3/5

For a book marketed as a romance novel, or at least put in the romance category, it didn't really have a lot of romance.

Don't get me wrong it was a fun and easy read, however I was expecting a bit more romance and romantic development. The characters are fun and so easy to like, with cute friendships that keep you invested in the story. I like the idea of the story, it definitely would make a cute movie.

Perfectly sweet and swoony romance for fans of You've Got Mail and The Hating Game.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for sending me an ARC of this lovely story. I loved it. Just like Lanie has her list of Ninety Nine Things, By Any Other Name checks off quite a few on my list of what makes a great book.

The hero is book boyfriend material - ✔
Noah is so swoony and sweet. He gets his pet rabbit a carrot roll when he orders takeout sushi for goodness sake!
It’s a slow-burn romance - ✔
Do not expect these characters to be getting together early on in the book because it’s not going to happen. We’re talking more like Mariana Zapata pace here.
No annoyingly predictable third act breakup - ✔
All I can say for that is HALLELUJAH!!!!
This story has heart - ✔
I love the emotional depth the characters family backgrounds add to the story. They are so well written, where as most books seem to either focus too much on their past or brush over it and seemingly forget it. Not here.
I didn’t want it to end - ✔
I read the whole book in one sitting and I need more.

*** There is no spice, so you can feel totally comfortable recommending this book to your mom and your coworkers***

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My only con is that I really wish there were an epilogue. Once the Lanie and Noah finally got together, I would have loved to see just a little bit more of their relationship. The end of the book is cute but abrupt and kind of unsatisfying. In Noah’s profession of love, he tells Lanie that he wants to be Edward and Elizabeth, but we don’t get to see if they actually do get to have that kind of relationship. The way the book is left, Sue could have gotten mad about Noah’s “coming out” and fired Lanie, which put a strain on their relationship and they eventually break up. We got a Happily for Now ending, but it really needs an epilogue to make it a Happily Ever After. That would make this a five star read for me.

I closed this book with a sadness that it was over but also a tug at my heart with a sense of hope and love.

You see Lanie, while sad to lose her mentor is given a provisional promotion to editing director for the companies top author. The author who inspired her own love story with her fiancé

However the author is four months late on their first draft. Lanie has to find a way to cure their writers block to keep her job. She wasn’t expecting that meeting the author could possibly destroy her career and relationship.

Through the journey of finding inspiration they journey through some New York landmarks to fall in love with the city and find the story for the unwritten book.

Lanie has her friends Meg and Rufus as well as her grandmother BD for strength and laughs, as she navigates her journey.

The last few chapters though were the gem of the story. Bringing you hope, love and a sense of forever.

A super sweet story about a romance loving book editor who receives quite the surprise about one of her favorite authors.

Enemies to lovers/ all the sweet vibes

I only wished we had a touch more of the emails leading up to them meeting to establish their friendship a little more? It felt a bit rushed at that point and the reactions felt a little off but it wasn’t enough to change my rating.

So, I have a lot of thoughts about this book. I was hesitant to read it in the first place because Kate’s books have disappointed me in the past because they have great premise, but have lackluster execution, and sadly this story was no different. I’m not even sure if this book should really be classified as an adult book considering the only adult things about it were their ages and an occasional cuss word. Kate could have this story have so much more depth with maybe a forbidden romance or a surprise reveal. I’m all for a slow burn, but when they don’t kiss until the very last page, it’s hard for me to care.

That’s the thing, I didn’t care about these characters. They were just there and I had no desire to be invested in their story or their relationship.. I wish this story had more depth and I wish it made me care more and explored some themes more than it did.

Title: By Any Other Name
Author: Lauren Kate

Review: I felt that, By Any Other Name, was a sweet story. I thought the pace was quick and enjoyed the character development. Overall, I would recommend to a friend looking for a quick light-hearted read.

I really enjoyed this book! Lanie is a book editor, for famous Author Noa Calloway. Although she has never met Noa, their friendship has been built over the years via email. When Lanie meets Noa for the first time, everything changes! I loved how the story line built between Lanie and Noa with some unexpected twists! I thought this was a great rom-com and really loved Lanie's Grandma's, BD, witty commentary. This would be a great read for Valentines day in my opinion. Overall, would definitely recommend this book to someone looking for a very cute rom-com!

This book was just so-so for me. Lanie's character was humorous and sincere. I thought she carried the story really well and it was fun to be inside her head. I also appreciated her background and family history. I thought she was a decently well-rounded character. My biggest issue with this book is that it didn't feel complete. It took ¼ of the way through the book to get to the characters meeting, but there's like no conversation between them up to that point. I mean technically they've been emailing for the past 7 years, but there aren't enough emails or moments leaning back on those to make me feel like they know each other. I wish we could have seen a few more of these emails to really get a sense of their connection so when they finally met in real life I could believe it. Also, she was with her boyfriend for 50% of the book, so you really didn’t get to see the connection between Lainie and Noah until mid-way through the story. They had good chemistry when they were together, but couldn’t really do anything about it until she broke up with her fiancée. I really wanted more of Lainie and Noah, we barely got to see them fall in love. Their first kiss is at the very end of the book, I just wanted more of them. I don’t always love epilogues at the end of books, but this is one book that I think would have benefited with one.

