The Bookish Life of Nina Hill meets Younger in a heartfelt debut following a young woman who discovers she’ll have to ditch the “dream job” and write her own story to find her happy ending.

At first glance, Must Love Books looks like a light-hearted and fluffy read. And in some ways, it is that. In most ways, however, it isn’t, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. There’s a depth to this book that I did not expect, used as I am to covers that sort of give away the game. What can I say? Darker covers often mean darker books, that’s the name of the publishing game.

Deeper, however, doesn’t mean bad. It also doesn’t mean this is a hard book to read, not at all. But it is the kind of book I didn’t – couldn’t read in one sitting. There’s something about sitting in the uncomfortable feelings a book brings out. And, I think, Nora’s troubles will look increasingly familiar to an entire generation that just went through a pandemic and had to rethink their soul-sucking job and the depression that both the world we’re living in and the aforementioned job bring.

Perhaps, a year ago, when I was Nora, when I felt like her, this book would have been too much for me. As it is, the book was a level of catharsis I did not expect in a read I picked up because I enjoy both Women’s Fiction and romance. And though I’ve focused a lot on the heavier parts, because I think they’re important, I will say that the book treats all these topics with care, and that as heavy as the topics are sometimes, there’s always the right balance of humor that will allow you to sort of laugh at yourself.

That is, of course, if you’re at the point where you can.

Because I feel like that’s the thing that will make or break the book for you. Must Love Books deals candidly and frankly with depression, not as an afterthought, but as the main issue affecting the life of main character, Nora. For some, that will be refreshing. Entertainment has a way of sweeping mental health issues under the rug and bringing them to the forefront can only be good for people who are there and don’t know how to put their feelings into words.

However, some will also look at this book and find it is not the escape they wanted – perhaps needed. That is understandable too. No book is for everyone. No book should be for everyone. Trying to please every person is the only surefire way of please absolutely no one.

Me? I both enjoyed, and at times, felt called out by Must Love Books. It wasn’t what I expected at all, but what I found in these pages, a story of pushing yourself and stepping out of your comfort zone, wasn’t a bad story. I might not have picked up this book had I known it was going to end up being what it was, and that would have been a loss.

There are a lot of romances – good ones, out there. There are very few books willing to look at depression the way Must Love Books does. And, whether that’s what you want to read right now or not, that’s still a win.

Must Love Books, Shauna Robinson's debut novel, explores themes of career, identity and fulfillment. Nora is an editorial assistant, a "mere publishing peasant," who makes some spectacular career mistakes and, as a result, must put her life back together. She has no real authority, no work friends remaining in the wake of mass layoffs and departures, and, as a half-Black woman in an all-too-white field, no future in sight. With meager pay, she's barely scraping by as it is. When a freelance gig with a rival publishing house opens up, she decides to work both jobs in order to make ends meet and give her résumé a boost.

As with any set-up that requires lying to every person one may encounter in the course of a day, the situation works for a brief time--until it eventually blows up in Nora's face. Though the novel includes elements of romantic comedy--Nora starts to fall for an author she works with--it ultimately proves much heavier than that, as Robinson explores how career and identity can be linked, how money locks Nora into a life she hates and how depression can escalate into something much larger, whispering "what if?" in the darkest moments of the night. "It was internalized now," Nora reflects, "this idea of fulfillment." While Must Love Books moves toward a happy ending in some ways, it is in this murky questioning that it shines: How does one define fulfillment? Is it okay to settle for a good-enough life? Nora learns that these are not questions with easy answers--but that maybe the questioning is the most important part.

Must Love Books is insightful into the book world and the unexpected path's life can take you down, when at first, your dream job isn't all it's cracked up to be.

The book begins with rather sardonic tones and you get the feel for the type of company Nora works for, straight away. It draws you in with the sense of humour and a relatability I am sure many readers will see within their own jobs and businesses. It begins with Nora interviewing perspective candidate - Kelly at publishing company Parson's Press. This was, she decided, 5 years ago, to be her dream job and landed the post of Editorial Assistant, when she was all young and less jaded, with a love of books, even when younger, when she enjoyed Judy Blume's "Just As Long As We're Together" (a book I myself also remember fondly and still own a copy of"). Fantasies of what she would be doing had gone through her head and she sees a bit of this in "bright-eyed" Kelly across the table as she is on the look out for a replacement to fill the hole that friend, Beth would leave when she move onto pastures new. Nora seems to wish she could do the same. 

The book is interesting. It has quite a cutting edge and brings readers a huge dose of reality to swallow that brings a real eye-opener; it's nonetheless entertaining throughout. Between that and work, the book is incredibly believable and relateable as a woman's dream job isn't what was expected and tries a different tact, especially when things at work go from bad to worse with the job itself and the office politics, which makes living and working needlessly hard. So, she tries out for a job at new start-up company - Booktap, which sounds hip and relaxed and the complete opposite of Parson's, to see if her happy-ending could exist there or at Weber, but the question is, whether she really wants it, if she was offered. It's an interesting book in that it goes through quite a lot of how people feel when applying for a new job and the feedback from interviews is spot-on too. It's also about a woman trying to discover where she fits best in the working world. It's a book that would appeal to any person of working age, looking for a change in their lives, especially if they've "been there, done that, and even going through it again" as you'd really get a feel for this and perhaps identify with it.

