The only word I can use to describe it is cute. It was a fun and engaging read about a 17 year old struggling with her life, all set in a book store.

This book was so lovely and was the perfect romantic escape during such hard times. I really loved reading a love story set in a bookstore. It felt cozy, like a hug.

I couldn't wait to sink into this adorable premise about Shoshanna and Jake, two bookstore employees, who are competing for a desperately cash prize to selling the most number of books. My bookish heart adored the You've Got Mail nods and the enemies to love interests angle was done in the sweetest way. Shoshanna's challenging family dynamics (e.g. absentee parent) are touched on in the book and may be significant trigger warnings for some young adults.

In Recommended For You Silverman manages to balance this plot current which sweeps you away with detailed and heartfelt characters. Shoshanna is an incredibly passionate main character who loves books and may be a tad impulsive. Yet her world begins to crumble and she isn't sure how she can fix everything, while also trying to balance her family and job. Full of beautiful book Easter eggs, Recommended For You is for all the book worms and contemporary character obsessed fans.

The story of Shoshanna and her friends and family were actually the star of the show for me. Not only are they full of diverse characters (sapphic relationships, queer side characters, and a Black side character), but there's so much depth within their stories. It illustrates how our best intentions can lead us astray, how our comments and words can be perceived, how we need to allow people to make their own mistakes. They're also sources of pressure on Shoshanna who feels pieces of her life fracturing apart and the uncertainty of it all

Thank you so much @SimonandSchuster & @NetGalley for giving me this eARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 01 September 2020)

SYNOPSIS | When Shoshanna's beloved car refuses to start she is told by her moms that they can't financially help her to fix it. She loves working at her local independent bookstore (Once Upon) so when her boss announces a little competition (with a grand prize of $250) to sell the most books in the lead up to Christmas she throws herself at the challenge. However, the new hire Jake also wants the bonus money so the competition is on.

WHAT I LIKED:
- perfectly adorable light & fluffy teen rom-com
- Shoshanna's witty banter & chipper outlook
- its essentially a book about books (what reader doesn't love that!)
- a ton of representation including POC/LGBTQ+ characters

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- too many side plots that could have been explored further

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for allowing me to read it.

What cute story! Shoshanna's moms aren't getting along these days making things tough at home, but she is grateful for her cherished job at the bookstore Once Upon. Everything is going well until she meets a new hire. A boy. A cute boy who doesn't read, and really isn't that nice. The interactions between them are fun to read and I enjoyed watching them (reading about them?) as they began to work together towards a common goal.

I would recommend to readers 9th grade and up.

Shoshanna has a great life- excellent friend, loving moms, and a great job at her home away from home- the book shop Once Upon.
But all of it is threatened when her moms begin fighting and a new guy named Jake is hired at Once Upon that doesn't read (Gasp!). A competition for a holiday bonus sets Shoshanna off on a plan to help everyone in her life- her moms, her boss, and even her friends, but at what cost and how much help can she really give?

Fans of cute YA romance will love this. It's cute and you'll fall in love with loud, but kind & loving Shoshanna.

I knew I was in for a cutesy YA romance set in a bookstore - of course I'm down, but then to find it out it's set during the Christmas season? Even though the main character (and love interest) are Jewish it's still full of some adorable holiday moments. Read this at Christmas-time and you'll almost feel like you're watching a Hallmark movie - same coziness, a little more awkward.

(Also, love the diversity in the characters)

Recommended for You is a short, cute YA Contemporary with a hint of adorable romance, and all the book loving vibes! Shoshanna works at a book store in the mall, and it's Christmastime so it is very busy. She gets a new coworker, Jake, who *gasp* DOESN'T READ! They don't exactly hit it off right away, so they are instant rivals. When the book store owner announces a contest to see who can make the most sales, Shoshanna is sure she will win. But Jake is sneaky good at sales, so she has her work cut out for her...

