What a lovely romance! The MCs are so easy to get into and you really root for them. The whole cast of characters was enjoyable (aside from sleazy Brian of course), and the dialogue was wonderful typical British humour.

Textbook Romance by Kristen Bailey

Textbook Romance follows Zoe and Jack who meet at a wedding where Zoe finds out her husband has been cheating on her with her best friend. Jack helps her get home to her kids and it is months before they see each other again. This time Jack is now a substitute teacher at the school where Zoe teaches. There is definitely a spark between the two of them from the start. Oh, and Jack is 29 and Zoe is 43. Is the age gap too much? Should they take a chance and see what happens?

This was a fun book. I liked the reverse age gap and the school setting. Jack's character is SO swoony. The banter between Zoe and Jack is flirty and fun, and the side characters are a compliment to the main storyline. While not super spicy, there are a few short scenes that give some heat. There is a third act break-up I saw coming. I didn't love that, but I didn't hate it either. I wanted a little more from the ending, but overall I really enjoyed Textbook Romance and look forward to Kristen Bailey's next book.

My sincere thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book and give my unbiased opinion of it in this review.

This book was nice enough, and enjoyable to read - but not something that will stay with me.
I loved the idea of a love story with a teacher as protagonist as a teacher myself and I did like reading about this - but nothing was too heartfelt or meaningful in my opinion. It just was a bit too 'fluffy' for me.

It was a nice enough read, but just OK.

This was such a sweet read! Funny, romantic, and heartwarming from start to finish. I am usually not a huge fan of insta-love or age gap romances, but I thought Kristen Bailey did a great job of tackling both tropes, and I felt so invested in Zoe and Jack's relationship. I also really liked the way Bailey develops the relationships aside from the romance, like the friendships and Zoe's bond with her children. The London setting was another definite highlight for me, too! If you're in search of a cute, compulsively readable romcom, definitely give TEXTBOOK ROMANCE a try. Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.

lovely romance novel!! this had me smiling the entire book. finished it one single sitting!!! would love to read more from kristen bailey.

Solid RomCom in Shared World With Other Books From Author. This is one of those books where characters other than our main couple play crucial roles and while it isn't *completely* obvious that they are pre-existing characters from other books... it also kinda is, or at least was for me. In part because I *did* read Sex Ed, Mia and Ed's story, and remembered them so distinctly. As it turns out, the other couple that plays crucial roles here, Beth and Will, had their story told in one of Bailey's other works in another series, Did My Love Life Shrink In The Wash? - book 3 of 5 in the Callaghan Sisters series.

But don't get me wrong, this book can completely be read as a standalone with no knowledge of the other two books, and the only blatant spoilers aren't really spoilers... gee, the main couple in a romance novel wound up together... hmmm... *BREAKING NEWS!!!!!* (/sarcasm :D).

As to this tale itself, I thought it worked quite well in showing the difficulties of an age gap romance, if in a slightly more socially acceptable way than the somewhat more common older man- younger woman, instead we get here a bit of a cougar, with an older woman - younger man dynamic... except that it isn't really cougar so much as friend to lover. The opening prologue sets the scene, with our eventual couple meeting right as our female lead learns devastating news, and the tall proceeds in an almost Gilmore Girls - meets - 2020s manner, with a lot of banter and texting (and sexting, and confusion/ hilarity around the confusion regarding both forms), and, since this *is* set in the UK... soccer. (*NOT* football, no matter what those crazy Brits claim. There are *reasons* we in the US were the first of many to kick them out of our country, and this is just another (more modern) reason they continue to be wrong. :D) (To be clear, 99% of the prior parenthetical statement was a joke. Though they *are* wrong in calling soccer "football". :D)

If you prefer "clean" / "sweet" romances with the spice level of a warm bowl of oatmeal... this ain't your thing, as this is closer to jalapeno at least, *maybe* habanero. As in, at 41 years old myself, there are things in this book that I've both never done and have lost the flexibility to do. So kudos to our female main character for being so nimble. :D

Overall a fun, solid romcom with the usual expectations and perhaps a bit more heart than most that manages to take some typical tropes in at least slightly different directions.

Very much recommended.

