorably, but not so much that it felt inauthentic. The book is set in the UK but very comprehensible to an international audience (apart from a few footballer references). Apparently there are other books in this universe, including the story of Mia and Ed, which I plan to check out soon.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

This slow burn romance starts off with Zoe meeting a cute younger guy at a wedding and then suddenly her life completely falls apart. Then months later he becomes her co-worker and changes her life.

Sexy, cute, teachers, slow burn, math jokes, divorce and second chance at love.

Thank you to NetGallery and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh, to fall in love when you least expect it. Textbook Romance, is a hilarious British rom-com filled with amazing characters and a romance that blooms so sweetly. Zoe's life is thrown completely off track when she discovers her husband's infidelity. Twenty years of marriage, two children and a home they built together, gone in a single night. Now Zoe has to navigate the struggles of co-parenting their quiet, teenage son and mouthy, 13-year old daughter and maintain some semblance of a normal life. Luckily, Zoe isn't alone, with amazing friends and a genius but devious minded older sister, Zoe should manage to find solid ground again.
Into her life walks, Jack. A funny yet empathetic man who has yet to find the right path for himself after making a life-changing decision years prior to their meeting. Their chemistry is off the charts and their humour, especially when it comes to Nando's 🐓, leaves Zoe's emotions in a jumble. Is it too soon? Is this the real deal? And most importantly, what will people think of their age-gap? After all, age is but an arbitrary label... Can Jack manage to show Zoe that she deserves to be loved? That she is worthy of affection, even from a younger man? Join their journey of rediscovery and outrageously funny moments filled with an unlimited supply of innuendo's that will leave you laughing out loud.
Despite all the challenges and upsets, there are comforting and wholesome moments that really linger with the reader throughout the book. I found myself experiencing every emotion with Jack, Zoe and their gang of friends.
For my reading experiences, I typically view rom-coms as palette cleansers, the sorbet of genres.  It's simple, sweet and refreshing and cuts the weight of the heavy books I like to endulge in. Like a sorbet served in-between courses at a restaurant. This book gave me that in pounds. This is why I gave Textbook Romance a 5 out of 5 star rating and I will be adding it to my comfort read list. So put up your "Do not disturb" signs and settle in with snacks and your favorite drink because this a book you will not want to put down.

An Absolute Delight! This romance novel beautifully blends humor, heart, and heat. Zoe and Jack's chemistry is undeniable, making their journey from flirtation to deep connection captivating. Zoe's struggle with her past and Jack's unwavering support create a relatable and heartwarming story. The charming blend of witty dialogue and tender moments makes it a page-turner. Highly recommend for anyone seeking a feel-good romance with depth and sizzle!

This is an entertaining read. Jack and Zoe are interesting, relatable, wounded, intriguing, fun, entertaining, complex, captivating characters. I enjoyed them as individuals and a couple. I enjoyed their romance and the path it took to get to their HEA. I wanted more from the ending than what we got though. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment – especially Zoe’s kids, and both their friends. I really liked the family dynamics and it felt realistic to me. I also loved the friendships and the roles they played in the story. The story is easy to read and get into.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.