I'm serious when I say this book is super cute. I loved that the main characters were Jewish, it's not something you see in books often but really should be represented more. It was pretty short, less than 300 pages, but didn't FEEL short. Like sometimes short books can see underdeveloped, or too quickly paced, but I felt like this book did a lot with a little. The pacing and flow was spot on, and it covered a good few weeks worth of time.

In terms of the characters, I like Jake more than Shoshanna. Shoshanna is a bit... much. She's uber perky and bubbly, but it's almost unrealistic with just how happy and optimistic she is, all the time. Or maybe I just can't imagine being that happy! It's certainly a bone of contention with Jake, because he initially interprets it as immaturity (they are 16). But Jake. Now Jake is that brooding, hot guy who is quiet and snarky, which is just a type of character I love reading about. But then you learn his backstory and it rounds him out so. well. BUT, I desperately wanted his POV. I would've adored to hear his snarky remarks in his head to Shoshanna and her perkiness, so I did feel like it was missing that opportunity.

Overall, a well done and interesting read, very quick and reminiscent of Jenn Bennett. I recommend if you're looking for Jewish MC, a quick read, or a good rivals love story.

**Thank you to Margaret K. McElderry Books and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

This book was the perfect happy story that I needed to make me smile right now. It was like having my own Christmas season in July, filled with joy, family, friends, romance, and books. I related to the main character's love of books and desire to help those she loves (often to a fault) in a way that felt completely genuine. Shoshanna loves working at an independent bookstore in the mall where she can find joy in recommending books to others, being her boss's favorite employee, and meet up with her friends for lunch at the food court. New hire Jake, looking like a Netflix movie star, might disrupt her happy world with his new take on selling books using his coding skills. Her moms are also fighting more at home, which makes Shoshanna work that much harder to keep everything the same. A competition among bookstore employees starts a rivalry between Shoshanna and Jake that was so much fun to read. Shoshanna's best friends are also smart, funny, and friendship goals. This book has a great blend of cultural and bookish references, flirting, holiday cheer (main characters are Jewish), inclusion of diverse perspectives, and strengthening relationships to be a fun, mostly lighthearted read. I wish this book was longer to go a little deeper into the relationships, but it certainly made me smile and lifted my spirits.

Considering that it was a book about bookpeople, I wasn't surprised that I kept hearing about this book -- even seeing it featured in a bookstagram post just before I started reading it. It was thoroughly adorable and one of a very small handful of YA books featuring Jewish protagonists that I've had the pleasure of encountering. I enjoyed seeing the character growth throughout the book.

Recommended for You by Laura Silverman is a fun, festive read...especially fans of enemies-to-lovers romance!

I loved the bookstore setting, and the December time-frame from Hanukkah through Christmas. I always love to read a few holiday books in December and this one would be perfect. That said, I should have paid closer attention to the synopsis, and realized it was going to be hate-to-love...because I'm probably the one person in the world that is usually just super annoyed by all the angst and drama that comes along with that trope.

Which meant that this book was hard for me to get into. It started with the setup that I've seen over and over, and it drives me crazy every time...the MC decides a guy is her enemy, from their first interaction, for no good reason, while also having insta-lust thoughts every time she looks at his lips or smells him, which she's constantly doing. I nearly DNFed. She also continues to antagonize him, because she's pissed that he didn't just laugh off the fact that she was super rude to him, and gets mad that he reciprocates the antagonism. It made me struggle to care about anything that was happening.

Also, for a long time, the fact that it was set at Christmas/Hanukkah time was dampened by the fact that it's from a retail worker "this season sucks" point of view. (The cynicism doesn't last forver, and there is some fun cheer eventually, though.) Still, for awhile, the only redeeming quality, for me, was the fact that it's set largely in a bookstore and the MC is a booknerd.

Once the hate finally begins to turn to friendship I was much more into the book. And I did love that the MC and her love interest are both Jewish, which I don't see represented often. I got caught up in the teens and their plight for awhile, and was really enjoying the holiday vibes, but then it felt like it sort of just...ended. I'd hoped for a greater reward for not giving up when all the "I hate him, but I have a crush on him" drama was driving me crazy. Still, I think this book is probably a phenomenal read for all y'all who, unlike oddball-me, love the trope.

