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Love by the Book
Not yet published
Expected 12 Feb 26This isn't a romance. But it is about love.
Remy is lucky. Her three best friends have always been there for her - until the day that they're not. One of them is moving to New York. One of them is pregnant. And one is busy with her (awful) boyfriend. Suddenly, their foursome is splitting - and it feels like a break-up.
Simone doesn't need friends. The only people she needs are her family - but when they cut her off, she realises how alone she is.
When the pair meet in a bookshop, they don't immediately click. But as life keeps throwing them together, they realise that they might just have bumped into exactly what they need... if they can only be brave enough to let each other in.
Remy is lucky. Her three best friends have always been there for her - until the day that they're not. One of them is moving to New York. One of them is pregnant. And one is busy with her (awful) boyfriend. Suddenly, their foursome is splitting - and it feels like a break-up.
Simone doesn't need friends. The only people she needs are her family - but when they cut her off, she realises how alone she is.
When the pair meet in a bookshop, they don't immediately click. But as life keeps throwing them together, they realise that they might just have bumped into exactly what they need... if they can only be brave enough to let each other in.
Audible Audio
Expected publication April 7, 2026
52789 people want to read
About the author
Jessica George
2 books2,173 followersJessica George was born and raised in London to Ghanaian parents and studied English Literature at the University of Sheffield. After working at a literary agency and a theatre, she landed a job in the editorial department of Bloomsbury UK. MAAME is her first novel.
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August 29, 2025when a title is a bookish pun >>>
November 28, 2025
This is a novel about female friendship. Meet Remy, Nova, Lin and Melissa who believe they’ll be friends forever and will definitely be able to count on each other. However, circumstances change as they get a bit older and it seems that the fab four are splitting up and moving on. To Remy this feels like a break up. Then there’s Simone, who believes the only people she really needs in her life are her family but a shock for them all leads to them cutting her off. Several chance encounters between Remy and Simone suggest that fate is throwing them together. Will they be able to let each other into their lives?
I’m sure we can all agree that deep friendship is a beautiful thing and especially those that we can really count on and Jessica George really captures this in her latest novel. I love the bond that writer Remy has with her three friends so much so that she even writes a successful book about it. It’s therefore relatable how she struggles when they move on for various reasons.
Remy and Simone are very different personalities, one cool, one warm, one who keeps her own counsel and one who is the opposite, one loner, one more gregarious to whom friends are very important. I do enjoy it that these opposites can find a path to a meaningful friendship. Their characters are well developed and they grow on me as the book progresses.
However, I think that the book goes off at tangents and so becomes disjointed in parts. This also causes the pace to become quite slow which means that it doesn’t resonate as much as it could. In my opinion it’s too long and whilst the author has me intrigued for a lot of the book, my interest wanes.
Overall, Jessica George definitely has talent, her novels are character driven and very good on issues. However, for me this one doesn’t work as well as her previous novel, Maame which I really enjoyed.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
I’m sure we can all agree that deep friendship is a beautiful thing and especially those that we can really count on and Jessica George really captures this in her latest novel. I love the bond that writer Remy has with her three friends so much so that she even writes a successful book about it. It’s therefore relatable how she struggles when they move on for various reasons.
Remy and Simone are very different personalities, one cool, one warm, one who keeps her own counsel and one who is the opposite, one loner, one more gregarious to whom friends are very important. I do enjoy it that these opposites can find a path to a meaningful friendship. Their characters are well developed and they grow on me as the book progresses.
However, I think that the book goes off at tangents and so becomes disjointed in parts. This also causes the pace to become quite slow which means that it doesn’t resonate as much as it could. In my opinion it’s too long and whilst the author has me intrigued for a lot of the book, my interest wanes.
Overall, Jessica George definitely has talent, her novels are character driven and very good on issues. However, for me this one doesn’t work as well as her previous novel, Maame which I really enjoyed.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
September 19, 2025
Dear Readers, we are gathered here today to bear witness to the highs and lows of friendship in Love by the Book by Jessica George. This novel explores the challenge of forming those rare, soul-level friendships in adulthood and of nurturing the ones we already hold dear as our lives change. It also offers an ode to feminism and the right of every woman to shape her own body, career, and future without criticism in a world still riddled with double standards.
Jessica George, whose debut Maame I previously reviewed, once again proves herself a master of characters who feel strikingly real. I would call her the queen of chick lit focused on platonic love between women. The spotlight on female friendship makes this story stand apart from the many romantic comedies that dominate the genre. I adore books like Bridget Jones’s Diary and Confessions of a Shopaholic, but Love by the Book earns a special place for celebrating the friends we love every bit as fiercely as partners.
The novel is funny, heartfelt, and at times infuriating in all the best ways. Narration alternates between Remy and Simone, and I admit that going in blind left me briefly confused. Was Simone a character in a book Remy was writing, or someone real? Their eventual “meet-cute” clears the air and the pacing takes off, making the second half nearly impossible to put down.
I highly recommend Love by the Book to readers of women’s fiction who enjoy stories about friendship, empowerment, and the many forms love can take.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing this title for review. All opinions are my own.
Jessica George, whose debut Maame I previously reviewed, once again proves herself a master of characters who feel strikingly real. I would call her the queen of chick lit focused on platonic love between women. The spotlight on female friendship makes this story stand apart from the many romantic comedies that dominate the genre. I adore books like Bridget Jones’s Diary and Confessions of a Shopaholic, but Love by the Book earns a special place for celebrating the friends we love every bit as fiercely as partners.
The novel is funny, heartfelt, and at times infuriating in all the best ways. Narration alternates between Remy and Simone, and I admit that going in blind left me briefly confused. Was Simone a character in a book Remy was writing, or someone real? Their eventual “meet-cute” clears the air and the pacing takes off, making the second half nearly impossible to put down.
I highly recommend Love by the Book to readers of women’s fiction who enjoy stories about friendship, empowerment, and the many forms love can take.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing this title for review. All opinions are my own.
