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cosmicsapphic's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Sexism
kb33's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is not really a romance. Suicidal thoughts are a *main*theme* in this book. There is a bit of closed door romance, but it’s described in such a detached way, I think because of Nora’s depression and her unwillingness to get attached.
Warnings given, I think this was a very good book - it just wasn’t the lighthearted, book loving romance I was expecting, though I admit I pulled this from my To Read pile without rereading the synopsis. Nora was a wonderfully flawed character with a lot of depth, and it was good to see her efforts to ask for help and to make changes when changes can be so hard. While she certainly doesn’t have the rest of her life planned out, she does have a ton of self-awareness.
Warnings given, I think this was a very good book - it just wasn’t the lighthearted, book loving romance I was expecting, though I admit I pulled this from my To Read pile without rereading the synopsis. Nora was a wonderfully flawed character with a lot of depth, and it was good to see her efforts to ask for help and to make changes when changes can be so hard. While she certainly doesn’t have the rest of her life planned out, she does have a ton of self-awareness.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Racism and Sexism
Minor: Alcohol
amberinpieces's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Alcohol and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Sexism, Sexual content, and Racism
foreverinastory's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to MTMC tours and Netgalley for an ALC in exchange for an honest review and promotion. All opinions are my own.
Must Love Books follows Nora Hughes. She's working for Parsons publishing and while she enjoyed her job when she started, her latest pay cut has made her expenses unaffordable. Nora begins to moonlight with a rival publishing house in order to make ends meet and steals some Parsons authors along the way. But when best selling author Andrew Santos is thrown in the mix, Nora doesn't know what's right anymore or what she wants to do.
I definitely enjoyed this one; however, I really wish I had known how much this would deal with depression and suicidal ideation, because from the cover and marketing I've seen I definitely thought it was just a cutesy romcom. I really enjoyed this adult contemporary fiction! I really loved seeing Nora navigate publishing, romance and figuring out her next steps. This had some similar vibes to Honey Girl where Grace was struggling with burnout and the unknown of life after grad school.
I'd love to see more books about publishing and working in the publishing industry come out. I find it all really fascinating, but I don't want to actually work in publishing. I loved seeing Nora and Andrew grow closer. I really liked these two together and seeing them become closer. Nora's struggle with what to do was so well crafted. I felt for her, trying to juggle both her loyalties and what was and what wasn't crossing her own personal line. It's so hard in a situation like hers when your home and more is on the line.
I loved the ending. It felt right for this book. Nora hasn't figured everything out, but she's picked a direction to start in. Can't wait to see what's next for this author!
Rep: Biracial Black cishet female MC with depression, biracial Filipino cishet male side character, cast is made up of mainly white straight characters, Black female side character briefly mentioned, queer side character mentioned.
CWs: Mental illness (depression), suicidal thoughts. Moderate: sexism, misogyny, racism, classism, Minor: closed door sexual content.
Must Love Books follows Nora Hughes. She's working for Parsons publishing and while she enjoyed her job when she started, her latest pay cut has made her expenses unaffordable. Nora begins to moonlight with a rival publishing house in order to make ends meet and steals some Parsons authors along the way. But when best selling author Andrew Santos is thrown in the mix, Nora doesn't know what's right anymore or what she wants to do.
I definitely enjoyed this one; however, I really wish I had known how much this would deal with depression and suicidal ideation, because from the cover and marketing I've seen I definitely thought it was just a cutesy romcom. I really enjoyed this adult contemporary fiction! I really loved seeing Nora navigate publishing, romance and figuring out her next steps. This had some similar vibes to Honey Girl where Grace was struggling with burnout and the unknown of life after grad school.
I'd love to see more books about publishing and working in the publishing industry come out. I find it all really fascinating, but I don't want to actually work in publishing. I loved seeing Nora and Andrew grow closer. I really liked these two together and seeing them become closer. Nora's struggle with what to do was so well crafted. I felt for her, trying to juggle both her loyalties and what was and what wasn't crossing her own personal line. It's so hard in a situation like hers when your home and more is on the line.