Thanks so much Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for giving me the free eArc to read.

(I will post this on Goodreads, my blog, linked below, and my IG on October 5th, per your request.)

This was a cute and quick young adult read for me. Shoshanna works at a bookstore in the mall and its is what she lives for. When she's tasked with helping to train a new hire, she can't help but be annoyed by his seeming lack of interest in actually reading the books he is trying to sell. Once a book store holiday book selling contest is introduced to the employees, things get competitive between Jake and Shoshanna before they realize that they need to work together to keep the book store up and running. The cute banter between Shoshanna and Jake is entertaining and keeps you interested. This book is a quality read for young adults that is sure to keep them entertained!

I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Overview: Shoshanna's job at her local indie bookstore Once Upon isn't always fun, but the store is still her favorite place in the world. During the holiday season when it's extra busy, it's even more fun. That is until Jake shows up. He's the hot, new, teenage boy hire who isn't a reader and isn't particularly keen on listening to overly enthusiastic and sometimes bossy Shoshanna. Locked in a heated competition for the holiday bonus, Jake and Shoshanna are forced to up their bookselling game. Over the course of the week, though, they come to realize maybe they don't hate each other quite as much as they thought. Overall: 4

Characters: 3.5 Shoshanna is the main character, and you won't forget that. Her voice in this book is strong and all encompassing. Even though I didn't mesh with her doesn't mean her character wasn't well drawn. It was sort of masterful. Shoshanna is like a lot of people I know who are my age. She can only see the world through her very very narrow point of view. Things are extremely black and white, and she is incredibly impulsive. She never thinks about the consequences her actions will have for herself or others. Maturity isn't her strong suit. Shoshanna represents a very specific kind of person, and she does it well. I just struggled with her at points because I don't mesh well with that kind of person in life either. Her growth and ability to see the world from other directions is a major part of her development in the book. I think that's an important experience to represent in YA, it's just not one I connected to.
One issue with Shoshanna's limited world view is that she sees those around her in a very specific way that lacks a lot of nuance. As she kind of awakens to the world, the people around her do get more vivid, but it's hard to get invested in any of them through her eyes. They're just so singular. Again, I don't think this is the fault of the author, it's just a symptom of our narrator.
For this reason, I found it hard to root for the romance between her and Jake because the chemistry really wasn't there for me. I did like seeing them get to come together and relate to one another on a keeper level because they're both Jewish in a very Christmas loving place. Those moments of connection were some of the strongest of the book. Her friends suffered a similar fate to Jake.
I also found the conflict between her moms and the impending question of whether they would divorce interesting. Again, there's not a very broad view of it, but these conflicts propels a lot of Shoshanna's growth.

Plot: 4 The plot covers a week in her life. There's a lot of detail, but the pacing is quick. It's an easy read to get through. There's a lot of workplace hijinks and drama that comes from the bookselling competition. A lot of the book is Shoshanna and Jake are trying to one up each other with progressively ridiculous selling techniques. There are a couple subplots- the one with her moms, her friend who wants to be a beauty influencer, and the bit of romantic undertone- but none of them felt super significant next to the focus on the bookstore. They basically act as ways to demonstrate Shoshanna really not considering the broader ramifications of things and inserting herself in inappropriate ways. They then become learning moments.

Writing: 4 The voice is so all encompassing. It almost sends an electric charge through the book and the intense voiciness (not sure if that's a word, but I'm using it) never fades. While I think it hampers some elements of the book, I think if you look at it as a book purely about a week of Shoshanna's life it's brilliant.
Also, for the lack of realism in the YouTube subplot, the vivid descriptions of ridiculous happenings in bookstores is spot on. A lot of the anecdotes at the store are things that I experienced firsthand while working at a bookstore. One that particularly struck me was a man who asked Shoshanna to help him find a book he was looking for, but all he could remember was that it had a green cover. I had the exact same experience. That element, and the ultimate arch of the store itself, were probably the most interesting/rewarding part of the book for me.

