While books about books are always a win, this one was very heavy. It was very job focused and Nora's place in life left me wishing for the fun rom com that I expected. I really liked Andrew but the secrets and lies in an already tough situation just didn't work for me.

This book was a tough one for me to read. It hit very close to home. Nora's disengagement from her soul-sucking job and the subsequent depression that over took her life was difficult to read. I think if I was at a different point in my life and my career, I would have enjoyed this book, but for me, it was too on the nose and I was hoping for a light romance, which this was not.

Don’t let the cutesy cover fool you—there is nothing light about Nora’s journey. The first chapters were dismal and I almost stopped reading. But that’s the point—Nora’s {3} and the reality of her struggles. Her monsters are disturbing and Nora makes mistakes. The story becomes interesting when Nora begins to trust her friends. Through their support, she begins a quest to discover her strengths and identify what brings her joy. Honesty with herself, her friends and her co-workers is key.

“Must Love Books” gives an interesting glimpse into the world of publishing. Nora’s career issues are something most of us can relate to. Well done.

Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.

Ok this book wasn't what I expected and that's both a good and a bad thing.
I expected this book to be a rom-com and it turned out to be a pretty serious book on choosing one's career and how this mythical "career path" do not exist.
It's an important thing, for people to know that it's ok to change careers at any given time of life, that it's ok to get into your dream job and end up hating it.
What is not ok to whine about not having money to live on and choosing to take a freenlace job at a rival company (and getting oneself into a spiral of lies). The protagonist could have got DOZENS of other jobs and yet she chose lying to everyone, bc doing anything else just did not occure to her. Which makes her either extremely sheltered or extremely stupid.

I really enjoyed this one, and rooted for Nora to find a fulfillment (and $$ to pay her rent), not just in work, but also in her friendships and maybe even love. It’s not a swoony romance, so don’t let the cover fool you. Don’t get me wrong though, Andrew Santos is a great character. A highly relatable novel, certainly for publishing professionals, but also for anyone who wonders if Dream Jobs exist.

First, I think this book should have come with a trigger warning about her suicidal thoughts and depression that really wasn't addressed other than some well-meaning friends trying to help her.

The cover led me to believe this was going to be a light hearted romance and it really isn't. I wanted to like the main character, but really couldn't relate to her inability to figure out what to do next for herself.

The books starts to redeem itself toward the end, but still isn't something I would suggest to others as a must read book.

The title drew me in, I was most interested in the details about the publishing industry, it sounds so glamorous, yet.Nora’s daydream of her job is a far cry from the reality. Faced with staff reductions and pay cuts she goes rogue, which eventually has consequences. I was all into the book, but halfway through it sputtered a bit. I thought the main point was belabored quite a bit and was becoming redundant. Nora’s risks had consequences, some good and some bad. It’s an interesting novel.

There’s a lot to love about this book. It hits all the emotions- I laughed, I cried… I mentally smacked a main character… it gets a bit heavy sometimes (let’s face it, our girl is clinicly depressed with past suicidal thoughts but we haven’t talked to a therapist or gotten on medicine because that level of self care is just not a thing everyone thinks of) but there’s also moments of levity- hilarity even. Add to that the fact that she has people that are literally all in for supporting her- and not just brushing things aside and telling her to “smile” or “get over it” but helping her come up with self care plans. Be it reading a happiness report (a real thing, by the way) to help figure out how Nora, a three out of ten, can become the nation’s average- a six-point-something. Beth is sweet, hilarious, and the definition of ride or die. From weekly lunches, scheduling reading dates so Nora gets back into her favorite past time, and gossiping about “Daddy Santos”, she is here for her girl. Andrew comes of as a smart man with far too much charm. He seems breezy and cheerful, but whenever Nora needed him, not only was he there but he listened. The professor in him came prepared with reports and a self help book ( Nora describes What Color Is Your Parachute? pretty vividly. Turns out this is a real book as well). He cares, he listens, he opens his life up for her… even after everything fell apart he gave her credit for the work she did. This man is literally to good for this world and I loved his character for it. What I really loved, though, was that he showed that caring didn’t mean being a push over…. but also that you could stand your ground and still try to understand others. I liked that he was still willing to talk to her, as was her old bosses and a few coworkers that she pulled together to try to help her with a life plan. Seriously, these people are kind of Squad Goals- you only see this level of support-bordering-on-insanity in Asian Dramas.

