I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

[TRIGGER WARNINGS: Depression, racism, suicidal thoughts].

Must Love Books is a heartwarming, cleverly written book about Nora who works in the publishing world of books. But it's not all Nira was hoping it would be and she longs to find a spark of happiness and joy within her life.
This book tackles some serious topics such as depression and suicidal thoughts and even racism, but does them in a great way. I am going through similar feelings as Nora right now with feeling no spark in my life and suffering with depression and this book was a calming read for me to make me feel I'm not alone.
There are some romantic elements in this book which was great to mix up the story a little and I loved the romantic atmosphere between Nora and Andrew too.
If you love books about books and light romance you'll enjoy this read.

Must Love Books by Sauna Robinson follows Nora who thought when she landed an editorial assistant position at Parsons Press, it was her first step towards The Dream Job. Because, honestly, is there anything dreamier than making books for a living? But after five years of lunch orders, finicky authors, and per my last emails, Nora has come to one grand conclusion: Dream Jobs do not exist. With her life spiraling and the Parsons staff sinking, Nora gets hit with even worse news. Parsons is cutting her already unlivable salary. Unable to afford her rent and without even the novels she once loved as a comfort, Nora decides to moonlight for a rival publisher to make ends meet…and maybe poach some Parsons' authors along the way. But when Andrew Santos, a bestselling Parsons author no one can afford to lose is thrown into the mix, Nora has to decide where her loyalties lie. Her new Dream Job, ever-optimistic Andrew, or...herself and her future.

I don't think this book is the most memorable book I've ever read but it was an enjoyable read in the moment. I related to the main characters career and life uncertainty and of course her love of books.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book, but I had a hard time with the main characters toward the middle, especially Nora. I also wish the ending was a bit different. It was a decent read but not one I will go out of my way to recommend.

Nora is an editorial assistant who has stayed way too long in her position. She feels stuck in every aspect of her life. Work, personal, financial and most importantly, mental health wise. When anyone is in a bad place they aren’t always capable of making the best decisions for themselves. Rather than being proactive and job hunting as so many of her colleagues have done, she just sits, waits and stews and internally complains to herself and does a lot of “woe is me” thinking. Then in another blow her salary gets cut and increase her workload. She has rent to pay so takes an under the table job with a competitor and winds up both lying and disappointing everyone including herself again and again. It wasn’t at all what I was anticipating when I read the blurb. It did end on an up note, but it was a hard listen getting there.

I enjoyed Must Love Books for the most part, and I’m very glad I read it. However, it was a bit slow for the first half of the book. Nora has a terrible job, and her frustration and depression with her life are very evident during the first half of the book. But, it did pick up and I liked that Nora started looking at her job, and her life in a much better light. Must Love Books is a good look at what it’s like to find out your dream job, is not a dream at all, and it’s time to re-evaluate your life and make some tough decisions.

I liked the beginning of Must Love Books and loved the cover art. I found Nora to be annoying as the story went on and found her difficult to relate to since she complained a lot. I thought the overall story and subject matter was interesting so I did read the whole book to see what happened. It might just have been the wrong place, wrong time book when I read it.

Thank you to Shauna Robinson, SourceBooks Landmark, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Must Love Books is a debut novel featuring the publishing world. The novel is not a book that focuses on the romantic life of the main character. Instead it focuses on the growth of her mindset. Nora sees the slow erosion of her dream and she is beginning to feel a disconnect with books and with her work. As the book progresses, she realises that she has to change - not only her mindset but also where she is in her life. The novel veers away from the man being the saviour that makes her happy. Instead, she follows a path that eventually leads her to follow through on her realisations and create her own happiness.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.

Must Love Books was an adorable book and I certainly enjoyed reading this by the pool on my vacation to Las Vegas. I immediately became a fan of Shauna Robinson’s writing. Must Love Books was a wonderful debut and I will continue to support Shauna Robinson future work. Thank you NetGalley for giving the opportunity to read an amazing book.

This book was really well written. It was a quick read for me because I just couldn't put it down. I found that the main characters were loveable and relatable and I wish I could give them a bug hug. I adored this book!

Even as an adult, when we think we are certain of our career, we still shouldn’t settle. Great book about resiliency and asking for help when you need it.

Highly recommend.