I loved the ending. It felt right for this book. Nora hasn't figured everything out, but she's picked a direction to start in. Can't wait to see what's next for this author!
Rep: Biracial Black cishet female MC with depression, biracial Filipino cishet male side character, cast is made up of mainly white straight characters, Black female side character briefly mentioned, queer side character mentioned.
CWs: Mental illness (depression), suicidal thoughts. Moderate: sexism, misogyny, racism, classism, Minor: closed door sexual content.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Classism, Misogyny, Racism, and Sexism
Minor: Sexual content
16rcampbell's review against another edition
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
It was such a slog getting through this book. The main character Nora’s choices are so dumb and cringey. I understand doing things out of desperation but every choice she made was the wrong one, at some point I’m no longer rooting for her.
The love interest was flat, one-dimensional, and boring. He’s happy and positive all the time and that’s all there is to him.
Instead of being either (a) an escapist love story between a cynic and a perpetual optimist or (b) an in-depth commentary/exposé on the sexism, racism, and feelings of inferiority, insignificance and hopelessness inextricably tied into capitalism, this book forces you to experience the grueling day-to-day feelings of working in a mind numbing capitalist society in a way no different than what you’re already doing everyday. I don’t learn anything from this book and I don’t enjoy it - why is it worth reading? It’s not. This book is essentially too grounded in reality. It’s tiring - exhausting, really - and there’s no sense of triumph or success by the time you get to the end. I hardly feel like Nora grows at all. The love interest felt forced and kind of felt like click-bait. There was no spark between them.
My main issue with this book is that there is absolutely no warning or hint that the main character may struggle with (cw) suicide ideation. This book is presented as a happy, quirky story where a girl finds her way in life and might fall in love with handsome, caring man - right down to the bright colors and cutesie art style of the cover. It is not that at all. Had I known that, I would not have picked this book up. I found myself skipping several pages because the suicide ideation was written about at length, and it popped up frequently in the story. Not only that, but her suicide ideation is “resolved,” essentially, by one guy telling her to be happy and do happy things? If this story was meant to spread awareness or help with ending suicide, it should have included resources for people to go to, the main character should have been encouraged, at least ONCE, to go to therapy, and it would not have been presented in such a carefree manner. It is dangerous to have your character resolve her problems by relying on a single person’s input, which creates an unhealthy relationship dynamic and unrealistic expectations for anyone who reads this book and relates to Nora.
This story was irresponsible, but even if the suicidal ideation was excluded, it still wouldn’t have been worth a higher rating. The writing is monotonous, the main character is tragically boring, and there’s no payoff for reading.
The love interest was flat, one-dimensional, and boring. He’s happy and positive all the time and that’s all there is to him.
Instead of being either (a) an escapist love story between a cynic and a perpetual optimist or (b) an in-depth commentary/exposé on the sexism, racism, and feelings of inferiority, insignificance and hopelessness inextricably tied into capitalism, this book forces you to experience the grueling day-to-day feelings of working in a mind numbing capitalist society in a way no different than what you’re already doing everyday. I don’t learn anything from this book and I don’t enjoy it - why is it worth reading? It’s not. This book is essentially too grounded in reality. It’s tiring - exhausting, really - and there’s no sense of triumph or success by the time you get to the end. I hardly feel like Nora grows at all. The love interest felt forced and kind of felt like click-bait. There was no spark between them.