January 27, 2026
3 stars.
The value, weight and importance of true female friendship.
Four friends celebrate the immense success of the novel one of them wrote that is loosely based on their friendship group. The publishing world is eager for a follow up novel, but the pressure to meet the same level of success is overwhelming.
There was a lot that I really enjoyed about this novel, but also several main aspects that didn’t work for me.
I loved the exploration of the intense female friendships in this story. “Love among friends.” I found the themes explored surrounding adult female friendship to be extremely thought-provoking and inspiring. I was nodding along to many realizations that I hadn’t considered before reading this. Can women be platonically “in love” with their female friends? Yes! Female friendships can carry just as much importance as marriage to some women. The value and weight of female friendships is immeasurable. Do all females need this level of female connection? No. Is it a critical part of true life happiness for certain other women? Yes.
The publishing industry and author life are topics that I enjoyed experiencing alongside these characters. The glimpses into the publishing world were interesting. Author life is something many people romanticize about and I thought it was an interesting peek into some of the struggles and complications writers may face.
I also enjoyed the wisdoms from elders scattered throughout this story. They were a great, insightful addition to the narrative. They made lasting impressions on me and had me feeling the emotion of those scenes. One character has a very interesting side hustle which I thought was an intriguing and fun side story.
I had a few large issues that prevented me from fully connecting to this novel. One of my issues is that I found myself confused between what was “real” and what was part of the author character in the story writing her next book. I generally love the “book within a book” trope, but this one could have used a bit more editing to tighten up the narrative switches. The author character uses real life situations to inspire her writing and I got lost in the shuffle between her real life and her imagined story being written. I was able to follow along and eventually sort out the narrative, but it did have me pausing a few times to go back and reread.
Another issue I had was the amount of coincidences. The number of times characters happen to bump into one another was unrealistic and ended up bringing my connection and investment down as it was far too implausible for my liking. These coincidences felt somewhat cheesy and silly, making the book take on more of a cutesy tone.
Overall, this was just an ok read for me. My intense love of her debut novel, Maame, definitely set my expectations very high. (Go get your hands on a copy of that ASAP if you haven’t read it already!) This should be more of a hit for readers who enjoy cute, sweet and charming stories centered around women’s lives and friendships. This reached too far into “cute” territory for my liking.
Audio rating: 4 stars! I enjoyed the audio narration and thought it brought life to the characters and story. I think the audio narrators enhanced my enjoyment.
Thank you to the publisher for my advanced listening copy! This publishes on April 7th.
The value, weight and importance of true female friendship.
Four friends celebrate the immense success of the novel one of them wrote that is loosely based on their friendship group. The publishing world is eager for a follow up novel, but the pressure to meet the same level of success is overwhelming.
There was a lot that I really enjoyed about this novel, but also several main aspects that didn’t work for me.
I loved the exploration of the intense female friendships in this story. “Love among friends.” I found the themes explored surrounding adult female friendship to be extremely thought-provoking and inspiring. I was nodding along to many realizations that I hadn’t considered before reading this. Can women be platonically “in love” with their female friends? Yes! Female friendships can carry just as much importance as marriage to some women. The value and weight of female friendships is immeasurable. Do all females need this level of female connection? No. Is it a critical part of true life happiness for certain other women? Yes.
The publishing industry and author life are topics that I enjoyed experiencing alongside these characters. The glimpses into the publishing world were interesting. Author life is something many people romanticize about and I thought it was an interesting peek into some of the struggles and complications writers may face.
I also enjoyed the wisdoms from elders scattered throughout this story. They were a great, insightful addition to the narrative. They made lasting impressions on me and had me feeling the emotion of those scenes. One character has a very interesting side hustle which I thought was an intriguing and fun side story.
I had a few large issues that prevented me from fully connecting to this novel. One of my issues is that I found myself confused between what was “real” and what was part of the author character in the story writing her next book. I generally love the “book within a book” trope, but this one could have used a bit more editing to tighten up the narrative switches. The author character uses real life situations to inspire her writing and I got lost in the shuffle between her real life and her imagined story being written. I was able to follow along and eventually sort out the narrative, but it did have me pausing a few times to go back and reread.
Another issue I had was the amount of coincidences. The number of times characters happen to bump into one another was unrealistic and ended up bringing my connection and investment down as it was far too implausible for my liking. These coincidences felt somewhat cheesy and silly, making the book take on more of a cutesy tone.
Overall, this was just an ok read for me. My intense love of her debut novel, Maame, definitely set my expectations very high. (Go get your hands on a copy of that ASAP if you haven’t read it already!) This should be more of a hit for readers who enjoy cute, sweet and charming stories centered around women’s lives and friendships. This reached too far into “cute” territory for my liking.
Audio rating: 4 stars! I enjoyed the audio narration and thought it brought life to the characters and story. I think the audio narrators enhanced my enjoyment.
Thank you to the publisher for my advanced listening copy! This publishes on April 7th.
December 18, 2025
I shrug. “I might be falling in love. That’s all.”
Simone dabs the corners of her mouth with a napkin. “Remy, I am flattered . . .”
“Prepare to be humbled.” I scoff. “I meant falling in love platonically.”
This is a beautiful and captivating love story that’s an ode to platonic female friendship. The characters are quirky and flawed and good… and grow. Loved it.
“How can you be romantic with someone you aren’t attracted to?”
“Well, think about it—what does it mean to be romantic? To buy flowers; to take someone out to dinner; to commit thoughtful actions and to give thoughtful gifts; to have long, meaningful conversations; to be loyal and devoted? I’ve done all of the above with my friends. In essence, platonic love can be incredibly romantic.”
It’s unconventional in that it’s a love story about friends, and it also explores how society treats, makes assumptions about and misunderstands women who choose to live their personal and sexual lives outside of the narrowly proscribed norm.
”Whether it’s how visible we make our nipples, who we invite into our vagina, or whether we fill or don’t fill our uterus, the female anatomy will always be up for discussion.”
Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. 4.5 ⭐️
November 14, 2025
Ugh! So there are things that I really love about Jessica George’s Love by the Book, and other things that don’t work as well for me.
Remi is an author that has unknowingly relied on her deep friendship with Lin, Melissa and Nova to serve as the grounding point of her life, and as her friends find themselves other things that take precedence, she begins to feel adrift, setting up her pursuit of a friendship with Simone.
Simone is in many regards the exact opposite of Remi. She is very closed off and perfectly content not to have close friendships because she had such a great relationship with her sister Jenni. But when her family finds out that she’s been working as an escort their connection is severed, leaving Simone to experience loneliness, not just being alone.
The pair don’t really meet until almost a quarter of the way through the book. This does allow you to see what leads into them taking steps towards building a friendship, but it feels too late into the book for me; up until that point it feels very disjointed.
I like the fact that the two women are very different in personality, because it shows that a relationship can work even if the number of things people have in common is limited.
But it also feels like their storylines are running parallel to each other in many ways, where you see most of the other things going on in their lives, until their relationship gradually becomes more and more what the chapters are about.
And, while it does tie in to events that happen towards the end of the book, I don’t love the chapters that Remi writes as a fictional story somewhat based on her burgeoning friendship with Simone. It’s close enough to the actual story but not the same that it got confusing to me at times whether Remi was writing something real life adjacent or if George had not addressed something in the real life storylines.
What I really loved about this book was its exploration of a woman’s right to make choices about her body, whether or not women want to become mothers, and that platonic relationships that are rooted in friendship have just as valuable a place in a person’s life as romantic or familial ones do. Friendsgiving is now a thing, and deservedly so, amiright?
In addressing motherhood, George not only delves into whether or not women want to take on that role, but also raises the important questions of how that choice can impact the friendships they have, and that for women who don’t want to be mothers, things they consider major achievements or accomplishments in their personal or professional lives tend to get overlooked as not being as important as raising a child. As demonstrated in the book, this is a hairy issue, but George does a great job of showing perspectives from both sides.
This story can feel disjointed at times, but it has some really powerful messages that are presented from a very open-minded perspective that make it worth reading. Plus it will remind you of just how powerful your friendships are, and how to treat them with care as they evolve over time.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Remi is an author that has unknowingly relied on her deep friendship with Lin, Melissa and Nova to serve as the grounding point of her life, and as her friends find themselves other things that take precedence, she begins to feel adrift, setting up her pursuit of a friendship with Simone.
Simone is in many regards the exact opposite of Remi. She is very closed off and perfectly content not to have close friendships because she had such a great relationship with her sister Jenni. But when her family finds out that she’s been working as an escort their connection is severed, leaving Simone to experience loneliness, not just being alone.
The pair don’t really meet until almost a quarter of the way through the book. This does allow you to see what leads into them taking steps towards building a friendship, but it feels too late into the book for me; up until that point it feels very disjointed.
I like the fact that the two women are very different in personality, because it shows that a relationship can work even if the number of things people have in common is limited.
But it also feels like their storylines are running parallel to each other in many ways, where you see most of the other things going on in their lives, until their relationship gradually becomes more and more what the chapters are about.
And, while it does tie in to events that happen towards the end of the book, I don’t love the chapters that Remi writes as a fictional story somewhat based on her burgeoning friendship with Simone. It’s close enough to the actual story but not the same that it got confusing to me at times whether Remi was writing something real life adjacent or if George had not addressed something in the real life storylines.
What I really loved about this book was its exploration of a woman’s right to make choices about her body, whether or not women want to become mothers, and that platonic relationships that are rooted in friendship have just as valuable a place in a person’s life as romantic or familial ones do. Friendsgiving is now a thing, and deservedly so, amiright?
In addressing motherhood, George not only delves into whether or not women want to take on that role, but also raises the important questions of how that choice can impact the friendships they have, and that for women who don’t want to be mothers, things they consider major achievements or accomplishments in their personal or professional lives tend to get overlooked as not being as important as raising a child. As demonstrated in the book, this is a hairy issue, but George does a great job of showing perspectives from both sides.
This story can feel disjointed at times, but it has some really powerful messages that are presented from a very open-minded perspective that make it worth reading. Plus it will remind you of just how powerful your friendships are, and how to treat them with care as they evolve over time.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 13, 2025
Jessica George has such a subtle way with words. Nothing forceful or obvious about what’s to come next. Love By the Book at its core is about female friendships, loyalty, gracefully aging, and discovering what is important in life.
“We’d laughed so much that day, but I couldn’t tell you what at. Who knew you could take forgettable laughter for granted?”
We meet Remy and her three best friends, as they all embark on separate paths in their lives. Parenthood, careers, making bad relationship decisions- things all women evolve into, or out of.
We meet Simone, elementary school teacher, also an undercover escort who has no qualms about her choices in life.
All at crossroads, we learn how important it is friendships are. I loved the premise, just like I loved George’s first book Maame so much.
I love that this isn’t a romance book. Quite frankly, I’m getting tired of influx of romances, far too predictable with forgettable characters. Love by the Book is quite the opposite.
“Our circumstances have changed drastically but one thing hasn’t: Let’s promise to stay in love with each other.”
While I wished there was more backstory: how did Simone really fall into this line of business, more backstory on Remy’s friends, and while I was never on edge, I couldn’t wait to read what happens next.
Keep them coming Jessica!!
“We’d laughed so much that day, but I couldn’t tell you what at. Who knew you could take forgettable laughter for granted?”
We meet Remy and her three best friends, as they all embark on separate paths in their lives. Parenthood, careers, making bad relationship decisions- things all women evolve into, or out of.
We meet Simone, elementary school teacher, also an undercover escort who has no qualms about her choices in life.
All at crossroads, we learn how important it is friendships are. I loved the premise, just like I loved George’s first book Maame so much.
I love that this isn’t a romance book. Quite frankly, I’m getting tired of influx of romances, far too predictable with forgettable characters. Love by the Book is quite the opposite.