Okay this isn’t the story I was expecting it to be. I thought this was going to be a light fluffy romance, and the story isn’t that. While it’s marked as a romance, I think it’s more of a women’s lit with a sprinkle of romance. It’s definitely a slow burn book though, with the main character Nora, having lots of storm clouds in her life. I liked Nora though and found myself rooting for her, and the life she wants and I liked how the book ended.

Shauna Robinson had a wonderful debut performance! The book's title and cover immediately piqued my interest. Nora Hughes's character, a low-wage worker who despises her job, was easy for me to empathize with. Everyone has been there at some point in their lives. If you work in publishing, you may suffer from mental illness, as Nora learned. The author's honest representation of depression is the book's greatest asset.

I really wanted to love this book! The name, the cover, the concept, I love a peek into publishing and I love a journey where a young woman is finding her footing in career and personal life. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book, primarily because Nora's decision to secretly freelance for a competing publisher - which is the foundation of the plot- is so resoundingly stupid that I really couldn't care one way or the other about her from then on.
There are many ways she could have had conflict or made tough choices regarding work that could have put her at risk without having her be so dumb she thinks her work lives in a vacuum, seemingly with no awareness of the concept of networking or how incestuous any profession is. Silly choice.
The book got better in the last quarter or so, Andrew was a very likable character. But also the very late in the game introduction of the fact that Nora struggles with depression just felt out of place. Did I miss that in the beginning? Did the author introduce it as a way to explain or excuse so many poor decisions? The book got more interesting as Nora explored this "struggle" but it all felt like an afterthought to me and sadly by then as a reader I didn't care, I was just trying to not put the book down without finishing.

I really enjoyed how this book focused on Nora and her struggles with depression and how that translated to her work, her relationships, and her daily life. I could relate all too well to Nora's anxiety and depression spiral and how they fed into each other. This was a refreshing read.

Must Love Books is the fascinating debut novel by Shauna Robinson. The book centers Nora Hughes, an editorial assistant going on five years in her position. To put it simply, Nora is tired. Her company has been going through pay cuts and layoffs, she’s been handed the responsibilities of multiple people, and she’s unhappy in her job. When Nora meets Andrew, things take an unexpectedly bumpy twist. This book is incredibly relatable for any twenty-something who doesn’t have their life figured out but (kinda, desperately) hopes they do soon.

Didn't capture my attention and engagement. Interested in trying it again though and hopefully it will take.

Realistic, relatable, and romantic - an absolute winner. A recommended purchase for collections where WF and CR are popular.

I do, in fact, love books.

I wouldn’t quite go so far as to say that I loved this quick bookish romance, but it was mostly enjoyable.

Like many reviews, I saw comparisons to Darren Star's 'Younger.'

And the chemistry between protagonists Nora and Andrew was natural and so beautifully written.

I longed to see them together.

But many parts of the book seemed rushed, especially the depiction of Nina’s depression.

It almost seemed to manifest out of nowhere in the middle of the book.

And it was difficult to root for her when she was knowingly making decisions that hurt the people she cares about.

Certainly not a perfect read.

Nora works as an editorial assistant at a small publishing house in San Fransisco and begins to have an identity crisis when her pay is cut and her responsibilities increase. I went into this thinking it was a romance (based on the cover and description) but it's very much a women's fiction/contemporary title. There are some romance aspects but I was left wanting more of it, especially with it's open ending.
As someone who's trying to get into the publishing industry/figure out her 'dream job' (much like Nora), I related to her feelings of uncertainty about her future and what she wanted to do with her life. Part of the reason I was drawn into this book was because it was about a woman in publishing who loved books. Throughout the book, however, Nora talks about how much she loves books but isn't happy with her job in publishing. And by the end of the novel, Nora's left with a negative impression of the publishing industry, and is only beginning to figure out her next steps.

I was quite frustrated with Nora at times as she complained about her problems more often than she did something about them. She also relied on and misused other people quite often, despite complaining about them and keeping them at a distance.

The novel also talks a lot about mental health and suicidal thoughts—which I was not expecting at all. It sprang up about 40% into the book and was a prominent theme going forward.

If you love books, but aren't sure what to do with your life then you might like this book, but just be warned that the protagonist still doesn't completely figure out her life by the end of the novel. It's sort of an adult coming of age/quarter life crisis, with a hint of romance.

Thank you for this ARC. This book was very different than what I expected it to be. I was hoping for a book about books, with lovable, quirky characters. I had not expected a dark story with mostly negativity and complaints.
I DNF’d this book at 35%