Quick read, about a millennial trying to find herself set in the publishing industry. The writing could do with some editing, and the protagonist is quite solipsistic. I liked some of the writing about irritating older colleagues, and the book ended well. 2 1/2 stars for this, rounded up to 3.

This was an immensely personal read for me, as I sit here writing this review next to my bookshelf housing four Octavia Butler novels with one year left until I complete my English BA with hopes to one day work in publishing. Must Love Books by Shauna Robinson contains so much depth and soul that cannot simply be conveyed within the confines of a summary or a review. I'm very grateful to have been afforded the chance to read the ARC of this novel.

What happens when you land your dream job and it's not at all how you imagined it? This is the general premise of Must Love Books as Robinson takes the reader on a journey through the professional and personal life of Nora, an editorial assistant working Parsons Press. After salary cuts, Nora is left floundering for some way to make enough money to continue living in Oakland. She begins freelancing for Parsons' rival company, Weber, to make a little extra money with hopes it will develop into a full-time position. Caught up in the politics of the publishing industry and her growing confusion surrounding her relationship with author Andrew Santos, Nora is just trying to find SOMETHING that will make her happy again.

Something that this book does really well is its discussion of depression. Although it isn't explicitly written out, it's shown from the start of the book that our girl Nora has been struggling for a very long time. Often described as feeling empty or having loss of her will to live, Nora is really doing the best she can to stay afloat in this world that doesn't meet her initial expectations. I really loved that the author didn't just "solve" Nora's depression. It became apparent that this is something that Nora has to work on and deal with herself, with no set end in sight. It brings a real sense of reality to the story.

I really appreciated the ending of this book, no matter how unsatisfying it may seem. Not everything was wrapped up in a shiny bow and delivered onto the laps of the reader, love didn't solve all problems, and people still have room to grow. It may not be as gratifying as the whole "walk off into the sunset" ending to most books, but it was real and I think readers will appreciate that.

All in all, this was a wonderful novel of both professional and personal development. With a healthy balance of wit and existentialism, Shauna Robinson is sure to wow readers with this beautiful story.

This was adorable! I found myself wishing for a bit more time getting to understand the characters but it was a sweet and lovely read

Another cure for my anxious, nervous mind with its effective healing powers: such a lovely feel good novel!

I love books about books theme: the romance part of the story perfectly balanced with self worth-self discovery-finding yourself and purpose in the world parts. The author’s respective and realistic approach of mental health issues also blended well with the entire premise.

Being stuck at the same job: like a mouse chases its tail, spiraling slowly might be so frustrating : that’s what Nora Hughes deals for years. After 5 long of years at her dream job which turns into quite freaking nightmare, working at the very same position without any promotion, it’s so natural to expect more for her life but instead of getting promoted and she got the pay cut which will affect her financially.

She’s not gonna make end meets. She will be the one at the lowest ranking with her lowest paid job , working on compulsory tasks that no one wants to deal with. If she doesn’t want to declare bankruptcy, she has to find a second job urgently!

Thanks to her lucky stars she’s landed to another job in Webber. Her plan is simple and achievable! She has to balance her Parsons and Webber jobs for six months. She is determined to prove Webber team she can do anything they ask for including helping the authors meet deadlines and bringing more fresh authors to sign with the company. She has also make sure her bosses at Parsons don’t find her second job because of conflict of interest. She has to hang on long enough till Weber offers her editorial coordinator position. Then she can quit from Parsons.

But her meeting with Andrew Santos who has contract drawn up and awaiting his signature for Parsons will change her destiny. She tries to convince him to sign for Webber. And the bunch of lies she has to tell put her in complicated situation.

Overall: I easily empathize with Nora. The publishers world always picks my interest. It was well written, riveting, genuine, lovely novel I absolutely enjoyed to read!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

I really enjoyed this story. While partially a romance, the story is really one of self love and mental health. These were uniquely handled and I loved that the author dealt with them in an honest way without the story seeming overly dark. Well balanced and a great protagonist who you will root for.

*Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark, Shauna Robinson and Netgalley for providing me with an E-ARC of "Must Love Books" in exchange for an honest review *

I loved how much I releated to this. I don't know any of us who hasn't had at least ONE job that they absolutely hated and was slowly sucking the life out of them. (Mine was working at a grocery store). I loved how witty and bookish this was as well.

Thank You NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and Author for this compelling, cute advanced ebook!

Must Love Books by Shauna..... I knew this book was going to be amazing!
So when I got approved to read & review I might have have pumped my fist in the air!

I enjoyed literally everything about this cute book.
This adult romance is going to be every book lovers dream read! I'm telling ya!
The characters were cute, charming, realistic.... They definitely exceeded my expectations.
The writing for this book was refreshing and there were plenty of times that I had that stupid smile on my face because of how lovey the characters were.
Amazing story! The story.... WoW! This story is great! I couldn't stop reading. I believe I read it in two sittings yesterday.

Overall, you'll be glad you picked this book up!
And I can't thank NG, SL and Author for giving me the chance to read an early advance copy!

Nora is not happy in her job or in life really. When she gets a pay cut she knows she can't survive on a lower income so takes a second job, not telling either employer that she is working for someone else. Complicated by Andrew, who becomes more than just an author to her.

Ended a bit abruptly for me, I would have liked an epilogue to see what happened next.

Thanks for the ARC. This was one of the best books I have read in a long time. Maybe it’s the fact that I saw myself in Nora. The characters were developed enough to be interesting, but not overdone. I am not into sequels, but would absolutely love to a sequel to this book. Mental health was handled in a way that did not seem preachy nor did it seem to give all the answers. The plot was realistic and is definitely something some people would consider if their back was against the wall. It reminded me to that friends don’t have all the answers but they can lead us to great food and drinks.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I will be buying the physical copy when Must Love Books releases on 01/22/2022. It was so cool to read about a character who loves books just as much as I do. The main character Nora is struggling with her mental health and on a journey to find her happiness again.


I have never wanted to work at bookstore more.

Nora has fallen out of love with her “perfect job” at Parsons Press after five years. Evidently publishing books is not the dream job she thought it would be, not so much creating books as dealing with the excruciating minutiae of every day office life with a few overblown, snotty authors thrown in. When she learns Parsons is cutting her already low salary, Nora begins moonlighting fo a rival publisher. Things should be okay, if she can survive the grueling hours, but when one of Parson’s most famous authors is courted by Nora’s new boss, she will have to decide what matters most, her job, Oliver…or her own happiness. This is such a gem of a story for book lovers! Funny, irreverent and lovely