I really enjoyed this book! The British English, the math references, the fact SHEs older! A great read and great book overall!

Zoe is flying solo at a wedding while her husband Brian is away when she meets Jack. After an inital short chat, she is drawn into saving him from the dancefloor and he happens to be standing with her when she get a phone call from her distraught daughter. Jack kindly offers to take her home and leaves her to deal with the fallout at her house.

A few months later, Jack takes on a temp job at the school where his friends who were getting married work, and is happy to bump into Zoe who also works there. The chemistry is unstant, despite Zoe's traumatic home life, but with age-gap, exes, teenagers and jobs, can they get past it all?

This was just what I needed after quite a few darker reads. Great characters, very funny and not-to-cheesy romance, it was the perfect palette cleanser! I wish I had known that it was a follow-on from another book, but I plan on saving that one for when I need another pick-me-up!

The characters in this boom are really likeable and I love reading from a dual perspective. Its a little different from your usual romance, with the characters dealing with an age difference which made it more interesting to me. Just a really nice read where I felt I could get lost in someone elses world for a little while.

My first book by this author and I loved it. Romance is not usually one of my favourite genres but when I pick up a really good one I am happy to be able to give it five stars.

Textbook Romance is about Zoe whose marriage has just come to an unpleasant end, and Jack who is single but at that point in life where he feels it is time to be a grown up and take on responsibilities like a job with a future. In other words Zoe is quite a few years older, something she struggles with despite the fact that there is an immediate and powerful attraction between the two of them.

There are many excellent characters in the book as well as our main stars, and there is plenty of humor as well as tears. The dialogue is very well written and the story well told. Jack is one of those book characters you just love to read about and Zoe and her two children are beautiful too.

All in all an excellent read which I can highly recommend.

Oh, mine! That book was just what I needed to read. I needed a well-written romance full of joyful talks to get myself smiling and even laughing aloud. I had a very, very entertaining time.

This was an emotional and uplifting romantic comedy about healing after heartbreak. A chance meeting when Zoe a married math teacher meets Jack at a friends wedding. Everything changed when she finds out about her husbands betrayal at the wedding while talking to Jack, a complete stranger. Fast forward to her first day of school and guess who the new teacher is? None other then Jack, the stranger she met at her friends wedding. How will she navigate her new life after the betrayal? Will she find love again with Jack? I thought it was a good uplifting book that had a wonderful ending.
I would recommend.


Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

The math adds up...

The math adds up to a thoroughly enjoyable read.
This book had a lot going for it. No billionaires, but teachers, people. Teachers!
Zoe is a math teacher and Jack is also, a younger, new hire, is a teacher as well.
Zoe has a horrid ex, she has teenaged kids and is ambivalent about Jack, due to the age gap.
Do not mind the gap, people. Younger men have it going on.
I enjoyed this book and can recommend it.

I love this book so much! The story was so cute and it different than any other book that I have read this year.

"Textbook Romance" is a delightful age-gap romance that brings to life an array of charming supporting characters. The narrative of Zoe and Jack is imbued with the witty humor and the comforting, nostalgic touch of the early 2000s romantic comedies. The depth of the characters and the intricacy of their relationships echo the beloved film "Love Actually," where each side character is meaningful and integral to the story.

While the portrayal of Generation X characters occasionally disrupts the flow due to repetitiveness, the book remains a charming, humorous, and engaging read. For those sensitive to themes of infidelity, it's noteworthy that Zoe's relationship with Jack begins before her divorce is finalized. However, the focus on the evolving love story can eclipse such concerns.

The author, Kristen Bailey, has penned another tale featuring Mia and Ed, who are mutual acquaintances of Jack and Zoe, which promises to be an exciting read.
Gratitude is extended to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the advance reading copy.

I found the book an entertaining and easy read, the story was cute but quite predictable at the same time. It didn't fully 'warm me up' so to speak.

