A review by natashaleighton_
Must Love Books by Shauna Robinson

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

I have to admit when I first started reading this I did kind of expect a fairly lighthearted, feel-good romance set within the gruelling world of publishing; where our loveable main character (Nora) would finally find job satisfaction—and love, with a satisfying ending tied up in a HEA bow. 

And though Nora (our overworked protagonist) is incredibly endearing, I wasn’t expecting her journey to be nearly as complex or emotionally fraught as it was, dealing with some pretty heavy themes such as identity, race, financial insecurity and career fulfilment. 

As a reader, we often see the publishing world as a magical book-filled utopia, so to delve into a (less glamorous) side of the industry and see the not so fun parts of day-to day life was really interesting (especially when I discovered Shauna Robinson used to be an editorial assistant herself.) Just seeing how demanding the publishing sector is really makes me appreciate all the hard work that goes into getting books on shelves and into readers’ hands. 

I also appreciated the poignancy and realism that mental health issues such as depression and anxiety were explored —and loved how sensitively Robinson highlights just how damaging (both physically and mentally) work-related stress can be. 

Though I didn’t agree with all of Nora’s decisions (working for rival publishers simultaneously was never going to be a sustainable solution), I did sympathise with her circumstances and felt (for the most part) that she was definitely making the best of a bad situation. We do get some romance, through Nora’s flirtatious interactions and chemistry with author (and resident cinnamon roll) Andrew who I absolutely adored! 

But, ultimately it’s Nora’s personal and emotional development that I found most compelling and I fans of books about books (or set in a bookish environment) are definitely going to enjoy this one—just don’t expect it to be all fluffy and sweet.

A huge thank you to One More Chapter for the e-arc. 
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