My main issue with this book is that there is absolutely no warning or hint that the main character may struggle with (cw) suicide ideation. This book is presented as a happy, quirky story where a girl finds her way in life and might fall in love with handsome, caring man - right down to the bright colors and cutesie art style of the cover. It is not that at all. Had I known that, I would not have picked this book up. I found myself skipping several pages because the suicide ideation was written about at length, and it popped up frequently in the story. Not only that, but her suicide ideation is “resolved,” essentially, by one guy telling her to be happy and do happy things? If this story was meant to spread awareness or help with ending suicide, it should have included resources for people to go to, the main character should have been encouraged, at least ONCE, to go to therapy, and it would not have been presented in such a carefree manner. It is dangerous to have your character resolve her problems by relying on a single person’s input, which creates an unhealthy relationship dynamic and unrealistic expectations for anyone who reads this book and relates to Nora.
This story was irresponsible, but even if the suicidal ideation was excluded, it still wouldn’t have been worth a higher rating. The writing is monotonous, the main character is tragically boring, and there’s no payoff for reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Misogyny, Racism, and Sexism
Minor: Toxic relationship
The main character has multiple consecutive pages talking about suicide and suicidal intent, and comes up unexpectedly in the story.isabelsdigest's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ARC received in exchange for an Honest Review
Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and NetGalley!
Publication date: 18 January 2022
Must Love Books by Shauna Robinson presents us with the overworked and lost Nora at a very stressful point in her life. After pursuing a career in publishing for the last five years, Nora finds herself in a meaningless job that does not even pay the bills. Her colleagues and friends have all left and she is the last one standing, making her wonder if ‘dream jobs’ are even real.
Nora will have to take risky decisions when the opportunity comes to work part-time for the competition and this makes her examine her loyalties - but can she do? She has no money or another plan. Along comes Andrew Santos, the bestselling author whose signing could give Nora a promotion in the company she already hates, or he could sign with the new publishing house and secure her a full-time job. On the other hand, he could be something else, someone else in Nora’s life that stirs her into looking for personal fulfillment instead of just precariously getting from paycheck to paycheck.
I believe I am just the target audience for this book - so maybe I am incapable of writing an objective review. I am Nora. I am 24 with an English Degree and dreaming of the perfect job in publishing. I see so much of myself in the main character that it is difficult to separate myself but allow me to try:
-Must Love Books might look like a cutesy romance at a first glance but like The Midnight Library (that also features a Nora), this novel is about self-discovery. A late coming of age that is much less popular and romanticized than the YA counterpart. Nora is in her mid-twenties and before even allowing herself to find love, she needs to allow herself to find who she is and what she wants.
-Robinson makes an exquisite job of portraying the bay area. As a UC Berkeley grad, I know what it feels like to be in the BART mentally counting how much money you have left and how many meals you can skip until your next paycheck. We see a San Francisco that is less about glamour and more about the big city feeling of isolation.
-Nora as a character feels like an actual human being, and as a reader, I understood why she took the decisions she took, and honestly, in her place, I would have probably done the same.
-On that note, the other characters like Beth and Andrew went beyond their typical roles of ‘friend’ and ‘love interest’ and have a certain complexity that enriched my experience. Although I would have liked to see more of Nora’s roommate.
-The majority of this novel develops in the office, and in this space as a black woman of lower-ranking, Nora faces a lot of microaggressions due to her gender and standing as one editor from the NY office uses her for the most pointless tasks and mansplains every detail. I think this window into office life and the team behind our favorite books is so important and it brings visibility to the otherwise forgotten members that work in publishing.
-Most importantly, I think this book addresses very important subjects like mental health, race, and class. Nora for the majority of the book is in a dark place - one that I have the misfortune of knowing very well -and realistically, it is up to her to change her situation. Even when Beth and Andrew want to help, the book delivers an open ending that empowers Nora -and the reader- to accept that it is okay to still be figuring stuff out.
Moreover, race and class make an important part of Nora’s identity and the decisions she can take. Publishing is predominately white and as a half-black woman, Nora feels the responsibility of representing but also masking her race when she is working. The people around Nora are also more wealthy than her, and money might not give happiness but it gives options. Because of this disparity, Nora can not fully relate or talk with her friends as she knows they do not understand how impossible it for her is to leave one job for a part-time offer or to not have something stable as she has massive responsibilities and payments due.