This review needs to start with a few mentions- any book with a teen angst, a bookstore, and the discussion of bookselling is going to be read by me. So with this out of the way, let's start talking about this one.

There was so much going for this book - Jewish main characters -Shoshanna and Jake, lesbian parents - Mom and Mama, and setting (It's a bookstore, y'all!), but could any one of these things carry the story and make it a worthy read? Let's mention this book is for ages 12+ and set during a holiday season, so the timeline seems off as days become nights become days and you're lost to when the story is taking place and only notice when they comment about knowing each other for a week. There are lots of side stories happening as well, which make the timeline seem even crazier- I know teens have energy, but this one never stops and sleeps like 2 times in the whole week? Timeline aside, the characters go from cold to hot pretty quickly through forced interactions in the bookstore.

Let's chat characters - there are many, but the main characters are: Shoshanna who is gritty, tenacious and Jake who is creative, multifaceted. This likely pairing is one minute frustrated, the next carpooling to work and planning a big holiday party complete with homemade cookies! I felt however that they were "thrust" together being the only Jewish families each other knew, which seems unlikely in real life, but maybe? I did appreciate that Shoshanna has a goal, works hard, warm hearted which all help carry the story. Jake is finding himself and opening up to new friends, which makes him endearing.

The setting of the mall bookstore is pretty fun, I mean, I have worked in one, so many of the interactions seem genuine. This is one of the places where the timeline is fuzzy or sped up because they have so much happening within the store and you're not quite sure which day it is. If this book was set over the entire month of December it would feel more paced. Location of the mall did allow for additional side stories to form, but what you thought would important ends up beings just a side note that really could have been fleshed out to make us really love the side friends, unless this is going to spin into a series where we learn more about the side friend's new make up channel (Totally cool idea!)

In the end, the book just felt rushed. Shoshanna doesn't really get resolution for two points (yes we hear about those two points, but there is no conclusion) in the story which means there was just too much happening in the story. I understand why many areas where included in the story, but with those side stories eliminated and more focus on the bookstore specifically, I feel like you'd leave this world with a sense of closure. If I was sharing this with my son, who is almost 12, he would be so confused the whole time with the various storylines and characters. There will be some readers who will swoon - teens, books, and holidays are big selling points.

I've said it in many, many reviews - I LOVE a book about books! This was adorable. I loved the characters, and I loved how they struggled with real issues that many teenagers go through. I could have used this book when I was a teenager. I loved the main character's analysis of her familial relationships, her friendships, her crushes...it was all absolutely lovely, and a delight to read. Highly recommend!

This book was very adorable and refreshing. I loved how the author weaved in life lessons that I feel a lot of teenagers may be going through in some shape or form. As I am not a teen but one who loves to read YA books, I did find that the character was a bit annoying and cringe-worthy at times by her loud ways and doing things without thinking of the consequences. However, I think this is a normal growth for a teen so it didn't bother me too much when I put it in that perspective. This is definitely a book more geared towards the high school age group of 14-18.

I think my favorite part about this book was the fact that the author chose to shine a light on things that many kids struggle with. Anxiety, stress, worrying about not fitting in, trying to understand family problems that may not deal with you, and above all trying to grow as an individual. Shoshanna's family problems were the main focal point of her stress, and my heart definitely went out to her. As a child who grew up in a similar situation I was able to relate to her struggles and I know many others will be able to as well.

I loved the indie bookstore theme, and that the romance was in no way forced but felt natural and real. The ending wasn't tied in a neat pretty bow, which I adored as that is how real life is! Overall, this was a good summer read!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary eARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes. I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this opportunity!