This book was my first contact with the author and since I'm not a fan of the age gap trope (fmc older than the mc ) I thought I wouldn't like it. I was pleasantly and charmingly surprised by the author's writing skills! It was a book that flowed very quickly and did not tire me at all ,it made me laugh my lungs out with the banter and cry my heart out in certain scenes !! The characters were so warm and real that I felt like I was reading a true story!!! The ending is very realistic and this is a plus for me!! If you are looking for a protagonist with a big heart who declares his love with big but realistic gestures, this is the book for you!! I'm tired of seeing billionaires everywhere buy entire coffee chains to declare their love because the heroine likes a drink ... Jack is the ultimate bookboyfriend and so realistically written that there are men like him in the real world (I know because I'm lucky to be married to one😅) .
Zoe is a character easily relatable! a woman who has not understood neither her external beauty nor the greatness of her soul but someone has and there is always someone who will appreciate what we are!.
This is a book about healing and adapting to a new reality after a divorce, a book about love between two people, two souls without being characterized by age, needs, everyday life, profession and problems.
This is a book about kindness, a look into the soul and mind of people who put others first and themselves second but their star is so bright that it doesn't go unnoticed!!
This is a book about karma!! we all get what we deserve in the end and a setback doesn't define us!!
This is a book that YOU MUST READ !!
There are not enough words to describe how this book made me feel !!

thank you NetGalley, the publication team and Kristen Bailey for the e-Arc in exchange for my honest review!! 🥰

“ Textbook Romance”marketed as a light romance , turned out to be far steamier than expected. While Zoe and Jack are charming, Jack’s near-perfect nature felt a bit too idealized, leaving me waiting for a darker twist that never came. For fans of intense romance, this book will hit the mark, but the heavy emphasis on the age gap felt unnecessary. If steamy scenes aren’t your thing, this may not be the book for you. Overall, it’s a solid pick for those who enjoy their romance with extra heat. It simply wasn’t for me.

📚ARC Review 📚

Textbook Romance ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Zoe and Jack meet at a mutual friend’s wedding and there is an instant connection. When Zoe receives devastating news, Jack is there to help her and make sure she’s ok. Moving forwards, Zoe is surprised at work when finds out that Jack is the new teacher she has to work with. While their connection is strong, Zoe doesn’t know if she really is ready to start dating after post divorce.

This book follows Zoe and how she handles life after divorce, especially her relationships. Those with her kids, friends and her dating life. The chapters were a little long for my liking but they still flowed well. This is an age gap trope book but I felt like Zoe’s character was just so hung up on it at times, that it took away from their story some. Jacks character was such a great cinnamon roll. Overall, this was a cute, heartwarming story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my advance readers copy. This is my honest and voluntary opinion.

This was a very cute little teacher rom-com! Perfect for the back to school season. Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an ARC!

Zoe Swift and Jack Damon meet at a friend’s wedding where they share easy conversation and she rescues him from the school office ladies on the dance floor. Unfortunately, the party is cut short when Zoe discovers her husband is having an affair. A few months later, Zoe is working through the aftermath of that revelation when Jack Damon walks in on the first day of school as a new substitute teacher coming to observe her class. Through easy, flirty conversation and thoughtful, caring gestures they develop a friendship which leads to deeper feelings for them both. Jack worries that Zoe will never see how truly special she Is. Zoe worries that something long term wouldn’t work with the 29 year old who’s still figuring out his life. What if what helps them both is each other?

I really enjoyed this story. The quick connection that Zoe and Jack had was fun. Zoe had a lot of hang ups about moving on after her world turned upside down and also their age difference. Jack was so supportive and clear with his intentions. When she wondered if it was pity, he clarified his attraction. When she worried about their ages, he assured her that he liked her for her and he wasn’t concerned.
Throughout their relationship, you could see Zoe letting Jack bring more and more out of her- more joy, more smiles, more confidence. I liked how much Jack let her set the pace with how she wanted to handle their relationship but also continued showing her that it was okay to want this.

The ending to their story was definitely not what I expected but it was good! I enjoyed that it had both of them getting/doing what they felt was important while also being together.

This was set England, which I didn’t realize at first. Some of the wording of things didn’t quite make sense to me and I didn’t understand some of the terms used. It didn’t take away from the story, but was just something I wanted to note.

•teacher rom-com
•age gap (she’s 43, he’s 29)
•her kids are 13 and 15
•innuendos and 🌶️ mentioned but mostly fade to black