I loved that there was some actual character growth throughout the book for Nora. I understand despression, and I felt for her because I feel like I myself had felt these things in the past. That doesn’t mean I liked her choices- hated a great many of them and cheered when one of her gal pals called her on it… but I also loved that by the end of the conversation the friend was saying that she understood Nora hadn’t meant to hurt anyone opening an avenue to possible friendship later. This was an honest and believable reaction. We all need a Lynn just as much as we need Ride-or-die Beth and Cinnamon Roll Andrew. It was a quick read, but one filled with a lot of feelings. I couldn’t put it down! For me, this is a five star book.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
As far as adult content goes, there is sexual content, drinking, and language. While none of it is over the top, I would still say this book is geared more toward a sixteen and over crowd.

I was lucky enough to recieve an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark in exchange for an honest review. I am, as always, extremely thankful for this oportunity. That said, I will be buying myself a copy of this one (and possibly one for a couple friends and a library copy). It’s definitely a book worth sharing!

I loved the premise of this story! Unfortunately, I felt that there was too much emphasis placed on the minutiae of Nora's daily responsibilities. I appreciated the focus on mental health and the acknowledgment of the career struggles faced by the millennial generation, but the pacing of the plot was too slow to be truly enjoyable.

Any book with "must love books" is already doing great things in my mind. And this one really lived up to the hype. I related to the main character SO WELL and I think that's why I liked this book so much. I struggled with my "dream job" not being what I wanted it to be so I really felt like this was a personal journey for me. It had that element of romance but it wasn't overly romantic, which was nice. I suspect for those who are looking for a bit more of a rom-com this might be a letdown, but I had such a smile on my face. I want everyone to read this one.

DNF @ 78% - I really tried to get through this book but it was sooo slow. I think if you are in your late 20s or struggling to figure out if your childhood dream job is really still what you want - this would be the book for you! However, for me, I wish it had a little more romance.

Thank you to Netgalley and Books Go Social for this eARC.

CW: depression, suicidal thoughts

I requested and began reading this book expecting it to be a lighthearted romance. Unfortunately the romance aspect was lacking and the main character’s “relationship” seemed dry and forced.

I would label this read as more of a workplace drama. Nora, is on a rut. She has been working at the same publishing company for 5 years and after layoffs, more clerical responsibilities and less of what she loves and a paycut she finds herself spiraling down. More of a coming of age novel, Must Love Books sheds light into a current struggle many young workers face.

Must Love Books is a well-crafted novel that will speak to many in the current adult generation. What makes this book such a draw and unique is its exploration of millennial disillusionment with the workforce. Many in this group were told by those who came before us that work would give us fulfillment and should encompass our identity; however, through Nora's journey, we quickly see the lies and toxicity in this. Nora's reactions and ruminations are so relatable and the subplot of her relationship with Anthony was also another source of reading pleasure. The book ends perfectly--realistic and unwavering in its truth.

Nora works works for Parsons Press as an editorial assistant with the hopes of using that position as a stepping stone to her Ultimate Dream Job. When Parsons begins making cutbacks, and letting people go, Nora’s workload ends up increasing dramatically. She is now doing the job of three people, and was just told that her pay was going to be reduced. Worried she won’t be able to pay for her apartment she starts searching for second job opportunities. Weber, a competitor Publishing house is looking for freelance workers to bring new authors over to sign with them. When Nora meets Andrew Santos, a handsome author the Parsons is scmoozing, she finds herself caught between Parsons and Weber and her own romantic feelings for him.

I really enjoyed the inside look at Publishing this book gave. This is definitely a book for people who enjoy books. The romance was cute and sweet, and the conflict was definitely troublesome! I enjoyed the self discovery that Nora went through to find herself and what truely makes her happy. I liked how she was finally able to admit that she had a problem (suicidal thoughts) and reached out to a friend who was more than willing to help and give insightful advice.