I would have loved to have gotten to know Noah more with a dual POV, as there was so much we could have explored about his character. I think the story would have been so much better with Noah's perspective and it not being so one-sided. I did love BD, she was the shining light throughout this book. I want BD as a member of my family. I did enjoy the humor throughout, as well as the pop culture references. I absolutely loved the story that Noah was writing and who it was based on. That would be a book I would love to read! I think this will appeal to fans of Melissa Ferguson or Sophie Kinsella. Thanks to Netgalley, Lauren Kate, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an e-arc in exchange for my thoughts.

By Any Given Name by Lauren Kate is an enjoyable, quick, lighthearted read. I don’t feel that, for me, it will be a very memorable book but it was a fun read at the time. I’d be interested in reading more by this author in future.

I really loved the plot of this book, but I just wanted more. I felt like the book should have been longer to give more of a chance to want Kate and Noah together. The bits you get a glimpse of between Kate and Noah were so good! I was a little stunned at one point when the book jumps a month and basically ended shortly after. It had so much potential if there was just a little more development between the characters.

I am floored by how much I enjoyed this book, the characters were so well-written and beautiful. I wanted what was best for them and was rooting for them at every turn. Especially, Lanie, I connected to her in a very personal way. As Jewish women, we are often demonstrated as hiding our religion and traditions in media. However, Lanie was a real Jewish woman that I feel I know and am in many ways. Lanie is Jewish and proud of it and I can't describe to you how happy it makes me to see myself in her.

Thank you, NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Lanie learned everything she knows about love from novels. Specifically, the novels written by famous (fictional) romance author Noa Calloway, which inspired her to list the qualities of her perfect mate and to switch career paths to become an editor. The novels' lessons have been a success: Lanie is engaged to the perfect man and has just gotten a promotion. In her new job, she is responsible for helping Noa Calloway finish her new book - and it turns out the famous author has one more lesson to impart.

<i>By Any Other Name</i> is an absolute delight. An entertaining and easy read, it is by turns funny and heartfelt, goofy and moving. There isn't much in the way of suspense - the big twists, such as they are, all come early on - but the book kept me reading. Lanie is an easy heroine to root for, smart and vulnerable, and the cast of supporting characters is quirky enough to entertain without distracting from the story. Perfect for curling up in front of a fire or whiling away a long plane ride. Read it now!

I enjoyed this book. The plot was well paced and the characters were well developed. I would enjoy reading additional works by this author.

This is one where i honestly wish I had licked it more than I did. I love a good book themed romance. Editor and writer? Yes please! I think I just didn’t feel the chemistry. They were supposed friends for 7 years only writing via email. I feel like he obviously had a thing for her since he knew who she was. I just didn’t feel the insta-love from her to Noah. Then the ending felt so rushed. I kept seeing I was at 97 then 98 then 99 percent and they still hadn’t really had a moment. Then the next to last page they had a declaration, a kiss, and then the end. Ultimately the idea was fantastic to me, but the ending just didn’t live up the build up. I think I felt more connected to Meg and Rufus than the Noah relationship. It was well written, funny, and I LOVED BD. We all need a grandma like that!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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I enjoyed this book, though I found parts to be a little too cliche.

Before this, I'd read a few very heavy books, and a rom com was a welcome breath of fresh air, but some parts felt just like movies I'd seen before, and I had trouble with that.

I really enjoyed Lanie's interactions with BD, and her wanting to connect with her mother.

This is a definitely a book for you if you're looking for some cookie cutter romance.

Such a sweet book! This was sort of a twist on the "You've Got Mail" storyline. Getting to know each other over the internet and finding out who you are talking to isn't exactly who you thought it was....

Lanie is your basic type A personality who is obsessed with love, but also thinks you have to plan it. She is obsessed with Noa Callaway's books, but doesn't know that Noa is really Noah Ross and she's very attracted to him.

I guess in a way this is a friends-to-lovers romance. Because they were friends online before they met in real life and Lanie discovers the truth. I definitely feel like once Lanie figures it out, she sort of falls in love with him on the spot. She pretends she's so mad at him, but we all know the truth. I sort of wish their was more build up for us to see.

If you like a sweet contemporary romance with a quirky lead and some even better side characters, then I would check this one out!

Lainie Bloom is a spitfire in the literary world and when she was offered the opportunity to take on the firm’s most popular author, she was over the moon with excitement. Lainie had been working with Noa Calloway for seven years as an editorial assistant, but they had never met in person. Lainie would relay information to Noa’s former editor concerning the progress of the latest books. Over time they had many online conversations about book revisions, their shared love for chess and how fun it was to live in the city.

I am completely in love with this book!! Everything about it appealed to me from Lainie’s passion for literature, to her best friends who were always ready for an emergency brunch to the devotion she had for her beloved grandmother, whose wisdom meant the world to Lainie. She missed her mother terribly and wondered how she would feel about her big job promotion. Her mother always gave her good advice and wished that Lainie would find true love with her soulmate who would love her unconditionally.