“Our circumstances have changed drastically but one thing hasn’t: Let’s promise to stay in love with each other.”
While I wished there was more backstory: how did Simone really fall into this line of business, more backstory on Remy’s friends, and while I was never on edge, I couldn’t wait to read what happens next.
Keep them coming Jessica!!
February 7, 2026
3.5⭐️
“That’s friendship… accepting no one is perfect and valuing what they can provide over what they can’t.”
**thank you to the publishers at Hodder & Stoughton for this proof copy 📚🤍
One of my most anticipated 2026 releases!!!
Maame (Jessica’s first novel) was a 6⭐️ read for me, so my expectations were extremely high… and while I liked and enjoyed this, I didn’t love it.
We follow Remy, who’s feeling lost in life. Her tight-knit friendship group have all gone down different paths, leaving her lonely and unsure of her purpose, while also struggling to write her second novel.
She meets Simone, a local primary school teacher (with a secret side job 🤭) who’s had a major fallout with her family - especially her sister, her former best friend. - so she’s also feeling lost and closed off.
As a teacher myself, I loved the school scenes with Simone!
I loved the exploration of friendship and its complexities, especially being in your late 20s when everyone is in different life seasons. Could completely relate as I’m going through this atm.
Alongside, the general feelings of not knowing what you want/what’s going on when everyone around you is doing such different things. The conversations around changing priorities, motherhood, and children were handled brilliantly.
It did take me a while to get my head around the characters and relationships, there were a lot of names floating around. Simone can initially come across as abrupt and standoffish and her very different personality to Remy’s took some warming up to.
At times the pacing dipped in the middle and went off on tangents before picking up again in the final pages. For me, it was also way too long, there’s a lot going on, which sometimes made it feel dragged and slightly disjointed.
I just wanted more from it overall😔
If you like character driven books and topics of female friendships then you will absolutely loveeeee this!!!
Themes: female friendships, relationships, purpose, family, sex work, children, motherhood.
**available to pre order nowww (out in Feb!)
“That’s friendship… accepting no one is perfect and valuing what they can provide over what they can’t.”
**thank you to the publishers at Hodder & Stoughton for this proof copy 📚🤍
One of my most anticipated 2026 releases!!!
Maame (Jessica’s first novel) was a 6⭐️ read for me, so my expectations were extremely high… and while I liked and enjoyed this, I didn’t love it.
We follow Remy, who’s feeling lost in life. Her tight-knit friendship group have all gone down different paths, leaving her lonely and unsure of her purpose, while also struggling to write her second novel.
She meets Simone, a local primary school teacher (with a secret side job 🤭) who’s had a major fallout with her family - especially her sister, her former best friend. - so she’s also feeling lost and closed off.
As a teacher myself, I loved the school scenes with Simone!
I loved the exploration of friendship and its complexities, especially being in your late 20s when everyone is in different life seasons. Could completely relate as I’m going through this atm.
Alongside, the general feelings of not knowing what you want/what’s going on when everyone around you is doing such different things. The conversations around changing priorities, motherhood, and children were handled brilliantly.
It did take me a while to get my head around the characters and relationships, there were a lot of names floating around. Simone can initially come across as abrupt and standoffish and her very different personality to Remy’s took some warming up to.
At times the pacing dipped in the middle and went off on tangents before picking up again in the final pages. For me, it was also way too long, there’s a lot going on, which sometimes made it feel dragged and slightly disjointed.
I just wanted more from it overall😔
If you like character driven books and topics of female friendships then you will absolutely loveeeee this!!!
Themes: female friendships, relationships, purpose, family, sex work, children, motherhood.
**available to pre order nowww (out in Feb!)
Want to read
August 21, 2025Looking forward to reading this book. Thank you for the arc!
October 6, 2025
I have a feeling book is going to be very well received next year. Not only did this book shove me out of a two month reading slump, it came at an intriguing time in my life. The story went beyond the basic tenants of female friendship and explored how love and feelings (despite how we frame it) shape how we communicate with each other. Remy & Simone were two engaging characters that met at an awkward stage at both their lives and I loved that Remy's initial friend group was still an impactful part of the overall story. When I think about it, every character in this book was well fleshed out. The dialogue was chef's kiss and packed an emotional punch to the concept of friendship, love and womanhood.
January 26, 2026
I absolutely loved Love by the Book by Jessica George! It’s a joyful, heartfelt celebration of the beauty and power of female friendship that completely swept me away. As a follow-up to her wonderful debut Maame (which I also adored), this novel feels both comforting and excitingly fresh, brimming with wisdom, warmth, and deeply well-developed characters. I found myself instantly attached to Remy and Simone and honestly just wanted to be best friends with them, rooting for them through every page. George has such a gift for capturing emotional nuance and connection, making this story feel unique, refreshing, and utterly captivating. Overall, it’s a beautiful, feel-good read that stayed with me long after I finished. I can’t recommend highly enough!
October 13, 2025
This book about love might not be the kind you expect. It explores how love and connection can exist in platonic friendships just as deeply as in romance.
It’s a story many twenty-somethings will relate to: navigating hard decisions, loneliness, and ever-changing friendships. At times I wondered if it was trying to take on too much, but it manages to stay thoughtful and grounded while keeping a manageable length.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.
It’s a story many twenty-somethings will relate to: navigating hard decisions, loneliness, and ever-changing friendships. At times I wondered if it was trying to take on too much, but it manages to stay thoughtful and grounded while keeping a manageable length.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.
August 17, 2025
Jessica George is two for two! She explores love and dynamics within friendships, and there is much to think about concerning what we want and how to justify it with ourselves and others. While Remi was clearly meant to be the primary main character, Simone's story stole the show.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel. This was a great follow up to Maame.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel. This was a great follow up to Maame.
Want to read
September 7, 2025Excited to Get an ARC of this Book. I really loved
Maame by Jessica George. I think she is a talented Author.