Must Love Books is not considered a Romance, and not a light or fluffy read. It deals with some deep issues, and gives us some insight about realizing that sometimes your dreams have to be considered seriously and may not work out the way you plan in your head.

⚠️ TW: Suicidal thoughts and depression ⚠️

Thank you so much @netgalley and @bookmarked for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This one is out Jan 18, 2022 so if you love books then be sure to check it out!

Must Love Books by Shauna Robinson

#ninetysixthbookof2021 #arc

CW: suicidal ideation, anxiety and depression

This book is somewhat billed as a romance, but I would argue it’s more of a workplace drama with a little romance on the side, and the workplace story was definitely more interesting to me than the romance. It was also very anxiety producing for me. Reading about Nora’s career struggles was difficult for me at this time in my life. I also wish the book had delved a little deeper into her mental struggles, although I appreciate that it was presented very matter of factly. People struggle with anxiety and depression and I like that it’s becoming more mainstream to address those issues as commonplace, because they are. I think the title makes the book seem like a light read, and I don’t think it represents the story very well, although I understand why it was chosen.

Thank you to @netgalley and @bookmarked for the advance copy. (Pub date 1/18/22)

This story is more about self-discovery rather than a romance. Nora works as an editorial assistant for a business publisher that keeps cutting employees and loading more work onto the remaining people. She scrambles to make ends meet and ends up freelancing for a rival publisher without telling her full-time boss about the second job. It's also complicated by her relationship with one of the star authors at her original company, who is debating which publisher he should sign the next book contract with. Naturally, complications ensue. However, the focus stays primarily on Nora as she deals with her bad decisions and learns and grows from them. The secondary characters, including Andrew (the star author) are pretty two-dimensional and seem to exist only to highlight Nora's emotional state. As someone who has worked in publishing (for both trade and technical publishers), as well as in a bookstore, I think that the author has captured the nuts and bolts of how publishing works as well as the type of personality drawn toward it. This is a decent book, but nothing special.

Enjoyable book - especially for those who love books! Nora has her dream job - except the dream turns to a nightmare due to corporate dealings.
This book deals with finding yourself, battling depression, finding your "people" and personal growth. Good read for those dealing with these issues - and even those who think they have things all figured out!

Great book especially for book lovers. It was great with some twists and surprises with a little love mixed into it also. I loved the character development and the plot. Was at times slow and still a great read. Would love to have this be the start of a series to see what happens with Nora, her relationship with Andrew and her new career developments.

I respect the story that author Shauna Robinson has given us in Must Love books. Nora Hughes has been an editorial assistant for the last five years. Her dream job when she started, never lived up to what she hoped it would be.come. The story is laid out beautifully as we get to know Nora and the struggles she is having with her career, ultimately affecting her overall happiness. The plot is very believable and relatable for those in their 20’s who haven’t been fulfilled by there jobs or are questioning if they are in the right career. A behind the scenes look into the publishing world for book lovers, the author shows us a reasonable portrayal of the unglamorous side. Nora was easy to relate to and feel for in spite of several poor choices. I am particularly delighted at the romantic interest in this book. Their interactions felt true and there was a mutual support for each other that felt mature and encouraging. The ending was pitch perfect for me. It was at once hopeful with out minimizing what had transpired.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the arc. This is my honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC to review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I think the premise of the book is enticing and promising. However the actual execution could’ve been better. I feel bad dnfing a book so early into it but I got 5 chapters in and I was still only 11%. Indicative of a long book and I am not a fan of long strung out books. Especially when the love interest has hardly even been introduced yet. The first five chapters was all background info and filler sentences that probably could’ve been packed into 1-2 chapters to save time. The main character is okay but I felt zero connection or relatability to her because she spent most of the first chapters complaining about her salary reduction. While, yeah, I agree that sucks she mainly <i>complained</i>. also the fact she purposely wanted to go get lunch with her friend because she knew she was gonna pay? I would at least offer….

Overall this book probably was going to be 3-4 stars and I think there’s people out there who’d really like it but it just wasn’t for me!