I requested and received an eARC of Recommended Reading by Paul Coccia via NetGalley. Bobby Ashton, a teenage romance novel and romcom addict, loves a grand gesture. Unfortunately, when it comes time for him to ask his own crush out with one of those grand gestures…nothing goes as planned. The stunt costs him his job and he nearly loses his college scholarship. Left licking his wounds, Bobby finds a new job at his uncle’s bookstore where he doles out the perfect reading recommendation for for any occasion. When he encounters Luke, a lifeguard who is opposed to the idea of romance, his hopes of finding love flicker once more. Is he doomed to repeat his mistakes from the beginning of the summer?

First of all, I have to say that like many other reviewers, I was drawn to this book because of the cover. I absolutely love it. There is not enough fat representation in romance and I feel that it is especially nice to see in the context of an M/M book. I found Bobby to be a very sweet character. Although the opening scene of the novel is pretty cringe, I’ve totally been in a similar situation when I was his age, making a complete fool of myself in the hopes of snaring my crush’s attention! I love the way he relates to his body. He’s never ashamed of his size, only conscious of it in a way that felt very familiar to someone who been a similar size. And he’s a book lover? We’re totally kindred spirits.

Recommended Reading has a lot to offer, including some pretty memorable side characters. I thought Luke was a really fun character and his interactions with Bobby always left me wanting more. I especially loved Gladys, Bobby’s co-worker at his uncle’s book store. Who doesn’t love a sassy geriatric? Every line out of her mouth was gold. I also found Cass and Uncle Andy’s interactions to be very charming. I think was a very cute story. The light hearted humor and Bobby’s romantic growing pains made this a great reading experience. I was a little perturbed by some of Bobby’s meddlesome behavior toward the end of the book, but all in all I really enjoyed it!

What a fun and endearing queer story with so much depth and growth! The cover of the book is what drew my attention because we need more MMCs that don't fit the "athletic physique" mold!

Paul Coccia did a fantastic job of writing an eccentric but wholesome character in Bobby. He was over the top at times, hilariously witty, kind hearted and loyal to a fault. The banter that he threw out had me cackling throughout the entire read. You couldn't help but empathise with his emotions because he wore them on his sleeve and wasn't afraid to show people how he felt. I adored the relationship with his bestie Wanda! Their differences made for a really unlikely friendship but it worked so well!

Luke was an unexpected surprise as the other MMC! I loved the discovery of his character and how the author only gave us bits and pieces at a time, peeling back the layers slowly over the course of the entire book. He truly cared for Bobby, even if just as a friend at first. Luke kept his feelings very close to the vest, but Bobby had a way to weasleling into his heart without Luke even realizing it until it was too late!

The book store storyline really worked for this read and I enjoyed how Bobby used books to connect with others and put himself out there. He made friendships and acquaintences with others through reading (not just his beloved romance genre) and really built a community within his uncle's book store. Gladys was absolutely the cherry on top! Her gruff personality just made the entire story more hilarious. I loved the co-worker dynamic that Bobby and her developed.

Recommended Reading as a quick, witty and endearing read. I breezed right through it, laughing and swooning over and over. The only critique I had was that there were so many characters, all having a bit of their own storyline. It became chaotic at times. A lot of side relationships / friendships that took away from the main storyline. With that said... I wouldn't mind an origin story novella about Cass and Uncle Andy! ;)

This book was a cute, fun little romcom. As expected, it was very predictable, but that didn't take away from the story at all. I really enjoyed all the characters and loved how the romance blossomed between Luke and Bobby. Bonus points for the plus-sized rep and body positivity!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for sending me this copy of Recommended Reading in return for an honest review!

Tropes:
⚫friends-to-lovers
⚫MC that plays cupid
⚫small-town romance
⚫platonic love
⚫miscommunication

02/10/2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 (3.5 stars rounded up)

Recommended reading's protagonist is Bobby, a bookworm, a romantic, and a teenager who seems to be able to find love for everyone else except himself.

The story follows Bobby after a failed romantic gesture ruins his big plans for the perfect summer. He is fired from his job, and left humiliated. Bobby goes to work for corner bookstore, a small second-hand bookshop that doesn't get much attention.

He meets a boy, and followed is an abundance of drama, misunderstanding and sweet sweet YA romance.

Recommended Reading is the perfect example of a quick, easy read. I don't go out of my way to read romances, and I do not enjoy the miscommunication trope, but when done well I can read past it. Bobby is a drama queen who jumps to conclusions, and doesn't always listen to what people tell him.

Despite the moments that I didn't agree with Bobby, or particularly like what he was doing, I was rooting for him the entire book. I wanted him to grow, to see past his own insecurity and anxiety, even when I disagreed with his actions. This separates the good writing from the bad.