So, Interested in her new book and see if it is as Engrossing as Maame.
🩷🩵🧡
Maame by Jessica George. I think she is a talented Author. So, Interested in her new book and see if it is as Engrossing as Maame.
🩷🩵🧡
January 21, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for this advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review. Jessica George does it again: she writes so beautifully and her characters are so well written. This exploration of female friendship is a story I haven’t read before, and I can’t wait to recommend this to others when it comes out in April. The audiobook was perfectly narrated, and I would recommend this format to anyone. This second book just confirmed I will read absolutely anything Jessica George writes.
September 18, 2025
Love this book! “There are few things in this big wide world more beautiful, powerful, or restorative than friendship.
Read
December 15, 2025* thanks to St Martin’s Press for the NetGalley review copy (pub date: April 7, 2026)
I don’t know if this is a true DNF (@48%) or an “I’ll come back to it at some point” DNF, but the glacial pace wasn’t holding my attention, so I was only reading a few pages at a time and couldn’t get into the flow of the story. Maybe it’s a vacation book?
Anyway - Maame was one of my favorite books the year it came out and I would definitely read another book by George, but this was not my favorite.
I don’t know if this is a true DNF (@48%) or an “I’ll come back to it at some point” DNF, but the glacial pace wasn’t holding my attention, so I was only reading a few pages at a time and couldn’t get into the flow of the story. Maybe it’s a vacation book?
Anyway - Maame was one of my favorite books the year it came out and I would definitely read another book by George, but this was not my favorite.
May 27, 2025
some of the characters weren't as well written I felt but I enjoyed the themes of the book and the treatment of friendship.
November 7, 2025
Jessica George did her big one with this book. This book felt like therapy to me, I don’t think I know of any book that centers so much around friendship. I recommend this especially to women in their mid 20s to 30s. As someone in this age group that has (and still is) struggled with friendship, I learned so much about friendships and platonic romance from this book. Jessica wove in a lot of elements very creatively. Different types of women/ friends in that age range were represented. I could see myself in at least 3/4 women mentioned.
This book isn’t perfect, I am sure literary experts would find something to pick at. I love literary/ contemporary fiction, so this is up my alley. To me, this is worth 5 stars. I can’t think of any book that compares to it. I cannot wait to pick up my own copy once this book comes out April 2026. I see myself rereading this book in the future. And after reading Maame just before reading this book, Jessica George is definitely an auto buy author for me.
Please check out my YouTube channel @Favour’s flavor. Video review of Maame and Love by the book: https://youtu.be/Mh1YBGPvsSk?si=dJ8wH...
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.
This book isn’t perfect, I am sure literary experts would find something to pick at. I love literary/ contemporary fiction, so this is up my alley. To me, this is worth 5 stars. I can’t think of any book that compares to it. I cannot wait to pick up my own copy once this book comes out April 2026. I see myself rereading this book in the future. And after reading Maame just before reading this book, Jessica George is definitely an auto buy author for me.
Please check out my YouTube channel @Favour’s flavor. Video review of Maame and Love by the book: https://youtu.be/Mh1YBGPvsSk?si=dJ8wH...
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.
September 25, 2025
Love by the Book by Jessica George is an exuberant and somewhat messy celebration of adult female friendship.
I decided to read Love by the Book because I adored Jessica George’s debut novel, Maame. Her two novels are wildly different in several ways. Where Maame is focused, self-contained, and quietly affirming, Love by the Book is scattershot, expansive, and loud. It follows two women in London who find themselves suddenly lonely after unexpected life events alter their social landscape. Remy is a successful debut author; her first novel fictionalized and centered the dynamics of her real-life friend group. She has no interest in romantic or sexual relationships, so friendship means a lot to her. But when her group disbands due to various life events—babies, promotions, changing relationship dynamics—she’s left asunder and struggling with writer’s block. Meanwhile, Simone prides herself on her independent lifestyle. She supplements her meagre primary school teacher’s salary with sex work as an escort. However, her two worlds collide when her family finds out about her escort job and cut her off. Both women, although different as night and day, find comfort in a budding friendship with each other.
There’s a lot going on in Love by the Book. At its core, it’s a rom com about platonic friendship. But it’s also about family dynamics, the decision women make about whether to have children, sex work, child protection, mental health, authorial responsibility, and the woes of writing a sophomore novel. The story swings freely between side plots, tangents, and side characters, which is made all the more complex from interspersed snippets of a draft novel written by one of the main characters, Remy, based on the events occurring in her life. Jessica George has a gift in that she makes every bit of it entertaining and engrossing. Her characters are charming and their lives fascinating to read about. The warmth I cherished in Maame is present in Love by the Book; but it’s lot more exuberant here—like a bonfire party rather than a cozy fireplace.
I think the fact that Remy’s character is an author struggling to write her second novel draws attention to this book’s flaws. George spends a lot of time discussing Remy’s creative process and the pressure she’s under to churn out another money-making (but heartfelt!) book before her authorial name fades into irrelevancy. As Remy grasps for writing material, it’s hard not to wonder if Love by the Book was similarly thrown together. The narrative is not only less streamlined, but the characters are a bit flat at times. They spend a lot of time discussing their character traits rather than displaying them through the narrative. Occasionally they feel more like mouthpieces for whatever topic (childbearing, mental health, sex work) that George wants to discuss than multidimensional human beings.
Overall, I think Love by the Book would benefit from a couple more rounds of editing to add focus and character depth. But I still loved the story of female friendship at its core, and I found myself entertained throughout. I think this book will unite rom-com readers and literary fiction readers alike.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2025
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on April 7th, 2026.