I found “By Any Other Name” to be very intriguing as the author tells a story within a story about the special couple in Noa’s new book and about how Lainie’s friendship with Noa could change once they finally meet face to face. Lainie was curious as to why Noa chose to meet her at the Chess House in Central Park, which was one of her favorite places in the city. Lainie learned about love from Noa’s books, and she valued their friendship, even if it was only a virtual relationship. Lainie was nervous about meeting her favorite author and she arrived at the park wearing her favorite suit, while clutching her favorite Noa Calloway book tightly to her chest. She surveyed the area, looking for Noa among the crowd. Lainie had pictured in her mind many times as to what Noa would look like, but she had no idea that what she believed to be true, was completely and utterly wrong. How could Lainie have been kept in the dark all this time? Will Lainie’s startling revelation determine how she handles the demands of her job? Can her heart take any more surprises?

Review:
This book was not the romance I was expecting. Despite that, everything in this book was predictable. To me it seemed like this was parts of other books I'd read before. Lanie and Noa had the potential to be dee, well thought out characters, but they were one-dimensial and only had 3-4 chracter traits which they repeated over and over to themselves and each other.
I wanted more from Lanie and Noa's life and more from their romance. I wanted something like Two Thousand Picnics in Central Park but it wasn't as rich as Noa/Noah's writing. I was glad the issue of who Noa was resolved itself easily so they weren't lying to each other, but Lanie spent a lot of this book lying to herself and by extension us and it was boring.

Synopsis: What she doesn't know about love could fill a book.

With a successful career as a romance editor, and an engagement to a man who checks off all ninety-nine boxes on her carefully curated list, Lanie's more than good. She's killing it. Then she’s given the opportunity of a lifetime: to work with world-renowned author and her biggest inspiration in love and life—the Noa Callaway. All Lanie has to do is cure Noa's writer's block and she'll get the promotion she's always dreamed of. Simple, right?

But there's a reason no one has ever seen or spoken to the mysterious Noa Calloway. And that reason will rock Lanie’s world. It will call into question everything she thought she knew. When she finally tosses her ninety-nine expectations to the wind, Lanie may just discover that love By Any Other Name can still be as sweet.

Lanie is a romance editor who has just been put in charge of the company’s best-selling and most popular novelist. Noa Callaway is way behind deadline and super elusive and Lanie’s favorite writer. Though they haven’t met in person, they’ve been friends for years, playing online chess together and chatting, and Lanie is beyond thrilled for the opportunity to serve as her editor. But when they finally meet, Lanie is stunned by what she learns, and she begins to question everything she knows about love, life, and her relationships.

Throughout the story, Noa struggles with writer’s block, and Lanie helps to inspire the author by taking them to various beautiful and inspiring places throughout New York. What results is a wonderful exploration of the city. New York is such a fabulous backdrop to the story, and I love that they visit some of their favorite places and things to do.

Lanie is a fun and layered protagonist who wears her heart on her sleeve and enthusiastically believes in love and happily-ever-afters. The way she feels about books and reading and literature in general speaks to me on a deep level. My entire life has been influenced by books. I’m a former high school English teacher, I run a book blog, I’ve named my children after literary characters and authors, and the librarians at my local library greet me like I’m an old friend (which, at this point, I am. Lol). Lanie lives her life by meaningful insights from her favorite books and speaks passionately about her love of literature and the publishing business. Her career is devoted to this passion, and she uses her favorite romance novel as inspiration for her love life and choice of a partner. .

Lanie learns a lot about herself throughout the book, and I enjoyed her personal journey. One such lesson she learned is that just because a man seems perfect, it doesn’t mean he’s perfect for you. Lanie has an idealized idea of what her relationship is, and she ignores a lot of the signs that suggest she’s not as content as she professes. I think she takes a hard look at her life, her dreams, her future, and what she really wants for herself. She shows tremendous growth and really takes charge of her life.

The relationship between Lanie and her love interest is slow-building and lovely. They have such great banter, and their fun outings are so sweet and charming and fun. I also like that they support each other through some difficult and painful times. Breakups, ill family members, work-related pressures, writer’s block, and more burden them, yet they are repeatedly there for each other. There is a quiet strength in their relationship and an amazing foundation that has slowly strengthened over the almost decade-long work relationship. There’s also a comfort level throughout the book that wouldn’t have been there if they’d just met. They connect on a deep level, and I think that helps Lanie deal with the shock and feeling of betrayal when they first meet.

By Any Other Name is a charming contemporary romance and one I highly recommend. It has great characters, the love story is romantic, and it’s a love story to books and writing and New York. Thanks so much NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review

Well this was fun!

Kinda mad over the ending, I wanted to see the publics reaction! But aside from that, this book is a nice time. Lanie is our lovely protagonist and we'll have to read her journey to fall in love but also secure her career.

I liked all the characters but if we have gotten Noah POV this would have sell the deal for me. Even though we spent a lot of time with this character, I still feel like I didn't knew him completely.

If you're looking for a quick read that includes a fun time, this is the book.




Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.