At the end, Bobby discovers that romance doesn't have to be a big grand gesture, and that he too is worthy of love. I loved the representation, and have to give a shout out to Cass, who was definitely my favourite character. 




My only critique is that it is very cliché and "tropey", and some of the emotional moments could have been slightly more fleshed out in order to avoid certain scenes feeling less rushed.

Recommended Reading is wholesome, fun, messy in the way a contemporary YA book should be, and an easy read for someone looking to forget about their own drama as they delve into the characters'.

A quick, easy to read, YA light-hearted rom-com. The main character can be a tiny bit annoying at times but it's easy to look over. I read this book in the span of four hours and I had a pretty good time, I had been in a bit of a reading slump and this was exactly what I needed to get out of it. It was cosy and cute and genuinely a good time to read.

Bobby is a teenager about to start college, who seems to be able to find love for every one, but himself. After an attempt to ask a crush out goes terribly, terribly wrong, he is determined to turn his summer around, starting with his mothers almost-boyfriends bookstore.

This is such a cute romance and I just loved Bobby and his romantic heart! He was so funny and relatable. I loved the fat representation. Bobby does have some body image pieces but yet he is also real and honest with his emotions as he struggles with pieces. The part about sweaters in the heat and being chunky I felt such a kinship to that part and even in my 30s I struggle sometimes with hiding my body and end up in discomfort because I’m conditioned to make others feel better about hiding my body.

I also really appreciated the way in which the love grinch helps to show Bobby that big romantic gestures are not necessary to prove you love someone. There are other ways and it was beautiful to see the two of them form a friendship and relationship.

Such a cute read! Five stars! I liked the characters and the overall storyline! Thank you for the chance to read!

This was a sweet story, but rather cliched. It skirted over the top of the character's emotions rather than diving into them, and so it was easy to read but not moving.

Super cute LGBTQ+ romance! Very fun YA title with a really cute story. I love a good grump in a grumpy-sunshine story!

A good read if you're looking for something light, and free of microaggressions for people with non-normative bodies. And where there isn't an arc of acceptance by the thin romantic interest. Well that I did find it, ideal for when you were looking for a story full of literary references, fandoms and fanfics from the 2012's. The relationship I found it decent, maybe I'm asking too much of it, though at least I didn't feel like I wasted my time.

Super Cute LGBTQIA+ romance. It gave Emma retelling vibes, My only hangup was the interaction with Wanda, Bobby, and Wanda's online friend. She expressed several times that Bobby did not insert themselves into Wanda's business and Bobby ignores that. I get that it was a plot device and worked out for all, but we never saw Bobby take accountability for it or Wanda even really express her anger/hurt at Bobby disregarding her feelings.

This was the cutest book I’ve read all year. The coziest. The title being Recommended Reading is so funny to me bc I’m recommending this for everyone to read.

Firstly, this isn’t just a cute little romance. It’s a great nod to the genre as a whole. I loved everything about it. If you’re looking for something adorable and unique warm to curl up with - this is the book.

This book was too cute! I absolutely loved it. YA, fat-friendly, queer positive, and just too sweet for words. Bobby is fabulous and trying to fulfill his summer list when it all goes wrong. After he meets Luke, who is the opposite when it comes to love, his viewpoints begin to shift.

He begins to help spruce up corner bookstore and starts to see the true beauty without needing to completely change everything. Through it all, he explores connections with friendships and even a nemesis or two.

I really loved this book. Paul Coccia did such a great job telling this story and making Bobby such a fun character to follow.

How flipping cute wa this book. I wish I had books with such wholesome queer representation when I was younger, because I would have devoured this as a teen. This is such a sweet opposites attracts rom com with a plus sized hero with a heart of gold. Their friends to more banter was leg kicking adorable I just ate it up. I recommend this to everyone, not just those I the YA demographic. I love a story with such hope and sweetness.

This book was provided to me by NetGalley but all opinions and reviews are my own.

Cute and cuddly read. Love a good heartfelt MxM. Can’t wait to read more by this author. A great read.

This was a cute rom-com! Gotta love a good friends to lovers trope, and I adored Bobby! I also really enjoyed all the side characters and their stories. It was a fun, easy read!

I thought this was a sweet story. I really liked both main characters and I was rooting for them throughout!

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed and lovable. The pacing was perfect and left you wanting to read more. I can't wait to read more by this author!

This book really engulfed me. While reading it, I felt like I was part of the story and that I was right there with the characters. I absolutely adore this book and the message behind it. My patrons will enjoy this one too.

3.5 stars. A sweet YA M-M romance inspired by Austen's Emma. This book wins points for fat representation. I enjoyed the cast of characters, book store setting, and small-town vibes. Lots of heart!