⭐⭐
By the Book
Jasmine Guillory
320 pages | Published by Hyperion Avenue
US Publication Date: May 3, 2022
Izzy's dream was always to work in publishing, but now that she's a few years into her career she can't quite summon that passion anymore, feeling overworked and underappreciated. In an attempt to show her boss she does deserve a promotion, she volunteers to check on Beau Towers - notorious hot head and recent recluse - and the progress of his memoir. Izzy arrives at Beau's house to find a stunning California property, and an angry Beau who all but demands she stays for dinner to try and prove how she can be helpful to him. The longer she stays and the more they work together, both Izzy and Beau work through the issues that have been holding them both back.
It pains me to give this book two stars. But alas, here we are. When I pick up a book by Jasmine Guillory I expect a steamy romance that digs beneath the surface of our MCs. By the Book just did not get there for me.
This DID completely sweep me away to Santa Barbara. The setting sounded absolutely gorges and now I'm ready for a trip to the west coast ASAP.
I know this is part of a Disney classics re-telling series, so I fully understand why there was so little (um, basically zero) heat to this book, but it's just not at all what I had wanted from this book. This was a fine romance, something I would categorize as easy-breezy, and I think I just hold Guillory to a higher standard than that. The writing didn't feel nearly as mature as her other books, and that left me pretty disappointed.
I liked Izzy, but I felt like we could have gotten MUCH more about her work struggles with a toxic work environment. I liked Beau, but I think we could have seen more of his side of the story, particularly his reconciliation with his mom.
By the Book would make a fine beach read but I would learn towards any of Guillory's others before picking this one up again.
Thanks to NetGalley & Hyperion Avenue for the advanced e-book!
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