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A review by natashaleighton_
By the Book by Jasmine Guillory
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
A delightfully compelling and utterly uplifting tale of love,acceptance and reading between the lines, set within the competitive world of publishing. Jasmine Guillory’s contemporary reimagining of Beauty and The Beast (one of my all time favourite fairytales) was such a fun, and addictive romance that I thoroughly enjoyed.
It follows 25 year old Isabelle, an editorial assistant who works tirelessly for a promotion it looks increasingly likely she won’t get. To prove herself, Izzy decides to visit the beastly, high profile author who has failed to deliver his long awaited manuscript—and give him a pep talk (or three) to help him along. How hard could it be?
But Izzy finds herself in over her head. Beau Towers isn’t just some celebrity lightweight writing a tell all memoir—he’s jaded, withdrawn and just as lost as Izzy. And thanks to Izzy’s encouragement, Beau’s story begins to take shape on the page.
The pair soon discover that they have more in common than either of them ever expected, and as their deadline nears, Izzy and Beau realise that there may be something there that wasn’t there before…
When I first saw the premise I knew I was going to enjoy this one and I’m glad to report that it definitely lived up to my expectations when it came to the modern rom-com take on Beauty and The Beast.
There’s plenty for romance lovers to delve into with enemies to lovers, forced proximity and sunshine x grump tropes used to perfection. And the chemistry between our optimistic, editorial assistant Izzy and the seemingly anti-social Beau was absolutely swoon-worthy. It is a closed door, slow-burn Romance, but the development (both in the relationship and the emotional journey of the characters themselves) is definitely worth the sizzling,tension filled wait.
I really enjoyed the realistic glimpse into the publishing world that we get through Izzy, which highlights how overworked and underpaid soo many people in publishing actually are —and how these struggles are almost always even harder for people of colour working in the industry.
I also loved how Guillory handles the forced imprisonment aspect of the source material and gives her protagonist a choice—a choice she handles with aplomb. Likewise the other modern tweaks to the original were all really interesting to discover—I loved all the references such as the publisher Izzy works for being Called A Tale As Old As Time,as well as the little quips Izzy throws out, such as being soo lonely/ bored she talks to the candlesticks or imagining the cupboard talking back.
At just over 300 pages it’s a fairly quick read, but the pacing did start a little slow and took a little longer to get into than I had hoped—the pace does pick up once Beau and Izzy meet and that’s when things really get interesting.
Overall a fun and lighthearted read that rom-com lovers and fans of modern, fairytale retellings are bound to enjoy.
Also, a massive thank you to Bonnier Books for the wonderful PB copy
It follows 25 year old Isabelle, an editorial assistant who works tirelessly for a promotion it looks increasingly likely she won’t get. To prove herself, Izzy decides to visit the beastly, high profile author who has failed to deliver his long awaited manuscript—and give him a pep talk (or three) to help him along. How hard could it be?
But Izzy finds herself in over her head. Beau Towers isn’t just some celebrity lightweight writing a tell all memoir—he’s jaded, withdrawn and just as lost as Izzy. And thanks to Izzy’s encouragement, Beau’s story begins to take shape on the page.
The pair soon discover that they have more in common than either of them ever expected, and as their deadline nears, Izzy and Beau realise that there may be something there that wasn’t there before…
When I first saw the premise I knew I was going to enjoy this one and I’m glad to report that it definitely lived up to my expectations when it came to the modern rom-com take on Beauty and The Beast.
There’s plenty for romance lovers to delve into with enemies to lovers, forced proximity and sunshine x grump tropes used to perfection. And the chemistry between our optimistic, editorial assistant Izzy and the seemingly anti-social Beau was absolutely swoon-worthy. It is a closed door, slow-burn Romance, but the development (both in the relationship and the emotional journey of the characters themselves) is definitely worth the sizzling,tension filled wait.
I really enjoyed the realistic glimpse into the publishing world that we get through Izzy, which highlights how overworked and underpaid soo many people in publishing actually are —and how these struggles are almost always even harder for people of colour working in the industry.
I also loved how Guillory handles the forced imprisonment aspect of the source material and gives her protagonist a choice—a choice she handles with aplomb. Likewise the other modern tweaks to the original were all really interesting to discover—I loved all the references such as the publisher Izzy works for being Called A Tale As Old As Time,as well as the little quips Izzy throws out, such as being soo lonely/ bored she talks to the candlesticks or imagining the cupboard talking back.
At just over 300 pages it’s a fairly quick read, but the pacing did start a little slow and took a little longer to get into than I had hoped—the pace does pick up once Beau and Izzy meet and that’s when things really get interesting.
Overall a fun and lighthearted read that rom-com lovers and fans of modern, fairytale retellings are bound to enjoy.
Also, a massive thank you to Bonnier Books for the wonderful PB copy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
Moderate: Racism and Gaslighting
Minor: Cursing and Alcohol