By the Book is a retelling, with Beauty as an overworked and under-appreciated publishing assistant and the Beast as a high-profile celebrity who’s failed to send his memoir.
From the offset we can tell Izzy and Beau are going to get together, but this was a fun read. Their first meeting doesn’t go well, but Izzy is intrigued as to what Beau isn’t telling people so she agrees to stay and help him.
As they open up to each other we can see the real characters developing, and it would be churlish not to want them to get on and move their interactions to a more romantic footing.
Romance that was surprisingly chaste, but it was feel-good stuff that kept you rooting for them. Their love of snacks was a curious bonding experience, and much of their relationship was carried out in private. They each got a chance to bring out the best in each other and it ended with a sense of optimism for their shared future.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this prior to publication.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'By The Book' by Jasmine Guillory.

'By the Book' is a contemporary romance inspired by Beauty and The Beast and I absolutely adored it. Issy - Isabella - was such a loveable main character and she truly had a heart of gold. Throughout the story, I was invested in her life - from the romance to the job aspects.

Our love interest goes by the name of Beau. Does he have some flaws? Of course he does, he wouldn't be human otherwise. But I did truly like him as a character and I felt he was well suited for Issy.

Overall, this book was a beauty and I'd happily read again.

The story of Isabelle and Beau. She needs him to finish his manuscript to help her get ahead at work. He starts off hating her, but as they spend more time together she uncovers his secrets and they start to fall for each other so what will happen when it is time for her to return to her real life in the city?

A great read.

As a book lover myself, I was immediately on board when I read the blurb and I was also intrigued to see how a modern retelling of Beauty And The Beast would work.
And I liked the way that the references to Beauty And The Beast were woven in. They definitely made me smile, even if it took me quite a few chapters to realise that Izzy/Isabelle was Belle.
The escapism of seeing Beau's home and Santa Barbara through Izzy's eyes was nice and I certainly found myself dreaming of having that bedroom with a view, the incredible sounding bathtub, a pool, a rose garden, etc. The list goes on.
And as someone who has always dreamed of writing a book, I really enjoyed this element of the book.
Seeing Beau and Izzy work towards their books and even gaining a few tips was really insightful.
It was, however, a really tame romance with zero steamy scenes. So if you prefer a pretty chaste romance, this could be a great option for you. But it left me wanting more.
And I feel like that's what my overall impression of the book was; it was good but I wanted more.
I didn't get that romantic tension that I normally look for and the two main characters were a little bland for my taste too but I did enjoy the story overall and I will definitely be going back and reading more from Jasmine Guillory. I also look forward to what she does next.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fairytale retellings are always a feel good read for me and this romance with strong links to Beauty and the Beast certainly didn’t disappoint. I loved the nods to the Disney version (heroine referring to talking to a candlestick for example) and I was delighted that Isabelle is feisty, ambitious and a definite book geek. Really good fun to read, the story had me chuckling in several scenes, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a relaxing tale to take them away from life’s petty irritations.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I do love a good beauty and the beast retelling and I liked what the author did with this one. The majority of this book focuses on Izzy helping Beau with writing a memoir. I will say that this book did get me wanting to write my own book again so Izzy is good at her job haha.

I think the pacing was a bit off at some parts of the book, with the beginning dragging a little and the end being a bit rushed during the 70-90% mark of the book.

I didn't feel super attached to the characters but i did like their character development through the story.

This book is ideal for someone who wants a quick and easy contemporary romance.

By The Book is a warm, comforting romance that will satisfy your craving for a Beauty and the Beast retelling.

The story revolves around Izzy, a twenty-five-year-old editorial assistant who works for the publisher TAOAT (Tale as Old as Time). Often dismissed, Izzy is worked to the bone by her boss, Marta, while being the only employee of colour at the company leaves her frustrated. One evening, Izzy overhears that Beau Towers, a famous bad boy with a reputation, turned author, has not delivered his anticipated manuscript for months. Convinced that she will be able to fix the situation, Izzy volunteers to meet with Beau in person, but when she arrives at his front door, she realises that it might not be as easy as she thought. However, as time passes, Izzy cracks Beau's tough exterior and a romance begins to bloom.

I found this to be a quick, well-written read (primarily directed at a more young adult audience) driven by compelling characters. Izzy was a warm and intelligent character so; it was wonderful to see her progression and belief in herself expand throughout the novel. While Beau began as a curt, cold man who shows his true colours of benevolence and consideration. I enjoyed their connection and banter.

However, I did find the development of the story limited, as I thought it to be too repetitive in both action and location. While this novel is a loose Beauty and the Beast retelling, justifying the repetitive locations, here I felt something was lacking.

Overall, this was a good novel. I just wish there was more action and longing between our two protagonists!

I would like to say a huge thank you to NetGalley and Studio Press for the opportunity to read this book!

Thank you very much for the privilege to review this book
Full review to follow both here and on the blog.
I’m a huge fan of Jasmines previous work so I’m sure this will be no exception.
I can’t wait to see the relationship develop between Isabelle and Beau.
It reminds me a bit of the series younger and trying to convince authors to open up ect.
Looks like such a cute fun read



Isabelle is completely lost. When she first began her career in publishing after college, she did not expect to be twenty-five, still living at home, and one of the few Black employees at her publishing house. Overworked and underpaid, constantly torn between speaking up or stifling herself, Izzy thinks there must be more to this publishing life. So when she overhears her boss complaining about a beastly high-profile author who has failed to deliver his long-awaited manuscript, Isabelle sees an opportunity to finally get the promotion she deserves.



All she has to do is go to the author's Santa Barbara mansion and give him a pep talk or three. How hard could it be?



But Izzy quickly finds out she is in over her head. Beau Towers is not some celebrity lightweight writing a tell-all memoir. He is jaded and withdrawn and - it turns out - just as lost as Izzy. But despite his standoffishness, Izzy needs Beau to deliver, and with her encouragement, his story begins to spill onto the page. They soon discover they have more in common than either of them expected, and as their deadline nears, Izzy and Beau begin to realize there may be something there that wasn't there before.



Best-selling author Jasmine Guillory's reimagining of a beloved fairy tale is a romantic triumph of love and acceptance and learning that sometimes to truly know a person you have to read between the lines.

A lovely look at creating a book and how tortuous the process can be. Izzy is one of two non white staff members at her publishing house and doesn’t feel comfortable or welcomed. She feels she has to go the extra mile to get ahead and to get over the harsh words of colleague Gavin. The time that Izzy spends with Beau is beautiful and they both get so much from it. We follow Izzy helping and coaxing a book out of Beau.

Loosely based on beauty and the beast. This would be a great read for the younger end of the young adult reader spectrum. Light and enjoyable for summer.