Writing: 5+/5 Characters: 5+/5 Story: 5
Remy is a writer struggling to produce a second book at the same time as her ten-year, very close, friendship circle is dispersing leaving her jonesing for a new friend. For her, the love she has for her close female friends is far more important than the promise of sexual relationships with men. Simone is an introvert who loves her job as a Year 1 teacher, but also loves the lifestyle provided by her second, and rather secret, job. When the two meet in a kind of platonic “meet cute,” it’s not at all clear that a friendship could be the result, but it does in fact pave the way for an incredibly rich book about female friendship. The best descriptions come straight from the book itself: “Great food, the complexities of female friendship, and the romantic nature of platonic love” and “adult friendship, and the beauty, intimacy, and unappreciated joy of platonic love are explored through the lens of the moral ethics of storytelling.”
I love that the book fully delves into so many issues of importance to women. Real issues such as whether or not have to children; how to tease apart your own moral compass from the judgment of your community; how to define selfishness and is it necessarily a bad thing; and how to manage (which is actually required) a tight friendship group. The idea of platonic love applied to friendship without attraction was a real eye-opener for me. Something I think I’ve always longer for, but honestly could never have even described. These characters are beyond rich — they are so much more interesting and complicated than the typical stereotypes and behavior groupings we get daily from fiction and the beastly news. I found the discussions of life philosophies to be penetratingly insightful (as did the characters themselves). I was able to dive into so many topics that I simply hadn’t spent much time exploring. One of my favorite lines is when one character is exposed to another’s viewpoint and says: “I’ve never really seen life that way. The idea of taking from it as opposed to merely accepting what you receive.” Think about that from the perspective of typical expectations of women!
Jessica George is a startlingly beautiful writer. A large vocabulary precisely placed into perfectly crafted phrases depicting the intricacies of human interaction and self-reflection. I enjoyed the meta-fiction circularity detailing the intricacies of Remy’s writing process while struggling to write the very book that I believe we end up reading. Masterfully done, engaging, and surprisingly unconfusing! I loved her first book — Maame — just as much (see my review: https://bibliobloggityboo.com/2022/08...).
Writing: 5+/5 Characters: 5+/5 Story: 5
Remy is a writer struggling to produce a second book at the same time as her ten-year, very close, friendship circle is dispersing leaving her jonesing for a new friend. For her, the love she has for her close female friends is far more important than the promise of sexual relationships with men. Simone is an introvert who loves her job as a Year 1 teacher, but also loves the lifestyle provided by her second, and rather secret, job. When the two meet in a kind of platonic “meet cute,” it’s not at all clear that a friendship could be the result, but it does in fact pave the way for an incredibly rich book about female friendship. The best descriptions come straight from the book itself: “Great food, the complexities of female friendship, and the romantic nature of platonic love” and “adult friendship, and the beauty, intimacy, and unappreciated joy of platonic love are explored through the lens of the moral ethics of storytelling.”
I love that the book fully delves into so many issues of importance to women. Real issues such as whether or not have to children; how to tease apart your own moral compass from the judgment of your community; how to define selfishness and is it necessarily a bad thing; and how to manage (which is actually required) a tight friendship group. The idea of platonic love applied to friendship without attraction was a real eye-opener for me. Something I think I’ve always longer for, but honestly could never have even described. These characters are beyond rich — they are so much more interesting and complicated than the typical stereotypes and behavior groupings we get daily from fiction and the beastly news. I found the discussions of life philosophies to be penetratingly insightful (as did the characters themselves). I was able to dive into so many topics that I simply hadn’t spent much time exploring. One of my favorite lines is when one character is exposed to another’s viewpoint and says: “I’ve never really seen life that way. The idea of taking from it as opposed to merely accepting what you receive.” Think about that from the perspective of typical expectations of women!
Jessica George is a startlingly beautiful writer. A large vocabulary precisely placed into perfectly crafted phrases depicting the intricacies of human interaction and self-reflection. I enjoyed the meta-fiction circularity detailing the intricacies of Remy’s writing process while struggling to write the very book that I believe we end up reading. Masterfully done, engaging, and surprisingly unconfusing! I loved her first book — Maame — just as much (see my review: https://bibliobloggityboo.com/2022/08...).
September 25, 2025
I very rarely foray into the Romance genre so wasn't immediately interested in reading this novel based off solely the title, but the promise of Jessica George as the author (whose debut novel "Maame" I thoroughly enjoyed) won me over. The lesson here is: don't judge a book by its cover (or title).
"Love by the Book" is a work of contemporary fiction, centering on the lives of two women in London. The first protagonist is Remy, a 30 year-old budding author who's had her first novel successfully published and well received, a work called These Four Friends which is inspired by her close friendship with her real-life friends Melissa, Lin, and Viva. These women have been Remy's rock over the years, and it isn't until this completely changes that Remy realizes just how greatly she's relied on them. Melissa is about to leave London for the suburbs, fulfilling her dream of becoming a mother. Lin has accepted her dream job as a lawyer in New York City. And Viva returns to a toxic ex, and soon disappears from Remy's sphere as well. Feeling stranded, Remy reaches out to a former classmate, despite her initial cold shoulder...
Simone, on the other hand, works as a schoolteacher and has long prided herself on being independent and avoids friendships. She has a close relationship with her family and younger sister Jenni, but when they discover the truth of her livelihood, she is quickly shunned. She cautiously responds to Remy's invitations to meet, unclear how one person can impact her own life in such a short time.
I loved this book for many reasons, including how it focused on a love that is not frequently explored or written about: platonic love. Romance is certainly its own genre, but the strong bonds between friends are just as, if not more, important. I appreciated that the novel didn't center on romantic relationships with men, especially as it frequently is considered a default or necessary outcome, and not an option. The novel switched between Remy's first-person perspective and Simone's second-person perspective, which helped keep both voices separate and set the understanding of how different their characters and personalities were. The challenges and moments that these women went through together felt true-to-life and authentic, and carried the story forward.
Very much a recommended when "Love by the Book" is published in April 2026!