In conclusion, I think it is easy to disregard this novel as another quirky office romance -that there is nothing wrong with them and that I love them so much as well- but if you give Must Love Books a chance, you are in for so much more than you expected. I am very happy to have finished 2021 with this book and I wish Shauna Robinson all the luck and success in the world.
Follow the author on Twitter as @shaunarobs
and you can find me as @isabelsdigest everywhere
Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and NetGalley!
Publication date: 18 January 2022
Must Love Books by Shauna Robinson presents us with the overworked and lost Nora at a very stressful point in her life. After pursuing a career in publishing for the last five years, Nora finds herself in a meaningless job that does not even pay the bills. Her colleagues and friends have all left and she is the last one standing, making her wonder if ‘dream jobs’ are even real.
Nora will have to take risky decisions when the opportunity comes to work part-time for the competition and this makes her examine her loyalties - but can she do? She has no money or another plan. Along comes Andrew Santos, the bestselling author whose signing could give Nora a promotion in the company she already hates, or he could sign with the new publishing house and secure her a full-time job. On the other hand, he could be something else, someone else in Nora’s life that stirs her into looking for personal fulfillment instead of just precariously getting from paycheck to paycheck.
I believe I am just the target audience for this book - so maybe I am incapable of writing an objective review. I am Nora. I am 24 with an English Degree and dreaming of the perfect job in publishing. I see so much of myself in the main character that it is difficult to separate myself but allow me to try:
-Must Love Books might look like a cutesy romance at a first glance but like The Midnight Library (that also features a Nora), this novel is about self-discovery. A late coming of age that is much less popular and romanticized than the YA counterpart. Nora is in her mid-twenties and before even allowing herself to find love, she needs to allow herself to find who she is and what she wants.
-Robinson makes an exquisite job of portraying the bay area. As a UC Berkeley grad, I know what it feels like to be in the BART mentally counting how much money you have left and how many meals you can skip until your next paycheck. We see a San Francisco that is less about glamour and more about the big city feeling of isolation.
-Nora as a character feels like an actual human being, and as a reader, I understood why she took the decisions she took, and honestly, in her place, I would have probably done the same.
-On that note, the other characters like Beth and Andrew went beyond their typical roles of ‘friend’ and ‘love interest’ and have a certain complexity that enriched my experience. Although I would have liked to see more of Nora’s roommate.
-The majority of this novel develops in the office, and in this space as a black woman of lower-ranking, Nora faces a lot of microaggressions due to her gender and standing as one editor from the NY office uses her for the most pointless tasks and mansplains every detail. I think this window into office life and the team behind our favorite books is so important and it brings visibility to the otherwise forgotten members that work in publishing.
-Most importantly, I think this book addresses very important subjects like mental health, race, and class. Nora for the majority of the book is in a dark place - one that I have the misfortune of knowing very well -and realistically, it is up to her to change her situation. Even when Beth and Andrew want to help, the book delivers an open ending that empowers Nora -and the reader- to accept that it is okay to still be figuring stuff out.
Moreover, race and class make an important part of Nora’s identity and the decisions she can take. Publishing is predominately white and as a half-black woman, Nora feels the responsibility of representing but also masking her race when she is working. The people around Nora are also more wealthy than her, and money might not give happiness but it gives options. Because of this disparity, Nora can not fully relate or talk with her friends as she knows they do not understand how impossible it for her is to leave one job for a part-time offer or to not have something stable as she has massive responsibilities and payments due.
In conclusion, I think it is easy to disregard this novel as another quirky office romance -that there is nothing wrong with them and that I love them so much as well- but if you give Must Love Books a chance, you are in for so much more than you expected. I am very happy to have finished 2021 with this book and I wish Shauna Robinson all the luck and success in the world.
Follow the author on Twitter as @shaunarobs
and you can find me as @isabelsdigest everywhere
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Sexism
More...