I want to thank NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I have deliberated a few days before deciding my thoughts about this book. I am a sixth grade teacher and I think the mature content of this book makes this a better read for 8th grade readers and older. I have vacillated between offering 2 or 3 stars. I would really say 2.5 but have rounded up to three. One of the strengths of this book is one of the themes- think before you act. Good intentions don't always bring positive results. The protagonist Shoshanna is an impetuous young teen that has a passion for life, her family, friends and co-workers. Even though she wants to help and has good intentions, sometimes the results are a disaster. In this story, her moms have been fighting right before the holidays. She is from a Jewish family and both her moms leave her high and dry to celebrate one of their annual traditions. She makes plans to try to bring them back together, but the results are not what she intended. She speaks before she thinks and many times that causes friction with her friends, boss, and co-workers. She learns many important lessons through these experiences. The protagonist is funny, but she wore me out. She tries to help people without thinking through the consequences and puts her desire to help before the real needs of those that she cares about. Before the end of the book, you really see her grow through these experiences in a positive way. Perhaps you really need to be a maturing teen to really enjoy the book- she is constantly talking about being "hot" for this boy and it was tiresome. I did not like the voice of the protagonist at all. There is quite a bit of sexual talk in this book regarding all sexual orientations. There is a very descriptive scene of her best friend that is a girl reuniting with her girlfriend. I don't really think detailed public make-out scenes are appropriate- gay or straight. There were several slights against Christianity as this was during the Christmas season. They were not overt, but present. This was definitely agenda driven to promote a liberal worldview. That is fine, but parents should be aware in case you have a different point of view. The characters also were somewhat hypocrites- for example they are talking about being feminists and in the same breath ogling a boy in the mall and rating him an 8. If this had been written from a male point of view doing the same to a girl there would be an outcry. I believe students should read from all different viewpoints. This would be a good one to read with your child and then discuss your family's viewpoints and how they are shared or different. There were just too many "check the box" political correctness in the is book to make it an authentic read. The author should not have the character say directly they are heterosexual. Having two Jewish characters, one with 2 moms, a boss that uses a wheelchair, Goth co-workers, lesbian friend, and many others too many to mention turned into a diluted diversity stew. It was like the author had a diversity check-list to create the characters. When that happens, it lessons the effect of the intention. Pick one or two and really develop those. Diversity check points to get books marketed is really punching holes in books that could be great. I still gave 3 stars for the lessons learned by the protagonist and of course the love of books. That was one of my favorite aspect of this story- she loved to promote books and many characters were avid readers. I LOVED that. It was so fun to read all the titles and book references. An independent bookstore provided a fantastic setting. I think a different part of the country would have been a better setting as Georgia is not an area noted for a large Jewish population (even referenced in the book). The male characters were my favorites. I would love to see another book that uses Jake as the main protagonist. He could have an interesting backstory to tell. Daniel was another favorite character. Both of these male characters out-shined all the female characters.

This book was an adorable, fun, heartwarming romp tailor-made for a hardcore book lover. As a bookstore owner myself, I took great delight in the indie bookstore setting, the book-loving characters, and the overarching fight to save the bookstore.

Shoshanna was a bit annoying at times, but in a refreshingly real way. She was a great example of a beautifully flawed, real teenager who still has a lot of growth to do, and we get to watch her do it. I felt her family tensions as if her heartbreak was my own, and the ending that promises hope but doesn't wrap everything up perfectly was super indicative of real life, as well.

The romance was fun, well-paced (no insta-love here), and full of those realistically awkward moments of getting to know a new person we're super-attracted to. Overall this book was so fun and so cute! It made me wish for an adult version with all the same charm (not like You've Got Mail, which is cited as a similar story - but who wants to hear a story about a woman's livelihood and passions being crushed to death, but hey, it's ok because she's in love with the guy who destroyed her life??). Someone get on that!

I liked the normalization of LGBTQIA existence in this - it wasn't a big deal, it just was (which is how life should be! ). Shoshanna was such an impulsive and brash MC - which caused some secondhand embarrassment when I, an adult, could see a few holes in her logic. I think teens will relate well to that, even if it causes me a moment of "oh no!" Plus...the major setting is a book store - one of my favorite places.