"Love by the Book" is a work of contemporary fiction, centering on the lives of two women in London. The first protagonist is Remy, a 30 year-old budding author who's had her first novel successfully published and well received, a work called These Four Friends which is inspired by her close friendship with her real-life friends Melissa, Lin, and Viva. These women have been Remy's rock over the years, and it isn't until this completely changes that Remy realizes just how greatly she's relied on them. Melissa is about to leave London for the suburbs, fulfilling her dream of becoming a mother. Lin has accepted her dream job as a lawyer in New York City. And Viva returns to a toxic ex, and soon disappears from Remy's sphere as well. Feeling stranded, Remy reaches out to a former classmate, despite her initial cold shoulder...
Simone, on the other hand, works as a schoolteacher and has long prided herself on being independent and avoids friendships. She has a close relationship with her family and younger sister Jenni, but when they discover the truth of her livelihood, she is quickly shunned. She cautiously responds to Remy's invitations to meet, unclear how one person can impact her own life in such a short time.
I loved this book for many reasons, including how it focused on a love that is not frequently explored or written about: platonic love. Romance is certainly its own genre, but the strong bonds between friends are just as, if not more, important. I appreciated that the novel didn't center on romantic relationships with men, especially as it frequently is considered a default or necessary outcome, and not an option. The novel switched between Remy's first-person perspective and Simone's second-person perspective, which helped keep both voices separate and set the understanding of how different their characters and personalities were. The challenges and moments that these women went through together felt true-to-life and authentic, and carried the story forward.
Very much a recommended when "Love by the Book" is published in April 2026!
February 3, 2026
Jessica George can do no wrong — this is a beautiful love letter to friendship
Love by the Book centres around two characters: Remy and Simone. Remy is a writer, and her first book was all about friendship and, in some ways, autobiographical. However, Remy's friendship group has since come undone; big life changes have made them draw apart. Remy is trying to write her second novel, but is feeling completely stuck because she feels that her personal life is falling apart, given that her friends had been (and still are) her world. On the other hand, Simone, a teacher who also works as an escort, is completely alone, since her family has found out about her second job. Remy and Simone develop a bond that defies all odds, but Remy's eagerness to write a new book might just tear them apart.
I loved how Jessica George has been exploring love in all of its forms in her two books. While Maame was about familial and self-love, Love by the Book considers the love we feel for our friends. I really enjoyed the novel's discussion about how our society is, in some ways, obsessed with romantic love, leaving aside all of the other types of love one can feel throughout their lives. I fully identified with this book because, while I'm not sure what my love life will look like in 10 years, I do know that I have already found soulmates in my friends.
I loved getting the chance to listen to the audiobook as well. The narrator had a really soothing voice.
Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press, Hodder & Stoughton, and NetGalley for the e-ARC!
Love by the Book centres around two characters: Remy and Simone. Remy is a writer, and her first book was all about friendship and, in some ways, autobiographical. However, Remy's friendship group has since come undone; big life changes have made them draw apart. Remy is trying to write her second novel, but is feeling completely stuck because she feels that her personal life is falling apart, given that her friends had been (and still are) her world. On the other hand, Simone, a teacher who also works as an escort, is completely alone, since her family has found out about her second job. Remy and Simone develop a bond that defies all odds, but Remy's eagerness to write a new book might just tear them apart.
I loved how Jessica George has been exploring love in all of its forms in her two books. While Maame was about familial and self-love, Love by the Book considers the love we feel for our friends. I really enjoyed the novel's discussion about how our society is, in some ways, obsessed with romantic love, leaving aside all of the other types of love one can feel throughout their lives. I fully identified with this book because, while I'm not sure what my love life will look like in 10 years, I do know that I have already found soulmates in my friends.
I loved getting the chance to listen to the audiobook as well. The narrator had a really soothing voice.
Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press, Hodder & Stoughton, and NetGalley for the e-ARC!
August 18, 2025
There is so much to love about this heartwarming story that the few, minor flaws fade right away.
Remy and Simone are complex characters. Each has undeniably appealing qualities and relatable flaws. At the start, I struggled to get a handle on who these women were, who the supporting characters were, and how everyone related to each other. But thankfully once these questions were answered, I quickly found myself invested in them and their lives and challenges.
I greatly appreciate the representation for asexuality and love the story’s focus on adult female friendships. The way life transitions can dissolve important friendships and the difficulty of building new friendships in adulthood are experiences so many of us have gone through. Adult friendship is complicated, and I found it comforting to see my struggles with loneliness played out through these characters.
It’s not a perfect book, but it’s an enjoyable, relatable, and warm story, and I’m glad I got to read it.
Remy and Simone are complex characters. Each has undeniably appealing qualities and relatable flaws. At the start, I struggled to get a handle on who these women were, who the supporting characters were, and how everyone related to each other. But thankfully once these questions were answered, I quickly found myself invested in them and their lives and challenges.
I greatly appreciate the representation for asexuality and love the story’s focus on adult female friendships. The way life transitions can dissolve important friendships and the difficulty of building new friendships in adulthood are experiences so many of us have gone through. Adult friendship is complicated, and I found it comforting to see my struggles with loneliness played out through these characters.
It’s not a perfect book, but it’s an enjoyable, relatable, and warm story, and I’m glad I got to read it.
Want to read
May 20, 2025Just got this DRC and am loving the description. So excited to read once I finish my current 5 star read. Friendship is so important and Maame was an amazing work of art, so I anticipate this will be a banger!
May 23, 2025
Raw portrait of loneliness, the up and down emotions of friendship. Not always the best writing but a very real feeling story and characters.
February 1, 2026
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5 (a couple open door scenes)
⚠️content/trigger warnings at the bottom
I absolutely loved this unique story! It’s a tale of platonic love between two women, told like a dual POV romance. It follows the typical pattern of a romance book, so I think you will love this if you enjoy romance, even though the main storyline is friend love instead of romantic love. I loved Remy! She came on strong but I grew to love her (much like Simone) and how she loves her friends so well. This book does an incredible job of defining love - for example, Remy listens to the food Simone talks about, remembers her preferences, and buys her the perfect sandwich without having to ask for her order. I found the themes of this book SO relatable - the difficulty of making friends as an adult, the decision to have or not have kids, the power of friendship, and how friendship is not taken as seriously as romantic relationships in our culture. I think it helped that I’m around the same age as the characters (early 30s) so their stage of life was relatable as well.