It's a great life adventure to see what path Nora does take and what she discovers. There's some romance along the way too. It carries with it an important message, that sometimes not everything works out as you think it would, but you still survive.

I love all things books so I thought this one would be right up my alley, but unfortunately I didn't love Must Love Books. It was a bit too slow moving for me and without feeling connected to the main character I really struggled to finish this one sadly.

I certainly sympathized with Norah and her struggles in life, feeling stuck and trying to figure out who you are and where you'll fit, but sadly it wasn't enough to hook me.

Thank you to Net Galley and Sourcebooks for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

If you have ever questioned how much you enjoy your job and whether it is the right one for you, then you are going to love this book. Nora thinks she has gotten her dream job working for a publisher, but things have been slowly going down hill at Parsons Press. And now, there are layoffs and Nora is getting her pay cut again. Then she meets author Andrew and everything in her life changes. This was so cute and funny! And any book that's about books will always pull me in!

This book came as a total surprise for me. Not necessarily a romance, though–like Honey Girl, this debut is more like a women’s fiction about having a quarter-life-crisis that happens to involve a romantic relationship. The main character Nora struggles with what most Millenials/later Gen Z’s are currently dealing with; unfulfilled in their work-life and tying their goals for happiness to the work they do. This leads Nora into a deep depression while in the midst of being severely underpaid, exploring a possible romance with author Andrew Santos, and trying to find reasons why she wants to even live at the moment. Much darker than anticipated, but a mentally-cleansing read that reminds you it’s okay not to be okay.

When Nora"s dream job turns out to be a drag, AND she receives a pay cut, she decides to moonlight with a rival publisher, just for a little while, to make ends meet. As she struggles to balance both gigs without anyone at either place finding out, she gets stretched thinner and thinner until ultimately her two worlds collide. This was sweet and engrossing (I read it in a couple of days on vacation), and this book has zero spice, for those looking for romcoms without a lot of heat.

This is such a beautifully written, moving novel with layers. I loved this glimpse into publishing, loved the love story, and most of all loved being inside the mind of our MC. A fabulous debut.

But I really did enjoy it, if I'm treating enjoy in a sense that does not mean "make me happy." It was a cathartic read, one that would have had me crying a year ago, and now, with me coming up on a year since I quit the job that *should* have been my Dream Job because it was crushing me heart and soul and I could not take the underhanded pettiness of it all, I only teared up. Because I've been there.

I had heard from other reviewers this wasn’t a romcom, and I’m really glad I did because I was able to go into Must Love Books for the emotional journey is it. Nora is feeling down on her luck, her best friend has switched jobs so they no longer work together, she’s discontent with her job as an editorial assistant, and she’s struggling with finding reasons to carry on. This book takes on suicidal ideations and the importance of mental health, and it is wonderfully done. It is hard to see Nora trying and struggling so hard. She is ambitious but doesn’t know what her next step should be. She is witty and sarcastic and has so much drive in her. I love her dedication to finding what she really wants. And then there’s Andrew, the writer she’s trying to get to sign to her publishing house. The two have such wonderful and playful banter, and I love his optimism. He is a light in her darkness, and I love their growth. Nora’s friend Beth and the other coworkers she has as friends are such a great support around her too. This is a heavy read with a lot of light moments and a lot of hope throughout. I love how it takes on mental health and I just was really endeared by these characters. It’s beautifully and charmingly written, and I’d definitely recommend it.

This book wasn’t at all what I thought but it turned out to be a good thing. The synopsis looked like a cute, flirty rom com between an author and a girl in the world of publishing. But with heavier topics like depression, racism, and wage disparity it definitely wasn’t as light hearted as I was thinking. However, the story worked. If anything, I think it gives readers a look into the ugly side of the publishing world. Like an job, there are definitely parts that are not picture perfect and I think Must Love Books did a great job speaking to that and providing hope for Nora, the main character.
I especially liked Andrew. His cheer and optimism were genuine and I know we all have an Andrew in our lives who we love in spite of their eternal optimism.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Honestly, this book started out strong. However, the deeper I dove into this novel it wasn't the case at all. I was surprised with the heavy and dark topics that are discussed in the novel. I was just expecting a light and simple romance with an easy going vibe. Not a bad read but the pacing could be improved just abit more, it definitely kept me hooked at the start, wish it felt the same till the end. Thank you for the enjoyable read regardless

I want to start off by saying, I adored this book! The author dives into the depths of mental illness/depression and as someone that has depression, it felt so relatable. I had so many emotions when reading this, empathy, frustration, shock, happiness. To me, that’s what makes a great book.

I do wish there was more depth to Andrew and Nora’s relationship, but I was content with it and I enjoyed their banter.

I enjoyed the author’s writing style and I will definitely be looking out for her books in the future!

**Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review**
DNF on 14%
I could not care about where the story was going. Maybe just wasn't the right time for me to read It and I'll pick it up later, but for now I'm more into a light romance vibe, and this book felt denser.
From what I read the writting is good, It was just the plot that didn't hold my attention.

Spoilers!

Nora Hughes is in a rut, working as an editorial assistant for a floundering publishing company. After five years, she’s no closer to her dream of being an editor, and ongoing austerity measures have resulted in her being severely overworked and underpaid, especially after her salary is reduced beyond a sustainable level. In desperation, she agrees to freelance for a rival publisher and hides that fact from both employers. It’s inevitable that it’ll crash and burn. Meeting and beginning to fall for prized author Andrew Santos while, at the same time, using him to achieve her career goals is bound to end badly. If this story followed the predictable romantic tropes, readers would be assured of a HEA. However, Nora’s spiraling mental health raises the stakes and leaves the ending ambiguous but optimistic.

Andrew, who ranks himself at 10 of 10 on the happiness scale, is an absolute delight. He is thoughtful, protective (in a good way), and full of good humor, so it’s difficult knowing that his relationship with Nora is less than honest and bound to end with heartbreak. Nora is a complex character whose struggle with mental illness and misguided selfishness (motivated by survival) make it challenging to root for her, so readers need to be sympathetic rather than critical. The chemistry between them is tepid, especially with the total absence of any sexy scenes (other than a few kisses). Despite this, the hope is that Nora will eventually get the therapy she desperately needs, find a career path that’s enriching and fulfilling, and be able to reconcile with Andrew. They both deserve nothing less.

I thought this story had promise based on the summary, and I gravitate to books about books. However, I was somewhat disappointed not only by the slow pace, but by how dark it went with Nora’s depression and suicidal ideation. I don’t think it’s unusual, especially in today’s economy, for college graduates to take a “dream” job only to find that their expectations far exceed their reality. However, it’s the decisions they make (or fail to) about the next step in their career path that determine whether or not they’ll be happy pursuing something that takes up most of their waking hours.

Bottom line, it’s a good effort for this debut novelist, but expect women’s fiction rather than full-on romance.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Sourcebooks Landmark through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I rarely (if ever) put a book down before I’ve finished it. But, I made an exception in this case. Must Love Books has such a great premise and I was in the mood for a little bit lighter fare. One can only read so many domestic thrillers before taking a break. The world of book publishing is fascinating to me and I know, like many competitive businesses, it can often be ruthless and unforgiving. So, I expected the story to have a serious side as well.

But, what I didn’t expected was the rather sudden swerve into the issues of suicide and suicidal thoughts. It almost seemed random and ill-placed. This topic wouldn’t deter me from reading a particular book, but in this case it didn’t feel right and, since I was interested a much lighter storyline, I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to finish Must Love Books.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

This is a new author, that I was excited to read. The book started out strong, but like many others, I struggled to finish this one, as partway through the book, the storyline starts to drag and is hard to finish.
The ending was pleasant and I am glad that I stuck with it. Still looking forward to trying another book by this author.

This story follows Nora who landed an editorial assistant position at Parsons Press, sure that it was her first step towards "The Dream Job". Because, who wouldn't love making books for a living? But Nora ends up picking up lunch orders, annoying authors, for five years. With her mental health and financial support on the line Nora has to figure out a way to make ends meet and find a reason to keep going. And 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

This book, when I read the blurb, reminded me so much of Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine (one of my all time favourite books) and I definitely wanted to give it a try! This book is definitely not a heartwarming and light-hearted book as it seems to be, it touches on mental health, what happiness is, and trying to find a meaningful reason to keep going everyday. I liked that Nora wasn't a completely perfect character, she was flawed and her desperation led to many bad decisions. This book was also not heavily focused on the romance as well which was great, since it didn't take away from everything Nora was dealing with. Andrew was also a great character in my opinion, just supportive and understanding and wish we got more if him. This book also dealt with important topics as racism and discrimination in the publishing industry with Nora and Andrew being mixed race.

My only negatives were that it was quite slow at times and the inner workings of how publishing works sometimes was tedious to get through. I definitely enjoyed this book but wasn't quite the 5 star for me, I wish we got a deeper understanding of the other characters and more about Nora's mental health which I thought could have been explored more.

If you're in the mood for contemporary I'd definitely recommend this! If you love books that deals with books and making books you'd like this, I also think if you're looking for a book dealing with mental health and not so heavy romance this is definitely one to pick up!

Cute, fun and quick read. Somewhat predictable but if you're looking for a quick book, with a character that overcomes how they feel about themself this is a good one to pick up

I will start off this review by saying what I liked. I thought the premise of the book was unique. The characters - Nora especially - were real and well-written. Plus, I enjoyed the banter and humor. However, there were several things that ultimately made this a DNF for me. The first thing was the pacing, it seemed incredibly slow. I couldn't get into it. Another issue I had was the cover and description. Both gave the impression that this book was a light-hearted, contemporary romance. Although the book did include some romance and fun moments, it was more about Nora's journey of self-discovery and her struggles, which were serious and heavy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC.
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