I highly recommend this engaging and immersive book!
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for the arc!
⚠️content/trigger warnings: sex work is described in detail; it is treated with dignity. A few references to cheating partners. Child abuse (off page). Depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. A character contemplates abortion.
⚠️content/trigger warnings at the bottom
I absolutely loved this unique story! It’s a tale of platonic love between two women, told like a dual POV romance. It follows the typical pattern of a romance book, so I think you will love this if you enjoy romance, even though the main storyline is friend love instead of romantic love. I loved Remy! She came on strong but I grew to love her (much like Simone) and how she loves her friends so well. This book does an incredible job of defining love - for example, Remy listens to the food Simone talks about, remembers her preferences, and buys her the perfect sandwich without having to ask for her order. I found the themes of this book SO relatable - the difficulty of making friends as an adult, the decision to have or not have kids, the power of friendship, and how friendship is not taken as seriously as romantic relationships in our culture. I think it helped that I’m around the same age as the characters (early 30s) so their stage of life was relatable as well.
I highly recommend this engaging and immersive book!
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for the arc!
⚠️content/trigger warnings: sex work is described in detail; it is treated with dignity. A few references to cheating partners. Child abuse (off page). Depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. A character contemplates abortion.
Read
January 8, 2026ALC REVIEW:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Jessica George’s Love by the Book isn’t just a love letter for female friendships/ platonic love; it is a reminder that love comes in various shapes and forms.
This book has a large ensemble of female characters, however, the two main ones (Remy and Simone) prove that not everyone is destined to, nor wants a romantic love experience.
While society has ingrained the notion that marriage, children, and careers are the pathway to ultimate fulfillment and true happiness, George dispels this notion. Her aim in writing this work is to prove people are no longer held to that old, antiquated way of thinking.
In fact, modern women (and men for that matter) have the option to do things differently. Where it once was necessary that they marry for financial stability, these days it is possible to achieve one’s goals independently.
Singleness is not the equivalent to loneliness!
In addition to exploring themes of friendship, George examines forgiveness and acceptance. I highly recommend picking up a copy of this book when it releases later this year (April 7th).
Special thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Jessica George for allowing me to listen to this book in exchange for my honest review.
*Love by the Book is a categorized as literary fiction. While it is not my typical book choice, it was a great read. It reminded me how important it is to read outside of my comfort genre because it not only stretches me as a reader, but a person.
**I had the pleasure of listening to this as an audiobook. I adores the production and applaud the narrator for enhancing the story ten fold!!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Jessica George’s Love by the Book isn’t just a love letter for female friendships/ platonic love; it is a reminder that love comes in various shapes and forms.
This book has a large ensemble of female characters, however, the two main ones (Remy and Simone) prove that not everyone is destined to, nor wants a romantic love experience.
While society has ingrained the notion that marriage, children, and careers are the pathway to ultimate fulfillment and true happiness, George dispels this notion. Her aim in writing this work is to prove people are no longer held to that old, antiquated way of thinking.
In fact, modern women (and men for that matter) have the option to do things differently. Where it once was necessary that they marry for financial stability, these days it is possible to achieve one’s goals independently.
Singleness is not the equivalent to loneliness!
In addition to exploring themes of friendship, George examines forgiveness and acceptance. I highly recommend picking up a copy of this book when it releases later this year (April 7th).
Special thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Jessica George for allowing me to listen to this book in exchange for my honest review.
*Love by the Book is a categorized as literary fiction. While it is not my typical book choice, it was a great read. It reminded me how important it is to read outside of my comfort genre because it not only stretches me as a reader, but a person.
**I had the pleasure of listening to this as an audiobook. I adores the production and applaud the narrator for enhancing the story ten fold!!!
January 20, 2026
I absolutely loved this book.
The book focuses on the challenges adult women face when they find themselves, for one reason or another, needing to make new friends, and that friendship between two platonic friends can be filled with love, joy, respect, empowerment, laughter and more.
What great characters this author has created, I loved Simone and Remy, they are both so different with their individual idiosyncrasies. Remy is a published author, her 1st book a huge success, but she is struggling to write book number two. Simone is an elementary school teacher and an escort (a secret 2nd job, which finances her lifestyle).
Can they put their differences aside, accept neither of them is perfect, can they become friends?
The story is quirky, funny and entertaining, it also gives the message of girl power and a woman’s right to individual choice
I was a little confused at the start of the book, lots of characters and names to sort, but overall a very enjoyable read.
Many thanks to NetGalley & Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC.of this book in exchange for a review. My first book by this author, will definitely be reading more.
The book focuses on the challenges adult women face when they find themselves, for one reason or another, needing to make new friends, and that friendship between two platonic friends can be filled with love, joy, respect, empowerment, laughter and more.
What great characters this author has created, I loved Simone and Remy, they are both so different with their individual idiosyncrasies. Remy is a published author, her 1st book a huge success, but she is struggling to write book number two. Simone is an elementary school teacher and an escort (a secret 2nd job, which finances her lifestyle).
Can they put their differences aside, accept neither of them is perfect, can they become friends?
The story is quirky, funny and entertaining, it also gives the message of girl power and a woman’s right to individual choice
I was a little confused at the start of the book, lots of characters and names to sort, but overall a very enjoyable read.
Many thanks to NetGalley & Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC.of this book in exchange for a review. My first book by this author, will definitely be reading more.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I loved the premise of the book and was very excited to read it. However, I was not able to get past the unrealistic and fluffed up conversations between Remy and her best friends. The constant talk of Remy's novel, The Four Friends, which was based on her real life-turned novel, was annoying and cheesy. It felt as though every page during a Remy chapter mentioned it. The other main character, Simone, was the main reason I kept reading. She had more realistic adult problems and was relatable. I felt a lack of development with the plot and characters, which led me to not be able to finish reading this book.
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